The Potter's Daughter - A chapter each week - Complete Novel Available on Amazon

Chapter 2

 Caroline’s husband Brian greeted Abby as she skated up to the lakeside.

“Took you long enough,” said Brian.  He offered his arm out for Abby.  With his help she pulled herself up from the ice onto the terrace to remove her skates.

“I’m sorry.  I had a late start.  I hope Caroline’s ok.”

“Quite alright.  Caroline has almost everything wrapped up and she is excited to see you.  We both are,” said Brian.

“You are so sweet.  That must be what Caroline sees in you.”

Abby sat on a stone bench then unlaced her skates.  The house stood on a hill above her overlooking Willow Lake.  During the day the house was hardly visible from the lake below.  She looked up at the lights of the kitchen and could see Caroline and the five-year old twins trying to see out the large glass doors.  Abby waved as she crossed the weathered boardwalk between the terrace and the steps of the house.  Through the surface of the snow bordering the walk pruned shrubs shivered in their burlap wraps among the parched straw colored ornamental foliage.

As Abby and Brian topped the steps Lily and Andrew ran out of the kitchen door bundled in heavy winter attire.  They scuttled toward Abby then squeezed her legs tightly when they reached her.

"Hey!  Let's get inside before we freeze to death,” said Abby.

Abby led the group stumbling into the kitchen where Caroline was preparing for the party.  Food in different stages of preparation covered every counter.  The aroma of cooked meats and spices filled the room.  Over the oven hung the sweet smell of the cake baking inside.

Caroline’s blonde hair was held back with a headband and the oversized collar shirt she wore had flour on the tails and cuffs.

Caroline embraced her cousin.  “Hey sweetheart,” said Caroline.  They kissed the others cheeks three times, like they had learned years ago on their summer abroad in Holland.  “Back on the skates, huh?  How is it out there?  The edges were a bit creaky last weekend.”

“Seems ok now, I’m sure this last cold snap took care of that,” said Abby.  She removed her cap, scarf, and down vest and took the hot mug of coffee Brian offered her, “Thank you, nice and hot.”

Lily ran toward the den, kicking a few strewn wooden blocks in her wake, “Abby come with me!”

“No!  Come look at my room.  I got new bunks.  We can play sleepover,” said Andrew as he cast off his wool hat and mittens and tossed them onto the floor.

Brian grabbed the mittens off the floor, “Forget it, we’ve got to go.  You can see Abby later today.”  Brian turned an eye to Abby, “Sorry hon, we were just on the way out the door, trying to give my darling wife a little uninterrupted time to prepare for tonight’s festivities.”

“Oh God, I’m so sorry.  Happy Birthday Brian,” said Abby, “I nearly forgot.”

“Don’t sweat it.  I know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now.”  Brian leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  He assumed things were tense at home with her father.

“Come on kids.  Let’s get to the pool before it gets too late,” said Brian.

“It’s started snowing.  Look Mom, it’s snowing,” said Lily as Brian shuffled the kids back out the kitchen door where large flakes were beginning to fall.

“Indoor pool?” asked Abby.

“Indoor pool at the community center, at the fairgrounds behind the Stone Tavern,” said Caroline.