CHAPTER SIXTEEN
On the day following the wedding brunch, the business of the lodge resumed top priority. Maggie sat with Luke, Ethan, and Harper around one of the tables in the dining room, and Celeste arrived a few minutes later with a carafe of coffee and mugs. Hope and Tessa played with dolls nearby. With Scarlet and Cam away on a short honeymoon, Tessa was staying with Ethan and Harper at their cottage. Shortly before the wedding, Cam and Scarlet received news that they would soon have sole custody of Tessa. The whole family rejoiced over the news and breathed a sign of relief.
Maggie poured mugs of coffee and passed them around. “I guess the biggest item on our agenda today is figuring out where we’re all going to live. Celeste and Hope can’t live in a hotel room forever. If we get as many bookings as we’re hoping for during our grand opening, we’re going to need the cottages we’re living in as well.”
“Well, there’s the owner’s suite above the event center,” Harper said. “Reese says it can be finished by the middle of January if we need it. It’s got two bedrooms, with a small living room and kitchen. It’s a lovely space.”
“Have you found a place to buy or rent, Harper?” Luke asked. “Ethan mentioned you’ve been looking.”
“No, not yet, but our real estate agent found a rental house for us to look at. We’re meeting with her later today to check it out. She seems excited about it so hopefully, it’s the one.”
“If you’re not going to be living in the owner’s suite, I think it makes sense for Celeste and Hope to move into it as soon as it’s finished,” Maggie said. “Celeste doesn’t have a car, so if she lives on-site, she doesn’t have to worry about commuting. The school bus can pick Hope up at the door.”
“What about you?” Celeste asked. “Where are you going to live?”
Good question. What she really wanted was her own place again, but until the lodge started to make money and she could draw a salary, she couldn’t afford one. Besides, she didn’t have a car either. “I suppose I can stay in one of the smaller hotel rooms, at least for a while.”
“I appreciate you giving us the owner’s suite, Maggie, but you need a place to stay, too. You should have it. You’re part owner. I’m only an employee.”
“You’re an integral part of the success of the lodge. I’ll be fine. I’m sure I’ll find something.”
“You could stay with us. Hope and I don’t mind sharing a bedroom,” Celeste said.
“That’s generous of you, but I think Hope deserves her own room, and so do you. I want you to feel comfortable, like it’s really your home, not some temporary accommodation.”
Celeste shook her head and smiled. “Now who’s being generous?”
Maggie shrugged. “I’ve got ulterior motives. I want you to be happy here, so you’ll stay with us. We need you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Maggie.”
“I’m glad to hear it, but I’m still not sharing the suite with you. It’s barely big enough for two.”
Celeste blew out a breath. “Well, if you’re determined,” she glanced at the others. “And if it’s okay with everyone else, then I’ll accept. But you’ll need to give the place a new name. We can’t call it the owner’s suite anymore.”
“That’s easy,” Maggie said with a grin. “From now on we’ll call the apartment Celeste’s Place.”
Celeste reached over to squeeze her hand, her eyes suspiciously bright. Maggie squeezed back, glad the matter was settled. It really was the best solution, for Celeste and Hope, and for the lodge.
“The place we’re looking at renting today is a three-bedroom house in Baxter. There’ll be plenty of space for you to stay with us,” Harper said.
The last thing she wanted was to be a guest in Ethan and Harper’s house. She’d feel like she was impinging on their privacy. Harper’s offer was made with love, but she hoped she never had to take her up on it.
Before she could respond, Luke spoke. “Would you consider staying with my grandmother and me in town, at least for a while? I know she’d love the company. You’d be doing me a favor, too. I hate the idea of her rattling around that big old house all alone after I leave.”
Abby would soon be gone and so would he. The thought of losing them both shattered her.
He lowered his gaze. “If you’re not interested, it’s okay.”
He must have mistaken her silence for refusal. She forced a smile. “It’s a good solution. I like your grandmother and I think she’d be a fun roommate, but I don’t have a vehicle either. I need some way to get to work every day.”
“If that’s the only thing that’s stopping you, I’ll leave you my truck.”
“I can’t afford to buy your truck.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to sell it to you. I’m giving it to you.”
She blinked at him, floored by his generosity. “You can’t do that.”
“Sure I can. I want to.”
She didn’t know what to say so she simply nodded her acceptance. And she knew as she looked into his eyes that she loved him, that she’d never stopped loving him.
Old fears crowded into her memory. He’d left her before, and he was planning to leave her again. Her love hadn’t held him then, and it likely wouldn’t be any different now.
Get a grip, Maggie. She pushed away the realization of her love for Luke, and her fear. She made herself smile again, not wanting him or anyone else to pick up on her feelings.
“If Phyllis is okay with the idea, then so am I. We can take care of each other for a while.”
He smiled in relief. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
Maggie looked deep into his eyes. The excitement and wonder of being in love was dulled by fear. How she wished she could declare her love, and rejoice with her sisters in her happiness, the way they’d rejoiced with her. Mostly, she wished Luke could return her love, that he’d stay with her, but that wasn’t to be.
