Wise Woman Homage

by Elaine Gugin Maddex

  “Finally!” Tessy huffed with some frustration. “I didn’t think she was ever going to leave!”

  Marshall laughed.

  Tessy was too excited to eat but Marshall had already dug in.

  “All right, then, here it is. Ye know how Dotty loves to fuss?” Marshall’s mouth was full so he nodded. “Well, I was thinking, what if you kept your house and we turned it into a bed and breakfast? Dotty and Bert could stay and manage it for us. That way Dotty could fuss all she wants and ye know Bert can fix anything. And, that way, they could stay in their home.”

  Marshall stopped eating and gazed at Tessy. He managed to swallow what was in his mouth before his mouth fell open in disbelief. Tessy held her breath.

  He took a sip of his Guinness. “That’s quite a proposal!”

  “Aye, I realize it’s a bit of a wild notion, but it does make sense. Would it be something ye’d at least think about?”

  Marshall thought for a moment then scratched his head. “Well… I suppose it’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard. I never thought about actually keeping the house. We’d have to do some renovations, of course, but this way the kids would still have some place to stay when they come home. And… Dotty and Bert would be able to continue to live there.” Marshall brightened and smiled at his wife, “I like it! I guess all we have to do now is check the legalities and run it by Dotty and Bert.” He picked up his Guinness again and held it high for Tessy to tap with her mug.

  Tessy was thrilled. As she tapped his glass she added, “And, I believe I have the perfect name for our B&B.” She paused then sheepishly grinned, “The Doctor’s Inn!” Marshall roared with laughter at the perfect pun.

  Tessy picked up her fork and enjoyed her meal as they chatted on about all the possibilities of their future endeavour.

  17

  Sage’s Unexpected Encounters

  Sage looked at the clock on her shop wall. 11:47 a.m. Her next appointment wasn’t until 1:30 p.m. “Hmmm… I think I’ll pop over to Sheree’s Café for a bagel. Not much going on here,” she mused aloud. She glanced in the mirror and tamed a loose strand of hair. Sheree’s Sidewalk Café was right across the street and Sage had no willpower when it came to their fresh baked goods.

  She flipped the Open sign to Closed and locked the shop door on her way out. As she turned around, she almost ran right into Mrs. Chamberlain.

  “Oh, Mrs. Chamberlain! I’m so sorry. Excuse me.” Sage gasped.

  “Ms. Haggerty,” Mrs. Chamberlain sneered and glared over her glasses at Sage. Sage gave her a wide berth, let out a sigh, and carried on across the street. She beat the lunch hour rush and was in and out in no time at all. She ran down to the post office to pick up the mail and on her way back she stopped at the pharmacy. The owner, Jim Tucker, and one of his employees, Wendy, were at the front counter.

  “Hey!” Sage greeted them with a big smile.

  “Hi Sage,” they chimed.

  “What can we help you with today?” Jim asked, returning the smile.

  “Oh, nothing in particular. I just have a few minutes before I have to get back to the shop and eat my bagel.”

  “Okay. Just let us know if you change your mind,” Jim offered as he headed to the back of the store.

  Sage wandered until she found herself at the magazine rack. She spotted a thick beautiful bride magazine and picked it up. She thumbed through it and admired the gorgeous dress designs, flower arrangements and wedding décor. She flipped back to the cover and found the price. “Yikes!” she whispered and carefully set it back on the rack. She started to walk away, stopped and went back to the magazine rack. It was just so darn expensive.

  Sage nibbled on her thumbnail, trying to decide if it was worth it. Then she grabbed the magazine and headed straight to the front checkout counter before she could change her mind.

  Wendy smiled as she completed the transaction. “It’s never too early to start planning,” she reassured Sage.

  Sage blushed slightly. “That’s kinda’ what I was thinking,”

  “Do you want a bag?”

  “No, no thank you,” said Sage. She smiled and held the magazine to her chest.

  “Enjoy your planning,” Wendy called out as Sage left the store.

