by Tonya Kappes
She wasn’t going to think about it anymore than she was going to think about moving on with her life. The energy escaped her. What she was really mourning was how her life had changed so quickly. One minute she was helping Van Meter and Associates snatch people’s property as an eminent domain lawyer, and the next minute she’s standing in front of a waterfall hoping this was the quarter that was going to make it all better.
“You better.” Mitch handed her the large envelope. “Can you give this to Hazel?”
Maggie took it and immediately noticed it was sealed tight. She shook it.
“What is it?” She asked.
“Just give it to Hazel.” He yelled over his shoulder as he walked away.
Chapter 15
When love is not madness, it is not love. ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca
It was getting late, and Hazel would be expecting her by now. When she saw Mitch standing by the falls, she had an overwhelming feeling, almost confusing, but she chalked it up to the comforts of being home.
Now driving to Hazel’s gave Maggie more time to sort out her feelings. After all she was vulnerable and Mitch was always there to pick up the pieces. Only she wasn’t going to be able to rely on him anymore.
She had to figure out where she was going to go from here. The way she saw it, she had two options. One was to go back to New York and use her contacts to get another job. Or two, she could open a practice in Grandberry Falls. If Belle could make a living buying the old Hair Pin salon and turning it into an upscale spa, Maggie should be able to get a few clients.
What made her stomach churn more was that she wasn’t just worried about making a living in Grandberry Falls. She was worried about making a life without Mitch in it.
###
The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies seeped under the front door. Maggie’s mouth began to water before she even opened the door. Hazel was good at comfort food and her warm, home-made, chocolate chip cookies were exactly what she needed.
“Oh!” The door flew open, and Hazel grabbed Maggie, pulling her inside. “I heard your car door slam. Get in here.”
Maggie fell into Hazel’s arms. Maybe the cookies weren’t what she needed after all. There were no more tears to cry. She needed her heart to fill up with love, and she was at the right place.
“Thank you for letting me come home. I have to figure out what’s next for me.” There were plenty of options, only none of them interested her.
The line between Hazel’s eyes deepened. “This is your home. You never have to have permission to come home.”
Maggie sat down at the kitchen table and downed a couple of cookies while Hazel poured some of her famous sweet tea in a Mason jar glass.
Maggie downed a few more cookies in record time, and threw back the tea as if she was downing a shot of whiskey. She couldn’t help but smile watching Hazel stir the four large stock pots cooking the sweet drink on the stove.
“Do you need help?” Maggie got up and put her nose in the stream of the savory steam.
“Nope.” Hazel gave Maggie a kiss on her cheek. “I’ve been doing this for fifty-two years.”
Hazel referred to her tea stand at the Jubilee. Everyone in Grandberry Falls loved Hazel’s tea, and her tea was the first to sell out at the Jubilee.
“I’ve already made forty batches.” Hazel poured the magic grain, sugar, in the boiling creation without measuring. She always knew the perfect amount. “I hear it might be a record crowd this year.”
“I’m sure it will.” Maggie drank the sip from the spoon that Hazel held up to her lips. “Mmm, good.”
Maggie left Hazel to finish up while she unloaded her car and put her things in her room.
It was like Maggie had stepped back into her old life. Everything was the same, not a knick-knack out of place. Even the sound of Paula from the Home Shopping Channel was a welcome sound. In New York, if Maggie missed Hazel, she’d turn on Paula and drift off to sleep.
“What’s the deal of the day?” Maggie plopped on the couch.
The bangles on Hazel’s wrist jingled. She pointed to the TV. “Some sort of exercise ball.” She rolled her eyes and patted her belly. “Who ever heard of sitting on a ball to tighten your stomach? Good ole farm work.”
It was true. There wasn’t an exercise place in town. Working on the farm was all the exercise most people around Grandberry Falls needed to stay in shape. The farmers market sold all the fresh vegetables everyone needed, so many canned goods weren’t bought.
