“How much weight have you gained so far?” Annette asked, before smacking her forehead. “Sorry! I didn’t mean it that way. Sometimes my mouth moves before my brain can catch up. You look terrific. Glowing, actually.”
Good lord, Annette might mean well, but she was going to choke on her foot one of these days.
“I don’t know about that, but thanks.” Sadie was suddenly dreading this conversation. What did she want to discuss? Had she seen the Kid Cuisine box in the recycling bin? Sadie only gave Lincoln the processed chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese when she was really desperate, though Annette probably judged anything that wasn’t fresh from the local organic farm.
“What’s up?”
She reminded herself for the umpteenth time how amazing her mother-in-law had been, pitching in however she could, even if that meant simply lightening the mood with a joke. Her own parents had been calling a lot more lately and sent an enormous gift basket full of French cheeses and mini wines, perfect for a pregnant person, naturally, but it wasn’t the same as having someone do the nightly dishes.
Annette had been a huge help these past few weeks. Quite frankly, Sadie wasn’t sure how she would have managed otherwise, what with Ethan being on crutches as they both worked their butts off to start their new business ventures. It was thanks to Annette that Hester’s grand opening was still on schedule, Ethan’s company was officially up and running, and Lincoln was happy and well fed.
Honestly, they were all feeling happy and well-fed with Annette around.
Annette studied the ground for a few seconds—probably noticing that the deck boards needed replacing; it was the one area she and Ethan hadn’t tackled during the renovation—and then sighed. “I believe that I owe you an apology.”
Wait—what?
Had the earth stopped spinning?
Was hell flash freezing?
Were pigs flying over the Cove?
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” Sadie shook her head a few times, making a pen fall out from behind her ear. “Did you say…an apology?”
“Oh, where to start?” Annette wrung her pearly pink manicured hands together. Sadie was surprised to see how anxious she was. “I’m sorry for overstepping. I’ve done that a lot since you and Ethan got married, and especially since Lincoln was born—”
“Aren’t they one in the same?” Sadie smiled, making a joke at her own expense.
Annette smiled back, visibly less nervous. “I suppose I had a difficult time wrapping my mind around the fact that there are many ways to parent, to mother. I am so proud of the man Ethan is today, and I think I gave myself a little too much credit for that.”
“No,” Sadie said. “You did help make him the wonderful person he is today.”
“Well, thank you. But that’s just it. I helped. I contributed,” she said. “A lot of things made my children the adults they are now. And it wasn’t like I cracked some sort of secret mothering formula. Yet, I have a bad habit of thinking it’s my way or the highway.”
“I have to admit, the parenting book you sent?”
Annette interrupted, “One of my sisters suggested it. But that’s no excuse. It was stupid. Do you know what Richard used to say? ‘It’s Annette’s world, we just live in it.’ It was a joke—sort of. And I had no business offering you advice on your marriage. Lord knows I am hardly a paragon of perfection.”
Was her mother-in-law demonstrating humility? Sadie was tempted to glance out the window and see if a flock of pigs were taking flight.
Annette cringed while attempting a smile. Impulsively, she pulled out a chair. “Hey, why don’t I go and grab us some lemonade and we can have a proper heart-to-heart? You know, sitting down rather than leaning against the rails of this rickety deck.” This time Annette’s smile reached her eyes as she gratefully sunk into the offered chair.
A few minutes later, the two women were sitting around the wrought-iron table. Sadie had brought out a pitcher of lemonade and a box of Cheez-Its to share.
“I know it sounds like a weird combination, but the salty, sharp cheddar and sweet lemonade is delicious. I’m pretty sure Tansy next door is the one who turned me on to it, when I was babysitting her one night.”
“Renee’s daughter, right?” Annette asked. “Small world.”
“That’s Cranberry Cove for you,” Sadie said. “But yeah, Tansy is Renee’s daughter. She’s home from USC for the summer, and Renee couldn’t be any happier. Plus, Renee’s dating the most amazing man. Her former boss. A doctor.”
