Chapter 8

"Okay," Darla said to Rick, rifling the short stack of papers in her hands. "I printed fifteen fliers, which is probably more than enough. I'll be happy if we can find places for ten of them."

It was a Saturday afternoon, and the good weather was still holding firm, so Darla and Rick had decided to kill two birds with one stone. They would enjoy a brisk walk outdoors and advertise for an upcoming event at the museum, which would feature local artisans selling their goods.

The planned event would be a bit more casual than the usual fine arts fare at the museum, but Darla had gotten a lot of interest in something that would engage local craftspeople whose handiworks went beyond the fine arts. So far, she'd signed on someone who made macrame plant hangers, someone who hand spun yarn from their own sheep's wool, and a glassblower who made some of the loveliest light fixtures she'd ever seen. Darla had a suspicion that this last artisan might get poached by Marty, since the light fixtures would be perfect for Sand ‘n' Things, but she didn't mind. That was what the event was about, anyway. Joining local creators with nearby customers. Everyone won.

Rick nodded, looking down the main drag of Whale Harbor's small downtown area. "I think we should be able to manage that," he confirmed.

He stuck out his hand, and she entwined their fingers.

"Let's go!"

Their first stop was Magnolia Street Home Goods. Flora, one of the owners, looked up as soon as the Mahoneys entered the store, a wide smile breaking across her face.

"Well, well," she said in her thick Southern drawl. Flora was a Whale Harbor transplant, and though she'd lived in town for decades, her roots were still reflected in her accent. She tucked a silver curl out of her face. "If it isn't the cutest couple Whale Harbor has to offer."

Darla smiled back. She had no doubt that the "cutest couple," in Flora's estimation, was whichever couple she happened to be looking at. Flora didn't discriminate when it came to spreading around sweetness and compliments.

"Is Burt not here then?" she joked, making a show of looking around for Flora's husband and business partner. "Because you'll give us a run for cutest couple any day."

Flora blushed happily as she waved Darla's compliment off. "Oh, hush, you. We're old news; you're young love!" She chuckled to herself briefly. "Anyway, what can I do for you today?"

Darla explained the event, which was about two months away, and Flora clapped her hands in delight.

"Oh, that will be wonderful!" Then she paused. "You know, I think we might have some people coming through here who might be interested in participating in an event like this, you know, as artisans. Do you have any spots left?"

"We do!" Darla rummaged through her purse and pulled out a few business cards. "The event will be partially outdoors, weather permitting, so we should have plenty of space. We'll rig up tents or something if it threatens to rain. The way it works is that sellers buy a table, which is how the museum makes some money, and then they keep all the money from their sales."

Flora nodded as she jotted down notes on a tiny notepad. "Perfect! If you can spare two signs, we'll hang up one in here and one in the garden center to get as many eyes on it as possible."

Darla handed over two copies of the flier she'd made and thanked Flora.

"See?" Rick said as they left. "Easy."

"You know how Whale Harbor is," Darla agreed laughingly. "Friendliest town in the northeast, I bet."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Perfect place to start a life, to build a family." He paused as, a few blocks down, a family waited to cross the street, two dogs on leashes waiting patiently beside them. "And to get a pet," Rick added, nudging her playfully with his hip.

"Ugh, just as soon as we decide what kind of pet we're getting!"

They'd been back and forth on the issue of whether they wanted to get a dog or a cat.

He hummed sympathetically. "I guess one good side of our dilemma is that there's no wrong answer. We think about having a cat, and it sounds great! We think about having a dog, and it also sounds great!"

"True," she allowed, "but that doesn't help us make a decision."

"That is the downside," he agreed.

They'd arrived at their next stop, Clown Fish Eatery, so they put their conversation on pause. Inside, the restaurant was buzzing with activity, so Darla quickly explained the event to Darell Smith, the grandfatherly man who co-owned the business with his wife, Rose.

"You know we'd do anything for you Sims girls… although neither of you is a ‘Sims' anymore!" Darell exclaimed. Marty had worked at Clown Fish Eatery for years, so Darla knew the older couple well.

"You're the best, Darell," she said, pressing a quick kiss to the older man's cheek before he had to hustle off to deliver an order to a table of hungry patrons.

Back on the street again, the Mahoneys resumed their debate.

"I want to say we should just get one of each, a cat and a dog," Darla said, "but I think as first-time pet owners, we should probably start small."

"I agree," Rick said. "Even though there's not much cuter than when a dog and a cat are friends."

