“I guess I should be getting home,” Caitlyn said as she stood up and brushed cookie crumbs into her hand. Barney stood and followed her to the trash can. “Do you think Barney would like a quick walk around the block?”
“He’d love it,” Sarah responded as she clicked the leash onto his collar and gave the young girl a quick hug.
“Thank you, Aunt Sarah,” she said with a look of relief. “Penny will be so glad you’re going to help her.”
As Sarah closed the door behind them, she chuckled to herself as two old-time entertainers came to mind. Scolding herself for agreeing to get involved in the Ward’s problems, she quoted them aloud, “Well, here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into.”
Chapter 13
“I think you should stay out of it,” Charles was saying as he dipped into his chicken stew.
“They’re my friends, Charles, and I’ve been asked to help.”
“You haven’t been asked by them,” he pointed out but noticed that she was now frowning. He decided to let it drop. If she was just going to get them talking to each other, he supposed that didn’t count as interfering. It might even be helpful, he told himself.
“So I talked to your boyfriend, Jake, today.”
Sarah started to object to being teased about Jake again but decided to let it go. This would, at least, get them off the subject of Penny and Tim. “Oh? What did he have to say?”
“Not much. The FBI is playing this close to the vest. He was able to speak with one of the marshals, though. They recognized each other in a pub up the street from the station and had a beer together. The guy told Jake that they had a lead.”
Sarah looked up abruptly. “Really? What?”
“Jake said that the marshal couldn’t give him any details, but that it was encouraging.”
“Hmm.” Sarah looked back down at her bowl and sighed. “That’s not much.”
“It’s better than nothing.
“True.”
They had eaten early, and Sarah was feeling at loose ends after she cleaned up the kitchen. Charles said he was going to walk up to the gym at the community center and work out and asked if she’d like to go with him.
“I don’t think so, Charles, but I’m glad you’re getting back into the routine.”
Once she heard the front door close, Sarah hurried to her sewing room and pulled out the pattern she was planning to use to make his birthday wall hanging. Wanting to try a new pattern, she had changed her mind about doing a Log Cabin and had returned to Stitches to purchase a second package of 2½” strips, this time in shades of cranberry batik to use with the blues she had purchased earlier in the week. Her new pattern was more colorful and was made primarily with half-square triangles. She knew Charles would be gone for at least two hours, and she’d have time to cut it out.
She had no sooner spread the fabrics out on her cutting board when she heard the front door open and Charles anxiously calling her. She quickly bundled up the project and stuck it in her cabinet. “Charles?” she said as she hurried into the living room, wondering why he had returned so quickly.
“It’s Sophie,” he said breathlessly. “Do you have Tim’s cell phone number?”
“What is it Charles,” she cried. “What’s wrong with Sophie?”
“I don’t know. I just saw an ambulance pulling away from her house, and Tim was following behind it. I tried to get his attention, but he didn’t see me.”
“Here’s the number,” Sarah said frantically handing him her phone book. “I’ll use my cell and call Tim’s house. Penny might be there alone.”
“When Penny answered the phone, she sounded fine. Sarah assumed she didn’t know what was happening. “Is your dad home?” Sarah asked, knowing the answer but wanted to find out what Penny knew.
“He went over to Grandma’s house to fix her garbage disposal. Do you want me to call him?”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll talk to him later.” Not wanting to upset the young girl, Sarah hung up and turned to Charles, who was now speaking to Timothy.
“What is it, Charles? What’s wrong with Sophie?”
“She had a fall,” he said motioning for her to wait until he finished.
“Tell him we’ll get Penny and bring her over here.”
Charles relayed the message and later told Sarah that Timothy sounded relieved. He hadn’t called his daughter to tell her what had happened because he was afraid it would frighten her, and she was there alone.
“Ask him if we should go to the hospital?”
“Do you want us to bring Penny and come to the hospital?” Charles asked. He listened to Timothy’s answer and shook his head letting Sarah know he didn’t want them to come.
As soon as he hung up, Charles pulled Sarah into his arms and reassured her that Sophie would be okay. “Tim found her on the kitchen floor when he got there. She said she slipped on the kitchen floor and couldn’t get to the phone. He said Emma was curled up against her and growled at him protectively when he approached her. He tried to help her up, but she was in too much pain, so he called the rescue squad.”
“Maybe we should go by there and pick up Emma too.”
“You have a key?” Charles asked.
“It’s in the flower box,” she responded, and Charles frowned. Before he had a chance to complain about Sophie’s lack of security, she changed the subject. “I’ll call Penny and tell her we’re on our way. We can explain about Sophie when we get there.”
Even though Sarah didn’t know any details yet, she was able to downplay the situation and Penny seemed content with the idea of picking up Emma and perhaps even missing school the next day.
“Can I bring Blossom?” she asked.
“You certainly may,” Sarah assured her, wondering how they would survive having three dogs in the house.
“If they keep your grandmother overnight, we’ll go see her in the morning,” Sarah had assured Penny later that night as she tucked her into bed in the guest room with Blossom snuggled up against her and Emma protectively curled up on the rug next to the bed. Barney watched from the doorway but seemed to understand that it wasn’t playtime.
