The entire household had gone on high alert with kids combing the neighborhood looking for the little guy. Noah had found him cowering in the hedges along the front walk. It had taken Rebecca, Polly, Hayden, Noah, and Henry to finally get him out. He darted away every time anyone got close to him, terrified at the sounds and smells he was experiencing. But even with that experience, he still hovered around doors in hopes that they might open and he could escape again.
Rebecca kept promising that she would put the cats on leashes and take them outside so they'd learn what smells existed around the house, but it hadn't happened yet. When she put a harness on Wonder, the cat flopped over on her side, refusing to stand up. No matter what she did, Wonder wasn't about to tolerate that insult to her body. After that, Rebecca decided it was too much work.
Once Polly was sure that the foyer was animal-free, she nodded at Henry and he opened the front doors. This was really happening. He went out on the porch and Polly heard her phone ring. She ran across the room and grabbed it up before the call was dropped.
"Hello," she said breathlessly.
"Polly, are you okay?"
She had no idea who she was talking to and glanced at the phone's face. "Hi Judy. Yeah. I was in the foyer. They're delivering our grand piano this morning."
"I'm sorry. I can talk to you later."
Polly chuckled. "No, it's probably better that I'm talking to you. I hate watching them moving heavy things. I always worry. Whether it's the people or the piano, I worry. I know they can handle it, but that doesn't matter. Did you find anything?"
"No, I think we're good here. I called Reuben and told him what was going on. He made me send him video while I walked around inside his shop. Everything was there and it didn't look like anyone tried to break in. The greenhouse was fine, too. I didn't think about the fact that we were sleeping at the back of the property. It's so peaceful back there, but I'll never know what's happening around front unless I'm in the main house."
"We could put a camera out front for you," Polly said.
"You can do that?"
"Let me talk to Jeff." They had cameras at Sycamore House now, and though she'd never been happy with the loss of privacy, she'd been glad more than once that they were there.
"I shouldn't keep you from the excitement," Judy said. "Though I must admit that having it quiet out here again. No construction, no one delivering and setting up furniture, and no one demanding my attention has been nice."
"Guests are going to be a pain in the butt."
"As soon as I said those words, I knew what you'd think. I enjoy people. I really do. In fact, I'm looking forward to this, but I'm just so glad the setup is nearly over."
"Is Loretta coming back for more?"
"I don't think so, but until she delivers the final invoice, I don't feel like we’ll be finished with her."
"She did a lot of work in a short period of time."
"It was pretty intense there for a while." Judy sighed. "Polly, I'm really not complaining, though I know I sound like it. I'm ready to move on and get started with our real lives. It feels like we've been in flux for so long. Loretta was so motivated to impress us, I got tired of having to tell her over and over what a great job she'd done. I was running out of descriptive words. Every single day. I told Reuben last week that he had to wait until she was gone before he showed me something else that he'd created in his workshop. I had no more nice things to say to anyone."
Polly laughed until she snorted. "That's hilarious."
"She's a very nice person. I need to be more gracious," Judy said. "Before I say anything that I'll be ashamed of, I'm going to let you go."
"Thank you, Judy. I'll talk to Jeff about the camera."
"That would be wonderful."
While they'd been talking, Polly had heard noise coming from the foyer. She hadn't been kidding. Having Henry here to manage the men getting that big piano in her house was such a relief. The floors in the foyer were his creation and she always worried about something gouging them, even though she knew better. The night after Len called about delivering the piano, she'd had a nightmare that it had been dropped onto the foyer floor from high above. What it had been doing up there, she had no idea, but when it hit the floor, every piece they'd so painstakingly put back together had splintered out across the room.
She peeked through the door and saw the piano being pushed into the living room. Then it hit her. This was the last piece of the puzzle. No one was ever prying her out of this house. When she was ninety-five years old, if the house was too big for her to manage, she'd make Rebecca live with her and take care of all the people they’d invited to live with them. If Rebecca was too busy flitting around the world, maybe Cassidy would come home from whatever crazy wild life she was living to take care of her poor, elderly parents. Or better yet, maybe a great grandchild would love them so much that ensuring Polly and Henry were content, happy, and safe would be its greatest goal in life.
Polly laughed as she walked down the hallway. She pushed the doors to the foyer shut and walked into the living room.
"Where do you think, Polly?" Len asked.
"That's close enough," she said. The piano sat in the northwest corner of the room. She really needed to give this room some more thought, now that the centerpiece was no longer the fireplace. She'd worried that the piano would suddenly make the living room feel small, but instead, it seemed less empty and much warmer. "What next?"
Len opened the keyboard cover and ran his fingers down the keys. "I'd like to come back next week and tune it again. Let it sit here for a few days and become accustomed to the temperature of the house."
"Great. The kids can play it, though, right?"
"Absolutely. We tuned it at the shop, but it needs more work before it's concert ready."
"Are you concert ready?" She turned to the other two men who worked with Len.
Roy nodded. "I've learned to always be ready to play. Gotta show off my talents when I can."
"Brandon?"
The younger man nodded. "I'm looking forward to it. This is a beautiful instrument."
