Chapter Twenty-Six
Mel
The kids along the route loved Cammie's wand and crown. Seeing her bright smile while they cheered for her made me happier than I could express.
Halfway through the route, we got the idea to throw flowers from the float into the audience, and it was definitely a hit. The cheers and smiles from the crowd and the gorgeous girl at my side finally gave me the feeling I'd been missing for a long time. Peace.
Here, with Cammie at my side, in the quaint, accepting, loving town of Pine Grove, there wasn't anything more I could've wished for.
When our float was nearing the end of the route, I did what I'd been dying to do all day and whipped my mask off, pulled Cammie to me, and kissed her.
The audience cheered. She pulled away and did a little curtsy, which is when I saw Mattie in the crowd. For a split second, I panicked before taking in his big goofy grin and the double thumbs up he was giving me.
Relief and joy overflowed in me. Cammie noticed him a moment later, and her eyes lit up. Before the float had even fully come to a stop, she'd jumped off the side and pulled him into a giant hug.
With a chuckle, I hopped off and joined them.
"You two? Really?" I heard him ask.
"Really, really," she told him.
He saw me then and said, "Took you long enough. I want every detail."
I raised an eyebrow at him, which made him pause a moment, shudder, and say, "Okay, not every detail, brother-appropriate details only."
We all laughed at that and were joined by Dorrie a moment later. "Mattie, dear, good to see you! You owe me $20."
"What?" Cammie and I both asked.
Mattie laughed, "Wait, seriously? It worked?"
"What did I tell you about doubting me?" Auntie Dorrie asked.
"That it would hurt my pride and my wallet," he said with a chuckle, grabbing it from his pocket and handing her a $20. "I bet her that locking you two in the bee shed wouldn't solve all your problems."
"You did what?" I asked, whipping around to face Auntie Dorrie, who didn't even have the decency not to look smug. Cammie was already laughing.
"You can't argue with the results, though," Auntie Dorrie said with a shrug.
I should've been more annoyed, but she was right.
"Speaking of things I won't hear argument about, Mattie and I had an idea."
"What kind of idea?" Cammie asked, wearily looking between her brother and my aunt.
"What are you locking us in this time?" I asked Auntie Dorrie. I definitely wasn't letting that go anytime soon.
She laughed and said, "Nothing like that, I just need a break from my bees and the honey business, and I think I've found the perfect solution."
"What do you mean?" Cammie asked.
"You love your bees," I added.
"I do, and I'm not done, but I need help. I love my bees, but I need more of a break, and it seems like my beekeeper-in-training might have a compelling reason to stick around town."
The offer was music to my ears. Aunt Dorrie was right; I didn’t want to leave.
"I’d be happy to stay as long as you want me here," I agreed.
"That’s quite a long time," she said with a smirk.
I looked from Aunt Dorrie to Cammie and Mattie who were wearing matching grins and said, "I think I’ll manage."
It was the easiest choice I’d made in a long time.
"Now that that’s settled," Aunt Dorrie said turning her attention to Cammie. "It’s your turn."
"My turn?" Cammie asked, looking confused and a little alarmed.
"Yes, your turn to hear me out. I love my bees, but I don’t love selling the honey. Mattie suggested you set up a little stand in the store to sell my honey, which I would pay for obviously, and as an additional vendor fee, supply you with as much free honey as you want."
"You can't be serious," Cammie said, sounding stunned.
"Definitely serious, and since you'll be taking on the burden of selling the honey for me, I'll be paying you rent."
"I can't ask you to do that," Cammie argued.
"Well, it's a good thing you're not asking," Auntie Dorrie challenged.
I could see the emotions warring on Cammie's face and squeezed her hand with mine. I knew she hated accepting help, even if she was always willing to give it.
"Please let me do this," Auntie Dorrie said.
"You'll be doing me a favor. I love the bees but hate having to find places to sell the honey.
Even more than that, I love your recipes and don't want to have to go a single day without your pastries.
Imagine what it would do to my poor old heart if I had to start a morning without them. "
We all laughed at that, and it was clear Cammie was wavering. "Your doctor would probably thank me if I stopped supplying you daily."
"Unlikely, the broken heart would kill me before my cholesterol even noticed a difference."
"Come on, Cam-a-lam," Mattie said. "You're always helping others; let someone help you for once."
We all watched her as she paused for a long moment before sighing and saying, "Okay."
"Okay?" Mattie asked, and Cammie nodded.
Auntie Dorrie broke into a grin and said, "This calls for a celebration!"
"Let's head over to the Connecticlit," Mattie suggested.
Pine Grove's lesbian bar was sure to be packed right now, but he wasn't wrong that there wasn't a better way to celebrate.
"Sounds perfect, if you can find it," I said, elbowing Mattie.
"Ha ha," he deadpanned. "Hilarious. I truly never get sick of that joke no matter how many times you say it."
"You know you love me."
"You? Absolutely. The jokes? Sometimes."
"Come on, you guys," Cammie interrupted. "Let's go get a drink and celebrate."
She linked her arms through mine and Mattie's, and we all followed Dorrie through the throng of people on the town common.
Right then and there, I knew whatever life threw at me, these would be the people I got through it with.
I was finally home.