Page 66 of Fate and Fortune

“Please no raisins,” he pleaded. “You know I hate them.”

“Why do you hate raisins?” Jane asked. “I like raisins.”

“They sit in oatmeal cookies and try to deceive you into thinking they’re chocolate chips. But then you bite into it and realize that it’s a raisin.”

Frankie sighed loudly and shook her head.

“It’s a texture thing for him. Admit it, Sam. You don’t like the texture.”

“Fine, I don’t like the texture. Are you happy now?”

“Deliriously.”

“I’ll make a pan without raisins just for you,” Piper offered. “To be honest, I kind of like them that way, too, but I know some people really want those raisins.”

“Such controversy,” Cooper laughed. “We haven’t debated food this passionately since the whole pineapple on pizza debacle.”

Everyone groaned at the memory.

“We are not going there again,” Frankie said, shaking her fork at Cooper. “That almost got ugly. Can’t we all just get along when it comes to pizza toppings?”

The pizzas had been demolished, and Sam was about to tell them his news when Frankie cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention.

“I have some news,” she announced. “As you know, I’ve retired from competitive tennis. I’m aware that a few of you feel sorry for me about it, too.”

She gave an evil look to everyone around the table, clearly not happy about being the object of pity. That wasn’t Frankie’s style at all.

“However, even before the injury, I was contemplating retiring. I’m not getting any younger, and the grind of traveling ten months out of the year was beginning to wear on me. It was exciting when I was young, but frankly, it’s no fun now. In a way, I’m grateful that the injury took the decision out of my hands, and I was shocked at how relieved I felt when the doctor recommended I retire.”

That was a lot of words for Frankie to say about her feelings. She wasn’t one to go on and on about emotion. She’d even been known as stoic on the tennis court by the press. He was glad to see that now she was opening up a bit.

“Life goes on,” she continued. “Changes happen. I’m glad to be back in Winslow Heights, and I’ve decided to stay. I’ve accepted the job as the new head coach of the tennis team for Winslow University. Starting immediately. They’re going to announce it to the press this week.”

A shocked silence fell, then everyone spoke at once. Piper had tears in her eyes as she hugged Frankie, and even Cooper looked a little misty-eyed. Sam hugged her when it was his turn and whispered in her ear.

“You’re full of surprises, sis. Welcome home.”

“Glad you haven’t figured me out completely,” she replied. “I like to keep some mystery around me.”

“Mission accomplished. I had no idea that coaching was even on the table.”

“It happened fast,” she admitted. “It was finalized while you were in Boston. And speaking of Boston…”

“Yes, what happened in Boston?” Piper asked. “Did you find her, Sam? Did you find our sister?”

Breaking the news that there was no sister wouldn’t be easy. Piper wore that hopeful expression he knew so well. She was the eternal optimist, trusting in the benevolence of the universe. It will all work out the way it’s supposed to, she would always say. There’s a light even in the darkness. You just have to look for it.

It made her wonderful to be around, but difficult to tell her anything that might dim her sunny disposition. But not telling her the truth wasn’t an option either.

“She exists, but she isn’t ours,” Sam said as gently as he could. “The adoptive father was very clear on that. Joel isn’t the father.”

Piper shook her head as if she didn’t believe him.

“No, Leigh was his assistant. He has to be the father. She’s our sister.”

“I asked Leigh’s brother-in-law, and he was very clear. Not the father. He asked Leigh, and she told him.”

“If not our dad, then who?” Piper asked. “Who else could it be?”