The manila envelope, sticking out of her purse, caught her eye. She grabbed it and rubbed her finger over Hazel’s name. Mitch did have great handwriting for a man. She wondered how their dinner was going.
“What’s that?” Hazel questioned.
Maggie held it up and then tossed it over. “Mitch asked me to give it to you.”
Hazel snatched it out of the air and put it in the crease of her Lazy Boy. Maggie noticed Hazel didn’t open it, she only protected it.
Hazel pushed the envelope deeper and deeper into the chair.
Maggie craned her head to watch Hazel. She was definitely hiding something from Maggie. But what?
“Hello?” Belle yelled from the kitchen, her keys skidded across the old country metal table, followed by her hurried steps. “Maggie?”
Hazel and Maggie stood up, Maggie keeping her eye on the envelope. An uneasy feeling found a spot in her stomach. Normally she wouldn’t think anything if Mitch sent an envelope. But this envelope was formally addressed, not something Mitch Dozier would do.
Belle twirled Maggie’s pony tail and scrunched her nose. “What’s up with the tail?”
Not everyone can be built like Belle or have fabulous hair. It was days like today, she welcomed pulling her hair up. “I blame it on a long drive and emotional distress.” Maggie’s lips turned down.
“Yep, I heard.” Belle words were muffled after sticking an entire cookie in her mouth. “You and Grady broke up while Wendy and Mitch get engaged. Weird.”
Maggie swallowed hard. Engaged? Wendy and Mitch? Maggie couldn’t wrap her head around Belle’s words.
Hazel grabbed the plate of cookies and interrupted Belle, “don’t ruin your dinner.”
“Okay.” Belle paused. There was an awkward silence before she took the envelope out of Hazel’s chair. “What’s this?”
Hazel grabbed it, walked into the kitchen and put it on top the refrigerator. “Nothing.”
What was going on around here? Maggie questioned the envelope and Mitch’s engagement. Something was wrong. This only made Maggie even more curious to see what was in there. Hazel always put important and private information on top the refrigerator when they were small children—only they aren’t kids anymore. Maggie hoped Hazel would forget it was up there so she could get a good sneak peak when Hazel went to bed.
“Anyway.” Belle turned her attention to Maggie. “Don’t you worry about what’s-his-face. Tomorrow night is the hoedown and I’ll give you a free make-over. Hair and all.”
Chapter 16
Love is a sweet tyranny, because the lover endureth his torments willingly. ~ Proverb
Mitch paused when going into the office this morning. The day of the hoedown was always the Saturday before the Grandberry Falls Jubilee, and being mayor didn’t change tradition. At the last gentrification meeting, one of the younger citizens suggested they move the hoedown to Grandberry Falls Park. Granted, it would be beautiful using the lake as the backdrop and the gondola rides would make great pictures, but the hoedown had been in the town square near the falls since it started over seventy-five years ago.
There was no way they were going to stray from tradition. The hoedown was going to be in town, just like always.
“Good morning, Mayor.” The little boy flipped marbles on the sidewalk just outside of the Trembling Cup. Mitch had seen him a time or two in town by the falls, but couldn’t remember his name.
Grandberry Falls was growing due to overwhelmingly low taxes a
nd getting to know all the new citizens was a challenge for him. At the last election, his only opponent had been the previous mayor who had been in office for forty-years was going on eighty years old.
Mitch tipped his cowboy hat and smiled. If he could make any child feel special he would.
“Hey, buddy. Can I try?” Mitch took a marble and snapped it toward the pile causing the marbles to scatter.
The boy’s mouth dropped watching them roll about. Mitch spent many nights growing up with nothing to do but hang out with Maggie Greenlee—which was perfectly fine with him— or flipping his marbles.
Mitch tussled the boy’s hair and crossed the street heading toward the courthouse to start his daily research on how to save the Greenlee farm. It was research that needed to be done on the down low. He couldn’t be mayor and take sides, but he could be privy to all the facts and present them at the gentrification meeting. After all, the committee did give him and Maggie Greenlee the scholarships when they graduated from high school in hopes the two of them would come back and do great things in the community.
