A Call Away

by KC Richardson

  A clearing of a throat made Syd turn around to find an older gentleman with thick, silver hair looking at her. He was an imposing man, tall, and looked to be in good shape considering he was probably close to retirement age. He had a grandfatherly look to him that made Syd trust him immediately.

  “Good afternoon, young lady. May I help you?”

  “Yes, sir. My name is Sydney Carter.”

  “Ah, yes, Virginia’s granddaughter. So very nice to meet you.” He walked over to shake Syd’s hand. “I’m William Kramer.”

  “Nice to meet you as well, Mr. Kramer.”

  “Why don’t you come back to my office and we’ll discuss your grandmother’s last wishes.”

  Syd followed him down the hall that was lined with wood paneling on the walls and dark green carpeting. It was definitely 1970s décor. They entered a room spacious enough to hold a larger version of the oak desk she saw in the waiting room, a black leather couch, and two more wingback chairs in front of his desk. He held his hand out, indicating the chair Syd should sit in. He sat behind his desk and opened a manila folder.

  “So, as I told you over the phone, your grandmother left you her property, which includes everything on it and in the house. She didn’t have much money, but she left that to her neighbor and the neighbor’s granddaughter who helped Virginia with her farm.”

  Farm? Syd didn’t know anything about farms. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

  As if he was reading Syd’s mind, he said, “It’s up to you if you want to sell it, rent it out, or keep it for yourself.” He removed his wire-framed glasses and smiled at Syd. “If you want to sell it or rent it out, I can give you some referrals for real estate agents. I just need you to sign these papers, and I’ll give you the keys.”

  Syd felt oddly detached, a little numb, as she read through the will of a woman she knew practically nothing about. But that was why she was here, right? To try to learn more about the woman who was her maternal grandmother. She signed the papers and slid them back across the desk to Mr. Kramer, and he handed her a key ring with three keys on it.

  “What do these other two unlock?”

  “My guess is one goes to the barn and the other to the back door. Her neighbor, Bernice Price, has another set to the house. I called her this morning to let her know you were arriving this afternoon so she could plug in the refrigerator and other appliances for you. I would advise you to do some grocery shopping while you’re here in town today. Her farm is about a forty-minute drive from here, and there’s not much in the way of a grocer close to her place.”

  “Okay. Anything else I need to know?”

  “No, I think that’s it.” He handed her his business card and shook her hand. “Call me if you have any questions.”

  Syd turned around to leave then turned back to Mr. Kramer. “I do have one question. Where’s the store?”

  Mr. Kramer let out a hearty laugh that made Syd smile. “Just turn right at the corner and go up four blocks. You won’t miss it.”

  Syd placed the copy of the will and keys in her backpack and walked back to retrieve her car from the courthouse. She followed Mr. Kramer’s directions and easily found the grocery/farm supply store. It was like a farmer’s version of Walmart. Foodstuffs on one side, farm stuffs on the other. Syd decided to wander the farm side first. They had everything from tools to feed to clothing to machines. It was a farmer’s dream come true. She looked at the brown sandals on her feet and decided she should buy a pair of work boots, two pairs of work pants, and some T-shirts to add to the clothes she’d packed. She also added three sleeveless button-down shirts. She wasn’t sure how much work needed to be done to get the house ready for sale or what the farm consisted of, but she figured this would get her by. She took her cart to the food section and bought enough food to last her at least a week. She would just have to return later if she needed more.

  Syd loaded her purchases into the backseat, punched in the address to her grandmother’s farm into her GPS, and drove away, leaving civilization as she knew it behind. With every mile she drove, the less she saw until there were just long two-lane roads with a house here and there, and an occasional horse or cow. Again, she asked herself what in the hell had she gotten herself into. It seemed like she drove for hours until the voice on her GPS told her the destination was one hundred feet ahead on her right. She slowed and signaled even though she hadn’t seen another car for ten minutes.

