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The night of Jess's birthday dinner, they had a quieter celebration than Doug's, mostly because Uncle Jonathon remained silent while Jess, Doug, and Annie chatted. Jess was sure his refusal to participate put a damper on everyone's mood, but she pretended not to notice and tried not to let it upset her.
"You know, Jess," Annie said kindly. "We were so excited when we heard your mom and dad were going to have a baby." Her hazel eyes were full of warmth as she took Jess's hand under the table. "With the war and - everything, it was nice to be able to be happy about something again," she added with a sad smile. "I crocheted you the cutest little jacket and cap, and your Aunt Helen knit you a blanket."
"Aunt - Helen?" Jess asked. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
"Doug's mother," Annie said as she glanced at him and he dropped his head momentarily.
Jess was surprised. She'd never known Doug's mother had been excited about her being born, but it made sense. She'd died a few years later. Jess was touched she'd given her a gift, one she'd made herself, and then a memory tugged at her.
"Wait," Jess said to Annie with a growing realization. "Was it a white blanket with a yellow ribbon border?"
"Yes!" Annie said with a huge smile. "She was a swell knitter, but I had to help her sew the border on."
"That was my favorite blanket!" Jess cried, and then smiled at Doug. "I used to carry it everywhere! It was really soft. I loved that blanket."
"She was -!"
Uncle Jonathon's choked voice made all three of them turn in his direction. He was looking at his plate, his face filled with a mixture of pain and sadness as he struggled to speak. "A good woman," he finished finally.
"Yes, she was," Annie said gently as Doug dropped his head, looking at his own plate with his face turning red.
"Is it time for cake yet?" Uncle Jonathon said gruffly.
"I - I think so," Annie said, her shiny eyes begging Jess to agree.
"I'm ready," Jess said.
While they sung Happy Birthday to her, Jess looked at the fourteen glowing candles on her cake and thought about all the things she could wish for. But by time they'd finished, she'd decided on the one that was most important to her; that Marty would always be in her life.
While they ate chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, Doug handed Jess his gift. Her suspicion of what it might be was confirmed when she opened it. They were the first three volumes of the Penny Parrish series.
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"Thanks, Doug," she said, looking at them with wonder. She had a hard time imagining Doug looking through such feminine books to find them. It didn't seem like something he'd do.
"Annie helped pick them out," he said quickly, perhaps sensing her bewilderment. "But since you read all the time, I wanted to get you books."
"They look really good! Thanks!" she replied with a smile.
