The Sounds of Home

by Greenwood Muir, Diane

  "For?"

  "We need a bigger building."

  She laughed. "Great. Let's just tear this one down and start over."

  Jeff slid the folder across to her and flipped it open. "We need to finish the basement. I've talked to Eliseo about moving storage out of the addition on the other side of the auditorium. We could turn that into another hall. The rooms on your side here are large enough that instead of two rooms upstairs, we could renovate them into three, maybe even four offices. Edna and I would move over here and leave Stephanie and Kristen where they are. Stephanie needs access to all of Sycamore House, so hiding her out here doesn’t make sense.

  "The present classrooms need to be upgraded. After we consult with Henry, I'd like to consider moving walls to create one more room in there. Rachel needs more space for the kitchen, so we're talking about cutting into the stage area. Knock that to the floor. I know we store tables and chairs underneath the stage, but otherwise, it’s never used. If we have an event that needs a stage, we rent risers. Then, the garage …"

  "Whoa, you're killing me," Polly said. "What's happening to my Sycamore House?"

  "It got busy. We'll need to store everything that's under the stage and whatever is in the present storage area that's used for weddings, etc., in the garage. We need to talk about that apartment, too."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Once Doug moves out, are you planning to rent it again?"

  "I … I … I don't know." Polly stammered. "I hadn't thought about it. He's not ready to move yet and I won't push him out."

  "That's fine, but we need to think about how we'll use that space once he's gone. Real estate here in your kingdom is becoming scarce."

  "But the rental income …"

  "Isn't nearly what I could earn on that if we opened it up for parties and receptions."

  "This is a lot to take in."

  Jeff grinned. "It won’t happen all at once. I just threw the bulk of my ideas at you so that you could begin processing. Once you look through what I've sketched out, you'll come up with different ideas. Some will be better than mine. We can't afford to remain static. We haven't said no to any events yet, but we aren't far from having to turn people away. I don't want to lose the momentum we're building."

  "This is a lot."

  "You said that."

  "Yeah. Because it's a lot."

  He jumped up. "Gotta go. I won't be back until after lunch. Don't panic. Nothing is set in stone. I just know that you need all the information before you can make good decisions. This is everything that I know right now."

  "Right now?"

  "Who knows what tomorrow will bring."

  CHAPTER THREE

  Riffling through the sketches Jeff left with her, Polly tried to sort out her feelings regarding the radical changes he recommended at Sycamore House. Then she realized that she was being stubborn. After years of fussing about Bellingwood residents being resistant to change, Jeff had just challenged her to face her own fears and presuppositions. Sycamore House wasn't her home any longer. It hadn't been her home for two years. If she'd been living on-site, watching its growth, many of these changes would have already happened.

  He was caught in this maelstrom because of her previous lack of availability. She'd always been the one who pushed forward when it came to change. It was time for her to leap back on board and lead the charge.

  Henry had given her access to his CAD software years ago and it was one of her favorite things to play with. Because he'd done the work on Sycamore House in the beginning, detailed sketches were already available. All she had to do was bring up his original designs and make changes. She needed him to show her which walls could be moved, but that was a few minutes spent with him in front of the computer. Sycamore House was still her baby and she wasn't about to give up its heart and soul to someone else, even if that someone else was Jeff Lindsay.

  "Polly?"

  She jumped at Kristen's voice coming through the intercom.

  "Yeah?"

  "I have Simon Gardner on line two. Are you available?"

  "Yes. Thank you."

  Her phone rang and she pressed the button. "Simon, how are you?"

  "Polly Giller, I've missed seeing you in town. Rumor is, you're back to work at Sycamore House."

  "I am and it's fun."

  "Does this mean you are no longer free to come and go as you please?"

  She laughed out loud. "As you well know, what fun is it to own a business if you don't have a little freedom. What's up?"

  "I feel a little odd asking this of you, but do you remember several years ago when you invited me to peruse your attic?"

