Page 131 of Key West Homecoming

While she waited, Joey moved into another song. A few bars passed before Emma recognized one Gloria had liked. She couldn’t remember the last time she had heard it. The melody brought back an image of her grandmother humming in the kitchen with a dish towel over one shoulder.

Emma looked toward Joey.

He caught her eye and gave the smallest nod without missing a note.

Emma had no idea whether Joey knew what the song meant to her, but somehow she thought he did.

The screen door opened and Maeve came in with Patrick.

Emma recognized Patrick immediately from Maeve’s description. The red baseball cap and sun-browned forearms probably would have given him away anyway. Maeve introduced them and added that Patrick’s boat described his entire personality.

“No Worries,” Patrick said as he shook Emma’s hand.

Patrick’s smile was easy. Emma understood almost immediately what Maeve saw in him.

Patrick moved down the bar to speak with Lloyd while Maeve took the stool beside Emma.

“You okay?”

“I’ve been better, and I’ve been worse. On balance, I’m all right. My uncle is the gift that keeps on giving.”

“I’m going to tell you something I think you already know,” Maeve said. “Rachel has a strong case.”

“That’s what she says.”

“She should. From what she described, Arthur left a paper trail because he never expected anyone to question him. A judge hasn’t ruled yet, but you don’t have to carry every part of this around every hour of the day.”

Emma looked down at the water glass in front of her.

A few days earlier, that advice would have been harder for Emma to hear. Something had shifted since her meeting with Rachel. She still wanted the will recognized and the cottage protected, but she no longer felt responsible for deciding every consequence Arthur should face. Rachel could handle the legal fight, and the court could decide what the law required.

Emma was beginning to understand her own responsibility. She needed to decide what happened to her life after the fight was over.

“Thanks, Maeve.”

Leah arrived with the soup before Maeve could answer. A piece of toasted bread rested against the side of the bowl.

Connie came through from the back office a few minutes later. She stopped when she saw Emma.

“I heard about Rachel’s filing.”

“Leah says most of the town did.”

Connie’s expression softened.

“I knew your grandmother well enough to know she spent a long time trying to keep peace in her family. She did what she could with Arthur. He didn’t always make that easy.”

Emma put down her spoon.

Connie continued. “You don’t have to fix everything Gloria couldn’t fix. Protect what she wanted you to have. Let the rest be handled by the people whose job it is to handle it.”

“I think that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Good.”

Connie reached across the bar and touched Emma’s hand.

“And you’re not doing it alone. Some people here remember Gloria, and others barely knew her but they know you now. That counts for something in this town.”