“Listen to you, Mom. I never knew you had a romantic side to you.” Violet grinned from the rear seat.
Landon wanted to reach into the rearview mirror and wipe the smile off her face. Had she bothered to spend time with her mother-in-law, she would have known that fact. Gran might seem prim and proper, but her personality was multifaceted. After the last two years living with Gran and helping her, how could his mom not know her any better? Everyone knew Gran went crazy for those cheesy romance movies on the feel-good cable channel.
“Have you ever read Theodore Magnus’s works, dear?” Sweet Gran showed no animosity toward her daughter-in-law.
As much as he wanted to understand Gran’s generous and forgiving spirit, he couldn’t.
“Yes. Peter introduced me to his poetry when we first started dating.”
“Which is your favorite?” Gran shifted her feeble hips to look in the back seat.
“Skipping Stones Away from Home,” Mom answered without hesitation.
“Ah, one of his lesser-known ones.” Gran smiled, recited the final line. “So though the years pass as the stream flows, and life moves you heavy and weary, take a stone and with a flick, over the water watch it skip. Standing on the bank of youth’s creek, you’ll find yourself once more at home.”
Mom caught his eyes in the rearview mirror with a wistful gaze. “As I’ve grown older, its significance has grown. I believe he’s saying that although life changes, you can go home again.”
Landon coughed, caught his eyeroll before it began. “That’s not what the poem means. Magnus was saying that when you’re feeling down, finding a familiar place can bring you peace.”
“The beauty of poetry is that each person can interpret it differently.” Gran shot him a warning look. “Each person can find a different meaning, and all of them are right.”
A stop sign appeared in the near distance, and Landon applied pressure to the brakes. Used to his big rig and pickup truck which needed extra time to stop, he slowed down well in advance of the sign. He inched forward and crossed the intersection after he saw no one coming.
“Welcome to Jasper Lake.” As soon as he said it, the sign came into view.
Despite his misgivings about his parents’ presence, excitement churned. This weekend didn’t offer much in the grand scheme of life, but it presented one small way to repay Gran for her years of sacrifice and love.
They reached the main strip of town, and he pointed out the few places he knew. When he passed the chamber of commerce office, he wondered if Jessa worked today. Truth be told, he thought of her often and hoped he’d run into her at some point over the weekend.
“There’s Addy’s Bed & Breakfast, where I made our initial reservations. Even though plans changed, I want to take you there. Mrs. Addy has freshly made cookies ready at all times for anyone who stops by.”
Gran cocked her head. “We’re going just to get a free cookie?”
He chuckled. “No, but I thought you’d enjoy seeing the décor. It’s right up your alley.”
“I’d love to see inside.”
“We’ll add it to the itinerary.” He made a left turn and drove half a mile before parking in front of a one-story brick building. “I have to run in to register and pick up the key for the cabin. I’ll leave the car running, so you have heat.”
Standing straight up proved a welcome relief for his legs. The drive was short compared to his normal workday, but Gran’s modest sedan had little leg room compared to his pickup and eighteen-wheeler. He walked up the steps and gave the door handle a tug.
A young woman who looked eerily similar to Jessa looked up from her computer at the front desk. “How may I help you?”
“I have a reservation for the Poplar Cabin?” He couldn’t cut his gaze from her. “I’m sorry, but do you have a sister?”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Yes, two of them.”
“Is one Jessa from the chamber of commerce?”
“Yes.”
Interesting. Why hadn’t Jessa mentioned her sister or any family? “I’ve met her several times passing through when I stopped for information. Your resemblance is uncanny.”
“We get that a lot.” The wariness left her eyes, and she smiled. “What name is your reservation under?”
“Landon Reeves.”
She typed on the keyboard and concentrated on the screen. Tapped several more keys. “You’re checked in.” She laid a paper in front of him with a map printed on it and circled a building. “This is where we are. Follow the road to the end and make that right. There will be signs leading you the rest of the way.”
