Chapter 2
SARA LEE
This time it was Petunia Melton, the county judge's wife, impeccably dressed in a cream-colored linen pantsuit that was certainly not bought in Meadowlark Creek, but probably from one of the boutiques in Richmond.
Petunia had the elegance of someone who'd married into old money, while not wanting others to remember she’d come from more simple means.
"June!" Petunia's voice had a strained quality as she hurried to the check-out counter where Nana June stood.
“Good morning, Petunia,” her grandmother greeted. “What can I do for you?”
Petunia’s hands waved around, haphazardly pointing to the many boxes of books. "I wanted to make sure everything was set for tomorrow. Is the book sale organized? The children's reading corner is ready?"
Nana June smiled, appearing as calm as Petunia appeared frazzled. "Everything's perfect, Petunia. We've been preparing for a long time."
"Good. Good." Petunia’s expensively bejeweled fingers twitched at her pearl necklace. "I need everything to go smoothly. So many people will be at the festival.”
Sara Lee couldn’t remember seeing Petunia so nervous. The judge’s wife usually commanded every situation with the bearing of a general while dressed in expensive clothes after a day at a spa. She glanced at her grandmother, checking to see her reaction.
Before anyone could speak more words of assurance, Petunia let out a shaky breath, looked around the library space, then leaned closer. She lowered her voice, sounding more resigned than relieved. “Horace is... well, we have a situation."
Nana June's expression sharpened with concern. "Is everything all right, Petunia dear?"
Petunia glanced at Ted and Sara Lee, clearly debating whether to speak freely. Finally, she sighed. "Horace's brother is coming to town for the festival. Raymond." She said the name like it tasted bad. "He's... his usual difficult self."
Even Petunia's lowered voice carried across the library, and Sara Lee noticed the ripple effect.
Near the circulation desk, the assistant librarian, Diane Russo, dropped a book.
It hit the floor with a loud thump, and she bent quickly to retrieve it.
Her eyes in a pale face darted toward Petunia, then quickly away.
At the reading table by the windows, Helena, who’d just come in from gardening, sat by Lucy Henderson, the mayor’s wife.
Helena had probably been called by Lucy since both were reviewing the festival program.
But Lucy's usual composure cracked as her head popped up at the mention of Raymond's name.
She snapped at Helena about some minor detail on the decorations list, her voice sharp enough that several patrons looked up.
Helena barely seemed to hear her, twisting a pen between her fingers in a nervous rhythm, her eyes distant and distracted. She took to her feet and grabbed her purse, mumbling, “I forgot that Pete needs me to go on a pastoral visit now,” as she hurried out the door.
It was odd, Sara Lee thought. Raymond Melton hadn't even arrived in town, and already the mention of his name was making people nervous.
"It’s been a while since Raymond visited," Ted said, his words measured and careful. "Does he still live in Richmond?"
"Yes, and that's where he should have stayed." Petunia's composure cracked slightly. "He drinks too much. Says inappropriate things. He's jealous of Horace and always has been. And now he's decided to grace us with his presence for the festival."
Sara Lee blinked at Petunia’s crack in decorum. She remained quietly observing.
Nana June moved around the desk and gently touched Petunia's arm. "I know family relationships can be complicated. Hopefully, he’ll quickly grow bored with this little town and go back to Richmond."
"You know Raymond," Petunia whispered hoarsely.
Then, she straightened, smoothing her already-smooth hair.
Shaking her head slightly, she cleared her throat.
"I'm sorry. I'm being dramatic. I just… I’m sure everything will be lovely tomorrow. After all, we want our town celebration to be the best we’ve ever had.
" She dipped her chin as she turned and left in a cloud of expensive perfume and barely concealed anxiety.
Ted whistled low. "Well, well. That's going to be interesting."
"Oh, dear," Nana June murmured, shaking her head as she stood next to Sara Lee, watching through the window as the judge's wife climbed into her Mercedes. "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
“Junie, who did you just quote?” Ted asked, a small grin on his face.
“Leo Tolstoy. From Anna Karenina. I think his words are apropos in this situation.”
Sara Lee smiled as well. Her grandmother’s love of literature managed to shine, no matter what, and quotes came as naturally to her as breathing. She gently leaned on the reception desk next to Nana June. "Raymond." She tried to remember him, but came up blank. "The judge’s brother? He’s trouble?”
"Several kinds of trouble," Ted said darkly. "That boy never could stay out of his own way. Always comparing himself to Horace, always thinking he came up short, always bitter about it."
Sara Lee hid a smile, considering the man in question had to be in his mid-forties, but he was still a boy to a man of Ted’s age.
Nana June returned to her clipboard, but Sara Lee noticed the small line between her grandmother's eyebrows… the one that appeared when she was pondering something.
"I'm sure it will be fine," Sara Lee said, more to convince herself than anyone else.
Lucy’s phone rang, the ringtone sounding out in the peaceful quiet. She answered quickly, let out an audible gasp, then stood and made a hasty exit from the library. Diane scuttled to the office where she stayed.
After that, the afternoon passed in a blur of book organizing and festival preparation.
Patrons stopped by to donate more books for the sale or just to chat about their excitement for the First of June Festival.
The library felt alive with community energy, but Sara Lee couldn’t shake the earlier visit by Petunia.
