The House on Sugar Plum Lane

by Judy Duarte

  He reached for her hand, and as their gazes locked, she realized that Ellie had been right, that children, either born from the womb or chosen by the heart’s design, deserved to grow up in happy homes with parents who loved them.

  And in their case, with God’s help and a little counseling, she and Brandon would create the home and family they all deserved.

  Two weeks after Captain was laid to rest, a celebration of life was held at Parkside Community Church, just as the elderly man had requested—without fanfare or tears.

  The church had been packed since, over the years, Captain had accrued many friends, including Chuck Masterson, who came with Brandon and Amy and Callie.

  When the tribute was over, everyone crossed the street to Mulberry Park, where they released a colorful assortment of helium balloons—reds, yellows, greens, and blues.

  The string of one of the yellow balloons had gotten stuck in the branches of the big mulberry tree that grew in the middle of the park. When Callie noticed it, she’d asked her daddy to get it down for her, but he’d said, “I’m sorry, Cal. It’s too high for me to reach.”

  “But, Daddy,” Callie said. “It won’t go to Heaven with the other ones.”

  Brandon appeared stumped, and at that point, Chuck stepped in to distract the child. “Hey, Callie. Why don’t you take me to the playground and show me around? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to play.”

  A grin splashed on the little girl’s face, the lone balloon soon forgotten. “Okay, Grandpa. Do you want to play on the swings with me?”

  “That sounds like fun.” Chuck took Callie by the hand, then winked at Amy. “We’ll be back when it’s time to eat.”

  Earlier in the week, Maria had suggested the two families pack a picnic lunch so the kids could play after the memorial, and Amy had agreed.

  What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than at the park with family and friends?

  Now, as she and Brandon held hands while seated on a bench overlooking the playground, Amy counted her many blessings, including Chuck, who was grinning ear to ear as he pushed his granddaughter in the swing.

  He’d been released from the hospital early last week, and even though blood tests confirmed that he and Brandon were related, they hadn’t been a match for a bone marrow transplant.

  Brandon had been disappointed, but Chuck had brushed it off with a smile. “Being accepted as a part of your family is more than I’d hoped for. So I’m feeling pretty confident that they’ll find a donor through the bone marrow registry. And if they don’t? I’m convinced that things will work out the way they’re supposed to.”

  So they’d all decided to take one day at a time—together.

  “Hey, Grandpa Chuck!” Callie called as she swung high, her pigtails flying behind her. “Want to watch me go on the slide now?”

  “You bet, sweetheart.” Chuck slowed her to a stop, then waited for her to hop off the swing and dash across the sand to the slide.

  “Your dad’s really good with her,” Amy said.

  “Yes, he is. He meant what he said about wanting to enjoy every moment he has with his family.”

  Amy gave his hand a squeeze. “Who would have guessed just a month ago that we’d all be here right now?”

  Brandon tossed her a grin. “Not me, that’s for sure. But I’m glad we are.”

  True to his word, Brandon had placed the La Jolla house on the market and then moved back into the townhome with her and Callie. It was small, but so much cozier, even if Patches and Cookie didn’t always appreciate each other’s differences.

  And speaking of differences, Amy couldn’t believe the changes in her husband, in their marriage, and, more importantly, in herself.

  Brandon had gone back to the office this week, and so far so good. He’d called her on Thursday, saying he’d be late. But instead of chuffing or clucking her tongue, Amy had told him she loved him and that she’d keep his dinner warm.

  What a difference a new attitude made. When he’d gotten home, he’d treated her to a quiet, romantic evening.

  A slow smile stretched across her lips. If they had many more nights like that, Callie just might get a baby brother or sister.

  They’d need a bigger house, though. And just the right place came to mind: a certain old Victorian on Sugar Plum Lane. She and Brandon had discussed making an offer, and something told her that nothing would please Ellie more.

  As Amy and Brandon continued to bask in the sunshine, in the happy voices of children at play, Eddie approached their bench. It was heartwarming to see how he’d taken to Maria, as well as her kids.

  “Hey, Brandon,” he called out. “Are you up for a little catch? Danny and I have an extra mitt.”

  “Sure.” Brandon got to his feet and brushed a kiss on Amy’s brow. “Call us when you ladies are ready to eat.”

  “It won’t be long.” Amy glanced toward the restrooms, where Maria had taken Sara and Wally to clean up just a few minutes ago.

  No sign of them yet.

  She returned her focus to the playground, spotting Callie seated at the top of the slide.

  “Watch this,” the little girl told her grandpa.

  The elderly man beamed. “I’m right here, sweetie.”

  “Amy?” a woman called out.

  When she turned and saw Barbara striding toward her, she smiled and waved. They’d missed seeing her at Captain’s memorial, which she’d planned to attend. But she might have decided to stick around the house, since Joey had come home from the hospital last week.

  Somehow, without a medical explanation, his blood sugar levels had righted themselves, and the doctors had been able to schedule the bypass surgery he’d needed.

  As Barbara drew closer, Amy noticed her red-rimmed eyes and feared the worst. So she stood and closed the gap between them.

  Before Amy could ask what was wrong, Barbara craned her neck to the right, then lifted her hand to block the sun from her eyes. “What’s that PI doing here?”

