“Come on in, Meg,” said Tom.
Meg sat down on Ashley’s bed and received an exuberant hug from her youngest niece.
“I heard that you have a cold, Ashley. I hope you’re feeling better.”
Ashley nodded and pulled her covers up to her chin. “Mommy says if I get all better I can come help you at the bog.”
“That’s right. And I need all the help I can get, Ashley, so you make sure you get all well, okay?”
“Okay, Aunt Meggie.”
Tom grinned at Meg. “She’ll probably be better in no time now.”
“I heard you working on the back porch today, Tom. How’s it coming?”
“Great. But I can’t believe how bad that place has gotten. The day of the memorial service was the first time I’d been out there in ages. Abner used to shoo me away every time I offered to help, but he sure hasn’t done anything to make that place better.”
“I know. It’s a shame.”
“Ready to go?” called Erin from the hallway.
“I am if you are,” Meg answered.
“Sorry I took so long. I’ve been doing pottery all afternoon and really needed a shower.”
“No problem. It’s not quite seven yet.”
On the way to town, Meg told Erin about the plans she was making with Cal for the bog.
“That sounds great,” said Erin.
“I thought you were against my putting money into the place,” said Meg in surprise. “I thought you and Tom—”
Erin interrupted her. “Well, I’ve changed my mind.” She had a sly grin on her face. “I’ve decided that whatever it takes to get you to move back here for good, it’s worth it.”
“But just because I’m doing this with the bog is still no guarantee that I’m staying indefinitely, Erin.”
“Sure, Meg, whatever you say.” Erin grinned.
Meg shook her head. Well, maybe Erin was right. Meg knew she couldn’t put off this decision much longer. Was she truly ready to make Crandale her permanent home? Even if it already felt like home to her heart, it still didn’t make sense to her head. If she was serious about relocating up here, she should close up her apartment in order to save some money, and she’d certainly have to give notice at work. She was still hesitant about burning her last bridge at Montgomery and Tate, though.
Sigfried was waiting outside the gallery for them. Meg and Erin apologized for being a little late and then followed him up the little staircase that led to the apartment. Meg hadn’t been up here since she was a girl, when it had been Grandmother’s apartment. Then it had looked almost like a dollhouse, with lots of ruffles and flowers. Everything was pink, even the little refrigerator and stove. Meg realized that the house at Briar Hedge didn’t look like that now. Grandmother hadn’t changed any of the decor from when it had been Grandpa’s house.
Sigfried turned the key and opened the door. Meg braced herself for the acrid smell of stale cigarette smoke, but to her surprise, other than a musty odor from being closed up, the air was clean.
“I thought it would smell smoky,” she said, then instantly wished she could take back her words. She knew how defensive Sigfried could get about Sunny. But fortunately he didn’t seem to take offense.
“Sunny really didn’t smoke all that much, unless she was nervous. And she tried not to smoke in her apartment at all. She knew that it bothered other people, and she wanted to keep her home a place where she felt comfortable entertaining.”
Meg looked around. The pink was definitely gone. The small apartment consisted of an open living room and kitchen that seemed bigger and taller than Meg remembered. Sunny must have had the ceiling lifted up to the rafters. Near the big window, a large sectional provided seating. It was loosely slipcovered in a milk-colored nubby cotton, and several large pillows made from pieces of old Amish quilts were artfully arranged. The old carpeting had been removed, and now the beautiful old fir floors shone with warmth and character. A few dark Oriental rugs were placed here and there, not so much to cover the floor as to add interest. Carefully hung pieces of art were lit to perfection with concealed spotlights, and the whole effect was very, very classy.
“She must have felt fairly comfortable then, Siggie. This is really nice.”
He smiled. “It is, isn’t it? There’s a good view out over the wharf, although you can’t see much at night.” He walked over to an antique bureau and picked up two white boxes, each tied with a strip of red satin ribbon. One was marked with Meg’s name, and the other with Erin’s.