  "Of course."

  "Now, I assume that you haven't dug into those rooms yet. If you had, you certainly would have contacted me to help sell some of the pieces that are up there, right?"

  Polly madly tried to picture the conglomeration of things hiding in her attic. She hadn't been up there since the day she’d asked Simon to go through it. That had been a very long time ago. Henry was more aware of what was stored up there than she was. It was one of those spaces she'd done her best to ignore, knowing that once she dug in, it was going to take forever to clear it out.

  "I haven't done a thing. Why do you ask?"

  "If I recall, and I believe I do, there are three mahogany and leather dining room chairs from the 1940s up there. I have a customer who is looking for those exact pieces. If you'd let me, I would act as your consignor."

  She shrugged. "Of course. I can ask Henry to bring them to you. That's easy."

  "The next request I have for you isn't quite so easy. I'd like to take another look at the items stored in the attic. With you, this time. If there are things you’d like to keep, I'll forget I ever saw them, but otherwise, your attic is filled with antiques that would bring a pretty penny. I don't want to push you, but when my client contacted me and I remembered other pieces I'd seen, I might have gotten a little excited. These days a man can't have too much excitement in his life."

  "Aren't you dating Lillybeth Anderson's mother? That should bring plenty of excitement."

  "She is a dear woman," Simon said.

  Polly chuckled. "You're telling me there isn't much excitement there."

  "Wha … what? No, I didn't say that. You're putting words in my mouth." He stumbled through the words. "I’ve greatly enjoyed spending time with Elaine. We appreciate many of the same things and it is pleasant to have a companion who will attend special events with me."

  "You know I like to tease you, Simon. I shouldn't have said anything. When would you like to visit my attic? Anything you sell for me will be one less thing I need to find a home for. You and I both know I wouldn't be able to throw it away."

  "The curse of one who finds value in everything you see. Whether animate or inanimate, my eyes have a direct connection to my heart. I can find loveliness in all that I perceive."

  "You are such a romantic, Simon. Is this something you would like to do immediately?"

  "As soon as you are available."

  Polly swallowed. If he only understood how badly she didn't want to spend time in that attic. She was having so much fun here at Sycamore House, the idea of being stuck at home again was not appealing.

  "I apologize," Simon said. "I presumed too much."

  "No, that isn't it. I'm being selfish. Avoiding that attic has become second nature to me and now you're asking me to …" Polly paused. "Did Henry put you up to this?"

  "Oh, my dear young friend. I would never be swayed by one such as him."

  "That's not an answer," she said, laughing out loud. "That brat. I'd forgotten that he told me he was going to do something unexpected to get me up there. That was a couple of months ago. I can't believe he caught you up in his plot. Did he offer to pay for brawny young men to move things, too?"

  "You have me at a disadvantage. You know your husband better than I."

  "Yes, I do," Polly shook her head as she clicked over to her calendar tab. She had n
othing going on today. "Are you free today?"

  "I'm available right now."

  "If I find out that Henry Sturtz is standing beside you as we speak, both of you are going to be in dreadful straits."

  "He is no longer here," Simon said with a hint of humor in his voice.

  "I understand. Would you like me to pick you up?" She glanced at the clock in the lower right of her computer screen. It was nearly lunchtime. She'd spent more time going over Jeff's sketches than she realized. "I'd love to take you to lunch at Sweet Beans first."

  "Anything to avoid confronting that rummage?"

  "That's a word I haven't heard in years. But yes, I’ll do nearly anything. Let me close things down and tell Kristen where I'm going."

  "I'll walk over to the coffee shop and meet you there."

  "See you in a bit." Polly replaced the telephone receiver and sat back. Those sneaky, sneaky men. It wasn't as if they knew they'd get away with it, but Henry was smart enough to know he'd never get her to move on the attic. The only person in town who could get away with that was Simon Gardner.

