After All These Years

by Sally John

  Thirty-Five

  Sitting on her living room floor, Isabel played with Nutmeg and Soot while inconspicuously keeping an eye on Lia.

  Her friend sat primly on the rocker, her hair pulled back in its usual, albeit shorter, ponytail. She wore a long denim skirt that belonged to Anne and a forest green sweater of Gina’s. In a little over 72 hours Isabel had witnessed Lia emerge from a zombie-like condition and slip once more into her familiar big-city-style persona.

  Before daybreak Monday at the hospital, Lia finally succumbed to shock. It happened almost simultaneously with Tammy’s announcement. The surgeon who had apprised them of Cal’s situation noticed Lia’s unresponsiveness and shallow breathing and quickly took charge. She didn’t protest when they put her in a room and offered sedation.

  Isabel brought her home Monday night. Because of the damage to the stairwell, Lia wasn’t allowed up into her apartment. A fireman brought her handbag over so she had her wallet at least. Friends generously shared clothes and personal items.

  By Wednesday afternoon Lia had arranged for a cleanup company to begin working Thursday. Area pharmacists had dug into their inventories, organizing enough supplies to get her started. Aaron Thompson had offered an unused space attached to his medical office. She would open up temporary shop on Saturday.

  Isabel wanted to give credit to Lia’s strong faith, but she suspected the source of her courage to move on had more to do with Tammy’s news than faith. It hardened something in Lia, pushing her a step beyond confident assertiveness. Isabel surmised this because Lia refused to visit Cal. The last she had seen them together they were snuggling. Since then Cal had put his life on the line to protect Lia and Lia had saved his life, endangering her own in the process. The natural progression here was not to ignore the man.

  Not that Cal would have noticed. He still remained unconscious.

  Benny Richards was sitting on the couch. He wasn’t nearly as large as Cal, but he still occupied a lot of space in his brown uniform with his gun, radio, handcuffs, and other thingamajigs hanging about. Their paths had never crossed until the other night at the pharmacy. That afternoon he was decidedly kinder in tone. She was glad he was finally addressing them by their first names rather than “Ms.” He told them to call him Benny. He had even thanked Lia three times for saving Cal.

  “Lia,” he said, “I have to say I toyed with the idea that you knifed Cal. If you were strong enough to pull him out, you were strong enough to stab him.”

  “But why would I do that?”

  “Cover up the fire you set. Then you got cold feet about committing murder, so you dragged him out. You needed the insurance money. Everyone knows you’re hurting with the Agstar program pulling out.”

  Lia stared at him for a moment, expressionless. “So what changed your mind?”

  “The general consensus in Valley Oaks is you’re the greatest thing to come along since peanut butter and jelly.”

  She only blinked in reply. “About the officer sitting outside Isabel’s house here all night… I appreciate it, but I really don’t think anyone is out to hurt me any more than they already have.”

  Isabel shuddered. “I, on the other hand, invited the guy to spend the night inside.”

  “Well, he’s staying put,” Benny pronounced without reservation. “Somebody tried to kill Cal, and since you all made it look as if you were home alone, Lia, they obviously didn’t have any compunction about taking you out with him.”

  Isabel asked, “The guard will stay put at the hospital, too, won’t he?”

  “Yeah.” He raked his fingers through graying hair. “We may have found what Cal was after. The fire inspector let me climb down into the basement this morning. What do you know about that door down there?”

  “Door?” Lia frowned. “Oh, I’ve seen it. I never bothered to open it. I hate spiders and it was covered in webs. I figure it leads to a closet or a—What are they called? Where people store potatoes.”

  “Root cellar. No. It was locked from the other side. I suspect it leads into the video store basement.”

  Isabel gasped. “Then—”

  “That’s how someone got inside!” Lia completed the thought.

  “Right. How’s your relationship been with Mitch Conway?”