  Syd drove up a long paved drive that was lined with mature trees that looked like some sort of oak, until she came around the bend and stopped the car. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was expecting when Mr. Kramer told her she was the new owner of a farm, but this certainly exceeded her expectations. The two-story house that sat in front of her was gorgeous. A large expanse of green, luscious grass lay in front of the house and was divided by a brick walkway. Her childhood memory of this house was nothing like what was in front of her. She got out of her car, leaving her suitcase and food, bringing only her backpack.

  The smell of freshly cut grass and warm dirt assaulted her senses. These were foreign to Syd, as she had grown up in a concrete jungle. And it was so quiet, also something she was unfamiliar with. She retrieved the keys to the house and approached the front door. She slid the key into the lock and was almost surprised it actually turned. She entered and was flooded with a rush of emotions. She could almost envision herself as a little girl, excited to visit Grandmom and Granddad. Even though this was the first time stepping into this house, there was almost a familiarity to it.

  Syd flashed back to her four-year-old self hiding behind her mama and being frightened of the scary old man. She felt a shudder flash through her, however she was able to quickly shake it off.

  Syd stepped farther into the house that was flanked by two living rooms. She kept moving toward the back of the house, past the staircase and into the kitchen that looked like it had been updated recently. She ran her fingers along the granite-topped island as she made her way into the family room where she set down her backpack. She looked out the French doors to the backyard that seemed to go on for miles. What surprised her the most was a large pond with a small dock. If circumstances had been different between her mother and grandparents, she would have loved coming here to visit them as a child. Syd unlocked the doors and stepped outside onto a wood deck that had two Adirondack chairs and two chaise lounges, as well as a small square table with four chairs.

  Syd looked to the left to see a barn the color of burnt red with white trim. The tall double doors were open. She didn’t know if she was being robbed or had been robbed, and her heart hammered in her chest as she got closer to the barn. Not that she would know if she had been robbed. She didn’t know what was supposed to be in there. She cautiously turned to step inside the dark building when she heard the rustle of boots shifting through hay and she ran into another person. There were screams, she was sure they were hers, and she started to swing her arms, making contact with the intruder.

  “Ouch!”

  The woman’s voice made Syd stop swinging.

  “Who the hell are you?”

  “I’m Abigail. Who the hell are you?”

  “I’m Syd. I’m the owner of this barn.”

  “Syd? Virginia’s granddaughter?”

  Syd looked at Abigail skeptically. “I know your name, but I still don’t know who you are or what you’re doing here.”

  They stepped outside into the daylight, and Syd got a better picture of Abigail. She was a few inches taller than her five foot six frame, and she was solidly built from what Syd could tell when she punched her in the arm. She couldn’t really tell what the rest of her body looked like since she was wearing a baggy T-shirt and even baggier overalls. Her golden blond hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and sunglasses sat atop her head. Her skin was bronzed, evidence of many hours spent outdoors, and it made her ice-blue eyes stand out against her sun-kissed skin. Her high cheekbones, slight cleft in her chin, and oval-shaped face
gave her a unique but attractive look. Syd felt the immediate flutter of attraction deep in her belly.

  “I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m your neighbor down the road. I live with my grandmother who was best friends with Virginia. Mr. Kramer called to say you’d be coming into town today and asked me to get the house ready. I figured since I was here, I’d do the chores and feed the chickens.”

  “You did the chores? And wait. There are chickens?”

  Abigail laughed and Syd noticed that her front teeth were adorably crooked and she had deep dimples in her cheeks.

  “Yep. And a horse, but I moved her down to our barn so she wouldn’t be so lonely.”

  “There’s a horse?”

  “Of course,” Abigail said, which sent her in a fit of laughter.

  Syd looked around the property and smelled the freshly cut grass and the smell of hay coming from the barn. She definitely was in a different world than the one she was used to.

  “Come with me to the chicken coop. I was just about to feed them before you started beating on me.”

  Abigail’s smile indicated she was teasing, and Syd was relieved that she was being so nice and helpful. She picked up a faded yellow plastic bucket and Syd followed her behind the barn to a small coop.

