Chapter 33 Elyse
ELYSE
The digital display on my laptop showed a familiar face.
Dark hair threaded with silver, kind blue eyes creased at the corners, a wide, toothy smile that had kissed my cheek at every milestone of my life.
Dad looked the same as always, though the background had changed from his usual office to the screened porch that overlooked Mom's treasured succulent garden.
Not much else could grow in Arizona, although she'd tried like heck.
"So," he said, leaning closer to the camera, "how's my granddaughter doing with all this?"
"She's surprisingly good. Actually, she just left for the bakery. Jenna's teaching her how to make those hazelnut tortes Mom loves."
"Smart girl," Dad nodded. "Get on your grandmother's good side through baked goods. Time-tested strategy."
"A strategy you've employed yourself many times," I teased.
Dad laughed. "Fifty-seven years of marriage and counting. Must be working."
The sound of a door opening came from his end of the call. "Is that Elyse? Tell her I found that lemon extract recipe Holly was asking about!" Mom's voice called from offscreen.
"Mom says—"
"I heard," I smiled. "Tell her thank you."
I watched as Dad turned away from the camera, relaying the message. The easy domesticity of the moment struck me—how natural it felt to be discussing recipes and family connections, how different from the tense conversations we'd had in the past about Rachel.
Dad turned back to the screen. "Your mother's been planning what to cook when we come down for the hearing. I think she's up to a seventeen-course meal at this point."
"Tell her Holly's a teenage girl, not a small army," I laughed.
"I've tried. But you know your mother—feeding people is her love language." He paused, his expression growing more serious. "How are you doing with all this, Peanut? Really?"
My chest tightened at the childhood nickname. Dad had always seen through my brave faces.
"I'm good," I said, then amended, "Mostly good. Sometimes I feel guilty, like I'm taking Rachel's daughter. But then I remember that I'm not taking Holly. Rachel left her. We're just... catching her."
Dad nodded, eyes soft with understanding. "You've always been a safety net for your sister. Now you're one for her daughter too."
"The difference is, Holly appreciates it," I said, more bitterly than I'd intended.
"Oh, Elyse," Dad sighed. "Rachel's disease—"
"I know, Dad. I know it's a disease. I know it's not her fault. But knowing that doesn't make it hurt any less when she disappears again and again." I took a deep breath, pushing down the familiar anger. "But this isn't about Rachel. It's about Holly."
"You're right," he agreed. "And you're doing right by that girl. Your mother and I couldn't be prouder of you and Drew."
The front door opened, and Eden's nails clicked excitedly across the hardwood floor as she rushed to greet Drew. Moments later, he appeared in the doorway of my office, briefcase in one hand, mail in the other.
"Hey, is that Dad?" Drew asked, crossing to look over my shoulder.
"It is indeed," my dad replied. "Just checking in on the adoption plans. Your lawyer thinks we're still on track for next month?"
Drew nodded, setting his things down to join the conversation. "Barring any unforeseen complications. The home study went well, Holly's on board, and Rachel..." He glanced at me, hesitant.
"Rachel's still in the wind," I finished for him. "The judge is prepared to proceed with the abandonment angle if she doesn't respond to the notices."
Dad's expression clouded. "I hate that it has to be this way. But Holly deserves stability, and you two are giving her that."
We talked for a few more minutes about logistics—my parents' travel plans, what documents to bring to the hearing, Holly's upcoming school registration for fall. The conversation flowed easily, unmarred by the tension that had characterized so many of our family discussions in the past.
When we finally hung up, Drew pulled me into a hug from behind, bending over to rest his chin on my shoulder. "You okay?"
I leaned back into him, drawing comfort from his solid presence. "Yeah. It's just weird, you know? All these years, I thought I couldn't have a child, and now..."
"Now we're both becoming parents through a different door than we expected," Drew finished.
I turned in his arms to face him. "Exactly. And I keep waiting for something to go wrong. For Rachel to show up and contest everything. For Holly to change her mind."
"That's not going to happen," Drew said firmly. "Holly wants this as much as we do."
"I know, I know. Old habits." I'd spent so many years preparing for disappointment with fertility treatments, with Rachel's recovery attempts. Expecting things to actually work out felt dangerously optimistic.
Drew kissed my forehead. "By the way, this came today." He reached for the stack of mail he'd set down and handed me a thick envelope with an official-looking seal.
