The Charm Bracelet(12)

Kathy smiled, her eyes traveling southward to search Arden’s left hand. “Are you married?”

“No…,” she started, before Kathy preempted her, whispering, “Oh, my goodness. I’m sorry. I forgot.”

Arden nodded toward her daughter. “That’s my daughter, Lauren. She’s going to be a senior next year at Northwestern.”

“She’s … beautiful,” Kathy said, looking back and forth from Arden to Lauren.

“Thank you,” Arden replied, wondering if her comment was a compliment or veiled put-down. “Well, listen … We just got into town, and we’re exhausted.”

“Let’s do dinner!” Kathy said.

“Sure,” Arden lied.

“Does your Mom still live in that cute little log cabin?”

Arden nodded as Kathy walked on. Arden headed over to her mother and pulled her out of the circle. “Mom, Lauren and I would like to get a bite to eat and then head over to the cabin, okay? We’re tired from the drive. And we need more than sugar for lunch.”

Lolly looked over at Lauren, watching her granddaughter share some of her own taffy with the kids. “Listen, I have shows until seven. So grab a bite, and I’ll meet you at home later on.”

“Really, Mom? You still have shows so late?”

Lolly’s face sagged like a sailboat’s mast.

“Yes, I do,” she said. “People are counting on me. It’s almost Memorial Day. They wait all winter to see my Dolly act, and the weather looks perfect for big crowds. You two go shop, get a glass of wine … relax. I’ll run home after I’m done.

“Now, scoot! Go have some fun. Get in some trouble. It’s summer in Scoops, for goodness’ sake.”

Arden looked at her mother and laughed. “Trouble in Scoops? Now that’s funny.”

Lolly grabbed her daughter by the chin and gave her head a gentle little tug. “Always such a serious face! I’ll see you later. I love you!”

Arden watched her mother immediately transform into Dolly as she walked away, blowing kisses to the crowd now gathering in front, anticipating the next show.

“Ready?” Arden finally asked Lauren.

“Really, Mom? We have to watch Grandma do her thing. She is summer.”

Arden smiled at her daughter, and then nodded. “Okay.”

In her wigs, makeup, and apron, Lolly was the spitting image of the real Dolly Van Voozle featured in the shop’s logo.

Though her mother’s alter ego had often embarrassed her when she was young, it was a perfect fit.

She’s always had a lifelong flare for drama, Arden thought.

Lauren dragged her mother toward the front of the crowd, and Arden steeled herself, taking a breath, the smell of butter and chocolate filling her nose.

A white-haired man sat down at a player piano in front of the shop, pantomime-playing as he rotated sheets of paper music onto a large spool, polkas and tunes from a bygone era filling the street outside.

The old clock chimed in the rose garden across the street from Dolly’s, and Kathy’s little girl asked, “Is it time for the fudge lady?” The crowd giggled in anticipation, as Lolly adjusted her fire engine red wig and opened the double doors with a dramatic flair, the scent of wholesome sweetness trailing behind her.

“Greetings!” Lolly yelled.

“Hello, Dolly!” the crowd yelled back.

“What did you say?” She laughed, lifting her hands like a cheerleader to urge them on.

“HELLO, DOLLY!”

And, with that, she yanked off her pink apron dotted with singing lollipops to reveal a sparkly white sequined gown, cut on a bias, and a strand of pearls, all of which were haphazardly thrown on over a purple sweat suit and tennis shoes. Don, the elderly man from the player piano who had trailed along behind her like the sweet smells of the shop, handed her a feather boa. Lolly curtsied, taking it from his hands, before he returned to the player piano and rolled a new sheet of paper music onto the spool.

For a few seconds, there was silence, before the speakers on the street emitted a few squeaks as the spool rotated on the player piano playing the tune to “Hello, Dolly.” And then:

Lolly turned to salute the fudge shop and its logo, before bowing to the crowd. She put her boa around the shy little girl who had asked about her moments ago and shimmied with her until the girl broke into a fit of giggles. Then she urged the crowd to sing: “You’re lookin’ swell, Dolly…”

“Thank you!” Lolly laughed.

Lolly moved into the center of the crowd and pulled some candy from a pocket on the side of her sequined dress. “Take some fudge, fellas, and some brittle, fellas, ’cause Dolly’ll never go away.”

She took a dramatic bow, flinging her boa behind her head, as the tourists applauded and went in for hugs and photos before flooding the shop to buy treats. As soon as the crowd had dissipated, Lolly walked inside to the paper clock adhered to the window and moved the hands up an hour.

NEXT SHOW: 2:OO.

She tied her pink apron back on, adjusted her wig, and began to stir the chocolate that had been added to the hot urns.

Lolly caught Arden’s face through the window and smiled broadly.

“See?” Lauren said. “She’s so happy we stayed and watched.”

Arden smiled at her mom, then at Lauren.