Sweet Southern Hearts

by Susan Schild

  Linny slipped the rings on her finger and just sat there for a moment, gazing at them and not quite believing they were back on her hand. She looked at Dessie. “How did you find these?”

  Dessie explained. “I told you I went snap happy with my new cell. The editing features on that phone are amazing. So I zoomed in on each shot and examined them with a magnifying glass. I came upon an interesting photo of Letty on the day of the break in.”

  Ruby jumped in, the feathers on her shawl bobbling gracefully as she jumped animatedly into the storytelling. “She did that little expand thing and recognized the ring on Letty’s hand. She was wearing it, plain as day. So she gave word to Hal and he talked to Letty and got it back. He checked her dresser and there was the ceramic kitty, every dollar bill still inside.”

  Jack and Neal came back, looking curious about the small crowd gathered around her and Kate. Linny held up her hand and showed them. “My rings are back.”

  Neal broke into a grin and Jack beamed and said, “That’s great.”

  But Hal still looked abject. “Can you forgive me . . . and Letty?”

  “Of course,” Linny said, patting his hand. “I’m so happy I could just kiss you, but I don’t want to rile up Ruby.”

  Ruby chuckled. “You do not,” she assured her. “I’ve got my man and I’m going to hold on to him.” She grasped Hal’s arm and looked up at him, her eyes merry.

  Kate nudged Linny and pointed to the door as Diamond and her big handsome beau, Butch, walked in. Well over six feet tall, he towered above the petite Diamond the same way Jerry towered above Tinker Bell–size Kate.

  Linny handed Lucas to Jack and waved her over. Diamond flashed a smile at her, held open her arms, and called to the group, “Hello, cuddle bunnies.” She gave Linny an extravagant hug. “Your mama been in any more brawls?”

  “Not a one.” Linny shook her head in mock disappointment.

  “Dang it.” Diamond snapped her fingers. “That was fun.” Taking Butch’s arm, she gazed up and batted her eyes at him. “Tell him our big news, puddin’.”

  “You tell her, honey,” Butch drawled.

  The big man didn’t flinch at being called puddin’. Must happen a lot, Linny decided, trying not to smile.

  Diamond said, “I bought a piece of land that abuts Butch’s farm and I’m going to build a fancy camp or a retreat center. We’ll have a lodge and a cluster of tiny houses or cabins.”

  “Real tiny houses,” Butch clarified with a knowing grin. “She’s going to set up a ropes course, an archery range, and bring in horses. There’s a good-size lake on the property, so she’ll have canoeing and swimming.”

  “I want to come,” Linny said firmly and Jack nodded in agreement.

  She wagged a finger at them. “You can’t come now because you’re happily married and I’m starting out housing fighting couples for my friend doing the Save Your Marriage Boot Camp. Later, though, I might do a fun, pampering-couples camp, or a getaway fun-and-mingling week for young adults with autism. The sky’s the limit,” Diamond said confidently and twinkled up at her beau.

  Butch said proudly, “We talked about partnering up to do corporate retreats, too.”

  “Ah. A family business.” Linny eyed the two of them. “I love the idea. You two will build something marvelous.”

  “We will,” Diamond said and winked at Linny as the two drifted off.

  “Butch’s bachelor days are numbered,” Linny whispered to Jack.

  Marnie glided over to Dottie and Mack and leaned her head in for a quick word with them. Afterward, she clinked a knife on the side of a glass and smiled pleasantly at the group as they quieted. “Ms. Dottie and Mr. Mack have an announcement.”

  Dottie’s cheeks were flushed with pleasure. Mack slid an arm around her waist, gave her a quick glance, and said, “We’d like for you to follow us. We’ve planned something special.” He took Dottie’s hand, opened the French doors, and led them outside.

  Delighted, Linny smiled at Jack. “We finally get to see the garden.”

