by Krista Davis
“No problem. I understand completely.” What kind of person would hand over a child to a bunch of strangers? “Aside from the fact that you have a job to do, everyone would have required a special liability waiver. I can’t imagine what she was thinking. She should know better than that.”
The hotel liaison groaned. “She’s thinking she doesn’t want to be saddled with that little boy.”
The shock I felt must have shown on my face.
“The night before last I was up with him half the night.” The liaison looked around and lowered her voice. “Her sweet boy woke up and realized his mommy wasn’t in the room. He was scared out of his poor little mind and wandered downstairs to the lobby all by himself. They woke me because she was registered for the conference. I called and called her cell phone number but she never once picked up. A few hours later Elise waltzed back in and acted surprised that he was afraid because his mommy was gone.”
The bus driver shook his head. “That mama is asking for trouble. Imagine all the things that could have happened. Some people don’t have the sense God gave a donkey.”
The liaison whispered, “She’s paid more attention to that good-looking Alex German than she has to her little boy. If she wanted to cat around, why didn’t she leave that child at home?”
I was of the same opinion. Somehow, it didn’t seem right to divulge her intention to leave her son with Alex for the school year. I was sad for her child. He must be a real problem to make her want to pawn him off on other people.
Forcing a smile, I said, “I hope everything else is on track here?”
At that moment, a large crowd emerged from the hotel to board the bus. The liaison took off, but I stayed until the bus was in gear and I could hear the tour guide welcoming her passengers.
I strolled to meet Wanda, enjoying the glorious fall morning. The dreadful summer humidity had disappeared, leaving a fresh briskness in the air. Bernie stepped out of a drugstore only feet away from me. I called his name.
Clutching a white bag, he kissed my cheek. “How’s my favorite neighbor?”
“I’m fine, thanks.” I pointed to the bag. “I hope you’re okay?”
“This is for Mars. He’s got a queasy tummy this morning.”
“No!” Not Mars! “Has he seen a doctor?”
“Sophie, it’s just an upset stomach. I bought him some over-the-counter meds.”
“He has to see a doctor. What if he has botulism poisoning, too?”
“Sophie, he’ll be fine. It’s nothing.”
“Bernard Frei, you take Mars to the doctor this minute. Do you understand me? I saw the misery Robert went through. He probably thought it was nothing, as well. You can’t take chances with this.”
“All right, Mother,” he said sarcastically. “I’ll make sure he sees a doctor. But I’m telling you that it’s nothing.”
“Fine, let’s hear that from the doctor.”
Bernie grinned at me and took off in the direction of his house. I watched him go, thinking that I would call in an hour or so to be sure Mars actually went to a doctor.
At ten o’clock, I met Wanda at the grocery store. Dressed in a beige lace skirt, cowboy boots, and a denim shirt, Wanda already had several items in a cart when I spotted her.
I bought two lattes and grabbed my own shopping cart.
“Sophie!” called Wanda. “There you are. Are you familiar with this store? I’m lookin’ for white sage. Fresh white sage.”
I handed her a latte. “They have a nice selection of herbs—”
“Now, not the kind in jars. It has to be fresh.”
“Then I think it might be with the vegetables. What are you cooking? One of Natasha’s favorites?”
I selected some cucumbers, a bag of lemons, and my favorite spelt sandwich bread as well.
Wanda plucked a bunch of sage out of the display. “It’s not white!” She heaved a great sigh. “I’m not cookin’, I’m burnin’ it.”
I stared at her in confusion.
“To cleanse Natasha’s house. I just hope green will work.”
“There are a lot of cleaning products—”
“Bless you, darlin’. I’m not cleaning the house. Heaven knows Natasha doesn’t let a speck of dust settle anywhere. I’m cleansing away any negative energy left by Robert and the person who attacked her.”
If anyone had negative energy, it was Natasha. “Why do you think Robert left energy in her house?”
The corners of her mouth turned down. “Do you think he could be the one who whopped her over the head?”
“Robert? Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know.” She rubbed her hands and folded her fingers as though she was praying. “But there’s somethin’ not right about the way he died. Who ever heard of a person dyin’ of botulism? I mean, it’s not like he was cannin’ anything. Not a man like Robert. I have a mighty bad feelin’ about the whole thing.” She paused and sucked in her upper lip. Whispering, she added, “I just have this terrible feeling that my Natasha is involved somehow.”
I supposed it was nice that they were worried about each other. I glanced around to make sure no one could overhear. How could I phrase this so she wouldn’t feel like I was accusing her of anything? In a low voice, I said, “Wanda, I know you didn’t bring all of your elixirs. Did you give Robert any . . . herbs when he wasn’t feeling well?”
“I had dandelion with me. I told him it eases the stomach.”
Oh no! It was a good thing that Natasha was collecting the bottles. We should know within a few days.
Wanda peered into my cart. “What are you doin’ with all those lemons?”
“We’re having a little tea for Francie at my house this afternoon. Would you like to join us?”
