Blueberry Hill, #1

by Cynthia Luhrs

  “Hi, mom. I was just finishing lunch.”

  “How’s Emily?”

  “We’re trying to get pregnant.”

  The joyous news made Tara smile.

  “I’m so happy for you both, you know how much I’d love a grandbaby to spoil.”

  “I know. You told us at Christmas.” He laughed and she knew he was thinking about Tara pulling out their baby books to pore over the old pictures.

  Patty had set up Tara’s phone to connect hands-free through the SUV before she’d left for North Carolina. If she broke up the drive into two segments, two-and-a-half hours each time, and built in time to stop whenever she saw something that caught her interest, or to eat and use the facilities, Tara figured it would take her three or four days to get to Blueberry Hill.

  Yesterday she’d stopped to see the world’s largest collection of paper clips. Stopping and getting out of the vehicle helped break up the monotony of driving on the highway. Occasionally, she took back roads to give herself a break from the interstate.

  Invariably she’d find some cute shop or town, stop and meander around, before finding her way back to the highway. It was nice not having to ask Harry if they could stop, or hurry through a shop knowing he was waiting. Her time was her own and she could spend it however she pleased.

  The joy in Evan’s voice came through the phone as he talked about what it might be like to add a baby to their family.

  “With the restructuring of the company, we’ve put off our trip to Spain. Stan assured me I’ll be fine, but until the dust settles, I don’t want to take any trips or make any expensive purchases, especially now that we’re trying to have a baby. How was the trip to California? Did you and dad get to see the redwoods?”

  Tara watched a pickup truck, the bed full of furniture, merge onto the highway.

  “Your father and I didn’t go on our trip.” She gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white.

  “Why not? Is he sick?”

  Suddenly hot, she adjusted the vent so cold air would blow on her bare arms. It was warm today, so she’d dressed in shorts she’d made herself, a plain red tee shirt, and a pair of red sandals. The leather seats were set on cool, keeping her thighs from sticking to the seats.

  “I didn’t want to tell you while you were at work, but then I remembered you and Emily had plans almost every night this week. I’m calling your sisters next.”

  “Mom. Just tell me. Did you leave dad? Was he cheating?”

  Tara sucked in a breath.

  “Why would you ask me such a thing?”

  There was silence on the other end for so long, Tara thought the call had dropped.

  “An old friend from home was in town one weekend last year. He was out to dinner and thought he saw dad and some woman. Said they looked awfully cozy.”

  Evan blew out a breath.

  “When I asked dad about it, he said she was a co-worker in the office here who found out her kid was really sick. He said he was consoling her. It wasn’t what it looked like. Since I wasn’t there and didn’t know for sure, I never said anything.”

  Evan’s voice shook with anger.

  “I should have known he was lying. All those business trips and times you couldn’t reach him. Like the time he overslept and missed his flight. We spent Easter without him.”

  Tara ran a palm down her shirt, then did the same with the other hand.

  “I never knew what was going on until recently.”

  She took a sip of root beer. The insulated tumbler full of ice kept the drink cold all day.

  “Your father told me at my birthday party.”

  “He what?”

  Evan ranted about his father missing his baseball games when he was growing up, missing his sister’s dance recitals. All the childhood hurts came spewing out.

  When he wound down, she spoke quietly, her voice full of love for her son.

  “This is between your father and I. Never doubt the love your father has for you and your sisters.”

  Evan snorted.

  “If he loved us so much, he would have made more of an effort to be part of our family instead of running off to spend time with some strange woman.”

  He paused.

  “Wait, a minute. I know I’ve been busy at work, but your birthday was a month and a half ago. How come you waited so long to tell me?”

  There was no sense lying about it. Tara wouldn’t say anything ugly about her ex-husband, but she wouldn’t sugarcoat the situation either.

  Succinctly and quickly she told him about the affair, their financial situation, how his father had made mistakes at work, the insider trading and subsequent legal troubles.

  “There was so much to do in such a short time. I needed time to think about what to say. Your dad said he felt like he never had the chance to be wild in his twenties.”

  Her son made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat.

  “So he took stupid risks with other people’s money at work and then knocked up his trainer?”

  He snickered.

  “Maybe changing diapers is considered partying it up when you’re in your mid-fifties.”

  A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

  “At the end of June or early July, you’ll have a half-brother. Don’t hold the baby responsible for your father’s choices.”

  Tara took a breath.

  “I’ll video call you and your sisters tonight.”

  “Wait. There’s more?”

  Evan sounded like a little boy again. She remembered him running into the kitchen to tell her he’d lost the championship baseball game. He’d thought his world had ended.

  Tara saw a sign proclaiming the world’s largest hockey stick, and deciding it was time to stop and stretch her legs, she took the exit ramp.

  “Yes, there’s more. What time will you and Emily be home tonight?”

  Evan hummed as he checked his calendar. He always hummed when he was looking something up or concentrating. It drove his sisters crazy.

  “We’ll be home by ten.”

  “I’ll call around ten thirty.”