  They followed Mama and Mack through a wrought-iron gate and Linny gasped. Yellow Carolina jasmine and purple wisteria draped gracefully on trellises lining the pink stucco walls and the air was redolent with their delicate scents. A fountain sprayed into the air and shoots of water danced in the early evening light. Pink, yellow, and orange Chinese paper lanterns made the garden softly glow. The place looked like a fairy garden.

  “They even got musicians. Mama knows how to throw a party.” Linny pointed to a garden nook where a quintet of scrawny-looking young people looked bored as they tuned up their instruments. The men wore ill-fitting black tuxes and tugged at their bow ties and the woman with the violin wore a black number with rows and rows of pearls and a Holly Golightly updo.

  Jack nudged her. “It’s more than a party, Lin.” He tipped his head toward several rows of folding white chairs and a beaming man in an indigo blue robe holding a Bible. The man stood under a trellis covered with yellow roses.

  Linny put a hand to her mouth and swallowed hard, scanning the crowd for her mother.

  “We’re getting married,” Dottie announced to the group with a tremulous smile. Mack caught her hand and dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief.

  Jerry wheeled Kate over and with Linny and her men, they all surrounded the couple, hugging and kissing them. “I’m thrilled for you, Mama. You deserve every bit of this happiness,” Linny whispered fiercely in her mother’s ear.

  Jerry positioned the transport chair in the middle of the front row. Linny slipped into a chair bedside her sister and they held their babies, bookended by Jack, Jerry and Neil. The musicians launched into an instrumental version of “Here Comes the Sun”. Tears brimmed in Linny’s eyes and she squeezed her sister’s hand. Mama and Mack smiled radiantly as they walked down the aisle.

  The ceremony was short but moving. When the minister came to the part about to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part, the sniffing of tears in the small crowd was audible.

  As the new bride and groom turned to face the small crowd, the musicians came to life again. A young man with an odd coif that listed to one side of his head grabbed the mike with authority and, pausing for a moment, broke into an achingly beautiful version of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Linny felt herself choke up and squeezed Jack’s hand.

  Afterwards, waiters poured sparkling wine and they all raised glasses to Dottie and Mack. The band struck up Etta James’s “At Last,” and the couple moved onto the small wooden dance floor. Guests smiled and Linny felt her eyes well again as she watched her mother dance gracefully with Mack, who was gazing at her adoringly. The band moved seamlessly into a set of classics—“Crazy Love,” “It Had to be You,” “Unforgettable,” “Mack the Knife”—and more and more guests moved onto the dance floor.

  The musicians launched into livelier, more modern songs and more guests joined in the dancing. Jack bobbed around on the dance floor with Lucas and Linny held Ivy while Jerry spun her laughing sister around the dance floor in her wheelchair. As the band eased into another up-tempo song, Linny watched delightedly as Callie tapped Neal on the shoulder and led him onto the dance floor. He looked rigid with embarrassment until she steered him into a loopy, fast waltz. After a few moments she dropped his hands and, eyes sparkling, began a wild, uninhibited freestyle that Neal soon joined in, grinning like mad. She led and Neal mimicked her as she did raise-the-roof hands, Egyptian arms, a lassoing Pony, and a bouncing Pogo. Other dancers smiled indulgently and a few of the kids joined in. After the song ended Neal tried to leave the dance floor, but Callie made a dramatic down on one knee show of begging him to come back for another dance, and he did.

  Ivy fell asleep on Linny’s shoulder and she hugged the sweet girl. She smiled, feeling a wave of contented happiness. Most everyone she loved was here, Mama and Mack had found each other, and Neal was letting himself be silly. All was right with her world.

  The newly
weds rounded up Linny and Callie and circled around Kate. Mack said, “Dottie and I had such a good time on our adventure trip that we’re planning to travel more over the coming year.”

  Mama gave them a twinkling smile. “We’re going to get our kicks on Route 66, tour more national parks, and take a train ride through the Canadian Mounties.”

