“We’ll make a place for it on the sideboard next to Mercy’s pies,” Hope said.
Duke did as she asked, and then plucked the card from within the bouquet and handed it to Cathy.
“Here you go, honey.”
“I can’t begin to imagine who these would be from,” she said as she opened the little envelope and then pulled out the card. She scanned it, then gasped.
“Oh, my lord!”
“What?” Duke asked.
“Listen to this,” she said, and read it aloud.
Cathy, we have only good memories of your kindness during our business dinners, and wish to express our sincere apologies for your suffering. You have our word that you will not be bothered again. Happy Thanksgiving.
“But who’s it from?” Duke asked.
Cathy looked up, her eyes wide with shock. “This would be Blaine’s business partners. I’m thinking they delivered an ultimatum he will not be able to ignore.”
Duke whooped with delight, then swung her off her feet and turned her in a little circle.
“This is fantastic! Your instincts to confront the PI were on target, and look what came of it,” he said. “Your running days are over.”
Cathy was in tears, but they were happy tears.
“I didn’t think this day would ever come,” she said.
Hope clapped her hands. “Best news ever!” she cried. “Now let’s go have breakfast! We have lots to celebrate.”
The turkey had been in the oven since 5:00 a.m., but breakfast was simple bowls of cold cereal. It had been Duke and Jack’s tradition that all of the cooking on holidays was devoted to the dinner being served, and Hope had gone along with it years ago when she first joined the family. Now Cathy was part of the tradition, eating cornflakes with the rest of them, while the wonderful aroma of roasting turkey filled the room.
* * *
Lon and Mercy arrived just after eleven. Mercy came in wearing black pants and a loose turquoise shirt that accentuated her height and beauty. As always, she was the epitome of elegance. She was laughing as she entered, carrying a pie in each hand and teasing Lon about putting his thumb in the pecan pie on purpose.
The pies went on the sideboard next to the ornate bouquet. Once they heard the story about why it had come and who it was from, Lon was secretly relieved.
It had occurred to him that more trouble might follow Cathy, and he was ready to protect her and Blessings in any way necessary, but this seemed to signify she would not be bothered by her ex again.
“Hey! There are still more to bring in,” Mercy said, and sent the men back for the second load.
Two more pies were added to the sideboard, along with a big container of homemade rolls.
Mercy gave her sister a hug, then patted Hope’s little tummy.
“Baby’s first Thanksgiving, and he doesn’t even know it,” she said.
Hope grinned. “We don’t know whether it’s a boy or a girl,” she said.
“If it’s a Talbot, it’s bound to be a boy,” Mercy said, and then smiled at Cathy. “I’m so glad you’re here to have dinner with us today.”
“So am I,” Cathy said. “I keep pinching myself to see if I’m dreaming. This is the nicest town, with the nicest people I have ever known in my life.”
“And I am the nicest of all,” Duke said, and kissed her on the cheek as he walked past with a stack of dessert plates for the sideboard.
Cathy blushed but she was grinning, while everyone else laughed, mostly at Duke for just being himself.
* * *
People all over Blessings were gathering around their tables with their family and guests.
Big Tom Rankin got to go home the day before Thanksgiving. He had a lot of healing ahead of him, and Ethel had rescinded her vow not to move in with them and was in their spare bedroom next to Tom, to nurse him back to health.
Albert was so grateful his daddy was still alive that he didn’t mind the fact that Ethel was in the house. He went into Blessings and got Thanksgiving dinner from Granny’s and brought it home for them to eat.
Dan and Alice Amos had their little family, plus their neighbor, Elliot Graham. After they’d weathered the hurricane together, Elliot had become a fixture in their family.
As always, Lovey Cooper was serving Thanksgiving dinner at Granny’s, and for the first time, she had family of her own to share it with. Her son, Sully Raines, and his wife, Melissa, were