“Ouch,” I said. “I knew I was adopted, and I’m an only child.”
Ember said, “I’m grateful I’m adopted because I’d hate to think I was related to the pathetic excuse for parents who raised me. Until I was sixteen. Then I was out of there.”
We looked at each other.
Cassie smiled. “I guess this is our first sisterly chat.”
I raised my glass of milk, and the three of us clinked glasses. “To sisters.”
And I wondered if we’d still be together after tomorrow’s meeting.
To sisters, indeed. I had finally gotten to sleep, but had awoken at four. I’d gotten up and showered, dressed, and now was walking the streets around the quaint neighborhood full of other large old homes set along the beach, and back around to this mansion of a home on the hill.
I strolled down the hill to the beach, then walked along the shore for a short distance. I was the only one here tonight. I supposed everyone else though it was too cold.
Turning back to look at the house, I could see the first hint of sunshine glinting off the dew on the green grass.
I could feel this place. Not just the house, though that called to me. The greenness pulled at me with a strength that scared me.
I’d thought there would be less energy here, but there was more.
When I was in Sedona, I’d been able to make cactuses bloom. Not that I’d wanted to. It had just happened. I had to wonder what I could do in a fertile place like this.
I stared out at the lake, arms crossed in the cool breeze, and drew in a deep breath. The smell of the lake, the green grass, the house.
I closed my eyes. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel it all.
I opened my eyes and shook my head. I couldn’t stay here. I couldn’t risk the accidents I could cause here.
Besides, my two new sisters didn’t really seem to want it either. And I’d only known them for less than twenty-four hours. It wasn’t like we were real sisters. I hadn’t grown up with them.
They were just two women who happened to share my DNA.
With that decided, I turned and headed back up the hill to the house.
7
That’s It in a Nutshell
The next day, it was just the three of us in Henry Trent’s office — Ember, Cassie, and me. The aunts had taken Jinx to the café with them, to let her bake cookies.
I was far more nervous than I should be. After all, I knew what my decision was. It should only take a few minutes for the attorneys to go around the room and get three “No, thankses” and then the meeting would be over, I’d pack my bags in the rental car, go out for lunch, and then head for the airport.
Thinking that through calmed me. Another hour, tops.
Henry took a seat at the head of the conference table and set a file folder on the table before him. Without looking at it, he said, “Welcome back, ladies. I assume you had an enjoyable evening with your aunts.”
We nodded, but my sisters seemed as reticent as I did to say much. I guess we were all feeling a little nervous.
Henry smiled at us. “It is such a delight to see another set of Everleigh triplets sitting in these chairs. I know you each had to come from long distances, and I want to thank you for joining us.”
“I had to meet my sisters,” I said, and we three exchanged glances. Ember scowled and Cassie smiled.
Cassie set her purse with the little tough dog at her feet. Fang. Ha.
“I was hoping you’d want to.” Henry opened the folder, again without looking down. “We have four hours before the official twenty-four-hour deadline. Are there any questions you’d like to ask me before we proceed to your decisions?”
Ember said, “If we actually stay for the full year, where will we live? With our aunts?”
Henry nodded. “They’ve informed me that they’d love to have you stay with them. You wouldn’t have to, of course, but you are welcome there. You and your lovely little daughter. They have also said they would be willing to tend your daughter whenever you need.”
Ember nodded. “Thanks.”
We sat in silence for another minute. “No other questions?” Henry looked at each of us in turn. I shook my head.
“All right, then. One last piece of information before you state your decision. You need to know that you will have one week from today in which to go home, settle your affairs, and return.”
A week? That didn’t seem like enough time. Though why did it matter? I wasn’t staying anyway.
“All right.” Henry turned to Cassie. “Cassie Winterton, do you accept your mother’s inheritance and promise to abide by the requirements of her will as explained to you?”
Cassie took a long time before asking, “Will my dog be allowed to stay with me at my aunts’ house?”
Henry nodded. “They’ve made clear to me that your dog is also welcome.”
Cassie nodded. “Then, yes, I agree.”
What? Surprised, I tipped my head. Really? Cassie the Elegant and her dog would be staying? She must be really angry with her adoptive parents.
“And you, Ember Paxton. What is your decision?”
Ember shrugged as if I didn’t care one way or the other. “I’m in. I need the inheritance to take care of my daughter. ”
Henry then turned to me. “October Jones?”
I looked at the faces around me, then shook my head. “I have a store back in Sedona. I need to go back.”
Henry sighed. “Before you go, I need to read the final stipulation of the will. All three of you need to agree to stay a full year, or the will is null and void.”
My sisters stared at me, shocked, and I turned to stare at the attorney. “Are you saying that if I don’t agree to stay, my sisters won’t receive their portion of the inheritance, either?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“But that’s like ... maternal manipulation to the nth degree!” I protested.
Henry was silent.
I looked at Cassie and Ember, across the table from me. They were staring at me, Cassie wistful, Ember angry.
