“I wonder if any of those brothers settled around here?” Lily shook her head. “Whoa! Hermann Mayer is the name on the historical marker out at the end of the lane from my house. It says the place was the homestead of Hermann and Lucille Mayer from their marriage in 1890 until their deaths. They were active in community affairs and raised a son, Frederick Mayer, who occupied the house when his parents were gone. The homestead includes the house, a barn, a smokehouse, and it’s a significant part of the German-Texas heritage of the state. I wonder if he’s one of the sons.”

“That wasn’t one of the sons’ names. I can’t remember them all, but Hermann wasn’t one of them. He might have been a brother or a cousin to Granny Hayes’s folks, though.” Sally rubbed her hands together. “I’ll have to go back to the library and see what I can find out. Maybe that’s why she likes Holly so much—maybe y’all share a little DNA.”

“I was never interested in genealogy like Mama was, but this makes me want to find out more,” Lily said.

Polly brought a blast of cold wind with her when she entered the front door of the shop. She usually arrived with a big smile on her face and a spring in her step, but today she was somber and serious. She set a box from the bakery on the table and opened it. “I brought cookies for when Teena gets back. She’s on the way.” Then she set her thermos beside the box. “Hot chocolate. I thought I’d come offer a little support with the food.”

Teena came in through the back door. Polly opened her arms, and she walked right into them. “I miss my mama today, so thank you for coming.”

“I know you do, darlin’,” Polly said. “Losing a baby is a tough thing, no matter how old a woman is. How’s Ryder and Macy?”

“They’re both so sad.” Teena took a step back and sighed. “I’m glad I went, Lily. It meant a lot to Ryder and to Macy. Poor girl hasn’t had many breaks. Her little garage apartment is spotless, and she really loves my son. I’ve misjudged her, and I feel bad.”

“God works in mysterious ways,” Polly said. “It wasn’t the best of situations, but He brought Lily back to Comfort where she belongs.”

“That was marijuana, not God,” Lily said.

“God uses whatever is at hand to work His miracles,” Polly informed her. “Now let’s have some cookies and chocolate. Food always helps.”