Mitch was doing all he could to make good on the promise, but Maggie ended up donating a large sum of money to the fund—her way to pay back the scholarship since she didn’t make good on it. Grandberry Falls was in need of a County Attorney. Maggie would be just the right candidate. Mitch knew it had to be her decision and ultimately no matter how much Grandberry Falls embraced her, she wanted more. And Mitch saw what had gotten her—back in Grandberry Falls.
The courthouse was quiet. They weren’t open but one Saturday a month, and then it was only for the local car dealerships to get the cars tagged, or couples seeking a marriage license. Today wasn’t the open Saturday, leaving the two-hundred-year-old courthouse eerily quiet.
Mitch flipped the light switch on in his office, even though the sun was shining so brightly through the windows that he really didn’t need the artificial stuff.
Mitch picked up his mayor gavel and twirled it in the air. Mitch loved the gavel and how it felt when he had to slam it down on the wood plate trying to keep peace between the older generation and the younger generation when it became heated during the eminent domain meeting. He even pointed it at a few people with a simple warning.
He peered out the window watching all the vendors set up for the big night. He caught a glimpse of a blonde-haired beauty running toward the courthouse. Wendy was in charge of the Jubilee decoration committee and he knew she was going to be running around a lot since the hoedown was the kick off.
He heard her coming and opened the door like a good gentleman.
“I’m sorry, Mitch.” Wendy dropped her lashes to hide the guilt. “I wasn’t planning on seeing you this early. But I saw your truck, so I want to get this over with.”
“I’m glad you stopped by.” He tipped her head up, and then reached for her hand. “Get what over with?”
Instantly he knew what this was about when he didn’t see his grandmother’s antique ring on her finger. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I think you are looking for this.” She reached in the pocket of her coat and pulled out the box with the ring inside. “I know you don’t love me. I know that. God I wish you did. I’d hoped you wanted to fight for me and try to get me to change my mind.”
Mitch started to speak, but she raised her hand to silence him.
“Since I took over as the buyer for Figure 8 and began traveling, I realized there is so much world out there.” She glanced around the office. “More to life than Grandberry Falls.”
Mitch could see it coming. She was right. He didn’t love her, but he was willing to try and make a go of it. Even though when they were together, there was a distance between them.
“You know it and I know it. We were doing what we were expected to do.” Wendy picked up the gavel, and smiled. “And you don’t even know that I like sugar in my coffee.”
“Listen, Wendy.” He knew he had to say something to try to save it. “Is this about Maggie?”
“No, though I did see how you looked at her,” she murmured half laughing, half crying. “You will always have that special place in your heart for Maggie. I’m just sad she can’t see it.”
“Are you sure?” Mitch held the box in the air. “I wouldn’t have given this to you if I didn’t think we’d make a go of it.”
“I’m sure. I don’t want to make a go of it. I want a love that I can never live without. Just like you feel for Maggie.” She placed the gavel back on the desk. “I’m not mad. I’m just glad I figured out my feelings before we had this big wedding.”
“So what next?” Mitch asked. Even though she was right, he still cared for her.
“I’m going to be doing a lot more traveling. Finding out who I really am.” Wendy smiled. “We will always be dear friends.”
Mitch was somewhat relieved when Wendy left. He had gone to the waterfall this morning to make a wish that his life wouldn’t change, but got sidetracked by the little boy with the marbles.
Only it had. He was better off being alone instead of waking up to Wendy ten years later and both regretting they did what everyone else wanted them to do.
He wondered what would’ve happened if Maggie had come back after college. If Maggie had come back, there was no time for what-ifs, the town was divided and he was the one to piece it back together.
The meeting with Patricia Van Meter was less than a week away. He had to come up with an alternative to please everyone in Grandberry Falls.
