by Linda Apple
He chuckled softly. “No’m, she never does. She’s been moving like a house afire since y’all left.”
“Well, I guess we’d best get to it. I need to take the comforter off and gather up the bedding. How about a glass of sweet tea while you wait?”
“I believe I will. Thank ya.”
After I poured Felix’s tea, I hurried to Olivia’s room. Several minutes later I carried the bed clothes to the kitchen. “Okay, finished. The frame is ready to be broken down.” I thought about the small recliner in the corner of the guestroom. Levi might like a comfortable chair. I’d send it and the small table beside it. The lamps, too.
When Felix walked in, I pointed to the chair and table. “Let’s take these, too. Call me when you are ready, and I’ll help you carry them.”
“All right, then.” While he broke down the frame, I put the bedding in the cab of his truck. Then I returned to help him carry the furniture to the flatbed trailer. After it was all loaded I said, “Wait just a sec. Let me shut the front door and ride with you so I can help you unload all of this.”
“Thank ya kindly. Sure appreciate it.”
When I slid on the seat beside him, he coaxed the old truck to start. Gas fumes laced the stale cab air. I always suspected Felix of being a closet smoker. He knew Cladie would have a hissy if she caught him. As nonchalantly as I could, I rolled down the window.
“What do you think about Cladie getting you some help?” I worried that Felix might be offended. After all, he’d worked for the Preston’s for years. I didn’t want him to feel like he was being pushed out.
Never taking his eyes off the road, he said, “Matter of factly, I’m glad. If we do all Miss Avalee is studying on doing, I’d be hard pressed to tackle it all by myself.” He glanced at me. “What’s this Levi fellow like?”
“I guess you know he’s homeless.”
He looked back at the street and upshifted. “Yeah, I heard he was down on his luck.”
“Does that bother you?”
“No. Should it?”
“Not really. But it seems to bother a lot of people.”
“Guess they’d change their minds if hard luck came a-knockin’ on their door.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Felix never ceased to amaze me. Did his quiet wisdom come from years of hardship? I didn’t know much about him, but I knew I wanted to be more like him. “Do you mind Levi living in the shop?”
“Not a’tall. I don’t use that shop much anymore. It’s too small to work on the kinda machinery we use now. The way things are heading, even that big metal building won’t be enough for long.” His big smile showed his gold-capped tooth. “We’re big time now.”
Felix drove to where Washington Avenue dead-ended on Whispering Pines Drive. He downshifted causing the old truck to groan, then turned left and drove a few yards to the shop’s drive. “Here we are. Wait a second and I’ll back ’er up to the door.”
When we came to a stop, Felix got out and let down the truck gate. Cladie ambled out of the shop blushed red as a ripe strawberry and with the ever-present dishtowel thrown over her shoulder.
“Come in and tell me what you think.” She mopped her face.
“Girl, you look like you are about to have a heat stroke.” And I wasn’t kidding.
“I’m fine. But it’s pretty hot in there. I’ll have to put a box fan in the window, or he won’t get a lick of sleep.”
I stepped inside. “It looks great.”
“It cleaned up real nice. I swept the floors and laid out a large area rug I had stored in the attic.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she surveyed the twelve-by-twelve room. “I washed the windows and tacked up these towels over them until I can get real curtains. I think this place looks pretty good.”
“Looks real nice,” I said. “I think he will be happy here.”
Felix walked in with the mattress over his shoulder. “Where do you want this Miss Cladie?”
“Just set it against the wall over there.”
“Wait, Felix. I came to help.” I waved to Cladie. “I’m going to help him unload, and then I’ll make the bed up.”
“Thank you sugar. I’ll head back to the house and get supper on.”
“When I’m done here, I’ll clean up and be right over.”
She nodded and traipsed down the path to the house.
After Felix and I got the furniture moved in, I made up the bed, placed a doily on the nightstand, and set the lamp on it. Then I spread a cloth on the bistro table. Finally, I laid a throw over the recliner and set the other lamp on the little table beside the chair. When I finished, I stepped back and surveyed the room. It looked real homey. I wondered if he was a reader. He might like some books. If so, we could go to the used bookstore downtown.
