Page 11 of The Birchwood House

She made a pot of tea and then took the scones out of the oven. She arranged the teapot, three teacups, and a basket of the piping hot scones onto a tea tray and carried it out into the parlor. She had just set it down on the coffee table when she heard a knock on the front door.

“What perfect timing!” she gasped, nearly squealing with delight. “They’re here!”

She hurried to the front door and tugged it open. Michelle and Audrey were standing on the front porch, and she was just about to throw open her arms and welcome them inside, when the next thing she knew, Audrey had her arms wrapped around her tightly.

“Oh, I’ve missed you,” Audrey said, embracing her mother warmly.

Elaine held her back as tightly as she could, shutting her eyes and feeling her heart flood with a happiness so sweet it almost ached. “I’m so glad you’re here,” Elaine said. “And Michelle!” She took her granddaughter into her arms as soon as Audrey stepped back from their hug. “Look at you, so grown-up. I feel so honored that you both have come to stay with me. We’re going to have a wonderful time.”

Elaine was careful not to mention what had happened to Audrey. They’d already discussed it over the phone, and she knew that her daughter didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

What Audrey needs now is joy, and healing,Elaine thought firmly.I’m going to make sure her time here is as happy as possible.

“Something smells delicious,” Michelle said, sniffing the air eagerly. “Blueberries?”

“Yes, blueberry scones!” Elaine confirmed with a nod. “I made them so we could have some tea together. Did the two of you have breakfast?”

“Yes, but I’m still starving.” Michelle laughed. “Nothing makes me hungrier than flying on an airplane at an unnatural hour of the morning.”

“I can imagine,” Elaine said with a chuckle. She loathed flying herself, which was one of the reasons why she hadn’t seen her daughter for so long. “Well, let me know if the scones are enough for you. I’m happy to whip up some scrambled eggs and bacon as well.”

“The scones should be good for now, thanks, Grandma,” Michelle said with a grin.

Elaine’s heart warmed to hear herself called “Grandma.” She was greatly looking forward to getting to know Michelle better.

“Mom, the place looks incredible,” Audrey said, looking around the front hallway with a radiant smile. She gazed at the grand front staircase from a vantagepoint which offered a view of the stained-glass windows on the upstairs landing. “I love these new paintings you’ve hung in the hallway here. It makes the white walls look so breezy and welcoming. This place always seemed full of sunshine.”

“I know what you mean,” Elaine said. “I love that it has plenty of windows to let in the natural light.”

Audrey shook her head. “It’s more than that. There’s something really beautiful about this house, even more than how beautifully you’ve decorated it and the natural light. I can’texplain it—it’s just got such a good aura about it. But maybe I just feel that way because I grew up here.”

Michelle shook her head. “I didn’t grow up here and I feel the same way. It’s like there’s joy in this house, I can feel it.”

Elaine blinked back tears. “That’s a wonderful thought. I certainly feel a great deal of joy today, since the two of you are here. Let’s have some tea and then I can give you a tour of the house if you’d like.”

“Yes please,” Michelle said, and Elaine wasn’t sure if she was responding to the offer of scones or the offer of the tour, but she couldn’t help chuckling at her granddaughter’s youthful enthusiasm.

“I can’t wait,” Audrey said. “I love this old house so much.”

“I haven’t changed all that much,” Elaine said, “but I know if it were me, I’d want to see it all again. Like visiting an old friend. And we can even peep into all the rooms that I’ve been keeping shut.”

Audrey nodded emphatically. “I absolutely want to see it all again. You’re right, it’s like visiting an old friend. A very lovely, delicate-boned old friend.” She laughed, gesturing to the delicate carved panels in the front entryway, which had been painted white sometime in the 1950’s.

Elaine ushered Audrey and Michelle into the parlor and poured them cups of steaming hot Earl Gray tea. She loved having women over for tea even if they were women she barely knew, and having her precious daughter and granddaughter there with her meant the world to her.

“Here you are,” she said, handing Audrey a steaming hot cup that had been sweetened with ample milk and a couple of sugar cubes. “Michelle, how do you like your tea?”

“Cream and sugar please,” Michelle said. “I don’t know that I’ve ever had Earl Gray tea before.”

“I hope you like it,” Elaine said. “If you don’t, feel free to ask for something different. I find that it’s a lovely, smooth taste, but black tea isn’t for everyone.”

Once they were all settled with their tea and scones, Elaine wanted to turn the subject toward the length of Audrey and Michelle’s visit. She didn’t want to pressure her daughter, but she was hoping that Audrey was planning on staying in Coral Sands indefinitely.

Forever would be too good to hope for,Elaine thought, although her stomach fluttered with happiness at the thought.

“I’m so very thrilled to have you both here,” she said, smiling warmly at her family. “It’s so good to not be by myself in the place anymore. How long do you think you’ll be staying here?”

Audrey swallowed her tea and set the teacup down gently. “Not too long, don’t worry Mom. I do want to stay in Coral Sands, but we’ve inquired about available homes for rent with Red Spruce Realty. We haven’t heard back from them yet, but I’m sure something will turn up soon.”