Chapter 14
When Saturday rolled around, Emily realized she hadn’t heard from Chloe all week. She briefly considered calling her, but knew that calling would be considered rude and a violation of the younger generation’s idea of telephone etiquette. Instead, Emily sent a text.
have any plans today?
As a former teacher, Emily resisted the almost overwhelming urge to capitalize the first letter.
The response came swiftly.
J and I are playing tennis at the club—come with?
I don’t want to be in the way
U won’t
After a few more back-and-forth texts, it was decided that Emily would bike over to Chloe and Jaclyn’s apartment, and they’d all go to the club from there. She wasn’t sure what club they were going to, but it didn’t matter.
Emily had played tennis before, but that had been a lifetime ago. Not certain what to wear, she settled on navy shorts with a striped tee and sneakers.
Jaclyn and Chloe’s apartment ended up being a twenty-minute bike ride away. Because of the heat, a light sheen of perspiration covered her skin as she took the stairs to the second-floor apartment.
Chloe opened the door on the second knock. Looking cool and ready to hit the courts in a white tennis dress, she motioned Emily inside. “Come in. We’re nearly ready to leave.”
Emily stepped inside the spacious apartment that she swore had more square footage than her former house. “This is lovely.”
Jaclyn appeared from down the hall and came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Emily. Her gaze dropped to the floor before returning to Emily’s face. “I don’t see a bag. Where are your clothes? Your shoes?”
“Ah, I’m dressed.”
Jaclyn exchanged a look with Chloe.
Whatever was in that look had Emily shifting uneasily from one foot to the other. “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Not exactly,” Chloe began.
“The GraceTown Country Club has a tennis dress code.” Jaclyn spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “You won’t be allowed on the court dressed like that.”
“I’m sorry.” Chloe placed a hand on Emily’s arm. “I didn’t even think to mention the dress code.”
Shoving aside her disappointment, Emily shrugged. “That’s okay. I?—”
“I may have some clothes you can borrow.” Jaclyn eyed her with a critical look. “We’re about the same size. What size shoe do you wear?”
“Eight.”
“Good. Perfect. Same as me. I’ll add the clothing and shoes to my bag.” Jaclyn started toward what Emily assumed was her bedroom, then abruptly turned back. “It’s not a dress, but a tennis skirt and top.”
“That’s fine with me,” Emily said quickly. “Thank you.”
Nodding, Jaclyn disappeared down the hall.
“This is really nice of her.”
Chloe lowered her voice. “She feels bad about dissing you last Friday, too.”
Emily didn’t want either of them to feel bad. Spending the rest of Friday evening with Dalton had worked out just fine for her.
“Chloe mentioned you’re going solo in the apartment once she moves out,” Emily said to Jaclyn on the drive to the country club when conversation momentarily lagged.
From the back seat, Emily saw Jaclyn’s shoulders stiffen. Emily laughed and added, “I’m not angling for an invitation to move in, I promise. I’m just curious why you don’t want a roommate.”
“I like space and I like quiet. That’s why I’m not looking to replace her.”
“Besides, we both know I’m pretty much irreplaceable,” Chloe teased.
Jaclyn chuckled. “Truer words.”
Chloe turned in her seat. “How are you liking your new space?”
“Very much.” Emily smiled. “It’s temporary, but I’m settling in. Myra—Mrs. Edwards—and I are getting better acquainted. The other day, we went to Maplewood Park together, then enjoyed a late breakfast.”
Emily felt a sudden chill. She’d thought Jaclyn would be happy that she and her grandmother were building a relationship.
Once they were out of the vehicle and headed to the clubhouse, Emily turned to Jaclyn. “Is everything okay? You seemed to get a little upset when I mentioned spending time with your grandmother. Your dad did hire me to be her companion and?—”
“My father hired you to be there at night in case anything goes wrong. He didn’t hire you to put her at extra risk.” Jaclyn stopped walking, and her blue eyes turned frosty.
Emily blinked. “Risk?”
“Gran shouldn’t be going out, especially to some dingy park.”
