“That’s kind of what happened.”
Lydia heard sniffling. Her traumatized brain finally understood that something serious was troubling her naturally placid daughter. “What’s wrong, Abbie?”
“Oh, Mom, it’s simply awful!” Abbie began to sob.
“Try to calm down, honey, and tell me about it.”
“All right.” Abbie blew her nose and let out a very deep sigh. “My wedding’s scheduled in three and a half weeks, and suddenly Todd’s cousin, Karen, can’t have it at her house. Can you believe it?”
Lydia’s pulse, which had just resumed its normal rate, started racing again as her daughter explained that a piece of a plane had simply fallen from the sky and damaged two of the upstairs bedrooms. Karen and her husband had to move out until the repairs were made, which could take months and months, maybe a year.
“And the invitations have all gone out!” Abbie finished with a wail.
“Don’t worry,” Lydia reassured her. “How many people have you invited?”
“Seventy-five. But only about sixty are coming.”
“Sixty guests,” Lydia mused. “Carrington House has a beautiful room that would be perfect. I’ll check tomorrow, see if it’s free.”
She glanced up at Barbara and Caroline, who were nodding enthusiastically, their eyes lit up with the anticipation of planning a wedding.
“Oh, Mom! You’re the best! I should have asked you to take over in the first place.”
Yes, you should have,
Lydia thought. “I’ll handle everything, but once I sign for the place, you’ll be responsible for informing your guests of the new wedding location.”
“Will do. Todd’s cousin’s canceling the caterer.”
Lydia yawned, suddenly overcome by fatigue. “Abbie, let’s talk about this tomorrow. I’ve had a very tiring day.”
“Sure, Mom. By the way, what’s the latest on the murderer at your place?”
“She’s been caught and is now in custody at the police station.”
“She?” Abbie exclaimed. “Wow, it was a woman?”
“I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, I promise. And do me a favor and call Merry. Tell her I’m all right and I’ll speak to her tomorrow.”
Getting rid of Barbara and Caroline wasn’t as easy. Barbara wanted to stay over, in case Lydia had a delayed reaction and needed human company.
“Don’t worry,” Lydia said as she stroked Reggie stretched out beside her. “I have Reggie. Tomorrow I’ll call on both of you to help plan Abbie’s wedding.”
They started spouting names of musicians and florists until Lydia threw up her hands.
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” she said, herding them to the door. She felt a bit wobbly but, strangely enough, she was eager to be alone. Alone except for Reggie.
“Meow!” Reggie declared, tail in the air as he led the way into the kitchen.
“Exactly!” Lydia agreed and fed him.
She changed into her nightgown and got ready for bed. She intended to go right to sleep for some much-needed rest. Tomorrow was another day and she had much to do—give her statement to Sol, talk to her daughters and friends, and settle on a place for Abbie’s wedding. Her life was full, she suddenly realized, full of people she loved, though she’d met some of them only a short while ago.
Lydia sighed as she snuggled under the quilt. That was how life was: it took away and it gave back—as long as you kept an open heart and a willing mind. She suddenly thought of the white stallion in the fountain that faced the clubhouse, rearing up on his back legs ready to charge ahead into the unknown future. Kind of like what she was doing now.
Best of all, she and her fellow residents were safe. That Peg DiMarco had killed the Weills and intended to kill her was something Lydia hadn’t even begun to absorb, much less understand. It would take time for her to get over the shock of it all. But now she had friends at Twin Lakes. Good friends. And there was Sol.
Lydia closed her eyes and wondered if her forest green suede pants and a white silk blouse were too dressy an outfit to wear when he came over. On second thought, she’d save it for their first dinner date. Smiling, she drifted off to sleep.