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That night, Dixie fell into bed, exhausted, at peace for the first time in she didn’t know how long. Owen was locked up; she no longer needed to worry about him. She thought she could sleep for days. She opened her eyes and the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, and she walked on and on in a meadow of deep green with a sea of grass and no end in sight. Suddenly too tired to go any farther, she dropped down and let sleep take her. When she awoke, she was not alone. Laura and James Ray sat beside her, hands resting on her shoulders, smiling down and waiting expectantly. “Jamie, girl, you are finally free now. No more being afraid, no more hiding, no more running. He won’t touch you. We wouldn’t allow it and neither will you. We love you, baby girl.” It was Mama’s voice that rang out, sweet and true.
Then a voice much deeper. “I love you, baby girl. I’ve watched you all of your life and I’ll be watching until the day we’re together again. You’ve been like a little caterpillar, creeping out of the cocoon, scared to death until you found out you had wings. Now, fly baby girl. Fly.”
She awoke lying in the bright sunlight in her own bed. Her cheeks were wet but there was a smile on her face and her heart was light. Dixie made herself a promise. It would never be heavy again.
Epilogue
“Hey, Dixie Cup. You ready to head out?” Jake stood in the doorway, his gaze drawn to the sign he had made, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it,” posted at eye level for every customer that walked through the doors. It was a slogan well-suited to her life. Not only had God helped her through what would have been insurmountable for others, He had brought her out on top. She was stronger, happier than she‘d ever been, with an unshakeable confidence. Dixie had found her place and she would plant roots that would become as much a part of Dale’s Hollow as the town had become a part of her.
Nearly a year had passed in the life and times of Dixie Mason and what a year it had been. With the help of the Jackson family’s influence and connections, Dixie had taken out a loan to start a business of her own. Thanks to Jake, she found the pluck to realize so much potential and add to their community. The result, the Dixie Cup Coffee Shop and Bakery, was an adorable little house just down the block from Jackson’s General. A team effort of sorts, the combined forces of her best friends made it fly. Sue Ellen helped with the books and marketing, Thelma Lou contributed the baked good special of the day along with words of wisdom, and Jake was her on-call handy man.
People felt like they were at home when they put their foot inside those four walls. Country music played softly, an assortment of books and magazines spread out on perfect accent tables, while sofas, big, cozy chairs, and a bar provided plenty of opportunities for a sit-down. There was a variety of coffees, cocoas and teas with Dixie’s baked goods to go along with it. Her instincts in the general store had paid off. People loved to have some place to kick back and chew the fat while they sipped a hot drink made to order, whether up North or in the heart of the South. A little bit of spoiling, some sweet talk, and a pretty slip of a sugar gal didn’t hurt her prospects any.
More than a business, the shop had a cozy apartment tucked in upstairs, giving her a home of her own. She missed Nichol’s Park, but her neighbors and friends made a regular appearance. There were no glass slippers, glittery tiara, or fancy dress but there were more developments in her personal life. Dixie turned off the lights, scanned her tidy, hidey-hole, and looked down at the promise ring on her right, ring finger. It held a promise to walk by Jake’s side, a promise for her future.
Dixie loved the simple band, engraved with roses wrapped around their names. The moment the circlet slipped on her finger she knew that she would be his someday…with a white dress, a veil, and a tuxedo, topped off by a church jam-packed with friends and family. His parents were making her wait until eighteen to make sure she knew her mind and her heart before setting anything in stone. Nearly there in reality but feeling like one hundred some days, Dixie had no doubts about Jake.
Come December, they’d talk serious. Prolonged exposure to Owen Granville had made her grow up quick, made her want to grab hold of happiness while Jake, already mature, said he’d had at least ten years added to his life during his crash course with Owen, crash being the relative term. In his mind, they were already half way to their rocking chair years. Best not to wait too long…but when it came to Dixie, he’d wait forever, be Rip Van Winkle if he had to.
She raised up on tiptoe to drop a kiss on Jake’s cheek. Threading their hands together, they walked out back to her garden, another spot where people could drink their beverage and pass their whiles away. Not a soul was there, no one to see her kneel down by a large, heart-shaped stone that read, “In loving memory of James, Laura, and Jamie Ann Ray. May they rest in peace until they meet again.” A golden retriever, named General, gifted from Jake, sat by her feet, standing guard. Jake stood behind her, patiently waiting, always waiting for her. As Dixie looked up at him, at her place, she realized she had what she’d been searching for all of her life. She’d found her home, love, freedom, and herself…all in the heart of Dixie.
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Dedication
“The caterpillar thought the world had come to an end until she became a butterfly.” --Anonymous
Dedicated to all the beautiful people in my life that have made me feel like that butterfly—to my parents, Steve and Betty Pedersen, who in adopting me, helped me to discover who I was meant to be.
--To my in-laws down South, Kathy, Doug, and Ashley Sprouse. Thank you for the idea, your blend of Southern pride and moxie from Brooklyn, but most of all for always believing in me.
--To my wonderful husband, Jim, and my son, Patrick, who hold the sun, moon, and my stars. They’ve been by my side, through thick and thin, ready to help me start over from scratch every time I start all over again.
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