“Now, that’s how you treat somebody from out of town. I always feel like Natasha is hidin’ me.”
We finished shopping and walked home, stopping once on the way for a vase of pink, lavender, and white flowers that would serve as a centerpiece. Francie could take it home to enjoy after the tea. If I didn’t hurry, there would be no tea.
Wanda continued on to Natasha’s house, and I rushed into my kitchen to get to work but paused to make one phone call to check on Mars.
Bernie answered his cell phone. “We’re at the doctor’s office now, Soph. I’ll call you when we’re done.”
I let out a deep breath, glad that Mars was in good hands.
I made the lemon tarts first so they could set. The crust rolled out beautifully and the luscious lemon filling was easy to make. Next I tackled the scones. I was at the point of shaping the dough when the front door knocker sounded, surprising me. I looked out the peephole in the door, but couldn’t see anyone. With great caution, I opened the door and found a little boy, about ten years old, standing there.
“Hi. Is Alex here?”
I looked around. Surely he was accompanied by an adult. “No. I’m sorry, but he’s not.”
“Oh. Okay.” Clearly disappointed, he shuffled his feet as though unsure what to do. He lifted his chin and sniffed. “Are you baking? I smell lemons.”
“Good guess. Are you Kevin by any chance?”
“Yeah. And you’re Sophie.”
I stifled a chuckle. “Why don’t you come inside?”
He didn’t hesitate and immediately fell to his knees so Daisy could waggle and make a fuss over him. “Oh wow. You have a cat, too.”
Mochie sniffed him politely while Kevin stroked his back.
All three of them followed me into the kitchen.
“Are you baking scones?” Kevin acted as though he was perfectly comfortable in a stranger’s house.
“I am! Do you like scones?”
“Not really. They’re always kind of dry. But I like the cream and the jam that comes with them. And I like cutting them. Hey, you have the mix
er that my mom won’t buy. Can I help?”
I stared at the little guy in amazement. With a very round head and straight hair the color of light brown sugar, he looked nothing like his mother. He must favor his father.
“Sure.”
Without being told, he marched to the sink and washed his hands.
I picked up the phone and dialed Alex’s number. “Hi. There’s a cute fellow here looking for you.”
“What are you talking about?” Alex sounded distracted.
“Kevin is here.”
“What?”
That got his attention. “He’s fine. He’s helping me bake.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He hung up.
“I like your fireplace. When I grow up I want a fireplace in my kitchen.”
“Does your mom like to bake?”
“No. All she does is work. Are you a lawyer?”
“No.”
“You’re lucky. It’s very boring. My mom doesn’t like me baking. She says boys don’t bake.”
I was having trouble containing my laughter. Both of his parents were lawyers. “You can tell her that some of the finest chefs in the world are men.”
“Is that true?”
“Absolutely.”
I showed him the scones in progress. “So now we need to—”
“I know what to do.” The island was a little bit tall for him, so he took the scone dough to the kitchen table. “Can I work here?”
“That’s fine.”
He whipped off the tablecloth, folded it neatly, and stashed it on the seat of the banquette. Why on earth would his mother want him to live with Alex? He was a wonder child! I had stupidly assumed that he was a troubled teen.
“Do you think it’s wrong for boys to bake?” he asked.
“Not at all,” I said.
“That’s what I think. But my mom is very stubborn and says I have to be a lawyer.”
“You could do both.”
“I guess so.”
He set to work without instructions and even checked to make sure the oven had been preheated. “Are you in love with Uncle Alex?”
He took me by surprise. I had to be careful. Anything I said would surely be repeated to his mother. “We’re friends.”
“That’s good. I think my mother is in love with him. I wish she would go back to my dad. Do you know my dad?”
“I’ve never met him,” I said.
“He’s great. I like Uncle Alex okay, but I’d rather live with my dad.”
Oh? “Maybe you can someday.”
“Not if my mom has anything to say about it. She thinks my dad is a bad influence on me because his girlfriend is living with him. I already know that. It’s not like I’ll be surprised. And my dad says my mom is a bad influence because she’s nuts.”
“Sounds like quite a problem. How do you know all this?”
“I’m ten—I’m not deaf. They yell a lot.” After a moment of silence, he asked, “What’s an affair?”
Yikes! Alex was going to have his hands full with this little guy. “Well, one meaning is a party, like an event.” Maybe that would satisfy him.
“I don’t think so. Does it mean anything else?”
I chose my words carefully. “Sometimes it’s used when a married person is in love with someone else.”
“That’s it!” He didn’t even sound upset. “My dad said my mom was having an affair, and I know she didn’t have a party. He must have meant she was in love with Uncle Alex.”
So I hadn’t been wrong about Alex and Elise. If that was the case, I was better off without him.
I watched the little guy with all kinds of thoughts running through my mind. “Kevin? How did you know where I live?”
He turned his face up to me, his eyes big. “I followed my mom.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Dear Sophie,
My sister-in-law insists that you have to take the seeds out of the cucumbers for a cucumber sandwich or they’ll get too soggy. I like the part with the seeds. Which is the right way? Tea at a very fancy place in Beckley is riding on this.