"Oh my goodness, that's so true." She pressed a hand to her chest at the thought. "Imagine them snuggled up together!" She shook her head sharply to dispel the image. It was hard enough deciding between the two animals without adding another potential situation to the mix. "But no, we're going to start with one. Just which one?"

"The problem," her husband joked, "is that we don't have more helpful friends."

They'd polled their friends and family, and the vote had come down almost equally between dogs and cats. Marty and Wyatt, of course, had been the most vocal proponents of adopting a cat… or four.

"Yeah!" Darla agreed with a laugh. "We aren't bad at making decisions, they are."

"Exactly." Then something down the road caught his eye. "Although perhaps destiny made the decision for us."

She followed his glance and saw a sign posted in front of the local veterinarian's office.

DOG ADOPTION EVENT - TODAY ONLY

A flash of excitement shot through Darla, and she gave Rick a teasing, sidelong glance. "Well… we do need to hang up a flier there."

He laughed. "Let's go."

They were greeted by a chorus of cheerful yips and barks as they entered the vet's office. Temporary gates had been set up in the lobby area, and inside the makeshift enclosures several puppies frolicked.

"Oh my gosh," Darla said, tugging on Rick's arm like an excited kid. "It's not just dogs; it's puppies."

"So many puppies." This came from Avery Maxwell, the local veterinarian. Avery was in her late forties and had been working as a vet in Whale Harbor for over a decade. Her light brown hair was in a practical ponytail, and though her voice was tired, her hazel eyes sparkled with amusement. "Hey, guys, good to see you. Did you come in for the event?"

"Yes and no," Darla explained their fliers, although her eyes kept drifting over to the puppy enclosure. "We were hoping to hang a sign in here, and then when we saw the adoption event sign, we couldn't resist! We've been trying to decide if we want to get a cat or a dog."

"Well, first off," Avery said, "of course you can hang up your flier." She gestured to a cork board full of community notices, most of which were animal related. "Second, I don't have any cats in today; I don't do too many adoption events, since those mostly run out of the shelter in Blueberry Bay. But you're more than welcome to play with any of these little guys and see if you want to take one home with you."

Darla and Rick didn't need to be asked twice. They stepped over the gate that was big enough for human visitors to play with the puppies and were immediately mobbed by fluffy little creatures with floppy ears and eager, wagging tails.

"How come you have these guys, if you usually don't do adoptions?" Darla asked as one dog put its head right in her lap and gazed up at her with liquid eyes.

"Their mother is one of my patients," Avery replied. "She was rescued by a local family, but when they adopted her, she was already pregnant. They're older and live in a small house, so they can't take a whole bunch of puppies. I said I'd see if anyone in town wants them before I try the shelter. It's a great shelter, but it's noisy there with all the animals, which can be a bit overwhelming for new pups just old enough to be separated from their mother."

Rick grinned from under a pile of puppies. "Are you sure it's not overwhelming for the older animals instead of the puppies?" he joked.

"That too." Avery laughed. "Anyway, as you might be able to tell, they're part cocker spaniel. The floppy, fuzzy ears give it away."

Darla ran a finger over the soft ears of the puppy in her lap, which caused the little animal to snuggle closer.

"They're so cute," she breathed. Although she said ‘they,' she really only had eyes for the little dog in front of her.

"They're great dogs," Avery agreed. "The one in your lap is a girl. She's the shyest of the bunch, but she seems really taken with you."

Darla's heart melted. She looked up at Rick who knew exactly what she was about to say just from the expression on her face.

"Looks like the cat or dog decision is made for us."

"Amazing!" Avery exclaimed. "You won't be sorry; they're great family dogs, so if you decide to have kids, she'll be a great addition. And she has a clean bill of health, so that's good news too."

The Mahoneys quickly signed the adoption paperwork and paid the fee. Avery referred them to a great pet store where they could buy all the puppy supplies they'd need, but had a collar and leash they could buy right there, so at least they could get the newest member of their family home safely.

"I'm so glad you came in," she said, beaming at the couple. Darla clutched their new puppy in her arms, feeling like her heart was going to explode when the dog rested her tiny, fuzzy face on Darla's shoulder.

"We're so glad we came in," Rick said, stroking his finger down the puppy's snout. "It really feels like fate; we were just talking about adopting a pet when we saw your sign!"

"Sometimes the universe intervenes," Avery said with a shrug. "Now, go enjoy that little pup! Call me if you have any questions."

