Read Online 44 Cranberry Point by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online

those letters, and don’t mention them again.”
    “But-”
    “Maryellen, please.”
    “If you insist.” And this time she buried the letters in the bottom of the bag.
    An hour later, her clothes hung next to Jon’s in the big closet. The dresser drawers were full. At first glance it seemed as if she’d always lived with Jon, always been part of his home and his life. That gave her a feeling of contentment and somehow made their coming marriage even more real.
    They ate dinner together, and sipped wine on the upstairs balcony that overlooked the water. Completely at ease, Maryellen laid her head against his shoulder. Jon’s arm was around her, his long legs stretched out in front of him. The momentwas so tranquil, she didn’t immediately realize Jon had fallen asleep.
    It was just as well. She needed to get back to her mother’s house, spend some time with Katie. By now her daughter would be cranky, and Maryellen didn’t want to take advantage of her mother’s generosity.
    Kissing Jon on the cheek, she slipped out of his arms and sneaked down the stairs, making as little noise as possible. She hated to leave, but in two days she’d be with Jon forever…
    Just as she’d predicted, Katie was difficult and unreasonable that night, and her mother was exhausted. As soon as Maryellen reached for Katie, the baby settled against her shoulder, put her thumb in her mouth and promptly fell asleep. Maryellen rocked her for a few minutes, gently rubbing Katie’s back.
    “I can’t believe one tiny baby could have so much energy.” Grace sat down in her favorite chair, head thrown back, eyes closed. Opening them again, she said, “You look at peace.”
    “I am at peace, and so much in love.”
    Grace’s eyes grew moist. “I hope you’ll always be as happy as you are now.”
    Maryellen lowered her gaze.
    Her mother understood her perfectly. “What is it?”
    “Jon. I found a stack of letters, several of which he hadn’t even bothered to open.”
    “Letters? From whom?”
    “His parents. I badly wanted to read them but I didn’t. Jon told me to throw them out.” Her mother knew about Jon’s situation and the way his parents had betrayed him.
    “Did you?”
    Maryellen nodded. “I didn’t want to start our marriage off by being dishonest.”
    “It seems to me that if Jon has no feelings for his family, he wouldn’t have saved those letters.”
    “I felt the same thing.” Maryellen gnawed on her lower lip. “I didn’t need to read them to know what they said. Jon’s their only family now and they want his forgiveness. They want their son back.”
    “They have a granddaughter they don’t know anything about.”
    “Yes…”
    “And you, Maryellen. They’ll be your in-laws.”
    It hurt her to think of Jon rejecting his parents’ attempts at reconciliation-less for their sake than for his. Jon would never be free of the past until he could find a way to forgive his parents.
    Her mother seemed deep in thought. “I couldn’t bear the idea of anyone keeping me from my grandchildren,” she said softly.
    That was another point she should consider. Jon might not want anything to do with his family, but his parents had a right to know about Katie. And Katie had a right to know her grandparents.
    That evening, Maryellen wrote Jon’s family. The letter was brief. She’d memorized the post office box number and the zip code, and that was all she needed. She included a picture of Katie and a short message about how well Jon’s career was going. Wanting to be sensitive to her husband’s feelings, she stated that it would be best if they didn’t contact her. She did promise, however, to send them occasional photographs of their granddaughter.
    The next morning as Maryellen drove to the post office, she wondered if she was doing the right thing. On the one hand, she knew Jon would disapprove; on the other, she felthis parents deserved some compassion. And what about Katie? What about her future