Sheila sat, realizing she’d passed a lot of judgment and jumped to a lot of conclusions over the past few years. She couldn’t blame Dan for all of that. It was her doing. Too much focus on work and material things. Had she been hiding from life?
“You know, Orene, I used to think it was a huge mistake that Natalie was putting roots down here. I judged her and that wasn’t how a good friend should react. I wanted her to come back to Richmond. That was selfish. I missed her, but as her friend, I couldn’t be happier with how things are going with her and Randy, and I do understand why she’s here in Chestnut Ridge now. I never really listened.”
Orene patted her hand. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re a wonderful friend. We’re all on our own journey, and they happen at different paces.”
“Randy and Natalie are so perfect for each other, and I honestly can’t see them anywhere but in this wonderful town. With you, and Paul and Nelle and all of these wonderful people.”
“Thank you, and we can see you here in our lives too.”
“There’s something special about Chestnut Ridge.”
“I like to think so,” Orene said. “I mean we have fairy stones, that’s pretty special, and the Blue Ridge Mountains treat us to an ever-changing landscape that is beyond imagination every single day.”
Sheila thought of the night Tucker drove her up to see the lights from the parkway.
Orene said, “Some things you can’t teach or explain. They have to be experienced so that things can work out the way they should.”
“You’re so right.” It was like suddenly the air around her was lighter, things made sense, and it made her heart dance. “It sure does. I’ve got to do something.” She leapt to her feet.
“What? Is something wrong?” Orene’s brows pulled together.
“No,” Sheila said. “Things are very right. I gotta go!”
“Where are you going? It’s Christmas Eve. You can’t leave now.”
She lifted her hand. “Right.” She looked outside, and then back at Orene. “There’s something I have to do. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I’ll be back in time for you to open your present. I promise.”
“Where are you going?”
She grabbed her purse. “If Natalie comes over, tell her I had a last-minute Christmas emergency to take care of. Everyone is meeting here in the morning, right?”
“I’ve already got my breakfast casserole made up and in the refrigerator.”
“I’ll be here for that.”
“But it’s Christmas Eve, we’ll be celebrating that too.”
“And that’s what makes this perfect.” Sheila hugged Orene and then ran to her car and sped off.
Sheila made one phone call, and it went exactly as she thought it would. “Yes. I’ll meet you at my office in two hours. Merry Christmas.” She dropped her phone into the passenger seat and settled both hands on the wheel and turned onto the main road. It wasn’t all that far to her office.
“Oh what the heck, drive yourself,” she said to the Tesla as she pulled the cruise stalk toward her twice in quick succession, and let the self-driving mode engage.
The car continued down the road. Sheila kept her hands hovering just above the wheel, unwilling to give up complete control to the car, but it stayed right on course, which was pretty cool. “That’s enough.” She tapped the brake and then pressed the right scroll wheel on the steering wheel. “That was pretty exciting, but I think I like being the one steering my life these days.”
Although her heart was still racing from the little experiment, she was right on schedule when she hit the city limits.
Traffic snarled in front of the mall. Last-minute shoppers were out in full force. Thank goodness what she had to do didn’t involve any shopping.
Richmond history had always fascinated her, but learning the background of Chestnut Ridge had been interesting too. Shopping most certainly was head and shoulders better in Richmond than Chestnut Ridge, but in the age of online shopping, how could that even be an argument? Richmond was a cultural hub in comparison, but there was something enchanting about the rugged range of mountains, craggy peaks, and stunning vistas.
Cassie is right. It’s just geography. It’s not where we live, it’s how we choose to live.
Seeing all this traffic and all these people in a hurry made her think of the view of the mountains and homes nestled among thetrees, looking down from the Blue Ridge Parkway overlook for what seemed like miles and miles. It had taken her breath away.
Maybe some of that was because of Tucker too. Yes, Tucker, you lift my spirits like I’ve never felt before.
She recalled Cassie’s comment. “And what’s more important? Population or the perfect relationship?”