Assuring the vet they would do so, the Mahoneys left, newest family member in tow.

They made their way slowly back toward their car, the puppy stopping frequently to sniff at interesting smells. The fliers, they'd agreed, would have to wait for another day.

"You know," Rick teased as the puppy paused at a chunk of sidewalk that was apparently better than the other chunks of sidewalk. "We have a new dilemma now?"

"What's that?"

"We have to give our new puppy a name!"

Darla looped her arm through his. "Well, I actually have a name in mind. When I was a kid, I always wanted a pet, and I thought if I got one, I'd name it Scout."

He thought about this for a minute, grinning. "Yeah, Scout. I love it."

"I bet you also love that we aren't debating it for a year," she joked.

"That too."

The newly named Scout finished her investigation of the sidewalk and they carried on their walk. When they reached their car, Scout jumped into the back seat like she'd done it a thousand times before and then, evidently exhausted by this new adventure, fell asleep.

As Rick navigated them toward the pet store, Darla pulled out her phone and pulled up the group thread she had with her friends.

DARLA: You'll never guess what Rick and I did today…

CHARITY: Well, it WASN'T come say hi to me, even though I saw you walking through town. How rude!

She followed that up with a laughing emoji, and Darla chuckled.

DARLA: Haha, sorry, Char. We were on our way to you but we got waylaid.

MONICA: By what? Don't keep us in suspense!

DARLA: We got A PUPPY!!

She pointed the phone over her shoulder and took a snapshot of the sleeping Scout, which she sent to the chat.

DARLA: Her name is Scout, and she's part cocker spaniel. Avery Maxwell didn't know about the rest of her background, but she'll likely stay pretty small.

MONICA: Oh my goodness, she is the most precious thing I've ever seen!

CHARITY: Scout!! I love her!

CHARITY: Oh gosh, on second thought, you know who is really going to love her? Milo. And the kids. I think a visit to Auntie Darla is in our near future.

DARLA: Auntie Darla ALWAYS wants visits.

MARTY: I step away to talk to ONE customer and I miss everything!! Scout! I love her!

MARTY: I mean, on behalf of Team Cat everywhere, I can't believe you picked a dog over a cat. *winking emoji*

MARTY: Just kidding, I can, because she is SO CUTE.

Darla chuckled at her friends' enthusiasm as she made a mental note to ask Claire if she wanted to be included in the thread. Claire had seemed excited about the upcoming girls' night, but not everybody wanted to get as many texts as tended to flash back and forth in their group chat.

"Everybody excited about the puppy?" Rick asked, nodding toward Darla's phone as he drove.

"Oh yeah," she confirmed. "I mean, Marty is teasing us for going ‘Team Dog,' but even she agrees that Scout is just the cutest."

"Well, that's just a fact," he replied as he pulled into the parking lot of the pet store Avery had recommended.

As the car stopped, Scout woke, perking up her little head like she knew they were at a store to buy things for her. Darla got out of the car and attached the dog's leash before heading toward the store, which had a sign announcing that pets were welcome inside. She and Rick each wrapped an arm around the other.

Their family was growing, she thought, brimming with happiness as she held the leash in one hand and clung to her husband with the other. In moments like this, it was hard to feel that life was anything less than perfect.

Claire had expected she would be nervous before the promised girls' night with Darla, Marty, Charity, and Monica, but in the end, she found she was just excited. The date had been fixed a few days prior, and Claire had spent the time combing through her closet eagerly, ultimately deciding to wear a long-sleeved, A-line blue dress that she rarely got the chance to break out. She paired this with some dark tights, low-heeled Mary Janes that gave her an old-fashioned look, and a blue and green enamel necklace that she'd gotten at her Aunt Sylvia's store several years prior.

After applying a bit of makeup and leaving her hair down, she felt her best. The fiery red color of her locks were a dramatic contrast to the deep blue of the dress.

Glancing at her watch, she grimaced. She was going to be late if she didn't hurry. She gave her reflection one last quick check and then hurried out the door, throwing on her coat over her ensemble. The weather had remembered it was winter, and it was once more freezing outside. Even with gloves on, Claire had to rub her hands together for warmth as her car heated up.

They were meeting tonight at a wine bar in Blueberry Bay, since Darla had expressed an interest in mixing things up and planning an evening that was a little bit fancier than their usual girls' night plans.

"I was thinking it could be a kind of double celebration," Darla had told Claire on the phone when she'd called to make the plan. "Marty is back from her honeymoon and you're coming out with us, hopefully for the first girls' night of many!"

