Chapter 20 #2
The wedding. Emily had been so focused on preparing for the baby that she’d almost forgotten about Tara and Will’s upcoming nuptials in May, perfectly timed between her February delivery and Christina’s July due date.
“Have you decided on a venue?” Emily asked.
“The backyard of the new house,” Tara said without hesitation. “Will’s going to build an arbor overlooking the lake that we could offer to other couples getting married once we’re up and running, and Ally’s designing the flower arrangements. It’ll be simple, but it’ll be ours.”
Emily tucked her hair behind her ear, hoping it would stay as thick as it had gotten throughout her pregnancy.
She thought about how much their definition of perfect had changed over the past year.
About how their values had shifted. She needed this.
A room full of light where their baby would sleep, a husband who came home happy, and extended family close by.
* * *
Two weeks later, Ally stood in the cottage kitchen, surrounded by the organized chaos she’d created for planning her mother’s engagement party.
Lists and color swatches covered every surface, her laptop glowed with photos from catering websites, and real estate documents for the blue house mixed with her carefully prepared presentation materials.
The February afternoon light streamed through the windows, a nice change from the last several gray cloudy days.
“I think we should keep it simple,” Mom said from across the table, though Ally could see the excitement sparkling in her eyes as she flipped through the presentation folder. “Just family and close friends. We’ll have enough chaos with the move happening right after Emily’s due date.”
Ally pulled up another set of photos on her screen, elegant but understated decorations that wouldn’t overwhelm the natural beauty of the lake setting.
“Simple doesn’t mean boring. I’m thinking soft lighting, maybe some of those string lights Will hung in the workshop to wrap around the arbor he’s building.
White flowers with touches of sage green. Very romantic but not overwhelming.”
Since Colton’s departure for New York, she had thrown herself into work with an intensity that sometimes surprised her.
The greenhouse had been rebuilt after the storm damage, better than before, and thanks to James Roberts—their Secret Santa—showcasing one of her arrangements next to his new book, she now had more work than she could handle.
Christina, Ryan, and Sam had all been helping out, but she was seriously considering hiring Sam for after-school hours and Ryan part-time once he turned sixteen in May and could drive.
The flower arrangements had become her way of channeling the creative energy that used to flow into her relationship.
If she couldn’t build a life with someone she loved, she could at least help others celebrate theirs.
Emily shifted uncomfortably in her chair, and Ally noticed how every movement seemed deliberate now, like her sister-in-law was constantly aware of the baby she carried. At nearly nine months pregnant, Emily looked ready to pop any second.
“The weather should be perfect by then,” Emily said, rubbing her belly.
“May in the mountains is magical. And hopefully the baby will sleep so I can actually enjoy the party instead of being a sleep-deprived zombie.” She laughed.
“You all have no idea how much I’m looking forward to a glass of wine! ”
Ally made notes in her planner, already visualizing the setup in her mind.
She’d learned to see events before they happened, to anticipate problems and solutions.
“Exactly. We can set up on the back deck overlooking the lake. The view doesn’t need anything at all other than a few of my flower arrangements. ”
She watched her mother pick up one of the floor plans scattered on the table, studying the layout with the same careful attention she gave everything important. The way Mom’s face lit up when she looked at those plans made Ally’s chest tight with happiness.
“I still can’t believe the Hendersons accepted our offer so quickly,” Mom said. “Closing at the end of February feels like perfect timing.”
“Well, almost perfect,” Emily said with a rueful smile that made Ally wonder how she was managing to stay so calm about everything. “My due date is February 14th. You might be signing papers while I’m in labor.”
“We’ll make it work,” her mom said with the firm tone that meant she’d already thought through every possible scenario. “Will can handle the closing if I need to be at the hospital. Nothing is more important than being there when the baby arrives.”
There was a knock and then the front door opened with its familiar squeak, as Ally looked up to see Sam entering with Bella at her side.
“How’s your grandmother?” Tara asked.
Sam looked at all the chaos on the table before taking the empty chair next to Ally. She was already changing, losing some of her defensiveness. “She’s good. Teaching me to cook, which is...” Sam grinned. “Let’s just say we’re starting with the basics. Turns out you can burn water.”
Emily’s laugh filled the kitchen, bright and musical, and Ally realized how much she’d missed that sound when she and Evan were going through a rough patch. “We’ve all been there. I once set off the smoke alarm making toast.”
“Speaking of cooking,” Ally said, pulling her attention back to the planning materials, “I was thinking we could ask that new catering company in town to handle the food for the engagement party. They specialize in farm-to-table stuff, which fits perfectly with the vibe we want. Plus, it’ll give us a chance to see if we want to work with them for the bed-and-breakfast.”
She watched Sam lean forward, and Ally could practically see the idea forming behind her eyes. Sam got this particular expression when she was about to suggest something thoughtful. Ally had learned to recognize it over the weeks they’d been working together in the greenhouse.
“Actually, I had an idea about that,” Sam shifted in the chair.
“In counseling, Dr. Martinez talks about giving back to communities that support you. What if we made it partially potluck? Like, the catering company does the main dishes, but everyone brings something homemade to share? Either an appetizer or a dessert?”
Ally’s heart squeezed as she watched her mother reach over and touch Sam’s hand.
“That’s beautiful, sweetheart,” Mom said. “It would make it feel more like family.”
“How are the counseling sessions going?” Emily asked, and Ally appreciated how gently she approached the subject.
Sam’s expression grew more thoughtful, and Ally could see her choosing her words carefully.
“Really good, actually. It’s weird talking to someone about.
.. everything. But Dr. Martinez gets it.
