Until Winter Comes Again: (An Inspirational Contemporary Romance) (Cane River Romance Book 6)

by Mary Jane Hathaway

  “Wait. Rem and…?” Tom was feeling like he’d just fallen off the turnip truck. Apparently there was a romance afoot and he hadn’t even noticed.

  “Maybe he hasn’t noticed,” Gideon said quietly, spearing a green bean.

  “Oh, he has.” Henry glanced down the table. “I can tell how much he wants to look at her by how much he isn’t looking at her.”

  Tom didn’t quite agree with her logic. He saw the same old Flannery and Rem, just in costume. They seemed to be having a very polite conversation, barely glancing at each other while they picked at their okra and buttermilk cornbread.

  “Give them time. They’ve hit the dark before dawn,” Alice said. She was holding one of the babies on her lap. Tom thought the gnome outfits were charming, but he couldn’t tell the little ones apart. Not that he could before, either.

  “Who?” Andy said from across the table.

  Mark didn’t glance up from his plate. He was very carefully pushing his collard greens into small mountains.

  “Shhh.” Roxie held a finger to her lips. “Flannery and Rem,” she mouthed at him.

  “Oh.” Paul had clued in to the conversation and snuck a glance at the couple. The other twin was on his lap. He leaned back as she lunged forward, almost snagging the pork chop off his plate. He scooped up a black eyed pea and tucked it in her mouth. She waved her arms and gummed it happily.

  “I know you have your heart set on another love story, but don’t think it’s a good idea to try and force them together.”

  “Nobody’s forcing them,” Alice said, sounding a little cross. She must be holding Elizabeth because the baby started to fuss.

  Blue leaned toward them from across the table near Paul. “I think just being upstairs in those apartments should do it. Close proximity and all that.”

  “Gonna have to take more than that. They’re not cats. You can’t just rub them with tuna oil and lock them in the bathroom together,” Rose said softly. “Sticking our nose in where it doesn’t belong might just cause more trouble.”

  “Aurora, that’s not polite.” The little girl was trying to fish out the ice cubs from her glass and Rose redirected her toward a butter biscuit.

  “Trouble? Someone’s in trouble?” Bix said, perking up from the other side of Henry.

  “No, nobody’s in trouble,” Alice said quickly.

  “I heard you say something would cause trouble,” Bix said. He didn’t like being left out of the conversation.

  Henry leaned over and whispered in his ear.

  “Oh, they’re not together yet?” He smiled around the table, as if it was a done deal and only a matter of time. “I bet by tomorrow we’ll hear good news.”

  “What news?” Ruby turned away from her conversation with Charlie’s parents.

  “Nothing,” Alice tried to say but Bix interrupted.

  “A new romance,” he said. “Some lovebirds upstairs.”

  Tom tried to signal to Ruby that it wasn’t a conversation they should be having but he inadvertently got the attention of his own dad.

  “What is it, son?” Vince leaned across the table, smiling. He loved having all his children in the same room, but their mom was having the most fun. A family reunion dinner and a wedding? She was in Southern mama heaven.

  “They’re talking about the new residents of the apartments upstairs,” Rose said as softly as she could.

  Vince raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I’ve heard some things about that bookstore. Gave me a daughter in law, or two. It makes me wonder what happened in the last hundred years. There have to be other stories. We can’t be the only ones who’ve discovered this about the bookstore.”

  “What about the bookstore?” Flannery asked from the other end of the table.

  The table went quiet.

  Tom looked at Henry and she looked at Gideon. He looked at his plate.

  “There’s a rumor about the bookstore,” Sally said.

  Tom loved his mother but it was nearly impossible to get her attention in a subtle way. Gideon looked like he might try, and then thought better of it. Austin shot Charlie a look, clearly hoping she could think of some way to steer the conversation away from the couple who was now listening intently to every word.

  “It’s blessed,” Ruby said. “No doubt about it.”

  Rem looked confused and Flannery nodded her head, clearly not understanding the meaning of Ruby’s pronouncement.

