I Don't Believe in Happily Ever After - Part Five by L. A. Keller
“I gave up on happily
ever after. Maybe I'm not cut out for a relationship. Maybe, I just don't like
being committed to one person for longer than two weeks.”
Part Five
“I thought I’d hang around and wait for the owner to sell me
some of those delicious greens,” she said with a chuckle.
Wyatt let his eyes roam over her from head to toes and back
again. “I supposed it isn’t necessary to say you look different.”
“A lot has changed since I’ve seen you.” She nodded in
Charlotte’s direction. “It seems like you’ve had a few changes as well.”
“Charlotte, this is Daddy’s best friend, Clare. I knew her
when I was a boy younger than you are now.”
Charlotte considered this for moment and then held out a
chocolate smeared hand.
Clare hesitated before accepting a delicate handshake. “Nice
to meet you Charlotte.”
“Are you mommy’s friend too?”
“No, she never met mommy,” Wyatt responded quickly. “Now go
wash your hands. We’ve taken up enough of Mae’s time and made a mess of her
kitchen in record time.”
“Nonsense, there’s nothing that warms my heart more than
seeing someone enjoy my baking.”
“All the same, we only stopped by to show you the dress.
Charlotte and I both have chores to get done at home.”
Mae took a pot out of the refrigerator. “I made up some
extra chicken and dumplings for you to take home. All you need to do is put
these on the stove for a bit to heat through.
I know your momma has her hands full caring for your daddy and they both
need some extra nourishment.”
“That’s very kind of you Mae. You don’t have to cook for us.
I know it’s hard to believe but I learned a few things and I can follow a
recipe.”
“Considering all you do around here, it’s the least I can
do. Besides I was cooking for us and it’s easy to throw in a few more pieces of
chicken and add extra dumplings.”
“Thank you. Momma was planning to make up something special
for Charlotte tonight but somedays it’s more than she can manage.”
“Not to mention you love my dumplings even better than your
momma’s, but that can stay our little secret.” Mae laughed and handed the pot
to Wyatt. “Make sure to bring this
little angel by while Clare is here so they can get to know each other.”
“How long do you plan to visit?” Wyatt asked.
“I’m not sure. Granny and I have a lot of catching up to do
based on what I can see around here.”
Clare thought she saw Wyatt’s chest puff out slightly.
“The old place is shaping up and Mae’s green thumb brings
people back time after time.”
Clare bit her lip to avoid saying what was on her mind. She
wondered if it was wrong to be angry about the farm actually bringing in money.
It would be all that much harder to get Mae to sell. She wanted her grandmother
to be happy and safe. This rambling patch of grass and weeds could be converted
into a subdivision and Mae would be set for the rest of her years.
“Granny, I hope Wyatt isn’t working you too hard. This, er,
business, will require hours of effort to get off the ground.” Clare directed
her gaze from her grandmother to Wyatt. “I think my grandmother should be
enjoying her golden years and not working from dawn to dusk.”
“Nonsense. This is exactly what I need to be doing. I’ve
always kept busy taking care of others but this farm is where my heart is. Your
granddad and I lived here for sixty years. I raised your momma here. What would
my life be without this little plot of land?”
“Now that Gramps is gone, I hoped you would consider moving
in with me in the city. We have so little time together.”
Mae didn’t respond, instead she stood and took Clare’s hand.
“I think it’s time you and I had a long
talk.”
Happy Trails,
Leslie
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