Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-six

It took less than three minutes to get to Loretta’s land. Hannah passed more deeply wooded areas and barbed wire fences until she came to Loretta’s mailbox. She turned down a winding gravel road and drove until she saw the pale blue farmhouse in the distance.

She stopped by a massive oak tree and took several deep, calming breaths. She was almost at the farmhouse and she wanted a clear head to ask the questions that she needed to ask Jennifer.

Hannah had no sooner pulled up in front of the farmhouse when the front door opened and a pretty young woman came out. It was the same young woman Hannah had seen when she’d driven past from the opposite direction on her way to Winnie’s ranch with Mike.

“Hi, Hannah!” the young woman greeted her. “Mom said you liked coffee so I put on a fresh pot. Come into the kitchen.”

She’s friendly, Hannah thought, turning off the ignition and following Jennifer up the sidewalk to the house. “It’s nice to meet you, Jennifer,” she said, as Jennifer walked through the living room and led Hannah to the kitchen.

“Mom said you took it black,” Jennifer said, waiting for Hannah’s nod before she brought Hannah’s cup of coffee to the kitchen table. “Sit down. Mom was absurdly pleased that you remembered how she took her coffee. She told me all about it.”

“That’s nice,” Hannah said, but her mind was taking a very different approach. Better take control, it told her. Jennifer’s trying to run the show and you can’t let her do that.

“So Jennifer,” Hannah said, motioning to the chair across the table. “Is it good to be home after all these years?”

“Oh, yes! It’s just wonderful to see Mom again. And Carly! She’s all grown up now and she was so little when I left.”

Get her, Hannah’s mind said quite unnecessarily because Hannah had already thought of her next comment. She smiled and delivered the first pitch. “It must be a little shocking for you to see her now, considering that Carly was only a toddler when you left.”

“Oh, she wasn’t a toddler. Carly was five when I left,” Jennifer said, her bat connecting solidly with Hannah’s pitch.

“Carly wasn’t five. She was four,” Hannah corrected her, watching the pitch Jennifer had hit roll foul. “You should have remembered that since you baked the cake for her party and put a big number four on it.”

Jennifer seemed at a loss for words and Hannah announced the play in her head. Foul ball. The count is no balls, one strike.

“Of course you’re right. I just forgot for a moment.” Jennifer looked a bit uncomfortable. “Mom said you own a wonderful cookie and coffee shop in town.”