When Floyd pulled up in front of Stella’s building to let her out, a well-dressed man, fully as tall as Floyd, was standing at the entrance. When Stella stepped out of the Cherokee, the guy came toward her. Floyd, who was still holding her door, turned to face him. He noted quickly that he had at least twenty pounds on the guy.
Stella, who had been saying goodbye to Penny hadn’t seen him yet. When she did, she had a shocked look on her face. “Mark! What are you doing here?”
Floyd stepped between them when the guy came closer to Stella.
She looked up at Floyd and said, “It’s okay, Floyd, he’s my ex-husband and he’s not dangerous, just a womanizer.”
Floyd looked at the other man while he spoke to Stella. “Do you want me to stick around just in case?”
She shook her head. “No, it’ll be all right. This won’t take very long.”
Floyd stepped out from between them but stayed close by anyway.
“What do you want Mark?”
The guy had dark hair and mustache and was dressed in expensive looking casual slacks and polo shirt. He smiled at Stella and said, “I just wanted to greet my new neighbor, that’s all.”
“What do you mean?”
He chuckled this time. “I just moved into one of the apartments in that building.”
He motioned to the building next to Stella’s.
“But whatever for?”
He laughed this time, but Floyd couldn’t detect anything but humor in it.
“Didn’t they tell you who the new ER doctor was going to be?”
Her face grew pale. “You?”
He was grinning now. “None other.”
She looked over at Floyd and said, “I had a good time today, Floyd. I’ll call you a little later and explain things.”
Then she turned back to her ex-husband and said, “When do you start?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“The same shift as me?” She shook her head vigorously and said, “Right now Mark, I can’t handle any of this, especially you. I’ve had a long day after working late last night.” She tossed her blond curls over her shoulder. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow night.”
She walked past him into the building and shut the door.
Once she was out of sight, Floyd and her ex-husband looked each other up and down.
The other guy said, “I’m telling you right now, I’m here to win her back and I won’t let anyone or anything get in my way.”
Floyd laughed loudly. “Well, Son, the sheriff here just might have something to say about that attitude of yours.”
Mark had a puzzled look on his face. “The sheriff? What would he have to do with it? Who is he anyway?”
“Me!”
With that, the guy grew a little pale, turned around, and walked arrogantly toward the other building.
When Floyd got back behind the wheel, Penny was laughing again. He said, “I sure am glad I give you so much to laugh about.”
He knew she wouldn’t talk about it, so he just drove around to their building in silence.
A short time later, Floyd and Penny were settled in front of the TV with Penny controlling the remote. Floyd wasn’t too sure he could handle the teen sitcom that was on, but he gritted his teeth and determined to endure.
He was glad when the phone rang and he purposely went into the kitchen to answer it for two reasons. One, to get away from the noise for his sanity’s sake and also so he could hear whoever was on the phone.
It was Stella and as soon as they exchanged greetings, she said, “Floyd, I hope you don’t get upset with me, but even though I enjoyed the day with you and Penny, I’ve decided that since Mark has gone to so much trouble for me, I think I’ll give him a chance to prove himself.”
When Floyd didn’t say anything, she said, “I guess I still love the guy.”
Floyd laughed and said, “Stella, I like you a lot, but I don’t think we could really ever be more than friends. I realized that today, when I caught myself wishing I was with someone else.”
She laughed and it made a tiny musical sound on the phone. “I guess in that case, today was good for both of us.” She paused. “Friends?”
“Friends.”
He had just sat back down to the noise of a different show on TV when the phone rang again.
This time, when he answered it, he was surprised to hear Sue Ann’s voice. “Floyd. Mom and I have been talking. We were wondering if maybe what Penny needs right now, more than anything else, is some female companionship.”
Floyd felt himself getting angry that she was sticking her nose into his business. But then he remembered that Stella had said the same thing and he was sure that today’s outing had proven her right. Penny had behaved rather well with Stella along and had even listened to her advice on clothes.
He tempered his voice and said, “What did you have in mind.”
He could hear the sound of Sue Ann letting out her breath in a whoosh. “That’s great, Floyd. How would the two of you like to come over here for supper tomorrow night? It might also give the kids a chance to get to know each other.”
He didn’t have to think about it. He had been afraid to admit that he’d enjoyed being with her the night before. “Sure, what time?”
“How about six?”
With that, he hung up the phone a second time and sat back down in the living room not even aware of the noise coming from the TV.
* * *
Sue Ann was so tired. Her feet and legs were killing her from standing all day. She was also just plain tired of doing other people’s hair. She locked the door, turned the ‘Closed’ sign around, and went to her tiny office in the back.
She sat there for several minutes just staring at the bare wall in front of her. She didn’t want to do this anymore. But what could she do? It was all she’d ever done since she’d married Ray.
Jo! That was it. She always felt better when she could just sit and talk with Jo. Right now, she didn’t really need a solution, she just needed a sympathetic ear to help her climb out of her funk, and Jo was the only one who could do that.
