The Accidental Florist

hand in both of hers, smiling. Jane thought she must have probably been the prettiest girl in school. And in spite of her wrinkles and abundant white hair, she still looked very good.
    She said, “I was hoping to see your wife and your darling babies here.“
    “She couldn’t find a babysitter for the girls,“ Ted said.
    “Oh, dear. We should have thought of providing one for you.“ She turned to Jane and said, “I remember you, Ms. Jeffry. I’ve missed seeing you and your children at church.“
    “Two of them go to school and have summer jobs in other states,“ Jane said, shaking her hand. “I remember you, too, Mrs. Jefferson. You were their Sunday school teacher and they adored you. So did I.“
    “How sweet of you. I hope we’ll meet again. And my deepest sympathies to you, Mr. Jeffry. Your mother must have been a handful to work with.“
    He smiled. “She certainly was.“
    “I must go,“ Mrs. Jefferson said. “I’m supposed to supply the lemonade and it’s probably getting hot in my car. Best wishes to both of you.“
    The moment she turned away, he took Jane by the elbow, thanked the pastor, and swiftly headed toward Jane’s car.
    “Well done, Ted. You didn’t need my help after all.“
    “I knew you would if it was necessary though. That’s what counts.“
    “Will you and Dixie and the girls come to dinner with us tonight? I have lots of food.“
    “That would be wonderful. I’ll have to check with Dixie, but I’m sure she’ll agree.“
    “Mrs. Jefferson is one of the good ones from the church.“
    “One of the few,“ Ted said with a smile as he got into Jane’s car.

Chapter Twenty-one

    Dixie looked five years younger than the last time Jane had seen her, and she was smiling and making the little girls laugh when she made funny faces. Ted looked happier and more relaxed than ever now that Thelma’s funeral was over. It was a lovely evening and everyone ate heartily. After dinner she showed them around Mel’s new office, which was finally looking like it might turn out to be done in a couple of weeks. Then he could choose the carpet and paint colors, and move his office furniture in.
    Ted said, “This makes me think it’s time to renovate my own office at work. It hasn’t changed for years and everything looks old and dingy.“
    “Oh, Ted,“ Dixie said, “that’s a wonderful idea. Can I help you pick out new furniture and paint colors?“
    “You’ll have to. I have no idea how to do this,“ he said. “Anything that isn’t dark brown. And I have to clean out my mother’s house to sell it. Do either of you want anything from it? A favorite lamp or some of her jewelry?“
    Dixie looked at him and said, “I wouldn’t want anything she’d ever touched.“
    Jane chimed in. “There’s nothing I want either.“
    “So what do I do with her jewelry? She has a lot of it, and some is valuable. Her wedding ring has a huge diamond—“
    Jane stepped up to the bat before Dixie could speak. “Take them to an appraiser, and find out what they’re worth. Then sell them on eBay or a local jeweler.“
    “What a good idea, Jane,“ Dixie piped up. “Now let’s don’t talk about this anymore, Ted. Make your own decisions, and don’t even tell me about them.“ She was smiling as she said this.
    Dixie turned to where the girls were sitting in their high chairs, and said, “I’m right, aren’t I?“ She nodded her head and both of the girls laughed and tried to imitate the gesture. Mary, who was a year and a half old, dribbled orange juice all over her pink dress. Sarah, at four years, got it right.
    Ted was grinning.
    Jane called Mel when Ted, Dixie, and the girls had left. She told him about the nice dinner and then asked, “How’s your case going?“
    “Which one?“
    “The Welbournes, of course.“
    “Not much yet. Both reporters have told me that they’ve had a lot of calls, but they’re all either frauds, or someone who claims to have met them two years ago in Perth, or Sydney, or Orlando. But somebody will turn up knowing how to spell Miss Welbourne’s whole name. Then we move in.“
    Jane went to bed that night thinking about Ted and Dixie. Thelma’s death was, sadly, the best thing that ever happened to them. They had both been so relaxed and pleasant at dinner. The relief of not having Thelma around, making their lives miserable, must have been enormous. And would only get better over time.
    Then she started thinking about herself. This was