Over the River

Over the River

D. A. Ratliff

Cameron and I belted out the old folk song, “Over the River and Through the Woods,” as we traveled to my parents’ house with Peaches, the Golden Retriever howling along. It was a good thing we were driving to North Carolina so no one could hear us as we weren’t the best singers.

The seven-hour drive from Bethesda took longer as we stopped several times to have a snack or see a tourist site, but Cam, not used to long trips, did well for an eight-year-old. His mother despised riding long distances in cars. We had only flown when traveling. A flash of anger rushed through me. “Mom” was no longer in our lives, so it was time for an adventure.

It was dark as we turned onto the driveway leading to my parents’ house. I woke Cam when we reached Charlotte, happy about his excitement at seeing his grandparents. I must admit that I was glad to see them, too.

The large veranda surrounding the house was decked out with white, yellow, and orange lights, fodder shocks, pumpkins, and chrysanthemums. The front door opened as the car rolled to a stop, and my parents, Jeffery and Beth, ran down the stairs to greet Cam. Their Labrador Retriever, Jack, followed.

Greetings accomplished. Mom took Cam into the house, and Peaches and Jack raced in before them. Dad stayed to help me with the luggage, an excuse to find out how Cam was.

“Glad to have you here, Liam. We’ve been worried about both of you.”

“Good to be here, Dad.”

“Has he talked about her yet?”

“Only once. We stopped at a roadside stand for fresh apple juice, and he pointed to a yellow apple and said, Mom likes these. I replied she does, and he said nothing else.”

Dad pulled a suitcase out of the trunk. “It may take some time for him to process that his mother walked out on you two.”

I leaned against the car as a wave of exhaustion swept over me. Dealing with Cam on my own for the last few months drained what reserves I had. Twelve-hour shifts at the ER and an eight-year-old child ignoring that his mother chose to leave him was taking its toll. My dad’s presence made me realize how much I needed my parents.

My father sensed I was near the breaking point and hugged me. “We got you, Liam. Never forget that. We will get through this, and Cam will be fine.” He released me, and I noticed tears in his eyes like mine. “Let’s go in. Your mother made your favorite dinner.”

I laughed. “Fried chicken?”

“You know her well.”

The house was warm and inviting. It was still a few days until Thanksgiving, but my mother had festooned the house with autumn touches. There would be no mention of Christmas until after Thanksgiving in this house.

Dinner was as delicious as I expected. My mother was from Beaufort, South Carolina, and in true South Carolina fashion, marrying a North Carolina man was frowned upon. But it was all good-natured fun. My mom’s family adored my dad’s, and it was mutual.

Fried chicken, gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cheddar cornbread muffins were the meal of my dreams, and I ate far too much. What made me happy was watching Cam dig into a plate full of food. He hadn’t had much appetite lately, but a bit of Grandma’s cooking fixed that. We retired to the den, where Mom served homemade apple fritters with ice cream and caramel sauce. I’d forgotten how good a cook she was.

Cam and I scraped our bowls, and as I returned from taking the dish to the kitchen, a photo hanging above a small chest caught my eye. “Dad, is this the old manager’s cabin from Gramps’s farm?”

He nodded. “It sure is. We were there last weekend and found it in the gift shop.”

“Still running events and weddings out there?”

“Yes. Been going strong for nearly twenty years and doing an amazing business—even turning the farmhouse into a bed and breakfast.”

Mom walked in. “I let the dogs out in the backyard for a run.” She knelt beside Cam, who was playing with the Lego set they had given him when we arrived. “I think it’s time for a bath and a bedtime story. That is unless you are too big now for grandma to read you a story?”

Cam shook his head and jumped up. “No, that would be super.”

She took Cam by the hand. “Your dad will come up to say goodnight later.” She turned toward us. “Jeffery, now would be a good time to talk to him about what we’re thinking.”

My dad nodded, and once Mom and Cam had left, he rose to pour us a bourbon. He handed me a glass and sat in the chair next to mine.

He raised his glass. “Probably shouldn’t have this, have a touch of indigestion, but it might help.” He took a sip and pointed to the photo. “Funny that you should notice that photo. Caught our eye too, and we had to have it. Often wondered what happened to Edgar and Julianna.”

I was surprised at the twinge of heat that spread through me on hearing Jules’s name. We’d grown up together and shared our first kiss at fifteen on a bench in the front yard of that cabin. She was my first love, and I’ve heard you never forget the first gal to take your heart.

“No idea where they went after Gramps sold the farm?”

