The Faithfuls An emotional page-turner with a heart-stopping twist Cecilia Lyra Books by Cecilia Lyra The Sunset Sisters The Faithfuls Contents The Dewar Family Tree Interview with Margaret Elizabeth Thornwood Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Interview with Mandy Edwards Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Interview with Terry Henrietta Spencer Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Interview with Patty Davis Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Interview with members of the ASC Party Planning Committee Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Interview with Jane Knowles Chapter 20 Interview with Abigail Swallow Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Interview with Main Street business owners Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Interview with Karen Park and Lauren Park—mother and daughter Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Interview with Manuela Farias Chapter 29 Interview with Justin Wade Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Interview with Elizabeth Pennington Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Interview with Dana Boylan Chapter 39 Interview with Missy Stevens Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Interview with Clarisse Hughes Chapter 54 * Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Interview with Elise Thompson Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 The Sunset Sisters Hear More From Cecilia Books by Cecilia Lyra A Letter from Cecilia Acknowledgments For Bruno The Dewar Family Tree “We’re thankful to live here.” —Thanksgiving message, Town of Alma, New York (2017) Interview with Margaret Elizabeth Thornwood Member of the Alma Social Club—Second Generation. Enrolled in 1990 Here’s what you need to understand: Alma isn’t just a company town—it’s a family town. We’re not Manhattan, or Brooklyn, or even Greenwich. Some people call us boring, or homogeneous, whatever that means, but what we are is close-knit. Our streets are clean, we don’t have traffic jams, and our children are raised in a wholesome environment. We don’t have an Apple Store or a Ralph Lauren flagship selling ripped jeans or studded boots for 900 dollars. In fact, don’t bother showing up in shoes by a brand other than Alma Boots. It’s considered high treason! But what was I saying? Oh, yes. We’re a family town. We are proud of our heritage, of Backer Dewar, our very own founding father and the creator of Alma Boots, which employs hundreds of Almanacs. Our shoes are proudly made right here in America—not China or Mexico. We believe in patriotism, and we do things a certain way here, a civilized way. The people who come to Alma, NY, come to be a part of a historical community. Which is why we were all shocked when we heard the news. That business with the foreign company trying to buy Alma Boots was bad enough, but to have a nice couple like Gina and Bobby Dewar, practically Alma royalty, involved in a sex scandal? Well, that was too much. When it rains, it pours. One Gina Wednesday, September 4th It begins with a phone call. Gina Dewar is standing in front of the stove, simmering tomatoes with minced garlic and olive oil. To her left is a cutting board with fresh herbs and sliced jalapeño peppers. In a few minutes, she’ll add them to the frying pan and reduce the ingredients to a rich sauce, thick and spicy. Gina hums along with the fridge—there is something musical about their loud fridge. A crazy notion, but one that Gina is convinced of. She should know: so much of her time is spent in the kitchen. It’s her territory, her happy place. The buzzing sound is unexpected. Gina’s phone is alive on the granite island, Bobby’s name flashing on the screen. Gina steals a glance at the farmhouse wall clock: 5:33 p.m. “Hello?” Her tone is tentative, confused. Bobby isn’t supposed to be calling her. His weekly staff meeting won’t be over for at least another hour. Gina knows her husband’s schedule better than her own—they’ve shared calendars for years. It’s Wednesday, which means he’ll leave Grand Central Station at 7:30 p.m. and arrive in Alma at 8:25 p.m. “I’ll be home soon,” he says. “I took the five o’clock.” “Did something happen?” A pause. “I’ll tell you about it when I get home.” Whatever it is, Gina wants to know right away. She doesn’t like to wait. Who does? But Calan is looking up from his computer, a frown on his face. Gina doesn’t want him to worry. He’s having a good day. He won’t get many of those now that the school year has begun. Calan is a sophomore in high school. According to his age, he should be a freshman. The decision to allow him to skip a year when he was only six years old had been a source of tremendous stress for Gina. Bobby had been thrilled, certain that it indicated his son’s burgeoning genius. And his teachers agreed. Gina was outvoted. Now, she worries it was a mistake. Maybe she should’ve put her foot down, insisted on Calan going through each grade at a normal pace. She turns off the stove. The sauce can wait. “All right, honey,” she says in a cheery tone. “See you soon.” She puts the phone down, ignoring the familiar prickle of anxiety. “Was that Dad?” Calan asks. Gina takes a moment to admire her son’s angelic face: his upturned Cupid’s bow and sincere eyes. Calan has full lips and a heart-shaped face (just like Gina), and green eyes and strawberry blonde hair (just like his dad). “Yep, he’s coming home early,” Gina says. In the blink of an eye, Calan changes. A turtle pulling into its shell. Gina resists the urge to hug her son. She doesn’t want to validate Calan’s negative feelings towards Bobby. “What about his meeting?” Gina shrugs. An attempt at a casual gesture. “Is it Souliers?” Calan frowns. He’s a smart, sensitive boy: he can sense her unease. “Are we selling?” Gina gives him a you know better than that look. “What?” he says, lifting his palms. “Maybe he finally caved to the pressure.” “This is your dad we’re talking about,” Gina reminds him. “He doesn’t cave. Alma Boots is staying in the family.” Calan lifts his shoulders. His turn to feign apathy. Calan likes to pretend he doesn’t care what happens to the company, but Gina knows he keeps tabs on the potential deal. Last week, she’d borrowed
