Summer At Lakeside Page 8

  “Her family will be upset.” He purposely steered away from talking about Paul. The love-hate relationship between the teenager and his grandmother was so deeply entrenched that Ethan doubted they’d ever have a normal life together.

  John touched his arm.

  Jerking his attention back to their conversation, Ethan gathered his thoughts, prioritizing what Paul might need. “I’ll pick up some frozen meals for Paul and his mom. They’ll appreciate some hot food while all of this is going on.”

  “I’ve already organized something. As soon as they arrive home, Mabel’s dropping off a few meals. They won’t need to cook for the rest of the week. Don’t think too far ahead. Once we know what they need, we’ll go from there.”

  Ethan studied his friend. John didn’t seem worried about Paul’s family. If anything, he looked too relaxed. “How do you do it?”

  “How do I do what?”

  “Stay so calm. You know what Paul’s been through and what his family is like.”

  “Paul and his mom are happier than they’ve ever been. The tiny home village is good for them and they’re receiving all the support they need. We can’t change what’s happened, but we can give them the tools to create a better future.”

  “What if it’s not enough?”

  John sighed. “All we can do is our best. Is everything okay?”

  Ethan placed another sculpture into a box. “Paul reminds me of a friend who never made it back from Afghanistan. I couldn’t help him, but I want to make Paul’s life better.”

  “We are.” John stood in front of him. “Paul has challenges in his life that could easily lead him down a dark path. Our job is to help him be the best he can be. And, from what I’ve seen, he’s making huge progress.”

  Ethan knew that was true, but it didn’t help the doubt gnawing away at him, the worry that he’d overlooked something that could trigger the same depression that had overwhelmed his friend.

  “I have some good news.”

  Ethan raised his eyebrows at John’s excited tone. “You’ve found a donor who wants to fund more art therapy sessions?”

  “Nice try, but not yet. I was talking to Penny Terry this morning. The county is interested in working in partnership with her to remodel the cottages on Anchor Lane. She wants to know if I’m interested in using the houses as projects for the church’s construction program.”

  “I’m assuming you’re more than interested?”

  “You’re right. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”

  “What will the county do with them once they’re finished?”

  John grinned. “That’s the best part. Because they’re in the center of town, the county wants to encourage small business owners to lease the buildings. They’ll pay for everything including ongoing maintenance costs. All we have to do is report back on their economic and social benefits. Being able to provide work opportunities for the community will make a big difference.”

  “I take it you’re already planning how it could work?”

  “Am I that obvious?”

  “Only sometimes. I wonder how it will affect The Lakeside Inn. Penny has been helping her sisters with all the behind-the-scenes work that needs to be done. If she’s managing the cottage project, she won’t have a lot of time to help her sisters.”

  “I asked her about that. She said Katie will be home from Los Angeles soon. She should be able to share some of the workload.”

  Ethan hoped so. Otherwise, Diana and her sisters might have to employ more people to work at the inn.

  Diana added another vase of flowers to the table under the oak tree. The surprise wedding anniversary dinner for her parents would be amazing.

  For most of the afternoon, people had been dropping off food for the party. The kitchen at the inn was full of salads, cakes, muffins, sweet desserts, and bowls of delicious fresh fruit.

  Diana smiled. Ethan had spent the last hour moving furniture in the hot afternoon sun with Pastor John. That left her and her sisters to set the tables, check the music, and make sure the inn was spotless.

  Barbara appeared with a clipboard in her hands. “Thank goodness you’re still here,” she said to Ethan and John. “Can you string the fairy lights and lanterns into place?”

  John wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “This is worse than spending my only day off in the garden.”

  Diana patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. Just think of all the calories you’re burning.”

  “Or the extra ones I’ll eat tonight. I’ve never seen so many desserts in my life.”

  “It’s impressive, isn’t it?”

  Ethan stretched his back. “While John’s dreaming of what he’ll eat, I’ll look for the lights.”

  “The fairy lights are in the laundry room and the lanterns are in the garage,” Barbara told him.

  “To the laundry room it is.”

  Diana followed Ethan toward the house. “I’ll help you. Are you still able to come to the party?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. Your mom and dad will be surprised when they see what you’ve organized.”

  “I hope so. Mom has a habit of knowing what’s going on before anyone else does.”

  Ethan smiled. “Even if she’s heard about the party, she won’t say anything.”

  He was right, but it would be wonderful if her mom was genuinely surprised. “We’ve done our best to keep it a secret. Forty years of marriage is definitely worth celebrating. How long have your parents been married?”

  “About forty-three years. We had a big family party for them on their fortieth wedding anniversary, too.”

  As they walked into the house, Diana peeked inside the kitchen. Her aunts were busy making coffee for everyone and chatting up a storm. It was just as well a friend had offered to look after Charlie. The smell of all the food would be his idea of doggy heaven. If they were distracted for one second, he would devour anything within licking distance.

  With a smile, she tuned to Ethan. “The best part of today is seeing all our family again. It’s been a long time since we were together.”

  “Do you have any guests staying at the inn this weekend?”

