A Pineville Mother's Day: Pineville

By Anne Fons

It's spring.  It's Mother's Day.  It's Pineville.

A long winter and a host of additional things to do bring Deke and his crew double-timing it to get the grounds in pristine condition for the upcoming camping season while most of the townspeople prepare for their annual Mother's Day festivities.  There's more than enough work for everyone to do, and when the unexpected happens, broken alliances are called upon to come together to get still more accomplished.

How do you mend personal hurts during a day meant for celebration?  Do you 'forgive and forget,' set aside your differences for another day, or try to forge ahead and ignore what once was?

The fictional town of Pineville, Wisconsin is a place where holidays are celebrated with the festivity of years gone by.  The people care about one another, their town, and finding the joy in the little things in life.

Come on over to where the greetings are friendly, the hearts are big, and there's always something to celebrate and love.

Welcome to Pineville!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anne Fons
• Release date: Apr 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201090906

Book preview

Chapter One

I ’m really sorry, Jules , said Stephanie into her cell phone.  She rolled her eyes at the group around her.  I can’t come over just yet.  Charlie is still sleeping, and as you know, the rest of the family is doing some hefty pre-cleaning to get ready for the campground opening next weekend.

Stephanie listened as Julia spoke.

Is he sick? Julia asked.  I thought Charlie stopped napping months ago.

No, said Stephanie, he’s fine.  I think he just overdid it trying to help yesterday, and now he needs some extra sleep.

I don’t understand why the mechanic needed to keep my car over the weekend, said Julia.  Otherwise, I would be there helping everyone instead of sitting here by myself feeling useless.  I feel as though I am letting everyone down.

Jules, you’re almost eight months pregnant, said Stephanie.  How much physical work do you think the family expects you to do right now?

I know, said Julia, but there must be something I can do to help.  Not everything is all that strenuous.

Face it, BFF, said Stephanie, you and I are sidelined this year.  She gave her own stomach a gentle pat.

I could come out and help you cook, said Julia.

Stephanie gave the group around her an exasperated look.  Oh, no worries about that, said Stephanie.  You know Jeannie.  She has everything in the refrigerator already.

Well, said Julia, ok, I guess.  Promise me you’ll pick me up as soon as Charlie wakes up.  At least I can provide moral support.

Ok, got to run, said Stephanie.  The laundry’s almost done, and I don’t want the buzzing from the dryer to wake Charlie.  I’ll call when I’m on my way.

All right, said Julia.

See you soon, said Stephanie.  She hit the off button.

Joseph kissed the top of his wife’s head.  You lied a little too well there.  Remind me of that in the future.

I hate lying! said Stephanie.  You know that.

I do, said Joseph, but you did a stellar job with that one.  You’re lucky Charlie didn’t hear you say he was taking a nap.  He would have blown the whole thing.

Fortunately, he’s outside playing, said Jeannie.

I never knew it would be this hard to pull off one little surprise party! said Stephanie.

Honestly, Steph, I thought once you set the date to coincide with prep work for the campground season, we would be home free, said Julia’s husband, Lucas.

"I never would have thought someone would feel sad that they didn’t get to do spring cleaning, said Angela, the youngest of the five of Don and Jeannie Anderson’s children.  It’s more than a little work."

That’s our Julia, said Lucas.  She feels bad whenever she thinks she let anyone down.

That’s for sure, said Stephanie.  Some things never change.

Jeannie surveyed the campground clubhouse.  We’d better get the rest of this ready for the party.

Are you saying that rolls of crepe paper sitting on the table don’t count as fully decorated? asked Joseph.

I don’t think so, said Stephanie as she tossed a roll of it to Joseph and pointed at the other side of the U-shaped room.  Start over there.

Yes, dear, said Joseph as he grabbed a pair of scissors and some tape to go with it.  Elizabeth, Joseph said to his other sister, you want to work with me?  I don’t want Stephanie near any ladders or trying to catch me if I fall.

Don’t you dare fall! said Stephanie.  You’ve already had your fall off of a ladder.  Nobody wants a repeat of that.

No, said Jeannie, we don’t.

I’ll tell you what, Joseph, said Lucas.  You take another dive off of a ladder and break your ribs or injure your spleen again, you get Stephanie full-time.  You are a bear when you don’t feel well, and Dad and I had front-row seats for that fun.

Complain, complain, said Joseph.  You should be glad you were able to spend such quality time with me.

Quality time? said Lucas.  That’s not what I would call it.  I’d say to ‘ask Dad,’ but then again, Dad might be nicer than I am.

