The Charm Bracelet(65)

Lauren laughed. “Did you see lights when you first met Grampa, when he hooked you with his fishing lure?”

“I think I saw my life flash before my eyes first,” Lolly laughed. “But, yes … I know this sounds a little silly, but I immediately saw light radiating from him when we met. I just knew.”

Lolly smiled to herself and continued. “You know that photo I have in my bedroom? The one taken at sunset on the beach? It was taken right here. Your grandfather brought me here on a date. He roasted hot dogs and we made s’mores, and then he told me the date wasn’t over. He said he’d asked my dad if he could show me the Northern Lights. But my dad didn’t like me staying out so late with a boy, so Les invited my dad to join us. And the lights were spectacular.”

Lolly stopped and closed her eyes. She was silent for a moment. “And in the middle of the Northern Lights—right in the middle of all that color and those shooting stars—he gave me a charm.”

Lolly sat up. “Your phone has one of those flashlights on it, doesn’t it? Jake’s taught me all about those—what are they called?—apples?”

“Apps, Grandma.” Lauren laughed, turning on her phone. “Here you go.”

Lolly held her charm bracelet in front of the light and shook it. She held out a charm and sighed. “It’s appropriate the light is shining off it so brightly,” Lolly said. “This is my shooting star charm. When Les gave it to me in the middle of the Northern Lights, he whispered, so my dad wouldn’t hear, ‘To a life in which you are lucky in love.’”

“And I whispered back, ‘You will always be my lucky star.’”

Lauren sat up. “Don’t make me cry again, Grandma.”

The three listened to the waves crash onto the beach, and owls hoot from the aspen and pine trees in the dunes behind them. “Did you see light when you met Dad?” Lauren asked her mother.

Arden considered lying to her daughter, but she sat up and said to the lake, “No, I didn’t, sweetie. I saw … stability. I saw … a life of ease. I saw … well … no fireworks, nothing that had anything to do with love, sadly.”

Arden stopped and put her arm around her daughter’s shoulder. “But the greatest love of my life resulted from our marriage. So I can never be sorry about that decision. And you certainly light up my life.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Lauren said, hesitating before forging on with a question. “Did you see lights with Clem?”

“I did,” she said. “I didn’t just see fireworks, I felt them. I felt like I’d eaten a million lightning bugs when I was with him. He made my soul brighter, and that’s all you can ask for when you’re in love.”

Arden inhaled the lake breeze. “Your grandmother is right. There is a bit of luck involved in love. You have to be open to it.”

“Open to what?”

The three women jumped and screamed at the deep voice booming over them.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Jake said. “I’m so sorry.”

Lauren beamed her flashlight at his face. “Light,” she said, suddenly laughing. “I see light coming from him, Mom.”

Arden wrestled the phone from her daughter’s hands and clicked off the app. “What are you doing here?” she asked, pleasantly surprised. Then it hit her. “This isn’t coincidence, is it, Mom?”

“I invited him,” Lolly admitted. “I texted him, as you kids do these days. Surprise!”

Arden couldn’t help but smile in the dark.

“Mind if I steal Arden away for a minute?” Jake asked. “Wanna go for a walk? I promise I’ll keep a tight hold on your hand, and the moon will light our way.”

“So romantic,” Lolly and Lauren said in unison, sighing dramatically.





Thirty-six




“Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?”

Arden and Jake were holding hands and walking barefoot along the edge of the water, where the lake naturally “scooped” into the land. Locals said this giant half-circle in the lake had been created when God—in the midst of all His hard work—attempted to dip a giant ice cream scoop into the dunes, believing the golden sand was ice cream that could cool Him off. Scoops was named after this natural wonder.

“I have,” Jake said. “Many times. It just takes timing and a little patience.”

“Like love?” Arden offered softly, her hair rustling in the breeze.

“Just like it,” Jake said. “And I’ve seen lots of shooting stars, too.”

He stopped walking and turned to Arden, gently taking her face in his hands. “But I’ve never seen one as bright as you.”

Jake stopped. “I know we’ve only just met, but there’s something between us, Arden, that is as special and wondrous as the Northern Lights. I can feel it. Can’t you?”

“I can,” Arden said, her voice quivering.

Jake pulled her into his arms to warm her, to hold her. “Lolly and Lauren are such bright lights, too. For your mom to invite me tonight…”

Jake stopped. “Do you know how much that means to me? And do you know what a good mother and daughter you are?”

“No,” Arden said, her voice suddenly breaking and tears forming in her eyes. “Sometimes I don’t.”