  The rest of her day sailed by with all her appointments showing up pretty much on schedule. She was a little anxious to close the shop and spend some alone time with her new purchase. Tommy was off to somewhere in Manitoba with Mr. Baker to pick up a used swather. Whatever that is, she thought as she flipped the sign on the door to Closed, turned the lock, and went to the back of her shop. Sage was born and raised in the city. She had a lot to learn about rural life, especially since Tommy was specializing in farm mechanics!

  She gathered up all the dirty towels and sheets off her session beds and threw them in the washer before skipping up the stairs to her apartment with the magazine in hand. She tossed it on the coffee table on her way to the bedroom and changed out of her work clothes. It was a warm evening, so a pair of shorts and a tank top was it. She had a small balcony off the living room. Sage popped open the French door and made sure the screen was closed. Phew! That feels better. She sighed as she stood enjoying the slight breeze. She switched on the TV, found her favourite music channel and danced around the kitchen island. Now she had to decide what to have for dinner. The fridge was sadly lacking. She opened the freezer and pulled out a frozen lasagne.

  “I hate to put the oven on but, I’m afraid, this is supper tonight.”

  Sage turned on the oven and popped her dinner in. She looked over at the magazine. Not yet, she said to herself. First, I need a nice glass of wine.

  The evening slipped by with Sage flipping through the magazine as she drank her wine and ate her dinner. She was in a blissful haze of beautiful dresses and wedding enchantment. She had a small notebook beside her and jotted down some of her favourite discoveries in the magazine. By the time she was ready for bed, she still had not heard from Tommy. It was late, so she was sure he would be staying at his bunkhouse at the Baker farm. There was no point in staying up any longer. As she readied herself for bed she hoped for a restful night. For some reason, the last few nights she’d had strange dreams. She couldn’t quite remember them in the morning, but she knew they were of a disturbing nature. Sage wished Tessy was there to talk to. She’d know what to do. Sage thought that maybe after looking at all those amazing wedding designs her dreams tonight would be of gowns, flowers and centerpieces.

  Sage fell into a deep sleep. She dreamed she was wearing one of her favourite gowns from the magazine. They were at the reception and she spotted Tommy talking to a table of guests. He looked so handsome in his tailored tux. Everything was lovely and everyone she loved was there. It was her dream wedding. The décor, the flowers and the ambiance were perfect. She was enjoying every moment. Suddenly, there was a horrid cackling and Sage turned to see a strange woman she had never seen before. She was dressed in black with an odd, oversized necklace dangling from her. She was dark and exuded evil from every pore. She pointed at Sage and laughed wickedly at her. Then the necklace burst into flames. Sage woke with a start and sat straight up in bed. There was a dark figure standing at the foot of her bed. Someone was in the room with her! She let out a scream.

  “Sage! Sage! It’s okay, babe. It’s me, Tommy!” He switched on the light.

  Momentarily blinded and a little disoriented, Sage barked, “Tommy! What the hell are you doing here? You scared the crap out of me!”

  “Oh, Sage. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even mean to wake you let alone scare you half to death. Come here.” He sat on the edge of the bed and gently held her in his arms. “You’re shaking. I am so sorry, sweetheart,” he repeated.

  “I wasn’t expecting you. I had a horrible nightmare. That’s what woke me.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad, honey. Do you want to talk about it?” Tommy sounded truly concerned and held her a bit tighter.

  “No! I don’t even want to think about it let a
lone talk about it! Please, just get into bed and hold me.”

  18

  Honeymoon Continued

  Over in Ireland, Tessy and Marshall had just finished a leisurely breakfast and visited with neighbouring tables filled with equally cheerful tourists. They had seen some horse drawn carts trotting past and learned they were called jaunting cars. Better yet, they were for rent! They decided it would be a marvellous way to see Killarney and the surrounding area. After breakfast, they set straight off to one of the offices to book a tour. Looking at their choices, they picked a tour of Muckross Abbey, Muckross House and the beautiful Torc Waterfall. They had just enough time to get back to the guesthouse, dress for the day and fill-up their backpack before meeting the coach.