“Why don’t we sit down,” said Sigfried as he placed the boxes on the antique oak coffee table. “Can I get you anything? Coffee or tea?”
“I’d like some coffee,” said Erin. “I can’t remember what it was called, but Sunny had some awfully good decaf.”
Meg and Erin sat down. Suddenly Meg became very aware that this had once been Sunny’s home, and although Sunny was gone, she could almost feel her presence in this room. She looked at Erin.
“Have you been here before?” Meg asked.
Erin nodded. Apparently she was feeling the same thing as Meg. “Yes, but it feels strange to be here without her. It makes everything seem more real. More final.”
“That’s just what I was thinking.” Meg studied the details of the lovely room. Meg’s own apartment back in San Francisco was nowhere near this nice. She still had many of her things in boxes; she’d held off any special decorating for the past two years while she waited for Jerred. What a waste of time that had been.
Sigfried set three mugs on the coffee table, then returned to the bureau to retrieve a large manila envelope. He started to sit down, then straightened his shoulders, still holding the envelope in both hands.
“I could read all of this to you, but that would take all night,” he said, waving the envelope in the air. “You can read it at your leisure later. I know all the important details by heart anyway.” He began to pace and rub his chin, as if determining where to begin.
Meg sipped her coffee and wondered if something was troubling him. Finally he quit pacing and sat down.
“As I mentioned,” he began without looking up, “Sunny has left the gallery to both of you. She wanted to split it in such a way that if you didn’t agree, there would be possible ways to work it out. Hopefully that won’t be the case. As you probably know, she bought this building from her mother a number of years ago. She paid a fair price for it, and she paid cash.”
He looked up now. “Sunny decided to leave the gallery, with all its equipment, computers, and whatnot, to Erin. This was because Erin has always had a strong interest in the arts, and she has been doing pretty well selling her pottery down there.”
He cleared his throat and looked at Meg. She wondered why he seemed so troubled. She wasn’t upset that Sunny had left the gallery to Erin. It seemed only fair. In fact, it was a relief. She smiled and opened her mouth to say so, but he held up his hand.
“And,” he continued, “Sunny decided to leave the upstairs—this apartment—to Meg.” He paused and looked from one to the other as if he expected problems. Meg could think of nothing to say. She was stunned.
“Now, as far as the art contents of the gallery, there are many pieces that Sunny purchased from artists or collectors, and some that are here on consignment. However, due to the rather large purchase of artifacts that Sunny made last year, before she knew of her illness, there is now a small mortgage on the building. This really shouldn’t be a problem, because the gallery easily brings in enough to cover that payment as well as the rest of the expenses. But it does mean that we need to keep our doors open. To be fair, Sunny has divided the value of the art, as well as the debt of the mortgage, between the two of you. And she has had it written up that profits will be shared equally. The only reason, or rather the main reason, that she split the building like this was in case one of you wouldn’t want to keep the gallery going.” He looked at Meg as if she would be the one to do so.
“I don’t see any reason why the
gallery shouldn’t continue as it always has. In fact, I would be disappointed if it didn’t.” Meg spoke quickly, hoping to dispel any worries.
Sigfried smiled. “Good. And the other reason, the reason that she left the apartment to you, Meg, was just in case you needed a place to live. Sunny really hoped you would be comfortable here.”
Erin reached over and took Meg’s hand. “Can you believe that, Meg? Wasn’t that thoughtful of Sunny?”
Meg blinked back tears and nodded.
Sigfried cleared his throat. “However, there is a small problem.”
They looked up in surprise.