“Well, well.” Annette cocked a well-plucked brow. “Lucky Renee.”
“So, tell me more about Richard. I always thought you had a great marriage.”
“I’ve certainly made it sound that way, haven’t I?” Annette took a tentative nibble of a Cheez-It, washing it down with a swig of lemonade. “Oh, that is good. Anyway, Richard and I were high school sweethearts. He was bound for an undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt and then set on law school.”
“Ambitious,” Sadie said with a nod, already knowing these bits of information from Ethan. He loved that his parents had met so young—he often said how he wished he’d known Sadie sooner—and he was proud of that fact that not only had his father attended Vanderbilt, but he had also managed to graduate in three years.
“We married young, right after he graduated college, just like a lot of people did at the time. We were only twenty-one, and we had our first child one year later. I spent a year at a junior college but ended up settling into that homemaker role.” She drummed her fingers against the tabletop, looking off wistfully. “Being a mom makes you grow up fast, doesn’t it? It changes you.”
“Um, understatement,” Sadie concurred.
“The truth is that we didn’t have a perfect marriage. Nobody does,” Annette said. “We were happy most of the time, but we also fought a lot. Richard was always telling me I needed to hang out with friends more or pick up some sort of hobby. He worried about me, that I was living in a bubble. I would get upset with him, saying he had no idea what it was like to stay at home with the children. It was as though he didn’t have any concept of how demanding that was. I sometimes wonder if he imagined I sat around the house all day, reading magazines and watching soap operas. It was hard and it was rewarding. But he wasn’t wrong. Sometimes I wanted—well, I wish I had pursued my own dreams further. I always imagined I’d make an excellent nurse.”
“Oh,” Sadie fumbled her way through her thoughts, wondering why Annette always made her feel so guilty, so unappreciative, of the fact that Ethan worked while she had “the privilege” of staying home with Lincoln.
“You’re probably wondering why I’ve acted the way I have over the past two years,” Annette said, reading Sadie’s thoughts.
She blinked a few times stifling an only slightly bitter chuckle.
“Oh, it’s okay. I deserve it.” Annette chuckled herself. “Frankly? I think I made those awful comments because I see so much of myself in you, Sadie. And you having the courage to stand up for yourself and say you wanted more? Well, that was just proof of how cowardly I was during that time in my life. You made me realize I should have done the same. And I guess I resented you for that.”
Sadie nodded her head. “I get it,” she finally said. “I do. For the record? I think being a stay-at-home parent is incredible and a huge privilege. It just isn’t for me. I missed interior design too much. It, well, it feels like as if I don’t function properly without it.”
“And it’s one of the many reasons why I fell in love with you, my creative daughter-in-law.”
Sadie’s heart was suddenly caught in her throat, moved by Annette’s words. While she was always quick to murmur a perfunctory “love ya” at the end of their phone calls, this was the first time she had said it so plainly, so genuinely.
“I’m really excited for you, Sadie,” she continued, her own voice a little raspy. “I think this pie shop is going to be such a great addition to your town, and with you and Renee
running it, Hester’s is sure to be a success. You should be so proud.”
Sadie paused, waiting for some sort of caveat, but it never came.
Instead, Annette reached across the table and squeezed Sadie’s hands. “I’m sorry I was such a stubborn old bat. It took me so long to realize the true root of my feelings. Ever since I came here to stay after Ethan’s accident? Well, I’ve realized I was wrong about a lot of things.” She sighed. “Seeing what a strong team you and Ethan make when the going gets tough…Well, honey, that says a lot about a person. About a couple. And the fact that you two are managing that while raising a toddler and gearing up for the grand opening of a pie shop? You’re quite a woman.”
Sadie got up from her chair and engulfed her mother-in-law in a warm hug.
“I love you, Annette,” she said, meaning every word. “And for the record, you have made our lives easier in a whole bunch of ways. And we are very appreciative of all the love and support you’ve given us.”
“Can we start over?”
Sadie rubbed her tiny baby bump. “I think now’s the perfect time.”
