Serenity squatted down in front of the little girl. “I’d love to come. I used to have tea parties with my mom when I was little.”

“Yay! Kaylee and Tanya are coming, too.”

“What are we having?”

Brianna gave Serenity an incredulous look. “It’s a tea party. We’re having tea.” She glanced up at her mother as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard and shook her head.

Serenity couldn’t do anything but laugh. “I meant what are we having to eat with the tea?”

She thought for a minute, then shrugged. “I don’t know. Mommy, what kind of food are you supposed to eat at a tea party?”

“You can have little sandwiches, some fruit, and dessert.”

Brianna nodded. “Ooh, okay.”

Serenity stood. “I tell you what. I’ll bring the food. I know the perfect cookie to go with tea. They’re called vanilla crisps, and they taste so good.”

“Serenity, you don’t have to do that. This child will have you baking all kinds of things if you let her.”

“Pam, it’s no trouble at all. What time is the party?”

“I was thinking from noon until about one.”

Brianna bounced up and down. “And you have to wear a dress and a hat.”

“Oh, I have the perfect hat,” Serenity said. Or at least she would once she found one when she went shopping on the way home.

Pam took Brianna’s hand. “Come on, girl. Serenity, whatever you wear will be fine.” Shaking her head, she led her exuberant daughter out.

Still smiling, Serenity said her goodbyes.

Instead of going straight to the grocery store, she walked a block to Back Porch Boutique. It took only ten minutes to find a navy hat, complete with a bow to match her navy and white striped dress. She retraced her steps, hopped in her car, and drove over to Vineyard Foods.

Inside, Serenity got everything on her list, along with some extra lunch meat and bread for the sandwiches. It had been a long time since she’d gone to a tea party and she was almost as excited as Brianna. Maybe, for the next supper club, she’d do a tea party. Yep, a tea party. The wheels in her mind started turning, and she mentally debated on menu options. On her way to the register, she called out and returned greetings. Not for the first time, she realized how much she enjoyed living here.