Marley turned on the radio to distract herself from this emotional roller-coaster ride. Really, her imagination sometimes got the best of her! Fortunately the oldies station was rocking out for Labor Day, and she soon became lost in the lyrics of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Fleetwood Mac. Before she knew it, she was pulling up to Victor's house, where a number of cars were already parked. Some she recognized. Some she didn't.
As Marley was retrieving her canvas bag of nonperishable goodies, her contribution to today's gathering, she heard a car pulling up behind her. She turned to see Abby and Paul in the red Corvette. That they had come together in the same vehicle seemed a good sign.
"How's it going?" Marley quietly asked Abby while Paul was busy getting something out of the trunk.
"Okay, I think."
"Is this it?" Paul held up a picnic basket and blanket.
"Yes," Abby nodded. "And those enchiladas should go in the oven."
"I'm all over it." He grinned at Marley. "She tells me to jump and I ask how high."
"Now that's an exaggeration." Abby made a face as Paul went into the house.
"It seems like you guys are doing better." Marley studied Abby's eyes.
"I suppose things are better. But I still think Janie's probably right. We do need counseling." She sighed. "But already Paul is dragging his feet. His theory is as long as we're acting somewhat civilized to each other, everything is just fine."
"Oh."
"I think we're still on thin ice. I just wish Paul would tell Bonnie Boxwell to go take a hike." Abby chuckled. "Well, not like that exactly. But I wish he'd ask her to find another contractor."
"Have you told him that?"
"Not in so many words. I've hinted. And he hints back that business is business and he can't afford to let go of any clients."
Marley nodded. "Yeah, you guys probably do need marriage counseling."
Abby stood up straighter. "But let's not think about that today. We're here to have fun-and I want to celebrate the Four Lindas being together again. Paul and I will work this thing out. I'm sure of it."
As they went inside, Marley hoped Abby was as sure of it as she made it sound. But, like Abby, Marley didn't want to dwell on it. Today was supposed to be a celebration.
"Two more Lindas," Janie said as they entered the house. "We're almost all present and accounted for."
"Where's Caroline?" Marley asked as she set her bag on the counter.
"MIA," Janie told them. "I tried calling her last night but it went straight to voice mail. Same thing this morning. I actually drove by her mom's house to make sure she was okay."
"Like maybe her mom knocked her off in the middle of the night?" Marley was only partially joking.
"To be honest, something like that went through my mind. I know that Mrs. McCann is pretty unpredictable. If she found out that Caroline had gotten rid of her things while clearing out a bedroom, well, it could mean trouble."
"So was Caroline there?" Abby looked worried as she finished unloading her picnic basket.
"Her car was gone. And I just couldn't muster the nerve to go up to the door and ask. I'm sure it would've only upset the poor old woman."
Janie glanced outside to where the guys were gathered around the grill. "I'm actually a little worried this could be my fault," she said quietly.
"Your fault?" Marley felt confused. "How could it possibly be-"
"Because I know Caroline was interested in Victor."
"So?" Abby frowned.
"Well, Victor invited me to meet him for coffee yesterday. It was the first time I'd seen him since getting back."
"And?" Abby sounded impatient.
"And Caroline walked into the Coffee Company and saw us."
"But why should that-"
"Well, I'm sure it looked like we were there as a couple." Janie's cheeks looked pinker than usual.
"What were you doing?" Marley teased. "Making out?"
"No." Janie got a stern look. "We were simply talking. But Caroline took one look at us, then pulled her phone out of her purse-very coincidentally it seemed-then she turned around and walked away."
"Maybe she was just being polite," suggested Abby. "I hate it when people use cell phones in restaurants."
"Yes, that occurred to me. But she never came back. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
"Maybe she forgot something." Even as Marley said this, she knew it sounded weak.
"Do you think I hurt her?" Janie looked seriously worried.
"Caroline is a big girl," Abby said confidently. "She can handle it."