  “Fine. I mean, he doesn’t shop in the pharmacy, but he’s polite enough when Chloe and I rent videos. Oh.” She frowned. “There was a thing with his son, Damon. He brought in a prescription for codeine cough medication. A week later he wanted a refill. I said I had to call the doctor, and if he approved it, Damon could pick it up later. The doctor didn’t okay it, and the boy never came back. But—but he’s just a kid. Maybe 12?”

  “Thirteen. And his friends are 19. He’s bad news, though I didn’t think he was this bad.” Benny’s pager beeped. “Isabel, may I use your phone?”

  “Sure. There’s one in the kitchen.” She stood, moving out of his way. “Lia, remember when Cal said someone wanted to discredit you? What would that have to do with kids stealing drugs?”

  Lia shrugged. “It doesn’t make any sense. I can’t figure it out. I’m just trying to remember why it was I wanted to move to a small town and open my own business.”

  “You will get through this, Lia. And then you’ll remember.”

  Benny returned. “Ladies, that was the hospital. Cal just woke up.”

  Cal fought back the grogginess with every ounce of strength he could muster. He was convinced that lead weights sat on his eyelids.

  Tammy’s tears weren’t helping. “Oh, Calhoun Huntington, what am I going to do with you?” She clung to his shoulder, the only spot on his body that didn’t seem to be hooked up to something.

  Monitors beeped. Wires and tubes hung all over the place. Every breath he took felt like a knife piercing into his ribs.

  There had been a knife. That much he remembered. And smoke. And crawling up the steps.

  Benny Richards walked in. “Hey, welcome back.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Tammy, we need to talk business before he goes nighty-night again. Mind stepping out?”

  She pouted and then she bent over and kissed his cheek. “Ooh. When are you going to shave that thing off? I’ll be right outside the door. With that nice policeman. He doesn’t have a beard.”

  Benny shut the door behind her. “Feel like talking? I’m only supposed to stay for three minutes.”

  “Is Lia all right?”

  “Sure.”

  “Did she get hurt in the fire?”

  “Not a scratch—Man, didn’t you hear?”

  “Hear what? I just woke up, and Tammy’s been bawling the whole time. She did tell me today is Thursday.”

  “She didn’t give you the scoop, huh?” He shook his head slightly. “Cal, Lia saved your life.”

  “What?”

  “Yep. She woke up and smelled the smoke. Found you, rolled you right out into the alley before the firemen got there. Good thing, too. That back room was in flames when they arrived.”

  Cal closed his eyes. Lia saved my life? Pulled me outside?

  “Don’t go to sleep! I’ve got two minutes left. Tell me what happened before you got hit on the head. We found the door in the basement. I take it that’s what you were checking out. Does it lead into the video store basement?”

  “Yeah. I went through it.”

  “Huntington! What a bonehead thing to do! You almost got yourself killed.”

  He didn’t have the energy to defend himself. “I stepped just inside. Didn’t hear a thing. Noticed a movement when something hit me on the back of the head. I vaguely remember a knife being shoved into my side. I do remember waking up and smelling smoke. I could see the steps. Last I remember was hauling myself up them…” Praying for Lia.

  “That’s attempted murder. Who do you figure?”

  “It’s Conway’s property. He’s always hated me but I didn’t think enough to kill me.”

  “I don’t know. If he knew he was looking at a stiff sentence for
stealing drugs, he might choose getting rid of you over prison.”

  “But I still didn’t have proof he was in on the drug thing.”

  “He wouldn’t necessarily know that. Could be his kid and friends. Some of them aren’t from Valley Oaks. Maybe it’s them and not Mitch. You look like you’re fading. I suppose you left some of your blood beyond that door. I think it’s time for a search warrant.”

  Cal gave him a weak thumbs-up. “Go get ’em, pal.”

  Lia hugged Chloe until the little girl protested.

  “Aunt Lia! Where’s Soot?”

  “Sleeping with Nutmeg in the kitchen. Go.” She smiled and then fell into her mother’s embrace. It was the most comfortable place she’d been since falling asleep on her couch as Cal whistled his way downstairs.

