“She’s been out like a light all afternoon,” Henry
reported. They both smiled as they admired the little cat.
Diverting her attention to the surrounding décor, Anne felt compelled to express the compliment aloud that she was experiencing internally.
“Oh Henry, this room is simply marvelous. I just love your fireplace.”
“Thanks,” he answered proudly. “I’ve always really loved it in here too.”
Joe had now shaken off the cobwebs and was becoming cognizant of Anne’s presence. She immediately jumped onto her lap, nearly knocking the drink from her hands.
“Oh my goodness!” Anne exclaimed as she received Joe’s affection.
“Well, how about that? Looks like she sure remembers you.”
“So it would seem!” Anne concurred with a smile as she stroked Joe with her free hand. Joe purred and twisted with glee as she settled onto Anne’s lap to receive the attention being lavishly offered.
“I have to admit it; I was glad that you called. However, I am curious why you wanted to see me.”
“You were? That’s awfully sweet! The truth of it is, I think I missed you. I know that sounds rather absurd considering we just met, but I’ve truly enjoyed our time together. It was so wonderful to talk about things and Daddy with you.”
Henry was surprised and a tad embarrassed by her open display of affection for him. Before he could address what she had said, she continued.
“I also wanted to run something past you to get your idea of it.”
Her last comment struck him. He was accustomed to being summoned for counsel on a wide variety of business issues, and he relished the opportunity to mentor anyone genuinely seeking his advice. It was a role that he had often assumed and performed with great passion and expertise. He quickly dismissed her compliments and turned his attention to learning what her predicament was.
“You bet, fire away!” he consented as he brought his glass again to his lips.
Anne was pleased by Henry’s enthusiasm and leaned toward him to share her dilemma. As she shifted her weight, Joe became displeased by the lack of undivided attention and excused herself in favor of the more quiet confines of Henry’s office.
“Oh, I’m sorry, dear,” Anne apologized to the departing cat. She then returned her focus to Henry, who was dutifully waiting to continue the conversation.
“Well, I was planning to leave yesterday for home, as you know,” she began.
Henry nodded.
“I had my bag in the Jeep and was all ready to go when something made me go and look up that little house we had stopped by.”
“You mean the Stewart place?” Henry asked.
“Yes, that’s right. Molly Stewart’s home. I drove over there, and I just stared at it. It sounds crazy, but I just knew that I was supposed to buy it.”
“You’re kidding? You’re gonna buy it?”
“Bought it,” Anne corrected with a definitive tone. “I called the number on the sign and a very kind man named Ross offered to run right over and let me in.” Henry knew that she was referring to one of Lewis’ most notable citizens and the town’s primary realtor, Mayor Richard Ross.
“He let me in, and I was a goner. Just love it. It’s just so warm and engaging.”
“Well, I’ll be damned!” Henry exclaimed at the news. “So we’re gonna be neighbors?”
“We are,” she confirmed with an expansive grin.
“That sure as hell calls for round two!” he declared as he stood and collected her empty glass to add to his own. As he strolled to the sink to refill them, he pondered the possibilities and consequences of what he had just learned.
“Man, wait until George finds out,” he thought aloud.
“George?” Anne asked from the other room.
Henry dumped the remnants from the first session into the sink before procuring fresh ice from the dispenser on the refrigerator door. “Yeah, George Schuetz. He’s my best friend and apparently a big fan of yours.”
Anne didn’t quite understand Henry’s partial joke but nonetheless moved forward with her request.
“In any event, I just agreed to buy a home in a town I know almost nothing about thousands of miles from where I currently reside, and where you are my only contact. Kind of nuts, wouldn’t you say?”
“Well, it’s not exactly something that you hear about every day,” he agreed.
Anne patted her hands on her lap three times in succession as a means to refocus herself to the exact reason she had come to see Henry. “So… I am going to meet Mr. Ross tomorrow and then head back to New York. In a couple of weeks, I hope to return to start getting things in order. Here’s the rub: Mr. Ross has informed me that the home needs more than a touch of work done to get it up to speed. Apparently, as dear Molly got on in years she neglected the maintenance, and so I am in desperate need of a handyman, but I wouldn’t know who to trust or how to locate someone. Since you are my oldest and dearest friend in Lewis,” she paused and laughed as Henry re-entered the room and handed her now full glass back to her, “I come to you for guidance.”
Henry sat down and took a long slow sip from his glass before replying. When he spoke, he was resolute and matter-of-fact. “That’s an easy one. Louis from Lewis is your man.”
Anne’s face contorted into a curious smile. “Louis from Lewis?” she repeated.
“He’s a fireman named Louis Benhardt, but everyone calls him Louis from Lewis. He’s a good family man. Has four kids and a real sweet little wife who teaches school in town. Honest guy and he does terrific work. He’s the one I trust to help out around here and, believe me, with all of those mouths to feed he can use the money.”
“Wow, with that recommendation how can I go wrong?” she laughed.
“You know, I’ve just got to ask you: Why on earth are you buying a house here?”
Anne sat back against the couch and took another swallow from her glass before answering. She stared out the window as she began to speak.