Chapter Thirty
Renee folded the last of the towels, neatly placing the stack in the hall closet. So much had happened since she and Sadie had joined forces to work on Hester’s. She’d been working hard perfecting her menu with the help of Grandma Hester’s recipe box and her own repertoire. Banana cream pie, chocolate–peanut butter whoopie pies, wild blueberry pie, of course. But also more inventive offerings like sweet potato–rum pie, salted–maple syrup pie, cranberry-pecan pie, and so much more. Specials would change daily.
She peeked inside Tansy’s bedroom as she walked by, lingering in the doorway. Who knew an unmade bed and a forgotten, crumb-filled dessert plate on the nightstand could bring such happiness? Ever since Tansy had returned home, Renee could not stop reveling in daily reminders of her daughter’s presence. Entering, she smoothed out the comforter and picked up the plate, walking down the steps to the living room.
Tomorrow morning, at ten o’clock sharp, Renee and Sadie would cut a red gingham ribbon and officially be living their dream.
They were ready—Renee was sure of it—yet still, she was constantly reviewing her mental checklist. She was waking up at four o’clock tomorrow morning so she could begin baking before five (as if she’d sleep a wink anyway). She had already dropped off the commemorative tea towels the first one hundred customers would be receiving, and her outfit was hung over her bedroom chair: a green tunic and skinny jeans. It was pretty for photos and practical for baking.
Hester’s, the flagship store at the Old Red Mill was ready to shine.
The woodworker had refinished the round tables for Hester’s not a second too soon, and Sadie had spent all afternoon putting the final details into place. Along with her other finds, Sadie had gathered eclectic clutter from Renee’s house and made it shine. It was fairly mind-boggling how the space had come together. A playlist, including some songs Sadie could remember Grandma Hester playing during their cooking sessions together, was set to go on their streaming account.
It was going to be a great opening day. But now she had to chill out a little.
“Oh! Sorry about that, Mom. I couldn’t resist a slice of your gooseberry pie before bed last night. It was incredible.” Tansy started to move from her cozy corner of the sofa, but Renee shook her head, smiling.
“Don’t worry about it. Glad for the positive review. I was considering adding more vanilla.” Not only was she happy her daughter was home, Renee was also thrilled she’d replaced her nighttime vodka cranberry with local berry pie. “Whatcha reading tonight?”
“Some cozy murder mystery I picked up from the library.”
“When did you go to the library?”
“This afternoon.” Tansy padded into the kitchen, hugging her mother from behind. “Are you nervous for tomorrow?”
Nervous was an understatement.
As if the pressure of Hester’s grand opening wasn’t monumental enough, unbeknownst to Tansy, Bree was going in for a second test next week. The first biopsy had come back inconclusive, an especially evil form of torture. A larger sample needed to be taken and sent to a special lab. “Please don’t tell Tans,” Bree had pleaded with her. “I want to be her cool, strong aunt for as long as I can.”
Renee sighed. “Oh, I’m nervous all right.”
“Well, just remember this.” Tansy whirled her mother around, her eyes big and teasing. “If you need me to distract people somehow, I can definitely do something dramatic.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
“I don’t know—give myself a haircut with the giant opening-day scissors? Smash a pie in my face?” Renee shook her head, starting to laugh. “I mean it, Mom! I’m willing to do anything for you.”
“And I so appreciate that!”
The doorbell rang just then, and Tansy sprinted toward the front door. “Mom!” she called. “Sadie’s here!”
Renee made her way to the foyer. Sadie stood on front porch, a bottle of chilled sparkling apple juice in one hand, champagne and two flutes in the other. “Hey there, business partner.”
She had the same sweet smile as the very first time she knocked on this very door, her bike resting against the house. She must have only been fifteen then and had brought markers and crayons instead of champagne. But at this moment, time melted away and she was so grateful to now call Sadie her dear friend and partner.