  “Rockies. Canadian Rockies.” Looking amused, Mack raised his eyes heavenward. “So the point is, we won’t be able to give you girls as much help with the kids as you’ll probably need, at least for a while.” Looking proud, he turned Callie to face them and rested his hands on her shoulders. “So, Linny and Kate, we’re giving you a gift.”

  “You’re giving us Callie?” Linny teased.

  “Goody! We like her!” Kate added, doing a miniature hand clap.

  Mack chuckled and looked at his daughter. “Tell them, honey.”

  Still flushed from her wild dancing, Callie pushed back her bangs and explained. “My company is called Callie’s Caregivers. We provide home health aid and companion services to older people who need it. One of my smartest colleagues, Liza, owns a nanny service.” She broke into a smile and pointed to Mack and Dottie. “These two asked me to ask Liza to hand pick two excellent part-time nannies for you new mamas. Their treat.”

  Linny’s hands flew to her face and she gazed wonderingly at Mama and Mack. They’d somehow divined the perfect gift: the extra set of hands she’d so desperately need during the coming year. And that gift had arrived without them even knowing about the pink line on the stick.

  Kate shook her head slowly, looking incredulous. “We’ve been trying to stay positive, but I’ve still got a long way to go before I’m back to my old, spry self. This will make life so much easier.” Eyes brimming with unshed tears, she looked gratefully at Dottie and Mack and held up her arms. They beamed and leaned down to hug her. Linny joined in the thank-you group hug. Kate glanced up and held out an arm for Callie. “You too, missy. I need a hug from you, too.” Callie broke into a grin and joined in.

  And that’s when Linny finally decided to tell Jack. For several days after she’d purchased the test, she’d made a wide berth around the second drawer of her dresser, eyeing it as if it contained a coiled-up snake. She’d finally drummed up the courage to take the test and was waiting for the right time to tell him the news.

  As the afterglow of the sunset faded, a full moon hung low in the sky. The paper lanterns glowed luminously and the fairy lights shimmered. In a tender Sinatra-inspired voice, the odd-haired young man crooned “Someone to Watch Over Me” as Linny danced with Jack, leaning her head against his chest feeling the beating of his heart and breathing in his familiar cedar, clean-man scent. “Are you happy?” she murmured.

  He pulled her closer and kissed the top of his head. “Very.”

  She cocked her head and looked up at him, lacing her fingers behind his neck. “Is our family life full enough for you?”

  He pretended to think about it. “It’s full all right, but I love it.”

  Linny fixed him with a gaze and smiled slowly. “You’d better hold on tight because it’s about to get even fuller.” She stretched up to whisper in his ear. “I’m having a baby.”

  Jack stood still, his eyes widening. He broke into a radiant smile, lifted her up, and spun her around in circles.

  Closing her eyes as she whirled around, Linny laughed and did what she’d been doing ever since she married Jack Avery: she just hung on tight, let herself feel the love, and enjoyed the ride.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Susan Schild writes wholesome and sunny Southern fiction. She likes stories about charming men, missing money, adventuresome women, sweet dogs, and happily ever afters at any age.

  Susan is a wife and stepmother. She enjoys rummaging through thrift stores for treasures like four-dollar cashmere sweaters and amateur watercolor paintings. She likes taking walks with her Lab mix, Tucker, and his buddies. She and her family live in North Carolina.

  Susan has used her professional background as a psychotherapist and management consultant to add authenticity to her characters.

  Readers can visit Susan’s website at www.susanschild.com and sign up for her quarterly newsletters at www.susanschild.com/newsletter.html. Follow Susan on Facebook at her Susan Schild Author page.

  Dear Readers,

  Thank you for reading Sweet Southern Hearts and for spending time with me in Willow Hill.

  I’d like to ask for your help. Readers’ reviews are the most powerful way to get the word out about my books. While the book is fresh on your mind, would you please take a few minutes and write a review about Sweet Southern Hearts on your retail book site or Goodreads?

  I am so grateful for your support and always look forward to hearing from my readers.

  My best wishes to you all,

  Susan Schild