they meant well, they couldn’t really understand. But everyone in the group knew what it was like. A few of them have become good friends. It helps to talk to people that have been through it.”
“Maybe I’ll check it out. Can’t hurt, I suppose.”
The rest of Mia’s day was busy, and she didn’t give the bereavement group another thought until late afternoon. It had been a long day. Bethany was turning out to be a potential Bridezilla, and Mia was exhausted by the time she finished with her and headed home. Bethany had agonized over every tiny decision and kept adding demands to her list of must-haves.
Mia thought she was kidding when she asked for a live zebra to roam the reception because she thought it would look really cool and she’d seen it on a reality show. Mia gently reminded her, because she’d seen the same episode, that the show was set in Hollywood and the likelihood of having zebras available in Massachusetts that could also travel to Nantucket was unlikely. Bethany pouted but agreed to settle for goat yoga at her brunch the day after her bachelorette party.
Mia was on her way home and was planning to just heat up some soup for dinner, take Penny for a walk and have an early night, when the song Marry Me by Train came on the car radio and she felt the sharpest pain she’d felt in a very long time. That had been the song they were going to dance to at their wedding. It made her heart ache listening to it, but she couldn’t change the channel.
By the time she reached the inn, the song was long over, but her eyes were still damp, and she knew her nose was red. She parked the car, grabbed her cell phone and her purse, and a scrap of paper fell out of it. She picked it up and sighed. It was the address that Kate had given her for the bereavement group. It felt like a sign. It was Wednesday, and the group met Wednesday nights at six at Janie’s Yoga Studio, which was just off Main Street. If Mia hurried, she would just about have time to walk Penny, have a little soup and head to the meeting.
At a few minutes past five thirty, Mia set out to go to the bereavement group meeting. She wanted to get there early to introduce herself and make sure it was okay for her to join them. She really didn’t know what to expect.
When she reached the yoga studio, there were a few cars in the parking lot and when she opened the door, she could see that the room was set up for a meeting. A circle of a dozen chairs was in the middle of the room, and on a side table there was a platter of cookies and brownies, and a thermos of coffee. A tall, slender woman with shoulder length, slightly graying brown hair stood chatting by the coffee table. She smiled when she saw Mia walk in and went to welcome her.
“Are you here for the bereavement group?” Her voice was warm and kind, and Mia relaxed a bit. She had tensed up when she first walked in.
“Yes, it’s my first time.”
“Well, welcome. I’m Janie Paul, the owner of the yoga studio. I’m also a retired social worker. I started this group when a friend’s husband passed a few years back and have kept it going.”
“I’m Mia Maxwell.”
“I’m glad you joined us, Mia. There’s coffee and some cookies and brownies if you’d like to grab a snack. We’ll get started in a few more minutes.”
“Thank you.” Mia made her way to the side table and helped herself to a brownie. She nibbled it while she looked around the room. A few more people came in and stopped to chat with Janie. She noticed there was a mix of ages, from late twenties to seventies. She wondered if Kate’s friend Sam was coming.
She finished her brownie just as Janie called for everyone to be seated.
“Grab a seat everyone, wherever you like.”
Mia sat next to a woman who looked to be in her early fifties. She smiled and introduced herself. “I’m Barbara. Is this your first time here?”
Mia nodded. “Yes. I’m Mia.”
“It’s a good group, Mia. I hope you like it.”
The only empty seat was next to Mia, but then the front door opened, and a man came rushing in and apologized quickly before taking it. “I’m so sorry.