“She wanted—” Emily began.
“I don’t care what she wants,” Jaclyn snapped, then visibly reined in her emotions. “I mean, I do care what she wants—of course I do. However, right now her health and keeping her safe until she has the procedure are my primary concerns.”
“While I understand?—”
“You don’t understand. If you did, you wouldn’t have taken her out.” Jaclyn’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You just met her. You haven’t sat with her doctors while they expressed their concerns.”
Emily said nothing.
“Did you even take the AED with you?”
“What?” Emily asked, startled by the question.
“Obviously, you didn’t.” Jaclyn blew out a breath. “It should be within easy reach at all times.”
“I’ll remind Myra of that, if I’m around when she leaves the house.” While Emily understood Jaclyn’s feelings, Myra’s granddaughter needed to understand that Myra was an adult, capable of making her own decisions. “I’m there at night, but during the day, the choices she makes are hers. And she chose to go to the park.”
“Jaclyn.” Chloe’s voice, soft and soothing, had them both turning toward her. “Emily is right. I think it’s up to the family to speak with your gran.”
“You make a good point. Both of you,” Jaclyn admitted somewhat grudgingly. “I’m certainly aware how stubborn and headstrong she can be.”
Chloe bumped Jaclyn with her elbow. “Just like someone else I know.”
Jaclyn laughed. “That remark is going to cost you.”
Pretending to shiver, Chloe shot Emily a wink before refocusing on Jaclyn. “Ooh, I’m scared.”
“You should both be scared.”
Holding the door open, an older man stepped aside so they could enter. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Alfred,” Jaclyn said, offering him a bright smile.
“What did she mean by ‘that remark is going to cost you’?” Emily whispered as she and Chloe trailed behind Jaclyn into the gorgeous lobby.
“You and I will be playing against her,” Chloe said.
Emily pulled her brows together. Two against one? “That doesn’t seem fair.”
“Tell me about it.” Chloe expelled a heavy sigh. “Jaclyn was the state singles champion three years in a row…and that was when she was still in high school.”
Emily had applied at three private high schools her first days under Myra’s roof. While she hadn’t heard a peep from any of them in the week since she’d personally dropped off the applications, she also hadn’t received any dreaded “not interested” letters by e-mail.
After purchasing a used amplification system for her violin, she began playing every day over the lunch hour in the shadow of the Angel of GraceTown statue.
The food trucks in the area, the amazing weather and her own talent led to Emily quickly developing a following. Leaving her case open netted her cash that she used to have business cards made.
Those she dispensed freely with lots of smiles.
On Independence Day, she watched the fireworks explode over Culler Lake by herself. Chloe and Jaclyn had plans with friends in Baltimore, and Mackenna had a date. Ken came over to spend the day with his mother. Emily wasn’t sure where Dalton was or what he was doing. She didn’t ask.
When Chloe had relocated to Miami after college, she’d mentioned several times how difficult it was to meet new friends. Til, who’d lived in GraceTown her entire life, hadn’t fully understood. She’d always had friends surrounding her.
Emily thought of the fish boil that Lisa and her family were hosting on the Fourth that she’d planned to attend, before she’d become Emily. Everyone she knew would be there.
But those friends were no longer hers, and her new friends, like Chloe, Jaclyn and Mackenna, already had social lives without her. She feared she’d always be on the outside looking in.
It didn’t help that the date for Rosemary’s wedding was fast approaching. Emily found herself fighting pangs of sadness that she wouldn’t be there to see her good friend marry.
Then, on Friday, Emily received an email from Jenna Grace, Rosemary’s niece, asking if she was available to play her violin during her aunt’s wedding reception. Apologizing profusely for the late notice, Jenna explained that the harpist they’d secured months earlier had broken her wrist mountain biking and had had to cancel.
Someone who’d seen Emily play in the park had passed along her business card, along with a glowing recommendation.
Emily couldn’t contain her excitement. In two days, she would meet with Jenna and the bride-to-be to discuss song selection.
When she arrived home, Myra was at the dining room table working on anagrams, using the names of people she’d known through the years.
