Page 10 of Surprised By Love

She nods and I reach over and grab a sandwich for myself and take a bite.

“So, tell me what happened? You show up late and soaking wet. I know there’s a story there.” Vicki takes a sip of her coffee.

“We got a flat tire, and a man helped momma change it,” Amelia says in between bites.

Vicki raises an eyebrow and looks over at me. Leaning in, she places her elbows on the table and rests her head on her hands. “Is that so?”

I tell Vicki the entire story as we sit and eat. Vicki bursts out laughing when I tell her I almost hit the man with the wrench. I, however, did not tell Vicki how gorgeous the man was. I didn’t want to go into details with Amelia sitting right there.

“And this man?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I say, tilting my head towards Amelia.

After I put Amelia to bed, I head downstairs, and the aroma that fills the air makes me smile. I enter the kitchen to find Vicki sitting at the prep island with a cup of Pumpkin Spice tea waiting for me.

“You remembered my favourite tea.” I grin. “Have I told you lately you’re my favourite sister?”

Vicki laughs. “You did, but I can hear it again.”

I laugh, walk over to her, and kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you for everything.”

“That’s what big sisters do.” She winks and picks up both mugs. “I know it’s chilly out tonight, but do you want to take this outside and we can sit and talk for a bit?”

“Sure,” I say, heading to the living room and grabbing the crochet blanket from the couch.

I gasp, stepping out onto the porch in awe of the stunning sky. “You don’t get to see skies like this very often, back in the city.” Stars like this never cease to amaze me. “It’s beautiful!”

Vicki nods in agreement.

I take a seat on the porch swing with my back supported by the swing’s left arm and a small pillow that was left there from earlier. I pull my feet up and bend at the knees, grabbing the crochet blanket Grams made and tossing it over my legs, taking hold of the teacups so Vicki can sit.

“This brings back so many memories,” I say, snuggling under the blanket. “I remember when Grams made this. We were sitting here, and she was teaching me how to crochet.”

“You were what? Nine?” Vicki asks, sitting down with one foot under herself, giving the swing a little push with the other.

I pause a moment and then look up, trying to figure out the math. “Yeah, I think I was nine when she taught me to crochet and eleven when she taught me to knit.” I pause for a moment. “She was the best! I had such a hard time trying to get the hook under the yarn, I always pulled it too tight.” I chuckle. “Grams had lots of patience with me.”

“You’re just like her, you know?” Vicki grins.

“You think?”

“Oh, of course! You are just like her. You are the patient one, you’re so friendly and outgoing, you make friends with everyone you meet. Everyone loves you! Not to mention you are the crafty one, like her. And… You are the only one of us four girls who knows how to bake!”

“That’s because I was the youngest and the only one at home with Grams. All of you were always out with friends or on dates!”

We burst out laughing, then I pause in thought.

“What’s wrong?” Vicki asks.

“I miss her so much… I miss all of them, not that I remember much about mom and dad but I miss them.”

“So do I, every day,” Vicki says, rubbing my legs over the blanket.

Grams took us all in when our parents died and raised us to be wonderful young women. When she passed 10 years later. Vicki, being the oldest at twenty-two, changed her plans and stayed in the family home. Ran the family diner and took custody of us until we went away to school or, in my case, got married.

We sit quietly for a few moments when Vicki says, “So, tell me about this guy? The one who helped you with the tire.”

“Not much to tell. He was nice and stopped to help me.” I take a sip of my tea.

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