“How long have you been working with the kids?”
“Hmm. Overall, close to ten years now, I think. I’ve been working there full-time for about two years.”
“How did you get started?”
“There’s a competition every year with the different community centers in Chicago and the surrounding areas. Kind of like a smaller version of an Olympics of some sort. The kids compete in games, obstacle courses, sporting events, that sort of thing. The company I worked for is a sponsor, and a lot of us volunteered at the event keeping score, handing out water and snacks. The first year I did it, I loved it so much, seeing the kids laugh, compete, show sportsmanship, that I didn’t want to get involved just once a year. I wanted to do it all the time.”
“That’s very admirable of you.”
“I don’t think so. I love seeing the kids and doing things with them that they might not otherwise get to do. They think of me as a big sister, someone they can be themselves with, someone they can talk to. I’d love to start a program that the kids can go to every day that will help keep them off the streets and give them the confidence and ability to strive for something better. I want them to learn life skills, like how to write a résumé and interview for jobs. I want them to have tutoring available, not just for studying, but also help with filling out college applications. I was fortunate to have two parents who work in the education system and were home at night to eat as a family and they could help me with my homework. They went to my basketball games and track meets, and kept me too busy to get into any kind of trouble.”
Abby joined Syd in laughing, and Syd knew she had been grinning from ear-to-ear talking about the kids. She loved them and appreciated them, and she would do anything to keep them safe and help them succeed.
“But the kids I work with don’t have the same luxury I did. A lot of them are being raised in single-parent homes, some of the parents have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, and they aren’t home a lot. Most of them do what they can to take care of their children, but kids need supervision, someone to be in charge, to make rules and stick to them. Otherwise, they flounder. They’re not old enough to know better, even though a few would argue they know enough,” Syd said wryly. “I just want to help them be responsible, productive members in our society. I want them to know that I care what happens to them.”
Syd looked up from the half-full wine glass she’d been staring into to the see the tears in Abby’s eyes threatening to spill. “What’s wrong?”
Abby wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “Absolutely nothing. I just really admire your dedication, and I wish I could do something similar, but there really isn’t anything like that here. I volunteer at the animal shelter in town twice a month, but I’d like to do more. I want to make a difference.”
“What do you do at the animal shelter?”
Abby waved her hand as if she was dismissing her duties. “Whatever needs to be done. Cleaning out the kennels, taking the dogs out to play, that sort of thing.” Abby didn’t mention that she anonymously donated a lot of money to the shelter because it wasn’t something she did so she could be recognized, and nobody except her gran and her attorney knew about Abby’s trust fund, and that she was worth millions. The money didn’t mean anything to her, and she’d gladly give it away to have her parents back. But since that wasn’t an option, she put the money to good use. The royalties she received from writing novels provided enough money to live on, especially since she paid off her gran’s farm and they were mortgage-free.
Syd reached out and held Abby’s hand. “I’m sure you make a huge difference to the dogs, having someone take them out to play.”
Abby squeezed Syd’s hand and nodded. She wanted the attention off her because she wanted to know more about Syd’s work with the kids. “Do you think you’ll ever start that program?”
Syd looked down to her lap, and Abby could see her face color. “Actually, I applied for a grant and I’m waiting to see if I get it. I have the money to put a down payment on a small building that I can use for my center. I invested well when I was working in banking and I was able to cash in on enough money to get started. I just hope I can get the grant so I can keep the place running once it opens.
Abby would love to be involved in helping Syd get her project off the ground, but she’d have to wait and see if Syd got her grant. And should Abby tell Syd, or just donate money anonymously like she did to the shelter? “Well, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.” Abby looked at her watch and couldn’t believe how late it was. Did they really talk for two hours? “I better get going. It’s getting late.”
Syd stood and grabbed her keys off the table. “I’ll drive you home.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can just walk.”
“Abby, it’s dark and I’d worry about you getting home safely.”
