Page 71 of Hearts Aweigh
Daisy sat on the bed near Althea’s feet and crossed her legs. “Recently divorced.”
“How recent?”
“Spencer said it became official two months ago, but they were separated for much longer. Priscilla was never happy in New Orleans. She grew up in Manhattan. To her, our Southern hometown was half a step away from Hicksville.”
Emily leaned forward. “How did they meet?”
Daisy gave a mirthless laugh. “Would you believe me if I said they had an arranged marriage?”
“You’re kidding.” Gerry stopped typing. “I thought those only happened in Regency romance novels.”
“Oh, my husband didn’t call it that, of course. But he was behind everything. Spencer’s desire to please his father was a driving force for much of his life. When Julius took him on abusiness trip to New York and introduced him to Priscilla, she and Spencer hit it off. My beautiful ex-daughter-in-law can be a charming and captivating woman. She grew up in a politician’s home and thrives on winning people over. Unbeknownst to my son, Julius intimated to her that Spencer would soon be pursuing a political career of his own. After the wedding, she learned how far from the truth that was. Spencer had no interest in politics. It was a source of great contention between them.”
Gerry rubbed her temples. “I feel like I’m listening to the recap of a soap opera. When did Maddie come along?”
A soft smile appeared on Daisy’s face. “They’d been married about two years. Madeleine was born in 2020.”
“2020?” Emily lowered her pen. “You mean—”
“Exactly.” Daisy nodded. “Smack-dab in the middle of COVID. The country shut down in March, and Madeleine was born in April. To avoid the contaminated hospitals, Priscilla opted for a home birth with a private doctor. Afterward, she insisted the governess and all the staff wear masks around the baby and wouldn’t even let Spencer hold her for the longest time. Needless to say, no outside visitors were permitted.”
Althea swung her legs off the bed and scooted to Daisy’s side. “That must have been hard for you.”
A watery sheen filled Daisy’s eyes. “Madeleine was almost two when I finally got to meet her. By then Spencer and his father had experienced a falling out, and Spencer didn’t associate with us much. I suspect he and his father fought over the fact that Priscilla wanted to separate. I saw Madeleine only a few times before Spencer and Priscilla separated. Maddie was three years old when her mother packed her off to New York. They didn’t even return for my husband’s funeral.”
Gerry counted on her fingers. “They were married for two years before Maddie. Your granddaughter’s five. That means—”
“They were officially married seven years”—Emily scribbled in the binder—“but only lived together for five.”
“If you call that living.” Althea clicked her tongue. “I’d go crazy in that kind of environment.”
A tear trickled down Daisy’s pale cheek. “I know I’ve dragged my feet on allowing y’all to match Spencer with Abby, but”—her voice cracked—“please help my baby. He’s suffered enough. I want Spencer to experience the kind of marriage I never had.”
Emily tossed the binder on a nearby table and stood in front of her friend. “Daisy Mae Randolph Masterson”—she took both of Daisy’s hands—“I swear to you on my honor as a matchmaker, I’ll do everything I can to help your boy find true love.”
“Me too!” Althea stretched her hand on top of theirs.
“Gerry, get over here.” Emily motioned.
“Coming.” Their official scribe finished entering the information on her laptop, joined them, and laid her hand on the pile. “Don’t worry, Daisy. Abby is just the girl to make up for all those hard years. Love spills out of her like a waterfall.”
“‘Waterfall’?” Emily’s brain ignited. “That gives me an idea, girls. We need to make sure Spencer and Abby spend some quality time alone together.”
Daisy’s hand flew to her mouth. “Please don’t tell me we’re going to lock them in the lost and found.”
“Of course not.” Emily dug her phone from her purse and pulled up the contacts. “Abby’s wise to that tactic. She’s the one who let Lacey out when we used that trick before. No, this requires something new, and I know just the man who can help.” Emily found the right number and hit Call. As she placed the phone on speaker, the Shippers gathered around. It rang once, then twice.
“Hello?” A young voice with a thick accent answered.
“Hello, Fernando.” Emily grinned at her friends. “Do you know anywhere in Cozumel with a waterfall?”
Bam.
The battered white minivan struck a canyon-sized pothole, cracking Spencer’s spine like a chiropractor. He shifted on the worn vinyl back seat and muttered low. “Why are we doing this again?”
The rough dirt road did nothing to dim Abby’s natural enthusiasm. She answered with her usual bright smile. “The Shippers wanted to go on a shore excursion and asked Maddie to come. It will do her good to spend time with her grandmother.”
Bam.