  She shot a quick email to her kids' teachers asking them to let the kids know to go home rather than come to Sycamore House. What a wonder it was that she could do that. Bellingwood was such a small town. The teachers all lived in town and she knew them well enough. She wouldn't want to raise her family anywhere else.

  "Kristen?" she said as she pressed the intercom button.

  "Yes, Polly."

  "If you don't have anything for me, I'm taking Simon Gardner to my house."

  "The nice old man at the antique shop?"

  "That's him. I doubt that I’ll be back this afternoon. If you need me, I'll have my cell phone with me, though."

  "Have a good day, Polly. Thank you."

  Polly gathered Jeff's sketches back into the folder and slid it down into her bag. See, it had become important to carry that around. She shoved it with her foot and grinned at the thought that it was so heavy, it would probably shove back.

  She rushed out to the Suburban. Looking out over her horses in the pasture, Polly took a deep breath. "Slow down, Giller. Enjoy the moment." The donkeys pulled the small cart through the garden as Eliseo filled it with squash and potatoes, zucchini and carrots. He was having the time of his life with the gardens he'd planted. Sometimes she wished she cared as much about working in the dirt as he did, but it would never happen.

  Downtown, she had to park in front of Greene Space, the art studio Reuben Greene had started earlier this year. Rebecca worked throughout the summer for him, loving the opportunity to experience different art forms. Once school started, she didn't have as much free time, but still worked on Thursdays after school and most Saturdays. He’d also hired Mary Francis, the mother of Rebecca's friend, Libby. Mary was still in crisis-mode with her husband doing his best to avoid any consequences while extracting himself from their marriage. She and the kids had moved into a small house not far from where Agnes Hill lived. It wasn't a great neighborhood, and the house wasn't what they were used to, but for now, it would do.

  Libby and Rebecca weren't as close as they had once been, though Polly was just thankful they’d been able to remain friendly. After Libby accused Rebecca of shoplifting at the general store, when in fact, it had been Libby who had stolen the items, things were never going to be the same. Rebecca forgave her friend and refused to talk about it with anyone else, but she didn't trust Libby. Polly could hardly blame her.

  Hiring Mary Francis at Green Space had been Marie Sturtz's idea. She had a heart for broken people. Polly wasn't sure it was such a good idea. Mary had no retail experience and was uncomfortable in sales situations. Reuben hadn't said much, but Judy mentioned to Marie one day that her husband didn't feel comfortable leaving Mary alone in the gallery. He'd been spoiled by Rebecca who soaked up all that he had to tell her. Once she understood procedures and how to talk about the art they displayed, her natural ease with people gave Reuben the freedom to work out at his forge. Marie didn't know what to do. She felt awful that things weren't working out for either Mary Francis or for Reuben Greene.

  Polly was thankful she wasn't involved in the thick of that mess, but she couldn’t guarantee she’d stay out completely.

  She walked past an empty storefront, the thrift store, and the quilt shop before arriving at Sweet Beans. She hadn't sewed at all this summer and had done her best to avoid going into the quilt shop. There were always so many things that she wanted to make, but right now she didn't have any extra time. That was a laugh. There would never be extra time. She just needed to figure out how to better use the minutes and hours she was given.

  Simon Gardner stood up from the table where he'd been waiting and took her arm as they walked toward the front of the coffee shop.

  "I thank you for getting me out of my store. It's been a quiet couple of weeks," he said.

  "Is that seasonal or do I need to introduce you to Nan Stallings?"

  He frowned in confusion. "Do I know her?"

  "Maybe not yet. She came into town last year to work with Alistair Greyson as his administrative assistant. Within a few months of arriving in Bellingwood, however, she managed to start her own business creating marketing campaigns for some of the businesses here. She's been instrumental in helping Mina Dendrade build up the salon."

  "Do you think she could help me?" he asked.

  Polly grinned at him. "Would you like that?"

  "I would like that very much. This old man isn't playing knick-knack paddywack. He's got things that need doing."

