* * * *
Ella walked around her living room, thankful to be home. She pulled out the new cell phone and fingered the buttons gently, thinking of the woman who gave her the gift. It felt good to have someone concerned about her. She placed the phone next to her bed where she would hear it if it rang in the night. It took her a while to learn how to work the phone, but she got it down. She didn’t want to disappoint her daughter.
She opened her purse and removed the wad of money Marsha had handed her. She hadn't wanted to count it in front of strangers, so she’d waited until she got home. There were five one hundred dollar bills neatly folded together. She folded them back up and went to the vase in the corner of the bedroom. Ella pulled the envelope from the vase and added the money to the fund she’d started long ago, before Frank had died. It was her emergency fund and she didn’t quite know how to stop planning for that emergency. She had tucked every spare dime she could find in that fund. She went without new shoes and dresses. She didn’t spend money on going out to eat. She made gifts instead of purchasing them at the store. She did everything she could do to make sure she and her children were safe. Now, if need be, they would have what they needed. Over the years, she’d managed to save over ten thousand dollars. It wasn’t much to the world, but to her, it represented safety and security.
She was supposed to spend the five hundred dollars on her needs. The only need she’d ever known was that her kids were safe. They were the most important part of her life.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The debris from the fire was cleaned away before the first days of spring hit. Plans were drafted and a new house would soon stand where the old one had been.
Since the weather wasn’t cooperating, Sheila needed something to occupy her time. She wasn’t used to having so much free time.
She jumped in with both feet and leased a building for the tearoom. It had been a coffee shop, so the basics were already in place. She and Austin had the perfect project to pour all their free time into.
She was absently turning the pages of a catalog as she watched her husband build the shelves for the loose tea they would sell. He pulled a hammer from his carpenter belt and took a nail from the box sitting on the counter. He turned around and smiled at her. “What, may I ask, are you looking at? You are supposed to be shopping for tea cups.”
She closed the catalog and approached her husband. She reached up and brushed the hair that had fallen forward. “You need a haircut.”
“Now you notice.”
The bell indicating they had a customer tinkled. They both turned and saw Laney coming through the door with a box in her hand.
Austin grinned at his wife and picked the hammer up. “Time to get back to work.”
Sheila ooh’d and aah’d over the teacups and saucers in the box. The ladies in the church had heard about her project and were happy to lend a hand. They had donated teacups from their own personal collections as well as scoured resale shops for the treasures she was now pulling from the box.
“They’re lovely.”
“You think these are nice, wait till you see what I have in the van. Ella made adorable table clothes. You’ll love them.” Laney started for the door.
“Hold on, let me help you.” Sheila hit the button to start heating the water in the little electric teapot and followed Laney out the door.
The shop was wedged between a bookstore and a scrapbooking store. It was perfect. Women would be passing by every day; they couldn’t help but see the new tearoom. Sheila was counting on women from the community liking tea as much as her friends did. If the tea wasn’t enough, she was planning on having excellent baked goods. She had some good recipes from her mom; hopefully they would withstand the scrutiny of a buying clientele.
Laney set the last box on the long folding banquet table in the middle of the room.
Sheila washed out two teacups and broke out her new tea balls. She only had a few samples of loose tea, but they might as well try them out and see which ones they liked. She steeped Laney a cup of Jasmine while she tried the English Breakfast Tea.
Together they turned the pages of the catalog while they sipped their tea. The shop was going to be lovely. It would be the perfect place to get the ladies from the shelter working if they didn’t already have a vocation. “Laney, did I bite off more than I can chew?”
Laney set her teacup down on the fragile saucer. “Sheila, you won’t know until you get going. I think you had a brilliant idea straight from God. But, you’ll know soon enough. If it is, then at least you tried, right?”
“You’re right. What am I worried about? God is in control. Why do I sometimes forget that?”
“You and me both.” Laney peered into the nearest box. “Did you see these table clothes that Ella made? They are gorgeous.”
Sheila fingered the beautiful chintz material. “Where does she get the time? Or the energy? She is amazing.”
Each tablecloth was unique yet similar to the others. They were all from the same color scheme but some had ruffled edges, some were squared off, some were round and some bordered with a matching solid. For every tablecloth there was an ecru overlay that would be the background for the teacups. Sheila couldn’t wait to put it all together. They were blessed. The shop still had all the tables and chairs. She had to believe the shop was God’s will, otherwise, why would he have handed them such a perfect place?
