by Ellie Hall
Her mother appeared, carrying an armload of blue tulle fabric stitched with silver stars. “Look what I found?” she crowed. “This will be perfect to drape over the arbor. With the twinkle lights, it’ll glow.” She paused in front of Eisley. “We don’t have time to lounge around.” Then she gave her daughter a second glance. “Uh oh. What’s going on?”
“I’m worried. That’s all.”
“Have you ever heard the saying that goes something like, ‘Worry is like praying for what you don’t want?’” She dropped into the seat beside Eisley and took her hands. She offered her daughter a soft gaze then lowered her chin and started to pray. She expressed her gratitude for the blessings in their lives and asked for God’s love and guidance in the coming days and for a loving marriage for her daughter and Ford.
When Eisley blinked her eyes open, her mother pulled her into a warm hug. She felt infinitely better.
“Ready to get set up?”
Eisley smiled and nodded, once again reminded of how what seemed like a wrong turn in her life, bringing her to a small town to live with her mother, had become the biggest and best blessing.
The two women spent the morning decorating the patio and backyard for the wedding. Eisley imagined that when the sun finally settled behind the house, the outdoor space would look enchanted. Ford had taken Coco out of town for the day because Eisley wanted to surprise them with the decorations. She wanted a grand reveal and knew it would a night they’d never forget.
Mother and daughter set up tables for the ice cream bar, which would feature Eisley’s ice cream plus all the toppings like hot fudge, caramel, butterscotch, melted marshmallow, and much, much more. They’d have the dinner catered and since there were only twenty-five guests, it was manageable.
Eisley took a deep breath. “Mom, I’m glad we did this. Yes, earlier I was worried, but spending all this time actually setting up, the process of it, has made it real to me. Ford is going to show up. We’re going to get married. It going to be wonderful, no matter what.”
She gave her mother a hug and then they went back to the cottage so Eisley could get ready.
Claudia, Billie, and Betty were already there waiting for her. They chirped and chattered with excitement. Betty turned on some music and she and Diana bopped around the living room while the others applied their makeup.
Diana had set out snacks, but the butterflies turning cartwheels in Eisley’s stomach kept her from nibbling. Then her jaw dropped. “The cake. We forgot about the wedding cake.” Panic seized her. “I was so preoccupied with the self-serve ice cream bar I forgot a cake. How could I do such a thing?” She covered her face with her hands.
Betty put her fingers on Eisley's shoulder. “It’s true, you may have, but your mother did not.”
Diana smiled. “Well, I didn’t get a cake per se.”
“No, she asked me to make key lime coconut cream pie.”
Eisley threw her arms around both women and pulled them into a hug. “Again, you saved the day. Thank you.”
“And that’s not all.” Betty passed Eisley an envelope. “You’re not allowed to open this until I’m six feet under, but it contains the secret pie recipe. I want you to carry on the legacy. I figure if you can make ice cream, you can manage pie.”
“Betty, don’t talk like that but thank you. I’m honored.” Eisley pressed the envelope to her chest then gave her another hug.
Diana clapped her hands together. “Okay, did we actually forget anything? Because if not, we’d better get this show on the road.”
The bridal party and mother of the bride all wore dusty blue dresses laced with strands of silver thread. They looked stunning. Eisley was the last to put on her dress. The top was studded with shimmering jewels that gave way to a full skirt. The hem at the very bottom with dipped in a faint blue and laced with silver thread. She turned in the slim mirror in the living room.
“You look like a princess,” Diana said.
“I feel like one.”
“A starry night princess,” Claudia echoed.
Because the church wasn’t far, the women paraded down the main street just before dusk. They looked quite the sight to anyone from out of town. Locals knew it was a special night and waved and wished Eisley the best.
At the entrance to the church, the faint strains of wedding music came from inside. Diana handed Eisley her bouquet with white hydrangea, white calla lilies, blue stargazer lilies, and pale purple roses. She took a deep breath and after the other women went ahead of her, she walked down the aisle. The last bits of her worries fell away when she saw Ford standing at the altar dressed in a sharply tailored suit, his hair high and tight in the Marine fashion, and with a giant grin on his face.
A sense of certainty flooded her like a warm rain washing away the past and preparing her for the future.
They’d written a portion of their own vows, promising to shine light on each other during difficult times and triumphant times and to illuminate the truth no matter what. After they exchanged rings they kissed.
As always, everyone and everything except her beloved melted away. It was just Ford and Eisley. They were the center of the universe while their lips pressed together, fireworks and sparklers blazed inside. He was the one. The only one and she was his.
“You are my light, always, Eisley,” he whispered before they parted.
She gave him one more quick kiss to let him know she felt the same way.
The crowd laughed, hooted, and clapped. Then above the noise, Coco called, “Mama, Dada!”
The love in the church was huge, almost too big to be contained so they proceeded to Mansion Mile to celebrate under the starry, starry sky.