As an afterthought, I checked the bathroom to see if anything was needed there. It had a tiny sink, a toilet, and a corner shower barely large enough for me. But it beat nothing. Cladie had towels and washcloths already in place. Toilet paper? Check. Soap? Yep. But no shampoo. He’d need toiletries and I had extra.
“Hey, Felix. I’m going to run to the house for a few more things. See you at supper?”
“I’ll be there.” He ran a sleeve over his sweaty brow. “Wanna ride?”
“No, I better walk since I’ll be sitting at Cladie’s table.”
He nodded. “All right, then.”
I wasn’t kidding about needing the exercise. I jogged home and found some toiletries, jogged back to the shop, then back home. By the time I’d finished, I looked like a bowl of ice cream on a Mississippi blacktop. The clock chimed four. Just enough time to hop in the shower, get dressed, and hurry to Cladie’s to help with supper. And, I had a suspicion Cladie would need someone to back her up while explaining Levi to Avalee.
Later on, I found my suspicion proved true. Cladie always kept her kitchen door open while she cooked to let the heat escape. When I walked up to the screen, I heard them discussing Levi. As a warning that I was in hearing range, I called out, “Knock, knock?”
“Come on in, Jema.” Cladie’s voice was tight. A rare thing.
The tension in the kitchen was thick as molasses in winter. Cladie stood at the sink furiously washing dishes, and Avalee sat on the countertop next to her. She had a white knuckled clutch on the edge. The minute I walked in, Avalee said, “Jema, do you honestly think it is a good idea for this homeless guy to move in so close to us?”
Without giving me a chance to answer, she slid to the floor and paced the room. “We know absolutely nothing about this man, and he is moving on our property.”
Cladie slapped the rag on the counter. “Avalee. Preston Gardens isn’t solely your business, yet. I may not be a business woman, as you and your father made perfectly clear, but I am a good...no…I am a great judge of character. There is nothing wrong with that boy. He is more polite than any man in this town, save Felix. The only thing odd about him is his accent. And I for one am not going to hold that against him.” She threw her hands up in the air. “For crying out loud, Avalee, we are not in your highfalutin New York City. Not every homeless man is a criminal. Not in Moonlight and, for that matter, not in New York City, either.”
Avalee laid her hands on her head. “I’m not saying that, Momma.”
I figured it was time for me to jump in to Cladie’s defense. “Your mother trusts him and so do I.” Ava turned to me and for the first time since she’d been home, she looked her age. Stress was the great equalizer I supposed. I put my hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you meet him first before you judge him? After all, don’t we want the same courtesy?”
Avalee sighed. “I suppose so.” She strode out of the kitchen. The china cabinet doors clicked open then clanged shut. She returned carrying three wine glasses. Then she opened the fridge and brought out a bottle of Riesling. “I propose we toast our resident mystery man. May he not kill us in our beds.”
Cladie popped her with a towel. “You’re a mess.”
Ava poured the
wine and handed us a glass. Holding her goblet up, she said, “To…” she looked at me, “What’s his name?”
“Levi Smith.”
“To Levi Smith.”
We clinked glasses.
From the screen door, Levi said, “Well, it isn’t often a man hears himself being toasted.”
We all turned toward him and...Oh. My. Word. Levi could have easily passed for Colin Firth’s brother. His clean-shaven face made him look much younger. Soft curls fell over his forehead hiding his receding hairline.
Avalee stepped back. Cladie put her hand to her throat. We all looked like largemouth bass ready to gulp bait. I found my voice first.
“You look...amazing.”
“Better, eh?”
“Much.” I slugged some wine. Then gestured to Ava. “This is Cladie’s daughter, Avalee.”
He tilted his head and gave a shy grin. “Pleased to meet you.”