My heart skipped as I recognized the return address. "It's from Meredith."
My hands trembled slightly as I opened the envelope and pulled out several documents. On top was a letter written in Meredith's elegant handwriting.
Dear Elyse,
As discussed, enclosed please find the official offer for you to purchase Back in the Day Books. After twenty-seven wonderful years, I'm ready to pass the torch, and there's no one I'd rather see continue the legacy than you.
The terms are as we discussed some time ago, with the five-year payment plan outlined in the attached documents. Take your time reviewing everything with Drew and your financial advisor.
Back in the Day has been my life's work, but it's been YOUR heart and soul for the past decade. The store thrives because of you, Elyse, and I have complete confidence in your vision for its future.
Call me when you've reviewed everything. And remember what I always say: books find their way to the people who need them most. You found your way to my little bookstore all those years ago, and now it's finding its way to you.
With admiration and affection,
Meredith
I looked up at Drew, my vision blurring. "She's really doing it. She's selling me the store."
Drew's face broke into a wide grin. "Of course she is. No one loves that place like you do."
"But the money—"
"We've been over this," he said gently. "We can make it work. Between my promotion and the equity from your parents' investment property, we've got the down payment covered. The rest is just commitment and hard work, which you've never been short on."
I stared at the documents in my hands—ownership of the bookstore I'd poured my heart into for years, the adoption paperwork for Holly, the life I'd always wanted materializing in ways I never could have predicted.
"Two dreams coming true at once," I whispered. "Seems almost too good to be real."
Drew's arms tightened around me. "Not too good. Just right. Just time."
The sound of the front door opening interrupted us, followed by Holly's voice calling out, "I'm home! And I brought tortes! Where is everyone?"
"In here," I called back, hastily wiping my eyes.
Holly appeared in the doorway, a white bakery box balanced in her hands, her pink and purple hair pulled back in a messy bun. Flour dusted the front of her T-shirt, and a smudge of what looked like chocolate decorated one cheek.
"Jenna says these are 'technically acceptable for public consumption,'" she announced, mimicking Jenna's serious tone, "which is basically a five-star review in Jenna-speak."
"They look amazing," Drew said, moving to take the box from her.
Holly's eyes narrowed as she looked between us. "Why are you both being weird? What's going on?"
I laughed, my soon-to-be-daughter's directness still catching me off guard sometimes. "Two pieces of big news, actually. Your grandparents confirmed they're coming for the hearing next month."
Holly's face lit up. "Awesome! Grandma's bringing her famous snickerdoodles, right? Because I told Noah all about them and kind of promised he could try some."
"I'm sure she'll bring enough for the whole neighborhood," Drew assured her.
"And the second piece of news?" Holly prompted, perceptive as always.
I held up the documents. "Meredith is selling me the bookstore."
Holly's mouth dropped open, then curved into a huge smile. "For real? You're going to OWN Back in the Day?"
I nodded, still processing it myself.
"That's AMAZING!" Holly launched herself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug that smelled of sugar and vanilla. "You deserve it so much. That store IS you."
"Thanks, sweetheart," I murmured into her hair, heart full to bursting.
Holly pulled back, eyes dancing with excitement. "We have to celebrate! Like, all of it. The adoption, the store, everything! A party with the whole Sensational Six crew!"
Drew laughed at her enthusiasm. "I think that's a great idea. Maybe after the hearing, once everything's official?"
"Perfect," Holly agreed. "Oh! And I could make a cake! Jenna's been teaching me how to do those fancy mirror glazes, and I've been wanting to try it on a multi-layer—"
She continued chattering about cake designs and party plans as we moved to the kitchen to try her tortes. I followed behind, watching my husband and soon-to-be-daughter—
My daughter!
—debating the merits of chocolate versus vanilla cake with an intensity that made me laugh.
This was my family. Not the one I'd imagined as a young woman, not the nuclear unit I'd grieved when fertility treatments failed, but something just as real and far more precious for having been found rather than made.
As we gathered around the kitchen island, sampling Holly's impressive baking efforts and making plans for the future, I felt a peace settle over me that had nothing to do with beach reads or perfect endings. This was real life—messy, surprising, and infinitely more satisfying than fiction.
And for once, I wasn't looking for an escape. I was exactly where I wanted to be.