“Yes, I know, it’s a little crazy, isn’t it? But I’ve been thinking for a couple of years about getting out of the city. It’s getting harder and harder to write there. Just so many distractions. Once I got here and got a taste of it, it just feels like I am supposed to be here. When you showed me the Stewart house, something inside me just said Go for it, Anne. I’ve been all over the world, but something here is very special. I want to see what happens next. I can see myself writing some very good books in that house.”
Henry nodded. He got it. Oak Forest had snatched hold of him many decades ago and never turned him loose. Who’s to say what determines where the heart goes? Henry had instantly fallen for the estate, as apparently Anne had for the Stewart house. Many people don’t put faith into love at first sight, but Henry and Anne were true believers.
Chapter 6
Uncharted Waters
“Hey there,” Millie warmly greeted Henry as she entered the kitchen.
“Good morning,” he reciprocated, diverting his attention from the latest edition of the Lewis Gazette while she passed by behind him on her way to the front door.
She deposited her purse by the hall tree and hung her jacket. “And how was your weekend, sir?”
“Oh, pretty good I guess. Just the usual. How about you?” he replied as he began to once again skim the page in front of him.
“Not too shabby,” she answered as she re-entered the kitchen pursuing a direct route toward the source of the delicious aroma that was permeating the air.
Millie first removed a cup from the cabinet and then grabbed the pot of hot coffee from the warmer on the counter. Before she poured for herself, she noted that Henry’s cup had a scant amount left and asked if he was ready for a refill. Upon his affirmative nod, she filled his cup and then proceeded to pour her own.
“Well, that’s good you had a nice weekend,” she commented as she took a small sip from her cup. Henry didn’t fully comprehend what she had said as he had immersed himsel
f in an article about a proposed new boiler for the town’s elementary school and the lack of funding to pursue it. He emitted a mild grunt of assent as he brought his own cup to his lips.
“I imagined you were kinda busy with that pretty young author and all,” Millie stated with as much emotion as if she was reading off stock market prices from a ticker. Henry nearly gagged on his coffee as he fully comprehended her words.
“You ok, Henry?” Millie asked with genuine concern as Henry coughed up droplets of coffee that had found their way down the wrong pipe.
“Yeah, yeah I’m ok,” he said as he gathered his wits and thought about how to answer her. The previous night after Anne had left it had occurred to Henry that at some point he would have to address the topic with Millie. However, upon arriving at the conclusion that his association with Anne was not only sudden and unexpected but also rather unusual, he had pushed it aside to deal with down the road. Unfortunately for him, Millie’s knowledge of his activities seemingly eliminated the “delay tactic” as a viable option.
“Author?” he asked innocently.
“Yeah Henry, you know, Anne Francis Wagner?” She rattled off her name without a note of hesitation.
“Now, how in God’s name could you know about her?” Henry asked both bewildered and impressed by Millie’s never-ending clairvoyant skills.
“Front page,” she declared with her left eyebrow raised and without even a note of humor.
Henry looked at her for a moment before realizing that she wasn’t joking. He turned back to the front page of the newspaper and there it was. Approximately half-way down the page the headline read “Famous Author Buys Home in Lewis.” Without saying another word, or even looking up at Millie, Henry dashed through the three-paragraph article to learn that the reporter was rather well-informed and detailed in his report. Henry had somehow missed the story on his first pass, but he now found his own name in black and white associated with the tour guide label. In addition, the details were remarkably accurate as to who Anne was and why she had just purchased a home in Lewis. Based on this information, the culprit who had ratted her out to the media could only be none other than Lewis’ good mayor. In fairness to Richard, Henry reasoned, adding Anne to the town’s rolls was good business and a real coup for Lewis so it wasn’t totally absurd that he would try to publicize it. Henry understood that it was not a malicious act either by the mayor to reveal him to the media as the person who had taken Anne around town. However, he was not amused. Isn’t there a realtor-client privilege as exists for attorneys or doctors? Henry was never a fan of his life or actions being available for public scrutiny. Also, for reasons he did not yet fully comprehend, Henry felt almost guilty about spending so much time with Anne without Millie’s knowledge. It didn’t make sense to him, but he was expecting that Millie would have something to say about it. Much to his surprise, she was incredibly subdued after it was all out in the open.
Because of that, Henry seized the opportunity that the mention of Anne had afforded him and explained the entire weekend to Millie in great detail. He told how she had shown up out of the blue at Oak Forest on Friday and then had breakfast with him on Saturday. He relayed the main highlights from their chat on Sunday as well. All the while, Millie nodded and listened as Henry spoke of how he and Anne had hit it off from the get-go. She took it all in as a mother might listen to a son’s report of his school day without adding much to the conversation. Henry was relieved by her reaction and began to relax. His concern about how Millie would respond to his new relationship now seemed unfounded.
“So, that’s basically it. She’s going to move here this summer and in the meantime I’m going to help her get the house fixed up. No big deal.” Henry picked his newspaper back up and returned to the last few lines of the article he had been reading.
Millie took a swallow from her cup and then sat it by the sink before turning toward the laundry room. Muttering under her breath, she released a barely audible comment that Henry couldn’t quite hear. He wasn’t certain, but thought it was something related to an affair she was planning to have with actor Eddie Murphy.