"And you, Len?" she asked.
"I'll have something. Andy won't let me get out of it."
"She's a smart woman."
"What about you?" Roy Eslick asked Polly. "Are you going to prepare a piece?"
"That's just funny. Did we not pay you enough to keep you from taunting me?"
He chuckled. "I thought I'd check."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Neither Polly nor Henry had told anyone about the piano delivery, so when the kids got home from school, life was as normal for a Friday afternoon as it could be. Even Elijah hadn’t been told when it was showing up.
She wondered who might be the first to notice anything out of place. It was Caleb who asked about the tire marks in the front yard. Even though they'd been careful, you can't drive over a nicely manicured lawn and not leave an impression.
Henry had wanted to be here when the kids got their first look at the piano, but she wasn't sure if that would be possible. However, she planned to stall as long as she could. He promised to be home early so they could eat before Rebecca took off again for the football game. That would make things easier.
After school, they'd come over to Sycamore House. Noah went down to the barn as soon as he changed his clothes, and since it was Friday, Polly let them play instead of do homework. She had games and puzzles in her office. They usually had about an hour in them before meltdowns started from boredom.
Cassidy generally fell asleep, and sometimes even JaRon nodded off on the sofa. Elijah, the boy with the energy of a million pulsars was her worst problem. Since it was Friday, not only were there activities happening around the building, but the kitchen and auditorium were busy with wedding receptions and wedding prep for Saturday. He wasn't allowed free rein.
At four o’clock, Polly sent a text to Henry that she was heading home and packed everyone except Noah into the Suburban.
She managed to brush off Caleb's curiosity about the tire tracks and ordered everyone outside to play. Han and Obiwan were thrilled that their playmates were home and within minutes of Polly pulling into the driveway, her phone buzzed with a text from Andrea asking if Nat, Abby, and Lara could come over. It was polite that Andrea always asked, but she knew that if the kids were outside, her kids were welcome.
Things had gotten much better at the Waters' house once Henry finished the new master bedroom and back deck. The deck had become Kirk Waters' haven. Big mature trees surrounded their yard and gave him the privacy and quiet he needed when the world got to be too much. His kids knew better than to bother him when he closed the doors to the bedroom. With plenty of space for the kids to each have their own room, and the living room opened back up, they all had space to live.
Justin had found a job in a garage in Boone. He’d tried his best to avoid more education and finally Andrea and Kirk let him make his own decision. The first question his new boss had asked was if he considered becoming certified. And just like that, his dream of living on his own, far from his parents’ home, popped into a million pieces. He was still stuck in Bellingwood while he worked and attended classes at the community college.
Andrea had wanted to hug his boss, but the old guy was grizzly and gruff and kind of scared her. Justin insisted the he was good to work for and had to be that way to keep tough mechanics in line. Since Justin had learned to deal with a father who was making his way back to normal after losing his leg in the Middle East, and a family whose world had been turned upside down with so many changes, he could handle a gruff boss.
Cassidy didn't stay outside for long. She never did. While Polly sliced vegetables and shaped hamburgers, she carried silverware and any other item Polly found for her to the dining room.
"Hello!" Rebecca called from the side door. "I'm home."
"In here," Polly said.
Cassidy ran to find her older sister. Just the thought of those words made Polly smile. As convoluted as creating this family had been, they were still a family.
"You're home!" Cassidy cried out. During the week, Rebecca usually came in after Cassidy went to bed. They saw each other in the morning before school, but it wasn't enough.
"Yes, I am. Polly, are we eating early, or should I get something in Boone?"
"Eating early," Polly said. "Just for you."
Rebecca had already gone past her to the back stairs. She stopped. "For me?"
"Yes. Because I love you."
"Do you believe her, Cassidy?" Rebecca asked.
"I love you," the little girl responded.
"Seriously, just for me?"
"Well, and another surprise that Henry and I have for everyone. He should be home soon."
That brought Rebecca back into the kitchen. "What kind of surprise?"
"Wouldn't be much of one if I told you, now, would it?"
"What did she buy?" Rebecca asked Cassidy.
Looking back and forth between the two of them, Cassidy shrugged. "I didn't see anything."
"You're no fun."
"Yes I am."
Rebecca laughed. "Then come upstairs with me. You can help feed the cats while I change my clothes."
"You're leaving again?" Cassidy whined.
"We talked about this." Rebecca took Cassidy's hand. "I have to play in the band tonight."
"But you're never home."
This was the problem with Rebecca's active schedule once school began. She really wasn't home much in the evenings and when the weekend rolled around, she went from work to hanging out with her friends. How did it all get so crazy? Before Polly knew it, Rebecca would be gone for good. Well, at least for college. She wasn't ready.
She watched the two girls walk and chatter as they headed for the steps. In two years, Cassidy would be seven, only two years younger than when Rebecca came into their lives. So much had changed. How could Polly slow time? Tears spurted from her eyes as she wandered over to watch the kids running through the back yard. Two years. Noah would be in eighth grade. Cat and Hayden's little one would be walking and they'd have their own place. Heath would be out of college and likely be looking for a home of his own. This house would be empty without these kids who had shown up and needed a safe place to call home.