  “Everyone living up there falls in love,” Bix said.

  There was a beat of silence at the table and Flannery’s face went red.

  “With… other tenants or just in general?” she asked.

  “Hm, good question. I’d say if the other tenant is young, handsome and available, then there’s not the smallest doubt of it. Gonna happen.”

  Rem looked like he was facing a firing squad. Tom felt the man’s pain from ten feet away. Whether they loved each other or not, neither was ready to admit it.

  “Let’s not ruin the wedding celebrations by talking about love,” Tom said.

  No one laughed.

  “He’s right, you know,” Charlie said. “Not to force the issue but―”

  “But you are forcing the issue,” Austin said. “You should simply let them figure it out for themselves.” He gave an apologetic smile at his future bride but Charlie didn’t smile back.

  “Living side by side is hardly forcing anyone,” Alice said with a laugh. She retrieved her napkin from Elizabeth’s clutches.

  “Depends on your intent,” Paul said. He popped another bit of food into Emily Jane’s mouth.

  “Does intention matter if no other action is―” Gideon started to ask.

  “Let’s not get philosophical,” Henry said. She looked shot him a look and he shrugged.

  Roxie nudged Andy with her elbow. “Taking that apartment was the best thing I ever did.”

  Andy leaned in and gave her a kiss. “Agreed.”

  Flannery’s face was still pink and she was sawing at her pork chop with laser-like focus.

  “Well, we’re just friends, as much as I hate to break the tradition.” Rem glanced up from his plate and met Tom’s eyes. Something flickered there and he looked down at the table again. “We’ve been friends for a long time.”

  Flannery had stopped sawing at her meat. The blush on her cheeks was gone and she had gone pale. “Right,” she said quietly. “Just friends.”

  Tom had the feeling that those might be the hardest words Flannery had ever had to say. He glanced around. It seemed the whole table had witnessed the moment Rem had declared that their romance would never happen, and the moment Flannery had accepted their fate.

  A cloud seemed to settle over the group and the conversation was subdued from that moment forward. It seemed the little bookstore had failed to bring a couple together for the first time. Maybe it only worked when there was no interference. Maybe the little bookstore community was trying too hard.

  Whatever had happened, Rem and Flannery sat at the end of the table, downcast and silent. Tom knew love when he saw it and those two were positively miserable with it.

  He sighed. It was going to take an act of God to bring them together.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “We loved with a love that was more than love.”

  ― Edgar Allan Poe

  Alice pushed the double stroller down the sidewalk and eyed the swirling brown water on the other side of the street.

  “Not raining,” Aurora said, running ahead.

  “Stay with me, sha.” Alice hurried to catch up with her. The air had turned frigid and her breath made clouds of steam as she spoke. The weather forecast said sleet, then it said rain, then it said snow. Alice didn’t know what to think but she hoped she made the right decision to come to the bookstore.

  Pulling the handle, she propped the door with her foot and pushed the stroller inside. Rose was waiting, a handful of tissue paper flowers in her hand.

  “Pretty flowers,” said Aurora.

  “Would
you like one?” Rose handed her a bloom. “I can show you how to make one.”

  “Yes,” Aurora said, eyes wide.

  “Thanks for watching them. I know this is sort of early.” Alice didn’t bother to take off her gloves or coat. “I just have a feeling about Henry and Paul already went into work. I didn’t want to drive the kids all the way out to the plantation.”

  “I’m happy to help. You know that,” Rose said. She’d seemed on edge the last few weeks but maybe it was the stress of her wedding, and then postponing her honeymoon. She had a brighter feel about her, as if she’d made a big decision. Alice made a note to herself to ask Rose when they could sit down and talk.

  She gave Rose a quick kiss, said goodbye to her babies, and headed outside again. Her mother’s intuition was strong, but her woman’s intuition was stronger, and Alice knew that Henry wasn’t feeling well last night.

  She didn’t want to worry Gideon or Henry, so she’d just pop over there to see for herself. It was probably nothing but the usual pregnancy aches and pains.

