“I thought I heard someone at the door.”Her mother’s voice drew her from her thoughts.“But then I came out, and there was no one here.But the door was hanging wide open.Felicity, what’s going on?”
“Arf!Arf!Arf!”
“Shh…” Felicity hadn’t had a chance to ask her mother if it would be all right if she watched Sunny.With Felicity working at the bookshop during the day and her mother working evenings at the hospital, their paths rarely crossed.
Her mother stepped into the living room.She was wearing her old pink robe.For just a second, Felicity could imagine being back home with her mother and her father.
Her mother’s eyes widened upon seeing Sunny in her arms.“Felicity, why is there a dog in your arms?”
“Uh…” Where did she even begin to explain this?Her mind raced.“Well, um… Merry Kringle needed someone to foster Sunny.”
“And you volunteered?”Her mother crossed her arms and frowned.
“No.”
Her mother arched a brow.“Then why are you holding the dog?”
“Well, um, that’s because I volunteered to babysit her during the day.”
Confusion shone in her mother’s eyes.“But you’re working at the bookshop.Don’t tell me you’re going to leave her here alone.”She shook her head.“You can’t do that.”With each word, her mother’s voice was rising in octaves.“I don’t even know if dogs are allowed in the building.”
“They are.”
“You’re sure?”
Felicity nodded.“Merry told me.Besides, I’m taking the pup to work with me.”
Her mother’s mouth gaped.It took her a moment to speak.“Does Connie know about this?”When Felicity nodded, her mother said, “I’m surprised she’d go along with this plan.Wait.If you’re only babysitting, who else is taking care of the puppy?”
“Uh…” She was hoping to avoid this subject.Under her breath she said, “Justin.”
Her mother’s brow scrunched up.“Who?”
Felicity sighed and spoke louder.“Justin.”
Her mother’s eyes widened.“Well, it’s about time.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That I never understood what happened to the two of you.One day you were inseparable, and the next, you weren’t speaking to each other.”
“It wasn’t like that.”Then again, she supposed from the outside it might have looked that way.“And it doesn’t matter now.That’s all in the past.”
Her mother studied her.“Was Justin here this morning with the dog?Is that why the door was hanging open?”
Felicity told her mother the whole story about Sunny running off, the elevator ride, and then running into Mrs.Wilson.She watched her mother’s face for her reaction to the most unusual morning.But her mother’s expression was neutral.Felicity wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Once Felicity finished her story, her mother finally laughed.“You two were always getting into some sort of trouble.”
“We were not.”Then again, maybe they were.But it was never anything serious.It was more like they got into predicaments.
“You do know now that Mrs.Wilson has retired, she’s one of the town’s biggest gossips.And you’ve just given her some fresh gossip.She’ll be going on about you and Justin all weekend.”A smile settled on her mother’s lips, and the fine wrinkles showed around her eyes and mouth.
Felicity didn’t remember noticing those the last time she was home.Of course, she hadn’t been home in a long time.Guilt socked her in the gut again.
Felicity pushed aside her thoughts and instead focused on the amusement glinting in her mother’s eyes.“You don’t have to smile about it.”
“Can’t help it.It reminds me of the old days.”Her mother reached out and petted Sunny.“But what about… What’s his name?Gary?”