She says I have what she calls ‘situational grief’ from losing my parents, even though I was angry at them when I left after what happened.
She’s helping me understand that you can grieve people and still be mad at them for the choices they made. ”
The words hit Ally harder than she’d expected, making her throat tighten as she thought about her own complicated feelings about Colton. Love and loss weren’t simple equations, and Sam’s wisdom at sixteen impressed her more every day.
“And school?” Mom prompted.
Sam’s entire face lit up in a way that made Ally smile.
“I love it. I was worried I’d be behind, but between what I kept up with on my own and all the studying Ryan helped me with, I’m actually ahead in most subjects.
My English teacher says I should consider taking some college-level courses next year. ”
“That’s incredible,” Emily said, and Ally could hear the genuine pride in her voice. “You should be so proud of yourself.”
“I am, kind of. It feels good to have goals again.” Sam paused, and Ally recognized the look that meant another idea was coming. “Actually, I had another idea. About the camper?”
“What about it?” Tara took a sip of her cinnamon orange tea, the scent filling the small space.
Ally pushed up the sleeves of her “Gardening … because murder is wrong” sweatshirt as she watched Sam’s excitement build as she spoke, the words coming faster with each sentence.
“Well, I don’t need it anymore, obviously.
My grandmother’s house is perfect, and she says I can paint the spare room any color I want.
But I was thinking maybe we could move the camper to the new property?
Near the pool? It could be like a changing room for swimmers, or even just a fun place to hang out.
Ryan mentioned you’re thinking about glamping options for the bed-and-breakfast, eventually.
You could offer it to people who want to be by themselves and charge a whole lot more if they wanted the pool all to themselves as well. ”
The suggestion sparked all kinds of ideas as Ally nodded. “That’s actually brilliant. A vintage camper by the pool would be so charming. Very Instagram-worthy for guests.”
Will appeared in the doorway just then, sawdust in his hair, with that satisfied expression he got when a project was going well. He was carrying a folder that looked like contractor estimates.
“And practical,” he said, clearly having heard the tail end of their conversation. “I’ve been wondering how to handle the changing situation with the pool. The camper would be perfect.”
“How are the renovation plans coming?” Mom asked, gesturing to the folder.
Ally watched Will’s face light up with the same excitement she’d seen in her mother’s expression earlier.
“Better than expected. The kitchen and bathroom updates are more cosmetic than structural, so we might have everything ready before fall, just in time to get all the leaf peeper bookings. Maybe even do a few test runs with friends before the official opening. The Hendersons really took care of the place.”
She felt a warm surge of happiness watching her mother stand and pull Sam into a hug. Sam’s eyes brightened with tears she quickly blinked away.
“You always think of others first,” Mom said. “That’s such a generous idea about the camper.”
“It’s not really generous,” Sam said, her voice muffled against Mom’s shoulder. “You guys saved my life. The least I can do is contribute a camper to the family business.”
Ally was smiling at the exchange when her mother’s phone rang from the counter. She watched Mom glance at the caller ID, saw her expression shift to worry.
“It’s Matt,” she said, and a little chill of unease ran down Ally’s spine. “He doesn’t usually call in the afternoon.”
The kitchen went quiet as Mom answered, and Ally watched her mother’s face fall. Her mom staggered, and Will was there, with his arms around her waist. Her stomach dropped even before she heard the first broken words.
“What?” Mom’s voice cracked. “Matt, slow down. What are you saying?”
Ice formed in Ally’s stomach as she watched her mother’s face crumble, saw all the color drain away. She texted Christina.
Get down here quick, it’s Patty.
The response was immediate.
On my way
“When?” Mom whispered, her free hand pressed to her mouth. “How?”
Emily was struggling to stand, reaching for Mom’s arm, while Sam leaned forward with worried eyes. Ally found herself frozen, watching the horrible moment unfold.
“A note?” Mom’s voice broke completely, and then the phone slipped from her hand, clattering to the floor as she collapsed into Will’s arms. Her sobs echoed through the suddenly silent kitchen, and Ally felt her world shift.
Christina burst into the room, took one look at her mom and burst into tears.
With shaking hands, Ally picked up the phone. “Matt? This is Ally. What happened?”
Matt’s voice was thick with grief, and every word hit her like a physical blow.
“I’m so sorry, honey. Patty’s gone. She.
.. she took her own life last night. She was so clear yesterday, like my old darling wife.
” His voice broke. “She had me bring her favorite purse. The staff went through it … but… she had taped the pills inside the lining. She must have done it back when she first found out the diagnosis.”
She heard him sobbing on the other end of the phone as her heart broke. Patty and her mom had been best friends since before Ally was born. Matt cleared his throat. “She left a note saying she refused to lose anymore of herself to Alzheimer’s.”
The words seemed to echo in Ally’s head, not quite making sense. Beside her, Emily made a small, wounded sound, while Sam reached out instinctively to wrap her arms around her dog, Bella. In Will’s arms, her mom sobbed, her heart broken.
Ally looked down at the engagement party planning materials scattered across the table, the color swatches and menu options that had seemed so important just minutes ago.
Now they felt meaningless next to the floor plans and contractor estimates that represented their dreams for the future.
Patty, who had been her mom’s anchor through the darkest period of her life, who had helped her start over, who had loved her with fierce, unwavering loyalty, was gone, choosing her own ending rather than surrendering to a disease that was stealing her memories one by one.
She set the phone down carefully, and moved to wrap her arms around her mother and Will.
In a moment, Sam joined them without hesitation, her young arms adding strength to their embrace, and then Emily and Christina wrapped their arms around everyone, forming a protective circle around her mom’s grief.