Felicity thought of the more recent phone calls from her mother that she’d missed.Maybe they might have explained the changes.Guilt settled on her shoulders.
As she stepped onto the curb, she noticed a lopsided snowman in the side yard.It had two large snowballs instead of three.He had a large carrot nose and a red scarf that fluttered in the breeze.She was quite certain her mother hadn’t built the snowman.The neighbor kids must have been playing in their yard and built it.
As Felicity made her way up the shoveled sidewalk, she attempted to smile, but it felt awkward.So, she went with what she hoped was a neutral expression.When she stepped up onto the porch, she told herself that her mother would be happy to see her.This visit was long overdue.Felicity had thought of calling her before her arrival, but she thought this conversation would be better done in person.
Distracted by the new furniture on the porch, she paused.The rocker her father had made for her mother was missing.That was strange.She couldn’t imagine her mother would have gotten rid of it.
Still puzzled about the missing rocker, she stepped up to the door.She hesitated.Should she knock and let herself in?Or should she ring the doorbell?
She never considered these questions in the past.Before her father passed, she would have just let herself inside.But her mother didn’t know she was coming home.She didn’t want to startle her.
With a sigh, she admitted it would feel awkward to just barge into the house—even if it was her childhood home.She pressed the doorbell and waited.She could hear the familiar chime inside.Her heart beat faster as her palms grew damp.
“Coming!”And then there were muffled voices.Her mother must have company.
Felicity put a smile on her face and prepared to surprise her mother.This is all going to work out.Her mother would be happy to see her.
And then she heard the jiggle of the door knob.When the door swung open, Felicity said, “Surprise!”
The word died on her lips.The smile slipped from her face.There was a stranger standing in her childhood home.Where was her mother?
Chapter Two
Whatwashappening?
Felicity blinked, but the stranger was still standing in her family’s home.
She should say something, but the shock had her tongue-tied.Instead, she looked past the woman to see if her mother was standing behind her.She wasn’t.
The woman with curly red hair sent her a puzzled stare.“Hello.Should I know you?”
It was only then that Felicity noticed the baby in the woman’s arms as well as the toddler pulling on her pant leg.When Felicity met the woman’s gaze, she asked, “Is my mother here?”
“Your mother?”The woman’s brow scrunched up.“Who is your mother?”
Felicity backed up and looked at the number on the side of the house.Three four two.Yep.That’s the correct address.
Her gaze returned to the woman.“I don’t understand.This is my family’s home.I grew up here.”
The woman’s eyes widened, as though she’d figured things out.That made one of them because Felicity still had no idea what was happening.She was starting to wonder if she was in the wrong small town, but then she recalled driving past the Kringle Soap Co.and the Kringle Cup Café.
The woman sent her a warm smile as she pushed open the screen door.“Come inside.It’s freezing out there.”
Hoping to get some answers, Felicity left her suitcase on the porch and stepped inside.She glanced around.This was definitely her childhood home.There was still the chip in the plaster in the living room wall where she’d been roller skating in the house and had fallen back against the big bookcase.The top corner of the bookcase had pierced the plaster.But she didn’t recognize any of the furniture in the room.
There was a white Christmas tree in the corner with bright, colorful ornaments.And hanging from the mantel over the fireplace were four blue stockings with white fur and names spelled out in green glitter.
Felicity turned to the woman.“I’m sorry.But I don’t understand what’s happening.”
The woman sent her a sympathetic smile.“My name is Nora.Nora Barber.”She glanced over at the baby in her arms.“This is Jonathan.And the little girl wrapped around my leg is Amelia.”
The woman seemed nice enough, but Felicity still wasn’t any closer to finding out what they were doing in her family’s home.Her pulse was racing, and her hands were clammy.She had a sinking feeling she wasn’t going to like whatever the woman was about to tell her.
The woman was going on about the lovely house, but still there was no explanation for her presence there.What was her name?She’d told her, hadn’t she?Whatever it was, she certainly liked to talk.
When at last the woman was quiet for a moment, Felicity said, “It’s…uh, nice to meet you.Do you know my mother?Leslie Wright?”
The woman nodded and smiled.“Yes, I do.She sold us this house.”
