A Walk Down Memory Lane
So much has happened over the past few years. One thing is certain, everyone has grown older. Grandmother Lilly and Auntie Patty, despite being in their eighties, kept sisters Annie and Mary constantly on their feet, trying to figure out their moves in advance. But that’s what was so enchanting about them. They were youthful, fun to be around, engaging, and always feisty. Maybe that was their secret to longevity.
As thankful as Annie and Mary were to have both Grandmother and Auntie in their corner, they were just as happy to have married into the Powell family where there was no shortage of fun and quirky relatives, too. Milly and Robert were the head of the Powell family, and Annie often said Jack was a wonderful blend of his two parents. Annie wasn’t sure about Mary and Jack’s cousin, Danny, being a “thing,” but it turned out all right. Grandmother and Auntie loved to banter with Jack’s grandparents on both sides. It was nice to have some “seasoned” adults in the room, Grandmother would remind everyone from time to time. And so it seems, no matter what has been thrown at them, be it fires, hurricanes, or health issues, this family stuck together.
The homestead, Sweet Magnolia, shortened to Magnolia, became the gathering place for almost every holiday and celebration. Lady Powell, Jack’s beloved motorboat, named by Annie while they were dating, still brought them hours of enjoyment out on the intercoastal waterways. Even Grandmother and Auntie enjoyed boat rides.
When Vicky and Scott moved in on the island and became their neighbors, Annie and Jack didn’t feel quite so isolated any longer, and now that Grandmother and Auntie were settled in the cottage near the main house, Annie could sleep better at night.
And even though they didn’t do half as much as they wanted to, getting together with friends and family was what brought them the most happiness. Annie’s old college buddies and friends before Jack: Vicky, Cassie, and Jessica, along with their spouses, Scott, Ryan, and Tom, all had families of their own. Everyone rejoiced when Rebecca, one of Annie’s first hires at the bakery, now married to Annie’s old flame and friend, Dr. Michael Carlisle, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Kathryn. But when the news came that Vicky and Scott, who were not able to conceive, adopted a little African American girl, and later a boy from Korea, the circle comprised of friends and family were elated for the Collins’. The circle now felt complete. These friends and their significant others were like family to the Powells and McPhersons, and all of the members wouldn’t have it any other way.
Annie, realizing a day would come when the circle would be tested with the passing of their elderly family members, knew that the only way to get through anything remotely like that would be to fall back on their cherished memories. She found comfort in knowing that someday, when Ashton and Carolina were ready, they’d dig up the time capsule Annie and Jack buried under the old magnolia tree, the one that stands so stately to this day, and perhaps, make some memories of their own.