Polly gave herself a quick shake and went back into the kitchen to slice potatoes. Homemade French fries would go well with dinner tonight. The kids all loved her parmesan fries. And they were so stinking easy. It's just that it took so many potatoes to feed her family. About the time that she thought less food would be consumed with Heath gone so much, Noah and Elijah picked up the mantle and did their best to eat her out of house and home.
The glass door along the back wall slid open and she opened her mouth to tell whoever had come in that dinner wasn't ready yet, but then she realized it was Henry.
"The grill's warming up," he said. "Rebecca's upstairs?"
Polly nodded. "How was the rest of your day? How was Uncle Dick?"
"Aunt Betty's pissed. Let's hope the police find the thief before she does. I'm afraid she'll take a nipper to their privates."
She burst out laughing. "She's castrated pigs before?"
"Back in the day. Don't ask her; she loves to talk about it."
"Got it." Polly pushed the sheet pan stacked with burgers toward him, then opened the refrigerator and took out another pan stacked with hot dogs and brats.
"Are we cooking for an army?"
"I didn't feed them any snacks this afternoon. Those boys are going to be starving."
"They don't know about the piano?"
"Not yet. Caleb wanted to know why a car drove on our front yard, but I blew him off."
Henry hefted the two pans of meat. "With all this food, we could feed the neighborhood. You should invite the Waters to come over."
She looked up. "Really?"
"Why not? It's a beautiful evening. The kids can play outside. We can drink wine."
"You asked me out on a date this morning and tonight you want to invite friends over. Did someone thump you on your head?"
"Call Andrea. Tell them to bring whatever they're making for dinner over with them. We'll do a smorgasbord."
"Thumped you right on the head," Polly muttered. She swiped Andrea's number open, laid the phone on the counter and finished slicing potatoes.
"Which one of my kids do you want to return?" Andrea said.
"Funny. No, Henry wanted to know if you wanted to come over for dinner. He's grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. I'm making homemade fries and I have a salad. What do you have?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. We can make ice cream, too. I have the ingredients."
"You worked all day and you're this energetic? Do you and Henry do something weird in the bedroom to keep you all energized?"
Polly cackled. "I have you on speakerphone."
"Crap," Andrea said. "You could have told me that sooner. Who did I embarrass?"
"Just you. No one else is in the kitchen."
"You're mean and rotten."
"So, do you want to come over? Say yes. Henry says we'll drink wine."
"We were planning to grill out, too, and I have chicken marinating. I was going to put potatoes in the microwave and whip together a salad."
"Bring your salad fixin's and the chicken. There's always more than enough food over here."
"I'll grab a couple of bags of potato chips."
"No, I'm making fries." Polly walked over to the pantry and took out another five-pound bag of potatoes. Good thing she had a convection oven. "Just get your butts over here."
"Justin is still at work, so it's only Cilla."
"Rebecca will be glad to have a friend. We're going to do the piano presentation tonight, too."
"Oh, that's what was delivered this morning. I couldn't see over the hedge. It's here? Are you thrilled?"
"We haven't told the kids yet. I can't wait to see their faces."
"Let me get Kirk moving and we'l
l be right over. I might send Cilla with the food. Are you sure I can't bring anything else?"
"What'cha got to drink?"
"I can whip up lemonade."
"Bring it."
"Do you need ice?"
Polly opened the freezer and looked. "Sure. Bring whatever you've got."
"We'll be there."
She ended the call and went back to slicing potatoes.
"Hello, Polly?" The door opened as Cilla called out. "Can I come in?"
Polly ran to the mud room and took a pan out of Cilla's hand. She had grocery bags hanging off both arms.
"Mom sent a ton of food. This is so cool. Thanks for inviting us over."
"You bet. Rebecca's upstairs with Cassidy. I thought she was just changing her clothes, but it’s taking forever."
"She’s getting herself all dolled up for Andrew." Cilla rolled her eyes.
"You're kidding, right?"
Cilla laughed. "No, I'm not kidding. These girls have been flirting with him since school started. You know he got really good-looking over the summer, right?"
"I guess." Polly hadn't noticed, but now that she thought about it, he had started to fill out. "And that made Rebecca pay attention?"
"Yaaas, ma'am. She's not going to put up with another little twit stealing her man."
"Whose man," Henry said.
Cilla spun. "Uhh, no man. I mean, nothing." She glanced at Polly. "Upstairs, you say? Fly, feet. Fly." She offloaded the grocery bags onto the counter and rushed past Henry to the back steps.
"Who is she running from?" Henry asked Polly.
"You, ya mean old man."
"What did I do?"
Polly laughed. "I have no idea. Evidently, Andrew has gotten good-looking, girls are flirting with him, and Rebecca is pulling out all the stops to keep his attention."
"Like he'd go anywhere else."
"He did once."
"And paid a huge price. That boy will never let Rebecca go."
"Rebecca has spent too much time stringing him along. If she wants to put in some effort, it's not a bad thing."
Henry lifted his upper lip. "She shouldn't have to work to impress anyone. She's already special."
The Sounds of Home Page 12