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A gentle breeze ran through The Corner SPA's garden that afternoon. It was the last event of the day dedicated to honoring Mrs. French. Earlier there was the celebration in the church and then the burial.
Serenity was moved by the day and the majority of the population was present. There were those who preferred to participate in one or the other and have lunch at their homes or at a restaurant in the region. Others wanted to honor Frances Wingate in their own way: whether by reviewing school notebooks in their attic; or showing their children school warning notes handwritten by Mrs. Frances when she was his teacher; drinking her favorite whiskey; reading the copy of the book in which he had his favorite poem; or, taking the trail that had been built by Frances's parents and uncles years ago - when the big white house was much frequented.
But for many, being in the house – where months before it still belonged to Frances and was now the beautiful SPA – was like saying a happy goodbye.
Each guest had accommodated themselves in the garden in the best possible way, and at this moment, their eyes were fixed on the front door of the place. There was Ryan Wingate, Mrs. Frances, who was preparing for the speech that would close the ceremonies. Ryan and Frances have had a strong bond since the boy's youth, when she helped and supported him through difficult family times. They were close, even though they both had fights in public.
When Ryan announced that he would be reading his aunt's favorite poem, not many sighed with emotion. It showed the strength she had as a citizen in that lovely little town. As he read each person present, he thought about what Frances had been in his life.
To Paula Vreeland and Grace Wharton: an old friend whose life was shared from a young age. All the transformations in the lives of the three were based on their friendship. The first rides riding a bicycle; going to and from school alone; the arrival of adolescence and the shock of the first menstruation; the sixteenth birthday; the first boyfriends; the high school; the discovery of their professions and careers; Paula's marriage to her late husband as well as Grace's marriage to Neville – and the change of their maiden names; the arrival of Grace and Paula's children; the widowhood of Mrs. Vreeland and its emblematic painting in the center of the city; the longevity of Wharton's; the birth of Paula's grandchildren and the arrival of old age. All this sharing together.
As for Bill, Ronnie; Skeeter; Mary Vaughn, Trent, Peggy and so many others: the great literature teacher! The one that introduced them to the world of the book and its universes. She showed the most beautiful poems and left the mark of an empowered woman, with a good heart, who instructed them in the midst of teenage hormone attacks.
For generations of the Lewis family, Frances had been a voracious voter – who demanded improvements for the people and on many occasions ended up knowing how to act better than the politicians who were elected there.
To Dana Sue, Maddie and Helen: a person whose garden at home was always open for them to dream and put their projects into practice. A strong woman, who believed it paid to fight for what was right and who had ended up adopting those three girls as her sweet, darling magnolias - and watched them grow, rooting for success!
For today's Serenity teens: a woman whose great deeds were told about by her parents. In many family moments, the stories included the owner of that great old house. Tyler, Annie, Kyle and little Katie in particular could tell that Frances was a woman who gave them sweets and treated him kindly but tough. She saw the same potential in the four of them that she saw in their mothers, Maddie and Dana Sue, and even in Helen.
And speaking of Helen, of the three magnolias she had been closest to Frances. The brunette has spent many summers in that great house, where Ms. Decatur by Ryan. Frances died hoping that the two of them could find happiness together and bond in that passion again.
As much as she was loved by the city, few knew about the life she inhabited in her heart, and that, the decisions she made, did not allow another life to be complete: Mr. Collins. The owner of a business on the main street of the city, in addition to being a great friend of Frances, was completely in love with her and proposed several times. But Frances never responded. She always loved him as a great friend, they always talked for hours; she spent the last days of her life going to visit him; making sure he took his medicine on time; fed; and asked other friends to visit him too. Collins knew the former owner of that house that had become the SPA well, spent hours and hours listening to Frances recite poems - he even had a book with them, which Noreen was reading to him in her house at that moment, accompanied by Isaac and Rebecca. That free, adventurous and strong soul that carried the name of Frances Wingate was a free spirit, where Collins planted his anchor and chose not to abandon, even though he was never reciprocated – whether in actions or feelings.
But being who she was and with the personality she had, she had one last piece of advice for the people of Serenity. About love. And in each resident that the message fell, it was taken to what was in his heart.
When I am dead, my dearest
Sing no sad songs for me
Plant thou no roses at my head
Nor shady cypress tree
In an infectious silence, Ryan begins to read the poem and little by little the words sink into the minds of every person present. The only humans not currently intoxicated by poetry were the children, whom some parents encouraged to take with them. But after all? Who better understands love than children? Unlike adults who insist on having to understand everything and have the need to put it into words and often forgetting to act... Children simply live. And running and playing in the garden at The Corner Spa while Ryan read was a way of showing everyone that life goes on. And the cycles close.
