Free Reunion Pass: An Eternity Springs novel by Emily March

Amanda to interrupt.”
    They spent the balance of their time on Bella Vita Isle in a state closest described as a truce and departed for New York with an underlying tension humming between them. On Monday, Chase phoned his parents before boarding the first leg of the flight that would take him to Chizickstan. The conversation was stilted from his father’s end, tear-filled from his mother’s, and as uncomfortable on Chase’s part as any he could remember. Not quite ready to say good-bye but desperate to fill the awkward lull in their exchange, he asked what was new in Eternity Springs.
    His mother answered. “The biggest news of the month is that the Callahans are expecting again and Nic wants to be a full-time mom. She has convinced Lori to take over her practice. Sarah and Cam are over the moon. Lori is coming home.”
    Chase closed his eyes and told himself that the ache in his chest had nothing to do with yearning.
    MAY
ETERNITY SPRINGS
    Lori Murphy, DVM, walked arm in arm with her mother up Spruce Street toward Ali Timberlake’s restaurant. Her father followed behind them holding her two-year-old brother Michael’s right hand. Her brother Devin held the toddler’s left. It was a beautiful Saturday evening in Eternity Springs with spring in all its glory. Flowers bloomed everywhere you looked. Pots of red geraniums decorated sidewalks and porches. Window boxes filled with purples and whites and pinks and yellows dressed every sill. Cascading baskets of color hung from every conceivable spot. Townspeople did love their color.
    “There are the Callahans,” Sarah said, slowing and lifting her free hand in a wave. “I’m so glad you asked them to join us for dinner, sweetheart.”
    “Me, too.” The casual invitation Lori had issued to Nic when she’d called to explain why she couldn’t attend the graduation had done the trick, though Ali had assured her she had backup plans for getting the Callahans there.
    Lori tried to keep the excitement humming through her from bursting free. She was honestly amazed that no one had spilled the beans. Things were working out perfectly.
    The Murphy family paused and waited for Nic, Gabe, and the girls. Her smile wide, Nic rushed up to Lori and gave her a fierce hug. “Dr. Murphy. I am so proud of you. I am so sorry that I couldn’t make it to the graduation. It broke my heart not to be able to see you walk across the stage.”
    “You’re the lucky ones,” Devin piped up. “Graduations are a beating.”
    In a show of sisterly affection, Lori stuck her tongue out at her brother. Then she turned back to Nic. “I know you were there in spirit, and nothing is more important than this little guy.” Lori patted Nic’s baby bump. Per her doctor’s orders, Nic was confined to Eternity Springs until she delivered her baby.
    “I’m just as important as Twig!” seven-year-old Cari Callahan declared, scowling up at her. Twig, Lori knew, was the nickname the Callahans had taken to calling the baby after Gabe suggested naming their little boy after his father, Branch.
    “Me, too!” her twin, Meg, chimed in. She folded her arms and glowered.
    Oops. Lori knew better than to tread on sibling sensitivities. Didn’t she have a few twinges of her own in that area from time to time? And she had almost twenty years on the Callahan twins! “That goes without saying, doodlebugs,” she said. “Actually, you’re more important because you are the big sisters. Being a big sister is a very important job. In fact, now that I’m going to be living in Eternity Springs, I think we should form a club. The Big Sisters Club. What do you think about that?”
    Both girls’ eyes lit. Meg asked, “Could we have a clubhouse?”
    “I don’t see why not.”
    “We can get Cousin Brick to build it,” Cari added. “He’ll do anything we ask.”
    The adults all laughed, recognizing the truth of that statement. Brick Callahan loved all of his young cousins, but Meg and Cari held a special place