Abby agreed and slid into the passenger side of Syd’s BMW. She felt like she’d been enveloped in a hug. The leather seats were soft and supple, and Abby fell in love with the car immediately. All too quickly, they had arrived to Abby’s and she was surprised when Syd turned off the car and exited. She suppressed her grin when she watched Syd make her way to the passenger side and open the door for Abby, and she walked her to the front door.
“I had a great time with you this evening, and I really appreciate your help.”
Abby looked into Syd’s eyes, and she felt a shift internally. Something had happened. Maybe the emotions of the day had caught up to her, and Abby felt herself being pulled closer to Syd. She slowly took a step, then another until she was mere inches away from Syd. Just a little farther and Abby’s mouth could be on Syd’s, exploring, tasting, soaring high. The night was silent except for the faint sound of crickets chirping in the distance. The air felt thick and hot between them. Syd closed the distance, and at the last second, she placed a gentle, sweet, chivalrous kiss on Abby’s cheek. Abby stood frozen in time, eyes closed, and Syd’s scent wafting through her nose. Syd’s warm cheek pressed against hers, and Abby never wanted this moment to end. She despised the internal tug-of-war that was going on. One part of her wanted to step back and reiterate that she and Syd could only be friends. The other part wanted to pull Syd against her so there was no space between them and kiss her breathless. She wanted Syd to take her back to Virginia’s—Syd’s—and make love to her all night long. God, she finally met a woman she was attracted to and felt a connection with, a woman she’d come to admire, and she lived six hours away.
Syd cupped Abby’s cheek and sighed. “Sweet dreams, Abby.”
Abby watched Syd turn and walk back to her car. She wanted to yell at Syd to wait. She wanted to run to her, jump in the car, and go with Syd. But all she could do was watch the taillights fade in the distance.
Chapter Nine
Syd was sitting at the kitchen table sipping her coffee and picking at a leftover muffin contemplating what project she was going to tackle next. With the sewing room empty and the garage cleaned out, she was ready to move to the next room. Thanks to Abby and her hard work, Syd felt she was ahead of schedule. She still had the two living rooms and Virginia’s room to go through, but she was relieved to be done with the garage. They managed to fill up about two-thirds of the dumpster, but she didn’t want to call the company to come get it before it was as full as she could get it. She was guessing by the time she had the house cleaned out, it would be ready for pickup.
Syd looked out the sliding glass door to the pond. There was a little breeze that rippled the water. The sun was still low in the sky, and the last of the orange and pink dawn was dissipating. She thought back to last night of Abby standing on her porch in the moonlight, looking almost angelic. Syd’s desire to take Abby in her arms, taste Abby’s lips on hers, was overwhelming, but Abby’s words took root in Syd’s brain. Abby had no wish to fool around with someone who wasn’t going to be staying. Syd understood, but she’d be lying if she didn’t say she was disappointed. Abby was so different from the other wo
men Syd slept with. They were typically professional women who wore makeup, dressed in business suits or dresses, and drove expensive, fancy cars. They were also women that Syd connected with only superficially. Abby was a far cry from those other women. She had a natural beauty with sun-kissed skin and a sparkle in her eyes, a face that would look good with light makeup, but probably looked better without it. She was adorably goofy, down-to-earth, not afraid to work hard or get dirty, and she had a huge heart. If circumstances and geography were different, Abby would be the type of woman Syd would date, seriously date, to see if it would lead to something more.
She was certain Vanessa would like her and approve of her. Her parents would too. But would Abby leave her grandmother? Her farm? Syd shook her head and chuckled. Wasn’t she getting a smidge ahead of herself? Wondering if Abby would like living in Chicago? Syd watched the sun climb higher in the sky as she took a sip of her coffee. She thought more of Abby in Chicago, and the hours Syd worked. It wasn’t like she would have a lot of time to spend with Abby because she would be busy getting the after-school program off the ground. And how would Abby make a living in Chicago? It wasn’t exactly cheap to live there. What did Abby do for money anyway? Did she even have a job? Syd didn’t think so since she’d spent all day helping Syd for the last four days. She realized that she really didn’t know much about her, but she wanted to know everything.