She almost ran out the back door and to her car. She didn’t really remember driving from her shop to the parsonage.
She parked to the side of the garage just in case Gil needed to take his Jeep out and went around to the kitchen door. She tapped on the door once and walked on in. Jo wasn’t in the kitchen so she stepped into the hallway and called out to her.
“I’m upstairs, Sue Ann. I’ll be right down. Have a seat in the kitchen. There’s coffee if you want some.”
Sue Ann went back into the kitchen and after pouring herself a cup of coffee sat down at the table.
As soon as Jo entered the kitchen and took one look at Sue Ann, she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down across from her as if ready for anything that might come.
“Okay. I’m ready.”
Sue Ann smiled in spite of her bad mood. That was the way their friendship was. Jo knew she needed to talk and was instantly ready to listen.
Sue Ann took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“I don’t want to do hair anymore.”
That bomb didn’t achieve anything close to the effect Sue Ann thought it would.
At Sue Ann’s puzzled expression, Jo giggled softly and said, “I’m not surprised. In fact, I’ve seen this coming for over a year. No . . . come to think of it, you haven’t been happy with doing hair ever since you came back to Crowleyville after your divorce.
When Sue Ann only stared at her, Jo continued, “And I don’t really think it’s all due to the shop either. I think it’s everything else piled on top of that.
Sue Ann just sat there for a few minutes trying to think through all that Jo had just said and Jo seemed willing to allow her the time to do just that.
Finally, Sue Ann looked up at Jo and said, “You’re exactly right Jo Jo. I need a break from all of that." Then that puzzled look came back. “What other stuff are you talking about Jo?”<
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Jo laughed and patted Sue Ann’s hands on top of the table. “Sue Ann. Who knows you better than anyone else?”
She didn’t wait for an answer because they both knew that Jo knew her better than even her own mother did. They’d been through so much together. Jo had helped her through her divorce and she’d helped Jo through being attacked then the loss of her parents.
They’d always been there for each other.
“Sue Ann, I can see that you’re not just bored like I’d been thinking. No, I think that you never really did like doing hair. Didn’t you get started doing it when you and Ray got married? Actually, that’s what put him through college wasn’t it?”
Sue Ann’s face had taken on a thoughtful look as Jo talked. Then at the end, she had a determined look on her face.
“You’re right Jo Jo. It’s as plain and simple as that. I don’t like doing hair and I never did. It was just something I could do that brought money into the house when Ray was going to school.”
She placed her elbow on the table and her chin in it. “Now that I remember it all better, Ray was the one who got me into contact with the woman who owned the shop in Springfield. I think she was a friend of the family or something like that.”
She slammed her fist down on the table. “Ray pushed me into it all along. I never wanted to do it. But back then, I’d do anything Ray wanted me to do without even questioning it.”
When Jo stayed silent and even nodded toward her, Sue Ann whooped and said, “Wow! Jo Jo you don’t know how that makes me feel right now. It’s like I haven’t been totally free from Ray even though we’re divorced. I’m finally free from his manipulations. I’m free!”
Jo was laughing so hard now that she had tears in her eyes. Sue Ann started to get mad at her then thought about the ridiculousness of the whole thing and she joined Jo in her laughter.
That was the way Gil found them when he came in from the church. He leaned down and kissed Jo. Then he stepped back, took one quick look at the two of them, and said, “I’ll be in my study, Jo.”
When he left the room, the two women looked at each other and began laughing again.
When they finally stopped, Jo held up her hand and said, “Sue Ann, I have the perfect plan, but we won’t be able to do it right away. It’s going to take a lot of praying. Are you ready to do that?”
Sue Ann frowned at Jo and said, “Exactly what are you cooking up now Jo?”
Jo tried to keep a straight face but failed and burst out laughing again. When she could control her laughter enough to talk, she said, “That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Sue Ann.”
If it had been anybody else, Sue Ann would be getting irritated by now. She was easily able to keep her cool though.
Finally, Jo wiped her hand across her face and said, “Did you know that right downtown just a few doors from you, the coffee shop is for sale?”
Sue Ann’s face was blank for a moment then it lit up. “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking Jo Jo?”
Jo just nodded her head enthusiastically.
Then Sue Ann deflated and said, “It would be great if we could do that together. But I’d have to sell the shop first. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have enough money to go in with you.”
Jo just smiled and said, “That’s where the prayer comes in. We pray for God to make it happen if that’s what His will is.”
They talked a little about how they would run the coffee shop then Sue Ann had to go home for supper.
* * *
Floyd wondered if being a father was going to be this tough all the time. By nine o’clock, he thought he deserved a medal of some kind. He’d sat through six of those Disney sitcoms for kids that were probably great for kids but definitely not for adults, at least not for this adult.
He knew he had to say something soon about bedtime especially since Penny was going to school for the first time tomorrow. But she didn’t look like she was going to stop any time soon.
