CHAPTER TEN
David dropped Misty and Sugar off at her cabin and helped her carry in the dog bed, toys, and food the previous owner had given the Animal Rescue Center for Sugar.
There wasn’t a doubt in Misty’s mind that the dog was well-loved.
As soon as things got calmer, she intended to take Sugar to see her former owner.
It was the least she could do. She’d learned Sugar’s former owner, a woman named Cassandra Overton, lived at The Woodlands.
Misty allowed Sugar to sniff all around the cabin. When she was through, Misty opened the sliding glass door and took her out onto the deck.
“I know the woods are exciting, but you must stay with me for now. We’ll walk together later,” said Misty.
Sugar looked up at her and wagged her tail.
Misty leaned over and rubbed her ears. “You really are a sweet dog.”
Inside, Misty took off the dog’s leash, carried the dog’s bed to a corner of the kitchen, and set it down. It would allow Sugar to sleep in the sunshine sometimes, and from there, Sugar would have a view of both the front door and the sliding glass door.
Sugar went over to it, sniffed it, and turned in circles three times before lying down in it.
“Good girl,” said Misty. “This is your new home.”
She heard a sound at the front door.
Sugar barked, ran to the door, and stood by, alert and cautious.
“Okay. Let’s see who’s visiting,” said Misty. She opened the door and found Crystal standing there. “Hi. Are you here to see my new dog?”
“Yes. I’m curious to see if she’s going to work out. I hear she’s cute.”
Misty stood back to allow Crystal inside.
The dog looked at Misty. “It’s okay,” she said.
Only then, wagging her tail, did Sugar allow Crystal to touch her.
“Wow, she’s beautifully trained,” said Crystal patting Sugar.
“She’s a therapy dog. Her previous owner is a new resident at The Woodlands from Portsmouth. I’m told she’s glad that Sugar will remain close by.”
“Well, she’s adorable. But I’m also here to find out how you’re doing.
The thought of Vince being nearby was scary.
I just came from seeing Nick at the police station.
He doesn’t think the man JoEllen saw was Vince Tucci, but he says this is a wake-up call to all of us. We must be vigilant for one another.
“Learning about ‘stranger danger’ is important for kids of all ages old enough to understand,” said Misty. “Maybe Sugar can help in some way.”
“That’s a great idea,” said Crystal. “I know Emmett keeps a little booklet about the need to be careful with strangers for patients at his office.”
“Can you stay for a cup of coffee or some lemonade?” Misty asked.
“Thanks. I’d like to,” said Crystal. “I haven’t been here since you first moved in. You’ve decorated it very nicely. It’s a wonderful spot.”
“Yes, it’s perfect for me. And after this scare, I’m grateful to have other cabins around. It makes it seem safer,” said Misty, leading her sister into the kitchen.
Crystal studied her. “Do you want to make more appointments with your counselor to talk about the trauma?”
“No, my counselor and I discussed the work I need to do for myself. But I’m excited that David is going to teach me some defensive karate moves.”
She handed Crystal a glass of lemonade and fixed one for herself. “Let’s go outside. I want to see what Sugar does about staying close to the house.”
They went out to the deck and sat in chairs facing one another.
“David is a great guy. I’m happy you trust him,” Crystal told her.
“I do trust him. He’s a special man. He was a great comfort to his sister through the months she was dying. He says they had a sibling relationship a lot like ours, with his sister keeping an eye on him.”
“He comes from a lovely family. I didn’t get to know his mother very well. I can’t imagine how much she missed her daughter. I think it’s nice that you and she have a growing relationship.”
“That, and her connection to my birth makes it important to me. Susie was there when I was born, and that means a lot to me, especially when she tells me I was loved.” Misty felt a knot in her throat and stopped talking.
Crystal reached out a hand to her, and Misty took it. “You’ve always been loved,” Crystal said softly.
“I know,” Misty said. “You made sure of it. I’m eternally grateful to you.”
“How is the preparation for school going?” Crystal asked, changing the subject just as Sugar began barking.
A squirrel scrambled up the trunk of a tree while Sugar watched helplessly. Misty and Crystal laughed at the scene.
“Guess she’s going to keep me safe from squirrels,” said Misty. “So far, she’s staying pretty close. When I eventually talk to her previous owner, I intend to ask her all sorts of questions about the dog.”
“Nice for both of you that you’ll be able to do that,” said Crystal. Smiling, she leaned forward and grinned at Misty. “I have a question for you. Emmett and I are talking about a surprise wedding over Labor Day. Something small and intimate at Emmett’s house. Will you be my maid of honor?”
“Yes! I’m very honored. But what do you mean ‘surprise wedding’?”
“We would let just a few people know ahead of time. Otherwise, we’ll announce a picnic at his house.
The surprise is mostly for his parents. As a senator, his father wants a showy wedding.
His mother would prefer a quiet one with no alcohol.
We’re doing our best to do what we want for ourselves without hurting anyone else. What do you think?”
“I believe you should have the wedding of your dreams, and if that’s a small, intimate one with a picnic reception, it’ll be perfect.
Emmett has purposely stayed out of his father’s political life, and you’ve both helped his mother with her addiction issues.