“No. Edgar was angry at Dad for selling the farm. Edgar thought he was lazy and didn’t want to work hard enough to keep the farm operation going. What none of us knew was that Dad was sick and didn’t want to tell anyone. He sold the farm so we would have money after he was gone. He moved us into town and set up a trust. Two years later, he was gone. “

“The new owners didn’t want to keep Edgar on?”

“Oh, they asked, but he refused, and the last we heard, Edgar moved out of the area. Lost track of him, so we never knew what happened to him or Jules.” He took a sip of bourbon. “Liam, your mom and I have been thinking about a major change. I retired from the Bench earlier than expected but, fortunately, made good investments, which allowed me to do so. However, hobbies are not my thing. I’ve been writing a book about my years on the Federal Bench, but I’m restless. Now that you and Elsa are on your own, your mom is restless, too. We need a project, a challenge. Last week, we learned that the owners of Magnolia Blossom Farm want to sell. So, we went out there over the weekend to check it out. We want to buy the farm back and run the place ourselves.”

I blew out a deep breath. “Wow. Never expected this. I know how much we all loved the farm. It would be great to have it back in the family. And we have always called Mom the Southern Martha Stewart. What an amazing opportunity for her.”

“So, you think it’s a good idea?”

“I do if you are willing to put in the work. I imagine dealing with all those events could be stressful but rewarding.”

“We haven’t told Elsa yet. Now that you know, we will tell her tomorrow when they come for dinner. Maybe you’d like to ride out there and check out the place after church tomorrow? I need to pick up some reports from the owners to take to our CPA. The realtor is going to meet us there as well. Going over what goes and stays with the property.”

“I’d love to, Dad. Pretty exciting.”

He smiled. “Glad you think so.”

We talked about the improvements made on the farm until Mom returned and said Liam was ready for bed. She let the dogs in, and both followed me up the stairs to say goodnight to my son. With each step, I felt the stress of the last few weeks fall away. Coming home was the best idea I’d had in a long time.

~~~

It was nearing two in the afternoon when Dad, Cam, and I headed for the farm. I was surprised at how apprehensive I was about visiting for the first time in many years. The last time I set foot on the property was at a reception for Mira and me. Our wedding was on Long Island, where her family lived, and it took my begging for her to agree to a party where my friends and family could come. I should have known then that I’d made a mistake.

Hight curved stone fences adorned with brass plaques displaying Magnolia Blossom Farm flanked the driveway. A tall wrought iron gate with the initials MBF in the center of the panels stood open.

“Impressive, don’t you think?” Dad’s voice conveyed his admiration for the tasteful entrance.

“It sure is.”

Cam’s priorities, however, were fixated on one thing. Horses. “Daddy, can we see the horses?’

“If possible, yes. If not today, then we’ll come back.”

A small sign pointed toward the office, and I turned down the lane to find a one-story brick building set among several Magnolia trees. My grandfather had dairy cattle and grew several vegetable and fruit crops, magnolias, pumpkins, and Christmas trees, and the new owners continued to do the same. As we exited the car, I walked over to a map in front of the office showing the entire acreage.

“Dad, there’s more land here than Gramps owned.”

“Yes, the current owner, Patterson, bought the Lowery property...”

“The one with the old mill along the river?”

“Yes, and the Hughes property on the other side where he put rental cabins in that nice pine forest.”

“Quite the operation and a high cost.”

“Yes, but no worries about the money. Other than education funds for you and Elsa and the fund now set up for our grandchildren, all the money Dad made when he sold the place was put in a trust investment fund, with provisions to withdraw money for tuition. We could pay cash for all of this, but I’m not going to. Dad opened the trust when Elsa was seventeen and you fourteen, depositing monies until he sold the property. Most of the proceeds went into the trust, and the remainder he kept for your grandmother to live comfortably. It’s been twenty-one years since then, and the trust has expired.”

“You’ve thought a lot about this.”

“Your mother is more excited than I have seen her since you and Elsa moved out. I am excited about having the land back in the family. It’s a win-win.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

After a brief introduction to the owners, I asked if Cam and I could walk around the property. We were told to explore any area we wanted. It turned out to be quite the hike.

We checked out the large barn used as a venue for weddings and other events. There were several guest rooms attached for wedding parties. I remember when the barn held nothing but hay and horses, but now it is elegantly decked out—rustic but contemporary. There was a huge kitchen that could prepare meals for large gatherings and where a holiday cookie class was underway. Cam and I scored cookies.

We visited the gift shop, got a toy for Cam and dog treats for Peaches and Jack, and then made our way to the stables. I knew Cam loved horses, but how his eyes lit up when he approached one of the mares surprised me.

The stable hand was kind. He put Cam on the horse and led him around the paddock for a few minutes. I knew right then that “I want a pony for Christmas” was next. We left with the promise that we would return for a trail ride.

Instinctively, I found myself walking toward the farmhouse. It looked the same but was now a B and B, and I chose not to go inside. There were too many memories to face, and I kept walking down the narrow lane, past another barn, which was now used as another venue location, in the direction of the cabin where Jules and her dad lived.

I was surprised to find it in less disrepair than in the photo. Dad said the owner wanted to fix it up, perhaps as a cabin, and it appeared work had started. Walking to the front door, I realized my nerves were raw. At fifteen, Jules and I had carved our initials on the windowsill, entwined with a heart. While Cam played in the leaves that covered the ground, I nervously looked, and that wave of heat coursed through my body again. The initials were there. I traced the worn gouges in the wood and longed for a simpler time when all that mattered was who you loved. I wished there was a way to go back.

I knew we couldn’t turn back time, but we did need to return to the office. Dad texted me he was ready to leave, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go.