  Lia almost gave way to tears again. She was so grateful to be alive…so grateful for her parents’ love…so grateful for Chloe. But she held back, afraid that if she started crying once again, she would never stop this time.

  “My daughter, the heroine.”

  “Oh, Mom.”

  “Why don’t you go see him? Chloe and I will unpack and fix dinner.” They were moving into Isabel’s house. Her father hadn’t been able to come, but her mother was staying until Monday.

  “There’s just too much to do with the store. And he’s still in intensive care. Visitors are restricted.” Only fiancées are allowed to visit.

  “But he’ll want to thank you.”

  “That can wait. I need to get back over to the new store. It’s really a makeshift affair, but I think it can work for a short while. Mom, you won’t believe how people are helping.”

  “Lia, they like you here. Don’t give up too soon.”

  She had told her mother over the phone that she had decided to sell the business. “We’ll see. Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

  “Isabel said to make myself at home, so I plan to do just that. We’ve brought food. Chloe and I have shopped. You both have new clothes. We’ll get organized.”

  Lia smiled. “Thank you, Mom. Chloe’s going to use the spare bedroom. It’s small, with a single bed. You and I are out here on the hide-a-bed.”

  “Suits me just fine. Your friend Isabel is a gem to welcome us this way.”

  “She is that. God is good.” Lia said the words because she accepted them as fact, but it felt as if her rock-solid faith had liquified. Why had God opened her heart only to break it?

  Isabel perused the mail at the radio station, waiting to identify the station and give a weather update at 5:00. That week had been a topsy-turvy chain of events.

  Exhaustion had set in after she brought Lia home from the hospital. Between Saturday’s short night and Sunday night’s vigil for Cal, she had been running on empty. Not to mention Tony’s abrupt, angry departure sandwiched in between…

  She ached for him, berated herself for letting him down. She prayed nonstop, almost mantra-style, “Lord, heal Cal. Lord, heal Tony’s soul.” Lord, heal Cal. Lord, heal Tony’s soul.

  She exchanged her early morning shift with another announcer and slept away much of Tuesday, as did Lia. She was an easy house guest. They both recognized their nerves were worn raw. They were content to snack instead of cook real food and to sleep rather than chitchat. The air was heavy with Tammy’s announcement.

  It was Thursday already. Susie Neuman had arrived with Chloe that afternoon. Isabel already knew Chloe and Lia were delightful. After meeting Susie, she concluded delightful was a family trait. Isabel had a distinct impression that they would be fed well, the house would be cleaned, the laundry would be folded and put away.

  And…Cal had woken up. Thank You, Lord. Heal him completely. And heal Tony’s soul. Too many emotions swirled through her.

  A letter caught Isabel’s eye. It was some sort of a general announcement about a new Spanish-speaking station soon going on the air in the Chicago area. They needed announcers.

  Isabel dropped the paper as if it burned her fingers…as if it were a burning bush.

  It happened that instantaneously. She knew her life would never be the same again.

  Thirty-Six

  Cal stared out the window and thought about how grateful he was. He was alive. He didn’t feel as bad as he did yesterday. He was out of ICU and sitting up in a bed near a window. Benny had found traces of his blood in the basement of the video store. Mitch was under arrest. His finger-prints had been found on both handles of the basement door as well as the latch of the half door in the pharmacy.

  He thanked God for all these things, and then he faced what he could no longer ignore. He had to break things off with Tammy. Poor girl was here all the time.

  And Lia wasn’t.

  He tried not to dwell on that fact, but it bothered him. He couldn’t help wondering why she didn’t come. Of course she would be busy recovering herself, not to mention regrouping business-wise. Tammy said that Dot was working today, Saturday. They were opening next door to Aaron Thompson’s office.

  Then, too, Lia was independent…impressively independent. Nothing like Tammy…

  Also, visitors had been restricted in ICU. Even Brady, who should have been nearer a family member than Tammy, was only allowed five minutes, just long enough to let him know he talked often with Cal’s mother. Her health wasn’t the best, and it was difficult for her to leave home in Florida. Cal had talked with her himself yesterday, assuring her that she needn’t come.