Ember spoke first. “That’s not fair. She didn’t keep us, and now she’s playing this game with us from beyond the grave? What a witch!” I heard anger in her voice, but also something else. She’d already spoken of how horrible her adoptive parents were. Had she harbored a hope for family even more than I had? Such a fragile hope.
With a deep sigh, Cassie picked up her purse from the floor. “Oh, well, I guess I need to make other plans.”
Look at the three of us. How were we supposed to work together? Angry Ember with her improbable princess daughter, aloof Cassie with her little dog — and me, with all of my own baggage and a father who was still alive but might as well not be. That realization hurt.
So, yes, I’d hoped for family, too. And I had it. A surprise family with quirky aunts and belligerent sisters — but they were my sisters. Identical DNA, but different nurture — or, in Ember’s case, lack of nurture — had brought different results.
Suddenly I couldn’t stand the thought that they would walk out the door and we would scatter to the wind and everything would be as if we’d never come to this place.
“Wait a minute,” I said. They all turned and stared at me expectantly. A third silk flower began to bloom, right beside Ember, who tipped her head and watched in fascination.
I looked at Henry again. “So if I say no, they don’t get anything?”
He nodded.
“And if I say yes, we all split it equally?”
He nodded again. “Yes. That’s it in a nutshell.”
I couldn’t stand the pressure. The peer pressure. The sister pressure.
Without intending to, I found myself saying, “All right, then. I’ll stay, too.”
My sisters smiled. Even Ember, and the smile softened her face.
What on earth had I just done? I couldn’t believe it!
Cassie jumped up and gave me a hug. “Thank you, October.”
Already having replaced the smile with a scowl, Ember put up a fist for me to bump. I did.
And Henry smiled at me. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to stay.”
8
This Would Be An Adventure
This past week had flown by in a cloud of amazed disbelief.
I’d flown back home, hired new help for Gary and asked if he’d manage my store for the next year, sublet my apartment to Gary’s sister and her new husband, and arranged for two friends to drive my car back for me in exchange for a free vacation for a week in the mansion and a free flight home. I’d called the aunts to make sure that was okay first, of course.
I’d filled three boxes of Lotions and Potions and had them shipped to Hexburg.
I’d packed everything I thought I’d need for a year. Clothes. My laptop, iPad, and Kindle. A picture of my little family before my mother died. My dog-eared copy of All Things Plant. Most of it I’d left in the trunk of my car.
I’d gotten very little sleep until I’d been on the flight back east.
The entire week I kept wondering what I was doing. How could I give up my business in Sedona? How could I leave behind people I’d grown to care about? How could I let myself be pressured into doing this?
But there was a part of me — an unexpected, excited part — that wanted to get to know my sisters and my aunts. The part of me that missed my mother — and my father, over in Egypt — and had enjoyed the sisterhood. No, that wasn’t quite right. The potential sisterhood. I couldn’t imagine getting close to Ember any time soon, and even nice Cassie kept her distance.
And so there I was, climbing out of another rental car in front of the old mansion, feeling a sense of hope in the middle of the night. Ridiculous, but there, nonetheless.
Aunt Lily opened the door and ushered me in, giving me a hug and a peck on the cheek. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“Thanks for waiting up for me.”
She bustled me into the kitchen for a mug of hot chocolate, explaining that my sisters were upstairs asleep. Before long, I found my exhausted self in my bedroom, which felt ridiculously like home after a week away. Explain that one.
Good or bad, this would be an adventure, at least.
9
Make It Stick
My first day at work at the Hungry Cat Café. Yeah.
The six of us — me, my sisters, Aunt Lily, Aunt Misty, and Jinx — went in early, straightened up, heated the oven, and rolled out roll dough. Aunt Misty took turns helping while also keeping Jinx occupied at a little corner table she’d set up for that purpose.
We’d been here since six and I was beginning to flag. I reached for my favorite form of caffeine — a Diet Pepsi with ice in a tall, cool glass. I took a sip and set the glass down on a table in the kitchen.
Aunt Lily manned the stove. She’d supervised the baking that had taken place so far. She seemed to have a real talent for it.
“Do you always do all of this by yourselves?” Ember asked, sounding incredulous.
“No,” Aunt Misty said. “We do have employees who help. But this morning we wanted you to get a feel for what needs to be done and what you’ll need to learn to do. Debbie will be in later since we’re already gearing up for Valentine’s Day tomorrow. We’re already baking Candy Heart cakes and preparing Love Potion sodas.”
Potions? My breath caught, then I said, “May I work on a Love Potion soda?”
Aunt Misty shrugged. “Sure.”
“I sold what I called love potions in my store — just herbs scientifically proven to make men and women think more fondly of people — and I had people claiming to be witches come in and say they really worked.” I laughed. “I won’t guarantee they work, but people do like the flavor.”
When a timer dinged, Aunt Lily said, “Would you unlock the door for business, October?”
“Sure.” There was already a small line on the sidewalk.