Marley looked curiously at Janie. "So, pray tell, is there something going on between you and Victor? Something we should know about?"
Janie waved her hand dismissively, but there was a twinkle in her eyes that suggested something more.
"Well, let's not obsess over Caroline. I'm sure she'll be here soon." Marley glanced outside. "Besides, it's a gorgeous day, and we should go out and-what the-"
"What's wrong?" Abby turned to see.
"Is that Jack Holland?" Marley lowered her voice, although she knew the men couldn't possibly hear through the closed glass door.
"Yes." Janie nodded with a sly expression. "I just happened to visit the One-Legged Seagull yesterday and I met Jack, and we were just talking, and the next thing I knew, I'd invited him to come today. You're not mad, are you?"
Marley wasn't sure how to respond. On the one hand she wanted to hug Janie. On the other hand a little heads-up would've been nice. She might've taken more time with her appearance, washed her hair, or even shaved her legs. "I'm just a bit surprised."
"Is there a problem with that?" Abby asked.
"No. I mean Jack's a friend and he should-"
"Hey, there's Caroline," Janie announced.
The three of them turned to see Caroline coming into the house with a bag in her arms and a good-looking man trailing behind her. "Who's she with?" Marley asked quietly. Abby and Janie seemed to be as much in the dark as she.
"Hey, Lindas!" Caroline sang out. "I want you to meet a friend." She proudly brought the attractive stranger, who seemed to be about their age, into the kitchen. "This is Mitch Arenson, an old friend from my past." Her expression was slightly mysterious. "I ran into him on my way to Clifden, and he totally surprised me by flying up here yesterday." She turned to Mitch and said, "These are the women I've been telling you about-the other Lindas: Marley, Janie, and Abby."
He grinned and shook all their hands. "The Four Lindas, together again. I almost didn't believe Caroline when she told me about your little club."
"We're definitely a unique sort of group," Abby admitted.
"And the way you've been reunited in your hometown after all those years," he continued. "Well, I told Caroline it seemed nothing short of a miracle."
"A miracle?" mused Marley. "I guess that's one way to describe it.
"I'd describe it as a blessing," Janie said quietly. "Without the encouragement of these women, I'd still be stuck in New York, feeling lonely and sorry for myself."
"Well, I agree with Mitch," Caroline proclaimed. "It is a miracle. And I believe that God has a reason for reuniting us. I can just feel it in my bones. There are some good things ahead for us girls."
Mitch looked slightly uncomfortable. He glanced outside.
"Do you want me to take you out to meet the boys?" Caroline offered.
"That's okay. You stay here with your Lindas," he told her. "I can introduce myself."
As Mitch was going out, Abby grabbed a pitcher of lemonade and began filling four plastic cups. "Okay, Lindas," she said, "time for a toast."
"Here's to being reunited," Janie began.
"And here's to new beginnings," added Abby.
"And here's to the future," said Caroline.
"And here's to the Four Lindas," declared Marley. "We're going to rock this little old town!"
The End
Or is it just the beginning?
... a little more ...
When a delightful concert comes to an end, the orchestra might offer an encore. When a fine meal comes to an end, it's always nice to savor a bit of dessert. When a great story comes to an end, we think you may want to linger. And so, we offer ...
AfterWords-just a little something more after you have finished a David C. Cook novel. We invite you to stay awhile in the story. Thanks for reading!
Turn the page for ...
• Discussion Questions
• An excerpt from Hometown Ties
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What qualities of childhood friendships can't be duplicated in adult friendships? In what ways are the bonds of childhood stronger? Weaker?
2. If you were reunited with a close childhood friend, would you be friends today? How might your experience be similar to or different from the Four Lindas?
3. Abby, Marley, Caroline, and Janie all face a critical period of discouragement and disappointment, but for different reasons. What do they have in common that allows them to have empathy for their differences?
