Sisterhood Of Lake Alice (24 page)

*

The evening at Rebecca’s house went better than either Rebecca or Lindy had expected. After a delicious dinner, Rebecca and Lindy insisted on doing the dishes while Monica got to rest in her new leather recliner and read the newspaper. When they walked into the tiny living room, they found Monica sitting in her favorite chair simply staring out the window. Before they could say anything, Monica spoke. “Girls, I know something is up. I need to know what is going on. Rebecca, ever since you came home, it seems as though you are always trying to avoid me. I know it is not polite to talk in front of company, but I just cannot take the stress of not knowing any longer. Anyway, Lindy has always been just like family. So please, I beg of you, tell me what is the matter.”

Rebecca sat on the armrest of her mother’s chair as she told her that she was sorry for causing her any stress. She had thought that she had been hiding her anxious feelings pretty well, but it was always hard to fool a mom. For the rest of the evening, both Rebecca and Lindy told Monica all about the serious health issues and the options that were available to Rebecca. Monica sat listening with tears streaming down her face as she gently rubbed Rebecca’s hand. She asked good questions. Lindy tried to answer as many as she could.

After a lot of conversation, they were all emotionally exhausted. Monica got up and asked them to come into the dining room for a piece of her homemade apple cobbler and ice cream. As they sat down to eat their dessert, they all realized that they were relieved that the entire truth was now out in the open.

Monica sighed and said, “Rebecca when you were born, the doctors did not give me any hope of you surviving more than a few days. After you showed them that you had a lot of spunk, they changed the gloom and doom to a couple of months. Nevertheless, I knew in my heart that they were wrong. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that you were a survivor. I have thanked God for each day that he has given you. The sorrow inside me right now fills my entire being. However, I am going to be grateful for all the days we have and not let this pain take away from our time together.

“I am convinced that Lindy was brought back to Fergus Falls to be with you and me during this time. We will do whatever we need to do. I promise you that I will honor your requests for your treatment. I also promise you that for whatever time you have left, I will spend it rejoicing in your presence. You have been God’s special gift to me.”

Lindy left the DuPree house that evening knowing that the love within the four walls of that tiny house was going to be enough to get them through the pain that was to come. As she slowly drove home, she looked into the houses on the tree-lined streets of Fergus Falls. She saw families watching TV, dogs lying on front porches, teenagers walking down the sidewalks. When she pulled the car into the driveway, she got out and walked across the street to the grassy shore of Lake Alice.

As she looked out over the lake, she was stunned by the sight of the full moon lighting up the water. It sparkled and shimmered as the moonlight danced across the still water. A pair of loons dove under the water, creating a ripple. Then, they popped up on the opposite side of this perfect little lake. Yes, it was all going to be okay. No, it was not right that Rebecca was going to be taken away from them. Nevertheless, the girls were here together. Each one of them would help the others in their own special way. It was what it was, and together, they would survive.

*

Lindy and Emily had plans, lists, and paint samples spread all over the massive oak dining room table. As they went through the list of repairs and projects that Charlie had given to Emily, they sorted the tasks into projects they could do and what they needed to hire someone to do. Charlie came over with a list of contractors whom he trusted. Within a short time, the master plan for restoring the house was completely put together. If all went just as scheduled, the house would be remodeled and redecorated for the Christmas season. The two biggest jobs were the electrical work and plumbing. By some good luck, both men that Charlie had recommended were immediately available. Work was going to start the following morning on the bathrooms and kitchen.

By the end of the week, there were gallons of paint, rolls of wallpaper, samples of fabrics, and carpeting stacked neatly in the corner of the dining room. Contractors were coming the following week to repair the walls, ceilings, and hardwood floors. Emily and Lindy were going to Minneapolis while that work was being done. They planned to purchase new furniture, carpeting, and accessories. They prayed that the outside of the house painting could be finished and the new windows and doors could be installed while they were away.

Within a few weeks, the electrical and plumbing work was done. The house was ready to be transformed with the artistic flair of Emily and Lindy. The once-abandoned house was now a scene of busy people running in all directions with great purpose. If all went as planned, the house would be even more beautiful than in the past; however, this time the house would have a warm, cozy glow to it, instead of being the cold showcase of the past.

Both Emily and Lindy were so excited about how everything seemed to be falling into place. They truly enjoyed each other’s company and worked well together. Each evening as they relaxed in the den with a glass of wine, they would recap the adventures of the day. They quickly discovered that between the two of them, they had a wonderful balance. Emily had a flair for elegance that mixed with Lindy’s talent for the unexpected made their color scheme of rich burgundy, emerald green, and royal blue a stunning and lively combination. With Lindy’s money, they were able to find beautiful silk and unusual woven fabrics for the drapes, furniture, and bedding. Each of the five bedrooms was going to have its own theme.

*

The Monday morning after the reunion weekend, Grace arrived at the shop late for the first time that she could remember. Jodi and Candice were waiting anxiously on the bench outside the store. They both asked her if she was okay. Jodi told her that they were getting very concerned when they arrived and the shop was not open. Grace smiled and told them that she had not slept so well in a long time; it was a simple matter of oversleeping. As Kelli and JoAnn arrived at the shop, they also noticed that Grace had more spring in her step and a big smile that made her face absolutely radiant. For the rest of the day, Grace talked about the wonderful reunion that had brought her three best friends home to her.

As the customers came and went, they all remarked about how happy Grace looked. Several of the women made comments, asking her if there was a new man in her life. Grace told them no, that it was even better than a new man—she had her three best girlfriends back in town. She even found herself humming as she worked on the books. Grace felt that the reunion had been a turning point for her. She was not sure what that meant, but she did know that her life had instantly become fuller with the addition of Rebecca, Lindy, and Emily. Yes, life seemed a little easier today.

