“Can we be the flower girls?” asked Charlie, who had always wanted to be one.

“Well, unfortunately, no, because—and that takes me to part two of the announcement.”

“You’re buying ponies!” said Charlie before she could stop herself. “No, wait, that would be part three.”

“HUSH, Charlie,” said Fiona ferociously, “and let Miss Webster finish!” For now a sinking feeling was coming over her. She did not see how not being flower girls could lead to an announcement of Mr. Pettinger and Miss Webster adopting the McCreadys.

“Part two is that Don and I are moving up to the Yukon. Don was offered a job there, back close to where he used to live. It’s a wonderful opportunity and he has been wanting to return home and I have always wanted to see the Yukon. Now I will be living there!”

There were no glad cries now. There was a long silence instead. Charlie just looked confused.

“But are we all going?” she asked finally.

“What?” asked Miss Webster. “Oh, Charlie, no. We’re getting married up there, which is why you can’t be flower girls. If we were to marry here of course you would be. But you see I have no family and Don’s family is all in the Yukon so it only makes sense to marry there. I will send you lots of photos, I promise,” she ended lamely.

There was another uncomfortable silence, which Miss Webster tried to fill with cheerful enthusiastic natter, but it rang hollow in the room and fooled no one. “And I’m so proud of all of you. I can see you’re doing fine now. Of course, I can’t check on you every week as I have been but we can keep in touch with emails and I will phone you every Sunday. Finding my replacement as principal of Greenwillow has been the difficulty and I didn’t want to announce any of this until one could be found but the school board thinks Mrs. Edwards will be a wonderful fit for the school and she can start next week. I’ve got Al named in the file as your guardian and I don’t think Mrs. Edwards, who will have so many other things on her mind, being new to the school and new to the community, will question it or even notice it but if she does I will vouch for him. I hate leaving the four of you but this is an opportunity we can’t pass up and I hope you will be happy for us.”

“Of course we are,” said Fiona automatically.

But looking at the table it was hard to see any happiness. Al was still shoveling in food unaffected. Charlie still looked confused. Natasha was back in one of her little worlds as if she hadn’t heard a word and Marlin looked dumbstruck.

Finally Fiona, hoping to save the situation, said, “Well, that is such wonderful news and now, Marlin, time for your happy announcement!”

Marlin visibly pulled herself together and stood up as if just suddenly remembering her own happy news.