—Tea for Two in Cucumber, West Virginia
Dear Tea for Two,
Personally, I like to leave the seeds and the center part intact. Otherwise, the sandwiches can become too dry. The trick to reducing the amount of liquid is to salt them first and let them drain.
—Sophie
Now I was confused. “But your mom isn’t here.”
“Last night. I pretended to sleep and when she left, I followed her.”
“By yourself? Alone? In the dark of night?”
“She was with me, kinda. She just didn’t know it,” Kevin said.
“And she came here?”
“Uh-huh.”
“How did you know I lived here and not someone else?”
“Cause I saw you at your front door.”
“But we’ve never met before.”
“I knew it was you. Uncle Alex has a picture of you on his desk and my mom turns it facedown every time we go into his office.”
I wasn’t sure if I was more shocked by the fact that Elise had spied on me during the night or that Kevin had followed her. They must have been the shadowy figures I thought I saw. Did Elise think Alex was staying with me since he wasn’t with her last night? “Why did you think Alex would be here today?”
“’Cause she said he spends too much time at your house and it would be good for him if I moved in with him.”
My, my. Elise talked quite a bit in front of a certain impressionable young fellow. “Where is your mother?”
He shrugged. “Taking law classes, I guess. She got some lady to stay with me but it was boring so I left to find Alex.” He wandered over to the counter. “What’s that going to be?”
“Petit fours.”
“Oh cool! I’ve never made those. Can I help?”
For the next half hour, Kevin and I iced the little cakes. He flipped out over the sugared violets that we placed on top.
He was licking his fingers when Alex showed up.
Kevin rushed to the kitchen door and opened it. “We’re baking!”
“What happened to Mrs. Murphy? She was supposed to be watching you.”
Kevin shrugged. “She fell asleep, and I was bored.”
While Kevin answered Alex’s questions about how he came to be at my house, I wrapped a package of scones and petit fours for Kevin to take with him.
“Kevin, could you do me a big favor and take Daisy out back for a few minutes? She needs a little exercise.”
“Sure! Come on, Daisy.”
I waited until the door closed.
Alex grinned at me and leaned in for a kiss.
I was blown away. The nerve of him! I placed my palm squarely on his chest and took a step back. “What is going on?”
“Elise is in continuing legal education classes, and I guess his sitter isn’t used to taking care of a lively little boy.”
“Did you know that Elise tried to pawn him off on the tour guide I hired?”
Alex’s head jerked back in surprise. “I’m sure it’s not true. Where did you hear that?”
My tone was droll when I said, “From the tour guide.”
“There must have been some misunderstanding. You know, Elise is very pretty. She’s always complaining that other women don’t like her because of that.”
I snorted. “Oh, Alex! You’ve been suckered by Elise.”
He laughed. “Sophie Winston, I believe you’re jealous.”
Maybe a little bit. But I sure wasn’t going to admit it!
“Don’t you remember how upset you were with me when I complained about Wolf and Mars hanging around here all the time? You said they were friends. This is exactly the same. Elise is an old
friend.”
It wasn’t the same at all. Mars and Wolf weren’t trying to lure me into a relationship. “Apparently your old friend was prowling around outside my house last night.”
“Sophie! Don’t be silly.”
“You can ask Kevin. He followed her. How do you think he found his way here? He didn’t just knock on any old door.”
Alex wasn’t laughing any longer. “I don’t get it. Why would she do that?”
“She also told him that you’re spending too much time with me. Is it getting more clear for you?”
“That doesn’t sound like Elise at all. Listen, she’s having a really rough time with the divorce. Her husband is already shacking up with someone else, and she’s taking it hard. It’s always like that in divorces. The person who leaves has usually been thinking about it for two years, so in this case, her husband was ready to move on. But she got blindsided. You must remember how hard it was for you when Mars went right on with Natasha and you were all alone.”
“In the first place, Mars and I agreed to an amicable divorce.”
“Yeah, right,” Alex said.
“Excuse me. You were not here then. And in the second place, this is not about me. It’s about a crazy woman who wants you!” I pointed at him with my forefinger.
Alex smiled and laughed. “Oh, Sophie. Elise isn’t interested in me. She just needs an old friend to listen to her and care a little bit.”
“Ohh, men are so dense. Trust me on this.”
“That’s really not fair. You don’t even know her.”
“Look, Alex, I don’t know why we’re arguing about Elise. I know that she was with you her first night in town. If you want to date her, that’s okay. I understand. No problem.”
Alex appeared puzzled. “Did Kevin tell you that, too?”
“No. It seems he woke up in the hotel and was afraid, so other people had to take care of him.” I stopped short of saying she was a lousy mother, but that’s what I was thinking.
“No wonder you’re so testy about her.” Alex studied the floor for a moment. “Something must have been lost in translation. Someone must have relayed the situation incorrectly. Elise hasn’t spent any nights with me, and she dotes on Kevin. She would never leave him alone.”