Sorrow chuckled. “They probably think Marlene has become a fast woman. ”
“Well, good on her,” Laura said. “We fast girls need to stick together. ”
As they watched Marlene’s elderly entourage make their approach across the festival grounds, Sorrow whispered, “I’ll regret to my dying day that I didn’t get to see them the day I fell down that mine. ”
“You missed it all right,” Laura said, stifling a giggle. “Those two ladies showed up like the SWAT team. They were quite a sight, speeding in, bouncing up and down on the bench of Marlene’s old pickup, Ruby with a fistful of historical survey maps. ”
Sorrow had to dab tears of laughter from her eyes. “I think if Billy and Dad hadn’t found me, Pearl and Ruby would’ve tracked down the mine and rescued me themselves. ”
“Don’t you know it. You should’ve seen Mom’s face. ‘Good Lord, it’s the Kidd ladies,’” Laura mimicked, her voice a high-pitched exclamation that made Sorrow laugh even harder. “The way they peeled into the driveway, I thought for sure they were going to take out the porch. ”
“Shhh…” Sorrow said, trying to stop her convulsive laughter. They were headed their way. “They’ll hear you. ”
“Congratulations to us!” Pearl exclaimed as they neared. “It’s a smash!”
Ruby nodded enthusiastically—she and her sister were practically beaming. “There’s record attendance, with both tourists and historians, too, from as far away as the Bay Area. I just wish Emerald were here to see it. ”
“Oh, Emmie. ” Pearl sighed. “She’d have thought this a hoot. ”
Marlene greeted the Bailey sisters with kisses on cheeks. “How right you are. Ma would’ve loved this. ”
Pearl interrupted with an impatient hand on Laura’s arm. “Did you know, I heard a reporter from the Sacramento Bee is here. ”
“A reporter indeed,” Marlene said. She faced Laura. “That has you written all over it. ”
“Could be. ” Laura shrugged, but couldn’t conceal her smile. “I might’ve known someone who knew someone. ”
Sorrow chimed in, “The biggest news seems to be how our ‘Buck Larsen Festival’ turned into the first annual Sierra Falls Gold Rush Women’s Festival instead. ”
Laura met her eye. “Can’t hold a festival for someone who was a jerk. ”
Sorrow gave her a knowing smile. “Thanks for seeing the light. I like the new theme we came up with. ” At first, Laura had wanted to push the Buck Larsen affair, but in the end had trusted the youngest Bailey sister’s opinion on the matter.
Laura nudged her shoulder. “What man in his right mind leaves a woman named Sorrow anyway?”
The comment made her feel a little shyly self-conscious, and not in a bad way. Only now was she realizing how loved she was in Sierra Falls, and it was Billy who’d opened her eyes to it. Seeing the community from an outsider’s perspective, she recognized just how precious Sierra Falls was. And with its snowcapped peaks on the horizon, the lakes and the wildlife, the rush of the falls in spring, and those fragrant pines so thick all around, she saw with new eyes just how glorious her home was.
The mountains were in her blood. She wasn’t trapped in the town, rather she carried the town inside her, in her heart. She felt connected to Sierra Falls, just as she felt connected to her thrice-great-grandmother. Sorrow Crabtree had been a woman, just like her, trying to find love and go her own way.
She held Laura’s gaze a moment, before telling her, “It was a stroke of genius dedicating this to pionee
r women. ”
“Except”—Sully spoke up, nodding toward one of the booths—“your father is over there complaining that you didn’t bake enough for the cakewalk. ”
Everyone laughed, and Laura clapped her on the shoulder. “Dad’s become her biggest fan. ”
She shrugged, no longer bothering to temper her smile. “Go figure. ”
“So Bear finally saw the light,” Marlene said. “It’s about time. ”
“And more power to her,” Sully said. He looked at Sorrow with pride in his eyes. “The new head chef of the Thirsty Bear Tavern—it’s about time, girl. ”
Their regular diners had all heard the news, too. It was hard to miss, seeing as Dad had taken to swaggering around the place, bragging about his youngest daughter’s cooking and how folk better make a reservation now because they’re booked solid through the month with her installed as their new head chef—and he always stressed the word chef, as though he were actually speaking French or something.
“Will you miss it?” Laura asked him.
“I’m all too happy to say good-bye to burgers for a while. ” Sully nestled Marlene closer. “The Harley is already in the shop getting tuned. Me and Marlene, we’re going to take a tour come June. Maybe ride up to Oregon. ”