  Tara used a palm tree background for the video call. She didn’t want the kids to see the motel room and start asking questions before she told them the news.

  After Tara told them what she’d already shared with Evan, Christina burst into tears.

  “My parents can’t get a divorce. How could this happen?”

  She swiped at the tears running down her face.

  Ally snorted.

  “Seriously, sis? I could see being this upset if we were kids, but come on, we’re adults, and they’ve been miserable for years. I wish I could say I was surprised, but dad’s been having a mid-life crisis for a while now.”

  “What did you do, mom?” Christina usually sided with her dad.

  Evan and Ally exploded as the three of them argued about who was at fault. While they did, Tara poured a glass of juice and waited until they wound down.

  “Why didn’t you tell us when it happened?” Ally blew her nose.

  “I’ve been furious with your father and full of sadness that he threw away the life we built. I needed time to process everything.”

  Tara bit the inside of her cheek.

  “I want all of you to listen to me. Your father loves you, never doubt that.”

  Ally rolled her eyes.

  “Maybe Christina and Mandy can hang out since they’re the same age.” She made a face. “I’m disgusted with dad. He’s acting like a kid. I can’t believe he’s having a baby with a woman younger than me. Gross.”

  Christina sat cross-legged on the floor of her apartment.

  “A little brother. It might be fun to have a baby around.”

  Her brother and sister groaned.

  Before her children started arguing with each other again, Tara took a breath and told them the rest.

  “There’s more.”

  She saw Evan stiffen on the screen. He’d been patiently waiting to
hear what else she had to tell them.

  “I’m moving.”

  “What?” Ally blinked.

  Evan looked curious. “Away from Miami or out of Florida? Where are you going?”

  “When?” Christina howled, scrunching up her face. Tara had argued with Harry countless times over how much he spoiled their youngest daughter.

  She blew her nose. “None of you would remember my Aunt Frida. You might, Evan, but you were only ten when she died.”

  Christina wiped her face, removing the mascara that had smudged under her eyes. “Wasn’t I really sick when I was little?”

  Tara nodded at the screen.

  “You almost died. Your dad and I went through a rough patch back then. He still doesn’t handle sickness well. I was so overwhelmed that when Aunt Frida died, I went to the funeral, and met with the lawyer before I left. But I put the papers about the house away and forgot about it. I was so worried about you, honey.”

  Ally laughed.

  “How do you forget about a house?”

  Tara agreed. “It sounds silly, doesn’t it?”

  “Christina was in the hospital. Evan was fighting and getting into trouble at school on a weekly basis, and you ran away to your best friend’s house.”

  “That’s right. Emma and I hid in their pool house for three days.” Ally smiled. “Sorry, mom.”

  “It was a long time ago.”

  Tara looked at her children, the pain and anger written across their faces.

  “Your dad was working eighty hours a week. Traveling all over the country to find investors for the firm. I had a hard time holding everything together. By the time things returned to normal, I’d forgotten about the cottage.”

  Evan leaned back in the chair in his home office.

  “Moving is a big decision. Where are you thinking about moving?”

  “Life-changing.” Tara nodded. “It’s a small town in the mountains of North Carolina.”

  “North Carolina?” Christina looked horrified.

  “Didn’t we go to the mountains when I was little?” Evan idly tapped a pen on a notepad.

  “We did. To see Aunt Frida. She lived in a cottage on the lake.”

  Her son smiled. “I remember jumping off the dock into the cold water, but I can’t picture her.”

  “I’m surprised you remember anything, you were so young.”

  “Are you going to sell the house? Or are you going to live in the cottage all by yourself?”

  Evan looked concerned, as if Tara couldn’t cope on her own. In some ways, he was just like his father. Then again, no one was perfect, especially not her.

  “No, I’m not selling it. I’m going to live in the cottage.”

  Ally cleared her throat. She was curled up in a chair. Tara could see the rain-misted windows behind her daughter.

  “North Carolina is a big change from Miami. What’s the name of the town?”

  Ally was loyal, at times to her detriment. She hoped her daughter would find a good man and settle down.

  “Blueberry Hill.”

  Her middle daughter smiled.

  “What a cute name. Do they grow blueberries?”

  “Wild ones. There’s a big festival every year.”

  Christina pressed her lips together.

  “I can’t believe you’re leaving me.”

  Tara sighed.

  “I have to. I have nowhere to live.”

  She blew her nose.

  “I need a fresh start. Away from your father and his soon to be wife.”

  “You’re not angry? I’d burn all his clothes and throw his golf clubs in the pool.” Ally looked like she wanted to say more.

  Tara made a mental note to find out what was going on with her daughter. She wondered if it had something to do with her boyfriend. He’d been separated for years from his wife and still hadn’t divorced her.

  “Of course I’m angry and hurt. Being angry isn’t going to change the situation. Quite frankly, I don’t want it rubbed in my face every day.”

  They talked for a bit longer, her children catching her up on their lives. Evan was doing well. But her daughters were struggling with their jobs and their relationships. It made her heart ache for them.

