by Marni MacRae
“Send these people home or have them back away.”
Then Laurel’s, “Yes, Doctor.” All business. “I’ve told all of you to give her some space, now let’s give her some privacy and let the doctor take care of her. Go gawk at Lee and Nick now.” She’s no nonsense. I can’t see her, but I hear feet shuffling and voices murmuring as they move away, farther down the street.
My eyes fly back to Ezra’s at Laurel’s comment, and I try to sit up again. “Where’s Nick?”
“Now, now.” Doc Eston nods to Ezra in thanks and dismissal as he kneels beside me. “Nick and Lee are taking care of Richard.”
“Taking care of?” This seems an odd statement to me.
“Arresting him, dear. Now lie still so we can breeze through this and send you home. I’ll need her hand, Ezra.”
As Ezra rises, he squeezes my hand before releasing it. “I’ll wait right here. Tuck has pulled up the car so we can leave.”
“Thank you, Ezra.”
“Deep breath.” I follow the doctor’s order as he places his stethoscope at my heart, then runs me through a brief physical. Finally satisfied, he places his tools back in his bag and takes my hand in his large warm one. “Any new memories?”
“Oh, um…no, I don’t think so.”
“I understand Richard said something to you before you collapsed.”
“No, I don’t think he did.” I search back through the moment and try to recall if he had. “He grabbed me, it scared me, I think he fell, I don’t think he really meant to knock me over, but I must have bumped my head.”
“No.” The doctor shakes his head and sighs. “Anabel was standing right beside you. She said he said something to you, and you screamed. She reached out and caught you as you fell. Your head never hit the ground.”
“I screamed?”
“Yes, that I can confirm. It was quite…piercing.”
“Oh.” I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks at this. I can’t recall screaming or if the drunken man had said anything to me. But I am horrified that I am a spectacle to all the people I was just beginning to feel normal around.
“Everyone heard?”
“Yes, dear, I’m afraid so.”
I close my eyes and then look past the doctor. “Ezra. I want to go home now.”
“Yes, miss.” Without hesitation, Ezra reaches past Doctor Eston and takes my hands, lifting me gently to my feet. “Step slowly now.” It’s only three or four paces to the car, but he keeps his hand at my elbow and his arm wrapped around my shoulders.
The car door opens from the inside as we approach, and Elizabeth is there, scooting over on the black leather seat to make room for me.
“Come, my dear, let’s get you tucked in with some tea.” As I sit, she reaches for my hand wrapping both of hers around my small one. “It has been a long day. You need to rest. Take the whole day tomorrow and just laze about with a book or stroll the gardens. You try to do too much, my dear.”
“But did you have fun?” I ask quietly.
She chuckles softly and nods. “Yes, Eve. I really did.”
“I’m so glad,” I whisper, then burst into tears.
* * *
Intsy and Elizabeth tuck me into bed, stripping off my dress and sandals like I’m a child. The smell of mint tea with honey tickles my nose, and I sigh deeply. “Thank you Intsy, thank you, Elizabeth.”
“Think nothing of it, dear. Come over for dinner if you like. If you don’t, I’ll send Intsy over with a plate to set in your fridge. You can heat it if you get hungry.”
I smile and grab her hand before she rises to leave. “Did you have time to visit with Doc—Maxwell?’
“Yes. Why is that of importance?”
“I think he likes you.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. I think you may have hit your head after all. Shush now, get some rest.”
“He likes you.” I laugh and close my eyes. “He even bows when you enter a room. Can’t beat that.”
I hear her laugh as she shuts the door.
* * *
When I open my eyes this time, I sense someone in the room. My heart misses a beat, and I feel a trickle of panic.
“Intsy?” I whisper it and look around, but the room is dim and shadowy, the curtains drawn over dark windows. It must be night already. I slept the day away.
“It’s just me.” Nick’s voice comes through the darkness moving toward me. I feel his weight lower onto the bed and something in me releases.