4. How did Cathy's death affect the way each of the Four Lindas thought about this season of life?
5. Abby and Janie both grapple with depression of varying degrees. Using their stories, discuss whether you think depression can be avoided or whether it is at times inevitable-perhaps even helpful. What, if anything, could Abby and Janie have done to get through to the other side of their depression with less collateral damage to themselves and the people they love?
r 6. Caroline has an adventurous spirit, a forgiving and gracious heart, and a can-do attitude in spite of the suffering she has experienced. Do you attribute these qualities to personality, to conscious effort, or to something else? Can anyone develop such a perspective on life, or only certain people?
7. What kept Marley from working on her art while she lived in Seattle? In what ways were these obstacles legitimate? In what ways were they excuses that protected Marley from pain or fear?
8. How could Janie feel jealousy toward Caroline and Victor while still grappling with grief over her husband's death?
9. "You can't go home again," the saying goes. What kinds of risks are Marley, Janie, and Caroline taking by moving back to Clifden after so many years away? What are the potential rewards?
10. Which of the Four Lindas do you most closely identify with? What about her choices do you find surprising? Disappointing? What would you have done similarly or different if you were in her shoes?
An Excerpt from Hometown Ties
=Chapter 1=
CAROLINE
Caroline knew better than to trust her mother. Even before Alzheimer's, Ruby McCann was undependable at best. Now she was unpredictable, unreliable, and sometimes she was downright sneaky. Today she was just plain missing. Caroline had been less than an hour at the grocery store, getting some milk, eggs, bread, and fresh produce in the hopes she could entice her mother to eat something. She'd left her mother contentedly watching a dog show on Animal Planet. And now she was gone.
But Caroline wasn't that surprised. Her mother had wandered off twice last week, and both times Caroline found her on the front porch of what used to be the Wilson house. Marge Wilson had been her mom's best friend, and Caroline supposed that some old wrinkle in her mom's brain sent her there for coffee or a cup of sugar or something. Each time, the current homeowners had appeared to be at work and, despite her mom's incessant ringing of the doorbell, no one responded. However, Caroline's mother was not on that porch this morning.
"Don't come undone," Caroline told herself as she continued through her mom's neighborhood-the same neighborhood Caroline had walked through hundreds, maybe thousands, of times while growing up in the sixties. It should have been as familiar as the back of her hand, and yet it was different ... changed by time. She looked at the back of her hand. Well, that had changed some too. And what appeared to be the beginning of a liver spot had her seriously concerned. Hopefully her hands weren't going to go all blotchy and speckled like her poor old mother's. Good grief, Caroline was only fifty-three. That was ten years younger than Goldie Hawn, and Goldie still looked fantastic. Of course, Goldie had lots of money to keep her good looks looking good. But what Caroline lacked in finances, she hoped she could make up for in savvy. Which reminded her: Wasn't lemon juice supposed to bleach age spots?
"Caroline!"
She turned to see a figure on a bike zipping toward her and waving frantically. Jacob, her mother's neighbor, the preteen boy who'd rolled up his sleeves and assisted her with the clandestine emptying of her mother's pack-rat-stuffed spare room, was quickly coming her way.
"Hey, Jacob," she called out. "What's up?"
"I think I just saw your mom," he said slightly breathlessly.
"Oh, good. Where is she?"
"Down by the docks in Old Towne."
She frowned. "Really, that far? Wow, she was feeling energetic. Thanks for tipping me off."
"Yeah ... but ... I ... uh ..." Now Jacob appeared to be at a loss for words, and his cheeks had blotches of red, which might've been from a hard bike ride ... or was it something else?
"What's going on?" Caroline studied him. "Did my mom do something weird?"
He nodded with wide eyes.
She braced herself, hoping that her mom hadn't gotten into some kind of verbal dispute with some hapless bystander. Her mother, who'd always been a reserved and somewhat prudish sort of woman, was now capable of swearing like a sailor. Just one more unexpected Alzheimer's perk. "Okay, tell me, Jacob, what's she done this time?"
