Maeve looked up briefly from the puzzle she was doing at a small table in the corner of the room and beamed at her mother before looking back down at her toy.
Kara read the letter again, and her forehead furrowed as she momentarily considered throwing it in the recycling bin beside her desk. She could, but since the garden center buildings and all the property surrounding them had been left to both her and Mark when their mother passed away, he probably should have an equal say in what happened to it. Pulling her phone out of the front pocket of her dark-wash jeans, Kara hit the speed dial button that would connect her with him. When the call immediately flipped over to voice mail, Kara sighed softly under her breath and disconnected without leaving a message.
Placing the letter to one side, she looked up and smiled as Rachel came into the office to collect Maeve for a walk. “Thank you, hon,” she called after them as the little girl skipped out the door with her.
Kara returned to her task and once finished, she yawned and leaned back in her chair. Looking over the things scattered on her desk, she picked up the picture she kept there of her mother, her brother, and herself.
“She was beautiful, wasn’t she?” Mary asked from the doorway, where she was watching Kara gently trace her mother’s face in the photograph with one finger.
“I don’t know if she was what people would consider classically beautiful, but she loved me and she worked hard looking after us, so I’ll always think she was,” Kara replied.
Mary shook her head. “She was beautiful,” she said firmly. Mary had taken on a parental role with Mark and Kara when their mother had tragically passed away after a brief battle with ovarian cancer when the twins were teenagers. For a few years, Mary had even let both of the heartbroken twins live with her and had cooked them hot meals and spent many evenings reminding them to do their homework. Both Mark and Kara were grateful for all Mary had done, and even when they could have rebelled as teenagers at her rules, they hadn’t, knowing that Mary had their best interests at heart. She was the only family they had at the time besides each other, and Mary had made sure the twins felt cherished and loved.
“I still miss her every day,” Kara admitted. She placed the framed photograph back on her desk.
“I do too. She was my best friend,” said Mary. “You look just like she did at your age,” Mary added, “except she had more meat on her than you do. Did you eat at all today?”
Kara laughed at the sudden change of topic. “Yes, I ate today. I had a fairly big lunch,” she replied. “Why are you always trying to get me to eat, anyway? I’m not overly skinny and I’m healthy.”
“I don’t know. I guess I just worry about you because you work so hard. Besides, your mom would expect me to occasionally mother you and do things like check to see if you’re eating enough.”
Mary walked over and sat down on the couch in the office across from her. “So if it’s not that, then what’s wrong?” she asked, crossing her arms and looking over at Kara.
“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong. What makes you ask that?” Kara’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re all alone at your desk, mooning over an old picture of your mother. You wouldn’t be doing that unless something was bothering you.”
Kara smiled. “I sometimes forget how well you know me,” she replied. “But nothing is wrong, really. I just got a funny letter today, and it got me thinking about my mother.”
Picking the letter up, she handed it over to Mary, who skimmed it, then handed it back to Kara. “I always wondered when the developers would come along and try to buy this property up,” she said. “It’s in the best part of town, and it’s perfect for condominiums or a box store. I’m actually surprised it’s taken this long for anyone else to think of it.”
Kara looked at Mary in surprise. “Well, think of it or not, the garden center is not for sale. Especially if whoever wants to buy it plans to tear it down and put some hideous, concrete big box stores in its place! I love this land and my mother gave it to me to carry on her business. I intend to always grow trees and plants here, not let someone build ugly condominiums.”
“Well, you just have to tell them that. You don’t have to sell this place if you don’t want to. But you should at least go and hear what they’re offering.”
“You think so?”
Mary nodded. “I do. Land is selling for huge amounts in Larkin Bay right now, and the money you and Mark could get for this parcel might set both you and little Maeve up for the rest of your lives. You’d also probably have enough money left over to build another garden center farther outside of town if that’s how you still wanted to spend your time.”
Kara tilted her head to one side and considered the suggestion. “I could, I guess. But it wouldn’t be the land or business my mother left for Mark and me to build a future on for our families. It wouldn’t be the same as being here.”
Mary nodded. “I know, honey. But I think your mother bought this land hoping something exactly like this would happen one day. She knew this land was valuable. And honestly, that’s really what every mother wants—to have enough money so she can care for her children and give them some security. That’s what I want for Rachel, and I’m sure it’s what you want for Maeve too.”
Kara frowned. “If Mom hadn’t left me this business, I’d have nothing, and while it’s not making a ton of money right now, it’s always generated enough to keep us clothed and fed. It’s always paid the bills.”
“That’s true,” Mary conceded, settling back into the couch cushions.
“My mother worked hard building this place to support us all. You know that better than anyone. When our daddy left her with two small children, she didn’t give up but instead worked herself into an early grave so that Mark and I could have this place and, with it, a secure future.”
“She loved you both so much.”
Kara blinked. “I know. That’s why I can’t throw all her hard work away now, just for a few dollars.”
Wow. I didn’t realize how passionate I felt about this.
“Besides, the decision is only half mine,” she continued slowly. “The property is half Mark’s as well, so I’ll have to at least consider what he wants. But really, I don’t think I could any sooner part with this place than I could chop off my arm!”
Mary laughed. “You know, I think I love you best when you’re all riled up about something,” she said. “And yes, talk to Mark, but you also might want to at least be open to considering the offer—it could give you a great deal of money that’ll allow you to do things for Maeve that you’ve only dreamed about.”
“You really think so?”
Mary nodded. “I do. And you know I only want what’s best for you and her. If you decide not to sell, that’s fine with me too. I love working here almost as much as you do.”
Getting to her feet, Mary walked over to Kara and hugged her. “Now, the real reason I came in here was to tell you that the outdoor greenhouse is full of paying customers, so your presence is required. No one can talk people into buying flats of pansies like you can, so we need you out there selling.”
Kara slammed her fist on the bar in frustration. “But you can’t just leave this decision up to me!” she exclaimed.
Mark was behind the bar, polishing the glasses he’d just taken out of the dishwasher and placing them neatly in a line beneath the counter. As the sole proprietor of Sullivan’s Place, he prided himself on always keeping his bar spick-and-span.
“Yes, I can,” he replied. “It’s your business. I know Mom left the garden center to both of us, but don’t forget that I used it to secure a loan to buy this place,” he said, motioning around the pub with his drying towel. “But since I repaid that loan to the bank already, as far as I’m concerned, I’m done with the land. So, it’s all yours. Sell it, keep it to run the garden center, even set up a junkyard on it for all I care.”
Kara laid her forehead on her arms and groaned in frustration. “But what if I don’t want to be the one to decide?” she asked. “What if I want someone else to do it?”
“Well, I’ll help you, of course, but sorry, twin sister—we’ll be twenty-eight in a few months, and there are no other adults around anymore, just us.” He grinned at her and chuckled under his breath at her expression as he continued to double-check that every glass he tucked away was sparkling clean.
“This isn’t funny,” Kara snapped. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I know you don’t,” Mark replied patiently, “but it’s really pretty simple. All you have to do is get yourself a lawyer who will contact whoever wrote you this letter and find out exactly what’s being offered. Your lawyer will explain it all to you, both the good and bad parts. Then you just take a few days to think it all through and decide what you want to do. It shouldn’t be that hard.”
