A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh

sprang in her chest. These women could lead her to her father.
    Mugsy whimpered as they reached the driveway.
    “Fine, Mugs, you can get off the leash, you big baby.” Adele took the leash from Campbell. She unhooked it and sent Mugsy back to the garage. “Campbell, these are your mom’s friends, Jane Atkins and Lila Olson.”
    Campbell studied Jane’s face until she finally found the teenager behind the wide eyes and cropped dishwater hair. In every way, the woman epitomized a soccer mom.
    Jane stepped closer, and Campbell saw the tears in her eyes. “Campbell! It’s so nice to meet you after all this time. I had no idea you’d be joining your mom for this trip, but I’m so glad you’re here.”
    Campbell’s eyes stung as she swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. She turned to Lila, who pulled her into a stiff hug and patted her back. “It’s so nice to meet you both.”
    “We are the lucky ones.” Lila turned to Adele. “Where’s Suzanne and Meghan? Are they both inside looking through old scrapbook pages or something?”
    Campbell watched Adele. Her eyes filled with tears.
    Lila’s smile faded, her eyes darting between Campbell and Adele. “What’s going on, you two?” She looked at Jane, whose facehad gone stark white. She looked away.
    Adele glanced at Campbell and then turned to the two women in front of her. “Girls,” Adele said, “she’s gone.”
    Jane shook her head. She pulled Campbell into a hug.
    “I am so sorry, hon,” she said.
    “Just like that?” Lila asked. “We didn’t even get to say good-bye?”
    Awkwardness hung in the air. Finally Campbell said, “The funeral was Tuesday.”
    “But the letters…” Jane’s took a step back.
    “I found them on the counter at my mom’s house. I think she was planning to send them last week—maybe even before that—but she took a turn and ended up in a coma.” Campbell willed her voice to remain steady.
    “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Jane still shook her head, her mouth agape.
    “This is so unfair. We came here to say good-bye to her. We deserved that much.” Lila wrapped her arms around her waist and stared at the ground.
    Adele stepped forward. “I think Suzanne was hoping for a joyous reunion, and I think that’s what we should give her. You’re right. We didn’t get to properly say good-bye, so we’re going to have to have a memorial service of our own.”
    Jane nodded. “I think that’s a great idea.”
    Adele and Jane exchanged a look and then Jane wrapped an arm around Campbell, rubbing her back like a mom does. “You look a lot like her.”
    “You think so?” Adele cocked her head. “I wasn’t seeing it right away.”
    “I think it’s the eyes. They smile and dance just like Suzanne’s. Suzanne always had the best eyes. I was so jealous of her long, dark lashes. I got stuck with these short, blond things.”
    Lila straightened. “They make stuff to help with that, Jane. It’s called mascara.”
    “It’s good to know you haven’t changed, Lila,” Jane said.
    A split second of tension hung in the air, and then Lila’s face broadened into a smile. Jane covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.
    Campbell smiled. “I’m really glad you both came.”
    “Come in, come in. Let’s have some tea.” Adele walked toward the house, Jane and Lila on either side and Campbell following close behind. “I’m makin’ my world-famous pork chops tonight. Can you stay?”
    Adele laced her arms through theirs, squeezed.
    “I think so. I won’t be in town for long, but I can stay for your pork chops.” Jane turned around and looked at Campbell. “They’re world-famous, ya know.”
    Campbell laughed. She liked her mom’s friends already.

TEN
Campbell
    Inside, Campbell listened as the conversation danced from Adele to Jane to Lila and back again. She waited for a lull and then pulled the old scrapbook pages out of her bag.
    “Do you know anything about these?” She looked at her mom’s