Chapter 15
Fifteen
After the Thanksgiving festivities, Margie’s family cleared out and went their separate ways, leaving the house feeling infinitely too large and entirely too empty.
Thankfully, she had the firefighter fundraiser to focus on, and she threw herself into it. Sheila had asked to join the planning, and that Sunday, they met at the tea shop.
It was a blustery, quiet day, and their table was tucked away in the English-themed tearoom. Patty served a three-tiered stand containing apple oat scones, vanilla cheesecake bites with blueberry compote, and cucumber finger sandwiches.
“From what Clara has told me,” Patty said, leaning in. “Miles has been over there quite a bit.”
Margie tossed an anxious look over her shoulder. “We shouldn’t be talking about this. Annie is going to walk through that door any minute.”
“We should ask her about it!” Patty said.
Margie shot her an admonishing look. “We should not! Poor Clara is suffering from wishful thinking. I am telling you, Miles Coleman will not be paired off. I have tried, and he was very clear that he would not be dating anyone until his daughter was out of the house. Or, really, not ever again.”
It was nonsense. Margie even had a few friends who had asked about Miles for their daughters after seeing the ads. Margie assured them it was a worthless case.
Sheila lifted her teacup to her lips. “Maybe he just didn’t like the women you were trying to set him up with.”
Margie let out a huff. “I set him up with perfectly lovely women. He didn’t object to them, he objected to the concept of romance in general. You know I’m not one to take no for an answer, but I have taken his No very seriously!”
Patty and Sheila looked at each other and smiled.
“I know everyone has gone crazy after seeing those dating ads with him in his firefighter getup,” Margie continued, “but if you encourage Clara—or worse, Annie—you’re going to break Annie’s heart all over again.”
“We can’t have that.” Sheila’s expression turned serious. She turned to Patty. “You’d better keep your opinions to yourself.”
“It’s not an opinion. I’m merely reporting the facts,” Patty said, taking a bite of vanilla cheesecake, her tone light and airy.
Sheila watched her for a moment before clearing her throat. “In other news, Lottie has been taking day trips with her mom.”
Margie set her teacup down. She was eager to change the subject. “Has she! But she always comes back at night?”
It was funny to talk about her like an old friend.
Lottie was an orca whom Sheila’s father had helped capture many decades ago.
In a twist of fate, Sheila’s now-boyfriend Russell had owned a partial stake in the amusement park that housed Lottie.
Together, they’d worked to release her to a sea pen next to a neighboring island.
Lottie was welcomed back into the family with open arms – or open fins.
“She does,” Sheila nodded. “I guess she’s not ready to say goodbye to her human friends yet. But she seems happy.”
Margie caught a glint of something on Sheila’s finger. “Hang on. What is that?” She rose to her feet. “Sheila! What is that?!”
A smile spread across Sheila’s face. “I was wondering how long it would take you to notice.”
Margie let out a shriek. “Is this an engagement ring?”
Sheila nodded. “It is. Russell popped the question last night.”
“Congratulations!” Margie said, pulling her into a hug.
A jingle rang out, and the front door opened, letting a gust of cold air disturb the pleasantly warm space.
Margie lowered her eyes. “Not a peep about you know who.”
Patty’s placid smile shined back at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hello!” Annie called out.
Margie stood from her seat, popping her head out of the tearoom. “Hi, Annie!”
Annie pulled off her coat, her cheeks rosy with exertion. “Sorry I’m late. Bella came to watch the kids, and they were so happy to see her that I tidied up some last-minute things that I’ve been trying to get to all week.”
Margie beamed. Introducing Bella and Annie might’ve been the best thing she’d done all year. The two of them got on like peas in a pod. Bella was thrilled about her new skills in babysitting, and Annie had help without a side of guilt.
On Margie’s suggestion, Annie had asked her ex-husband to cover the cost of babysitting. Annie was surprised when he agreed without hesitation, the relief evident on her face when she broke the news.
Margie stayed silent. She knew Roy would agree to it. He wasn’t a total monster, and he knew he was shirking his responsibilities. If an inexpensive teenage babysitter let him put off examining that for a bit longer, all the better.
“You don’t have to explain yourself to us,” Margie said, waving a hand. “We haven’t really started. Just pouring the tea now.”
“Great!” Annie said brightly.
She wasn’t going to make Annie play the same game she had. Margie grabbed Sheila’s hand and thrust it forward. “Look at this!”
Annie squealed, and after offering congratulations and exchanging some wedding planning talk, they all took their seats.
Margie sat back and watched Patty and Sheila’s faces. There was no sign of them pushing topics they weren’t supposed to push.
Could she trust them? Couldn’t they see how much Annie had improved?
Her hair was done, all shiny and bouncy.
There was color in her face again, her complexion recovered from the ashen shade she’d sported in the summer.
She was even wearing a stylish pair of wide-legged jeans everyone was doing now, and a flattering striped top.
“Is that new?” Margie asked, brushing a hand against her arm.
Annie nodded. “Yes, the whole outfit is new! I took a chance and bought a few things from an online clearance sale.”
“You look adorable,” Patty said.
“You seem energized,” Sheila said with a smile.
Margie poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward Annie.
“Thank you.” She accepted it with a smile. “I feel energized. I’ve been thinking a lot about this fundraiser. I’ve reached out to some local vendors, and they’re willing to donate their services for a silent auction.”
“That is a wonderful idea,” Margie said.
She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. This was the Annie she’d wanted to bring back—a woman full of life, full of joy. Yes, still a little tired around the eyes, but not the self-questioning, unmoored woman she had been when she’d gone through her divorce.
Annie didn’t like to talk about it, but Margie knew that pain all too well. When her own husband had left her, her children were grown. But she knew the shock of it—losing not just an identity, but a future. Questioning everything.
It meant the world to Margie that Annie wasn’t going through it alone. She deserved to know she belonged, that she was valued. That she mattered.
Annie pulled out a printed spreadsheet with yellow and pink highlights dashed all over. “Here are some of the companies donating and the values of their donation.”
Margie snapped herself to attention, and they spent the next two hours planning the fundraiser and laughing over the endless treats Patty carried out from the kitchen.
She hadn’t seen Annie relax like this in ages. She was laughing—really laughing. Thankfully, no one brought up Miles, just as Margie had asked.
Until Annie did.
“What was Bella’s mom like?” Annie asked, seemingly out of the blue.
“That was before my time,” Margie said quickly, hoping to change the subject.
But Patty took the bait. “Madeline was a lot like Bella. Feisty, funny, sharp as a tack. I’m not surprised that Miles never remarried.”
A slight smile crossed Annie’s face. “He’s had his hands full.”
“That,” Patty said, “and he was waiting for someone as wonderful as Madeline.”
The muscles in Margie’s shoulders tensed. Did Annie catch that? Was waiting? As if his waiting was over?
Patty needed to put her theory to rest before it ruined Annie. Maybe Margie had agreed with her ever so slightly a few weeks ago, but now, after seeing how much happier and more whole Annie was, nothing was worth risking it.
“Patty,” Margie said loudly, “you will have to give me the recipe for these apple scones. Hank would love them.”
“Of course,” Patty replied, betraying nothing in her gaze. She slowly stood from her chair. “I’ll fetch it now.”
Margie snuck a glance at Annie, but if she had any more questions, she kept them to herself.
It was best that way. If Annie was open to dating, Margie knew a handful of eligible bachelors. She could introduce them at the fundraiser, but she was not going to allow Annie to get a taste of the dressing down Miles could deliver.