You deserve to have the ceremony you want. ”
Crystal clasped her hands with a joyful expression. “Okay, then. Emmett is going to ask Nick to be his best man. I’ll wear a simple white dress. You can choose any summer dress you want, but I think a floral pattern would be nice.”
“Excellent!” Misty got up and hugged her sister.
Sugar saw them, bounded over, and growled until Misty said, “It’s okay, girl.”
The dog backed away and then came to Misty’s side.
Crystal shook her head with amazement. “She’s protecting you. I’m very impressed.”
Misty picked up the dog and hugged it to her. “She and I chose one another. She’s perfect for me.”
They walked Crystal to the front door.
“See you later,” said Misty. “I’m going into town for a certain dress I saw at the Wild Flower Boutique. I normally allow myself only to look at all her beautiful clothing, but I’m going to splurge for such a happy occasion.”
“Poppy Browning has such excellent, fun taste. No matter what it is, it’ll be fabulous,” said Crystal. She beamed at her. “I’m getting excited. Thanks, sis.”
“Thank you for asking me,” Misty replied, fighting tears. She loved Crystal so much.
###
That afternoon, Misty decided to do a test run in town with her new dog. She didn’t want to leave Sugar home while she went looking for a dress, and taking Sugar with her would be a smart way to introduce the dog to the area. The small town was very dog-friendly.
She put Sugar’s leash on and told her they were going for a ride. The dog responded with a lot of tail wagging and tugging on her leash, anxious to leave.
“You understand what I’m saying,” Misty said, laughing. “Okay, then, you can help me choose a dress.”
Downtown, Misty got Sugar out of the car and headed to the Wild Flower Boutique.
Painted yellow, the store front was attractive, with sunflowers in tall brown pots beside the steps into the shop.
Hopefully, the dress she’d seen earlier was still there.
And if she was very, very lucky, it might be on sale.
She was excited by the thought of seeing Poppy, who was in her late 30s and was always a pleasure to talk to. Though she kept up on what was going on in town, she wasn’t a gossip, and she was friendly to everyone.
Misty led Sugar to the door and paused. “Poppy, is it all right if I bring my new dog into your store? She’s very well-behaved.”
Poppy looked up from behind the jewelry counter. “Of course. What a cute dog.” She headed toward them. Not trim, Poppy was a brunette who had chocolate brown eyes and a ready smile.
Holding out her hand, Poppy bent to greet Sugar, who wiggled with pleasure at the attention. “What’s your name, sweet dog?” Poppy cooed.
“This is Sugar. I got her this morning. She’s a trained therapy dog and a real sweetheart,” Misty said proudly. “Her former owner is at The Woodlands.”
“Oh, how nice. Will you take Sugar to see her from time to time?” Poppy asked, straightening.
“That’s my plan,” said Misty. “I don’t know much about the woman except she had to find a home for Sugar.”
“Are you browsing today?” asked Poppy, and Misty couldn’t help smiling. Browsing was all she usually did.
“I’m here to find a sundress. I saw one here a couple of weeks ago that I liked. I’m hoping you still have it.”
“I’ve put some in the back. Let’s go check.” Poppy led her to the back of the store, where a rack of clothes was marked on sale.
“Oh, I don’t see it. The dress was white with bright, colorful flowers. Simple but sweet,” said Misty.
“I think I know which one you meant. It’s gone. But let me show you something similar. It’s in a pale pink that would look great on you.”
Poppy left her and returned with a simple A-line style dress with a V-neck and capped sleeves. Misty knew it would be perfect.
“Let me try it on. Hopefully, it’ll fit. I love it,” gushed Misty.
After she slipped it on, Misty studied herself in the mirror. As she’d thought, it would be fine with any color scheme Crystal chose for her wedding.
She stepped out of the dressing room to show Poppy.
Poppy studied her thoughtfully and grinned. “It’s lovely on you. I was going to show you another if this one didn’t work, but after seeing you in this, I’m not going to suggest it.”
Misty looked at Sugar. “Do you like it?”
Sugar barked once, twice.
“Okay, I’ll take it,” said Misty. She held back a gulp of worry at the price.
Poppy seemed to notice. “How about I put this on sale for you? It’s been here a few weeks, and I have to think of making room for fall clothes.”
Misty gave Poppy a wide smile. “Thank you.”
“Is this for a special occasion?” Poppy asked a few minutes later as she carefully folded the dress in tissue.
“Just an end-of-summer treat,” said Misty. “Of course, anything from your store is a treat. You have the nicest things. Your taste is excellent.”
Poppy chuckled. “I buy all the things I’d want for myself. Is anything special planned in town for Labor Day? I wasn’t able to join because I had to take care of my mother. But now that she’s gone, I’ve decided to participate more in local events.”
“In that case, why don’t you come to Jake’s in the evenings? That’s where a lot of us locals hang out for drinks and/or supper and conversation. Most everyone is busy, but it’s a nice way to connect with others. Are you living alone now?”
Looking sad, Poppy nodded. “It’s time for me to get back into the swing of things. I moved here to take care of my mother and decided to open the store.”
“Okay. Why don’t you meet me and the others at Jake’s at seven? We’ll be at our usual table in the back. You never know who’ll show up, but it’s always good to be together.”
“Thanks,” said Poppy. “I’ll do that.”
Misty left the store excited about her purchase and a chance to include Poppy, who’d done her such a nice favor.