“Give me the name of someone you know. Don’t make it an easy one,” Myra urged.
“Serena Nordine.” The name simply popped out.
“How do you spell that last name?”
“N-O-R-D-I-N-E.” At least that was how Emily assumed it was spelled.
“Thank you.” Myra glanced at the paper where she’d written it down. “This one won’t be easy, but I do enjoy a challenge.”
“How does this work, anyway?” Although Emily had heard of anagrams, she wasn’t familiar with how solving them worked.
After joining Myra, Emily got several helpful tips, including starting with shorter words, identifying patterns and focusing on vowels and consonants.
Though they worked primarily in silence, Emily enjoyed the mental challenge. She was in high spirits when Jaclyn arrived late that afternoon with Dalton in tow. Ken strolled in a few minutes later, on his phone, talking business.
They’d come for dinner, and Mrs. Fairfax was making a meal that appeared to be a favorite—smoked salmon, roasted potatoes and an orzo lemon salad.
Emily planned to make herself scarce, but Myra insisted she stay and share the meal. Something in the woman’s eyes had Emily agreeing. She and Myra were forging a friendship of sorts. Emily would miss their late-night chats when it came time for her to leave.
That time would be here before she knew it. Which meant that Emily needed to renew her efforts to find a place to live. So far, she’d come up empty.
She assured herself, when her confidence waned, that it would all work out. She would find something, at least for the short term.
For dinner, Emily donned one of her favorite new dresses. The simple vivid blue was sleeveless and boasted a crisscross back. She twisted her hair up in a messy bun and took extra time with her makeup.
When she came into the parlor, she saw that Dalton and his father both wore dress pants and button-up cotton shirts. Like her, Jaclyn and her grandmother wore dresses.
Things started out well. The food was amazing and the crème br?lée to die for.
They were enjoying drinks in the parlor when Ken brought up the subject no one had discussed during the meal. “I ran into Jim Hobart at the club today. He asked?—”
Myra’s eyes flashed blue fire. “Stop right there. I have not changed my mind. I have heard everything Dr. Jim Hobart has to say on the matter, and I don’t care to hear more.”
The silence that descended over the table spoke volumes.
“Not to change the subject,” Emily smiled brightly when all eyes shifted to her, “but I may be playing my violin at a wedding reception.”
“Wedding?” Jaclyn asked, appearing interested. “Anyone I know?”
“More likely someone your grandmother would know.” Emily shifted her gaze to Myra. “Rosemary Woodsen, Jenna Grace’s aunt. Or maybe Rosemary is her great-aunt.”
Myra waved a hand as if the exact familial connection didn’t matter. “While I’m acquainted with the Grace family, I don’t believe I’ve ever met Rosemary.”
“I know her.” Jaclyn’s expression brightened. “The wedding is less than a month away. I’ve been discussing catering options with Rosemary and Jenna. They’re having the wedding and reception in the backyard of the family home, and the Manse is handling the food and beverages. Everything except for the cake. A friend is making that.”
Jaclyn turned to her father. “Daniel, Jenna’s husband, is related to Fred?—”
“Yes,” Ken said heartily, embracing the topic change. “I knew Frederick quite well. He was a good friend of my father’s.”
A sudden silence fell over the table.
“Yes,” Myra said. “Fred and Walt were close friends.”
That fact didn’t surprise Emily, as the two families ran in the same social circle.
“If the wedding is coming up that soon, why are they only asking you now?” Two lines formed between Myra’s brows. “I’d have thought this would have been lined up months ago.”
Emily explained about the harpist’s cancellation. “Someone whose opinion they trust heard me play in the square and gave my card to Jenna. She called. I’m meeting with her and Rosemary on Sunday to go over song selection.”
Myra tapped a finger against her lips. “That’s not much notice.”
“It’ll be fine.” Emily would make it work. Just knowing she would be there to see her friend marry—well, that would be a gift.
“When I was younger, I attended so many weddings.” A soft look filled Myra’s eyes. “Afterward, my friends and I would discuss what we liked about the dresses, the music, even the food.”