As it turned out, Sophie had fractured her ankle, this time requiring surgery to insert a pin for stability. The same bone had been fractured a couple of years before, and Dr. Dean felt it was unlikely to heal properly this time without the pin. He wanted to keep her for a couple of days, and said she would need to use crutches for three or four weeks while it was healing.
Timothy had stopped by the house later that night to see Penny and let Sarah and Charles know what the doctor had said. “Mom took the news well, and she’s already entertaining the nurses with her crazy anecdotes.” Timothy, on the other hand, appeared very troubled. “She’s going to be okay this time, but…”
Sarah knew he was getting worried about moving away, and she hoped that this would remind him why he had chosen to live close to his mother in the first place. He looked in on Penny and agreed to leave her there since she was sleeping peacefully.
“We will all come to the hospital in the morning,” Sarah assured him as he was leaving.
“Thank you, Sarah. You’re a good friend to Mom.”
“She’s a good friend to me,” Sarah responded.
Chapter 14
“Tim’s on the phone, Charles. He wants to come get Blossom. Will you be here? I’m going out.” They had all visited Sophie that morning, and Penny had gone home with her father.
“Tell him I’m going to walk all three dogs soon,” Charles replied. “We’ll walk on over to his house.”
After Sarah had hung up, Charles asked, “Where are you going?”
“Sophie wants her applique project. I’m going to run by her house to pick it up, then head on over to the hospital for a couple of hours. I have some hand-sewing to do, so I’ll take it with me, and we can stitch together.”
“Don’t you want me to go with you?”
“No, you stay home and spend time with the d
ogs. I think Emma’s beginning to get worried.” Also, I need some private time with Sophie, she thought but didn’t say.
“A romp in the park will take care of that. Could you and I drive over to Sophie’s before you leave so I can get more food for Emma?”
“Sure. Let’s go now.”
All three dogs tried to push their way out the door when Charles and Sarah were leaving. “Don’t worry guys. We’ll be right back.” While they were at Sophie’s, Sarah washed the few pans that were in the sink and started the dishwasher. “What do you suppose caused her to fall?” Sarah asked looking around the kitchen.
“My guess is that she was standing on this stool and fell.” Charles picked up a small wooden step stool which was turned on its side.
“She told me she didn’t know how she fell, but she told Tim she slipped on the kitchen floor, so I was already getting suspicious,” Sarah responded, shaking her head. “I guess she didn’t want to admit that she was climbing on that stool again.”
“She’s fallen off of it before?”
“Twice that I know of.”
“I think I’ll hide it in the garage and stop by the hardware store tomorrow for one of those step stools with a tall handle.”
“She shouldn’t be climbing up several steps. That just gives her farther to fall,” Sarah responded.
“No, the one I’m thinking of just has one step only about nine inches off the floor and a tall handle that will come practically to Sophie’s chest.”
“That would solve the problem, Charles,” she responded, smiling at her thoughtful husband. “Thank you for that.”
All three dogs met them at the door with unbridled enthusiasm despite their short absence, but once Emma felt they had been adequately welcomed, she looked past them, and her ears drooped with disappointment. “Your mommy will be back soon, sweetie,” Sarah said rubbing the dog’s head and ears. Emma’s tail began to wag again, and Sarah hoped she understood.
“I’m going to Tim’s house by way of the dog park,” Charles announced, reaching for the hook which now held all three leashes. Timothy and Penny lived on the other side of the park. “If Penny calls, tell her I’ll be there in about an hour.”
“I won’t be here,” Sarah called over her shoulder as she headed for her sewing room to get her project and sewing box. “I’m leaving right now.” She was eager to have some private time with Sophie so they could talk about Penny and the move to Altoona. Sarah hoped her friend wouldn’t be too medicated to have a serious conversation.
She needn’t have worried. She heard Sophie’s voice as she got off the elevator and spotted her coming down the hall awkwardly, getting the feel of her crutches. “I’ve been visiting my neighbors,” she announced as she approached Sarah.
“Good for you,” Sarah laughed. “Are you ready for some serious stitching?”
“You brought my applique?” Sophie cried excitedly.
Once they were back in Sophie’s room, Sarah pulled two guest chairs up to Sophie’s bed and the two friends sat down. They used the bed to spread out their material and settled down to sew. Sophie examined Sarah’s quilt and asked a few questions about technique. She then asked the question that was really on her mind. “Now tell me honestly,” Sophie began, “Is this for Martha and Timmy? Do you know something I don’t know?”
“Absolutely not, Sophie. It may well end up going to them, but I don’t know any more than you do. In fact, I seriously wonder what this move to Altoona will mean to their relationship.”
“I know,” Sophie responded, suddenly looking solemn. “And I don’t know what it will do to Penny either.”
Sarah was relieved to see that getting around to talking about Penny wasn’t going to be difficult at all. Taking advantage of the opening, Sarah said, “Actually, I wanted to talk with you about that. Penny is planning to ask if she can stay here with you…”
“That’s out of the question,” Sophie responded, shaking her head and frowning. “She belongs with her father. They’re still getting to know each other. No, that’s out of the question. Has she talked to Tim about this?”