  She slipped her arm around his waist and gave him a squeeze. "You are wonderful, Simon Gardner."

  He stepped up to the counter. "Miss Josie, how is your day going?"

  "It started out a little tough, but it's better now," Josie Riddle said. "How about you?"

  "I'm in the presence of two of the most interesting women in Bellingwood. I'd say my day is nearly perfect. What happened to start your day badly?"

  Josie glanced at Polly. "Someone broke into our garage, destroyed the tool chest in the back of Gavin’s truck and stole thousands of dollars of tools. But he's lucky. We're both lucky he works for Henry. Insurance will cover things, they've already put a new door on the garage, and Gavin is at work."

  "See," Simon said, sending a sideways glance to Polly. "Your Henry is a good man."

  "I don't disagree. He's still in trouble."

  "What did Henry do?" Josie asked.

  "He set Simon up to get me into the attic at the Bell House. Just about the time I thought I could get away with never cleaning the clutter that accumulated over decades and decades in that place, Simon calls and wants to see what I have."

  "That long? Really?" Josie asked. "There could be some amazing treasures up there."

  "I know of a few," Simon said. "Those three chairs that I asked about could bring upwards of three hundred dollars apiece and that's even if the leather is shot on them. And it is, I'm sure."

  Polly flattened her lips and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It is going to take so much work to deal with that junk. Not only that, but I have to make decisions about whether to keep it or get rid of it. My poor brain."

  "It's a tough life."

  Polly had heard the bell jangle on the front door, but hadn't turned to see who came in.

  Henry kissed her cheek. "I see you have lunch plans with another man."

  "You!" she said, poking him in the chest. "You are in deep trouble with me."

  His eyes darted back and forth between her and Simon. "How did she know?"

  "I'm onto you and your tricks," Polly said. "Siccing a defenseless man on me to get me into the attic. That's just cruel."

  "You're the one who said it might take an act of God to get you up there. I thought a little game of Simon Says might be easier."

  Simon burst out into laughter. "It's not the first time I've heard that quip, but that’s one of the better ones. Are you joining us for luncheon?"

  "If my wife doesn't ki
ck me out," Henry said. "Polly?"

  "You can join us, but that doesn't mean I'm finished being mad at you."

  After they placed their lunch orders, Henry held Polly's chair at the table for her. She stood beside him, her hand on the back of the chair.

  "What?" he asked.

  "You never do this. Are you trying to impress Simon or get on my good side?"

  "A little of both. Aren't you going to give me a break?"

  "Nope."

  Simon stood back up.

  "Look," Henry said. "You're making him uncomfortable."

  "Actually," Simon said. "I see someone I need to speak with across the room. I'll let you two work this out and will return before our food arrives."

  Polly sat down in the chair Henry was holding and he took the seat beside her. "How much trouble am I really in?"

  "I don't know yet. I certainly didn't expect to get hijacked today. You're lucky I don't have a million things going on." Polly smiled at him. "I wish you’d said something."

  "You would never have let me get away with it." Henry put his hand on hers. "Besides, I talked to Simon about this weeks ago. I had no idea when he would get the courage to ask you."

  "Then that's weird," Polly said. "He’s generally so polite, but he wasn't letting up on me today. I wonder if there’s something other than the three chairs that he wants to get his hands on."

  "You don't think he's trying to steal from us, do you?" Henry was concerned enough that he glanced to where Simon had gone before turning back to her.

  "No, no, no. He has a client who wants three chairs and evidently, they're worth something. He was up front about that. I'd never worry about his honesty. If he needs to spend time with me in our attic, I guess I'll make the time."

  "You understand that all you have to do is shove stuff into piles. The kids and I will make it all go away. I hesitate to dig through it without you. You know better than I do what is worth keeping. And I think you’ll get a kick out of some of it."

  "We'll see. By the way, Jeff stopped in this morning. He wants to make changes to Sycamore House."