The Bluebird Bet. Cheryl Harper

STEPPED INSIDE and shut the door, snapping Elaine out of her reverie. “Rude,” she muttered and got into her car.

      She made her way to the highway. In the middle of making a mental list of the things she’d have to pack, her phone rang, and she hit the hands-free button to talk. “Hi, Mom.” She didn’t even have to look. It had to be her mother.

      “I haven’t heard from you in a while, so I thought I’d make sure you’re okay.”

      A while meaning approximately two hours. Checking to make sure she was okay was more about her mother not being okay. “I’m fine. What’s up?”

      “Oh, not much. I started thinking about the reception we had and how you and Jerry argued about the proper way to serve red wine. Remember, he was certain it had to be warm, and you said to chill the wine and warm it in the hand? What an impression you must have made on your new stepfather. I thought that was the craziest thing to argue about.” Her voice broke on the last word. “You’re so much like your father sometimes. So smart. Even when you were a little girl, I’d listen to the two of you talk and just...marvel.”

      Elaine couldn’t recall the wine conversation. She and her mother’s last husband, Jerry, had often agreed to disagree, but she’d never intended to cause friction in any of her mother’s marriages.

      Being compared to her father didn’t surprise her at all.

      Elaine could remember the days when she’d hoped to be exactly like her father.

      Now she was afraid that her wish had come true. He lived to work. Most days, she did, too.

      “Mom, are you drinking wine by any chance?” Elaine parked in front of a small line of apartments. She’d lived here since she’d come to Tall Pines to satisfy the terms of the scholarship that had helped her get through medical school debt free.

      “Yes.”

      The hiccup made Elaine smile as she switched the call to her phone. She unlocked the door and asked, “How much?”

      “It’s my...second glass.” Her mother’s answer was a relief. Maybe she was too emotional, but she’d never been a big drinker. Elaine could picture her mother perched on the end of her expensive couch, not a single hair of her carefully highlighted bob out of order. Even tipsy, she’d be well behaved and beautiful.

      Sometimes Elaine wondered if she was the only person who saw the emotional, messy, ragged side of Catherine Stillman. She was the model hostess with lovely manners, but inside, her mother still seemed to be searching for something.

      Elaine, on the other hand, always looked a bit frazzled. Her sundress was wrinkled after less than three hours, and the curls escaping her careful updo were driving her crazy. Scrubs and a ponytail fit her better.

      And if she was searching for anything, it was the way things used to be.

      “You know you’re going to be happy again, right? Have you thought about taking a class like we talked about?” Elaine pulled a bag out of her closet and started shoving clothes inside.

      While she packed, she thought about all the activities her mother should consider instead of focusing on how she didn’t have a husband anymore. A part-time job, a class at the community college, a new hobby or a trip to someplace she’d always dreamed of. They were all reasonable, fun options. If Elaine’s schedule ever cleared up, she might give something on the list a try herself. As always, her mother had one answer. “I don’t want to do that by myself.”

      “Mom, do you remember the Bluebird Bed-and-Breakfast? The inn we used to visit here in Tall Pines?” Elaine crossed her fingers and hoped this didn’t lead to a meltdown.

      “Sure, that pretty old farmhouse on the lake. Had the tastiest sugar cookies as I recall.” Her mother paused as she sipped her wine. “Your father fished, and we ruled the world from that shady porch. Those were nice times. Before your father ruined it all.”

      Elaine took a deep breath. This was the tricky part. Any time her father came up in conversation, things could get out of control fast. “Yeah, so the owner is a patient. I took a trip out there today because he’s considering selling.”

      “But you’re a doctor. What would you do with an inn? The last thing you need is another job. No, you should spend fewer hours working.” Her mother left off the advice to get married, have kids, probably because she didn’t want an argument, either.

      “Maybe we could reopen it. Together. What would you think about that?” She held her breath while she waited for the answer.

      “I’m not sure, Elaine. I mean, the memories...”

      Her mother hadn’t said no. That was a new development. “It could be fun, but it may not work out anyway, so you’ve got time to consider it.”

      “I will. I promise,” her mother said quietly. “Thanks for talking, Elaine. I swear, no more men. Ever. This time is different.”

      Right. Elaine was sure she’d heard that the last time, too. And with the boyfriends in between, one of whom had been so steady and good for her mother she’d mourned him like...well, her own father. Her father wasn’t dead. He was just gone, content with his new wife and two sons.

      Neither of whom were doctors.

      Not yet anyway. There was still time, and her youngest brother did mention medical school now and then.

      At least her mother’s wails had already quieted to grumbles. This seemed to indicate she was on the mend. The fact that she’d gotten there quicker than Elaine expected was a positive sign. There’d been surprisingly few bitter warnings about men or guilt trips about grandkids. Elaine was tired of hearing that all her mother’s problems would be solved if Elaine would just get married and have babies. Following her mother’s train of thought could be exhausting.

      She’d had plenty of time to build up her endurance. When her father left, Elaine had picked up the pieces. Ever since, she’d hung on to the roller-coaster ride that was her mother. Relationships came and went, men were magic until they disappointed her and then Elaine was a lifeline.

      She was used to the pattern by now, even if she tried to alter it.

      Her mother was only three hours away, but Elaine was always working. When things were good, the distance was easy. Her mother’s happy phone conversations satisfied them both. When her mother was going through a breakup, the distance could be a relief.

      “You aren’t planning to drive anywhere, are you, Mom?”

      This time her mother gave a disbelieving grunt. “Do you think I’m crazy? I’m going to take a nap.”

      “Sounds good. Call me tomorrow.” After her mother mumbled goodbye, Elaine tossed her phone on the couch cushion next to her purse, dropped down beside it and covered her eyes with both hands.

      Taking a day off and doing anything other than laundry and napping was rare, but she was glad she’d made the trip out to see the Bluebird. If only Dean Collins wasn’t going to be such a problem. She had a small chance to beat him. Ignoring him was going to be a lot harder.

      But leaving this economy apartment would be no problem. There were no pictures on the wall, and the only decoration she’d added was three small framed photos of her with her parents, all taken at award ceremonies. The furniture belonged to her landlord, Edna. Why she hadn’t done more to make the apartment feel like home was something she should consider long and hard. Some other time.

      Today she was going to grab her bag, go back and move right in. She’d start leaving her stamp as soon as possible.

      Men would come and go and take her mother’s sanity with them, but the Bluebird would last. Getting attached to the place that held such sweet memories only made sense.

      “Hit the road, Elaine. There’ll be plenty of time to figure out the cure for your problems on that beautiful porch.”

      She smiled at the idea