The next afternoon, Paige bided her time entertaining Ava and tidying Mom’s house while she waited for Mrs. Tappen to return from Bible study. Then, afterward, for Jed’s truck to leave her driveway.
“What’re you looking for?” Mom, newly awakened from her nap, stretched in the recliner.
Paige moved away from the living room window. “Nothing. Just...” She sighed and plopped onto the floor beside Ava to help her fit shapes through the sorting box Mrs. Tappen had given her. One of a handful of gifts dropped by since Paige had arrived.
The doorbell rang. Paige looked at her mom. “Expecting someone?”
Mom grinned and grabbed her purse from the floor beside her. “Probably the Carter twins selling cookies or popcorn or something.”
“You don’t have money for a bunch of overpriced junk food.”
“When it helps the neighbor girls with their fund-raising, I certainly do.”
Paige sighed and shook her head. She understood—and appreciated—her mother’s tender heart, but couldn’t ignore the growing stack of bills on the kitchen counter. Especially considering Paige no longer had the means to help.
She opened the door to find a handful of Trinity Faith women she vaguely remembered from her youth group days standing on the stoop. The tallest of the four held a basket shaped like a bassinet and filled with random toddler items.
Paige looked from one beaming face to the next. “Hello.”
“Paige!” A lady with short gray hair and thick purple glasses rushed forward and enveloped her in a hug. “So good to have you back in Sage Creek! How’ve you been? It feels I haven’t seen you in ages.”
So long, in fact, Paige couldn’t remember exactly how she knew the lady—other than from church.
“Why, I remember the first day you walked into my Sunday-school class, wide-eyed, wearing your hair pulled in those cute French braids you always used to wear it in.”
Mrs. Fowler? Her fourth-grade Sunday-school teacher?
The woman’s gaze shifted past Paige’s shoulder. Crease lines on Mrs. Fowler’s forehead replaced the crinkles around her eyes. “Marilyn, how are you?”
“Hanging in there.” Paige moved aside as her mom ushered everyone in.
Ava shuffled forward and tugged on Paige’s leg. She picked her up and situated her on her hip. The child was still in pajamas, which were decorated with juice stains and remnants from her breakfast, but at least her face and hands were jelly free.
“Like I said before, let us know how we can help.” Mrs. Fowler sat on the far end of the couch. “With meals, housecleaning...” Her gaze swept the cluttered room, and Paige’s face heated.
“We appreciate your thoughtfulness and concern.” She tossed Ava’s tattered blanket into her diaper bag. “But I’ve got everything managed for now.”
“Oh, I’m sure you do, dear.” The lady with the bassinet squeezed Paige’s free hand. “But we want to help, don’t we, ladies?
“Absolutely.” Mrs. Fowler nodded so emphatically, her short bangs bounced against her forehead. “We always got to look out for own.”
“I love that about you ladies.” Mom sat in her recliner and tucked an afghan around her legs. “What’s in the basket?”
“This is for Paige.” Mrs. Fowler’s friend handed it over with a grin. “Some diapers...” She eyed Ava. “Though it looks like she’s a might too grown for that, aren’t you, little one? Lotion, shampoo, what have you, and cocoa and a magazine for her mama. Oh, and a gift card. We know how expensive kiddos can be.”
“You shouldn’t have.” She’d never enjoyed receiving charity, no matter how well-intentioned. It made her feel incapable. Less than. She’d felt that enough growing up, when her dad had left her mom with a mortgage and enough debt to swallow her every dime for decades to come. The church had overwhelmed them with gifts, baked goods and other food items, which had carried them through a really tough time.
But it’d also led to snarky comments from her classmates, once the popular girls got wind of it all.
As an adult, Paige had vowed never to put herself in a position of dependency again. Yet here she was.
“We do this for all Sage Creek mamas.” Mrs. Fowler rummaged through her purse, and then pulled out and applied what looked to be lip balm. “We’re just a bit late with your welcome-to-the-world basket, is all.”
“Through no fault of your own.” Mom took a slow sip of tea. “Your kind gesture is much appreciated, isn’t it, Paige?”
“Absolutely.” She wasn’t sure whether to feel touched or embarrassed. Nor did she quite know how to respond. But thankfully her social awkwardness was soon swallowed up in small talk about everything from how the Owens’ ranch was getting along—apparently they were transforming the place into a bed-and-breakfast—to plans for the next community bake sale.
By the time they left, Paige had begun to remember some of the things she loved about living in a small town. Not enough to entice her to stay, mind you. But she was grateful Mom had developed such caring relationships.
She cradled a very sleepy Ava in her arms. “Seems someone’s past due for her nap. I’ll be back.” She headed toward the bedroom.
“Let me do that.” Mom hurried after her. “Grandma could use some Ava snuggles.”