That’s why he’s the dad, and you’re the brother, said Joseph.

Angela, said Lucas, you can work with me.  We’ll let Elizabeth have the honor of working with the not-so-patient one.

Thanks, said Elizabeth with a laugh.

How much time do we have left before people start arriving? asked Joseph.

About an hour, said Jeannie as she checked her watch.

We’ve got to get moving! said Stephanie.

Elizabeth looked up at her oldest brother.  Joseph, you know you met your match, right?  Your wife has an adamant streak as big as yours.

Yeah, yeah, said Joseph, so I’ve been told.

Joseph? asked Stephanie.  Did you need something?

No, dear, said Joseph, Elizabeth and I are just figuring out the best way to do our section.

Why don’t you do a carousel top? asked Stephanie.

Carousel? asked Elizabeth.

Yes, said Stephanie.  Joseph knows how to do them.

Long story, said Joseph under his breath.

Ok, said Elizabeth.  It sounds pretty.

It is, said Stephanie.

Tell me about how you know about making carousel tops, said Elizabeth.  That sounds a little outside of your league.

It goes back to when I first met Stephanie, said Joseph.  As I said, it’s a long story.

Elizabeth swallowed a laugh.  Oh, she won’t let you get away with anything!  She smiled at her brother.  I love her.

I do, too, Joseph said.

Elizabeth and Joseph started working on their side of the clubhouse.  Each of the three sections of the room was bound to take an hour to completely decorate.  Joseph grabbed a ladder while Elizabeth took care of grabbing all the crepe paper, scissors, tape, and other decorations from the main table where they had been placed.

They arrived back at about the same time.

Have you heard from Randy? asked Joseph.

What brings that up? asked Elizabeth.

Well, said Joseph, you haven’t said anything about him lately.

You know Randy and I broke up at Christmastime, said Elizabeth.

So, you haven’t started seeing him again? asked Joseph.

No, said Elizabeth, I haven’t.

Have you talked to him since he went to Indiana for that new job? Joseph asked.

A couple of times, said Elizabeth.

Did you call him, or did he call you? asked Joseph.

Joseph, said Elizabeth, you are sounding like you are at work.  Stop being a sheriff and just ask me what you want to ask.  I’m not a suspect, and I don’t like being talked to like one.

I’m sorry, said Joseph, I guess it comes with the territory.  I’m used to talking this way.  It has nothing to do with how I view you.

Do you talk to Stephanie that way? asked Elizabeth.

On occasion, said Joseph.

And how does she respond to that? Elizabeth asked.

Not well.

I wouldn’t think so, said Elizabeth.  Do you talk to Mom that way?

"I’m not that stupid," said Joseph.

He pried tape off of his fingers.  This tape got mucked up, said Joseph.  He handed her a wad of scrunched up, stuck together in a little ball, tape.  Can I get a fresh piece, please?

Sure, said Elizabeth.  She handed him a fresh piece from the roll.

Anyway, said Joseph, as I was saying, I wondered what happened with you and Randy once you left here to go back to Madison, and he moved to Gary.

That was four months ago, said Elizabeth.  You’ve seen me since then.  Why are you asking now?

I’ve seen you, yes, said Joseph, but we haven’t talked alone.  We’re usually in the big family group or you go out with Mom and Angela.  I wanted to have this conversation only with you.

I guess I appreciate that, said Elizabeth.  I’m not too thrilled with discussing failed relationships, much less with everyone in the family.

We gathered that from the first one, said Joseph.

Elizabeth looked at him with startled eyes.  I can’t believe you just said that to me.

She put down her tape and walked outside to regain her composure.

Jeannie saw her daughter’s face as she walked past.  She gave her a minute and then went outside as well.  She stood next to her on the porch.  What’s going on?

I’m fine, said Elizabeth.

That’s clearly a lie, said her mother.  Let’s try again.

Elizabeth let out a large sigh.  Why is it that the people we love the most can hurt us the most?

That’s actually an easy question, said Jeannie.  Because we love them, their words and actions have more power on us than those of the world at large.  If we didn’t care about them, we wouldn’t be all that concerned what they thought about us.

Elizabeth rubbed her right temple.  I guess that makes sense.

You know Joseph has a tendency toward bluntness, said Jeannie.

It’s not one of his more endearing traits, said Elizabeth.

I understand why you feel that way, said Jeannie.  Yet, it makes him better at his job, and gives us all the knowledge that he cares.

I’m not sure I would call that ‘caring,’ Mother, said Elizabeth.

"It is to