Ethan cleared his throat, and Maggie dragged her gaze from Luke to him.
“Now that we’ve settled on living arrangements, let’s move on.”
The discussion turned to other matters – the new reservation system, the purchase of recreational equipment and possibly a van to pick up guests at the airport – but Maggie barely listened. She imagined she and Phyllis trying to comfort each other once Abby was gone. And after he left.
But no amount of comfort would ease the pain of losing them.
Maggie squeezed her eyes shut. What was she going to do? He wouldn’t stay, and she couldn’t go. She’d made a commitment to the lodge and to her sisters that she couldn’t, wouldn’t go back on.
It didn’t matter who stayed or who went. She might be in love with him, but he’d given her no indication his feelings ran the same way.
Once more, she was in this thing alone.
When the business meeting concluded, Harper sat back in her chair and looked around the room, a smile on her face. “I haven’t seen the lodge decorated so beautifully for Christmas since I was a kid. Grandma loved dressing the place to the nines.”
“I remember,” Maggie said. “Next Christmas we should throw a party and show off the lodge while it’s looking its best.”
An idea began to brew in Luke’s head. “Why wait till next Christmas? The dining room is already decorated. We wouldn’t have to do anything elaborate. It could simply be a Christmas open house one afternoon for neighbors. We can show people around and let them see what we’ve done so far, and what we plan to do in the future. It would be a good opportunity to advertise our grand opening – like a kick-off to the grand opening.”
Maggie leaned forward. She hadn’t said much during the latter half of the meeting, but now her dark eyes shone with excitement. “That’s a good idea. We’ll keep things simple. We can serve coffee and hot chocolate and cookies. Maybe we can have games for the kids and some prizes.”
“I love making Christmas cookies. Sugar cookies are my favorite,” Celeste said. “What kind do y’all like?”
“Gingerbread,” Luke and Maggie said together. They both laughed, as if they were sharing a secret. But it was only a cookie.
“So, what do the rest of you think? Are you onboard with this idea?” he asked.
Ethan looked at Harper. “I am. If we keep it simple, it’ll be like inviting friends over for Christmas. What do you think, Harper?”
“I’m all for it. I think it’ll be fun. And since Cam and Scarlet are away on their honeymoon, I’ll vote yes for them, too,” Harper said with a laugh.
“We might be slightly crazy to plan an open house along with everything else, but I say we go for it,” Maggie said. “If we’re going to get the lodge off the ground, we’re going to have to take some chances.”
Luke nodded at her. “Yes. We’re going to have to take some chances.”
She regarded him solemnly and returned his nod. He wasn’t sure if he meant taking a chance with the lodge or with their hearts.
He was used to taking chances in business. He didn’t know if he was brave enough to risk his heart.
Maggie arrived at about one in the afternoon, early enough so Abby wouldn’t be too tired. She knocked on the door and when it opened, Maggie was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman on the other side.
“Hi. You must be Maggie.”
“Yes, I am.”
The woman stepped aside so she could enter. “Please, come in. I’m Paula Jenkins, Abby’s nurse. She told me you were coming for a visit.”
Maggie made herself smile. Of course, the nurse. Reese said he was going to have someone stay with Abby during the day. “Nice to meet you, Paula. Is Abby awake?”
Paula smiled. “She’s in the living room waiting for you. She’s been looking forward to your visit.”
“I’m glad. I’m looking forward to it, too.”
She followed Paula into the living room where Abby was in her wheelchair with the red and black plaid blanket once more covering her lap. Despite her tired appearance, her smile was radiant. “Maggie! I’m so glad you could come.”
She reached for her hand. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
A moment later, Paula brought in a tray with a pretty flowered teapot and two matching cups. After pouring the tea, she laid her hand on Abby’s shoulder. “I’ll leave you two ladies while I run some errands. Enjoy your visit.” She put on her jacket and quietly left.
“She didn’t have to leave on my account,” Maggie said.
Abby delicately sipped her tea. “I asked her to give us some privacy. I want to continue the story about your mother.”
“I’d like that.”
Abby set down her teacup. “When we last spoke, I told you about Miranda’s first love, a boy from high school who was five years older. Her parents disapproved and threatened to have him arrested for rape, so he went away. Miranda was heartbroken, but she was also very young and naïve. She believed if he really loved her he would have stayed and waited until she turned eighteen. And this is where we pick up the story.”
“Did she meet him again?”
Abby smiled. “You’re getting ahead of me. You have to be patient, Maggie.”
“Sorry. Patience is not one of my virtues. Please, continue.” She’d have to let Abby tell the story in her own way, as difficult as that was for her.
“Miranda continued high school. She was busy with different sports like track and volleyball and basketball, and all kinds of high school experiences and clubs. She was a popular girl, and very pretty. Everyone wanted to be her friend. She had a special light inside her that everyone wanted to be close to.”
“Did she date much in high school?”
“Some, but never seriously. However much she wanted to fall in love with another boy, her heart belonged to her first boyfriend.”
“How did she meet my father?”
