Ghosts, Guilt, and Gingerbread

It’s never too late to apologize. Of all the things Avery Stanley inherited, two things top the list. The old Stanley Ridge homeplace, and his Ma’s gingerbread recipe. Unfortunately, Avery never quite gets it right. Ma won’t rest easy until he does. Neither will anyone else. Will his latest batch take the cake, and the ribbon?   An excerpt from Ghosts, Guilt, and Gingerbread: “It’s about your ma, son. You got to help me out with her.” Oh, boy. Avery leaned on the rail beside his pop, tucking his own hands in his pockets. He’d never caught it before, but aside from the hair they sure did look alike. Well, except for the lightning-bug teeth. “Let me guess. Ma’s still running around like you.” A shrug of ghostly-but-solid shoulders. “Poutin’ around, more like. She’s feeling mighty left out, you forgetting her special day and all.” “Special…” Sunday. Second one in May. Avery groaned. “Mother’s Day. Yeah, I forgot all about it.”