Syd checked her watch and was surprised how late it was getting. She’d risen before the sun and fed the chickens as the sky was just turning light before showering and having breakfast. Abby hadn’t mentioned anything about coming over to help today, and the last thing Syd wanted to do was assume that Abby would always be available to help her sort through Virginia’s things. The text notification made Syd pull her phone out of her pocket and smile when she saw Abby’s name.
I’m volunteering at the shelter today so I can’t come over. Sorry I forgot to tell you last night. Talk soon.
Hmm. There was something strange about that text. Something…short. Unlike Abby. Syd hoped Abby was all right. She typed back her reply.
No worries. Have fun with the animals.
Syd sent the text then thought of something else.
I’d like to have you and your grandmother over for dinner tomorrow night. Please let me know if you’re available.
Abby texted back that she would get back to her and let her know about dinner. Syd decided to take the day off from cleaning out the house since some everyday chores were in order. She would make a trip into town for more groceries, and she needed to wash her clothes. It wouldn’t hurt to vacuum and dust the house either. Suddenly, Syd was feeling very domesticated. She was actually looking forward to her chores and errands today.
She took her time driving to town and paid attention to the landscape she didn’t notice when she arrived less than a week ago. This really was a picturesque part of the country—mostly flat land with an occasional rolling hill. Green fields of grass and tall stalks of corn occupied some of the land. Farmhouses, barns, and silos were the primary buildings on the properties. Syd had the windows down and felt the warm spring breeze brush across her face. She inhaled deeply and tried to identify the scents—cut grass, hay, earth. Something about the combination of smells, or maybe the deep breaths, was relaxing to Syd.
She decided to park near the courthouse so she would have the opportunity to inspect the historic building more closely. After circling the building, she took a seat on one of the few benches that were shaded by a large white oak tree and protected her from the high-noon sun. There was a smattering of acorns on the ground and a few squirrels that displayed no fear of humans and were too busy collecting the acorns to be bothered.
Syd rose and started walking down the nearest street that seemed to head into town. Gone were the men and women dressed sharply at the courthouse, replaced by more casual dressers. Every person she passed said hello or wished her a nice day. So different from walking the streets in downtown Chicago. She came across an old-fashioned soda shop and diner. Curiosity—and hunger—lured her in the diner. She nearly laughed when she spotted the soda jerk behind the counter dressed all in white with a black belt, black bow tie, and a white paper hat. With every passing day, Syd was becoming more charmed with the town and its residents. He smiled at her as she sat on a stool at the counter.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. What can I get you today?”
Syd quickly perused the menu and asked for a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and an Oreo cookie shake. She usually ate healthier meals, but being in a place like that, she needed to experience the food culture. She looked around and noticed old license plates from different states, framed posters of old Coca-Cola ads, tin signs advertising fifteen-cent hot dogs and five-cent Moon Pies. She saw a vintage jukebox against the wall near the entrance to the bathrooms, and when she listened closely, she could hear an old Elvis tune coming from the speaker. It wasn’t so loud that you couldn’t have a conversation, but it provided a nice background noise.
Syd was quite sure her eyes bugged out when the soda jerk placed her lunch in front of her. The burger was stacked high with lettuce, tomato, and onion, and she could see the steam rising from the piping hot fries. The shake was poured into an old-fashioned malt glass with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry on top. The remainder of the shake was in a frosted stainless steel malt cup. She had no idea if she could open her mouth wide enough to take a bite of her burger, but she was certainly going to try. She reached for the red ketchup bottle and squirted some on the bun and next to her fries. She picked up the burger and noted the guy behind the counter watching her, and she smiled at him right before she took a bite. He nodded as if he approved of the bite size, and he resumed wiping down the counter. It took Syd a while to finish her burger, having to stop occasionally to give her jaw a rest from chewing. She used that down time to wash the food down with her shake. By the time her plate was clean and her cup empty, Syd wondered how she was going to finish running her errands when all she wanted to do was go back to the farm and take a nap. She settled her bill, said good-bye to the guy behind the counter, and hoped a stroll through town would help settle her food.