Betty’s Key Lime Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
This should be called Dad’s Key Lime Coconut Cream Pie because every time I’d visit my father in Florida, he’d show up with a pie like this from the local Publix Supermarket. I’ve since “sampled” many pies in the name of research to try to duplicate it. Some of the pies were more of a pudding-style, which this is not. This is like the marriage of the perfect custard of a key lime pie and the perfect fluffy coconut cream pie to create the best of both worlds.
After much trial and error, I’ve now made it for birthdays, entertaining, for friends, and just because. It is so good and (not) surprisingly delicious with the combination of the tart lime, the sweet coconut, and cream. You can’t really go wrong. Also, if you’re not a pie baker, don’t be intimidated by this recipe. It’s not as difficult as it sounds and trust me, everyone will be impressed by your skills! I’ve included variations for those who like to do everything from scratch and options for speeding the process along with help from the grocery store.
You’ll be making the crust, the filling, and the topping. I recommend reading through the recipe carefully, jotting down ingredients you need to pick up, and being sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare.
Crust
Ingredients:
Store bought (no shame with this time saver) or homemade graham cracker crust.
For homemade graham cracker crust:
10 large, whole sheets of graham crackers (I use original/honey, but I suppose you could experiment with the various flavors available, but I take no responsibility for how it turns out unless it’s delicious. Tee hee).
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
a pinch of salt
½ cup unsalted butter
*Fun little bonus: you can add a sprinkle of fine, unsweetened coconut to the mixture as well.
Method:
Put graham crackers in a food processor until they form a fine crumb (I’ve also put them in a plastic bag and pulverized them with a rolling pin).
Add the graham crumbs to a mixing bowl, add sugars, salt, and coconut if using.
Melt butter then allow to cool for about 3 minutes (but not solid). Then pour it over the crumb mixture and stir.
Allow to cool until comfortable to handle.
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nbsp; Spray a 9’’ pie dish with cooking spray then press crust to form around the edges. Using your fingers, form it along the sides. You can also use a flat surface, like your (clean) measuring cup to smooth out the bottom.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (If the edges start to brown, carefully cover them with tin foil or a pie crust ring.) Allow to cool.
Filling
Ingredients:
2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup fresh key lime juice, scant (see note below)
1 whole large egg + 2 yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Note: If you live in a place where key limes aren’t available, don’t despair. You can use regular limes. (I know, I know, key lime devotees are probably wagging their fingers at me, but key limes can be hard to find.) Just know that it will taste slightly different than the original recipe. Whatever you do, don’t use bottled lime juice.
Method:
If using fresh limes, zest the peel of several and set aside (optional, but this provides a nice garnish).
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
Carefully pour into prepared and cooled crust.
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until set (no longer looks liquid, semi-firm top).
Allow to cool completely.
Topping
Ingredients:
You can use readymade Cool-whip style cream OR
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup coconut cream
¼ cup of confectioners’ sugar
Dash vanilla extract
Dash coconut extract
*Lime zest
*Unsweetened flaked coconut
Method:
If using readymade whipped cream from a plastic container, remove from freezer and allow to soften. Then place in a bowl and mix so it’s no longer a block.
If making from scratch, using a whisk and good old arm strength (or an electric mixer), mix, gradually adding sugar and extracts until soft peaks form.
Toast coconut until lightly browned and allow to cool completely.
Spread whipped cream over the top of the cooled pie.
Garnish with a sprinkling of lime zest and toasted coconut.
I usually put in the freezer for about 5 minutes or so before serving so I get nice clean slices, but this is up to you. Be sure to store in the fridge, but likely, there won’t be any leftovers.
Enjoy!
♥
Excerpt from Summer with a Rock Star
Read a portion of the first chapter of book 2 in the Blue Bay Beach Series, get to know Claudia, and find out if she follows through with Betty’s dare.
Chapter 1
Claudia
Claudia ducked out of the rain and into the austere stone building on Oak Street. It was the last day of music school for the summer, but that didn’t mean the work for her master’s degree was over. Once the final project was done, that’s when her dreams would really start coming true.
Her shoes squeaked on the polished granite floor as she made her way to class. Despite the unpleasant sound, a different melody hummed under her skin—it wasn’t a song she’d been working on. Rather, it was a feeling of hope mixed with excitement. The kind of feeling when she’d made a wish on a star when she was a little girl. Never mind that she was in her thirties and by some standards too old to be getting her master’s degree in music—or to be wishing on stars.
As she settled into class, the professor was talking about his weekend spent fishing, which reminded her of a famous proverb. “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Claudia chuckled softly.
The young woman sitting next to her with her long hair twisted into braids turned in Claudia’s direction. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so much as smile in this class. What’s so funny? It’s only eight a.m., we’re about to get our final assignment, and I was running late so I didn’t get my caffeine fix. I could sure use a good laugh.”