Sarah could see her friend was becoming agitated, and she laid her hand on Sophie’s arm. “I’m sorry, Sophie. I didn’t mean to upset you, but…”
“It’s not you, Sarah. I’m already upset. I can’t understand why my son would pick a time like this to move away. Here he is with a child who is beginning to get settled in a new life, and didn’t he tell us all how happy he was to finally be living near me? Do you think it’s something I’ve done? Have I…”
“Stop Sophie. You know this has nothing to do with you. I don’t know what he has in mind, but moving away right now would be a terrible mistake. Of course, it’s his mistake to make. It’s none of my business, but I feel very bad for Penny.”
“I agree. Do you think there’s anything we can do?”
“I think it would be good for the three of you to sit down and talk, and for everyone to be open and honest about their feelings.”
“With Penny?” Sophie asked skeptically. “She’s so young.”
“Absolutely with Penny. She has very strong feelings about this, and they need to be expressed. And so do you. And, for that matter, so does Timothy.”
The two friends sewed in silence for a while, each lost in thought. Suddenly Sophie stopped sewing and looked Sarah in the eye. “You’re right, and we’ll do it Sunday.”
“Sunday?” Sarah looked surprised. That was easier than I expected, she told herself.
“I’m going home Sunday morning, and we’re sitting down in the afternoon. This needs to be hashed out, and Penny needs to be told that she’s an equal in this discussion. I want her to be as honest as I intend to be.”
“Then tell her that,” Sarah responded.
“I will,” Sophie said with determination. “He might still move away, but he’ll go knowing just how Penny and I feel.”
“And you’ll know how he feels – why he feels the need to take a job so far away.”
“Hmm. Do I really want to hear that one?”
“Yes, you do. That’s part of being in an honest relationship. It has to go both ways.”
“How did you get so smart?” Sophie teased her friend.
“Probably from hanging out with you,” she responded with a wink.
* * *
When Timothy opened the door, the three dogs rushed in and headed straight for Penny. She fell to the floor and hugged them all simultaneously while they wiggled, wagged, licked, and barked their excitement. She reached for a toy and tossed it across the room. Both the bigger dogs streaked after it, but Blossom ignored them and stretched her tiny length up and began smothering Penny with kisses. Penny looked like she was going to weep with joy.
“What a pair those two are,” Tim remarked adding, “How about a beer?“
They took their drinks into the living room where Timothy had been watching a baseball game. “What’s the score,” Charles asked, not being much of a fan, but it was always a good icebreaker.
The two men talked about the game for a few minutes, then fell silent. Penny had taken all the dogs into her room along with a bag of treats.
Finally Charles, looking somewhat apologetic, said, “Tell me if I’m intruding, Tim, but I just have to ask you something.”
“Go ahead, Charles. I don’t have any secrets – well not many anyway,” he added with a nervous chuckle when he thought about Martha and hoped Charles wasn’t going to ask about their future plans. He wasn’t ready to talk about that, and for that matter, neither was Martha.
“Why do you want to move away?”
Tim looked at Charles thoughtfully for a moment before answering. He then took a deep breath and said, “It’s not that I want to move away, Charles. It’s hard to explain, but I’ve worked since I was seventeen years old, and here I am in my fifties and suddenly not working. I don't know how to do this.”
“So get a job, but Altoona?”
“There aren’t a lot o
f jobs around for someone trained on the Alaska pipeline,” Timothy responded somewhat cynically. “This outfit in Altoona made the only offer I’ve had.”
“What would you be doing?”
“It’s a mining outfit. I’d be overseeing safety, and, believe me, I don’t feel all that comfortable about it. Pipeline safety and mining safety don’t have much in common. I don’t know Charles. Penny has hardly talked to me since I announced it, and now with Mom falling and all. I just don’t know what to do.”
Hesitating a moment, Charles asked, “Sorry if this is too personal, but does your retirement from Alaska give you enough to get by?”
“Sure, enough to get by and then some. It’s not the money. It’s just…I don’t know, Charles, I guess I just don’t know what to do with myself if I’m not working. Actually, it’s even more than that. I feel worthless when I’m not working. You know I love Sarah’s daughter, and I’d love to spend the rest of my life with her, but how can I expect a professional woman to marry an unemployed bum.”
“We retired guys aren’t bums, my friend. There’s plenty to do. How about doing something entirely different? For example,” Charles continued, “I’ve always thought I’d enjoy working in a hardware store.”
“They only hire the kids these days, so they don’t have to pay much,” Timothy responded. “I looked into that.”
“So undercut the kids. You said you don’t care about the money, you just want something to do. You’d be a valuable guy to them. These kids can’t answer questions.”
“I don’t know about retail…” Timothy replied hesitantly.
“Also, there’s an abundance of volunteer jobs at the hospital, local nursing homes, even transportation for those old folks right here in the village. Or how about teaching at the community center?”
“Teaching? Teaching what?” Tim was beginning to look interested.
“What are you interested in? Computers? Carpentry?”
“It’s something to think about, Charles,” Tim responded thoughtfully. “How about another beer?”
Missing Memories Page 10