“She met Robert at the University of Minnesota while she was pursuing a degree in interior design and he was at law school. He was immediately smitten with her. She once told me he fell in love with her the minute he spied her across the room at a sorority party.”
“Did she fall in love with him at first sight, too?”
Abby’s smile was sad. “No. She liked Robert, and I think eventually she came to love him, but she wasn’t in love with him. He was handsome and smart, and he came from a prominent, wealthy family. He was the kind of man she thought she should marry, the kind of man she thought her parents would approve of. And he was crazy about her. So, when he asked her to marry him, she said yes.”
The idea that her mother didn’t love her father, at least not in the way a wife should love the man she was about to spend the rest of her life with, came as a shock. “I don’t understand. Harper and Scarlet have happy memories of our family.”
“They were happy, Maggie, for a lot of years. Miranda finished school and went to work for an interior design company, and Robert worked for a very prestigious law firm in Minneapolis. Harper came along in a couple of years and Scarlet two years after her. They were happy together and if Miranda wasn’t passionately in love with her husband, that was all right with her. She’d been passionately in love once before and it had only brought her pain.”
“When did things start to go wrong?”
“The summer Scarlet was five and Harper seven, Miranda was the lead designer on the renovation of a mansion in Minneapolis. Robert was working on a very important case, as he often was. This one took him to New York for the summer. Because they were both so busy, she brought the girls to the lodge to stay with her parents.”
“And then?”
“Her old boyfriend came to work at the mansion. He was a carpenter now. Miranda found she was still madly, passionately in love with him, and he hadn’t stopped loving her either. They were together every possible minute that summer.”
Maggie sat back in her chair, stunned. “Scarlet was right. It was Miranda. Harper thought our father might have had an affair because he was away so often, but Scarlet heard them talking on the day they died.” A thought occurred to her. “But Miranda must have gone back to Robert. They were still married when they died, even though they were on the verge of divorce. They must have patched things up, or at least tried, because they had me.”
“Yes, they tried, but—”
A sudden coughing fit cut off her words. Her body shook as if she would break in half. Maggie jumped to her feet, terrified and unsure what to do. She ran to the kitchen to get a glass of water. By the time she returned Abby was gasping for breath, struggling to get air into her damaged lungs. She tried to drink the water Maggie gave her, but the cough wracking her body left her too shaky to even hold the glass. Desperate, Maggie patted her back. Should she call Reese? An ambulance?
She almost cried with relief when Paula entered the house with a couple of bags of groceries. She immediately set the bags on the floor and ran to Abby’s bedroom, returning a moment later with a machine on a table with rolling wheels. Maggie stepped back. Paula plugged in the machine and turned it on, then put a mask over Abby’s mouth and nose and gently encouraged her to breathe. “Let the nebulizer do its work, Abby,” Paula said quietly. She held the mask because Abby couldn’t. Gradually, Abby’s coughing subsided. She slumped in her chair, her head bowed.
“There, that’s much better, isn’t it?” Paula removed the mask from Abby’s face, and Maggie was relieved when the coughing didn’t resume. “Let’s get you into your room so you can rest.”
Abby lifted her head and looked up at Maggie, her eyes panicked, beseeching. She had to be frightened by what was happening to her. Maggie stuffed down her fear and anguish to smile at her. For Abby, she’d suck it up and do what needed to be done. “If you like, I can stay with you until you fall asleep.”
Abby gave a faint nod and bowed her head once more. Paula rolled the wheelchair into the bedroom and, together, she and Maggie helped her out of the chair and settled her into the bed. Maggie sat in the chair next to the bed and held Abby’s hand in hers.
“I’ll be right here till you fall asleep,” she whispered.
The panic entered Abby’s eyes again. “But you’ll come back, won’t you?”
“Of course.” She willed herself to smile and not to cry. “Whenever you want me to.”
“Okay.”
Abby relaxed and closed her eyes. In moments, her grip on Maggie’s hand slackened and she was asleep. Maggie watched her face, watched the slight up and down movement of her chest that told her she was breathing. Her face was ashen, pale to the point of ghostliness. Skin stretched over sharp cheekbones, swooping down to hollow, gaunt cheeks. For Abby’s sake, she wished she could have finished the story. It seemed to mean so much to her.
She set Abby’s hand carefully on the bed, then leaned over to kiss her forehead. “Rest well, Abby,” she whispered.
She and Paula left the room. Paula closed the bedroom door softly behind them and turned to her. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you two alone, but Abby was adamant she had to speak to you in private. I won’t be leaving her alone again.”
“Thank goodness you came home when you did.”
“Was she able to tell you what was so important to her?”
“Partially, I think. But I believe there’s more she didn’t get a chance to say.” It occurred to her that she didn’t get an opportunity to ask how well Reese and her mother had known each other. But it didn’t matter. With Abby’s health so precarious, she wouldn’t burden her with more questions.
“Come back in a day or two. I’ve found that my palliative patients need that final goodbye to say everything that needs to be said. It helps the people they love as much as it helps them. Perhaps more.”
Maggie squeezed her eyes shut as tears threatened again. “Okay.”
Whatever it took, she would hear what Abby needed to tell her.