“I’ve smiled,” Claudia said, thinking of the many times the professor had them analyze famous pieces that carried her so far away from her thoughts she lost track of time. Although, her fellow student had a point. She rarely even chatted before or after class and rarely joined in when everyone gathered in the hall or down at the student center after class.
The girl with braids shook her head. “I’m Trisha and I’m still waiting to get in on the joke.”
“I’m Claudia and I’m sorry we haven’t met earlier. I guess I’ve just taken this class too seriously. I’m a non-traditional student and—” Her list of reasons came to mind about why she was focused, a planner, stayed organized, and regimented.
“Age is but a number.” Trisha lifted and lowered her shoulder.
“My Aunt Margot always used to say that. Professor Printz’s story about fishing reminded me of something else she used to say. That’s what had me laughing.”
“I’m waiting...” Trisha drummed her fingers on the desk.
“Have you ever heard the saying if you give a man a fish...?”
Trisha nodded. “Printz has it on a poster in his office. But I always wondered what would happen if you gave a woman a fish...”
“This is fitting then.” Claudia smiled. “My Aunt Margot used to say, ‘Give a woman a diamond, she'll love you as long as it sparkles. Teach a woman how to obtain her own jewels, she'll love herself for a lifetime.’”
“Oh, that’s good. That’s really good.” Trisha laughed.
Claudia felt a warm feeling, like a hug, come over her at the sound of Trisha laughing and the fond memories of her aunt. Margot Von Plata raised Claudia and even though she could afford to send her to school, instead of doing so, she taught her everything she knew about hard work, creativity, and entrepreneurship. In other words, she taught Claudia how to obtain her own jewels—though that was still a work in progress.
“I think I like this Margot lady.”
“She’s the best. I’m hoping to visit her this summer if work and our project doesn’t keep me too busy.”
“I also think someone likes you.” Trisha waggled her eyebrows then lifted her chin in the direction of a cute guy with glasses who chanced a look at Claudia every few seconds.
He was probably almost a decade younger than Claudia since she was late to get her master’s degree, but she had a youthful face.
She’d been in and out of relationships, but they never stuck around for long. Maybe because they didn’t understand her need for music.
Professor Printz called for the class’s attention.
Claudia leaned forward, eager to find out what the professor would assign them for their final project in the class titled Bridging the Past, Present, and Future in Music. She thought the name was clever because a bridge was also a component of a song. Printz was famous in the academic world for being rogue, harsh, and hard to like, but he was also clever and she’d learned more about music in that class than almost all her others.
Just as Professor Printz started to explain, her phone jingled. She shuffled through her bag as it dinged with the classic retro song Tutti Frutti by Little Richard. Aunt Margot may have been a woman of class, but she also had a wicked sense of humor and insisted Claudia use that as her ring tone whenever her aunt called. It did bring a smile to her face, but her aunt knew she was in class—maybe she forgot about the time difference?
Claudia rifled through, trying to find the thing that kept blaring then her bag tipped, falling down the stairs of the aisle in the auditorium style seating of the classroom. Her notebooks, lunch bag, a few random cosmetics, half a protein bar, several highlighters, an accordion stack of sticky notes, and her feminine hygiene products all tumbled out and onto the floor.
The cute guy with glasses rushed out of his seat to help her.
Meanwhile, her phone went on. “Bop bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo.”
A few people chucked.
Claudia’s face heated.
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nbsp; The flattening of Mr. Printz’s lips suggested that he was not amused. “Interesting to note that you’re a fan of Little Richard, Miss Von Plata. Now, if you’d kindly turn your phone off, I have a class to teach.”
She managed to find her phone, but just as soon as it stopped, it started ringing again. Her stomach jittered and sank as she wondered why her aunt would call again unless it was an emergency. As far as Claudia knew, Margot was in good health, but she was well into her eighties, nearing ninety, and on the other side of the country.
Even though Claudia silenced the phone, it continued to ring. She finished gathering up her belongings. “I have to take this,” she muttered then rushed from the classroom.
“Hello?” she said, once in the hallway and safe from Printz’s wrath.
“Claudia, darling,” Aunt Margot’s once strong, clear voice sounded frail.
“Is everything okay?” The jittering in her stomach went still and became heavy.
“Of course, darling. I took a little spill. Nothing too bad. They insisted on taking me to the hospital, but it seems my insurance premium wasn’t paid. The kind nurse here won’t let me go home unless I have someone to see to my care. I don’t want to burden you, but I’m wondering if you can help me put my affairs in order.”
Aunt Margot had never asked Claudia for anything other than for her smile.
“Of course, I’ll be there as soon as possible.” She’d been planning on traveling to Florida during the summer and envisioned working on her project on the lanai of Aunt Margot’s mansion overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. She’d have to get the details from her professor later.
Aunt Margot had always been there for her so she rushed down Oak Street to her apartment, going through a mental list of all she needed to do before she got on the airplane.