The Way Back to You

by Sharon Sala

  “No way, Barb, I only wanted to warn—”

  “Consider me warned. Now I suggest you take your Spanx-bound ass out of my house. I’m glad I’ve already made the decision to move back home to Dallas after the funeral. I don’t need my husband’s name to belong to country clubs anywhere there. I am a Texan by birth and a direct descendant of Stephen A. Austin and Sam Houston. We come from two of the first families in Texas, and I am already accepted and valued. See yourself out. I’m busy,” Barb said, then turned her back on Retta, leaving the woman with no option but to leave.

  Barb waited until she heard the door open and close, and then the sound of Retta’s car as she drove away, before she lost it. The conversation had been crushing, and Barb was still in a funk hours later. The later it became, the more her phone continued to ring. She let the calls all go to voicemail and took herself off to bed.

  Chapter 4

  Melissa ached in every muscle and was becoming stiffer by the hour. Hope had arrived as promised, and Ruby went home. At that point, Hope began moving Melissa’s things to the downstairs bed and bathroom, per doctor’s orders, then began to care for her as if she’d never left the hospital.

  As soon as Melissa was comfortable in bed, Hope called her sister, Mercy, and asked her to bring food from Granny’s by the house before she went home.

  An hour or so later, Mercy was at the door.

  “You are a lifesaver,” Hope said as she took the big sack of food Mercy gave her.

  “It was no problem. And just so Melissa knows, your supper is on Lovey,” Mercy said.

  “Did you include some of your yummy biscuits and pie?” Hope asked.

  Mercy laughed. “Yes, and please give Melissa my love. I’m so sorry she was hurt, but very grateful she’s going to recover, and much easier than you did.”

  The conversation turned serious. “I would not have recovered at all if you hadn’t responded to that call,” Hope said.

  Mercy nodded. “And I would still be waiting tables at the Road Warrior Bar in Savannah and would never have known you existed.”

  “All things happen when they’re supposed to,” Hope said, and gave Mercy a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks again for bringing this by.”

  Mercy let herself out as Hope carried the food into the kitchen, then went back to the bedroom.

  Melissa was watching television with the sound on mute as Hope walked in.

  Melissa looked up. “Did I hear someone at the door?”

  Hope nodded. “Lovey sent supper, and Mercy brought it by. Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to eat in bed. I’ll get up.”

  “Awesome. Moving will help keep you from getting so stiff. I don’t know what she sent, but it’s in the kitchen.”

  “I’ll wash up,” Melissa said.

  “I’ll wait. We can walk to the kitchen together,” Hope said as Melissa got out of bed.

  Hope set out a pair of house shoes, and Melissa stepped into them when she came out.

  Hope smiled. “Now let’s go see about supper.”

  As soon as Melissa was seated at the kitchen table, Hope poured her a glass of sweet tea, then got out plates and flatware before taking out the containers.

  “Looks like fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and biscuits. Do you think it will hurt to chew? You have a pretty-good-sized bruise on your jaw.”

  “I don’t know, but I’m about to find out,” Melissa said.

  Hope grinned. “Do you have butter in your refrigerator?”

  “In the door,” Melissa said, and began removing the lids from the containers.

  She scooped out a serving of mashed potatoes and gravy, then a serving of green beans. She chose a chicken thigh from the assortment of pieces and held out her plate so Hope could put a buttered biscuit on it.

  After getting Melissa comfortable, Hope sat down across the table from her and made her own plate.

  “Girl time is always good,” Hope said. “You need to come out to the farm sometime. I’m not as good a cook as Mercy, but I haven’t killed anybody yet.”

  Melissa grinned.

  “So, what do you think about your hero Sully Raines? I hear you two grew up together,” Hope said.

  Melissa looked up. “What do you mean?”

  “He’s obviously good-looking, and you told me he asked you out for coffee. Are you going to take him up on that?”