“Okay, so I realize you probably have crazy romantic plans with Dan tonight, but I was hoping to steal you for just a bit,” Sadie said. She held up the bottles of champagne and sparkling cider. “Have a few minutes for a well-deserved toast?”
“Can I join?” Tansy asked, poking her head out from behind her mom.
“Grab an extra flute from the cabinet and get your butt out here.”
The three women squeezed into the glider on the front porch, using their feet to propel them forward and backward. Renee did the honors of uncorking the sparkling juice, while Sadie and Tansy cheered. Renee overfilled each flute, causing the fizzy liquid to spill down their hands.
“What do you know? Our cups runneth over,” Renee said, smiling.
“Hardy har har.” Tansy rolled her eyes but her face was bright. “To my mother, Renee Rhodes, and to my former babysitter, Sadie Landry—may their pie shop be wildly successful! May Hester’s be as wonderful and brilliant as they are!”
The three women held their stemware high in the air, the setting sun making the crystal glasses sparkle.
“I have so much to be thankful for,” Renee said. “I’m not even sure where to begin my toast.”
Sadie nodded, clearly understanding what Renee meant.
“How about we start with your grandmother?” Renee suggested. “To Hester, an extraordinary baker and a truly remarkable woman.”
“Yes! To Grandma Hester,” Sadie proclaimed, squeezing her friend’s hand. “And to Renee Rhodes, Cranberry Cove’s incredible pie maker, the world’s best neighbor, and the perfect partner in crime.”
Renee got a little teary and leaned in, hugging Sadie tight. “And to my business partner, Sadie Landry, a true creative with fantastic vision who also happens to be the world’s best neighbor and a truly wonderful friend.”
“To the women of Hester’s,” Sadie said. “Past, present, and future.”
The three of them sat there in a happy silence for a bit, the only sounds the creak of the swing and the gentle-but-persistent buzz of the evening’s first cicadas.
“What are you most excited about, Mom?” Tansy asked, leaning her head against Renee’s shoulder.
She stared out at her front yard, at the flickering gaslights that lined Seashell Lane. “I can’t wait to hear about where my pies are served, the moments they’ll become a part of,” she said at last, hooking her arms around her knees. “I love the idea of someone picking up one and considering it special enough to be enjoyed at a birthday party or to celebrate a promotion or some other cool
milestone.”
“Aw, I love that. Heck, maybe someday a guy will propose by hiding the ring in one!” Tansy gushed, ever the romantic.
Renee and Sadie both laughed.
“What about you, Sadie?” Renee asked, turning to her business partner. “You must be thrilled with the magazine write-up.”
A Boston design magazine had recently visited the Old Red Mill, interviewing Sadie about her work and taking dozens of photographs. The article had been published just this week, and Renee knew Sadie’s inbox had already flooded with interior design job offers. But she’d been surprised to learn of her response. “Thank you for the kind words, but I’m happy where I am.”
Sadie set a hand over her middle. “I feel like I’m me again, and it makes me so happy to know Lincoln and the new baby will know me this way.” She laughed. “I’m busier than ever, yet not sweating all the small stuff. I don’t feel like the sky is going to fall whenever Lincoln has a temper tantrum or throws my flip-flops in the toilet.”
“Oh my God—he did that?” Tansy covered her mouth.
“That’s like, the least scary thing about parenthood,” Sadie said with a smirk, making Renee laugh. “He loves preschool, though, well preschool ‘summer camp.’ He’s already made a few new friends at Little Acorns, and his teachers say he takes naps. I can’t even believe it.”
“What are you going to do about child care when the new baby arrives?” Renee asked.
“Probably carry him or her around in a sling for a while,” she said. “And then I’m going to ask for help, like I should have done with Lincoln. I think Ethan and I will make a much better tag team this time, and hopefully we can find a good sitter to cover our butts when we’re both tied up.”
“That’s a perfect plan. I know I was lucky to have a great sitter of my own when I was a young mother,” she said looking meaningfully at Sadie.
Tansy squinted as a pair of headlights made its way down the quiet road, turning into Renee’s driveway. “Who’s that?”
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