Little Girls and Puppy Dog Tales
 

Chapter 1

“You got some kind of a card,” Sam Watson said as he plunked the mail down on the table next to his wife.

They had just come in from work and were having a glass of wine before dinner.

“A card? It’s not my birthday,” Celeste replied as she picked up a pink envelope from the pile of bills and advertisements.

“Thank God!” Sam responded. “If it was your birthday and I had forgotten, I’d be in one huge doghouse.”

“Make that a tiny doghouse full of instruments of torture,” Celeste laughed.

“Aren’t you going to open it?” Sam asked watching his wife hold the card and study the writing on the front.

“There’s no return address,” Celeste commented. “I wonder why.”

“Open the … stupid thing,” Sam finally said. “Maybe you’ll find out.”

Celeste ripped open the envelope and pulled out the card. It was obviously homemade, but also well made. “Look at the rainbow,” she said, pointing to a rainbow across the front of the card. It had black as the bottom color. “Who puts black in a rainbow?”

“Someone very creative and unique … or someone deeply disturbed,” Sam ventured.

Celeste opened the card and scanned the contents. “Oh my God!” Celeste reacted, placing her hand over her mouth.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“The card is signed Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor.”

“So? Who is that?”

“It’s the baby I was surrogate for … for the same sex couple that I told you about.”

“Shit!”

“What? Are you angry about her contacting me?”

Sam shook his head. “I knew this day would probably come, but I guess I hoped it never would.”

“Why? Do…Don’t you think I should have contact with the children I was surrogate for?” The hitch in Celeste’s voice told her husband that she was close to tears.

“Honey, I don’t mean that you should never have contact with them. I was, I am, afraid that it would upset you … and see, it is upsetting you.”

“I’m not upset,” Celeste said speaking slowly and trying to remain calm. “I’m just … surprised.”

“That makes two of us. What are you going to do about it?”

Celeste looked at the card more carefully. “She prints very well,” Celeste observed as she read Bree’s words.

“Great, so she’s a good student,” Sam muttered.

“She says she’s ten years old,” Celeste read from the card. “I can’t believe it’s been that long. Oh! She says she would like to meet me.”

Sam made a face. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“I … I don’t know,” Celeste said uncertainly. “This has never happened before.”

“You should think long and hard before you make a decision about this,” Sam warned.

Celeste nodded not knowing what else to say. She certainly did have a lot to think about. “I could use that glass of wine now,” she said after a minute or two.

 

*****
 

“Are you sure about this? We can turn around and go home,” Sam asked Celeste as they approached the entrance to Edna’s Treasures Lane.

“Yes. No. I don’t know anymore. I was sure when we left the house,” Celeste replied honestly. Celeste, who was Briana’s biological mother, had finally responded to the card that Bree had sent. Celeste had opened the note from Brian which was tucked inside the envelope with the card. Brian’s inquiry, along with Briana’s had finally made Celeste curious enough about the little girl to agree to a meeting.

Now, in the Fall off 2022 with the lane finally settling down, Brian had arranged for Celeste to come to the lane for a visit.

Sam drove up to the big gate that separated the rest of the world from the utopia Brian Kinney and his family had created in the middle of Nowhere PA. He put the car into park and waited for a sign from his wife.

“I have no problem with this, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Sam told his wife. Sam and Celeste had met years ago when she was still offering herself as a surrogate for those who were in need. Strong, healthy and with a good genetic heritage, Celeste started as a surrogate when her sister had difficulty bringing a child to term. After helping her sister, Celeste then helped a few more couples that wanted children. Briana was unique; she was Celeste’s last child as a surrogate and her only to a same sex couple.

A small grin formed on Celeste’s face.

“What?” Sam asked seeing the smile play across Celeste’s beautiful face. He reached out to take hold of her hand.

“I was just remembering their selection process,” Celeste replied.

“Whose?”

“Brian and Justin. They were very particular,” Celeste said with a wistful tone.

“I’m sure they were,” Sam nodded. He would be too if he was ever in that situation.

“No, I mean aside from the obvious,” Celeste said as she remembered what finally closed the ‘deal.’

“What was it that made them choose you?” Sam gently asked.

“My smile,” Celeste replied as her cheeks began to turn pink. Sam scooted closer as he snaked his arm around his wife.

“It is the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. When I see you smile, it’s like my whole day became brighter,” Sam murmured into his wife’s ear. “I love you,” he said as he kissed her cheek.

“I love you too,” Celeste replied as she turned toward the kiss.

They sat there, hugging for a while as they built up their courage.

“Ready?” Sam asked after a few moments.

