Page 9 of The Birchwood House

Audrey felt full of energy despite the fact that their flight to the east coast had been at an ungodly hour of the morning. She didn’t know how much sleep she’d gotten—probably only a couple of hours—but she felt wide-awake and ready for action. Returning to her hometown brought her a feeling of peace she couldn’t explain, as if she was stepping back inside her childhood, and into a world in which she was protected and secure.

I really needed this,she thought, smiling up a seagull that swooped across the clear blue sky overhead.It feels so good to come home.

The air seemed to be embracing her, with its serenely cool breeze paired with the warmth of the spring sunlight. All of asudden, she couldn’t wait to hug her mother as tightly as she could.

“Come on,” she said, taking Michelle’s arm in hers. “Let’s start walking to your grandmother’s mansion. It’s not all that far from here, and the route is just about as scenic as you could ask for.”

Michelle shook her head. “I’m really excited to see Grandma, but I’m exhausted, Mom. I desperately need some caffeine—and sustenance.”

Audrey laughed. “Okay, breakfast and coffee it is. Either way, we should head in that direction—toward downtown.”

Michelle laughed, gesturing toward the main street of Coral Sands, which was lined with charming, colorful shops and a sidewalk dotted with flowering trees. “You call that a downtown? Come on, Mom—there aren’t any swearing drivers or people rushing past talking on their cellphones like it’s the end of the world. Pretty sure it’s not a downtown.”

Audrey laughed and she and Michelle started toward the heart of Coral Sands, which Audrey felt a thrill about returning to. Seeing the old familiar places wrapped her in a feeling of happiness, as if she was putting on old clothes that were comfortable and still fit her perfectly.

It’s more than that, she thought, glancing around at the charming old buildings with a smile.It’s as if coming back is allowing me to step back into an older version of me. One who isn’t hurt, who feels more ready to take on the future.

As heartbreaking as losing her home and her husband in such a short timespan had been, Audrey felt a surge of hope for the future as she strolled down the sidewalks of Coral Sands with her daughter. It felt absolutely wonderful to be home again, even more wonderful than she’d anticipated.

“I remember that store!” Michelle said eagerly as she pointed toward Common Thread, a local clothing boutique. “I used tohide in the clothing racks in there, and the lady was always so nice. It smelled amazing too.”

“Like citrus and cinnamon,” Audrey said, remembering with a grin. “Definitely. We should come back here and do a little shopping.”

Michelle nodded and then pointed across the street at an old red brick building. “And The Seagull’s Nest Antiques! There was a dummy in there that I was absolutely terrified of, but that place was amazing. It felt like being surrounded by all kinds of portals to the past.”

Audrey nodded. She had always loved going antique shopping, and she thought eagerly of when she and Michelle would need to buy furniture and other items for their new house. So far, she hadn’t heard of anything being available in Coral Sands, but she knew somehow that it was all going to work out. Now that she was back in her hometown, she was absolutely determined to stay.

“Oh, let’s go there for breakfast,” Michelle said after a few more minutes, pointing across the street to an elegant white building with flowers growing in the front lawn and a sign above the front door that read “Brasserie Belle” in an elegant script. “It smells incredible.”

“It does have amazing food,” Audrey said, “but it’s basically gourmet—which means it’s not very speedy. We should absolutely come back there, but right now I’m just really anxious to get to your grandmother’s house. I can’t wait to see her. Is that okay?”

Michelle nodded, smiling. “Of course. I get it. I can’t imagine how crazy impatient I’d be feeling to hug you if we’d been separated as long as you and Grandma have been.”

Audrey’s heart warmed when she heard her daughter’s words, and she inclined her head toward another restaurant with a smile. “I know the perfect place for a compromise—Morning Brew over there makes incredible breakfast food. We could grab some breakfast sandwiches and coffee and eat on the way?”

“Mm, sounds good to me. Looks like a place with great coffee.”

“Oh, it is. They’ve got the best coffee I’ve ever had there.”

“Psh, sold. Let’s go.”

Audrey led Michelle toward the cozy little café, which let out a heavenly mixture of aromas out onto the sidewalk.

“Mm, fresh bakery,” Michelle said with a sigh. “And coffee! It even smells like incredible coffee.”

They pushed open the front door, and a bell jingled cheerfully overhead. The delectable aromas became stronger inside the shop, and Audrey sniffed at the scents of sugar, cream, coffee, and frying bacon eagerly. The front counter offered a charming display of delicious baked goods, all of which looked fresh and artfully made.

Audrey and Michelle ordered cappuccinos and ham croissants. Audrey felt her excitement grow as they waited for their order. She felt a tingling feeling of joy, anticipating seeing her mother and spending time with her in Coral Sands.

“Here you are,” the smiling teenage barista said, setting down a white paper bag and two to-go cups. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you so much,” Audrey said, grabbing her cappuccino in a hurry.

Part of her wanted to linger in the café, to talk to local people and learn what had been going on in Coral Sands since she’d left. She knew there would be plenty of time for that, however, and she was itching to see her mother.

I’m going to practically run out of this store,she thought with a smile.We’re not that far away from Mom’s mansion now.

She turned around so quickly it was almost a twirl, ready to make a beeline for the front door. What she hadn’t counted on, however, was the man standing directly behind her, his eyes glued to the stack of papers that were attached to the clipboard he held in his hands.