Later, Sara Lee walked over to Barb's coffee shop, A Whole Latte Coffee. The shop occupied a corner storefront with big windows that caught the afternoon light, filled with mismatched comfortable chairs and local art on the walls. And painted on the windows was the coffee’s tagline: Grinding it out… one cup at a time.
Barb stood behind the counter, her curly hair pulled back in a bandana, flour dusting her nose. The glass case displayed rows of lemon bars cooling on racks, their sugar-dusted tops gleaming.
"Those look amazing," Sara Lee said, sliding onto a stool, smiling at her best friend.
"Taste-test?" Barb offered, sliding a sample across the counter.
Sara Lee bit into the treat and closed her eyes in ecstasy. Perfect balance of tart and sweet, and the crust is buttery and crisp. "Barb Cordell, you're going to sell out in an hour tomorrow."
"That's the plan." Barb grinned, but then her expression shifted. "Hey, have you heard the latest?”
That was another thing about the coffee shop… it was a hub of gossip. Everything about everybody was equal fodder for what was bandied about among the well-meaning patrons. “I’m not sure?”
Barb leaned closer. “Did you hear about the judge's brother coming to town?"
It seemed the news traveled fast in the small town. "Petunia came into the library and mentioned it. She seemed pretty stressed."
"I heard from Mom that Raymond is bad news. Involved in some shady business deal in Richmond. Drinks like a fish. Makes scenes." Barb lowered her voice even though they were alone. "Mom said Ivy hasn’t spoken to Raymond in years because he said awful things about Jerry being a foreigner at a family dinner.” She scoffed. “Of course, Petunia and her sisters, Rose and Dahlia, all pitched a fit when Ivy married Jerry. Said she married beneath herself. At least, that’s the story Mom tells.”
Sara Lee felt a slight flutter of unease at Raymond’s transgressions. "That's... not good."
"No. And apparently he's staying through the whole festival weekend.
" Barb shook her head. "I just hope he doesn't ruin things.
This festival is important to the town. We've been planning it for months, and people are coming from all over to enjoy themselves.
It will be a great boost to local businesses. "
Sara Lee nodded, but had nothing else to add to the gossip.
The situation with Raymond seemed more family focused.
And yet, Sara Lee couldn't quite shake the odd feeling in her stomach, even though they spent the next hour going over booth logistics.
Finally, pushing all negative thoughts from her mind, she hugged Barb and walked outside, ready to get home.
The Victorian house that Sara Lee and Nana June shared sat three blocks from the library, painted a cheerful blue with white gingerbread trim.
It was the house where Nana June raised her family.
When Sara Lee's parents married, they moved to the other side of town, but this house had always felt like her own gingerbread house.
Five years ago, another driver on an icy road took both her parents in an instant.
She managed to finish the school year where she taught in a larger city, and then moved in with Nana June.
She had always planned on returning to Meadowlark Creek anyway, and the time was right. Besides… they needed each other.
Later that afternoon, she and her grandmother sat on the wraparound porch with iced tea, watching the sun set over the trees in the backyard. Pippi sprawled across Sara Lee's feet. Mister Smee perched on the porch railing, his enormous eyes tracking a moth with predatory interest.
They sat, both lost in their own thoughts. Lightning bugs were just starting to appear, blinking in the gathering dusk.
"What did you think about Petunia today?" Sara Lee finally asked. "She seemed really worried."
Nana June's expression grew thoughtful. "Families can bring out the best and worst in people. I imagine having Raymond here dredges up old hurts for both her and the judge."
Curiosity filled her. "Did you know him?"
"Years ago. He was about your parents' age, but not in their class.
He was always such a sweet child..." Nana June paused, seeming to choose her words carefully.
"But by the time he was an adult, he seemed to…
struggle. Against himself, mostly. Against his brother's shadow.
Some people carry bitterness like a badge of honor, and Raymond was one of those. "
"Do you think he'll cause trouble?"
Her grandmother lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug, then adjusted her glasses. "I hope not. But hope isn't the same as certainty." Nana June sipped her tea. "We'll just have to wait and see."
They went inside and made a simple dinner of comfort food that tasted like every childhood evening Sara Lee could remember. They ate at the kitchen table with the windows open, listening to the crickets begin their evening chorus.
"Are you and Barb ready for tomorrow?" Nana June asked, collecting their plates.
"I think so. Barb and I have everything organized. Iced coffee, lemon bars, and a lot of caffeine to keep us going." She turned to peer at her grandmother more closely. “What about you? You’re not working too hard, are you?”
“My goodness, no. I know to sit down when tired, but the activity and seeing everyone will be delightful.” Nana June tilted her head. "And you’ll have lunch with Carl."
Grinning, Sara Lee nodded.
Her grandmother smiled, her whole face lighting up. "I think spending time with you would be a balm to anyone’s soul."
That night, Sara Lee lay in her upstairs bedroom. Tomorrow would be the First of June Festival. Meadowlark Creek would celebrate summer's arrival the way it had for many years. Tomorrow, she'd serve coffee with her best friend and have lunch with a sweet man who made her smile.
Tomorrow would be perfect.
She fell asleep to the sound of Mister Smee’s purring from the foot of her bed, certain that everything would be fine.
She had no way of knowing that tomorrow, everything would change.