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Life had gone on, Jenna thought. Toward the end of the week, Beth and Marshall would fly to California to spend a long weekend with Tom. Plans for expanding the store were
well underway, and Jenna had already found a great chef to handle their new lunchtime service. Which was great, because she needed every spare moment to develop recipes for her new cookbook.

Dragon and Violet had started dating. They were both going slow, probably smart under the circumstances, but Jenna had a feeling they were going to make it.

Jenna and Ellington were also getting serious. She'd met his mother and mother-in-law and had apparently passed their inspection because she was now going to meet Isaiah.

Seven months ago, she'd felt broken. She would have said her life was a failure. Now everything was different. Not just her circumstances, but who she was on the inside.

The doorbell rang. Jenna jumped then hurried to open it.

Ellington stood on the wide covered porch, a small boy at his side. The child had dark hair and blue eyes, along with an open and engaging smile.

“Are you Jenna?” he asked eagerly. “I made you a picture.”

He handed over a sheet of paper with a stick figure grouping of a man, a woman with red hair and a child at what looked like a picnic.

Jenna took it and smiled. “Wow. That's amazing. Is the lady with the red hair me?”

Isaiah nodded. “Daddy said you were real pretty. I'm not that good an artist, but I did my best.”

“You did a great job. Come on in.”

They stepped inside.

Beth introduced herself to Isaiah, then they all went out back and met the rest of the group. Isaiah gasped when he saw the big pool.

“Dad said we were going swimming, but I didn't know it would be this good.” He walked up to Jenna and grinned. “Will you swim with me?”

“I would love to.”

“Hey,” Ellington said in mock annoyance. “That's
my
girl.”

Isaiah giggled. “Daddy, you know you're always telling me to share. You have to share, too.”

Everyone laughed.

Marshall took Isaiah aside and showed him how to make a fancy drink with grape juice, sparkling water and chunks of fresh fruit on a stick. Their neighbors, the Thomases, arrived, bringing Millie, their Golden Lab. Boy and dog bonded instantly and began chasing each other around the yard.

Jenna and Beth went into the kitchen to finish up the prep work.

Through the big windows, Jenna could see everyone having a great time. Dragon sat next to Violet, their hands entwined. Happiness radiated from both of them, which made Jenna feel all bubbly inside. Her dad was showing Isaiah how to throw the Frisbee to Millie. Ellington was in deep conversation with the Thomases, no doubt hearing about Mrs. Thomas's latest ache or pain.

“I've been thinking about my birthday,” Beth said, leaning against the counter. “I know what I want.”

“What?”

She smiled. “I want us to get matching butterfly tattoos. For Serenity.”

Jenna laughed. “She would like that.”

“I'm not telling your father,” Beth admitted. “It's going to be a surprise.”

“I'm not sure what he'll think.”

Beth grinned. “That's half the fun.”

Jenna felt a whisper of something against her arm. As if someone had touched her lightly. Affectionately. There was
no one else in the room, but she knew who the touch had come from.

Love, it seemed, knew no barriers of space and time.

“I love you, Mom,” Jenna whispered, speaking to both of the women who were responsible for her being here today. “Look.”

Beth glanced to where Jenna pointed. A brightly colored butterfly fluttered next to the kitchen window, brushed against the glass, then flew away.

Book Club Guide

Suggested Menu:

Drink:

Margaritas

Appetizers:

Jalapeno Poppers

Meal:

Jenna's Mocha Chili (recipe follows)

Dessert:

Apricot Fluff

Jenna's Mocha Chili

1 onion, chopped

1 lb. hamburger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 15-oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes, undrained

2 15-oz cans of dark red kidney beans, undrained

2 T chili powder

1 t instant coffee granules

1 t cocoa powder

For mild chili: 1 green bell pepper, diced
For medium chili: 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, chopped
For hot chili: 2-3 jalapeno peppers with seeds, chopped

Brown the hamburger in a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring frequently. Add onion and garlic and sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Drain off the grease. Mix all ingredients together. Simmer for 1 hour on the stovetop or put into a slow cooker on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. To make this a vegetarian meal in honor of Serenity, omit the hamburger, sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil, and add 2 more cans of beans. You can use more kidney beans if you'd like, or you can use black beans or pinto beans for some variety.

Serve plain or top with onions, cheese, sour cream and/or avocado.

For more free recipes, join the Members Only area at www.susanmallery.com!

1. What are the major themes of this story? How does the title support these themes? Explain your thoughts.
   
2. Susan Mallery has often been praised for writing stories that pull at readers' emotions. Looking back on the story, discuss the moments that were the most emotional for you. What moments made you cry? What moments made you laugh?
   
3. What were the turning points? How and when did the characters change and grow? Who changed the most? Explain.
   
4. Which mother—Beth or Serenity—did you relate to the most, and why? Which father was the most like your father or husband, and why?
   
5. Discuss the ways the women in this story were different, and then talk about the traits they had in common.
   
6. Why do you think Serenity and Tom waited so long to find Jenna? Did they do the right thing? Why or why not? How should they have handled things differently? Under what circumstances do you think Jenna might have looked for her birth parents, if they hadn't come looking for her?
   
7. Discuss the turning points in Violet's subplot. How did this subplot support the major themes of the story? If you were Violet, how would you have reacted when Cliff
   was rude to Jenna and Ellington? Have you ever missed warning signs in your own life?
   
8. Do you think things will work out between Jenna and Ellington? Violet and Dragon? Why or why not?
   
9. If you had to reinvent yourself the way Jenna did after her divorce, what would you do?
   
10. Under what circumstances could you see yourself giving up a child for adoption?
    
11. Do you believe that some people really are more in tune with the universe? Have you ever followed your intuition, your gut, even when logic said you shouldn't? What happened? How did the situation turn out? Were you right to listen to your gut, or should you have stuck with logic?
    
12. Beth struggled with weight all her life, but Jenna and Marshall thought she was beautiful as she was. Why do you think so many women feel dissatisfied with their bodies?
    
13. How will having known Serenity impact Jenna throughout her life? How has Jenna changed because Serenity entered her life? What do you think Jenna's life might've been like if she had been raised by her birth parents?