I held the door open and smiled and greeted the people coming in, all bundled up against the February chill: an older couple, a mother and two children, three old coots in coveralls and jackets, two young women dressed for work in an office, and a younger guy wearing a frown.
They were apparently locals because they went up and ordered with barely a glance at the menu board.
A feeling of peace settled over me as I studied the café. What made this place so special? I wasn’t sure, but I liked what I felt and saw.
Aunt Lily set me to delivering water to the tables. As I set glasses before the mother and her two little children, a boy and a girl, I couldn’t help but overhear the little boy say she was going to miss Sadie.
Their mother looked up and explained, “Our dog.”
“Oh, is she missing?” I asked.
The little boy said, “Sadie died and we had to bury her.”
“Oh,” I said.
The little boy smiled sadly. “Sadie was a black dog with a white star on her back. She was really pretty.”
“I’m sorry you lost your dog.”
“It’s okay,” the little boy said. “She’s in heaven now. But we still miss her.”
“I bet you do.” I put my hand on his shoulder.
“We’re going to get another one,” the little girl said. “A puppy.”
I smiled. The circle of life goes on, I supposed.
Aunt Lily’s voice pulled me out of my reverie. “October, can you help Cassie with these plates?”
I nodded and stepped forward to take a handful of pates. I turned back at the same time a male voice with a French accent called, “Watch out!”
I tripped over something and bobbled the stack of plates, reaching out to steady them and regain control, but one fell off the stack and headed for the floor.
I winced, waiting for the crash — but none came. What the heck? I looked down at the plate-less floor, then up at Cassie. She held out the plate to me.
When had she grabbed it? She’d moved so fast that I just stared at her. “Wow.”
She shrugged. “I took karate. It made my reflexes lots quicker than most.”
“Uh-huh. Thanks.”
I turned to thank the French guy who’d warned me — but there was no one behind me. Weird. Again.
The door opened and a couple left, then a handsome man came in. He had a — I wasn’t sure what to call it — smug look on his face.
He stepped up to the counter. Ember looked up — and froze. “What are you doing here?” she hissed in a low angry voice.
“Hey, baby, I just wanted to see you. And my little girl.”
“You have a little girl? News to me.” Ember’s eyes flashed. “Oh, come on, baby, don’t be like that. I want to get to know her. I know I’m a little late to the party, but—”
Ember stormed around the counter and shoved him. “You get on out of here.”
He put up his hands and looked around as if for support from the crowd. “Honey, I just want to see my baby.”
“The child is not yours, jerk. Even if she were, she’s six years old and you haven’t ever tried to see her. Give it up, She’s not yours!”
She was in his face and I thought she might soon punch him. I found myself moving toward her. To protect her? Or him?
I didn’t know, but Cassie was now coming around the counter, too. And several of the customers were watching.
“I want to see her now.” His face was determined.
“You can just drop dead and leave her alone.”
“I can see her right there.” He pointed to Jinx.
He took a step toward the little girl and Ember jumped in front of him. She raised a hand as though she wanted to strike him, but then lowered it. “Go away, Keith.”
He laughed and grabbed her arm, then pulled back and said, “Ow!” He looked at his hand. “You burned me! I told you not to do that to me again!”
“Whatever. Get out of here.”
I was three steps away when the door opened again, and in strode two officers. The first was middle-aged with thinning hair
and a widening waist. The second was handsome Levi Strauss.
Aunt Lily said, “Thank goodness you’re here, Brent.” She turned to the handsome one and tipped her head. “Levi.”
Levi immediately gauged the situation and strode in. “Back up, buddy. Give the woman some room.”
The guy raised his hands again. “I don’t want any trouble, officer. Just came in for a cup of coffee and got assaulted by the help.”
Ember bristled, but the officer put up his own hand. “Stay.”
“I am not a dog.” Ember’s voice was icy, but her hands were apparently warm, because when she stepped forward and Levi put his hand on her arm, he pulled his hand back, too, a shocked look on his face.
It didn’t stop him from moving in front of her, though, a dangerous note in his voice. “Step down, lady.”
Ember must have seen something in his eyes, because she stopped. “Then get him out of here. He threatened me.”
Levi gave a slow smile. “He did, did he? Any witnesses to that?”
“Just the entire place,” I said.
Levi nodded, looking pleased. “Did he hurt any of you?”
I shook my head. So did Cassie. Ember just glared.
Aunt Misty had moved Jinx back into the corner of the kitchen and now stood in front of her in a defensive position, her hand upraised as if she would slap some sense into the man if he came any closer. Good luck with that one.
“Ember, you go back behind the counter.” Levi turned back to the guy. “I think it’s time for Deputy Swenson to give you a tour of the local jail and explain why you need to leave town as soon as possible.”
“Hey, all I was doing—”
Levi raised a hand. “I can pull out the handcuffs and go that route, if you’d prefer, or you can walk out with the officer.”
The guy’s eyes narrowed. He shot a hateful look at Ember, who had moved behind the counter. I was surprised she’d done so. The guy must have really unnerved her.
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