Spending time with her granddaughter certainly did seem to cheer her. “If you’re sure...” Paige handed Ava over.
Mom nodded. “Absolutely. I’ve got to snatch every moment with this sweet girl while I can.” And with a contented smile that Paige was beginning to see more and more often, Mom disappeared into the guest bedroom with Ava.
The door clicked shut, and Paige glanced out the window once again. Jed was still gone. She tamped down the unexpected burst of disappointment and reminded herself of all of the reasons she couldn’t and wouldn’t become emotionally entangled with that man. And as long as she kept their encounters brief, she could manage to avoid that very thing.
In the meantime, she planned to pop over and spend some time with that sweet grandmother of his.
She grabbed her purse and hurried across the narrow stretch of grass separating Mom’s house from Mrs. Tappen’s.
Standing on a sunflower welcome mat, Paige rang the doorbell.
Mrs. Tappen answered, wearing a yellow dress patterned with flowers, and her long gray hair was tied in its usual braid. “Paige, dear, come in!” Her eyes lit up, and she wrapped Paige in a tight hug. “Let me guess, your sweet tooth brought you over.”
Paige laughed. “Something like that.”
“It just so happens I got me a mound of dough rising in the kitchen. Was just about to take my roller to it.” She led the way past the formal dining room with its pink curtains, floral wingback chairs and old family portraits, to her kitchen. “Where’s that little one of yours?” Roasting beef and garlic filled the air, and old-time country music played on a small radio standing on the tile counter.
“Napping with her grandmother.”
“How precious.” She held a hand to her chest, then straightened and glanced about. “Soon as you wash up, I’ll put you to work.” She motioned to the sink.
Paige smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Want some cocoa?” She placed a cast-iron pot on the stove. “I could whip some up right quick with marshmallows, just like you like it.”
“I’d hate to be a bother.” She lathered her hands, breathing in the lilac scented soap.
“Pshaw. I’d be happy to do it.” Mrs. Tappen turned on the heat and then went to the fridge. Her movements seemed slower than Paige remembered; her back was more hunched. A reminder that she might not be around for much longer.
Though her reasons for returning to Sage Creek still stung, she was beginning to count her blessings. Like spending time with Mrs. Tappen while the woman still had life to live.
Paige swallowed past a lump in her throat and dried her hands on a crocheted hand towel beside the sink. “So, what can I do?”
“Rolling pin’s in that drawer.” Mrs. Tappen pointed. “Table’s clean. Make sure to cover it with plenty of flour. Don’t neither of us want to be scraping goo off it all evening.” She propped a hand on her hip. “You and your mama coming for supper tonight? Got plenty of pot roast and red potatoes to spare.”
“I’m not sure.” She carried the bag of flour to the table and sprinkled a generous amount on the surface. “Mom’s not feeling so hot.”
Mrs. Tappen faced her and crossed her arms. “That’s not the why-not, and you know it.”
Paige looked away. She grabbed the sweet dough and began to press it flat.
Footsteps shuffled closer, and a gentle hand landed on her arm. “Have you thought about why you’re here? Not just in my kitchen, but back in Sage Creek. At your mama’s.”
Because she lost her job and couldn’t afford to support herself? In truth, she knew that wasn’t the answer Mrs. Tappen was poking at.
“Look at me, child.” She turned Paige toward her and searched her eyes. “What if you’re here to heal once and for all? To break free from all that pain and bitterness you keep locked inside.”
A tear trickled down her cheek, and Mrs. Tappen thumbed it away. “If you want to move forward, you’re going to have to let go of the past.”
Paige sniffed as more tears fell.
The front door clicked open, and she stiffened, swiping at her damp cheeks with floury hands. Probably smearing mascara everywhere.
“Near searched the entire store—couldn’t find any fresh basil.” Jed’s footfalls drew closer. “Got everything else...” His voice trailed. Then stalled. “Paige.”
She cast a quick glance over her shoulder, enough to acknowledge him without allowing him time to notice that she’d been crying. “Hey.”
“You staying for supper?”
“I invited her.” Mrs. Tappen wrapped an arm around her waist. “She wants to check with her mama first.”
“Makes sense.”
She could feel him watching her, and then he was at her side, sitting at the breakfast bar. His citrus cologne invaded her senses, and his patient presence tugged at the walls she’d so carefully erected around her heart.
Being around Jed was harder than she’d anticipated.
The last time she’d followed her heart and allowed a man in, she’d ended up emotionally and financially broken.
Her ex-husband had left her in near the exact state her dad had left her mom.
And after all of the times back in high school, while listening to her mom cry herself to sleep, Paige had vowed her life and marriage would be different.
Seemed she’d broken a lot of promises to herself.