Cadence of Cranberries - Valerie Comer Page 0,14
baby girl’s eyes, and Charlie planned to be around to pick up the pieces. No one could be as perfect as Katri thought. Sure, couples could work through problems and be stronger on the other side. Not that he had experience with that aspect.
“When things get hard, talk to him. Don’t let it build up until it’s too much to handle.”
Katri glanced up at him with wise eyes. “Speaking about Mom here?”
“Could be.”
“You guys didn’t have the Lord. That makes all the difference.”
“I’d like to agree with you. But the truth is, I’ve seen plenty of church couples break up in the past few years since I became a Christian, and I’ve seen couples with no faith in the Lord stick together through crazy difficult times.”
Katri pursed her lips as they reached the top and turned down the sidewalk toward the Santoros’ house. “That’s true. You’re right that communication is key. That and praying together.” She looked up at him. “I love you, Daddy.”
Charlie’s heart swelled. He’d done so many things wrong in his baby girl’s twenty-three years. So. Many. And yet, here they were. He’d been privileged to share this moment with her and her new fiancé. And the young man’s mother.
He looked up as Winnie, laughing with Landon and Dominic, entered her house. They were a strong family, and that inspired hope for Katri’s future.
“Dominic is planning on taking his residency here in Spokane?”
“Yes! It seems like a great place. I’ll be able to get a nursing job no problem.”
Charlie heart skipped a beat, but he couldn’t resist teasing her. “I hear we get real winter here.”
“God made seasons. And sunshine on snow sounds like an improvement over gloomy gray days like on the coast.”
He chuckled. An answer for everything, his girl. He paused on the stoop, admiring the fall wreath on the wall. Even the wooden bench below it held several pumpkins and other fall decor. Everything Winnie touched seemed to be full of quiet elegance.
Yeah, Katri was right. Spokane seemed like a really great place. With Katri moving here next spring or summer, he was in no hurry to test out a southward move.
Michael and Gabriella loaded the dishwasher while Brittany whipped cream. Landon set eight dessert plates on the island as soon as one side was clear. “What kind of pie, Mom?”
“We’ve got one pumpkin and two cranberry-apple. Want to see who wants what?” She’d left the fruit pies in the warm oven while they were out, and they smelled amazing.
“You made pumpkin?” asked Michael. “What for? I want three pieces of the cran-apple.”
Landon took a swipe at his little brother’s head. “No one offered you seconds, Pipsqueak, let alone thirds.”
“There’s lots. Mom cut them in eight pieces. There are three pies and eight people. Ergo, each of us gets three.”
“Ergo?” Gabriella looked over. “That’s a million-dollar word for a—”
Her voice broke off when she caught her mother’s look. She shrugged and slotted a platter into the lower rack.
Landon strode into the living room.
Winnie turned her back so she wouldn’t have to see Charlie, who seemed to have situated himself in the best seat for viewing into the kitchen. It had been Al’s favorite chair for that reason.
Maybe she should get all new furniture... but that was an unnecessary expense. This set was five years old with only minor stains.
“Two pumpkin, one cran-apple,” Landon announced upon his return. “Which explains the pumpkin pie, Squeak. We have guests who aren’t attuned to our Santoro delicacies.”
“Kuyper,” corrected Brittany. “All the cranberry recipes come from Mom’s side of the family.”
“In that case, may I change my order?”
Winnie turned to see Charlie leaning against the archway. “I... sure. Or, why not have a slice of each?”
“You could talk me into that.” He grinned. “Family cranberry recipes, huh?”
Brittany chuckled. “Our Kuyper grandparents had a cranberry farm near Grayland. If anyone has ever made it out of cranberries, we probably have the recipe. Mom has a section in her recipe file for cranberries. You know, right there after cookies and cakes.”
Way to make her sound obsessive. Although Brittany wasn’t wrong. “Family traditions. My parents sold out a few years ago and retired to Florida, so the era has ended.”
“But the recipes haven’t. Mom keeps trying new ones, even though she has to buy berries at the store now.”
“Enough.” Winnie laughed and held up her hands. “Yes, cranberries are a thing in this household, and you’re welcome to try the pie that you can tell my kids love. But you don’t have