  Two of Diana’s cousins hurried past her, chasing their children. She grinned at Ethan. “We knew it would be crazy once our family arrived, so we didn’t take any bookings for a few days.”

  For the last week, they’d been preparing for everyone’s arrival. Barbara had bought fifteen air beds, hoping that, between the guest bedrooms, the living rooms, and even the office, they’d have enough room for most of their family.

  Ethan opened the laundry room door and pulled two boxes of fairy lights off the counter. “Do you know where Barbara wants these strung?”

  A pang of grief tightened her throat. “There are some hooks under the eaves at the back of the house. Granddad hung the lights there each Christmas. He created the most amazing displays.”

  “He had the perfect house as a backdrop.”

  Diana nodded, remembering one Christmas when her granddad almost fell off the roof. “Grandma threatened to hide the lights as he got older, but he always convinced her they couldn’t do without them. One day, I’ll show you our Christmas photos.”

  “I’d like that.” Ethan carried the boxes of lights toward the back door. “Have you heard from Katie?”

  “She should be here soon. Her meeting with the editorial director went well, but she still doesn’t know if her books will be published.”

  “Waiting for a decision must be frustrating.”

  Diana knew it was more than that. It was hard to see her sister so disheartened. After spending most of her life dreaming about publishing her children’s books, she’d never thought it would be this difficult.

  “Katie called us last night. Even if they accept her manuscripts, it could take up to two years for us to see the books in a store. Everything has to fit around the publisher’s schedule and Katie’s books will have to wait in line like everyone else’s.”

 
; “Two years? That’s crazy.”

  “I know, but it’s what everyone has to deal with if they want to be traditionally published.” Diana stepped onto the veranda. “Uncle Ted left the ladder beside the pergola. I’ll get it for you.”

  Before Diana had a chance to get close to the ladder, Barbara ran toward her. Her super-efficient sister hardly ever ran anywhere, except in emergencies.

  “Diana! Come quick. Chloe from the Smithsonian wants to speak to us. Where’s Penny?”

  “I don’t know. She went to Sweet Treats with Wyatt to collect Mom and Dad’s cake. They’re not back yet.”

  “We’ll have to tell her what Chloe says.” Barbara grabbed Diana’s hand.

  “Hang on. I have to take the ladder to Ethan. It will only take a few seconds.”

  Barbara groaned. “Fine. You get the ladder and I’ll join the meeting, but be quick.”

  Carefully, Ethan lowered the boxes onto the wooden steps. “I heard what Barbara said. You go with her. I can get the ladder.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. If I don’t see you after your meeting, I’ll I see you at the party. I need to go into work for an hour.”

  “Thanks for helping us.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  After saying goodbye to Ethan, Diana hurried after her sister. Hopefully, Chloe had good news about the letter they thought Abraham Lincoln had written. And, if they were lucky, the Smithsonian might have discovered more information about their great-grandfather and how the letter ended up in the dresser.

  Chapter 9

  Diana pulled her chair closer to Barbara. Chloe’s image filled the computer screen. She was seated behind her desk at the Smithsonian, waiting to tell them the news they were anxious to hear.

  “Hi, Chloe. I’m sorry Penny and Katie aren’t here.”

  “That’s okay,” Chloe assured them. “I’m thankful you and Barbara were able to take this call. I have some exciting news.”

  Barbara gripped Diana’s hand. “Did Abraham Lincoln write the letter?”

  A wide smile broke across Chloe’s face. “It’s been authenticated by our team. So, yes, Abraham Lincoln wrote the letter you found.”

  Diana was stunned. She always knew there was a high probability that it was real, but knowing she’d touched a letter a President of the United States had written was overwhelming. “I can’t believe the Smithsonian was able to give us an answer so quickly.”

  “Usually it takes a lot longer, but everyone worked overtime to study the letter. For some of our team, it’s the most important discovery of their career.”

  “This is incredible,” Barbara whispered. “Our great-grandparents hid the letter in the dresser and never told Grandma about it. What if she’d given the dresser away or found the letter and thrown it in the trash? It would have been lost forever.”

  Diana’s fingers tightened around her sister’s. “Don’t worry about any of that. The letter is safe and that’s the main thing.” She looked at Chloe. “Did you discover anything that would tell us why our great-grandparents had the letter?”

  “Not yet. Our teams are still working on a few theories. I’ll send you a timeline of what we know so far.”

  “That would be great.”

  “We’re still going through the items you sent us. Hopefully, in another few weeks, we’ll be able to send everything back to you. Have you thought about what you want to do with the letter?”

  Barbara looked at Diana.

  She nodded, wanting her sister to know she was happy for her to tell Chloe their plans.

  “We’d like the Smithsonian to look after the letter,” Barbara said. “It will be safer with you.”

  “That’s wonderful. A lot of people will enjoy seeing it.”

  “We wanted to talk to you about something else, too. When we first discussed the letter, you said the Smithsonian would be happy to look after everything we found, including our great-grandmother’s journals. Is that still an option?”

  Chloe didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. It would be fantastic if you decided to lend us everything.”