  While boarding the jaunting car, with the other eager passengers, they felt like true honeymooners. When they reached the Muckross House and gardens they held hands, laughed, took photos, and relished every magical second. Tessy had fallen in love with the luxurious Muckross weaving done in the area and couldn’t help but purchase one of the lovely scarves from the gift shop. When they were done, they waited outside to catch the next coach and they were off again. This was only a very small portion of the Killarney National Park, but what they saw was lush, bountiful and rich in beautiful culture and history. They trotted along the lake and made their way into the dense forest filled with heavy mosses and every colour of green imaginable. They passed old churches with their ancient gravestones standing guard. All along the way, the Jarvey joked, sang little Irish ditties and shared many an interesting tale of the surrounding district. Tessy could barely contain herself. She sensed faeries and leprechauns everywhere they went, and oh so near. They were behind every tree and under every fern. She leaned in close to Marshall and whispered, “This part of Ireland is famous for the wee folk.”

  She felt their joy and happiness burrowing holes into her very soul. She could not remember a time when she was so filled with bliss.

  When they reached Torc Waterfall they walked up a path to view the falls. They hiked through the forest beside a rushing stream where the rocks along the edges were covered in thick moss and the scents were rich and sweet. As they approached their destination, the thundering of the waterfall became louder. They felt the humidity and vibration of great power pouring over the dense cliff. It was magnificent! Tessy closed her eyes to capture this moment in her heart for the rest of her days. The sound, smell, vibration she felt, right at this moment, with the man she loved and adored…. the man that gave her this gift. Unbeknownst to her, Marshall snapped a picture of her right then and, unbeknownst to him, he had no idea how precious that one photo would become. They took many more pictures that day. There were even some with the two of them together, as nearby tourists were more than happy to snap a few shots for them. It was late afternoon when they finished their jaunty car tour and made it back to the guesthouse.

  “Blessed Be! What a wonderful day. I’m exhausted and starving!” Tessy groaned.

  “Me too! Come on, lazy! Let’s get freshened up and head out for supper.” Marshall teased.

  They ambled down the street hand in hand until they came upon a charming little Italian restaurant. Delicious aromas wafted out into the evening air and beckoned them in. They immediately smiled at one another and nodded. Marshall opened the heavy wooden door and they entered. A beautiful hostess greeted them and ushered them to a quiet corner booth with a checkered tablecloth, lit only with a flickering votive. She lay their menus down, bade them a fine evening and left. Marshall gazed into Tessy eyes, picked up her hand and kissed it. “This seems like the first moment all day that we have actually had to ourselves.”

  “Aye, considering we were plannin’ on an easy day, ‘twas a busy one, to be sure,” Tessy sighed.

  The gentleman server arrived to take their drink orders, their choice being the excellent house red. He returned, announced the evening specials and said he would be back shortly to check on them.

  Marshall held up his wine glass, “To the remainder of our honeymoon.”

  Tessy smiled and raised her glass, “To the remainder of our honeymoon,” she repeated and tapped his glass.

  Those tantalizing aromas that drew them into the restaurant certainly didn’t tell lies. The meal was amazing! Tessy ordered the special, Spaghetti Primavera with Chicken. The young fresh vegetables were firm and sweet coated in just the right amount of garlic. The chicken was tender and juicy. Marshall’s taste leaned a little more to the exotic, Scampi over Linguine topped with a rich wine sauce. The shrimp was gently sautéed in butter and heavy in garlic yet the hint of wine was not overshadowed. Very little was left on either plate when the server came to collect their dishes. With just a dribble of wine remaining in their glasses, Marshall picked his up and held it towards his bride.

  “To fine dining!”

  Tessy chuckled, picked up her glass and tapped his. The manager stopped by their table with another bottle of wine. He bowed, reached for Tessy’s hand and kissed it.

  “Buona sera,” he softly greeted looking deep into her eyes. He was so handsome, with his strong dark features, beautiful eyes and flawless olive coloured skin. Tessy couldn’t help but blush.

  Marshall cleared his throat to break the moment. The manager turned his attention to Marshall, “Good evening. I am Roberto Moretti and this,” he held up his hands, “this is’a my restaurant’a,” he announced with great pride. “I hope you enjoyed your meals?”

  “Very much so,” Tessy beamed.

  “Yes, it was quite good,” Marshall added, not wanting to seem too overzealous even though it was probably the best pasta dinner he had ever eaten.