Her face flushed. “Nice to meet you...too. Uh, do you, I mean, would you like some wine?” Without giving him time to answer, she whirled and faced me. “Jema, come help me.” Before I could answer, she grabbed my arm and pulled me through the dining room into the living room. When we were out of earshot, she gripped my shoulders and looked me directly in the eyes. “He’s gorgeous.”
“Well,” I drawled. “He’s not bad for a criminal.”
She slapped my arm. “Oh, shush. Now grab a glass for Levi, and let’s help Mom.”
Supper conversation was interesting to say the very least. Cladie did the southern woman thing and asked Levi about his entire history. And I have to admit, Ricki was right. He skillfully dodged all personal questions. But he did it with such finesse that Cladie didn’t seem ruffled by it one little bit.
The conversation soon turned to the business and what he’d be doing for Preston Gardens. I was glad to see how well Felix and Levi had hit it off. While they talked, a warm feeling stole over me. For once, something worked out for someone in Levi’s situation. And if it did for him, surely it could for others.
After supper Levi approached me. “May I walk you home?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
We said our goodnights to everyone and left. All evening I hadn’t been able to get a word in edgewise, and I wanted more time with him. When we reached my door I asked, “Before you leave, would you like some coffee? Wine?
“Wine sounds nice.” He looked around. “The evening is fine. Would be a shame to waste it. How about us sitting out here?”
“You might think different when the mosquitoes suck all your blood out.”
He chuckled. “They’ve been my roommates for quite a while.”
“Oh.” How dumb of me. “Well, then, I’ll be right back. Red or white?”
“Red.”
Moments later I returned with our glasses and a citronella candle. Mosquitoes had not been my roommates, and I wasn’t about to be their evening snack.
“Here you are.” I handed him a glass and settled on the step next to him. “So, what do you think of Cladie?”
“She’s a fine lady. I like her feistiness.”
“I hope you don’t mind all the personal questions she asked. I’m not sure where you are from, but that’s just a southern woman’s way.”
“I didn’t mind.” He took a sip of wine and remained silent. Darn it.
Not being one to give up easily, I continued probing.
“Okay, then, being a southern woman myself, I want to know. Why are you so vague about yourself?”
He swirled the cabernet. “I don’t mean to be vague. But I have honest reasons.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, those reasons feel a little scary. Are you in trouble? Running?”
He looked at me and smiled. “No, I’m not in trouble. But, yes. I am running. I can’t explain why at the moment. But in future, perhaps, I may be able to explain. At least that’s my hope.”
“How far in the future?”
“I’m not sure.” He put his hand on mine. “I know you have no reason to, but I’m asking you to trust me. At least try.”
A comfortable feeling embraced me. I placed my other hand on his. “I’ll try.”
While we sat on the step, I noticed how nature’s evening song had grown less intense even if the heat hadn’t. Fall was on its way. My favorite time of year. I smiled in the dark. For the first time in a long time, I felt fully alive.
Chapter 12
MOLLY
Revelation
A rough tongue groomed my cheek and woke me from a deep sleep. Gypsy, in her less than subtle way, reminded me it was five-thirty in the morning, and she’d like her breakfast, thank you very much.
“Okay. Okay. I’m getting up. Why I didn’t train you to eat just before I left for work instead of when I first woke up, I’ll never know.”
But of course, I did know. There were mornings I blew through the house like a Gulf Coast hurricane and my poor kitty was left to fend for herself all day. And, as all cat parents knew too well, felines had a way of showing how they did not appreciate being ignored. On occasion, I’d found a memo to that effect in my bedroom slippers.
I emptied a can of chicken morsels with egg sauce in her bowl before I made coffee and checked my emails. While I sipped my dark roast, I waited for the computer to boot, then clicked on my email account. Twenty-four of them and not a single one from Colin. Shoot. What was going on? He seemed fine with my suggestion to wait until October. Afterwards our emails had been as regular as ever. But now it was the last week of September, and I hadn’t heard from him yet. What was up with that? He’d never gone longer than a couple of days without emailing me. Was he having second thoughts about our meeting?