“Oh, Nick.” I reach for him, the tension leaving me. My fingers find his arm as his hands find my waist. Pulling me to him we lie back on the bed, my head on his chest, his arms wrapped around me firmly. We don’t say anything for a while, we just lay there soaking up the comfort of being together.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Nick breaks the silence, but his voice is low and soothing.
I don’t reply while I mull over the question. Finally, I tilt my face up to his, barely able to see his profile in the dark room. “Maybe tomorrow,” I whisper. I see his profile nod, and his arms tighten around me for a moment, then we relax against each other and let sleep take us.
Chapter 25
Sitting at my table in the bay window, I feel my skin crawl with the memory of Richard grasping at me. It’s late morning, and Nick has left to take a shower, change, and take care of some business. The explanation had sounded vague, but I let him go without complaint. He had stayed through the night, keeping me close, making me feel safe. I take so much of his time I don’t want to keep him from living his life. Surely, he has put too much aside while handling my drama and popping over to see me almost every day.
But I miss him. Being alone in this big, empty house, next door to a bigger, empty house makes me feel isolated. I had wandered over to Elizabeth’s for breakfast earlier this morning, but the mansion was quiet. Entering through the side door at the end of my brick walkway, I had poked around, calling out, but no one had answered. Not even Cora.
In the kitchen, I found a note on the island.
~Eve, gone to church. There is a plate for you in the fridge. Heat it up and enjoy. Help yourself to whatever you like. E.
I had taken the plate of biscuits and eggs and a small bowl of fruit back to my kitchen and nibbled at it. Intsy had taught me to use the microwave a few days ago, and I had instructions written down in case I forgot, but I wasn’t hungry so didn’t bother to heat it. After half a biscuit and some berries, my stomach felt leaden, so I climbed the stairs to shower and dress.
Now I sit, staring out toward the fields, thinking of Ezra racing through them as a young man on the back of a black horse. Faster than the wind.
Invariably, my thoughts turn to the barbeque and the “incident.” There are so many unanswered questions I don’t want to ask. So, I sit, picking at the hem of my shirt, thinking maybe I will go out to the garden and begin planning the plots. Do anything but sit and avoid my own thoughts. I’m itching to move, to do, to find something to release this nervous feeling.
The sound of the knocker makes me jump out of my skin, but I recover quickly and bolt to the front door.
Swinging it wide I find Anabel and Laurel smiling slyly. Dressed in shorts and light blouses on this warm May day, both of them are as pretty as flowers.
“Eve!” They exclaim together.
“We have come to kidnap you,” Anabel declares.
“To rescue you,” Laurel corrects.
“Well, I will take both. Begin the—um—adult-napping and rescuing. Who is going to do which?”
“Hmm.” Anabel taps her finger to her chin. “Yes, we should figure out the details of our dastardly plan.”
“Too late for the element of surprise,” Laurel states the obvious.
“Yes, but she is a willing adult-napping victim, no need for surprise or chloroform.”
“True.” Laurel sounds disappointed. “So, this is how we will do this. Let’s both adult-nap her and then rescue her later.”
“From us?” Ana
bel shakes her head.
“No, from herself.”
“Ah, yes.” Anabel turns and rubs her hands together, cackling gleefully. “We shall rescue the damsel from her own clutches!”
“Ok, now this is getting weird. Did you two practice that on the way over?”
“No.” Laurel reaches behind me and shuts my front door, the three of us standing on the brick walkway. “We are improv masters. Let’s get this napping on the road. We a have a rescue to get to.”
“Ok, now I’m confused but grateful,” I assure Anabel. She links her arm in mine as we walk toward the driveway.
“We thought you would be needing some fun and time away from too much thinking.”
“How did you know?” I’m surprised I am so easy to read.
“Because we are women,” Laurel offers. “We think too much, feel too much, and without help will think and feel ourselves into a righteous storm.”
“True.” Anabel guides me to a large silver vehicle parked in the drive. “We figured after yesterday, and with Nick off somewhere helping Lee, you would be alone, brewing a storm.”
“So, hence the napping.” Laurel opens the rear door of the vehicle. “I voted for tying you up and dragging you. Anabel said no.”