Chapter Twenty-Two
 

First Snowfall

The autumn days in Fergus Falls were a wide variety of clear, blue skies one day and cold, dull windy days the next. Grace and Rebecca got into the habit of stopping by Emily’s almost every day to see the latest progress on the house. Most of the time, they sat around the kitchen table just sharing a cup of tea and talking about what had happened to each of them during the day. Without fail, Lindy always seemed to have some funny story to share with them.

Emily and Lindy had banned Grace and Rebecca from the second floor of the house until all of the work and decorating was completed. Grace commented that the house seemed to have an aura of warmth and friendship that had never been there in the past. Emily quickly agreed, saying that it was because for the first time, there was love and true adult friendship within these four walls. They all just nodded in agreement.

*

Fall quickly turned to winter in Fergus Falls. The first week in November, they had their first snowfall, which ended up being four inches of the light powder type of snow that was terrible for snowballs. The town looked like a Currier & Ives painting. As the snow began to fall, they decided to take a walk around Lake Alice.

They walked in silence, which was very unusual for them. It just did not seem right to do anything but take in the beauty of the lake and trees sparkling with the white snow. As they were coming back to the house, they stopped and quietly watched as Warren Brooks played with his daughters. Without giving it any thought, Lindy ran up to them and told them that it was time for snow angels. She promptly lay down and created an angel by moving her arms and legs in the snow. Everyone quickly joined in, laughing as they made their angels in the snow. No one noticed that Warren had run into the house, quickly returning to photograph the looks of four women with pure joy on their faces, lying and laughing in the fresh, white snow.

Emily invited everyone back to her house for some wonderful hot chocolate. Within minutes, they were all in the house gathered around the old kitchen table. The first snowfall had proven to be a happy event.

As they all stood around talking, Melissa recognized Grace as the lady from the shop where they had bought their school uniforms and other clothes. Warren thanked her again for all of her guidance in getting the girls ready for school. Grace laughed as she told Warren that perhaps it was time for another trip, to purchase warmer hats, gloves, and warm socks. They agreed that they would come to Claire’s on Saturday. Warren insisted that after their shopping was done, he wanted to take Grace to lunch with them as a small way of saying thank you.

Lindy told the girls that they also needed to get Pops to buy them some ice skates. While six-year-old Sarah sat on her lap, Lindy told stories about how they would ice-skate for hours and always come back to Emily’s for Isabel’s perfect hot chocolate and warm chocolate chip cookies. Before too long, Rebecca and Grace were mixing the cookie dough while threatening to lock Lindy and Emily out of the kitchen if they did not stop eating raw spoonfuls.

Warren went home and returned with a pot of chili that he had made for dinner. The rest of the evening was filled with good food, laughter, and friendship. After the kitchen was cleaned, they all went into the library, where Emily had a fire going. As they sat on the floor on big overstuffed pillows, they continued to tell the girls stories about growing up in Fergus Falls. It was after nine o’clock when Warren and three very tired girls left.

After they left, everyone started teasing Emily about rekindling the old high school crush. Emily slowly turned to Grace and said, “I do believe that the spark in Warren’s eyes was not for me, but for Grace. I watched you two together. I must admit that you both looked comfortable together. Grace is a much better match for Warren than I could be.” Grace blushed as she denied knowing what Emily was talking about. However, later on she found herself thinking about Warren and his daughters.

At ten years old, Melissa needed the guidance of a woman to help her create her style. Katherine, who had just turned eight, appeared to be coming out of the tomboy stage, and Sarah was a spirited little girl who needed to cuddle. She had forgotten how blue Warren’s eyes were, and she liked his smile. She was also very impressed with his parenting skills. A man raising three young girls was a huge undertaking. Perhaps she could help him a little with the girls by offering a gentle woman’s touch that they needed.

*

With the snow on the roads not yet plowed, Grace and Rebecca decided to sleep over. The mood of the evening had brought so many memories to the surface that none of them wanted to be separated from the others. That evening, they slept in the library again, surrounded by the memories of the past. The first snowfall had proven to be a wonderful success and a time that they would remember for many years to come.

Chapter Twenty-Three
 

One Day at a Time

The days flew by so fast. The Thanksgiving celebration was at Rebecca’s house. Monica had spent days making lefse for the dinner. As they crowded around the small dining table, they held hands and said a prayer of Thanksgiving. Each of them took turns giving thanks for their special blessings this year.

Emily smiled as she gave thanks for losing her job, which helped her find her way back to Fergus Falls and to her friends. With tears in her eyes, Lindy gave thanks for having Larry in her life and all their loving memories. Then she paused to regain her emotions for a moment and proceeded to give thanks for bringing some life and color into the Larsons’ dreary old house. Grace gave thanks for her shop, all of her staff, and this wonderful girlfriend reunion, which had brought them back into each other’s lives. Rebecca softly prayed her thanksgiving prayer to her special mother, good doctors, and for enjoying more laughter with her friends than she had ever dreamed possible. She also thanked God for giving her the courage to face each tomorrow. Monica cried as she thanked God for every moment of Rebecca’s life.

They all sat in silence for a moment before Monica passed around a box of Kleenex and then began serving the meal. It was a wonderful day filled with many reasons to be grateful.

*

This was the busiest time of the year for Grace at the shop. She had already warned Emily, Lindy, and Rebecca that she would not be able to spend much time with them until after the holidays. Grace had spent a full weekend after Thanksgiving decorating the shop and the front windows for Christmas. Each year her windows were decorated with a large nativity scene surrounded with hundreds of twinkling lights that appeared to be stars in the sky. Every year, she added a few new pieces to the scene; this year she introduced a pond, geese, and horses.