Home Free - Fern Michaels [67]
With nothing else on her agenda, Maggie called for a cab and was told one would arrive in seven minutes. She dressed once again for the weather and walked out to her porch. She was sure Yoko could use her help at the nursery, and it was better to be busy than to sit around the house moping. In the cab, she sent a text to her driver to put him on alert to pick up Gus at Walter Reed if he accepted her invitation.
As Maggie climbed out of the cab at Yoko’s nursery, she was shocked to see Fergus Duffy. He greeted her with a hug. “I’m just helping out. Annie said Yoko could use all the help that’s available. Yoko put me in charge. Do you believe that? Having said that, I need to assign your work. How do you feel about making red velvet bows?”
Maggie shrugged. “I love red bows. There is something special about a big red bow. Anticipation, excitement, a sense of mystery, not to mention cheerful.”
Fergus smiled as he showed her the box of red velvet ribbon and a gizmo to wrap the ribbon around and through. The end result was a beautiful handmade-looking bow.
Maggie screwed up her first, second, and third bows and was starting over just as Isabelle Flanders rolled over in bed and debated if she should answer the phone or not. With a nudge from Abner Tookus, she clicked on the phone and listened to Nikki’s greeting, which was, “Sorry to call you so early, Isabelle, but I just spoke with Maggie, and we need you to get a message . . . well, it’s more like a request, to Abner Tookus, and if he accepts, Abner is to tack it on to his bill.”
She explained Maggie’s dream and wound down by saying, “So, we know that two initials are like finding leaves in the wind, but Maggie said Abner has special software that should work. How soon do you think you can pass this on to Abner?”
Isabelle giggled. “How about right now?”
Nikki looked down at her watch. She wiggled her eyebrows for her own benefit. “Oh,” was all she could think of to say. A grin stretched from ear to ear when she heard Isabelle giggle. In all the years she’d known Isabelle, she’d never heard her giggle. Not ever. “Well, I’ll hang up now. When you have time, give me a call and let me know what . . . what Abner’s decision is.” She broke the connection before Isabelle could respond.
“Way to go, Isabelle,” Nikki chortled to herself as she shuffled papers on her desk. She wondered if the other Sisters knew about Isabelle’s new relationship. Well, Isabelle’s love life was none of her business. Or was it? She hoped that Abner Tookus knew how lucky he was. If he didn’t, the Sisters would make him aware of it lickety-split. “Damn,” she said happily. Who knew?
While Nikki hustled over to the courthouse for an early morning hearing on a motion, Isabelle relayed Nikki’s request to Abner, who groaned. Isabelle laughed as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. A long arm snaked out and drew her back under the covers. “This is where we pretend we’re kids again in the orphanage, and we’re waking up Christmas morning to this glorious Christmas tree whose lights I leave on twenty-four/seven. We have to imagine, for the moment, that there are hundreds of presents nestled underneath, with both our names on them. All of them are from Santa because we were both good all year. Close your eyes, and when you open them, squeal with pleasure. Can you do that, Isabelle?” Abner whispered.
“I can,” Isabelle said softly. When she opened her eyes, tears were rolling down her cheeks, but she still managed to