past and the present. Michael told me a little of your first husband. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Ma covered her mouth. “No…”
“Oh, fuck,” I whispered.
“I can understand how this looks,” Wendy said.
“Wait,” Michael said. “You thought I was cheating on you? Me? You thought… me?”
“I’m so sorry,” Theresa said.
“Theresa, I’m in love with you,” Michael said.
I gasped and grabbed for Olivia’s hand.
“I wanted to give you this and tell you that I love you,” he said. “It’s a necklace with our special date on it. A memory for us to have forever. On the back, I had Wendy design it for Hank. With your special date with him. I figured the back would be closest to your heart, like he always will be. And the front can point at me, letting you know I’m here now. I’m the present. I love you. But I will always respect your past.”
“I’m going to pass out,” I said. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen or heard in my life.”
Olivia started to blubber.
We hugged each other; two pregnant women full of emotion.
It was also the first time we both realized it was getting harder to hug because of our stomachs.
So we cried even harder.
“Wendy, I have to apologize to you,” Ma said.
“Don’t,” she said. “Enjoy your necklace. I’m going to get out of here though. I actually have a date. Not with Michael.”
Wendy crossed the street and Michael gave Ma the necklace.
“How much do you hate me?” Ma asked.
“Not at all. I think we’ve both been touchy lately. I wanted this necklace to be perfect. I was afraid if I told you how I felt and gave you this, you’d get spooked.”
“I got spooked before you gave it to me.”
“I’m going to just assume you wanting to kill me means you love me too.”
Ma nodded. “I do love you, Michael. And you were right. All these pregnancy hormones in the air are rubbing off on me.”
Ma and Michael laughed.
Olivia and I kept crying.
Together at the same time, we waved our middle fingers at Ma and Michael.
Olivia and I sat in the backseat of the car.
Ma refused to have me or her in the front seat.
In the backseat, Olivia and I finished off all the chocolates and sweets in the cooler bag Ma had packed.
I was the first to be dropped off.
Back at the inn.
When Ma stopped the car, I looked at the inn and shook my head.
“You’ll have your house soon enough,” Olivia said.
“Yes I will,” I said. I looked at Ma. “Well, tonight was fun.”
“If he doesn’t leave in the middle of the night…”
“He’s not going anywhere,” I said. “He loves you. That necklace is… wow.”
“I’m not going to lie,” Ma said. “I can’t wait to get home to him and do the counter trick again.”
“Remind me to never touch your counters, Theresa,” Olivia said.
Ma and I laughed, then I got out of the car.
I was looking forward to a calm and quiet night.
That evaporated the second I opened the door.
I heard guitars.
One nice sounding guitar.
One sloppy guitar.
Then I saw Silas.
Sitting on the top of the couch.
With an old man sitting on the edge of the coffee table.
“I can’t move my goddamn fingers,” the old man said.
“Takes practice,” Silas said. “And if you’re trying to impress a woman, you better know how to use your fingers anyway.”
The old man nodded at me.
They both looked my way, Silas grinning ear to ear.
All I could think was…
What the hell is happening in this town?
Chapter Twenty-Six
SILAS
“Take good care of our girl,” Edith said as she slid the bag of food across the counter at me.
“Believe me, I am,” I said. “This helps a lot too.”
“Good. Make sure she eats as much as she wants.”
“She made a hint about breakfast in bed last night…”
“That’s sweet of you, Silas. I’m glad you’re here and figuring out how to settle. These gestures are more than you’ll ever know.”
I nodded. “I appreciate your support, Edith. Even before. When things weren’t so great.”
“My last name became Justa through marriage. I had to find my way around here too. You’ll do the same.”
I took the delicious smelling breakfast food back to the inn.
By then, Mila was already awake.
When I heard noise in the bathroom, my heart sank a little.
“Mila,” I said. “I’m back.”
The door opened. “Where the hell… is that from the restaurant?”
“Yeah,” I said. “You wanted breakfast in bed.”
“Silas.”
“I kind of assumed you were going to wake up and feel okay.”
“I feel great,” she said. “Here. Wait.” Mila hurried