  Melissa blushed. “I don’t know, but he’s probably married. It feels weird even thinking about it. I have not had a date since Andy died.”

  Hope paused. “Seriously? How long has that been?”

  “I guess about twenty years,” Melissa said.

  Hope’s eyes widened. “Honey! You were so young! Why not?”

  Melissa shrugged. “At first it seemed like I would be cheating on Andy. I didn’t want anyone but him, and he was gone. We had planned on moving to Blessings, so I kept to the plan and moved on my own, only to realize I was in a strange place alone, and with people I didn’t know. After that, time just slipped away from me.”

  Hope leaned forward. “That was then, and this is now. I’m a person who believes there’s no such thing as a coincidence. I always think it’s a God thing. Like when my sister and I found each other again. If I hadn’t been in that wreck and needed a blood transfusion, the rare blood directory would not have called Mercy. And if she had been living farther away than Savannah, she wouldn’t have arrived in time. Synchronicity. When the universe is perfectly aligned for something special to happen.”

  Melissa shrugged. “Never thought of it that way. I do want to talk to him though. Hope I feel better tomorrow.”

  “I predict you’re going to be fine,” Hope said. “And don’t let a few bruises stop you. I mean…you’ve both shared part of your childhood, and now a life-threatening experience. It shouldn’t be that hard to share coffee and conversation. Anyway, think about it. Do you want seconds on anything?”

  “No. I couldn’t finish all this,” Melissa said.

  Hope arched an eyebrow. “Oh, so this means you don’t want any pecan pie?”

  “No, that’s not what it means at all,” Melissa said. “It means I was just saving room for pie.”

  Hope grinned. “I thought so. Do you want me to make coffee to go with it?”

  “Not for me,” Melissa said. “I’ll stick to sweet tea tonight.”

  “Me too,” Hope said. “Just keep your seat. I’ll get the dirty dishes off the table and bring dessert. It won’t take but a couple of minutes.”

  “You’re the best,” Melissa said.

  “Why, thank you, honey. Next time you see my husband, I want you to remind him of that.”

  They both laughed and then settled into a comfortable conversation as the meal ended on a sweet note.

  * * *

  Ruby was at home, making a list of everything she needed to reorder at the salon. She’d written down everything she could think of, and before she went online and placed the order with the beauty supply in Savannah, she needed to call Vera and Vesta to see if they needed anything. She knew it was late, but she also knew the sisters’ penchant for watching old movies on the classics channel and rang their number.

  Vera was in the kitchen popping corn, and Vesta was in the living room sobbing. Niles Holland had been her customer for as long as she could remember. Normally, he came twice a month to get a haircut, and tomorrow morning would have been his day.

  Vera did Barb Holland’s hair, and Vesta knew Barb would be coming in to get it done special before the funeral, whenever that was.

  The fact that Niles had caused his own demise made it even harder for Vesta to think about. He’d always been so full of himself, but he’d been a good customer and a friend, and she was going to miss him.

  When her cell phone rang, she quickly blew her no
se, cleared the tears from her throat, and answered. “Hello.”

  “Hey, Vesta, it’s me.”

  “Oh hi, Ruby. What’s up?” she asked.

  “I’m about to put in an order to the beauty supply in Savannah. Do you or Vera need anything?”

  “Oh…I do for sure. I’m out of the little permanent papers, and I need two Easy Wave perms. Also, some of that shampoo we use for the lavender-haired ladies in town.”

  “Oh, right! I need that, too. Thanks for the reminder. How about Vera?” Ruby asked.

  “Wait a sec and I’ll ask.” Vesta jumped up from the sofa and hurried into the kitchen and handed her sister the phone. “It’s Ruby. I’ll tend to the popcorn,” she said.

  Vera nodded and took the phone. “Hi, Ruby. You’re up late.”

  “I know. I’m about to get online and put in an order at the beauty supply in Savannah. Do you need anything?”

