The Memory Keeper: A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance(47)

“Mama never misses an opportunity to cook,” Hannah told her friend.

When she’d explained Georgia’s situation to her parents, Hannah’s mother had immediately taken Georgia and Jerry under her wing, changing the sheets in Hannah’s old room, and making a big dinner for everyone. She’d even scraped together some leftovers for Jerry, despite Georgia’s promise she had enough food for him. Jerry had been more than excited about his meal, nearly throwing himself into the food bowl.

“I hate staying here and not doing something to pay y’all back,” Georgia said, taking a seat at the table. “I’ll work for free if you have anything you’d like me to do.”

“You are as sweet as you can be,” Maura said, setting a plate of chicken casserole in front of Georgia. “Tea or lemonade?”

“Tea, please.” Georgia turned to Hannah who had taken a seat beside her. “I’m not kidding. It would make me feel better to help in some way.”

“Y’all could clean up Gran’s shop, Hannah,” Maura said. She handed Georgia a tall glass of iced tea with a lemon wedge on top. “We’ll have to leave it clean and painted when we move out. I know it’s not very glamorous, but it would be a great help to us. We could probably even pay you, Georgia. We’ve still got the extra help factored into the budget.”

Hannah knew that they really had no budget; it was her mother trying to help Georgia. Something she loved to do—helping others. It was what she did best.

Georgia said, “I’d be happy to help. Anything. Just tell me.”

“I’ll put you on the books then.” Maura offered her a big smile.

Georgia folded her hands, looking delighted. “It’ll feel so good to be needed. Thank you.”

“Why don’t y’all go over there tomorrow after you see Gran?” Maura proposed.

“Sounds good to me,” Hannah replied. “Though does that mean I have to take the papers to her?”

“We don’t have to bombard her with it first thing,” her mother replied. “We can hold off for the time being…”

Hannah was happy to be able to help Georgia, even if it was only short term. And a tiny part of her couldn’t wait to get back to The Memory Keeper. Perhaps cleaning it up would keep her mind off her uncertain future for a while.





Seventeen





The whole house was still sleeping when Hannah awoke in the morning. She’d taken Gran’s journal with her to make a cup of coffee, quietly turning on the morning news on the TV in the kitchen. She watched long enough to catch the weather. A warm front was moving in.

Now she sat at the table in the silence of daybreak, peering out the window at Gran’s rocking chairs on the porch. Gran used to sit in one of those rockers every summer. It would be so nice to have coffee with her grandmother out there when the weather got warmer. Would she ever be able to do that again?

Hannah tried not to contemplate the question. Instead, she decided to read the next entry in Gran’s journal.

June 5, 1943



Charles is missing. No one has heard from him since his last letter in March. I’m worried sick. There have been rumors of a battle that took place around where he’d told us he was stationed, but no one can find him or his friend Alvin. I never knew he had a friend named Alvin—his mother told me that Alvin had been his bunkmate. I go to work every day and I am thankful now for the long hours James Williams gives us, because then I don’t have to be alone in my room to ponder all the possibilities of what might have happened to Charles. The not knowing is causing me to guess at what might have transpired over there, and my mind is running wild, keeping me up at night. I pray for his safe return.





Hannah considered the reality of how it had probably come to be that Gran had ended up with Pop-pop, and her heart sank for Charles. She knew the outcome before she’d even read it.

Jerry trotted in and jumped up, putting his paws on her leg. Hannah closed the journal and stroked his head.

“Morning,” Georgia said, padding into the room with a bag of dog food in her hand. She’d donned flannel pajamas and her hair was in a messy ponytail, not much different from her regular style. She set the food bag by the wall and opened the back door in the kitchen to let Jerry out.

“We don’t have a fence for him,” Hannah warned.

“It’s okay. He won’t go far. He does his business before breakfast every morning… Is that coffee?”

“Yeah. Cups are in the top cabinet to the left of the coffee maker.”

“I love you,” Georgia said, heading over to make herself a cup. Once she’d made her coffee, she joined Hannah at the table and peered out the window at Gran’s rocking chairs. “Those are nice,” she said.

“Maybe we’ll be able to sit out there soon. The weather’s supposed to be warming up… Unless you find your parents before then.” Hannah put down her mug. “Would you show me their photo?”

“I’ll go get it.” Georgia let Jerry in and then went back to her room.

Jerry sniffed around by the dog-food bag, seemingly out of sorts because his breakfast wasn’t ready. He peered up at Hannah.

“I’ve got nothin’,” she said to him, putting her hands in the air.