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Frowning, Jackson remembered Cash mentioning the old fireworks shows to him too. “He asked me if I remembered them and I just thought he was going on another trip down memory lane. I can’t believe he arranged all of this.”
Austin and Mia came over and hugged them. “We’ll be back before dark,” Austin said. “We’re going home to check on and feed Everly, and then we’ll be back for the fireworks.” He laughed softly. “Can you believe he did that?”
“Leave it to Dad to literally go out with a bang,” Garrett said as he joined them.
“Dude, that was lame,” Jackson told him, but he was laughing so…
“So, what should we do until it gets dark?” Savannah asked. “Do we need to find our viewing spot or…”
Georgia walked over to them before Austin left and sort of huddled them all together. “The last part of your father’s request was that all of you have seats on the party deck of the boathouse. We’ve set up chairs specifically for the six of you, but as you know, there’s room up there for about a dozen. Who would you like to have join you?”
He and his brothers looked at each other, and it was a no brainer.
“We’d love it if you and Uncle Beau joined us, along with Aunt Susannah and Colton, and, of course, Mom and Dominic. Please,” Austin said.
“I think that would be lovely,” she said, her voice slightly thick with emotion. “Thank you for including me. I…I know I wasn’t a very good aunt to you while you boys were growing up, but…”
“Aunt Georgia,” Garrett interrupted, “that was a lifetime ago. We’re family and we’re all just really thankful for all you did to help Dad in his last days and the way you’re honoring his final wishes. So…thank you.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before Jackson and Austin did the same.
“Okay, then,” she said, clearly touched. “How about we meet up on the deck at 8:30? You’ll find special refreshments up there especially for you.”
“Dad even requested what snacks we eat up there?” Jackson asked.
“He thought of everything because you boys and Savannah meant the world to him.”
* * *
“Oh my God! Look at this!”Mia called out, as she was the first to step up onto the deck. “This is insane!”
Emma followed and gasped. “How on earth…?”
By the time Jackson and Savannah joined them, it was obvious what all the fuss was about. It looked like Mrs. Henderson had pretty much brought an entire bakery’s worth of stuff up here with no one noticing. She was standing proudly next to the dessert table and hugged each of them.
“No one knows you boys like I do. I’ve had the privilege of watching you come into the bakery for years and picking out your favorites. You too, Emmaline,” she added with a wink. “When Georgia and Cash came in to see me not long after the wedding, they told me what they wanted to do and I promised I’d handle it. So this is my gift to you kids. Thank you for always supporting the bakery and for turning into such fine adults. I’ve loved watching you grow up.” Then she motioned to the table and it was glorious.
“I know that Austin and Mia favor the iced brownies so…there’s a tray of them. Garrett always goes for the cinnamon rolls just like Cash did, so there’s a tray of them. Emma’s got some sweet memories of the black and white cookies she used to share with her grandma, so I made a bunch of them.”
“You are the best, Mrs. H! Thank you,” Emma said as she walked over and grabbed a cookie.
“Now Jackson is an equal opportunity cake enthusiast,” Mrs. Henderson was saying. “It’s hard to pin down if you actually have a favorite, so I made a rather eclectic assortment tray just for you. There are peanut butter bars, chocolate chip cookies, Linzer tarts, and a couple of mini pecan pies.”
“If I’ve never said I love you before, Mrs. H…”
“Oh, hush!” she said, blushing. “You boys are all flirts! And in front of these beautiful girls! Shame on you!” She shooed him away before facing Savannah. “You and I were never properly introduced, but Cash told me all about you.”
“Um…”
“I realize you didn’t get to really try any of my cakes until Garrett and Emmaline’s wedding, but Cash mentioned some of your favorite kinds of cakes and…well…I hope you enjoy them.” She pointed to one of the trays. “There are mini cupcakes in a variety of flavors, but Cash mentioned you loved red velvet cake and anything covered in chocolate. Was he right?”
Savannah nodded. “Oh, yeah. Those are my top two, for sure.”
“Okay then. I think I’ve got you covered. There are a handful of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, a handful of death by chocolate cupcakes, a couple of cookies and cream ones, and I threw in a few that are yellow cake with chocolate icing because those are classic. Then I added a variety of cookies just for good measure.”
“Mrs. Henderson…this is…it’s amazing,” she said. “Thank you. I don’t even know what to say!”
“Just enjoy them and promise you’ll come into the bakery sometime and tell me what you liked.”
“Deal!”