She sticks her tongue out at Ana who is climbing into the driver's seat.
“Darlin’, you scare me a tiny bit.” Ana shakes her head and pulls her seatbelt over her shoulder.
I laugh and climb into the back seat, only to find there is another row of seats behind that one. “How many people will fit into this car?”
“Nine. I’m hoping for more babies.”
Laurel closes the door, sealing me in and then climbs into the passenger seat beside Ana. “Lee not up to the task?”
She waggles her eyebrows at Ana who snorts and pulls away from the house.
“Oh, he’s up for it, just no magic double line on the stick yet.”
“Have you tried doing it upside down?”
“What?” Anabel glances at Laurel choking on a laugh, “That’s not physically possible.”
“Oh, it is.” Laurel leans back and smiles smugly as she tilts her head to wink at me in the mirror that sits in the middle of the windshield.
“Does it work?” Anabel asks, curious.
“So all the old wives say.” Laurel shrugs, “I myself am child free, so I can’t attest, but I hear it’s the magic, uh, position.”
“Um, you ladies may think I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I inform them from the back seat, “or that I may not be able to hear you, but I do and I can. And may I say, Laurel—eww mental picture of you and Tuck is just…eww. And Anabel—good luck. I’m sorry I didn’t meet Gabe yesterday, but I bet you’re a really great mom.”
“Not ‘eww’—awesome. But point made.” Laurel turns in her seat to smile at me.
“Aw, thanks, Eve. That’s really sweet. You can meet Gabe next time you come over. He’s adorable.”
“That’s true, Gabe is adorable.” Laurel confirms.
“I didn’t know you two were friends,” I say to Laurel. “How long have you known Anabel?”
“Oh, well, we weren’t in the same year in school, but after a bajillion doctor visits during her pregnancy and then quite few bajillion more after cute Gabriel was born, we became friends. Anabel’s great. You picked a super family to land in.”
“It’s true. I am great. Our family is super. Welcome to the group.” Anabel pulls into a parking lot outside of a large, sprawling building, and a warm feeling spreads through me.
I feel welcomed. I feel like I belong, and I already feel like Anabel and Laurel, Nick, Lee and even Elizabeth and Ezra are all my family.
“Yes.” I nod to them both. “I did land well, didn’t I.”
“Ok, so, rules before we exit the vehicle. You are our victim.”
“Let’s call her the target,” Ana interjects.
“Oh, yeah, much better. So, as our target, you must obey the rules of this rescue, or we will be forced to resort to tape and rope.”
“Sounds extreme.” Anabel looks at Laurel, who raises a brow in challenge. “Ok, what she said. Follow the rules or there will be tape.”
I am laughing too hard to take them seriously, but they both glare at me and I swallow the laughter. “Yes, ma’am, rules. Tape. Got it.”
“Rule number one.”
“Have a kick-ass, awesome time?” I fall over in my seat laughing as the quote from Land of the Lost pops out of my mouth.
“Actually, yes.” Laurel nods sagely. “Well done.”
“Rule number two,” she continues.
I bite my tongue this time and hold back the giggling.
“There shall be no utterance of drama. No amnesia whining or blackout boo-hooing. We shall ignore the elephant in the room or, as the case may be, the mall.”
“Mall?” A new word to me.
“Yes, mall. Welcome to Brighton Valley’s shopping center.” She sweeps her hand toward the window indicating the building in front of us. “I don’t know why it is called a mall, but it has stores inside. Lots of them and we are beginning the rescue right now.”
“Straight to the rescue?” Ana asks.
“Well, yes, I mean we can’t shop with her with her hair like that,” Laurel gestures to me, and they both turn to inspect my choppy dark locks.
“You are wise, oh, bossy one. We shall rescue her from herself. Then force her to buy a handbag.”
“Of course. She’s practically naked.”
‘Oh, um, I don’t have any—”
“Oh! I almost forgot. Nick gave me this to give to you.” Anabel digs into her giant bag beside her and pulls out a large envelope, handing it back to me.