  Glancing up, Alice frowned at the deep gray color of the clouds. Her car had good tires, but if it decided to do anything other than rain, she might be stuck at Magnolia Plantation. Alice paused, her hand on the door of her car. She looked back at the bookstore, thinking of her babies and how they would feel if she didn’t come home for hours.

  Opening the door, she slid behind the wheel. They had everything they needed there, and the river wasn’t cresting. The bookstore was warm and safe. Rose was a wonderful nanny and Bix would help out when needed.

  Putting the car in gear, Alice set off for the Cane River Creole National Historic Park. Henry, strong and capable, had opened her heart to Alice and exposed her darkest fears. She needed a kind word today, and if Alice waited, she might not get the chance until after the baby was born.

  ***

  Henry stood up from her desk and groaned. It had been a horrible night. She needed to apologize to Gideon as soon as she saw him that evening because she was certain her tossing had kept him awake. She’d told him that she wouldn’t be offended if he went to sleep in the guest room, but he’d rather be awake beside her than sleep alone.

  It was a romantic thing to say, but it was silly for both of them to be exhausted.

  As she came into the main area, she saw Clark fiddling with the stove. His elderly frame was bent low, and he had a wrench in one hand.

  “Trouble with the flue again?” she asked. “We can just use the electric heat.”

  “Your office don’t have any,” he reminded her. “I don’t want that baby to freeze.”

  Henry rubbed her stomach. “No chance of that.”

  He looked up at her and frowned. “You feelin’ poorly?”

  “No more poorly than yesterday.” To be truthful, the fried chicken dinner had been too rich for her. Or maybe she’d had too many biscuits. Her stomach wasn’t happy with her that morning.

  “Sit a spell and rest yourself,” he said, pulling up a rocking chair.

  “I’ve been sitting all morning.” She softened her words with a smile. “I might go for a walk.”

  Clark stood up straight. “No, ma’am. That’s a bad idea. You shouldn’t be traipsing around in your condition.”

  Henry loved the old caretaker but she was tempted in that moment to tell him how a person should speak to a nine months’ pregnant woman, and it wasn’t telling them when they could leave the building. Instead, Henry went to stand near the window. “I’m sure glad it’s stopped raining but―”

  She sucked in a breath. “Look! Snow!”

  Clark wandered over and smiled out at the large, fluffy flakes falling from the sky. “Well, would ya look at that. Pretty, isn’t it?”

  “It’s perfect,” Henry breathed. She’d missed snow since moving back to Natchitoches. It had been years since she’d seen it in real life and it was stunningly peaceful. “I could watch this all day.”

  “Looks like we’ve got company,” Clark said, pointing at the long driveway.

  “I think that’s Alice,” she said. “I wonder why she’s here.” Fear struck her and she gripped the ledge of the window. Maybe Gideon had been in an accident and they’d sent Alice to tell her the bad news. Maybe he’d had a panic attack and was being treated at the hospital.

  As Alice pulled up to the parking lot, Henry went out to greet her. The large basket tied with a ribbon told her that Alice was there for a social visit, and not because of any emergency. Henry tried to calm her nerves, but felt her stomach clenching harder.

  “Hey, there,” Alice said, waving through the snow. “Isn’t this amazing? So pretty.”

  Henry tried to speak, but suddenly knew if she opened her mouth she would be sick all over the porch. She turned and rushed inside, barely making it to the bathroom in time.

  After what seemed an eternity, she made her way back out to the main area. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Alice said. She waved her into a chair and knelt beside her. “Do you think it’s something you ate?”

  Clark brought her a glass of cold water and Henry took a sip. She felt rotten and her back was aching again.

  “Maybe. I just―” She doubled over, breathing hard.

  Alice rubbed her back, not saying a word. When Henry could straighten up again, Alice said, “I think we need to go to the hospital.”

  “I’ll call the ambulance,” Clark said, moving toward the phone.