  Tammy had been granted special privileges because for some reason they believed she was his fiancée. One of the nurses had referred to her that way when they moved him this morning. Now that he thought about it, she did act more possessive than ever, as if they were engaged.

  Well, he’d had enough. Why should he be chasing a passing fancy rather than the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with? That lesson had hit home about the time he passed out on Lia’s basement steps.

  A knock woke Cal from one of his perpetual naps. “Come in.”

  It was Brady. “Hey, bud. I hardly recognize you without all the tubes. And sitting up even.” He walked over to the bed and grasped his hand. “Man, I’m glad to see you’re coming back. You sure put us all through one rough week.”

  Cal grinned. “You think you’ve had it rough?”

  Brady laughed.

  “Combining over?”

  “It’s raining.”

  He glanced out the window. The sky had grown dark and a steady rain beat against the window. “Hmm. Guess I missed that development this afternoon. I sure hope this sleepiness goes away soon. Is it still Saturday?”

  “Last I checked it was.”

  “So what are you doing here? If you’re not in the fields, you should be with Gina. Win back that woman’s trust.”

  Brady’s grin widened. “Already did.”

  Cal held up his palm for Brady to slap. “What’s your secret? More flowers?”

  “No way. Flowers wouldn’t touch this one. God had to intervene. She went to Isabel’s youth group. I don’t know what happened there, but she said it helped her understand more about trusting God instead of people. And then after this incident with you.” He shook his head. “I don’t know. It really scared all of us, but she said it also woke her up. She took time off from work for a week just to ride around in the combine with me.”

  Cal let out a mellow whoop.

  “We’re going out for a special dinner tonight. I’m going to propose to her all over again, this time in private, on my knees.”

  “Congratulations, Brade.”

  “Thanks. You’re still planning on being my best man?”

  “It’d be an honor. Just give me a few days to get back on my feet.”

  Brady smiled. “Just a few days, huh? So where’s your sidekick? Tammy has been here every time I’ve come by.”

  “Well.” Cal took a deep breath. “Got a little catching up to do with you. This morning I broke off whatever it was she thought we had going between us.”

  “What?”
<
br />   “You know I wasn’t in love with her. We had some good times together. But after I met Lia, I knew the difference between a good time and sharing a life. I haven’t stopped thinking about Lia for weeks now— What’s wrong?”

  “Cal! You’re not this callused, I know. I mean, I don’t hold it against you. We all make mistakes, but you made a commitment to Tammy.”

  “I did not. The nurses seem to think we’re engaged, but that’s hogwash.”

  “You can’t turn your back on her now!”

  “Brady, what is it I’m missing here?”

  He groaned. “Oh, man, she didn’t tell you.”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Cal, Tammy’s pregnant.”

  Thirty-Seven

  Lia sat beside Chloe on the bed in Isabel’s spare room, snuggling. It was Tuesday night, just over a week since they had been alone, but it felt like months.

  Her mother and Isabel were gone: her mother back home after nourishing them for five days with her marvelous cooking and infectious laugh; Isabel to Chicago for a job interview. The healing had begun.

  She opened the pharmacy on Saturday. It was a drugstore in the strictest sense. There were only drugs available. Smoke and water from the sprinklers had ruined everything. The Christmas inventory stacked in the back room had been destroyed by the fire.

  Insurance money would carry her for a while, hopefully long enough to sell the business and at least break even. After closing Saturday afternoon, she let Dot go. She couldn’t afford her financially. That morning she realized that neither could she afford her emotionally. The woman informed her that Tammy had suffered a miscarriage, but Cal was sure to stay loyal.

  Lia hugged Chloe tightly, shutting out those details. “So tell me. How was the visit with your dad?”

  “He was nice.”

  Well, that wasn’t much information. “Did you meet his family?”

  “No. Just the two of us went to dinner and the zoo. He said his other kids were busy, but maybe next time they could meet me.”