I take the yellow envelope and open the top, turning it upside down in my lap to release the contents. The phone Nick had bought me falls out first, and I let out a surprised laugh. It’s followed by money and a slip of paper. As I pick up the bills, my eyes are wide. Twenty-dollar bills. At least two dozen of them.
“It’s so much!” I whisper.
I quickly turn the paper over and read the neat script.
Eve, Anabel confided her plan this morning to kidnap you. I hope Laurel didn’t use the rope. This is an advance on your first week. I will bring over the contract for you to inspect and sign tonight. Have fun, and call me if you need me. Or if you want to. Yours, Nick.
“This is for one week?”
Laurel grabs the stack of twenties and counts it quickly, her long slender finger flipping the bills with a practiced speed. “Seems right to me.” She hands the money back to me. “Above minimum wage, this would be about twenty, maybe a thirty-hour week.”
“I don’t feel so guilty then.”
“Oh sweetie, don’t ever feel guilty about getting paid for your work. My mother cleaned houses for years. It’s no joke, you will be earning every penny of that. So enjoy spending it.”
“Wisely, of course,” Anabel interjects, the responsible mother in her curbing an all-out spending spree.
“Are you kidding? I say spend stupidly. This is your first Sunday as Eve. You need a purse, a haircut, some makeup, and so many girly things you don’t even know you need yet.”
I stuff the money, phone, and note back in the large envelope and shake my head. “Ok, I got the rules, I have my stack of cash, let's commence this napping/rescue. Your car is getting really hot.”
“Sorry,” Anabel says sheepishly. We’re parked in the full sun, and she had shut the engine off some time ago. I feel sticky and anxious, but also, really happy.
We pile out of Ana’s car, and Laurel throws an arm over my shoulder. “First stop, Lady Bee’s.”
“Oh, yes, she works magic. I’m going to get a manicure.”
“Pedicure.” Laurel holds up a sandaled foot and wiggles her toes.
“I guess I am getting a haircut.” I reach up and touch my dark hair that now hangs limply at my neck. “Thanks, ladies. You’re really great adult-nappers.”
>
* * *
“Shopping is exhausting.” I sip at my Orange Julius that Ana insisted I had to try and watch in fascination as Laurel practically inhales a cinnamon roll that is almost the size of her head.
“Oh, yeah,” she mutters around a sticky mouthful. “You gotta refuel.”
“Honey, you’re consuming enough sugar to put a nation in a diabetic coma.” Anabel shakes her head in wonder and smiles at me. “You made some great choices, though. I love what you picked out.”
All three of us know I didn’t pick anything. I stare at the bags surrounding our feet as we sit on plastic chairs at a plastic table. Anabel and Laurel had made me try on dozens of garments judging with thumbs up or thumbs down and occasionally clapping with enthusiasm. They had both made all the choices for me, ushering me through stacks of clothes, down aisles of candles, perfume, and makeup. So much in abundance that my head was spinning for the last two hours.
“I had no idea there were so many stores in the world, let alone in one place.”
“Malls are great.” Laurel wipes icing from her fingers and sighs. “So many bargains, so little time.”
I had to admit they both had a shrewd eye for a sale and quality. I had quickly learned that the sale racks were the spot to beeline for and that Anabel went for the deep discounts while Laurel tended to splurge on fashion.
“It feels so… “
“Good?” Laurel filled in for me.
“Decadent?” Ana queried.
“I was going to say wasteful, but those are accurate as well.”
Both ladies sit up in their plastic chairs.
“Oh, no,” Anabel exclaims “Never be a remorseful buyer. I mean, keep your receipts in case something is torn or stained or doesn’t fit. But you enjoy your purchases and remind yourself that you are worth spoiling.”
“Also, even though I know what you’re saying, I mean all of this”—Laurel waves her hand at the stores that encircle the small area where we are sitting— “screams overabundance and consumerism. How can we enjoy it when there are homeless people here and starving children in Africa? But denying yourself does not fix the world. Donate, or help your community, but I agree with Ana. Don’t feel guilty because of your luck. Seems to me you are a perfect example of the balance.”