“It’s really just a tiny problem,” he began apologetically. “And it has nothing to do with Sunny. It’s me. I’ve promised my mother for the last six months that I would go back east for a visit. My father has advanced diabetes, and my mother has been begging me to come out. Well, due to Sunny’s condition, I couldn’t leave her, and I really hate to leave now, but I feel more strongly than ever, in light of losing Sunny, that I can’t afford to delay this visit—”
“Oh, Siggie,” exclaimed Meg. “You must go. Don’t worry about a thing. I know Erin is busy with the girls, but I’ll be more than happy to mind the shop while you’re gone. Of course, you’ll have to show me how things work, but that shouldn’t take too long.”
“Oh, Meg, how can I ever thank you?” Siggie came over and hugged her.
“You’ve already thanked me a million times over, Siggie. How can I ever repay you for all you have done and for being such a dear friend to my mother? Besides, I know firsthand how it feels to lose a parent when you haven’t been close. I think you should go as soon as possible to visit your parents.”
“I’m so relieved. I was worried that we would have to close the doors to the gallery, and I know it’s important, especially as the season is just beginning, to keep things going.”
“And I can help out, too,” Erin offered. “I could probably even bring Ashley here in the mornings. We’ll work it all out. I know Meg needs to keep giving the cranberry bog her attention. You’re going to be spread pretty thin, Meg. You sure you don’t want to make that decision about not returning to San Francisco now?”
“It’s getting closer, Erin. But I need just a little more time.”
“Sunny had already cleaned out a lot of things, since she knew her time wasn’t far off,” said Sigfried. “Her goal was to have it all cleared out and ready for you to move in, Meg. She was really hoping that you would want to. But, in the end, I think even she got caught by surprise, so there are still things that she didn’t have time to take care of. She wanted to have it all done so you girls wouldn’t have to fuss with her old things.”
“I really don’t mind,” said Meg. “In fact, I think I’d appreciate the opportunity to sort out her things; it might help me to feel like I know her better. I’ve been finding out lately that she was a completely different person than the mother I grew up with.”
“Is that okay with you, Erin?” asked Sigfried.
“Certainly. Actually, I appreciate your willingness, Meg. Do you think you’ll have time?”
Meg frowned. “That’s a good question. Of course, there’s really no hurry, is there? Maybe I should consider moving in here and working in the gallery while Siggie’s gone, and in the evenings I could go through her things.”
“What about the bog?” asked Erin.
“I told you that Cal and I have started to work up a plan, remember? That will mean that it will take a lot less of my time and probably go ten times as fast.”
Sigfried smiled. “It seems like everything is going to work out just fine. Okay, it’s settled then. Tomorrow, I’ll make my plane reservation, and hopefully I can leave by the middle of the week.”
“Thank you, Siggie,” said Erin. “Thank you for everything. You’ve been such a help to us through all this. I think of you as one of the family now.”
Sigfried smiled sadly. “It’s too bad that it took us so long to come together like this. But we will continue to be a family, right? And we’ll continue to keep Sunny’s Gallery alive and as wonderful as ever, right?”
“Right,” said Meg and Erin in unison.
“Sunny would be very proud of both of you.”
TWENTY THREE
The next morning, Meg met Sigfried at the gallery, and he spent several hours taking her over every single detail he thought she should know and then some. Meg carefully took notes and asked lots of questions. By noon, she felt confident she could handle the gallery with no problems. It might even be fun.
Then Sigfried hung the little sign that said Out to Lunch, and he and Meg headed across the street to the deli.
“I think you’ll do a fine job running the shop, Meg. I know I won’t be a bit worried when I’m gone.”
“Good. I’m not worried, either. If you leave me your parents’ number, I can always call if something comes up. But I’m sure nothing will.”
“Of course.” Sigfried nodded. “I called about a flight, and I can get a pretty good deal on a red-eye tomorrow night. But I wasn’t sure if that would be too soon for you.”
“That should be no problem, Siggie. Go ahead and book it. Like I said, the sooner you get to see your dad, the better.” Meg looked down at her soup and sighed. Too bad no one had given her that kind of advice about Sunny.
“Meg, you need to forgive yourself,” said Sigfried.
