Part 2 (1/2)
Grandberry Falls had really made it into the twenty-first century while keeping the historic charm it was known for. When Maggie left, she thought time would stand still here. She was pleasantly surprised.
”I even enjoyed the night out.” Hazel shook her gladiator sandal in the air showing off her lime green polish. ”New York City has nothing on Grandberry Falls.”
Everyone snickered-everyone but Maggie. She got the feeling they thought she was snooty. Was it wrong to want a better life? Besides, there wasn't a need for another lawyer in town.
”We should plan one for the next time you are in town.” Jenna Greenlee, Maggie's favorite and only aunt always knew the right thing to say. She gripped the side of Maggie's arms and squeezed. ”Even married women need a great evening out with friends.”
”Yes, we will need to do that.” Maggie was glad Jenna had come. Jenna's husband had been killed by a drunk driver a couple years back and it had taken a toll on her, leaving her a single mom, but surrounded by a community of love.
”Too bad you aren't staying around for the Jubilee.” Susie took a wedding bell plate and put a handful of chips on it.
Belle put out folding chairs for the guests to sit on and the usual shower foods on the tables she had borrowed from the Moose's Lodge. The long banquet table that ran along the wall was decorated with a wedding bell table cloth, and the gifts were sitting on top.
Maggie sat down in the chair next to Susie, and crossed her legs. They weren't always the best of friends, but they weren't enemies. They did hang around the same circle of friends back in the day.
”I noticed all the new banners hanging off the lanterns.” Maggie pointed outside to the street lights. Maggie smiled, and said, ”We did have a lot of fun at the Jubilee when we were younger.”
”Are those the real Louboutins? Not like the ones you wore to the reunion?” Susie questioned with laughter in her eyes.
Maggie spit in her napkin and rubbed the bottom of her shoes with it. ”Yep. The real deal.” She held the napkin in the air to prove there wasn't any red to be seen.
Who would have thought, Beth Harrison, Susie's best friend and absent from the shower, was the town's fas.h.i.+on diva. When Maggie went to her five year cla.s.s reunion, she wore fake Louboutin shoes she bought on the city streets, and the red bottoms wore off by the end of the night. Beth made sure she pointed it out to everyone. Embarra.s.sed, Maggie never returned any of her high school friend's calls again. Not even from Mitch.
”Time to open gifts.” Belle yelled above the chatter. She handed Maggie the beautifully wrapped polka-dot present that Hazel had brought.
”Don't break the bow.” Aunt Jenna's eyebrows raised in antic.i.p.ation of becoming a Great Aunt and reminding Maggie about her family's superst.i.tious ways.
Being careful of the bow, Maggie opened the gift and pulled out a book. She stared at it a moment before reluctantly holding it over her head and whispered, ”A Single-Girl's Guide To Cooking.”
A gasp fell over the party.
Everyone knew the first gift opened was the first gift used. Or at least that's the superst.i.tion-now an omen.
”How could you?” Maggie stormed to the car in tears. She'd held them in long enough. Trying to eat a piece of cake that was shaped like a wedding bell, was d.a.m.n near impossible with the curse of the first present looming in her throat, like a lump of clay.
She had been embarra.s.sed enough. Luckily, Belle had offered to bring the presents back to the farm since she had more room in her car.
”Do you not cook in that big city?” Hazel asked, huffing and puffing on Maggie's heels.
”You know what I'm talking about.” Maggie could hardly see straight. Her blood was boiling. She had to keep her voice down because if she didn't, in a couple hours their fight will be all over Grandberry Falls, and somehow it would turn out to be Maggie's fault.
She slammed the door and jabbed her keys into the ignition. She stopped and watched Hazel ease herself into the pa.s.senger seat.
With pursed lips, Hazel placed her bag on the floor board next to her feet after she buckled her seat belt. Maggie sat in amazement as Hazel looked out the window unfazed at the stunt she pulled on Maggie today.
”Remember your rule? The golden rule?” Maggie reminded Hazel of the words she beat into Maggie's head. ”Do unto others? Remember that one? Why, Granny, why?”
”Maggie, dear, this has nothing to do with *the rule.'” Hazel said, leaning over to pat Maggie's hand. ”I want you to be happy. I'm afraid Grady isn't the one to make that happen.”
”You don't know my life. You have no idea what's in my heart. And Grady has a permanent residence there.” Maggie jerked her hand out from under Hazel's.
Tomorrow couldn't come quick enough, Maggie thought. If it wasn't so late, she'd drive back to New York City tonight.
With the pedal to the medal, Maggie drove Hazel straight home.
”Come on, I'll fix us a gla.s.s of tea.” Hazel opened the car door once they got back to the farm.
Tea. Maggie gripped the steering wheel.
Hazel thought everything could be fixed with tea. Every sc.r.a.p, bruise, heart break, tear, birthday was celebrated with tea. The sweet treat wasn't going to do it this time. She didn't care if it was Da Hong Po, one of the most expensive teas served in New York City.
”I think I'm going to get something a little stronger than tea.” Maggie muttered, and put the car in reverse knowing full well Hazel didn't approve of drinking.
Maggie didn't care. She was an adult and she was going to prove she could make her own decisions.
Chapter 5.
Superst.i.tion: Always take a drink after a toast.
The Thirsty Turtle wasn't Mitch's first choice for dinner, but it was his only choice for a beer. And one of the Turtle's greasy burgers sounded good. Besides, he didn't have anywhere to go and it was only a hop, skip and a jump to his office in case he had one too many.
He made sure Susie's first task as a.s.sistant was to get him a couch for his office. He was known to take a nap or two while working. Granted, she bought the most expensive couch, The Mole Hole carried.
”Stylish, Mitch.” Susie had to convince him to keep the plaid patterned high-back sofa from the new interior decorator, Liz Day.
”I won't be able to fit on it.” He got a great laugh out of her when he had lain on it and his knees dangled over the arm. He kept it anyway. And curling up on it sounded pretty good right about now.
”Welcome!” Tommy yelled over Free Falling playing on the box; one of the Thirsty Turtles favorite jukebox songs. Or at least it seemed to be playing every time Mitch came in.
Mitch nodded his head and took his place on one of the twenty stools bellied up to the bar.
”Wow, you look like h.e.l.l.” Tommy slammed the freezer door shut after he grabbed a frosty mug. He filled it up with the draft on tap and pulled it away in the nick-of-time. The foam grazed the rim. ”You need one of these.”
Mitch glanced up at one of the three televisions all hung on the wall, while taking a drink. He wiped the remaining froth from his lip with the palm of his hand.
”You have no idea.” His expression grew still and serious.
Mitch wasn't about to tell Tommy about seeing Maggie first thing this morning. He wasn't in the mood to hear any snide remarks about ”Miss goody two-shoes.”
He took a gulp of the beer. He wanted to forget all these crazy superst.i.tions Hazel Greenlee told him when he was a child. Unfortunately they were ingrained in his soul, just like Grandberry Falls was. Hazel was relying on her ”gut” to win the eminent domain case.
Running into Maggie first thing this morning didn't help matters. He thought he'd get to work early and not see a soul, especially her. He promised himself he'd stay far away from The Hair Pin or Hazel Greenlee's farm this weekend- to keep his distance from Maggie.
He took his finger and traced the wet ring on the bar top from the bottom of the mug.
”Yep.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. ”This is exactly what I needed.”