Daisy Lane (37 page)

“Beautiful!” Claire said when she saw the flowers.

“Sammy will be so glad to see you,” Hannah said. “He asks me every day when Grace is coming out to the farm to play. Sam’s going to bring him down later. He was up late last night scaring the bejeezus out of some teenagers who were looking for the infamous pot field we’re supposed to have on our farm.”

“I heard Ava’s house got toilet-papered last night,” Claire said to Hannah. “You know anything about that?”

“I had forgotten how fun that is,” Hannah said. “We should really do that more often.”

“I’ll start a list,” Maggie said. “I think Mamie’s next.”

“You helped her?” Claire asked Maggie.

“I may have supplied the rolls and I may have thrown one or two,” Maggie said, “but I’m blaming it all on Hannah if Scott asks me about it.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” Claire asked. “I feel left out.”

“You didn’t want to have anything to do with our plans for Ava, remember?” Hannah said. “‘Leave me out of it,’ you said.”

“How are you?” Maggie asked Grace.

“I’m okay,” Grace said. “Would it be alright with you if I invite Kay?”

“Of course,” Maggie said. “We’d love to have her here.”

After asking Bonnie for permission, she used the bakery phone to call and invite Kay.

“I’m meeting with Sean right now,” Kay said. “I’m going to have a press conference in front of my house at noon.”

“Are you scared?” Grace asked her.

“Terrified,” Kay said.

“You’ll do great,” Grace said.

“I appreciate you thinking of me,” Kay said. “Thank Maggie for me.”

Tommy and Grace placed a vase of flowers in the middle of every small table, and put the leftover flowers on the counter.

Ava Fitzpatrick arrived with Charlotte, plus her red-headed little brothers: Timmy, who was nine, and Little Fitz, who was six. Little Fitz ran to Grace and hugged her.

“Why don’t you come over anymore?” he said. “Are you made at us?”

“No, silly,” Grace said. “I’ve just been real busy.”

Charlotte was focused on her cell phone and Timmy ran off to hang out with Tommy. Little Fitz soon followed.

“Hello, Miss Grace,” Ava said, with a chilly smile. “I didn’t know you’d be joining us today. I thought this was just going to be for family.”

Grace immediately felt that she was not welcome, that she was a charity case on be-nice-to-orphans’ day.  No one else seemed to have heard what Ava said; they were too busy arranging the huge feast that was to be served. Grace continued laying out the silverware and napkins, feeling sorry for herself.

“It was a huge mess,” she heard Ava tell Claire, who somehow kept a straight face. “Luckily a few of the men in my neighborhood offered to clean it up. I wish parents would keep better track of their children and what they get up to.”

Hannah and Maggie were laughing behind Ava’s back, and making faces at Claire, who ignored them.

Delia arrived with more baskets of food covered with dish towels and Bonnie rushed to help her through the door. Afterward Bonnie clapped her hands and said, “May I have your attention, please.”

“Mom,” Maggie said.

“You shush,” Bonnie said. “It gives me great pleasure to announce that after years of stringing the poor little fella along, my stubborn, ignorant daughter Mary Margaret has finally agreed to marry Scott Gordon.”

There was applause and cheering while Maggie’s face turned bright red.

“I already knew,” Hannah told Grace. “She told me first.”

Bonnie received as many, if not more congratulations than Maggie.

“When will the wedding be?” Delia asked.

“The sooner the better,” Bonnie said.

“We haven’t decided,” Maggie said.

Grace waited until everyone else had congratulated Maggie before she approached her.

“I bet he’s happy,” Grace said.

“He is,” Maggie said. “I don’t know why I waited so long.”

“He loves you so much,” Grace said. “That must be nice.”

“It is,” Maggie said. “I can hardly stand it.”

“You are so funny,” Grace said.

“She’s contrary,” Bonnie said. “She doesn’t deserve him.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Maggie said.