She looked up. “You know, I have been thinking a lot about forgiving others lately. But now I know you’re right; I need to forgive myself as well. But I have a feeling that might be the toughest kind of forgiveness to carry through.”
“But it might be the most important.”
“Maybe so.”
After lunch, Meg went out to the bog to meet with Cal. He had made lists of what it would take to make the bog profitable, as well as estimates of the costs. She tried not to gasp when she saw the total, but it was more than she had expected and much, much more than she had left in her savings. Just last year, her savings had been quite impressive. If only she hadn’t impulsively purchased her car last fall—but that was when she thought that she would be married to Jerred soon, and decided it might be her last chance to get the car she’d always wanted.
She walked out to the barn with Cal to inspect the equipment. She hadn’t been out here at all. The only tools she had been using had been from the shed or ones she had purchased at the Feed and Seed. When they reached the weathered old building, they found the big double doors locked tight with a brand-new stainless steel lock.
“Grandpa never locked this barn in his entire life!” Meg exclaimed hotly.
“Looks like Abner doesn’t want us nosing around in here,” said Cal.
“But this barn belongs to Grandmother, not Abner. What right does he have to lock it up like this?”
“Probably none, but you’d better check with your grandma. And remember, Meggie, when it comes to family, the rules can always change.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your grandma may feel beholden to Abner. She may have a hard time making him do the right thing.”
“Do you know something I don’t, Cal?” asked Meg suspiciously. “Is there something I should be aware of?”
“Not unless your grandma tells you.” He looked at her as if he wanted to say more but couldn’t.
“Well, I intend to ask her about these locks, and if necessary, I will go to Abner directly and find out exactly what’s going on.”
“Just be careful, Meggie.”
“But I thought you said Abner wasn’t dangerous.”
“Well, let me put it like this: there’s lots of critters that aren’t dangerous when left to their own devices, but you corner some of those critters and they can get downright mean.”
She nodded. “I think I understand.”
“You’d better talk to Matthew about this. I think he may have some good ideas for making everything neat and legal so you won’t have such a hard time with Abner.”
“Okay,” said Meg. “In the meantime, Cal, if you could go ahead and get this plan in the works and get someone to come do the spraying and whatever else you think is necessary, I’d appreciate it. And if you give me a couple days, I’ll get you a check for this amount.”
“Well, hold on there, Meggie. You don’t need to pay for it all at once; some of that estimate is for harvest time. I’ll write you up a proper invoice for what it will take, one month at a time. Don’t you be too willing to kiss your hard-earned money good-bye.”
“Thanks, Cal.”
“You bet, Meggie. Now you take care.”
After Cal left, Meg stayed up at the bog to pull weeds. She knew it wasn’t necessary now, since there would soon be others to come and do this work, but it felt good, perhaps a bit therapeutic. After a while she heard the sound of a motorbike coming over the rise. She looked up and spotted Jason, who waved and then popped a little wheelie before cruising down the hill.
“Hey, Meg,” he called. “Need any help?”
She studied him for a moment, wondering why he was so willing to help when Clive wasn’t even here today. But he had a sweet, friendly smile, and she figured it wasn’t fair to hold his father against him.
“Sure, if you want to,” she said.
He parked his bike and launched right into a big patch of tussocks. “I never got to tell you, Meg, but I was real sorry about Sunny and all. I really liked her. She was always real good to me. She had even promised to let me work part-time in the gallery this summer.”
“Thanks, Jason.” Meg smiled. Here was yet another side of Sunny she hadn’t been aware of. “And we may still need some good part-time help, maybe even before summer.”
“Great. I used to go in and just hang out there. Sometimes Sunny would put me to work moving boxes and stuff.”
“I could still use you around here some, too, Jason, although Cal Logan is setting up a crew for me to help whip this place into shape.”
“Dad thinks you’re nuts to keep working here. He says nothing is going to come of it.”
“What do you think, Jason?”
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