  “Yes, I do,” Vera said, and began naming off products, while Vesta stood at the microwave, waiting for it to ding and stealing a quick sip of her sister’s Coke.

  The microwave went off. Vesta took out the bag of popcorn, tore it open, and dumped it in a bowl, then poured herself a glass of Coke as well, and waited for Vera to get off the phone.

  Seconds later, Vera ended the call, turned around and dropped the phone in the pocket of Vesta’s bathrobe, and picked up her drink.

  “Let’s hurry,” she said. “Our movie is about to start.”

  “I know, but I’m not in much of a movie mood,” Vesta said.

  “Why? What’s wrong?” Vera asked.

  “Tomorrow morning would have been Niles’s appointment day. I’m just sad that he’s gone and Barb is now a widow.”

  Vera paused. “Oh. I hadn’t remembered that. I guess Barb will be making a special appointment now before the funeral.”

  Vesta nodded. “That’s what I was guessing.”

  Then Vera took the bowl of popcorn out of Vesta’s hands.

  “Come on. We planned on watching that movie, and so we’re gonna watch it,” Vera said.

  Vesta frowned. “But it will make me cry, and I don’t like to cry.”

  “It’s good for your energy and your chi to release emotions,” Vera stated firmly, and sailed out of the kitchen with her drink in one hand and the popcorn in the other.

  Vesta glared at her twin. She’d been the bossy one when they were little, and nothing about her personality had changed.

  “I still don’t like to cry,” Vesta muttered.

  * * *

  Ruby had just finished entering everyone’s orders. As soon as she hit Send and printed off a copy of what they’d ordered, she logged out and went to bed.

  Peanut had fallen asleep in bed with the remote in his hand. Ruby slipped it from his fingers, turned off the television and the lights, and crawled into bed.

  The moment she did, he rolled over and slid an arm across her waist without opening his eyes.

  “I love you, too,” Ruby whispered, and then got teary, thinking of how Barb Holland must feel tonight in bed all alone.

  * * *

  Lovey did her last walk-through in the café, making sure all the appliances in the kitchen had been cleaned and turned off, and checking to make sure the back door was locked. Then she retraced her steps through the dining room, turning off lights as she went.

  She paused in the doorway and looked back at the empty tables and chairs, picked up the deposit bag on the way out, and locked the front door as she left.

  One more stop and then home, she thought as she got in her car and headed to the bank. The stray tomcat she always fed there was sitting beneath the night deposit, patiently waiting for its supper.

  “Good evening, you ratty old thing,” she said, and tossed out the little piece of ham she’d fished out of the garbage for him.

  He grabbed it and ran into the shadows as she put the money bag in the night deposit, then headed to Ruby’s little cottage.

  Lovey was grateful for the quiet as she let herself in. It was already almost 11:00 p.m., and Granny’s would be open by 6:00 a.m., which meant the kitchen crew showed up for work around four thirty, and she always arrived to open up.

  Even though her injuries had healed, she was having to pace herself to get through a day. It was as if her body had worked so hard to keep her from dying that there wasn’t as much left of her as there used to be.

  “First thing is a nice, hot shower and then into a nightgown and bed,” Lovey said.

  She went into the bathroom and turned on the water to let it get hot, then began undressing. The water was steamy by the time she got in, and she stood beneath the spray, letting the jets massage out the aches and pains of the day.

  A short while later, she was in her nightgown, walking through the house, checking locks here just as she’d done at the café. She took a bottle of water back to the bedroom, put it on the nightstand, then pulled back the covers. After stacking some pillows behind her back so she could watch a little TV, she got into bed and opened the water to take a drink.

  She’d long since gotten over feeling sorry for herself that she was living on her own. She’d tried marriage more than once and, after her last husband died, had given up on the institution altogether. Some people were meant for marriage, and some weren’t.

  Lovey had been fine on her own when she was living in her own house, but she was a little lonesome here. She thought it was because she was surrounded by other people’s things.

