Mabel’s eyes widened. “Goodness. I’ll keep that in mind. Have you heard from Harrison? Penny said the other day how much they’d miss him if he moved back to Nashville.”
Daniella frowned. How Mabel knew about Harrison’s potential move to Nashville was beyond her. Penny wouldn’t have said anything—especially to Mabel. “We spoke on the phone the other day. He’s enjoying spending time with his family.”
Mabel placed her hand over her heart. “That’s so good to hear. I was distraught when my girls left Sapphire Bay. Goodness knows how Harrison’s parents have felt with him being gone for so long.”
Daniella wasn’t sure if Mabel was trying to make her feel better or worse by talking about Harrison leaving Montana.
Lynda touched Daniella’s arm. “How are the preparations going for the summer fair, Mabel? I’ve heard it’ll be even bigger than last year.”
While her mom and Mabel talked about the fair, Daniella looked around the dining room. It was such a wonderful place that she wasn’t surprised they’d been so busy.
A group of children stopped beside Daniella and smiled. Their faces were bright with recognition and excitement.
“Are you the fairy lady from The Fairy Forest?” a little girl asked.
Daniella smiled, amused and touched by the title. “Yes, I’m the fairy lady. Have you all been to The Fairy Forest?”
The children nodded enthusiastically, launching into their own tales of the magical times they’d had there. Daniella listened, her heart warmed by their stories. It was moments like these that reminded her of the impact her business had on children.
Daniella touched her mom’s arm when they’d finished telling her about the parties they’d been to at The Fairy Forest. “This is my mom. When I was little, she told me the best fairy stories in the world. We used to make fairy houses out of blankets and chairs, and have fairy picnics in the garden.”
“Is that why you’re the fairy lady?” one of the girls asked.
Daniella nodded as if she was telling them a really special secret. “Would you like my mom to tell you a magical story?”
Lynda looked at the excited girls, then at Daniella. “We’re supposed to be helping with the dishes,” she said quietly.
Mabel waved away that worry with her hand. “Don’t worry about that. There are plenty of people who’ll give a hand. I’m sure the children would love to hear you tell them a story.”
With an excited chorus of yeses, Lynda looked around the room for the storyteller’s chair that the afterschool programs used.
With the children gathered around her, Lynda began weaving a tale of kings and queens, mischievous sprites, and the gentle lessons they learned. Her voice carried across the room, drawing even a few adults into the circle.
Daniella watched from a distance, her heart full of love. Her mom, the storyteller, was holding court with the rapt attention of her young audience. The children hung on every word, their imaginations taking flight on the wings of her mother’s tales.
Mabel stood beside Daniella. “I heard Lynda at a storytelling workshop Pastor John organized. She’s so good, she should’ve been a professional actor.”
“I keep suggesting she joins the theatre company in Polson. It doesn’t take long to drive there.”
“She could always be a fairy at The Fairy Forest,” Mabel suggested.
Daniella smiled. “I tried that,” she whispered. “But you know Mom. She always has something else she’s doing.”
After the storytelling session, parents came to pick up their children, offering Lynda their heartfelt thanks. The little ones left reluctantly, their minds undoubtedly still roaming in the realms of knights, dragons, and enchanted forests.
“Thanks, Mom. That was beautiful,” Daniella said as they began to tidy up the space.
“I enjoyed it. If I helped make the children’s evening more special, that’s all the thanks I need.”
Together, they worked in comfortable silence, the routine clean-up tasks grounding Daniella as she reflected on the evening. It was a simple night, marked by community service, stories, and children’s laughter—exactly what her mom needed to give her a break from looking after her husband. And what Daniella needed to take her mind off Harrison.
CHAPTER20
The day before Harrison flew back to Sapphire Bay, he wandered around the lush grounds of Cheekwood Estate, a public garden and museum eight miles from the heart of Nashville.
With its grand mansion and incredible views, it had been one of Audra’s favorite places to visit. She’d loved the tranquility here, often dreaming aloud about living in a home as beautiful as the mansion.
As he walked, the scent of blooming flowers and the gentle rustle of leaves brought back bittersweet memories. Audra’s laughter seemed to echo in the summer air, her joy in the simple beauty of the place a vivid memory in his mind.