“Ready,” Celeste responded as she steeled herself.

“Here we go,” Sam said as he pushed the button on the gate intercom and identified themselves when someone responded. They heard a loud click as the gate mechanism swung open the heavy gate then Sam drove them slowly through the gate and up the lane.

The first home that greeted them was Emmett’s cottage just beyond the gate and after the bend onto the lane. The Fall flowers were in full bloom giving the overall property a warm glow. The freshly painted white picket fence stood out in sharp contrast.

“Oh my! This is like a little piece of heaven,” Celeste exclaimed.

Sam drove slowly so that they could take in the whole view.

“I like this,” Sam announced as he spied Michael’s cabin on his left. “That’s amazing.” The log cabin surrounded by its evergreen foliage made it blend into the countryside. “I don’t believe this,” he murmured as he caught sight of the B&B cottage and the greenhouse.

“Is that a greenhouse?” Celeste asked. They could just make out the green and colorful plants through the misty glass walls.

“And look!” Celeste nearly shouted as she pointed to Molly’s little getaway cottage with its glass facade. “It’s like a fairytale,” she said with awe.

“Whoa,” Sam whispered as the conjoined cottages of Edna’s Treasures came into view. “They sure use a lot of glass out here.”

“And look at the gardens. If they’re this beautiful now just think of what they look like in the Summer,” Celeste said.

“That’s a bit strange,” Sam murmured as he pulled over to park their car.

“What is?”

“That house all they way at the top of the lane. It doesn’t quite fit, but in a weird way, it does,” Sam observed as he described Rachel and George’s home.

“Hmm,” Celeste mumbled as she got out of the car and looked toward the house. “The cabin doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the cottages but put it all together and it works.”

 

*****
 

“Why are you hiding up here?” John asked Brian.

“I have work to do. Someone has to pay the bills,” Brian griped from behind his computer. He had been up in his office for most of the morning. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he was really dreading the prospect of meeting Celeste again. She might be Bree’s biological mother, but she was basically a stranger, and Brian had no idea what he would say to her or how Bree would react when she and Celeste met for the first time.

“You can do that any time and you have enough people to do it for you. You’re a coward, Brian Kinney, to meet the woman who blessed you and Justin. And you’re turning Bree into one too,” John severely admonished his brother.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Brian growled.

“Come here,” John commanded. They stood at the edge of the balcony. John pointed to the Wendy house. “She’s there. She’s been there all morning. I went out to tell her that Celeste had arrived but she didn’t say anything just hugged grey bunny. Bree’s waiting for you to come and get her,” John told his brother.

“How do you know?” Brian asked. John arched a brow then frowned. “All right, I’ll go get her,” Brian said softly. He turned then headed down the spiral stairs and out the sun porch door.

 

*****
 

Celeste and Sam stood beside their car staring at the front door of Edna’s Treasures. Neither seemed capable of moving to the door and knocking on it. Each was filled with apprehension about what they would find when that door opened.

“Are we going to do this?” Sam finally asked.

“Oh Sam, I’m scared. I don’t know what to do?” Celeste looked like she was ready to cry.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Sam asked gently.

“I don’t know. Briana could be a spoiled, little monster and we’ll have to spend time with her hating every minute of it.”

“Do you think that’s likely based on that sweet card that she sent to you?” Sam asked trying not to chuckle at his wife’s histrionics.

“Or she could be deeply disturbed. Remember what you said about that rainbow on the card?”

“I was … kidding,” Sam protested. Celeste raised an eyebrow and gave her husband a disbelieving stare. “Well, maybe I meant it … a little bit,” Sam corrected.

“I’m not sure I want to find out what she’s like. I want to be proud of her, but … what if I’m not?”

“She’s what … ten years old? She’s a kid. Kids are loveable.”

“Not all of them.”

“I thought I was the pessimist in this family.”

“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me,” Celeste said with a little chuckle.

“We could go home and do some other kind of rubbing,” Sam suggested with a wink.

Celeste laughed aloud. “I love you, you big dip.”

“Hey, who are you calling a dip?”

“If the ice cream cone fits…”

They both burst out laughing and hugged each other tight.

“It’s going to be all right,” Sam whispered. “I’ll be right there with you no matter what we find.”

Celeste nodded. “I guess we should go to the door. Somebody let us in and they must be waiting for us.”

Sam took his wife’s hand and they took the short march toward whatever awaited them behind door number one.

“Ready?” Sam asked again.

“Ready,” Celeste replied with conviction.

As Sam raised his hand toward the brass knocker the door flew open.

“Hi, I’m Justin Taylor and welcome to Edna’s Treasure!”

 

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