~~~

Dinner that night was more than a fun family affair. Elsa and her husband, Phillip Wills, had two kids, Dean, twelve, and Candace, ten, who were fantastic with Cam. It made me happy to see him enjoying himself.

Elsa and Phil supported Mom and Dad’s plans, and much of the evening discussion was about what they wanted to do with the farm. Phil owns a construction company and told Dad he would help with whatever he needed. The evening ended with Elsa planning to bring the kids back tomorrow to play with Cam.

I went to bed more content than I had been in years. I realized not too far into my marriage that I had made a mistake, but by then, Cam was here. I decided to try and make it work, but Mira wanted out, and by out, she meant completely. I had come home from a shift at the hospital to find a neighbor with a frightened Cam and a note. Mira walked out, leaving a document giving up all parental rights to Cam, along with divorce papers she had already signed. Our lawyers dealt with the divorce, and it was done. As I turned off the light, my soul was more at ease than it had been in a long time.

~~~

Used to sleeping lightly in quiet times on duty, I woke the second my door opened. It was Mom.

“Liam, it’s your dad. He’s having chest pains.”

I jumped out of bed, grabbed my med kit, and followed Mom to their bedroom. Dad was sitting on the side of the bed, head dropped, trying to take a deep breath. I checked his pulse and respirations, did a quick physical once over, and decided he needed transport to the emergency room.

“Mom, he needs to go to the ER. I’m going to call 9-1-1. Can you get someone to watch Cam?”

“Liam, is he okay?”

“I think so, but better to check.”

“I’ll call Mae next door. She’ll come.”

Mae and the ambulance arrived at the same time. Within thirty minutes of Mom waking me, Dad was in an ER bed being monitored. A resident was the first to examine him and wrote orders for tests. I left Mom in the room with him and went to find the doctor in charge. I identified myself as a doctor, and a nurse directed me to a cubicle where I would find Doctor Carter.

I lost my breath when Dr. Carter looked up as I walked in. It was Jules. She shook her head, then smiled. “You are the last person I expected to see walking into the ER. How are you, Liam?”

“Shocked, but in a good way. Funny, I was just thinking about you today. We went to the farm, and I walked to your old house. I never expected to see you, either.”

“I know—shocked myself. But why are you here?”

“Dad. He has symptoms of a heart attack, but I’m not sure. He mentioned some indigestion, which might be related to that. The resident’s seen him, but I wanted to talk to the doctor in charge.”

“Let’s go take a look at him.”

Jules was as lovely as she had been at fifteen, and Mom and Dad recognized her immediately. My mom hugged her. “You are an ER doctor? Well, my dear, meet Dr. Lindley.” Mom turned toward me. “Liam is also an ER doctor.”

She cocked her head, flashing a slight grin. “Small word indeed. Now, let’s take a look at Mr. Lindley.”

Two hours later, after numerous tests, the diagnosis was GERD. As we waited for the discharge orders, I found Jules in her cubicle.

“We have a question. How is your dad? Mom and Dad found a photo of the manager’s house at the Magnolia Blossom Farm gift shop last weekend and wondered what happened to both of you.”

“Dad took that photo. He started doing photography in addition to his painting a few years ago. He returned to the farm last summer, took tons of photos, and sent some to the owners. They arranged for them to be sold in the gift shop.” She seemed pensive. “Dad set up a studio in an art enclave outside of Ashville, and the hurricane flooding wiped out the entire community. He was lucky that his studio and gallery were on the second floor of the art complex, so he managed to salvage almost everything. He finally got out, and he’s staying with me now.”

“Glad he’s okay. I guess your family is happy to have him living with you.”

“Is that a sly way of asking me if I am married?”

I might have blushed. My cheeks sure felt red. “Maybe.”

“No, never married. Med school ruined my social life.” There was a glint in her eye as she turned the tables on me. “And what about you?”

“Recently divorced with no regrets. I have a great eight-year-old son, Cameron.”

“Sorry about your divorce.”

“I’m not.” I wondered if she could tell that my voice quivered a bit saying that. At that moment, I didn’t regret the divorce at all.

Jules glanced at her monitor. “Looks like the discharge papers are final. Let’s get your dad home.”

Before we left the cubicle, I had to ask. “Look, can we grab coffee sometime and catch up? We’re not going back to Bethesda until Saturday.”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

We exchanged info, and I checked in with Mom and then went to get the car.

As Dad was chatting with the nurse, helping him from the wheelchair to the car, my mom whispered. “You know, Liam, God works in mysterious ways. Thank goodness your father didn’t have a heart attack, but we found Jules and Edgar again.”

“Both outcomes are good.”

“Yes, and she certainly is as pretty as she was as a teenager.”

Meet Mom, the matchmaker. “Yes, she is.”

