Epilogue
Over Sawyer’s protests, Addie carried the heavy pewter tray loaded with the turkey over to the dining room table. “I’ve managed to get every Thanksgiving turkey to this table from the time I was no taller than Bailey there. The November I can’t manage it is the November that finds me already six feet under.”
Sunny and Bailey shared a pained look behind Addie’s back, then grinned as they dutifully carried over the marshmallow yam casserole, green beans, and hot buttered rolls and set them on the table before everyone took their seats.
Sawyer had the job of slicing the majestic bird, but he paused, carving knife and long-tined fork held aloft. “I thought we should all take a moment to say one thing that we are thankful for this year.”
Addie beamed. “That’s a wonderful idea. I’ll start.”
Sawyer lowered his utensils and nodded her way. “The floor is yours. Or the table, as it were.”
Addie smiled and reached out to pat him on the arm, then looked at them all. “While it’s true that D. Bart had a tendency to bring far more problems along with him than pleasures, the one thing he did do quite well was bringing the four of us together. I don’t know that I’ve ever felt so thankful about anything in my life, save for the fact that I’m drawing breath long enough to see it happen.” She shook out her linen napkin and laid it across her lap, but she wasn’t done yet. “It’s not often I reflect back on the years that are behind me. I’m one who believes it’s a great deal more fun to look ahead and wonder what comes next.” She smiled. “That said, I’ll admit that I had been feeling a bit pressured by Father Time to get busy forming the guild and seeing the work on the mill through to fruition before the good Lord saw fit to call me home.” She took a moment to look at each of their faces. “But I sit here now and look at the life, and the vitality, and the love that surrounds me every day, right here in my own home, and I know that it’s true, that even at this point in my life, the best days are yet ahead of me.”
“Here, here,” Sawyer said, and Sunny and Bailey both cheered. Then they all lifted their water glasses in a toast.
“Ditto,” Sawyer, Sunny, and Bailey said at the same time as they clinked their glasses together, then laughed to the point that they couldn’t take their respective sips.
The meal was consumed with great gusto as stories were shared and laughter continued to be the keynote of the day.
Sunny and Bailey were clearing the dishes as Sawyer worked on storing the leftovers. Addie was wiping down the table and shaking out the place mats, and had just proposed a hike down to feed some scraps to the lambs, in hopes of working up an appetite for her pecan pie when the phone rang.
It was Sawyer’s cell phone, which he found sitting on a wicker stool by the front door. It was Seth. “Hey, happy Thanksgiving.”
“Same,” he said, sounding quite jovial.
“You still in Seattle?”
“No, I opted out this go-around.”
Sawyer frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Excellent, as it happens. I just decided to take some R&R for myself while everyone else was preoccupied with turkey and pie. I had a little project I really wanted to get done. You and the tribe feel like a short road trip?”
“Road trip? Um . . . I guess, sure.” He looked up to find the other three had stopped what they were doing and were listening in. He lifted his shoulders, having no more idea than they did. “Where to?”
“Come on down to the mill. Bring the whole gang.”
Sawyer shared Seth’s request with the others and a few minutes later Addie and Bailey were heading down in her Subaru, followed by Sawyer and Sunny in his pickup. They’d just continue on up to his cabin from there.
The answer to what Seth’s little project had been about was answered before they even got close enough to park.
“Sawyer, look!” Sunny was pointing, but Sawyer had already slowed the truck so he could get a good look himself.
“The waterwheel . . . it’s working!”
And apparently, Sawyer wasn’t the only one Seth had contacted. The lower lot, the upper lot, and the sides of the road were all filled with cars and trucks, and even a tractor or two.
“The whole town is here,” Sunny said, as they parked and climbed out.
Bailey raced over to them. “Oh my goodness, do you see it?” She didn’t wait for an answer, but grabbed Sunny’s hand in one of hers, and Sawyer’s in her other. “Come on!”
Sawyer looked over his shoulder at Addie, who merely lifted her walking stick and shooed them on ahead, a big smile on her weathered face.
They all joined the rest of the folks who had gathered on the banks of Big Stone Creek. Seth had climbed up on an overturned wine cask and he lifted his hands, gathering everyone’s attention.
“So, I was talking to my dear auld mum the other day, about Thanksgiving, and family, and what it meant to me. Now, I love my mum, and my dad, and all my siblings and cousins and nieces and nephews. But when I thought about what home meant to me, what family meant to me, the first thing that came to my mind was all of you. You all welcomed me here, you took me in, and you made me feel like a part of this town I now call home.” He gestured to the mill. “And look. Look what we did here together!”
A loud cheer went up from the whole crowd, filling the chilly, late-November air.
Seth looked out at the sea of smiling faces. “There are new faces in the crowd this year. And you’ve been just as wonderful in welcoming them.” He tipped an imaginary hat toward Sunny and Bailey. The crowd turned to look at them, some nodding, some clapping, and a few others lifting their hands in a show of solidarity.
“And who knows what is in store for us in the next year,” Seth said, then shot a suggestive look at Sawyer and Sunny and wiggled his eyebrows. That caused a titter of laughter to run through the crowd, which quickly changed to cheers and more than a few whistles when they collectively turned in time to see Sawyer bending Sunny over his arm and kissing her soundly on the lips.
Bailey, who was standing right next to them, had covered her eyes. Addie put her hand on Bailey’s shoulder and beamed from ear to ear.
“Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!” he shouted.
There was laughter, and more than a few hugs. Parents warned children not to race too close to the water’s edge. Others went over to ask Seth how he’d gotten the ancient wheel to run again, discussing mechanics and bearings and engine parts. Someone brought a fiddle, another a mandolin, and music once again filled the Hollow.
And the universe looked down, nodding in satisfaction that its message had been duly received. The focus shifted then to a new story about to unfold . . . and orbits were once again spun into motion. Some would miss. Others would collide.
What was in store in the coming year? Indeed, Mr. Seth Brogan was about to find out.
He only had to listen....