The Memory Keeper: A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance(30)

“She helped your mama bake it over the phone last night,” her father said. “Gran told her it was time she learned how.”

Fear flooded Hannah with that last statement. Had Gran wanted to teach her mother how to do it so that she could carry on the tradition in her absence? She shook the thoughts free, the idea of being without Gran unimaginable.

“The top gift is from your gran,” her father said. “She told your mother where to get it and how she wanted it wrapped.”

“Leave it to Gran to still deliver gifts and flowers from her hospital bed,” she said, after collecting herself.

Her father smiled. “That’s your gran,” he said.

“I’m home!” Maura Townshend’s comforting voice sailed in from the entryway. She came into the kitchen, unwinding her scarf and pulling her light brown hair from under her collar. “Oh, hello, all.” She kissed Hannah on the cheek. “You made it!” She held her hands out to get a good look at her. “I’m so happy to have you home.” She turned to Liam. “Hello,” she said.

“Mama, do you remember Liam McGuire?” Hannah asked.

“I think so…” She smiled at him.

“He drove me all the way from New York so I could get here,” Hannah explained.

Her mother seemed surprised, and Hannah was pretty sure she was wondering why she hadn’t brought Miles with her. “You are a godsend, young man,” Maura said with a warm smile as she patted his arm in a friendly greeting.

“Liam is going to be staying in the spare room with us for a few days. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course.” She walked around Hannah and gave Ethan a hug. “Someone says ‘cake’ and Ethan shows up,” she teased him.

Exhaustion lingered under her gracious smile, but she maintained her usual good humor, the worry from her initial phone call replaced by fatigue. With a playful shake of the head, her gaze doting as if she were looking at her own child, she said, “Missed ya. What ya been up to?”

“I dunno,” he said with a shrug. “Same ol’ thing. Workin’ with Dad.”

“Well, I’ve got a big dinner that’s been going on the stove all day. And I’ve made mulled cider,” she said. Then her eyebrows bounced at her daughter. “Your favorite.” She gave Hannah a wink. “I’ll just put another bread bowl in the oven for Liam. Ethan, you staying?”

“Naw, thank you, ma’am,” he said. “I’m heading home. Just wanted to stop by and welcome Hannah back to our little corner of the world.” He said the words “little corner of the world” patronizingly, but then laughed as if to play it off.

“Suit yourself,” Maura said, wrinkling her nose at him. “Liam, you hungry?”

“Please don’t go to any trouble on my account,” Liam said.

Mama shooed away his comment. “It’s no problem at all. Y’all go unpack and get comfortable. Hannah, show him where to put his things.”

“I’ll catch y’all later,” Ethan said.

As he passed Hannah, he leaned close to her. “See ya,” he said, just the way he always had when he’d dropped her off from school, as if to say everything would be okay. The sound of it made her want to cry with relief right there.



“This is where you’ll be staying,” Hannah said, as Liam parked his suitcase against the wall of Hannah’s old room, and scanned the walls inquisitively.

Hannah sat down on the quilted bedding of her four-poster bed, considering how long it had been since she’d slept here.

“I remember Ethan well,” Liam said. “He’s a good friend, right?”

“He was my best friend. I’ve known him all my life.”

“He likes to give you a hard time,” he said, the corner of his mouth turning upward.

“Always.” She chuckled fondly at the thought of him. “He’s mad at me for not coming home over the years, so he’s going to make me aware of that fact every minute I’m in his presence, I’m sure.”

Liam nodded, strolling over by the window and peering down at the plaque Gran had displayed on a side table. “You won a pie-baking contest?” he asked.

“Mm-hm. My grandmother and I made key lime pie for the Spring Festival right after I turned sixteen… You know, it’s about that time of year right now.”

“I did hear something about the Spring Festival coming up,” he said, looking back at the award.

“I’d entered the contest that day instead of getting my driving permit. That’s why Morgan always drove whenever we saw you that year.”

“That must’ve been a good pie to forego your driver’s permit.”

“It’s award-winning,” she said, teasing him and making him smile.

She shifted her gaze to the wall opposite them to avoid the flutter of happiness that it caused her, catching sight of the old shadow box of pressed flowers hanging on the wall. She ran her fingers along the frame.

Hannah’s first memory of it was when she was five. She’d felt so grown up when Gran had allowed her to use the pressing board for the first time. She still remembered placing the lone poppy in the center, her tiny hands shaking as she held it down with all her might to keep the press together.