Chapter 42
M amie sat on a log at the river’s edge watching the clear water chortle its way downstream.
It had always mesmerized her, sitting there getting lost in the whirling patterns of nature.
She’d been doing it since childhood. Being early summer, pungent lilac bushes bloomed nearby, wild camellias and begonias that had escaped their baskets in shop window boxes dotted the scene, and the branches of giant hardwood trees swayed in the gentle breeze to dapple the landscape with dancing shade.
How she loved summertime in Michigan, likening it to heaven on earth.
Since Rose had been born, though, she didn’t often come down to the river, being busy with a child in the house. Once the bakery opened, she’d be able to take breaks to come as often as she wanted, it was so close. She’d bring Rose to teach the child to appreciate it, too.
“Hello, Mamie.”
She shaded her eyes with her hand for a view of who stood in the sunlight. “Hello, Vic. Come have a seat.”
Vic Van Natter, in his shirtsleeves rolled up to the elbows, his suspenders in place, his tie conspicuously absent, his top shirt button uncharacteristically undone, and a straw fedora hat shielding his face from the sun, sat down beside her.
“I haven’t seen you here in a while,” he said.
“It’s good to see you. How many times do you think we’ve sat right here like this. ”
She chuckled. “A hundred, at least. It’s good to see you, too. Do you come down here often anymore?”
“Yes, weather permitting. I sneak out the back door of the bank so nobody sees me so I can have some peace and quiet.”
“Vic, I haven’t properly thanked you…”
“Uh huh. No, no, no.” He shook a finger at her. “You’ve made me a happy man. That’s all you need to concern yourself with. Besides, if there’s anyone on earth who deserves for her dream to come true, it’s you.” He tapped her shoulder with his.
Mamie threw an arm around him, kissed his cheek, and watched him blush. “I have something to tell you. Something you’ll find hard to believe.”
“Oh yes?”
“Yes. Dalia has found her birth mother.” She took her time to tell her old friend the entire story. He listened without interrupting, his eyebrows occasionally rising in surprise.
When she finished, he said, “Good god, it’s so damned tragic that some psycho doctor and his psycho nurse would do that.
How awful. I know the sheriff over there.
He’ll make sure there’s justice.” He shook his head.
“But that’s a big mess with all those poor women who thought their babies died.
That’ll make national headlines. But on a personal level for you, how do you feel about it? ”
Mamie studied the white clouds lolling in the sky for an answer.
“I feel…I feel like this day was bound to come. I didn’t want to admit it, but it’s always been hanging over us as sure as those clouds…
” she pointed “….hang over us. I feel glad her mother is an honorable woman, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there was a twinge in my heart at first for fear that such an accomplished, beautiful woman could take my place as Dalia’s mama.
But I quickly got over that. I see now that I’ll always be her mama and Llayne O’Brien will carve out her own place in Dalia’s heart.
That won’t take away from what my daughter and I have.
It’ll add to the family. We certainly will be an unconventional family. ”
“Mamie, have I ever told you how much I admire you? You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. From what I can see, all this means there will more people in your life for you to love.”
“True. It might take a while for everyone to adjust, but that’s the only way for us to look at this – a bigger family with more people to love.
Now, let’s talk about more people for you to love.
Why haven’t you proposed yet to that nice lady named Margaret in Chelsea?
It’s been fifteen years. I would admire you, too,” she chided, “if you’d marry that obsessively patient woman. ”
Vic’s gaze traced the flow of the river for a bit before he locked eyes with his friend. “Because she broke up with me ten years ago after we’d dated for three years. Her high school sweetheart had come back to town and she married him.”
“Vic, I had no idea. But Lenora at the beauty shop says Vilma told her you’ve always gone over there once a week for lunch. We always assumed it was to be with this Margaret.”
“Lenora, the preacher’s wife told you?”
“Oh yeah. She’s the best source of gossip in town.”
“Huh. Well, she and Vilma are right. I went over religiously for a long time to see if I could perchance catch a glimpse of Margaret. Bought a few businesses along the way. I’ll never forget the day a year ago when I walked into that cafe and everyone there turned to me, and half a dozen people hollered, ‘Margaret’s getting a divorce!
’ I thought I’d been so sly with my visits, but apparently everyone in Chelsea knew what I was up to, including Margaret.
I left that cafe and headed for her house and there she was walking down the sidewalk coming to me.
She’d already been called by the owner of the cafe to tell her I was on my way. We’re dating again.”
“Good for you. When are you bringing her over to meet your Farmdale townsfolk?”
“Soon. Very soon.”
“I’m so glad, Vic. You deserve to be happy.”
“She sure does make me happy. But I’m afraid I’ll be a terrible husband. I don’t know how to do it.”
“Oh don’t worry. She’ll let you know how to do it.”
“Relationships sure can get complicated, can’t they?”
Mamie graced him with her glorious smile. “Yes. Isn’t it grand?”
They stood and shared a hearty hug.
As he started to walk away, Vic called out to her. “Mamie, we’re going to be friends forever, right?”
“Why, of course. There’s nothing else like an old friend who knows your darkest secrets and loves you anyway.”
Each of them walked away feeling content. And each of them felt the everlasting bond of deep friendship. Mamie mulled over their conversation and came to a conclusion. Devoted friends are as vital to our happiness as kin.