  “What PI?” Amy glanced in the same direction, only to have the bright sunshine blind her to anything but a glare.

  Barbara dropped her hand from her eyes and slowly turned back to Amy. “Didn’t you have a long-haired, bushy-faced private investigator helping you find me? An average-size, middle-age man with blue eyes?”

  “No. The investigator my mom had hired a year or two ago was young, Asian, and clean-shaven.”

  “That’s odd.” Barbara turned to the right again, then shook her head. “I could have sworn I saw him, but he’s…not there now.”

  Amy scanned the area where Barbara had been looking, but didn’t see anyone.

  “He did that the first time I talked to him in the hospital parking lot,” Barbara said. “He just showed up and then seemed to disappear. It was the strangest thing. He knew a lot about me, about my mom. And when he looked at me with those stunning blue eyes…”

  “Did he appear to be homeless?” Amy asked.

  “Yes, why?”

  “Because Brandon mentioned meeting someone like that. His name was Jesse, and he…Well, Brandon seemed to think that he might have been an angel.”

  “Do you believe that?” Barbara asked.

  “After everything that’s happened, I don’t know what to believe. But Jesse was instrumental in getting Brandon to reconcile with his father.”

  “He might have been the same man I spoke to.” Barbara took a deep breath, clearly baffled by it all, then blew out a sigh. “I’m sorry for going off on a tangent. I came by to share some bad news. My mom has congestive heart failure, and the doctor called in a hospice. It could be days or, if we’re lucky, a few more months. I thought that you might want to come by the house and see her when you have a chance.”

  “Yes, of course.” The thought of losing Ellie was unsettling, although Amy knew the elderly woman hadn’t wanted to live the way she was.

  “Joey and Cynthia are with her now,” Barbara said, “and they’re staying for dinner. I thought
you, Brandon, and Callie might want to join us. That way, you can have some time to talk with her before she becomes too ill. Or maybe tell her good-bye in your own way.”

  “I’d like that,” Amy said.

  “Mommy!” Callie cried, pointing to the mulberry tree. “Look! The balloon got away all by itself!”

  Amy turned to the center of the park and spotted a single yellow balloon soaring off on its own.

  “The doctor said there’s always a chance Mother could pull out of it,” Barbara added almost wistfully.

  But she won’t.

  The words came to Amy as clearly as if someone had commented while standing beside her.

  Her time has come.

  Amy watched the balloon soar behind a cloud and out of view. She wondered if somehow it was a sign that Ellie had just slipped away. It was certainly possible. Her journey was done, and all of her prayers had been answered. Maybe not as quickly nor in the way she’d hoped, but each of them had come to pass in God’s perfect timing.

  “I’m so glad that I took her home with me,” Barbara said. “But saying good-bye and letting go is going to be difficult.”

  Under the circumstances, Amy thought, instead of good-bye, she planned to tell Ellie that she’d see her again.

  She had no doubt of that.

  All in God’s time.

  A READING GROUP GUIDE

  THE HOUSE ON SUGAR PLUM LANE

  Judy Duarte

  ABOUT THIS GUIDE

  The suggested questions are included

  to enhance your group’s

  reading of Judy Duarte’s

  The House on Sugar Plum Lane!

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  Brandon was running from his past, and Amy was seeking hers. Is there any truth to the adage that one needs to make peace with the past before embracing the future? Why or why not?

  Barbara kept a secret from her husband. Is it kinder to keep things to oneself that could cause heartbreak to a friend or loved one? Or is honesty always the best policy? Do you think this should apply to life in general? Do you feel differently when it comes to marriage?

  Maria’s ex-husband was incarcerated, and Eddie had a criminal past. Do you think everyone deserves a second chance? Do you feel differently toward Maria’s ex than Eddie? Why or why not?

  Ellie feared she would get dementia and prayed that she would be spared. Do you know someone who has faced or is facing dementia or Alzheimer’s? Has either disease affected someone in your family? How do you think you would have handled Ellie’s condition?

  Amy saw Ellie’s moment of clarity and lucidity as a miracle. Do you believe in miracles? Why or why not? Have you had any miracles in your own life?

  Chuck faced his mortality with courage and acceptance. What do you think he learned from his lifetime that may have helped him at the end of his life? What part did faith play in his ability to accept his death?

  What is the major theme in this book? Is it relevant in your life?

  Barbara spent more than forty years trying to make up for wronging her husband. Do you think a person can make up for past wrongs by living a better life in the present?

  Do you consider Brandon’s workaholic lifestyle a form of marital infidelity? Or was it a part of his coping mechanism to live a different life than his father’s? Did Amy react to his perceived neglect in a way that you would agree with?

  Maria’s incarcerated husband wanted to maintain a relationship with his son, which was evident by the letters he wrote to him. Was Maria right or wrong to hide the letters from Danny? Do you agree with Captain’s advice to Maria—that she should talk with Danny and ask how he felt about having a relationship with his father?

  Was Ellie to blame for any of the rift between her and Barbara? If so, in what way?

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2010 by Judy Duarte

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

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  ISBN: 978-0-7582-5809-0