Be the green grass above me
In Ryan's mind, too many memories with Aunt Frances were flashing as he recited each line. He remembered the day she'd taught him how to make cupcakes; the day the town lost power and they stayed up all night lighting candles and playing ghosts; when Lucy Roover's kitten got stuck in the tree and he stayed with his aunt helping the firefighters get him out. He remembered her smile every time she saw him arriving in the garden at the beginning of summer and her eyes full of tears when she saw him leave at the end. Reading this poem to Ryan was a farewell and gratitude to Frances Wingate for all the unforgettable summers encouraging him to take the action he was determined to take that night.
With showers and wet dewdrops
Sitting between her grandchildren, Tyler and Kyle; Paula gratefully received each verse of the poem chosen by her old friend. And with a taste of honeycomb, she remembered when she had finished painting the picture she gave the Magnolias at the opening of the SPA. The only person to see the painting before the three women was Frances, on the porch of Paula's house. After all, she was the one who helped her inspiration after having a drink at Sullivan's. And while Frances admired the painting on her porch, the wind stirred the dew in her small garden.
It had been inevitable for Paula to also remember her late husband. How he always got paint on her somewhere when she painted, so she could run after him and get him too.
And if you wilt, remember
Ryan knew he could choose to remember what he wanted about his aunt. Until the day he disrespected his aunt and went swimming in the river and got the biggest scolding of all in front of his friends. Or when Frances didn't make it to San Francisco for her birthday on time. Or when he fought with her about selling the house to Helen Decatur and heard his aunt cry at dawn about it. After all, storms and rainbows go together.
And if you wilt, forget
Standing, Ashley and Trotter listened intently that they could forget everything that hurt their greatest dream. All the humiliation they received for deciding to adopt, to live together. They stood up to people they were close to and held in high regard. Trotter ended up only having Maddox as a friend and Ashley still didn't trust herself. But they could put that behind them and move forward in pursuit of their dreams. Now they were surrounded by people who welcomed them daily.
Behind them, Maddie was still digesting everything Cal had just told her. And Cal was thinking about how hard he'd fought to put that history of aggression behind him. He remembered the torturous moments he'd spent fighting his rage, fighting himself and his ghosts; and now, when he started a new life, it all came back in one play like a quick pitch like a baseball field. Could they all forget about it?
I shall not see the shadows
Mrs. Frances left without knowing this side of Cal , Maddie thought, she never saw him as he was before Serenity. Just like Maddie herself didn't know much about her boyfriend's past. But... how much trouble must Mrs. Frances have been involved in in her life? How many times have your relationships had fights? And yet she remained strong, firm, nothing shook her. You've never seen Frances shadows , Maddie finally concluded.
I shall not feel the rain
Sitting on one of the benches, knowing Bill was behind her somewhere, Peggy was scared. Afraid of how Serenity would take the news that she was the mother of Isaac – the boy who works at the restaurant – along with Bill Townsend. What Mary and Trent would say; on how things would turn out for Isaac. She feared that everything would get harder for him. In one day, he would have four brothers and all the surprised stares in town. And then... like that 16-year-old teenager who found out she was pregnant years ago, she curled up as much as she could in the place where she was and said to herself: this storm will pass, just don't see the rain . That was the last piece of advice from Mrs. Frances for her, although Peggy was often impatient with Mrs. Wingate, now she helped her wherever she was.
I shall not hear the nightingale
Bill knew where he was at the crossroads. Maddie. Noreen. Peggy. Tyler. Kyle. Katie. Rebeca. Isaac. All these lives are suffering because of him. For your cowardice. For your infidelity. Because of your selfishness. Looking at Peggy sitting huddled on that bench and Maddie standing next to Cal, and thinking of Noreen who was probably now taking care of Rebecca far away - he realized, he finally realized, that everything important in his life had slipped out of his hands. Kyle wouldn't look him in the face anymore, Tyler wouldn't play professional baseball anymore, Katie wouldn't call him to tell him about the summer and would probably never know anything about Rebecca, just like he didn't know about Isaac, his son! With Peggy!
Closer to the bushes, Neville and Grace sat at the table, said goodbye to Frances. Just as she would never again hear the nightingale sing, they would never again see her lead a movement to help Serenity, some resident, or simply… stand on the porch of neighbors and friends with them. Talking about plants, the weather or the school's baseball season. The couple had always been great friends with Mrs. Wingate and were grateful for sharing so many moments in their lives with her.
Sing on, as if in pain
Those who thought that Lily attended the tributes because the parents “knew Mrs. Church French”. They knew her of course, but the reason Lily was in the garden that afternoon was precisely the person she was looking at at that moment: Tyler Townsend. Eldest son of Maddie, one of the owners of the SPA, captain of the baseball team and great talent in the sport; and one of the nicest guys on Serenity.
But Tyler was too shaken up to pay attention to anything. He understood that nightingale. Music had become Tyler's greatest ally again that summer, and he was putting into words what he certainly couldn't say aloud.