Claire had been slightly flustered with the sweetness of the gesture, but Darla had brushed her off.

"Besides," the other woman had added. "It's a good excuse to get dressed up. Sometimes we do cozy evenings with takeout and comfy clothes, but it's good to get all dolled up every now and again."

Claire couldn't have agreed more. This was her first time visiting the wine bar, although the business had been open in Blueberry Bay for several years now. She pulled into the parking lot after about twenty-five minutes of driving and found the place quaint and atmospheric, lit with strings of dim bulbs that gave an intimate glow. There was a porch, but it was empty for tonight. She could only imagine that it was very popular during the summer.

Inside, Monica already sat at a table. She grinned and waved as she spotted Claire.

"Hi!" she said, standing up to give Claire a hug. "I know we've met here and there before, but I'm Monica Watson."

"Claire Boone," Claire returned. "So nice to officially meet you."

"You too. Marty and Darla have been singing your praises." Claire fought back a blush at this. "You've all been friends since high school?"

She began to reply in the affirmative and confess her lackluster socialization in recent years when their conversation was interrupted by Charity's approach.

"Hi, hi!" she greeted happily, removing a wool coat and draping it over her chair. "Am I late? We had a crisis right before I left the house when Gilly the Goose was missing." She dropped into her chair with the kind of fondly exasperated sigh common to parents of small children. "Don't worry though, Gilly has been recovered."

"Phew," Monica said, wiping her brow, the twinkle in her eye revealing her teasing manner.

Breathless, Charity looked to Claire. "Sorry! I promise I'm not always this flustered. I'm so glad you could join us, Claire."

"Me too," Claire replied with a smile. "But, just to clarify… Gilly is a toy goose, right?"

Charity confirmed this with a laugh and explained how her boyfriend's daughter, Addie, had been distraught until she realized she'd tucked her favorite stuffed animal into their dog's bed for a nap.

"Was the nap for Milo or Gilly?" Monica inquired.

"Unclear," Charity said. "Once the goose was discovered, Dominic and I decided to take the win and not ask any more questions."

Claire felt a smile creep across her face as the easy banter between friends continued. She didn't yet feel as comfortable as Monica and Charity seemed to be with one another, but she already expected that she would soon find herself welcomed into their group. These two women just had that way about them. Claire could already tell.

When Marty and Darla, who had carpooled, arrived a few minutes later, there was another round of greetings and hugs. Everyone clustered around the small table, leaning in so they could converse without overly disrupting the quiet, happy atmosphere of the wine bar.

When the waiter came around to take their orders, the other women requested glasses of wine. Claire, however, got a sparkling water.

"I tend to avoid alcohol," she explained, even though nobody had batted an eye. Then, for the benefit of Monica and Charity, she added, "I have lupus, and alcohol can be one of the triggers for a flare-up, so I drink very rarely."

Darla clapped a hand to her cheek. "Oh my gosh, I feel like such a doofus!" she exclaimed. "Claire, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think to ask if you drink or not!"

Claire waved off the apology. "Don't worry about it. It's not common knowledge and even so, I'm perfectly happy with my non-alcoholic beverage."

"Do you mind that we're having wine?" Charity asked, worry furrowing her brow. "We can call the waiter back and switch."

The other women all nodded in immediate agreement.

Claire chuckled, warmed by this show of kindness. "I don't mind in the least," she assured them.

Charity sat back in her chair. "You might be a nicer person than me, then. I remember going out to dinner with a friend when I was pregnant with Lucas. When she had a glass of wine, I almost cried I was so mad." She paused. "Although, thinking back, part of that might have been pregnancy hormones."

Everyone chuckled. Then Monica turned to Claire.

"Absolutely tell me to go jump in the lake if this crosses a line," she said, "but is there anything about your lupus that you think we should know?" She gave Claire's arm a quick squeeze. "Only share as much as you feel comfortable with, of course. I'm asking from a place of wanting to be a good friend."

Claire was touched that Monica already referred to her as a friend so openly.

"I'm actually glad you brought it up," she said. "Because I wanted to apologize for being such an absent friend these past few years. I got so caught up in thinking about my health that I forgot that there's more to life too."

Darla looked shocked and Marty shook her head.

"Don't you even think about apologizing!" Marty said. "Taking care of your health is important."

"If anything," Darla chimed in, "we're the ones who should be sorry for not reaching out more."