  “I’m really sorry about Virginia,” Abigail said. “She was a nice woman and was like a second grandmother to me.”

  “Thank you.” Syd didn’t know what to say without delving into her personal family business. “I didn’t know her, but I’m hoping to learn more about her while I’m here.”

  Abigail didn’t respond and continued as if she didn’t hear what Syd had said. “As she got older and her body started slowing down, I came over to do her chores in the yard and help take care of the animals.”

  Syd looked sideways to Abigail. “How many animals are there, Abigail?”

  That made Abigail laugh again, and Syd was finding she was really enjoying the melodious sound.

  “Call me Abby. And to answer your question, only the chickens and the horse. Your grandfather used to stock the pond with fish, but when he died about fifteen years ago, Virginia stopped having it stocked. She wasn’t interested in fishing. She said it was too still and boring. The fish take care of themselves, and whatever else is in there. You don’t need to worry about that.”

  Syd heard the chickens clucking as they got closer to the coop that was made of weathered wood and chicken wire. The area where the chickens could mill around was quite large but enclosed to keep them safe from predators. They arrived to the coop and Abby started spreading the seed. There were five chickens, and Abby was talking to them like they were children, telling them to be nice and share their food.

  “Have you fed chickens before, Syd?”

  Syd shook her head in disbelief and barked out a harsh sound. “Uh, no. No, I’ve never fed chickens. I’ve never even seen a live chicken before that I can remember.”

  “Well, tomorrow will be your first lesson.”

  Syd wasn’t sure what she thought of having to learn how to feed chickens, but the idea of seeing Abby again tomorrow appealed to her.

  “Oh, shit. I forgot I have groceries in the car.”

  “Come on. Let me take this feed to the barn and lock up, then I’ll help you bring everything in. After we get the food put away, I’ll give you a tour of the house. Oh, and my grandmother sent some beef stew with me that I put in the fridge so you’d have some food to eat tonight.”

  Syd was surprised how thoughtful Abby and her grandmother were being to a perfect stranger. “Thank you, Abby. And please thank your grandmother for me.”

  When they arrived to Syd’s car, Abby whistled and slowly circled it. “This is a nice ride.”

  For the first time since splurging on her car, Syd felt a little embarrassed and self-conscious. She had made a lot of money as an investment banker, but she was never one to exploit that. Besides her condo, her car was her greatest luxury. She had worn nice clothes to work, but other than that, her life hadn’t been that extravagant.

  Maybe it was the banker in her that made her invest a lot of her money into savings and retirement accounts rather than spend it on frivolous things. She grabbed the suitcase out of her trunk and the bags with her new clothes while Abby grabbed the groceries. Syd left her clothes at the foot of the stairs and followed Abby into the kitchen.

  She didn’t get a good look at it as she was passing through the house initially, but she loved what she saw. This was a cook’s dream kitchen with a five-burner gas stove and double convection ovens in stainless steel, tons of counter space, and cherry wood cabinets. The rack hanging from the ceiling held various pots and pans that were easily accessible. She couldn’t wait to use it tomorrow. Syd loved to cook but only had time for elaborate meals on the weekends. She would make simple meals during the week that she could take the leftovers for lunch the following day. She had already decided she was going to return the favor and have Abby and her grandmother over for a nice dinner.

  “This is a great kitchen,” Syd said as she opened the cupboards and found white plates with floral print around the rim and matching bowls. “Did my grandmother like to cook?”

  “Oh, she loved it. She and my grandmother would trade off on cooking meals. The three of us would have dinner together almost every night and Sunday breakfasts.” Abby closed the refrigerator door and frowned. “We both really miss Virginia, but my gran is having a very hard time dealing with this.”

  “I didn’t think to ask her attorney, but how did she die?”

