I peeked out the side window; a woman stood there with a large flower arrangement. “Crap, I forgot that Allison was coming over for coffee this week.” I started unlocking the door. “Sorry, hon, I’ve got to go.” I hung up the phone and set it on the table in the foyer.
When I swung the door open, I greeted her. “I didn’t expect you to show up today. At least not with flowers.”
The woman thrust the flowers into my hands. Then she spoke. “I figured as horrible as I’ve been, I’d better arrive bearing gifts.”
It wasn’t Allison on my doorstep, it was Amy. She looked me over. “Are you okay?” She paused. “Can you forgive me?”
“I’m fine, and of course.” I set the spring arrangement on the table and pulled my friend over the threshold and into my arms for a hug. “I missed you so much. Have you ever had a meal with Darla? She’s impossible.”
“Justin says I’ve been a total brat about this. When we heard the news last night, I wanted to come then, but Greg said you were worn out.” She walked over to the couch. “Come sit down and tell me everything. I’m tired of getting my gossip from secondhand sources.”
Leave it to Amy to put it all in perspective. I sat down and the two of us talked until the second knock on the door brought a basket of fried chicken along with mashed potatoes and gravy. It was enough to feed ten adults.
“I wonder who else is showing up.” I carried the boxes into the kitchen and started unloading. Amy got out the good paper plates and silverware.
“Greg told Justin to be here just after noon. I guess Greg will be arriving anytime.” Amy looked in the refrigerator. “Good, you have sun tea.”
As she set the jar on the counter, Toby knocked on the kitchen door. “Am I too early for lunch? Sasha’s bringing your aunt from the shop. They closed down for the afternoon.”
“Seems like everyone but me knew there was going to be a party here today.” I hugged him. “Thanks for watching out for me, even when I don’t think I need it.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Not my fault at all. This was all Greg’s plan. He knew you were investigating, but he couldn’t figure out what you were doing. So I was his mole.”
“Just remember to take the GPS locator off my phone. I don’t need Greg knowing everything I do.” I shot Amy a knowing look, and she blushed.
Toby’s phone rang and he glanced at the display. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this.” He walked into the living room.
“So Greg found you by using your phone app?” Amy handed me a glass of iced tea. “That’s kind of awesome.”
“It’s kind of invasive, but I’m glad they took that step. Sadie and I didn’t even have time to finish the water we’d brought for the hike.” I sipped my tea.
“You shouldn’t joke. That guy was crazy, he could have killed you.” Amy leaned against the cabinet. “Do you know how he killed Kacey?”
I shook my head. “He didn’t say. He was just so excited about having done it.”
“I heard that he mixed a wheat germ into water, let it steep, then strained it. While they talked, he switched out her water bottle.” Amy shrugged. “Another reason why water’s bad for you.”
“I guess so.” I thought about Kacey and her love of people. “I feel bad she didn’t get a chance to really be a resident of South Cove. I think once the Austin and Sadie thing blew over, she would have been fun to have around.”
Amy walked over and put her arm around me. “That’s why I adore you. You’re always thinking about the underdog.”
“Well, maybe not always.” I held my hand up, stopping Amy from disagreeing. “Look, I was wrong to say I wouldn’t support you in the water conservation plan. I should have been more understanding whether or not I knew it was your project.”
Amy shrugged. “Thank you. I kind of went overboard crazy with my reaction, too. I guess I was trying so hard to not tell people it was my project, I forgot to get buy-in before I went all psycho water saver on you.”
I looked out at the gently falling rain. “I guess two days of rain doesn’t stop a drought?”
“Two days might not, but the forecast is rain for a week. We’ll be disbanding the water conservation committee next week when the council meets. Bill’s already talked to me about it.” Amy dug through the chicken and pulled out a wing.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’ve learned a lot the last couple of weeks. I know I’ll do the next project totally different.”
Toby came back into the room, and Greg followed him along with Sasha and Aunt Jackie. The kitchen was full of people. Emma sat out on the porch, looking in through the screen door. She whined when she saw Aunt Jackie.
“That was the hospital,” Toby said. “Ginny’s awake and talking. They are predicting that she’s going to make a full recovery.”
I sighed. Ginny needed some good news. I just hoped she could find her way in the world now that she was going to be all right.