“Miss Grace,” Bonnie said. “You are now an honorary member of this family. You make sure to sit by me; I’ll see that you get enough to eat.”

Delia hugged Grace and looked at the table settings Grace had already placed.

“Not like that, honey,” Delia said, and moved the fork to the opposite side of the plate.

Grace went back and fixed all the other place settings she had done incorrectly. She felt like such a loser; she didn’t even know how to set a table properly. Her face burned with embarrassment. She glanced up and saw Ava looking at her with one eyebrow raised and an expression of contempt on her face. She quickly changed it to a bright, fake smile, but Grace looked away.

Maggie’s brother, Patrick, and Hannah’s father, Curtis, helped Maggie’s father in through the front entrance; he was seated in a wheelchair. He was pale and mopping sweat from his brow with a handkerchief even though it was chilly outside. Grace watched Patrick pour some coffee into a mug and then spike it with whiskey from a flask before taking it to his father, who looked up at his son in gratitude as he grasped the mug with both hands. He took a big drink and seemed to relax.

Maggie’s father’s wheelchair was at the end of the table, and when Grace placed the silverware before him he leaned back and looked at her with mock surprise. There was kind humor in his face that extended to his sad eyes.

“And who are you?” he asked her. “You’re not a Fitzpatrick, are you?”

Grace smiled and shook her head.

“I thought maybe I lost track of one,” he said. “They’re all the time springing new ones on me when I least expect it.”

Maggie introduced Grace to her father and he shook her hand. His hand was trembling and clammy. He said Grace should call him “Fitz.”

“I knew your grandfather,” Fitz said. “His father had a horse that used to graze in the field across from your house. Every evening after supper that old horse would come over to our house and whinny at the back gate until my mother took it something to eat. She’d give him a carrot or a sugar cube or some cornbread, and then he’d go on back home. It was the darndest thing.”

Grace had never heard this story; had never heard any stories about her great-grandparents. She wished he’d tell her more, but she was too shy to ask.

“The Rodefeffers built your house,” Fitz said. “When they moved up to Morning Glory Circle, Gustav sold the house to his plant manager, your great-grandfather. Your great-grandparents lived there until their youngest son Edgar died; his mother couldn’t bear to live there anymore afterward, so they moved to a smaller house on Lotus Avenue. The big house sat empty then until your grandfather married your grandmother.”

“Edgar?” Grace said. “Grandpa’s little brother was named Edgar?”

“Edgar Branduff,” Fitz said. “He was the apple of his mother’s eye. My mother said Jacob’s face was always puckered up like a hen’s butt but little Edgar was as cute as a speckled pup.”

“How did he die?”

“Scarlet Fever, I believe,” Fitz said. “Or maybe it was the influenza.”

Grace thought of her great-grandmother, having to raise her grandfather, who wasn’t her son, and then losing her own son so young. She wondered if her great-grandmother Branduff ever loved her grandfather, even though he was adopted. Grace thought about Edgar the ghost. He disappeared when Grandpa yelled or when visitors came. It was no wonder he was shy and she never felt afraid of him. He was just a little boy; a little boy who missed his mother.

Ed came in through the front door of the bakery and said, “Turn on the TV; Kay’s having a press conference.”

Patrick turned on the small, old-fashioned box TV that sat on the side counter, and turned it so everyone could see. They all gathered to watch, except Charlotte, who was sulking and texting on her phone.

Kay had her chin up and a determined look on her face. Dressed in the suit she wore to church, she was standing on her front porch with the “Spring has Sprung” flag flapping in the wind next to her. Sean was also there, standing behind her, near the front door. He wore a business suit and looked as handsome as usual. When Kay spoke, her voice was strong and confident.

“Thank you for coming,” she said. “Just like all of you, I read the
Rose Hill Sentinel
this morning with great interest, and great surprise. I was not the source for this information nor will I comment on it. I also cannot comment on the veracity of what was reported except to say that I have known Ed Harrison, the editor of the
Rose Hill Sentinel
, for his entire life, and I have never once doubted his integrity or honesty.

