Her arms tightened around Felicity one last time. She breathed deeply, storing away this moment, knowing her granddaughter was no longer the little girl who needed her, but a woman ready to forge her own path with the man she loved.
She waved as they pulled away, a smile firmly placed on her lips until they drove out of sight. It was hard to feel sorry for herself when Felicity was so happy. Off on her great adventure. She turned to head inside. There was work to be done. Always work to be done.
Darlene looked up from where she was folding napkins in the kitchen when the door opened. Mark stood in the doorway.
“Are you busy?”
“Just finishing up some chores.” She motioned to the stack of napkins before her.
He took a step into the room. “So I noticed that new guest you had the last few days. That man.” Mark shifted from foot to foot. “And… um… I saw you, Felicity, and him the other morning when he was leaving. I didn’t mean to be watching… I was just looking out the window and saw you.”
She set down the napkin she was folding. Her heart skipped a beat. Of course, Mark would have noticed Dean’s presence over the past few days. She drew in a deep breath. “That was Dean.” She paused, gathering her thoughts.
Mark’s eyebrows shot up. “Your ex-husband?”
“Yes. He showed up unexpectedly.” She absentmindedly smoothed the napkin beneath her fingers. “He wanted to make amends before…” She swallowed hard. “He’s dying.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” He walked over and sat on the chair beside her.
“I am too.” She stared at the stack of napkins before her. “He needed to make peace with what he did all those years ago. For leaving me when I was pregnant with Felicity’s father.” The old pain surfaced, but it felt different now—duller, more distant. “I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in over forty years.”
“That must have been difficult.”
“It was.” She picked up a napkin again, finding comfort in the familiar motion of folding them. “But… I think we made our peace. I gave him what he came for.”
“What was that?”
“My forgiveness. And Felicity got a chance to get to know her grandfather. I’ll never regret that.”
“And you’re okay?” He reached out and almost—almost—took her hand before snatching his hand back and resting it on the table.
“I am okay. All that bitterness and pain has eased. I think I’ve finally made peace with my past.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“And now, maybe you can make peace with your past too.” She looked at him.
His gaze met hers. Sadness hovered in the depths of his eyes. “Maybe. It feels like it never will let go of its stranglehold on me.”
“I hope you find a way to change that.” She kept herself from reaching out to comfort him.
He gave her a small smile and stood up. “I hope so too. Anyway, I came to tell you that I’m leaving tomorrow.”
Tomorrow. Well, she knew the day was coming soon. She rose from her chair. “Well, I’m glad you came to Magnolia Key and glad you found your words again.”
“Darlene—I—” He stopped and just stared at her for a moment. “I’m glad I came here too. I’m leaving very early tomorrow to catch the first ferry. I have an early flight. So… I guess this is goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Mark.” The finality of the words hung between them.
“Goodbye, Darlene… I…” He gave a little half-shrug. “Good night.”
He disappeared out the door, and she sat down, staring at the napkins waiting to be folded. Even her familiar tasks, which usually brought her comfort, couldn’t help her now. Felicity left this morning and now Mark was leaving tomorrow.
Chapter25
Darlene pulled out a stack of plates from the cabinet and set them on the counter with unnecessary care. She scrubbed the shelf, placed the plates back in the cabinet, then moved on to the next shelf. The methodical work kept her hands busy and her mind off the emptiness in the kitchen.
The back door creaked open, and Eleanor stepped into the kitchen. “I thought I’d find you here.” She glanced at all the open cabinets. “Cleaning, are we? You always did clean when you were upset.”