“My friends and I do that, too, Gran. Some of these dresses are god-awful.” Jaclyn made a face. “And don’t get me started on food choices?—”
“We were never mean-spirited,” Myra interrupted. “Well, except for Louella Hooper, who reveled in finding fault. No, it was more talking about what colors and styles we liked…and food preferences. My favorite part to discuss was the vows. Though, back then, they were fairly standard.”
“Do you remember the last wedding you attended, Gran?” Dalton asked, speaking for the first time since the wedding discussion began.
“Most certainly. It was the wedding of Louella’s youngest granddaughter, Esme. That was at least three years ago, maybe four.”
“I remember it being a huge affair.” Jaclyn brightened. “Top-of-the-line everything.”
“It was.” As if tired of the wedding talk, Myra turned to her grandson. “How are things going at Collister?”
“They’re going well.” Dalton settled back in his seat and took a sip of brandy. “I’ve got a good group of students in my summer course, a couple who may be interested in pursuing economics as a career.”
“Has Joe pulled you over to the dark side yet?” Jaclyn asked, a twinkle in her eyes.
Myra frowned. “Dark side?”
Dalton shook his head. “Ignore her, Gran.”
“I want to know what she’s talking about,” Myra insisted. She gave her granddaughter a look that Emily had learned in her short time in the home meant the heels were dug in.
“I’d like to know, too.” Ken lifted a crystal tumbler to his lips. “Sounds intriguing.”
Emily said nothing. She knew exactly where this was headed.
“Joe is a professor of folklore studies.” Dalton stopped there.
Emily could have told him that that little bit wouldn’t be nearly enough to satisfy his grandmother.
Jaclyn laughed. “Which means Joe Wexman believes in all that woo-woo stuff.”
“You don’t?” Emily wasn’t sure what got into her. There was no reason for her to jump into this discussion and so many reasons for her to stay out of it.
“We talked about this,” Jaclyn reminded her. “Sedona-like I can handle, but not unexplainable events.”
Conscious that she and Jaclyn had captured everyone’s attention, Emily simply shrugged.
“I’m with you, Jaclyn.” Dalton spoke in a decisive tone.
Ken nodded and took another drink.
“I’m not so certain.”
Myra’s comment had her son snorting.
“Seriously, Mother?”
“When you’ve lived as long as I have, you come across things that can’t be fully explained.”
Jaclyn arched a brow. “Such as?”
“Magical healing, for one. One of the women at the club was diagnosed with leukemia and given a very poor prognosis.” Myra shifted her gaze, and Emily could see she was looking back. “Sandra told me in confidence that when she was in the hospital, a worker who she’d never seen before—and never saw again—took her hands in hers late one night, and she felt this surge of energy. The next day, her laboratory reports were normal.”
“If we’re speaking about Sandra Vott, she’d been receiving treatment from the top specialists in the country,” Ken said pointedly.
“Yes, but none of the treatments worked,” Myra insisted. “When she was admitted to the hospital in GraceTown, she wasn’t expected to live more than a few more days.”
“Undoubtedly, all the drugs and treatments finally kicked in,” Ken said.
“Believe what you want,” Myra told her son.
“I suppose you believe all that Angel of GraceTown stuff, too.” Without waiting for her grandmother’s response, Jaclyn turned to Emily. “What do you think? You play in her shadow every day.”
Emily knew all about the angel, but only inclined her head.
“She’s talking about this woman who came to GraceTown during the Spanish influenza outbreak and nursed the sick,” Dalton explained.
“I read the inscription on the statue.” Emily smiled. “So sweet.”
“There are some people who think she was some supernatural being.” Jaclyn rolled her eyes, making her feelings about the settlement clear.
“Because she didn’t get sick?” Emily kept her voice even.
“How she showed up out of nowhere, cared for the sick, then vanished,” Jaclyn added.
“Scoff all you want,” Myra waved a dismissive hand. “Believe me when I say the longer you live, the more you’ll run across things that simply can’t be explained.”