  She missed her keepsakes from home and the pictures hanging on the walls. She missed her little library of books, and her stash of old DVDs that she watched on Sunday evenings. She was grateful for this cottage, but she would be glad to get home.

  She fell asleep with the show still on, woke up sometime after 1:00 a.m. and turned it off, then rolled over and went back to sleep.

  * * *

  Sully woke abruptly, then lay motionless for a few moments, wondering what he’d been dreaming. But whatever it was, the memory was gone.

  He glanced at the clock. Seven thirty, which meant breakfast was waiting whenever he got downstairs. The thought of coffee was enough to get him up. His shoulder was stiff, but it wasn’t hurting nearly as much as it had yesterday.

  He quickly showered and shaved, then planned out his morning as he dressed. First to the courthouse, then to the library.

  He could smell the coffee and the wonderful aroma of something sweet baking in the oven as he went down the stairs. Bud was behind the front desk, taking a reservation, but he waved at Sully as he passed by on his way into the dining room.

  There was a young couple at one of the tables. They must have arrived last night after he went to bed. They didn’t acknowledge him past a glance as he moved to the sideboard where the breakfast buffet had been laid out.

  Rachel came out with a plate of bacon to replace the one that was nearly empty, and smiled at Sully when she saw him.

  “Good morning, Sully. Were you able to rest last night with that sore shoulder?”

  “Yes, very well. It feels better today, too. This all looks so good. I can’t wait to dig in.”

  Rachel smiled. “Then enjoy, and I hope you have a good day with your search.”

  “Thanks. Me too,” Sully said.

  He picked up a plate and dipped out a big spoonful of scrambled eggs, then a serving of grits, added a pat of butter on top of them, then several slices of bacon, and one of the warm cinnamon rolls iced in a white sugar glaze. He set the food at his table, then went back for coffee before he sat down.

  As he did, he paused a moment, looking at the food and thinking about how the guys from the station would so decimate the buffet on the sideboard. On impulse, he got back up with his cell phone and took a picture of the food-laden sideboard, then sent it to a couple of his friends before going back to his table.
/>
  Rachel paused in the doorway of the kitchen to glance back and make sure everything was in order. The young couple had informed her and Bud last night when they checked in that they’d eloped. The young woman had flashed her newly acquired wedding ring, and after congratulating both of them, Bud had taken up a bottle of wine and two glasses after settling them in their room.

  Rachel glanced at Sully and saw he was reading something on his phone as he ate. She smiled and was starting to go back in the kitchen when he laid down his fork and began texting, smiling as he did it. Before, she’d only spoken to him face-to-face, but now she was seeing him in profile, and as he suddenly threw his head back and laughed at a reply he’d just received, the hair stood up on the back of her neck. The moment of déjà vu was startling, which was weird because they’d only met yesterday. Then it hit her. He reminded her of someone she knew. Someone here in Blessings!

  Oh my God. I must know his mother! But who does he remind me of?

  * * *

  Hope was used to getting up early, so she was already dressed and in the kitchen making coffee before daylight. After putting it on to brew, she peeked into the bedroom to check on Melissa, who was still asleep, and was in the kitchen when her phone signaled a text. It was from her husband, Johnny.

  It’s lonesome in bed without you. How’s Melissa? Duke and I send her best wishes and swift healing.

  Hope smiled. She’d missed Johnny last night, too. Her brother-in-law, Duke, was another story, but she was used to his clueless, often brash behavior. As soon as the coffee was done, she poured herself a cup and went into the living room to watch the early-morning news.

  About an hour later, she thought she heard Melissa moving around and ran back into the kitchen to get her a cup of coffee.

  * * *

  Melissa had dreamed of the wreck all night. In one dream, Niles kept trying to apologize while Sully was pulling her out of the car. The last dream was her husband, Andy, telling her to be happy.