"She, uh, she doesn't have her clothes on." His eyebrows arched and he made an uneasy smile.
"Oh." Caroline felt like the sidewalk was tipping just slightly now, like she needed something to grab onto to keep her balance. "You mean she doesn't have any clothes on?"
He just shook his head. "Nope."
"Nothing?" Caroline tried to imagine this, then shook her head to dispel the image. "Not a stitch?"
"Nothing. Not even shoes."
"Oh." She turned around and started walking back toward her mom's house, still trying to grasp this. "Well, now that's a new one."
Jacob nodded as he slowly half walked, half pedaled his bike alongside her by the curb. "People are trying to help her," he explained, "but she keeps yelling at them to stay away or she's gonna jump."
"Jump?"
"Yeah, into the bay."
She started jogging now. "I better hurry."
"She was heading out on the dock, the one by the big tuna boat, when I last saw her."
Caroline ran faster now, glad that she was still in relatively good shape despite missing her yoga classes down in LA for the past few weeks. "Thanks for letting me know."
He smiled apologetically. "Yeah. Sorry that it was kinda bad news."
"Hey, don't ever be sorry to bring me news about my mom, Jacob. Believe me, I don't even expect it to be good." And now she broke out into a full run.
She ran into the house, which she'd left unlocked just in case her mom wandered back while Caroline was gone. She hurried down the dim hallway, quickly unlocked the deadbolt she'd installed her bedroom (to keep her mother from going through her things) grabbed up her purse and, remembering her mother was naked, she pulled the yellow and white bedspread from her bed. On her way to the front door, she noticed her mom's favorite purple paisley shirt neatly folded on top a pile of old magazines and books cluttering the worn coffee table. That should've been Caroline's first clue. Where her mom's other clothes had disappeared to was still a mystery. But Caroline's plan was to wrap her mother in the comforter, escort her to the car, and quickly get her home.
It only took a couple minutes for Caroline to drive her SUV down to the docks, where she parked in a no-parking zone near a patrol car then jumped out and, with purse in hand and the bedspread flapping behind her, she ran down the boardwalk toward the tuna boat. A small crowd of spectators had already gathered on the wharf to witness this interesting event, and a couple
of uniformed policeman with perplexed expressions stood at the edge of the dock.
"Hello," Caroline called breathlessly as she hurried toward them, peering past them to see if she could spot her mother. She cringed at the idea of spotting a naked old woman wandering around with that bewildered expression in her faded blue eyes.
"Stay back," the female officer yelled at Caroline, as if she were about to perpetrate a crime.
"I'm here for my mom," she told them, pointing down the dock. "I heard she's down there."
"That's your mom?" The woman looked at Caroline suspiciously, like Caroline was somehow responsible for the bizarre behavior of a senile parent.
"Yes. She has Alzheimer's and-"
"Hey, are you Caroline McCann?" the other cop asked.
She nodded, peering curiously at him. He appeared to be about her age, although he wasn't familiar. "Do I know you?"
He grinned. "Probably not. Steve Pratt. I was a couple years behind you in school. But I remember you, all right. Coolest senior cheerleader at CHS and-"
"And don't forget we're on duty here," his partner reminded him.
"So"-Caroline squinted to see down the dock, which was looking alarmingly deserted-"about my mom? Where is she?"
"She's holed up in a fishing boat down on the end," Steve told her.
"Said she was going to jump if we didn't back off," the woman filled in.
"So we left"-Steve glanced over to the parking lot-"and called for backup."
"Backup?" Caroline frowned. Did they plan to take her mother by force?
"A professional," he said quietly, "someone from the hospital is bringing ... uh ... a counselor-type person to talk her into coming peacefully."
"Well, that won't be necessary," Caroline said as she folded the bedspread over her arm and moved past them. "I'm sure I can entice her to come with me." Okay, she wasn't as sure as she sounded, but she would at least try. Sometimes her mother knew and responded to her. Most times she didn't.
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