Syd spent the next two hours in and out of shops, looking at anything and everything from books, to candles, to clothing, to candy. There was something to be said about the smaller mom-and-pop shops. The employees and managers were very attentive, asking where she was from, giving her a little history of the town and their store. It was evident to Syd that the town folk were proud of where they lived and the work they did. She was thoroughly enjoying her time in town, but she really did miss Chicago. She missed her parents and Vanessa. But what she really missed, and what she couldn’t wait to get back to, were the kids she worked with. She’d been gone less than a week and she already missed them. The only thing that had made this trip worth it was meeting Abby and Bernice.
She thought about them as she drove to the store. She wanted to make them a special dinner to thank them for the help and kindness they’d shown her. What to make? Syd knew they ate meat since Bernice made pot roast the other night. Maybe something Italian? If she were home, she’d have the necessary equipment to make homemade pasta noodles, and she refused to buy store-bought. Besides, spaghetti was kind of boring, she thought as she mentally went through the Italian dishes she knew. She decided on an Italian meatloaf, salad, and garlic bread. As she stood in line, Syd noticed how full her cart was and thought she might have bought too much food. Well, she’d just have to ask Abby if she was interested in eating more meals with her. Syd smiled at the thought of them sitting at the table, eating dinner, drinking wine, and getting to know each other better.
Syd put away the groceries, started a load of laundry, and began cleaning the house. She took her time dusting the shelves and picture frames in the living room, and she studied each photo closely, trying to commit them to memory. The pictures of her grandparents and mama seemed like it was a happy time for Harold, Virginia, and Jillian Adams.
Syd couldn’t remember ever seeing a picture of her mama when she was young, but looking at those photos, Syd realized how striking she was, even at a young age. Virginia was also very attractive, and Syd now knew where her mama got her delicate bone structure. Their eyes and nose were similarly shaped, and they both had high cheekbones and lighter colored hair. Harold, on the other hand, was a large man, towering over Virginia by a good foot or so, and solidly built. Yes, they were a good-looking family in the earlier photos.
The later photos, though, told a different story. Pictures of Harold and Virginia when they looked to be in their late fifties or early sixties. Harold looked indifferent, yet almost angry. Virginia looked lost, maybe sad. There was a vacant look in her eyes, and anyone looking at those pictures could see the distance between them, physically and emotionally. The earlier pictures showed them with their arms around each other, Virginia snuggling into Harold’s side. But the later ones showed them standing apart. Syd felt like Virginia couldn’t get far enough away from Harold. Obviously, the latter pictures were taken after Syd’s parents were together. Could that be the reason? Was Virginia regretful that they expelled Syd’s mama from their family? What was Virginia’s role in that whole debacle?
Housecleaning forgotten, Syd put down the rag and opened the cabinet doors under the bookshelves. One cabinet held dishes, but at a closer look, Syd realized it was china. She pulled out a white dinner plate that had a gold rim. Simple yet elegant. She put the plate back and opened the middle door. There she found a wooden box that held silverware and crystal water and wine glasses. For a woman who lived on a farm, Virginia had some pretty pricey place settings, and Syd realized her misconception. Just because someone lived on a farm didn’t mean they didn’t have good taste in the finer things. The final cabinet revealed photo albums, and Syd pulled one out. She sat on the floor in front of the cabinet turning page after page of photos of her mama and grandparents. Her mama’s childhood was chronicled from the time she was born to when she was starting college. The transformation of a young, blond-haired, hazel-eyed child dressed in frilly dresses to an awkward teenager in jeans and flannel shirts working on the farm or fishing with her father at their pond. Prom pictures of her mama wearing a fancy dress, makeup, and hair styled for the times. Syd relished seeing her mama in the different stages of her childhood. She had already decided she was going to bring these home.
A Call Away Page 8