Upon a Mystic Tide
Page 36
A light in Bess’s eye said she was remembering the words Miss Hattie had said to her at the Blue Moon Cafe, when they’d first discussed why Bess still wore John’s ring. Bess nodded, confirming it. “True love is always like that, Miss Hattie. You were right about that, too.”
“Speaking of promises,” Jonathan backed away, then clasped hands with Bess, “we’re going out to Little Island to keep one. We’ll be back after dark.”
“Fine.” Miss Hattie sniffled. “I’m going to Millie’s to play cards, but dinner will be warming in the oven.”
“Do you have a bridge group, Miss Hattie?”
“Oh my, no, dear. We play poker. Penny-ante. But please, don’t mention it to Pastor Brown.”
Bess grinned, then explained to Jonathan. “If provoked, the Pastor gets long-winded, and then the mayor nods off during the sermon and snores, and that mortifies his snooty wife, Lydia.”
“I won’t breathe a word,” Jonathan swore.
Laughing, Bess kissed Miss Hattie’s cheek, then Jonathan pecked one to her forehead. “Thank you, Miss Hattie. For everything.”
“Of course, dear.” She shared with them a secret smile. “I keep my promises, too.”
Hattie watched them leave, arms curled around each other’s waists, heads bent together, laughing. Healed. At peace, content, and healed. Lovely . . .
To the grandfather clock’s steady ticks, she climbed the stairs to the attic. The white drop cloths that were supposed to be covering the furniture were again heaped on the floor, and the temperature was decidedly cool. Tony.
She lifted the photograph of him and Hatch, again pulled the hankie from her apron pocket, then touched it to her eye. “Well, my darling, it appears Jimmy again won the bet at the Blue Moon Cafe. And I couldn’t be more delighted.”
Feeling tender, she sniffed, and noticed something floating midair. Her heart lurched, a knot of tears swelled in her throat. She lifted her palm and watched a tiny object flutter lightly into her hand.
The petal from a yellow carnation.
“Oh, I love you, too, Tony,” she whispered, reassured he was near and content. “With all my heart, I love you too.”
Together, they’d again helped those in love find the magic at Seascape.
(Continue reading for more information about Vicki Hinze)
About Vicki Hinze
Vicki is the award-winning author of 24 novels, 4 nonfiction books and hundreds of articles, published in as many as sixty-three countries. She is recognized by Who’s Who in the World as an author and as an educator. For more information, please visit her website.
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