  “No, we can drive.” Henry started to stand up and froze, her hands gripping the arms of the rocker. She let out a soft cry as the pain in her back intensified.

  Alice again stayed silent until the contraction had passed. “Henry, how long has this been going on? Do you think you could have been in labor for a while?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t sleep last night. My back was killing me. Poor Gideon―” She broke off again as another pain hit. This time she slid out of the rocker and went to her hands and knees. She could hear Alice talking to Clark, something about calling for help, and then the lights went out.

  When she could speak, she managed to squeeze out a few words. “Lights?”

  “The electricity went out,” Alice said calmly, as if they lost power every day.

  “Don’t worry. The fire’s workin’ real good.” Clark came around with a heavy metal pail of water and placed it on top of the wood stove.

  Henry rolled her eyes. “I’m not having this baby here. I can get to the―” The pain arrived and it was so sharp that she rocked back and forth, gritting her teeth and moaning deep in her throat. Everything faded into the background and when the contraction passed, Henry saw that Clark had brought in oil lamps. She wanted to laugh at the idea that she would have a baby just like women had a hundred years ago, but she started to cry instead.

  “Shhhh, it’s going to be alright. We’ve called the ambulance but I don’t think we should get in the car. I think this baby might arrive before we can get to the hospital.” Alice had her phone out and was calling someone else.

  “Gideon,” Henry managed to cry out and then she lost focus on anything but the pain. She’d been so afraid that she’d make a mistake, and now she’d missed all the signs of labor. Their careful planning and weeks of classes were for nothing. She thought of the tour of the maternity ward and how she’d hoped to use the birthing room’s hot tub. She thought of the soft newborn clothing packed away in an overnight bag and her carefully selected laboring gown that would give her ease of moment but still be modest. Henry thought of all these things as Alice helped her off her knees and onto the small antique bed in the next room.

  “Don’t cry,” Alice said, wiping her face with a tissue. “You’re doing great. I’m not going anywhere and this baby will be here before you know it. Focus on meeting him or her. You’ll finally find out who’s been keeping you company all this time.”

  Alice’s soft voice soothed Henry as she eased off her shoes. “I’m going to get some towels to put under you and then―”
<
br />   “Wait, not on the quilt,” Henry managed to say, heaving herself upright again. “It’s a hundred years old and made by freed slaves.”

  “Oh, girl.” Alice started to laugh. “A historian to the end.” But she stripped off the quilt and helped Henry back onto the bed.

  “It’s… irreplaceable. Can’t be… dry cleaned.” Seconds later, Henry lost the thread of the conversation as the pain took over once more.

  ***

  Rem watched the flakes fall outside the bookstore window and wished he wasn’t absolutely miserable. Even a regular sadness would be preferable to what he felt right then. After the rehearsal dinner, he’d spent the night staring at the ceiling, wishing he was anyone else in the world. They had been arguing over whether the apartments were somehow cursed and the whole table had looked to him. And what did he do? He’d strapped the truth to the roof and driven for the lowest bridge.

  Rem replayed that moment over and over. His response, Flannery’s fading blush. What if he’d been honest? Would everything be different now?

  He hadn’t been honest enough to admit he was in love with her, not to her face and not in front of all of their friends, and now he’d pay for his cowardice. Within days he’d be living next door to the woman he loved and not be able to be honest with her. He couldn’t insist they were friends over and over, then confess his real feelings. He’d missed his chance and it was his own fault.

  He sighed and closed the book on his lap. He couldn’t focus on anything. The fireplace was crackling at the other end of the room and several customers had trickled in despite the weather.

  Just as he turned to look at the window again, the lights went out. There was a short silence before he heard the exclamations of surprise.

  Rem stood up and debated whether to go upstairs and light a fire, or find Bix. He decided it was best to see if they needed anything. Of course, the older man wouldn’t know that the lights had gone out without someone telling him.

  “Well, I’ll be.” Bix was already coming out into the main room. he cocked his head, listening. “Sounds like we lost power. We better go get the oil for the lamps. You’ll have to help me fill them.”