Frankly, it surprised me how much his not writing bothered me. If only I could whine about it to the girls tonight at Whine Wednesday. But none of them had any idea about him. Well, Avalee did. I couldn’t imagine having her response times three. But I needed to talk to someone. Perhaps if I waited until our third glass of wine? Maybe I’d be in a better frame of mind when they pummeled me with all their warnings and verbiage about Internet dating. At least after their initial shock and warnings, I could talk about him.
“Mrrow?” Gypsy jumped in my lap and bumped my nose. The stench of cat food wasn’t the most pleasant odor to smell before six a.m., but her nose kiss was a balm to my disappointed soul. I snuggled her up in my arms and stroked her head. She kneaded her paws against my breasts. Her purrs grew more appreciative with each scratch behind her ears and rubs under her neck. Then, she was done. Quick as a wink she jumped to the floor and went to her spot on the sofa where she began her routine, cleaning her paws, legs, and ruff. She stopped long enough to give me a half-eyed stare.
Cats. You gotta love them. I got her message. Get over it and get on with life. “Good advice, Gyps.” I turned off the computer and headed to the shower.
At work I made miniature four-cheese scones for our Whine Wednesday meeting later in the evening. Of course, when they came fresh out of the oven I had to taste them to make sure they were just right. And if I say so myself, they were pretty darned tasty. Take that Magnolia, whatever your name is. It still nettled me to hear Lexi go on and on about those darned orange rolls. I had my suspicions of why that tea room’s baker frequented my shop so many times before they opened and why he kept asking me questions about my pastries and buying several of each. Trying to figure out my recipes, no doubt. Even so, I wasn’t about to lower myself and do the same by copying them.
Another whine topic. I could start with the recipe-stealing bakery and work my way up to Colin. Unless I lost my nerve. I dreaded the drama, which was sure to happen if I told the girls about him.
At five I closed up shop and hurried home. I had just enough time to feed Gypsy, change, and go to Jema’s. The late afternoon air had strong hints of fall. I breathed deep and looked forward to kicking up a rainbow of gold, red, and orange leaves on my walk to work.
The moment I turned the key in the lock I glanced
through the living room window and saw Gypsy bolt off the couch. She met me at the door, her green eyes round with anticipation, then slipped past me into the yard. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she had a date with a gentleman friend. However, I had taken care of that.
When I finished changing and freshening up, I called for Gypsy to come back inside and eat. She didn’t heed me, and since I didn’t have time to wait, her highness would just have to wait for supper. I checked my basket. Wine, scones, whine list. Yep, all there.
Jema was sweeping her porch when I walked up. I noticed she’d rearranged the rockers to face each other with a small table in the middle.
“Hey MK.” She pointed to the chairs. “I thought we might want to drown our sorrows outside.”
“Well, you know me. Outside is my favorite room in any house. I brought scones and cabernet.”
She blew her bangs away from her glasses and grinned at me. I got the feeling she had absolutely nothing to whine about. Oh well, that left more time for me.
“Perfect. Come on in. I made chocolate truffles. The cab will be lovely with it.”
Jema positively glowed. I couldn’t stand not knowing why.
“Okay, what’s up? What’s with the silly grin on your face? Spill.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Just happy I guess.”
“Happy? About what? That dopey smile of yours says a whole lot more. I swear your teeth are about to blind me.”
She waved me off. “Oh psssh. Why shouldn’t I be happy? After all, since Avalee came home, you and Lexi have become more than neighbors. I have three dear friends. Sisters really.”
Not one to back off, I pressed on. “But at our last Whine date you had plenty to say, and we were friends then, too.”
She propped her broom against the doorframe and took the scones from me. “Molly Kate Fairchild, you are impossible. I’m just happy. That’s all. Now pour us a glass of wine.”
“All right. But mark my words, I will get to the bottom of this before the evening is over.”
Jema looked down at me over her glasses. “No doubt.”
“Oooooh, so there is a reason.”