He hadn't had his best moments lately with the whole town gossiping about Bill and Noreen; and it didn't make it easy when Maddie and Cal gained notoriety. But knowing that what he felt for Annie was still present in him left him at a loss for what to do. He definitely spoiled everything with his reactions (or lack thereof) after the kiss and the audio leaked by Jackson when he took his phone. At the time he didn't understand why he ran and hid, but the words spoken by Cece during their breakup brought him back to reality: he still loved his childhood crush. And since then understanding and accepting has become easier. And he was glad for that, to like her. Annie – the best person that ever lived. The most beautiful, charming, creative girl...
But unfortunately, they were both on opposite sides of a bridge. Besides her being with Jackson now, she called him brother hours before, and hearing that from her, while Tyler's arm was around her shoulders and he inhaled her perfume; it didn't digest in her stomach at all.
And dreaming through the twilight
As much as she didn't express herself much and expressed her opinion fighting for what she believed, Nellie dreamed a lot. And everything was more exciting with Kyle. And he was especially handsome this afternoon. And the knee pad gave it an extra charm. And for a moment Nellie let herself go and imagined at least a little bit how cool it would be to hang out with Kyle tonight if it weren't for the Townsends vs. Magnolias issue. And Kyle, who was ahead of her, couldn't contain his excitement for their meeting later. Even more so now that they had made up their minds about how he felt about Annie: she would always be a hero to him, someone he looked up to and considered an inspiration, but she was a big sister and that was all he needed. Although, after Ty's kiss with her, he'd stopped to put the pieces together and begun to suspect that the brunette liked Tyler.
And finally, complete, he was ready to try Nellie. Their imaginations matched. She was a great friend, one of the prettiest girls on Serenity. And certainly one of the bravest – she agreed to get in that car with him. Besides… he owed her one for the accident.
That doth not rise nor set
Ronnie and Dana knew they had a tough job ahead of them. If a relationship is already difficult, everything gets more complicated when there are children involved. Just like the waters that flow under a bridge are not the same, Ronnie and Dana were not the same anymore and they would have to find their balance together, rediscovering themselves and taking it slow with Annie. Was Ronnie scared? Of course! Annie had been very rebellious about her leaving the house. Dana was having health problems. He was afraid of not doing enough or crossing the line. Annie was his greatest treasure, he couldn't go wrong this time.
Happy I May Remember
By the tree, Helen was holding Eric's hand. With each passing day she had the opportunity to know more about Eric and was delighted with each broken barrier. He was becoming a more open, sensitive guy, willing to trust and have adventures. He even included a dish he had made in Frances's honor on the buffet, and that was enough to make Helen smile from ear to ear.
But speaking of trust… That was a touchy thing for Maddie. The look she and Bill exchanged was quick, but it said a lot. They slept in the same bed for years. They have three beautiful children together. There were countless Christmases and Thanksgivings shared under one roof. And the hole left by Bill's infidelity still held them back. It was years of history together, a life shared. And now another crater has opened: Isaac was also Bill's son, with Peggy. Woman she always preferred to avoid due to the shenanigans that the journalist did with Mary Vaughn.
And happily may forget
Maddie thought about how the children would react to this further news. They had one more brother and he was Isaac. When Bill revealed his mistress and her pregnancy, dealing with the children had been a process.
Tyler developed anxiety. He became much more nervous and needed channels to stabilize his anger. Baseball turned out to be his outlet for all that stress. The good mother-son connection they had was lost because Tyler closed up like an oyster. Countless times she had to ask Annie for help because Ty was calmer with her. But now, with some advice from Cal to both of them, it seemed like everything was getting back on track. And Maddie was afraid they would go off the rails again.
Kyle, on the other hand, has become much more attached to his mother. He became completely emotionally dependent on her, so much so that even going to the market alone to clear her head, she found it difficult to go without the company of her middle son. But Kyle's jokes made her day 1000% better. Lucky for her, he never lost the giant love he always kept in his heart.
Katie, on the other hand, was still a process. At night she still asked for the family to be a family again and asked Bill to come home. And school behavior still needed the counselor, Katie had lost her leadership style and had become more passive. But like her brothers, Katie was making progress and was responding with significant improvements.
And, one thing that was still present in Maddie – somewhere inside her – was the part that hoped Katie's prayers would come true. Get your old life back. Your stability. Because as much as she hated Bill for his mistake and for the person he was, her love for him didn't end when she signed the divorce papers. She loved Cal, a lot. But Bill was also part of who she was and that hasn't been forgotten.
Just like Helen, who was learning to love Eric, the past was very real in front of her. Or rather: he – the past – was reading a beautiful poem by one of the most important people in his life.
As amazing as Eric was, she didn't jump into the decision to stay with him. Helen still loved Ryan. But she didn't love the life she led with him. And everything he'd poured out on her – the day they'd broken up – in front of that table, in her house, still seeped into her. She wanted Ryan, but she wanted Eric. Eric was like a calm, relaxing day at the beach. Ryan, a busy day on an exciting trail. And the look on Ryan's face as he finished reading the poem to Helen at the top of those stairs said only one thing. Thing Helen understood: I love you.