  “Thatsa’ good. Thatsa’ good. Here let me fill your glasses.” He went ahead and poured, not waiting for a response. “Most of these’a dishes are from my momma’s kitchen back in’a Italy. Ever since I was’a young’a boy I helped in my momma’s restaurant. When I grew old enough she would say to me… Roberto, you’a such’a good’a boy. Go, go find’a your own place in the world. Start up’a your own restaurant’a. So I’a moved here in 1995 and now look!”

  He held up his hands and glanced around. He continued, regaling Tessy with his accomplishments with the restaurant. Marshall did all he could not to roll his eyes! Tessy might be all consumed and impressed with this guy’s heavy accent and stories, but he wasn’t fooling Marshall. He knew a blowhard when he saw one. He just wanted the manager to go away. Marshall eventually got his wish as the manager was called into the kitchen for a minor emergency.

  “Phew! I didn’t think he was ever going to leave!” Marshall groaned.

  Tessy looked at him in surprise. “You didn’t like him? I found him to be quite charming.” She smiled at Marshall, “Extremely handsome, to be sure.”

  “Hey, now!” Marshall sat straight in his chair. “That’s no way for a girl to be talking on her honeymoon.”

  Tessy teasingly laughed, “‘Tis good to know I can get your dander up over another fella’ comin’ round. Aye, but don’t mind, he can’t hold a candle to the fine rogue that ye are.”

  “Humph! That’s better!” Marshall retorted, his wounds slightly healed.

  They lingered and finished their wine. They whispered sweet talk to one another, all the while, with Marshall keeping a sharp eye on the flirtatious manager. They eventually paid their bill, and left a nice gratuity for the staff. Then they stepped out into the night.

  A little walk would do them both good after such a sumptuous meal. Tessy tucked her arm under Marshall’s and they sauntered down the well-lit Killarney neighbourhood. There was less than two weeks of their holiday left and they had much yet to see. They discussed their plans as they strolled.

  “So, I suppose the only place we have to be at any given time is the Ballyseede Castle. After that we can basically go as we please.” Marshall conferred.

  “Aye. Tomorrow we have the Ring of Kerry then off to the Ballyseede Castle at Trallee for the next three days. I suppose we could do th
e Dingle Peninsula tour one day while we are there.”

  “Well, let’s not push ourselves. We can see how we’re feeling once we get to the Castle. We might just want to spoil ourselves and live the life of luxury for three whole days!” Marshall excitedly beamed down at his wife. Tessy laughed and lovingly nudged her husband.

  They made their way back to the guesthouse and up to their room. While Marshall readied for bed Tessy wrote of their magical day. When she finished, she closed her eyes, laid her hand on the journal and said a prayer of gratitude. She looked over at Marshall lying in bed smiling at her. She dimmed the lights, stepped out of her clothes and snuggled in to her husband’s eager arms. As their honeymoon continued Marshall grinned, knowing it was his embrace Tessy was enjoying and not that Italian Casanova!

  19

  Tours and Tales of a Haunted Fortress

  Tessy had only been asleep for about an hour when the dream started. She was at another wedding. However, this wedding was in Ladyslipper and so many of her cherished friends and neighbours were there, Penny, Jim, Danny and Betty Baker, Roger and his wife Connie and many, many more. Sarah and Cherokee were bridesmaids. The maid-of-honour was a girl she should have recognized, but couldn’t put her finger on. The bride and groom were standing with their backs to the congregation so she couldn’t tell who they were at first. Then her heart filled with joy. It was Sage and Tommy! And there was Sage’s mother, Rosemary. And yes, of course, the other bridesmaid was Sage’s sister, Saffron. Oh, what a blessed day! The joyous celebration remained for a time before the dream switched over to a hospital corridor. Tessy’s heart sank. So far, hospitals had never proven anything positive in her life. There was a partially open door just steps away. She motioned towards it then hesitated. As she was about to push open the door, she woke up. Tessy grabbed her journal and wrote. This dream should have been a delightful one to record, but the hospital scene concerned her. She refused to allow the negative feelings in and when she finished journaling she went right back to sleep.