May Day Magic Read Online Free PDF Page B

his shoulder. Dew balanced on every blade of grass surrounding them, giving the lawn the appearance of a crystal carpet.
    Diane drew in a joyful breath. In this moment, once again, the magic of the first day of May.
    They hopped in the car and made the ten-minute drive to her mother’s place. When they arrived at the condo building, Diane stopped short of the entrance lobby behind a brace of bushes. She handed Meggie the card key for the main door. Allen flattened himself against the building until Meggie got the door open with the key, and they both slipped inside, Meggie carrying the May basket.
    As the minutes ticked by, Diane held her breath. The May basket was supposed to be a surprise, but she hoped her mother had seen her grandchildren on their mission, and invited them in. Nervous anticipation tightened under her breastbone. She kept her gaze on the sliding doors of her mother’s second-floor balcony.
    Several minutes later, her kids flew out the main door and ran down the sidewalk.
    Diane called through her open window, her tone eager. “Did you see Grandma?”
    “Nope,” Allen replied, as he opened the door and slid into the front seat he had claimed for the ride back.
    She looked at her daughter in the back seat. Meggie shook her head.
    “Oh.” Diane sagged against the car seat. “I thought maybe you did. You were gone awhile.”
    “I know ,” Allen exclaimed. “The man next door to Grandma came out of his apartment just as we got there so we had to hide down the hallway around the corner and wait until he left. Then he ran into some lady at the elevator and they talked forever.” He rolled his eyes.
    A cloud passed over the sun. Her arm leaden, Diane put the car in gear.
    “Wait,” Allen yelled.
    Diane stamped on the brakes. “What is it?!”
    “Grandma!” Allen pointed up to the second-floor balcony.
    Grandma Joyce stood in the doorway of the open slider. Dressed in slacks and a lacey coral-colored sweater, she was steadying herself by grasping the door jamb with one hand, but with her other hand, she waved her May basket in the spring air. And she was smiling. Smiling!
    Relief bubbled up inside Diane. She slid the car into park. “Go on,” she urged her children. “Run back up. When you get caught, you have to go get a kiss.”
    Allen gave her an incredulous wide-eyed look. “Did you just make that up?”
    “No,” Diane laughed, suddenly carefree. “Grandma will know that’s what you came back for. Go on. And tell her I’ll be by to see her later.”
    When the children returned, Diane couldn’t resist their request for donuts. By the time they walked out of the shop, bakery bag in hand, the sun was shining again.
    Turning into her driveway, Diane’s attention riveted on something that hadn’t been in their yard when they left. For the second time that morning, she hit the brakes hard.
    There, on her front door, a May basket swayed in the breeze.
    Her chin quivered. She looked over at her son. Allen’s lips were pressed together, his eyes large, like he had a secret he could barely contain. When she looked at Meggie in the rear view mirror, she spotted a wide smile spread across her daughter’s face.
    They all tumbled out of the car, headed for the front door.
    “Must be for you.” Allen nodded.
    Throat tight, Diane opened her arms to draw her two children close. She kissed one and then the other on the top of the head. “I don’t know how you did this, but I love it.”
    “Well, thanks, but we didn’t do it.” Meggie shrugged her shoulders. “Mr. Stafford must have.”
    Diane’s insides swooped down to her toes then up into her throat.
    Allen’s mouth dropped open as comprehension dawned in his eyes. “Yea. He must have. When we got to the store, we did say before you came, shouldn’t Mom have a May basket, too? But then you showed up, and we couldn’t talk about it.” He nodded again. “So that’s why I saw him just now.”
    Diane rounded on her son. “You saw him?