The cat and dog followed all three of them into the house, through the kitchen and into the living room. Hooter jumped up on the sofa, and Blister found a place under the coffee table.

“What do you think?” Liz asked.

“Which question do you want answered first?” Tressa shot right back at her.

“The one about Blaze, and then tell me how you like all my decorations,” Liz answered.

“Blaze is a big boy.” Marva Jo walked around the tree and pointed to an ornament. “That one belonged to my mother. She gave it to Sara the first Christmas that she was in the family, and darlin’ girl, I like Colleen. My instincts tell me she’s a quick study and I can already see her in costume.”

Liz’s dark eyes almost popped right out of her head. “For what?”

“Telling fortunes.” Tressa pointed to another ornament. “Mother handmade these little crocheted snowflakes for Sara the year Lizelle was born.”

“You will be telling fortunes for years and years.” Liz wasn’t sure she was comfortable with turning over her job to Colleen.

“Yes, but I have to have help. I trained this one girl named Lizelle, but she’s tired of the life. However,” Tressa paused, “Colleen could be ready by spring to take over your job if you’re really going to leave us.”

“She would never leave her family and her job,” Liz gasped.

“You did,” Marva Jo answered. “Now show me the kitchen and the pantry. You remembered to get fresh garlic, didn’t you? A good lasagna does not need to be made with dried flakes.”

Liz nodded. “This way.”

Marva Jo looped an arm around her daughter’s waist. “I love the house. If I wasn’t a carnie, it’s exactly what I’d want. Big living room for the family. Big kitchen to cook in, and bedrooms on the other end. I can see why Haskell built it this way. Too bad he and Sara never had kids. I liked that woman. She would have made a good mother.”

“You saying that means a lot to me. It can’t be easy,” Liz said.

“You’d better have more than one child. Have a house full, because at least one of my granddaughters is going to inherit my traveling blood, and I’m going to make you pay for your raisin’ one of these days,” Marva Jo said. “Until then, know that I love you enough not to send you on too big of a guilt trip.”

Liz put both arms around her mother and hugged her. “You are the best mother in the whole world.”

Marva Jo hugged her back and then took a step back. “Tell me that when I steal your favorite child and make her a carnie. It’ll be in her bloodline, Lizelle. Don’t forget where you came from.”

“I can never forget that,” Liz said. “Let’s go cook before you make me cry.”

Tressa laughed. “You cook? Darlin’, have you told Raylen that the extent of your cooking ability lies with whatever you can pour out of a can or heat up in a microwave?”