Norway to Hide by Maddy Hunter

said Nana. “They got a cell tower, so Internet access shouldn’t be far behind.”
    A familiar digital tone sent me rummaging through my shoulder bag for my cell phone. “Hello?”
    “I have such good news for you, Em! Oh, this is your mother.”
    “Hi, Mom,” I said, distracted as Nana shook her head and mouthed, “ I’m not here .” “I could use some good news.”
    “I knew you could. That’s why I’m calling. You’re going to be so proud of me, Emily. I’ve found a new venue for your wedding reception!”
    “So soon? Wow. How’d you do that?” I nodded to Jackie as she herded Nana out the door.
    “I talked to Arnie… krrrrrk …and he… krrrrrkkk …isn’t spoken for on the weekend of your—”
    “Wait a sec, Mom. You’re breaking up.” I stepped onto the balcony and leaned against the decorative wood rail. “Okay, say again?”
    “Arnie Arnoldussen told me the auction barn is available on your wedding day, so I went ahead and booked it.”
    I paused. “The Auction Barn? What’s that? A new restaurant in Ames?”
    “The Windsor City auction barn, Emily. The one west of town. It’s plenty big for the number of guests you’re inviting, and Arnie promised to fix the roof. It blew clear off in the tornado and landed in the middle of Elmer Egeland’s cornfield. We can set up tables. Sweep the sawdust off the floor. It’ll be perfect.”
    “Mom, don’t they auction off hogs in that barn?”
    “Yes, dear, but it’s close to home, and the building has lots of receptacles, so we can use those plug-in room fresheners to eliminate odors. They come in several delightful fragrances. We can even use the animal pens to display gifts. The key will be strategic use of crepe paper.”
    Oh, God. “Have you talked to Sharon to see how she’s doing?”
    “First thing this morning. She wanted me to tell you that she thinks she should bow out of the wedding, but I told her you wouldn’t hear of it. So here’s my idea: we rent a wheelchair and decorate it with crepe paper and tulle so it looks like a piece of wedding cake, and she rolls down the aisle as if she’s riding a Mardi Gras float. I’d like to add a few helium balloons, but Etienne’s relatives might find that a little tacky. What do you think?”
    I hung my head. Why me, Lord? Why?
    “Oh, before I forget, Emily, there’s a rumor circulating that Olle Erickson might decide not to rebuild the bank.”
    “But he has to rebuild! Windsor City Bank is a cornerstone of the community. Where will people go to do their banking?”
    “One of those newer national banks will probably take its place. Olle’s already past retirement age, so word is he might hang up the day job and become a snowbird.” She let out a tired sigh. “I don’t know what’s going to be harder on your grandmother—the prospect of never taking another trip with you and her friends, or standing in the rubble of the funeral parlor.”
    “Nana’s the most resilient person alive, Mom.”
    “I know, I know. But Heavenly Host is her home away from home. The shock of not being able to attend visitations when she gets back is going to come as a terrible blow. Between you and me, Em, I’m afraid she might never recover. When old folks are forced into changing their routine, it often proves to be the beginning of the end.”
    “Nana is not old! She’s only seventy-nine. Have you read Cosmo lately? Seventy-nine is the new sixty.”
    “Of course, it is. Have you noticed any changes in her since you broke the news about the tornado?”
    “No, she’s perfectly fine.” I spotted her and Jackie on the lawn below me, making small talk with guests who were snapping photos of the dalmatian puppy castle across the street. “Except…her handwriting has gotten a little sloppy. Have you noticed that before?”
    “Oh, dear. Handwriting is the first thing to go.”
    “I thought it was memory.”
    “Is it? I don’t remember. But it sounds as if she’s on a downward spiral. Will