turkey was taking center stage where the real bird should be placed after being carved. Candy was trussed up in an apron with a giant turkey face on it, and in lieu of ruffles, there were fabric turkey feathers for the trim.
Cora caught her sister Amelia’s eye across the room, but quickly looked away. They had a way of sharing their deepest, innermost thoughts with the slightest widening of the eye, and all it took was one glance before the giggles caught on, and trying as Candy could be, the last thing Cora wanted to do was hurt the woman’s feelings. She had clearly put a lot of thought into the day, even if she did seem to think she was hosting a group of school age children, rather than four young women in their twenties and thirties. And besides, Cora was feeling generous.
“I bet Keira will love this,” Cora offered. “What time are Britt and Robbie coming?”
Amelia answered, “The Bradfords eat earlier in the day, so they should be here soon. Britt said they were stopping by the orchard for another bottle of wine.”
“Don’t we have plenty here?” Their eldest sister now managed the family orchard and winery, and it wasn’t like her to be anything less than punctual. But then, reuniting with her high school sweetheart and his adorable little girl had done wonders for her mood these days. As had coming back to town.
It was their first Thanksgiving all together in over a decade.
Well, almost all together, Cora thought, letting her eyes drift to the chair nearest the kitchen where their mother always sat.
She swallowed back that thought before her heart grew too heavy to enjoy the day, and said to Amelia, “Did Matt join them? You didn’t want to go?”
Like Britt, Amelia had recently found love again, with Robbie’s cousin. One by one, things were changing, and the table was growing. Cora couldn’t help but wonder if this time next year she might have a reason to have an extra chair pulled up to the table.
Amelia shook her head. “I promised Candy I’d help cook for today.” She gave Cora a knowing look. “Well, more like I promised Aunt Miriam.”
Cora laughed. “I’m sure she’s grateful.”
Amelia was the best cook in town if anyone were to ask Cora, and she was certain that the devoted patrons of the Firefly Café would agree.
Candy on the other hand…Well, finger foods were more her specialty.
“Thanks for bringing the casserole. It was one less thing for me to do,” Amelia added.
“I assume Maddie is bringing the pies?” She didn’t need to ask, but with Candy, anything was possible.
“Apple and pumpkin!” Maddie cried out as she burst into the room, her cheeks rosy from the cold, her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. Her boyfriend, Cole McCarthy, closed the door and locked it, before remembering where he was and unlocking it. The Conway residence was always open to any newcomer.
Even Candy, Cora reminded herself.
“The snow is really coming down out there,” Cole observed, wiping his shoes on the mat.
Cora smiled at him. She knew that this holiday must be even more difficult for him than it was for her or her sisters. Sure, it was their first holiday with their father’s girlfriend, but this was Cole’s first holiday without his mother, who had passed away at the start of the month. She was happy to be able to welcome him into their home, to give him some distraction and companionship, however untraditional the night was shaping up to be. It was one of the things that she loved most about holidays, though Christmas in particular. It was the opportunity to welcome new faces, or reunite with old ones, on a single night where bygones could be bygones, and everything was merry and happy and full of hope.
And hope she had, she thought with a little smile. Tomorrow morning that handsome stranger just might come into her store, and this time, she’d be ready.
As with all holidays in the Conway home, there was a flourish of activity as everyone arrived and they prepared the table, careful not to upset any of Candy’s homemade decorations. Even cousin Gabby, who owned the flower shop in town, set her stunning red and orange arrangement on the buffet so it wouldn’t upstage Candy’s efforts. Chairs were pulled back, and room was made for others to slide in, and among all the happy chaos that reminded Cora why she loved being part of a big family, her father