“Did you say something?” he asked, knowing full well she had but unsure if the words were entirely directed toward him.
“Nope!” Millie sharply shot back with a definite tone of agitation as she exited the room.
Any possible doubt was erased from his mind. Henry was certain now that she was irritated with him. He couldn’t help but feel like a mouse with whom the cat had been toying. Walked right into that one, he thought. Sensing his opportunity to escape, he folded the newspaper and with coffee cup in hand retreated to his office. Besides his desire to avoid further conversation on the topic of Anne, he also had work to do.
A wide variety of rare coins housed in 2” x 2” flips were neatly organized by denomination into stacks on his desk awaiting his attention. The results of his meticulous review would determine which pieces would pass muster and be returned to their home in the safe. Others would be traveling with him to St. Louis for a possible upgrade later that week. The annual spring coin show held in the Gateway City was only a few days away, and he was earnestly preparing for it. The large and well-attended multi-day exhibition afforded him an excellent opportunity to inspect the inventories of many of the nation’s leading coin dealers.
This year’s event was particularly noteworthy for two reasons. First, due to a fire that had occurred in March at the original venue, the show had been moved to an alternate site and pushed back to the last week of the month. This was in stark contrast to previous years when it had always been held at the same hotel during the third week of April. More importantly, for the first time he and George would be attending the show together, and he relished the idea. Prior to this, his enjoyment of coin collecting had been a predominantly solitary exercise, but now it had added value. Their reconnection had enhanced his passion for his coins even further because it gave him a true confidant with whom he could collaborate and enjoy the hobby.
Henry nestled comfortably into his desk chair and sat his coffee cup off to the left. Just then, he noted a gentle rub against the side of his right leg. Immediately identifying the source he reached down and stroked Joe’s back a couple of times, much to her delight.
“There’s my girl,” Henry affectionately acknowledged the little cat. She had been more lethargic and less playful of late, and Henry was glad to see her cozying up to him.
Joe purred and arched her back with glee as his hand ran across her spine several times. To her disappointment, the attention was short-lived as Henry’s focus quickly diverted to the task before him. Sensing that the moment had passed, she contented herself with curling up into a comfortable ball at the base of the desk for a nap.
The next couple of hours were consumed by Henry’s painstaking examination of each of the specimens in the several dozen coin lot. Noting the strengths and weaknesses of each, he agonized over whether an example was above average for its assigned grade or sub-par and in need of replacement. The exercise was both tedious and enjoyable in a way that only a true numismatist can understand.
However, as he studied the pieces, he was distracted by the nagging feeling that he needed to straighten things out with Millie. The house was filled with an uneasy silence, and he could sense the tension. Millie had busied herself with various chores but worked quietly without the typical banter or humming that he had grown used to hearing. It was uncomfortable, and he didn’t like it.
Henry could not decide which troubled him more, Millie’s obvious agitation about his dealings with Anne or the fact that he cared that Millie was upset. He was unaccustomed to answering for his actions to anyone, and yet he felt as though he owed her some further explanation. He pondered why Millie would be upset about Anne and also why it mattered to him that she was. It was then that Henry really understood for the first time the level of affection he felt for Millie. Deciding that he needed to address the matter, he rose from his desk and headed for the
kitchen where she was mopping the floor.
As he entered the room, she glanced up from her work near the French doors to see his approach.
“Hold it right there, if you please,” she directed. “The floor is wet. Gimme a few more minutes and I’ll be done.”
Henry stopped dead in his tracks just a few steps past the doorway from the family room.
“Oh right, sorry,” he sheepishly responded as he retreated to the carpet’s edge.
“I suspect you’re looking for lunch,” Millie mumbled with little expression as she glanced at the clock.
Henry was surprised by her statement and noticed that he had no clue as to the time of day. He had been quite lost in his thoughts all morning and was somewhat shocked to see that his watch indicated that it was nearly noon. His stomach clearly didn’t know the time either because he wasn’t hungry at all.
“Um, actually, no I wasn’t thinking about lunch. I wanted to say something to you.” Henry paused for a second as Millie sloshed the mop back and forth across the floor without looking up at him or stopping.
“I didn’t handle things this morning very well, I know that. I’m sorry. This thing we are doing here, you and me… Sometimes it’s hard for me to know how to handle it the right way. I don’t guess I am much good at it, but I wanted to at least clear up some things about Anne anyway.”
At the mention of Anne’s name, Millie halted her mopping and looked up at him. Her expression was solemn and strained.
“Henry, you don’t owe me any explanation,” she offered quietly. “What you do is your business and none of my concern.” She dropped her head and began to mop again.
Henry meditated on her words for a few seconds before pushing forward.
“Well Millie, I guess that’s always kind of been the case around here with us, hasn’t it? But just now, I guess I’ve realized that isn’t the way I feel about it anymore. I don’t exactly know what is happening here… with us, but I do know that there is nothing happening now or ever going to happen between Anne Francis Wagner and yours truly.”
Celebrations With Jake and Joe Page 7