  She told them she’d call when she got to the cottage. For the first night in weeks, Tara slept soundly.

  Evan hung up the phone after confronting his dad about the infidelity and divorcing his mom.

  “How’s your dad?” Emily kissed him on the cheek.

  “He acts like this is no big deal.”

  When Emily arched a brow, Evan clarified.

  “The work stuff. He basically stole from accounts to cover losses on other accounts. Twenty million. And he’s all easy breezy, it will work out fine.”

  His wife went to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. It was Saturday; they planned to spend the day sailing with friends, then going out to dinner.

  “Dad is going to work for Mandy’s father. He owns some kind of tech firm, doesn’t seem to care what dad did, or maybe he wants to make sure he can support Mandy.”

  He shook his head.

  “He’s the same age as her father. When I pointed it out, he laughed. Said age was just a number.”

  Evan huffed out a breath. “He said mom was frumpy and boring.”

  “Your mom? She’s one of the most vibrant women I know.”

  His wife seemed distracted this morning, going to the cabinet and opening it, then closing it without getting anything out.

  “I offered to help mom, but she said she had some money put away that dad didn’t know about.”

  He ran a hand through his hair, his ring caught on a knot and he winced.

  “You’re not drinking your coffee?” Evan took a sip of the dark brew.

  “Nope. I think I’ll give up caffeine for a while.”

  His brows rose. “You? I think you have coffee in place of blood.”

  “Be right back.”

  Evan nodded, lost in thought, worried about his mom. She’d put on a brave face, but he could see she was hurting. Moving to a new place and starting over without knowing anyone had to be hard.

  One of his friends said his dad had done something similar and ended up moving back. He’d said it was too difficult to start over at his age. He’d rather see his ex-wife with her new husband than try to meet new people and learn a new city.

  A pastel bag landed on the table in front of Evan. He eyed the bag, hoping they weren’t on the hook for one of those couples’ baby showers.

  “Aren’t we going sailing today? This looks like one of those baby gift bags.”

  Eyes shining, she took his hand, placed it gently on her flat stomach, and grinned.

  “We’re having a baby.”

  Evan looked up at his wife in wonder. “We’re having a baby?”

  He slid off the chair, wrapping his arms around his wife, kissing her stomach.

  “Hey, little one.”

  Emily laughed.

  “I’m two weeks late. The test was positive. I’ve got an appointment scheduled this week.”

  He stood and swept his wife up into his arms. “This is the best news in the entire world.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “No telling anyone yet.”

  “Not even our parents?”

  Emily shook her head. “No. Not after what happened last time.”

  “The doctor said these things happen. This time everything will be fine.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Still. Remember my friend Brenda? She lost her baby a few weeks after they’d told everyone.” She hugged him tight.

  “I want to wait until the first trimester. Then we’ll tell everyone the news.” She touched his cheek, her fingers soft against his stubble.

  “You’ll just have to keep the secret.”

  “For three months? That’s a lifetime.”

  Evan brushed his lips across hers. Joy filled his heart at the thought of his child. Emily would be a great mom and he would nev
er miss a game. By the time the baby arrived, Evan would be a VP and life would be smooth sailing.

  “Let’s cancel our day of sailing and go look at baby stuff.”

  She shook her head. “It’s too early.”

  “Come on. It will be fun. You love to decorate.”

  Emily tapped her lip. “Fine. You win.”

  Then she blinked innocently at him. “I might have saved a few ideas on my phone.”

  They were going to be parents. Everything would change.

  Chapter 5

  Three solid days of wallowing. If she spent one more day doing nothing, Ally was convinced she might never leave the house again.

  It was time to stop worrying about yet another job lost. It was early, barely seven, the perfect time for a jog. A long, hard run would clear her head so she could get on with finding a new job.

  At the last moment, she decided to switch up her normal route, and run by the RiverWalk on her way home. The air smelled of coffee, and that particular smell the water emitted, a mix of fish and fertilizer. If you weren’t a local, it was hard to describe the scent, but Ally liked the pungent smell.

  This time her job search would be different, only a job that made her want to jump out of bed in the morning would be acceptable.

  Most of her friends hated their jobs, agreeing it was perfectly normal to hate what they did for a living. Ally vehemently disagreed. Why couldn’t she find a job she actually liked? It was ridiculous to spend so much of your life doing something you despised or were ambivalent about.

  After her run, she’d take a long hot shower, then work on her resume. Once she figured out what she wanted to do with her life, she could tailor the resume to the jobs she was applying for. Something to do with plants and flowers would be her dream job.

  Jason was always complaining about the number of plants scattered around her apartment and out on the patio.

  There were orchids and fiddle leaf figs in the bathroom, a vast variety of plants in the living room, including a lemon and a lime tree she’d positioned in front of the sliding glass door to the patio.

  She had a planter full of tiny succulents in the kitchen, and a rubber tree plant in the bedroom. There were pots of miniature roses scattered throughout the apartment.

  In the spring she kept pots of hyacinth and other bulbs on the tables and windowsills.