  Abby placed her right hand over her own heart. “The coroner said it was probably a heart attack. Gran came over last Monday night to check on her and found Virginia in her recliner. At first, she thought Virginia was sleeping. She skipped dinner that night with us, saying she wasn’t feeling well. When Gran tried to shake her awake, Virginia slumped over.”

  Abby’s eyes filled with tears, and Syd moved to hug her but stopped herself. She didn’t know this woman, so why did she have an overwhelming need to comfort her? Instead, she placed her hand on Abby’s arm in an act of comfort.

  Abby looked away and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

  “Do what? Cry over the loss of a woman you described as your second grandmother?” Syd was normally a private woman when it came to personal things, especially with someone she didn’t know, so it shocked her when she asked Abby to stay for dinner. “I’d like to ask you some questions about her if that would be all right.”

  “I’d like that. Let me call my gran. We’ll eat and I’ll give you a tour of the house.”

  Chapter Four

  Abby dialed her home number and waited for the line to be picked up. “Hey, Gran. Are you doing okay?”

  “Yes, dear. Where are you?”

  “I’m down at Virginia’s place. Her granddaughter, Syd, arrived and we’ve been talking. She asked me to stay for dinner, and she wants to ask some questions about her grandmother. I won’t be home until later.”

  “Okay, dear. You be careful.”

  “Love you, Gran.”

  Abby hung up and returned to the kitchen to find Syd stirring the stew and humming. She had her back to Abby, so she used that opportunity to take a nice long look at Virginia’s granddaughter. Sydney was a very attractive woman with light brown skin. When they were outside earlier, Abby noticed Syd’s heavy-lidded bedroom eyes that were the color of warm milk chocolate. She had high cheekbones, hollow cheeks, and a soft jawline. Her hair was straightened, parted just left of center, and neatly combed. It fell just to her shoulders and was the color of brown sugar. She was lean but looked athletic, and she was possibly the most beautifully exotic looking woman she’d ever seen.

  “Do you do that often?” Abby asked.

  She laughed when Syd jumped and nearly dropped the wooden spoon.

  “Jesus, you scared me. Do what often?”

  “Sorry. Hum while you cook.”

  “Yes. Cooking relaxes me, an
d when I’m relaxed, I hum. Why do you ask?”

  “Virginia would do the same thing.”

  A look passed on Syd’s face, and Abby couldn’t tell what it was. She watched as Syd dished the stew into the bowls and admired how comfortable Syd looked in the kitchen.

  “Food’s ready. Let’s have a seat. Would you like some wine?”

  “Yes, that would be nice.”

  Abby took the food to the table while Syd poured the wine. They ate silently for a few minutes after Syd raved how delicious the stew was. Abby would look up every once in a while, to glance at Syd and was struck by how attractive she was. Her skin was flawless, her pink lips were full and lush, and her eyes had a shape to them as if she were constantly questioning something in disbelief. Or maybe it was the arch of her eyebrows. Her observations were interrupted by Syd clearing her throat.

  “Can I ask you some questions about my grandmother now?”

  “Of course. What would you like to know?”

  “Did she ever tell you why we never came around?”

  Abby looked down at her hands. “Yes and no. She never told me directly, but I overheard her telling my grandmother one day.”

  Abby had entered the kitchen to grab some water after working in the barn. She heard crying coming from the next room and feared something had happened to her grandmother. She and Virginia were sitting on the couch with their backs to Abby, and her grandmother had her arm around Virginia’s shoulders, comforting her. Abby turned to leave so they could have some privacy but stopped when Virginia said, “Why won’t she even open my letters? I’m trying to apologize to her, Bernice. I want my daughter back and I want to get to know my granddaughter.”

  When Virginia began to cry harder, Abby quietly slipped out the back door. She sat on the porch and pondered the little information she had heard. Virginia had a daughter. And a granddaughter. Abby wondered where they were and why they never visited. When she asked her grandmother about them later that night, she told Abby that was a private conversation and it wasn’t any of her business. Abby got the message loud and clear and never asked again. But that didn’t stop her from wondering.