Chapter 17
Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life. ~ Charles M. Schulz
“Come on, sleepy head.” Belle flipped on the overhead light in Maggie’s bedroom, and then walked out, leaving the door wide open.
“No,” Maggie groaned. It couldn’t be morning already, she felt like she just went to sleep in her childhood room.
The sunlight, peeking through the blinds, dotted the butterfly wallpaper and cast a light on her collection of miniature horse statues that were displayed on the wall shelf. The same shelf held the usual school honor roll ribbons, and various club certificates Maggie had received in high school.
Maggie yawned, wiped her eyes and pulled her hair away from her face. Maggie patted around the bed, feeling the quilt Hazel had made her when she was a little kid. She pulled it up to her chin.
She didn’t recall going to sleep last night. The magazine she was thumbing through was still next to her. She must’ve fallen asleep while looking at it in attempt to stay awake in hopes of getting a look in the secret envelope Hazel had put on top of the refrigerator.
“Come on!” Belle screamed from the hallway. “It’s eleven and we have to go to the Hair Pin. It’s going to take a few hours to transform your zombie look you have going on, back into the Maggie Greenlee Grandberry Falls loves.”
Maggie put the pillow over her head to help drown out some of Belle’s banter.
“Plus I have a private appointment at Figure 8 for you. I was looking at those fancy New York clothes, just in case I found something in there to wear myself, and you have nada.” Belle was good at not shutting up and Maggie had learned how to drown her out.
Belle held up Maggie’s favorite sweat pants from NYU that were splattered with paint. “Seriously. I thought you were a fancy lawyer.”
Maggie frowned. If she was going to face Grandberry Falls without Mitch, she might as well let Belle work her magic. Only it was going to take a lot of potions to help Maggie feel any better.
Chapter 18
A friend is one who comes when the whole world has gone out. ~ Grace Pulpit
“Hi, Y’all!” Belle threw her cowboy hat on the hook next to the door when they walked into the Hair Pin.
The hair bleaching agent odor filled the room, and the chairs were full of women getting their hair done. Belle picked up the mail next to the register.
Thumbing through it, she said, “We sure are busy today.”
“Hoedown, girlfriend.” Jenna Greenlee beamed. I
t was only one of the biggest events in Grandberry Falls and every girl in town was expected to look her best. Getting your hair done for the Hoedown was as important as getting your hair done on a wedding day. “Maggie, I’m so sorry about your engagement.”
Maggie smiled. At least her aunt wasn’t beating around the bush like everyone else they had run into.
“Better to find out now.” One of the older ladies shouted out from underneath the hair blower. She must’ve had ears like a hawk or the gossip mill had already started.
If Maggie could have a penny for every time someone told her that, she’d be able to pay back her savings and live a little.
“Thank you.” Without having to think, the words fell from her mouth. Never in a million years did she think she’d be in this position. Let alone standing in the Hair Pin waiting for her turn to get her hair done. “I’m glad to be able to come back home and find some comfort.”
“I heard you got fired.” The pink swivel chair swirled with a pair of high-heeled leopard print cowboy boots leading the way. Beth Harrison sneered, “Or at least that’s what I read on Facebook.”
Beth even looked fabulous with foil in her hair. She’d definitely come a long way since high school. It was hard for Maggie to look away. Beth was a dead ringer for Ashley Simpson in her long crimson hair days. And her flawless pale skin made her stunningly beautiful.
“Facebook?” Maggie had a Facebook account, but never used it. Since when did she become an important topic for everyone to discuss?
There was no reason to skirt around the issues, if everyone must know, she’d rather them hear it straight from her.
“I guess that’s what happens when your life falls apart and you can’t get out of bed.” Maggie grabbed one of the flutes of champagne. The enticing bubbles looked refreshing next to the chocolate covered strawberries.
“Oh, take one of these.” Jenna held up the silver tray of strawberries. “Straight from the Johnson farm. You don’t get any fresher than this.” She popped one in her mouth. “Mmmmm.”