"Not at all!" Claire protested.

"And if you ever need to take an evening to rest instead of hanging out," Monica added, "don't ever worry that we'll hold it against you."

"Thank you," Claire said. "That means a lot."

And it really did. It had been too long since she'd had a supportive group of friends. Having one again made her realize how much she'd missed it.

Marty smiled. "Well, since we're all apologizing and forgiving one another, why don't we say that bygones are bygones, huh? Instead, let's catch up on everything that's been going on!"

They chatted about their recent activities. Charity blushed about her relationship with Dominic, which she said made her happier than she'd ever been. Marty told them about her honeymoon illness, complete with dramatic hand gestures that showed she could laugh about the unfortunate incident. Darla talked about the upcoming makers market at the museum.

When it was Monica's turn, she held up her hands in a sign of protest.

"Nothing new for me, thank goodness," she said. "After such a busy year, I'm happy to wake up to just run my BB, kiss my husband, and have absolutely zero surprises."

"Business is keeping up even in the slow season?" Marty asked. "Not a lot of tourists come to New England in February."

"It's slower," Monica admitted, "but right now, we have a long-term guest named Liam. He's very nice, and…"

Claire tuned out for a minute, focusing on keeping a blush from her cheeks as Monica continued to chatter about her business. She knew that if she showed any reaction to the handsome newcomer—whom she had to admit she was developing the tiniest crush on—her friends would ask. And if they asked, Claire would have to admit that she'd been such an awkward loon both of the times she and Liam had met.

She was feeling welcomed into this circle of friendship, but she wasn't quite ready to talk about that incident.

"How about you, Claire?"

Claire jolted back to the present at Charity's question. For a second, she thought she hadn't been successful in hiding her wistful expression, before she realized they were just asking for her general updates.

Glancing around at the open, interested expression of the women surrounding her, Claire decided to be brave.

"Well," she said. "I actually have something kind of big in the works."

She proceeded to give them the story of her Aunt Sylvia's gift, her visit to the storefront with Lori, and her dream of opening a flower shop.

"That's an amazing idea!" Marty exclaimed. "I remember playing in the garden with you while your mom planted, way back in the day. You'd be incredible at that."

Claire smiled. She often felt a little pang of sadness when she remembered her mother, but it was also wonderful to hear other people think fondly of the woman Claire and Hudson missed so dearly.

"That's where I got my love of plants," she said. "And my garden at home is pretty great if I do say so myself, but…"

"But?" Charity prodded.

Claire shrugged one shoulder, a little self-conscious. "I'm a little worried that it's irresponsible to start a business when I have a chronic illness to deal with," she confessed. "What if I have a really bad flare-up and can't open the business for a little while? Am I being reckless spending this money on a dream instead of saving it?"

Charity nodded thoughtfully. "I can't tell you what your experience with your health is," she began carefully. "Only you know that. But what I can say is that when I opened Seastar Espresso, I was recently separated and had a toddler."

Claire's eyes widened. Woof.

"Yeah," Charity agreed, correctly reading Claire's expression. "It was tough. I barely knew how to be a single mom, let alone a business owner too. And then there was this one winter where Lucas caught every germ in town. Flu, colds, strep. You name it, he caught it. And I was so afraid my business would go under." She smiled. "But the great thing about this town is that people come through for you. My part-time worker agreed to go full time for a little bit. I got phone calls from people promising to come in and buy lattes as soon as I got my doors open again. I had babysitting offers up to my eyeballs."

"That's amazing," Claire breathed.

"And I was new in town," Charity reminded her.

"Yeah, so if you don't think we'd do the same for you, you're nuts," Marty added. "Not to mention that, in a pinch, I could definitely sell bouquets out of Sand ‘n' Things." She hesitated, a look in her eye suggesting she was putting on her businesswoman hat. "Actually, forget the pinch. I think we could do some really beneficial collaborations with some of the window boxes and vases I sell."

"I'm a visual artist, I could do some flower arranging," Darla said.

"We've all had moments when we needed help," Monica offered kindly. "That doesn't even necessarily have anything to do with your lupus. That's just life. And that's what friends are for."

Despite herself, Claire felt tears well up. She pushed them back. This was a moment for joy and appreciation, not weepiness.

"You know what!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to do it. I'm going to open my shop!"

"Hear, hear!" Marty cried, raising her hands in the air in a cheer. She flagged down the waiter. "A round of sparkling water for everyone," she requested. "We're celebrating!"