“I will cooperate in any investigation that may follow these allegations, and in response to every question I am asked by the proper authorities I will tell the truth, no matter what the consequences to those involved.

“As you all know, I am running for mayor of Rose Hill. Those of you who know me well know that I will not tolerate the kind of shenanigans that are outlined in today’s paper. I will not condone this kind of behavior, participate in it, nor turn a blind eye just because it’s convenient or politically advantageous.

“In every moment we have the opportunity to do the right thing. Even if in the past we’ve done the easy thing or have gone along just to get along. Right now the people of Rose Hill have the opportunity to make a change and do things differently. We may not succeed, but at least we will know in our hearts that we did what we thought was right when it was important.”

Reporters erupted and Sean stepped forward to say they were not going to answer any questions that might impede the subsequent investigation. Everyone in the bakery started talking, and Grace went to Ed.

“Is Kay going to get in trouble?” she asked him.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “They’ll give her immunity to get her testimony, and use what she gives them to indict the bunch of them. Don’t you worry about Kay; she’ll be just fine. This is going to be just the housecleaning Rose Hill needs before Kay becomes mayor.”

“Do you think anyone would be mad if I left?” Grace said.

“No,” Ed said. “You go on home.”

Grace smiled, thinking about having a real home to go to.

She went to Maggie and said, “I feel like I want to be home with Kay; do you mind?”

“No, of course not,” Maggie said. “You know, Grace, Scott and I just want you to be safe and happy. We’re okay with you choosing Kay.”

“You guys would be great parents,” Grace said, “but maybe you should practice being married awhile first.”

Maggie laughed and said, “No doubt.”

“I can tell your mom loves you,” Grace said, “even if she doesn’t say it.”

“I know,” Maggie said. “We’re just both too stubborn to be nice to each other.”

“I never knew what having a good mother was like,” Grace said. “My mother didn’t know how to love anybody. My grandmother loved me but she was too afraid of my grandfather to stand up for me. I think a good mother feels love for you, but will also do anything to help you, to protect you, to make sure you’re safe; even if she has to go to jail to do it.”

Maggie and Grace both looked over at Tommy, who was entertaining Timmy and Little Fitz.

“I’m sorry you didn’t have that,” Maggie said.

“I’m luckier than a lot of people,” Grace said. “I have several moms now. I went from having nobody to having all of you.”

Maggie’s eyes filled with tears as Grace hugged her, long and hard.

“Happy Mother’s Day, Maggie,” she said. “I love you guys.”

“The urge to pinch you is so strong,” Maggie said. “You just don’t know.”

“I know,” Grace said, and held out her arm. “I don’t mind.”

Maggie pinched her, but just lightly.

As Grace left the Rose and Thorn she ran into Sean outside on the sidewalk.

“Hey, Grace Branduff,” he said. “How’s my favorite client?”

“I saw you on TV,” Grace said. “You looked good.”

“That’s half the battle,” Sean said. “I can speak gibberish but if I look good then maybe they won’t listen to what I have to say.”

“You think Kay’s going to be all right?”

“She’ll be fine,” Sean said. “She’s an intelligent woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right. Plus she has a great attorney.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to stay with her?”

“After what Mamie did, and with Knox and Trick in so much trouble, I don’t think any court in this county would award them custody.”

“When will we know?”

“I filed for an emergency custody hearing to be held on Tuesday,” he said. “Judge Feinman will be on the bench, so what’s that suggest to you?”

“A box from the bakery will be delivered to his house on Monday night,” Grace said.

“You’re one smart cookie,” Sean said. “You already understand how things get done in this town. Later today I’d like to sit down with you and draw up a will that cuts out those bloodthirsty Rodefeffers. We also need to talk about what’s in your trust. After lunch be alright?”