  Barbara glanced at Diana, then looked back at Chloe. “That’s great because we’ve decided the best place for everything is with the Smithsonian. We’re really worried someone will steal the dresser once they know it contained the letter.”

  Diana leaned forward. “There are only a couple of things we’d like the Smithsonian to do. Could you make five copies of our great-grandmother’s journals and the letter? That way, Mom and each of us will have our own copies.”

  Chloe nodded. “It would be our pleasure to do that for you. I’m thrilled that you’re trusting us with these treasures.”

  A weight lifted from Diana’s shoulders. “It helps us, too. We’ve all been worried about the journals deteriorating. Is it okay to tell everyone about the letter?”

  “You can tell your immediate family, but I’d appreciate you not saying anything to anyone else for now. The Smithsonian will release a press statement but, before that happens, we need to complete a full conservation treatment on the letter and assess the other items.”

  “How long do you think that will take?”

  “I’m not sure, but as soon as I’ve spoken to the teams involved, I’ll let you know. I’ll also send you an email after today’s meeting to confirm everything we’ve talked about.”

  Barbara smiled. “That sounds wonderful. Thanks for everything you’ve done.”

  “I’m grateful you involved the Smithsonian in your plans. If we discover anything about your great-grandfather, I’ll let you know.”

  When Chloe ended the meeting, Diana turned off the computer. “How do you feel?” she asked her sister.

  “Shocked. I still can’t believe we found a letter written by Abraham Lincoln.”

  “And not just any letter. It was probably the last draft of the Gettysburg address.”

  For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.

  “I feel like we’re on a giant treasure hunt,” Diana said softly. “And our great-grandfather is hiding the final clue.”

  “The worst thing is that he may have taken it to his grave. We might never discover what happened to him or how the letter ended up here.”

  “At least the letter and the journals will be safe.”

  “That’s true.” Barbara smiled and picked up her clipboard. “While we’re quietly celebrating the news about the letter, we can decorate the backyard.”

  “And get ready for fifty hungry guests. I hope Wyatt remembered to marinate the meat for the barbecue.”

  “I’m more worried about our sister. She left an hour ago with him to pick up the cake.”

  “As long as they arrive home before Mom and Dad, it won’t matter. There are so many desserts in the kitchen no one will notice a missing cake.” Shaking off her worries, Diana left the office with her sister. Even though the news about the letter was fantastic, they needed to get ready for tonight’s party.

  Everyone wanted it to be a success. Their mom and dad meant the world to them and Diana and her sisters wanted them to know how special they were—and how much they were loved.

  After Ethan strung the fairy lights under the eaves of the house, he helped John with the lanterns. The red, yellow, and blue lights would look great in the old oak tree, especially after the sun disappeared below the horizon.

  The amount of planning that had gone into making the party a success amazed him. Each detail, right down to the cutlery and glasses they’d be using, had been carefully thought through. Mabel and Allan would be blown away by everything their daughters had done.

  Ethan turned at the sound of a vehicle arriving.

  Katie jumped out of the truck and flung her arms around Diana.

  John stepped off the last rung of the ladder and looked over his shoulder. “Someone’s happy.”

  “At least that’s one sister they don’t have to worry about. I wonder where Wyatt and Penny have gone.”

  “Maybe th
ey dropped the cake?”

  “If they did, they’ll be in trouble.”

  “I saw Barbara’s spreadsheet for the party. She’s so organized I wouldn’t be surprised if she had another cake on standby.”

  “That sounds like her.” John glanced at the tree and smiled. “If we ever want to change careers, we could start our own lighting company. It looks like a team of professionals have decorated the tree.”

  “Zac wouldn’t be happy if I told him I was leaving. He has enough trouble finding staff for his clinic as it is.”

  “And counselors with your experience are even harder to find. Thanks for putting Cassidy in touch with Diana and her sisters. Working at the inn has changed her attitude to a lot of things, including her relationship with her mom.”

  “Diana will be pleased to hear that. She’s spent a lot of time with Cassidy.” He checked his watch and frowned. “I have to head back to the clinic.”

  “What time are you coming back for the party?”

  “I should be here by six-thirty. I’ll see you later.” With a wave to his friend, Ethan walked across the yard. If his counseling session with Richard went as well as the others, he’d be back before anyone knew he was gone.

  And, hopefully, Wyatt and Penny would arrive back at the inn before he did.

  “You can leave the cake on the counter.” Diana hurried ahead of Wyatt as he maneuvered the large box into the kitchen. “Be careful of the table on your right.”

  Penny closed the door behind them. “I can’t believe how much you’ve done since we left.”

  “We had a lot of people helping us. Where were you? I was getting worried.”

  Wyatt slid the box onto the only available space in the kitchen. “You weren’t the only one. Barbara called Penny at least three times.”

  “Four, if you count when we were driving to Sweat Treats.” Penny sent Wyatt a radiant smile.

  That was odd. Usually, Penny found Barbara’s tight time frames annoying. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. Let’s see if the cake made it in one piece.” She carefully removed the stickers on the top of the box.