~~~

Monday was a much quieter day than we had planned. Elsa came over with the kids, but although Dad was okay, my mother insisted that our planned trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the kids to see the race cars be postponed to Wednesday morning. Cam and Dean, who shared a love for cars, miniature and full-sized, were disappointed, but they bounced back when grandma promised to bake brownies.

Dad spent the morning on the phone with his accountant, lawyer, and real estate agent. He and Mom hid for about an hour and emerged from the study just before noon to announce they had made an offer on the farm. Mom seemed preoccupied, so I caught her alone in the kitchen to find out why.

“What’s on your mind, Mom? You seem to be lost in thought.”

She turned toward me. “Never could fool you. Elsa and your dad never pay attention, but you do.” She sat down on a bar stool. “I guess that not-so-little scare last night left another fear. What happens if anything did happen to Jeff, and I was left to deal with the farm.? It’s a huge undertaking, and it frightens me.”

“Mom, we’d never leave you alone to deal with the farm. And Dad’s fine, GERD is manageable, and we can keep his discomfort to a minimum. He just has to behave.”

“That easy for you to say.”

“Hey, you both are in your late fifties and healthy. You’ll be around a long time, but Elsa and I will be here too.”

I was about to hug her when my phone rang. I guess I smiled, judging by the look on my mom’s face. It was Jules. She wanted to know if I had time to meet today before her shift started and if I could meet her at Magnolia Blossom Farm for coffee in the cafe. For some reason, I asked if I could bring Cam so she could meet him. She paused before saying yes, then said to meet her at the cabin first, then we’d go for coffee. We set a time, and I hung up to find my mother staring at me, arms crossed.

“What?”

She smiled. “Your instinct was to take Cam to meet her right away. I know you well. You want to make certain they like each other before you decide if you want to continue your friendship.”

I took a breath, unwilling to acknowledge my mother was likely correct. “Cam loves it out there. He wants to ride a horse, so maybe he can do that today.”

“When are you meeting her?”

“At two p.m.”

“So, you have time to go to the store for me. Let me get my list.”