So he heaved a big sigh and said, “Penny, I think it’s about time we went to bed. I don’t know about you but traipsing around all those stores in the mall sure wore me out. And besides, you have school tomorrow.
She punched the remote thankfully putting an end to the torturous TV shows.
He started to get up out of his chair but when he noticed that Penny was just sitting there staring at him, he eased back into the chair.
He watched her for a moment and realized she wanted to talk, but about what? He didn’t know what to say to get her to talk so he figured he’d be better off if he didn’t say anything at all.
After almost five minutes, Penny broke eye contact with him and looked down at her lap. That was when Floyd noticed that there were tears in her eyes.
He didn’t know what to do now for sure. This was way out of his league. Tears always made him want to head for the hills.
He moved over to the couch and sat beside her. He was afraid to touch her so he just sat there next to her and said, “Penny, would you like to talk about your mother? I hadn’t seen her in over nine years.”
She shook her head and Floyd’s hopes dropped too. Now what?
But she looked up at him and said, “Why did she tell me you were dead? Why didn’t she tell me about you?”
What did he say to that? He was better off before she said anything at all.
“I don’t know Penny. I didn’t think she was that mad at me when she left.”
Neither one said anything for a while. Then Floyd said, “You know, my mother always said that it doesn’t do any good to cry over spilt milk.”
When Penny looked up at him, he was hopeful for there was just a glint of humor in her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well I suppose it means that we can’t cry over what’s already done and gone. We can’t change what’s been done, but we should try to make things better from now on.”
She turned her glance back down at her lap. Another silence but not as long this time.
She looked back over at him and said, that social worker woman said that a test proved that you were my father.”
He waited to see if she was going to say more and when she didn’t, he said, “Yes that’s true.”
“Then you really are my father?”
He nodded and she wiped her eyes with her fingertips. “I miss my mom.”
The tears came in earnest then. Floyd was always at a loss when a woman cried but when it was a little girl and especially his little girl he didn’t have a clue.
Finally, he thought of something. “Penny, I think I still have some pictures of your mother and me. Would you like to see them?”
She turned back toward him swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “You do?”
“Sure, stay right here. I think I know right where they are.”
When he retrieved the box of photos from the shelf in his bedroom closet and returned, Penny was sitting up waiting expectantly for him.
The first photo he handed her was a photo that one of his Army buddies had taken when he and Darcy had gotten married. She took it in her hands and just stared at it for a long time.
When she finally put it down on her lap, she looked at Floyd with wonder on her face. “You really are my father.”
They spent the next half hour looking at all the photos of Floyd and Darcy. Finally, Floyd had to get her to bed. It was almost eleven.
“Penny, do you think you could go to bed now?”
She went into her room and shut the door. But she came back out a few minutes later wearing a pair of new pajamas.
She just stood in the doorway looking at him and Floyd was afraid to say anything. Finally, she said “Good night.”
With that, she ran back into her room leaving the door cracked open a little. He could hear her jump up on the bed.
He wasn’t even sure that she heard him when he said, “Good night Penny.”
Floyd sat there a little while longer just thinking about how his life had changed i
n just a little over twenty-four hours. Somehow, though he knew that it was changing for the better. For one thing, he wasn’t alone anymore.
He was still thinking along those lines when he crawled into bed a short time later. No, he wasn’t alone anymore
And if he was honest with himself, that was what also scared him half out of his wits. He didn’t know how to be a father. He didn’t know anything about little girls. What in the world was he going to do now?
Then he thought about Sue Ann’s invitation to supper tomorrow evening. Was she just doing this for Penny to help her adjust better? Or was there something else going on here that he didn’t know about.
He thought back to a conversation he’d had with his little cousin, Jo last year when she was still running the bar. She’d said that if he and Sue Ann both ever stopped to realize it, that they were in love with each other.
Impossible! That couldn’t be. Every time he was ever around Sue Ann they fought.
But wait a minute. They didn’t fight last night, did they? Not only had they gotten along, he’d actually enjoyed talking with her.
As he drifted off to sleep, his last thought was that he’d have to wait and see what happened tomorrow evening.
Chapter Four
Floyd was going to have trouble getting used to his new strictly day schedule. Not only that, but he was going to be taking most weekends off as well. Welcome to fatherhood. Penny sure was changing his life in so many ways.
But as he thought about it though, most of those changes were good ones. It was a great feeling to have someone at home to be responsible for and just simply be with in the evenings. He’d never had that before. Even if right now it meant enduring all those teen sitcoms on TV.
He was still deep in thought about his daughter when a knock sounded on his open doorway. He looked up and saw his detective lieutenant Rob Salter standing there with what looked like several folders in his hand.
Floyd always got a kick out of standing next to Rob. They were so much different in appearance it was almost funny. Rob was a couple of inches shorter than Floyd but he had blond hair and blue eyes. He didn’t just have blond hair. It was almost white and he’d always been that way.
A Better Solution (Crowley County Series Book 2) Page 5