Gloria

It didn’t look all that bad. A city girl, Gloria didn’t have much experience with mountains or trees or wooden cabins. Sure, the porch was a little lopsided, the flowers and the grass overgrown, plus the paint on the shutters was peeling a bit, but it looked cozy.

Sweet.

Nice.

“This is mine?”

“The cabin and the property it sits on, you betcha. Now, I know it needs a little work, but if you’re willing to sell, I already have a growing list of locals who’d be interested in buying. It would be worth more with a little TLC, of course, but the offers are pretty good so far.”

And then, to Gloria’s shock, Sadie named a range of figures.

“That much?”

Sadie obviously thought that Gloria expected more. “Like I said, it does need a little work—”

Gloria shook her head. “Not that. It’s just… someone wants to pay that much money for my great aunt’s old cabin? It seems kinda high.”

Sadie laughed. “Oh, dear. I keep forgetting you weren’t born and raised here. This cabin is on the mountainside, you see, but it’s better than that: it’s one of a few cabins that are actually up on the mountain. In town, the remote houses are sought after.”

Gloria had to admit that she kind of understood. While she was friendly and cheerful when she was around others, at her heart she was an introvert. It’s why she decided against finding a roommate when she got her apartment. She was perfectly happy by herself.

And if she needed a little company, she’d already scoped out one of the town’s meeting spots. She could get a good cup of coffee and a hot meal down at the coffeehouse if she started to feel lonely, then come back to the cabin to work on her ice cream flavors.

With as much money as the house was worth, she could finally start turning her dream of opening her ice cream parlor into a reality. But if she put a little work into the place, gave up a year of her life that she could totally use to get the ball running on her shop, Gloria could earn even more—plus the money in the bank.

The more she thought about it, the more it seemed crazy not to accept her great aunt’s bequest.

Her one-room apartment was all she could afford now. Life insurance had been just enough to pay off the last of Nana’s medical bills and give her beloved grandmother a fitting funeral last October. The stipend alone was nearly as much as she made at her day job.

But could she do it?

She didn’t know.

Sadie picked up on her shock. With a soft chuckle, she reached inside of her massive purse and pulled out a set of keys. “You want to go inside? Check it out?”

Gloria didn’t know what to say, either. So she just nodded.

“Come on.”

3

It was a two-floor cabin and, honestly, much nicer than she expected it to be.

There was electricity inside. She felt silly once Sadie turned on the lights, as if she’d expected to find candles around the place instead. Running water? Check. Decor that suited a seventy-year-old woman, sure, but there was a touch of homeyness to it—mainly because of the colored throws, hand-stitched pillows, and elaborate blankets that covered nearly every couch and wall of the place.

Gloria pointed at the nearest one once Sadie finished showing her around the first floor. “What’s up with all the blankets?”

“Afghans,” corr

ected Sadie. “They’re your aunt’s. She was a world-class crafter, could make afghans, pillows, tea cozies… you name it. It’s how she made her fortune.” She waited a beat, as if in surprise, then asked, “Didn’t you know?”

Gloria… didn’t.

Nana very rarely spoke of her family. At first, she might have stayed quiet for Gloria’s sake. Losing her parents so young had been hard, and Nana was devoted to making sure Gloria felt loved and protected. Nana’s husband was long gone, and both Gloria’s mom and dad were only children. As far as she knew, Nana and Gloria were all each other had.

As she grew older, Gloria had asked her grandmother about their extended family and the answer was always the same: they were all that was left. Gloria accepted it as fact. When Nana passed, the celebration of her life featured Nana’s long-time friends and neighbors. No one else showed up.

Gloria had to ask. “Patti… my great aunt? How exactly is she related to me?”