List in hand, I pulled out of the driveway, spotting my mother through the window in my dad’s office. They appeared to be engaged in a serious conversation, and somehow, I knew my mom was up to something.

~~~

Cam bounced in the passenger’s seat as we pulled into Magnolia Blossom Farm, with Peaches barking in chorus. We parked in the lot next to the stable and arranged a ride for him around 3 p.m. Then we headed to the walking trail to the cabin.

The overcast, gray, gloomy morning had morphed into a beautiful sunny afternoon. The brilliant orange and yellow hues of the autumn leaves appeared more like flames in the sky. A slightly chilly breeze kept the sun from being too hot, and despite Peaches pulling against her lead in a desire to run, the walk was enjoyable.

We rounded the slight bend, and the cabin came into view. I saw Jules standing in the front yard about where the bench used to sit—site of our first kiss. I wondered if she was thinking about that moment as well.

What I saw was one thing, but what Cam saw was something entirely. Thinking back later, I realized that it was understandable that Cam reacted the way he did. That fact didn’t help the pain of what happened.

Jules stood with her back toward us, her long dark hair tossed about in the wind. She was shorter, her hair darker than his mother’s, but there was a resemblance. Before I could stop him, he yelled, “Mommy,” and ran for her.

Jules turned so he could see her face. I’d never felt such anger as I did when my son realized Jules wasn’t his mother and began sobbing. I was filled with rage for the woman who broke his heart.

Before I could reach him, Jules had gathered him into her arms and sunk to the ground. She looked at me as I approached and slightly shook her head, and I stood quiet as she dealt with my grieving son.

Her voice was soothing as she spoke to him. “Cameron, it’s okay. I know you’re upset, and that’s perfectly fine.”

Cam raised his head. “I thought you were my mommy.”

“I know and I’m sorry to surprise you like that. My name is Jules, and I am an old friend of your father’s. I lived in this cabin a long time ago, and your dad visited the farm often.”

His voice trembled. “I thought she came back. I don’t know why Mommy left. I thought she loved me.”

Tears streamed down Jules’s cheeks as she hugged Cam. “Cam, sometimes mothers love the most when they realize they need to go away. Your mother left you safe and secure with your dad and a very loving family. She knew you would be protected and loved.”

Through broken sobs, Cam asked, “You think she loves me?”

“Cam, my mother left when I was about your age. I know it hurts, but the best thing to do is remember her with the love you feel and understand that she did what she thought was best for you.”

Peaches strained against her lead to reach Cam. When he stood up, I walked over to them and knelt beside my son. “Jules is right. In the way that she could, your mother loved you and felt this was the right thing to do.”

“You’re not gonna leave, are you, Dad?”

I hugged him tightly. “Never.” To see the fear in his eyes fade healed my heart a bit.

We all stood, and Peaches nearly knocked everyone down in her excitement. I handed her lead to Cam. “Remember what I taught you about keeping Peaches calm on lead, okay?” He nodded. “Ready to go to the cafe for pie?” With a chorus of yes and a bark from Peaches, we headed back.

Jules and I held back a bit from Cam. “I didn’t know your mother left you.”

“Dad never told anyone. She walked away when I was about Cam’s age. She couldn’t take the simple life my father chose. He loved this farm, being one with nature and his art. She wanted glamour and a life in the city.”

“What you just told Cam—do you believe that?”

She scoffed. “It was what my father told me then, and I believed it, and it got me through. The noble good, so to speak.”

“And now?”

“Not one word. But, like me, Cam needs to be an adult when he comes to that realization. Wisdom and experience make it easier to understand.”

As we sat down at an outdoor table, the realization that I was where I was meant to be washed over me. I was home and needed to figure out what to do about it.

~~~

Tuesday and Wednesday were a blur of activity. Dad and, at times, Mom were sequestered in Dad’s office, and Elsa and the kids spent all their time with us. Mom always baked Thanksgiving cookies, brown sugar oatmeal raisins, and sugar cookies in the form of turkeys and pilgrims decorated with icing. Cam had quite a knack for baking besides getting icing all over his face.

Late Tuesday afternoon, I found Mom in the den, collapsed in an armchair, a small glass of wine in her hand, and still wearing an apron covered in flour. She motioned for me to sit.

“Liam, I think Cam seems happier after what happened at the farm. What Jules said to him seems to have broken the shell he’d put up.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

“You seem happier.”

“I am because Cam is.”

“That all?”

I knew what she was getting at, but I didn’t want to go down that rabbit hole. “Mom, let’s not. It’s far too early to know if there is anything between Jules and me. I admit I was crazy about her when we were teens and never forgot her, but....”

“No buts. Just go with your gut.”

“I will.”

“Too bad she is working on Thanksgiving. You said she volunteered for half the day shift so a doc could go home for dinner and then working the evening shift?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I can fix a plate for her, and you can deliver it.”

“Yes, Mom, the matchmaker.”

She raised her wine glass. “I’ve had worse jobs.”

On Wednesday, we took the kids to the long-awaited NASCAR museum and out for pizza. The afternoon was chaotic. We played football in the backyard. As I wasn’t much of a chef, I took over childcare and was worn out.

Tradition in our family was BBQ from our favorite BBQ joint for an early dinner the night before Thanksgiving. Phil and I made the trek to pick up what Mom had ordered. I hadn’t had good Southern BBQ in ages, and it was all I could do not to raid the containers in the car.

We feasted on pulled pork and brisket, baked beans, corn on the cob, Cole slaw, mac and cheese, cornbread muffins, and pecan pie. I wasn’t sure I could eat on Thanksgiving after all of that, but I knew I would manage somehow. I helped clean up and as I walked into the kitchen and saw all the leftovers, I had a thought. I should take some BBQ to Jules.

“Mom, would it be okay if I took dinner to Jules? We have so much leftover.”

My mother laughed out loud. “Plate’s already done and in that bag. I included a piece of pie.” Apparently, I looked dumbfounded, and she laughed again. “Do I know my son or what? Now, get going. I’ll tell Cam you’ll be back in a bit.”

As the automatic doors to the ER opened, my knees were knocking. Here I was, a trained ER doc, able to keep my emotions under control, and I was nervous to see Jules. I asked the desk clerk to page her, and I stifled the need to pace around the crowded lobby as I waited.

She came into the lobby, and when she saw me, she looked surprised and pleased. “Liam, I wasn’t expecting you, but... I’m glad to see you.”

“I know you’re busy, but we always have BBQ the night before Thanksgiving. There was so much left over that I thought you might like some for dinner.”

Jules took the bag I had shoved toward her, not saying a word for a moment. “Wow, this is heavy, a lot of food here.”

“I hope it’s okay that I brought this, and well, I hope you like BBQ. I thought you did.” I babbled like a schoolboy.

“I do. Look, we’re swamped. This was very sweet. It means I can eat tonight, but I need to go back inside.”

“Absolutely. Don’t let me keep you.” I started to turn to leave, but she grasped my forearm and kissed me on the cheek.

“I’m glad you came home for Thanksgiving, Liam. Give your family my love.”

I drove home more confused than I had ever been. In seventy-two hours, I had to return to Maryland, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back.

~~~

Thanksgiving morning could only be described as chaos. It was raining, so the kids and dogs were indoors. The aroma of turkey, dressing, rolls, casseroles, and pies baking filled the house. We kept the kids occupied with the parades during the morning and football in the afternoon. Mom put Phil and me in charge of setting the table, and Elsa followed behind to fix what we did wrong. That done, I was about to enter the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

Mom nodded toward the front door. “Liam, would you get the door, please.” Then I noticed her sly smile. I knew I was right the other day when I suspected she was up to something and I had no doubt what it was.

I opened the front door to find Jules and her father standing on the porch. I’m not sure when I was ever happier to see someone.

Jules shrugged. “Your mom swore us to secrecy. I hope you don’t mind.”

It was my turn to kiss her on the cheek. “Not one bit.” I turned toward her father. “Mr. Edgar, I am so happy you are here. Welcome.”

“Good to be here, son. Been too long.”

The next few minutes were chaotic as old friends greeted each other. I learned that my mom and dad had contacted Jules and invited her and Edgar to dinner. Jules arranged for a contract traveling ER doctor to cover her shift and convinced her dad to come. But what made me happy was the moment when Cam saw Jules. He ran to her excitedly and hugged her with Peaches joining in. Cam then took her by the hand to meet his cousins. I’ve always been told that kids and dogs always know good people. Cam and Peaches certainly did.

We gathered at the table, and my father led us in a prayer of thanksgiving. Then he raised a glass of wine and asked all of us to do the same.

“A few minutes before we sat down, Beth and I received word that our offer to purchase Magnolia Blossom Farm was accepted. We will close in January.”

In an instant, as I watched my family celebrate and saw how happy Cam was to be with his grandparents and cousins, I knew what I had to do. I turned to Jules, who was sitting beside me. “Do you think we can make this work? I mean us work?”

She sucked in a quick breath and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”

This time, the kiss we shared was not on the cheek. The excited response around us told us our families approved.

~~~

One year later, Thanksgiving dinner occurred at my parents’ newly built home on the farm. So many changes during the past year. I resigned from my position in Bethesda, and Cam and I moved to Charlotte, where I began working at the same ER as Jules. We were married in August, and I bought Mom and Dad’s house, where we live with Cam, Peaches, and a cat named Riley.

Mom and Elsa manage the events at the farm, and Dad runs the farm operation with the farm manager’s and Phil’s help. Jules and I pitch in when possible. Cam is learning to ride horses, and Edgar is teaching him to draw. Phil renovated the old cabin where Edgar serves as artist in residence and mentors an artist community in a new building beside it.

As Dad delivered the Thanksgiving prayer, I thought back to Cam, and me singing “Over the River and Through the Woods” as we drove to Charlotte the year before. We were lost and alone but found the joy and security of our family once again—truly, a day of Thanksgiving.