Laney had saved the best box for last. Sheila screamed in delight when she saw what was in her friend’s hands. Someone somehow had found a tea set just like the one her mother had left her. She gingerly held the gold-rimmed teacup. She remembered drinking warm milk from those cups when she was a little girl, while her mother had tea. As she grew older, her mother started mixing the milk half and half with tea until finally she was old enough to have tea with a little bit of milk. It was then she saw that the tablecloths matched the tea set perfectly.
She started crying. She couldn’t wait to hug Ella. “How did she do this? Where did the tea set come from?”
“Ella is the one who had the tea set. She said the first time she was in your office she noticed the set sitting on a shelf and had commented to herself it was just like hers. She had planned on giving you the set when the shelter opened up, but figured you needed it more than ever for your shop.”
“She never said anything to me. I had no idea.”
“She didn’t realize how important the set was to you until after the fire. It was then she decided to replace the one you’d lost. And when you opened the shop, even better. She found the perfect material for the tablecloths while she was in Chicago. I guess her daughter has a huge house with a sewing room and Ella took advantage of it while she was there.”
Sheila ran her hand over the printed cloth. These couldn’t be more perfect.” She smiled at Laney. “I have the best friends.”
Ella volunteered to keep the kids for the afternoon so Laney helped Sheila while Austin worked on the shelves. They placed an order through Restaurant Supply that made Laney wince. The part of town that housed the teashop was one that was desperate for business. The powers that be were helping Sheila get all her licenses and documentation in order so she could open as soon as possible. The city council was trying to promote the downtown for business. They didn’t want to be seen as difficult to deal with.
* * * *
The invitations had been sent. The cookies and scones were arranged on pretty trays and little sandwiches were stacked on tiered plates, ready to be consumed by those who were coming to the grand opening. A couple of teenagers at church had been hired into service to watch the children so the parents at the church could go without having children in tow.
Sheila was nervous. What if no one liked it? What if the shop was a flop? The little storefront was decorated beautifully. Both Laney and Ella had arrived early to help with serving.
Most of the preparation happened in the little kitchen in the back of the shop. Sheila walked around and greeted guests. She was the ultimate
hostess. The young girl they’d hired to help was behind the counter putting sandwiches, cookies, and scones on plates.
The first guests began to arrive. Pastor Mark and Jessi, accompanied by Jessi’s Aunt Merry, walked through the door. It didn’t take long for the little teashop to fill up. Everyone was so busy, drinking tea and eating treats, that the deliveryman standing at the counter dropping off the box virtually went un-noticed.
Laney had her hands full making more sandwiches and arranging cookies. She brought the last tray out of the kitchen and set it on the counter. “This is it guys, no more. We’ve gone through everything.” She looked at the box sitting on the counter and frowned. It had no address on it. She assumed it was for Sheila, a grand opening present, so she took it back to the kitchen where it would be out of the way then proceeded to wash up the dishes and clean the counters. The more she took care of now, the less she’d have to do later.
She wondered how the kids were doing so she stepped out the backdoor to quickly call the babysitter at church. “Hi Jessica, it’s Laney. I’m just calling to check on the kids.” She could hear voices and laughter in the background.
“Everyone is doing great. We are watching a movie and eating popcorn. The kids are having a ball.”
“Awesome. Thank you. Things are winding down here. We have another half hour till we close and then clean up. Can you make it that long?”
“Of course, the kids are doing great.”
Laney pocketed her phone and turned to go back inside. The door was locked. She tried to knock but no one knew she was outside and had no idea to listen for a knock. That was dumb. I should have known the door would automatically lock. She started walking down the alley and around the rest of the block.
She hadn’t put her coat on before stepping outside and was rubbing her arms, trying to keep warm. It was the beginning of March and still winter. She rubbed furiously and walked as quickly as she dared. The alley wasn’t a normal route and didn’t get the attention from the city workers like the main streets did. She carefully circled heaps of snow left by the plows and watched for snow-covered ice. She didn’t want to fall.
She stepped around the corner and ran into a guy who had his head down. Neither of them had been watching where they were going. She said excuse me, but he kept going, not saying a word, not even in response.
Laney continued, not taking the time to be annoyed at the rude stranger. She was too cold to care. She had the odd feeling that she was being watched. When she stopped suddenly and turned around, the stranger was standing still, staring at her. She couldn’t see his face in the shadows, but clearly he was watching her. She turned and quickly walked into the tearoom.
“There you are.” Sheila looked at her questioningly. “What were you doing outside? You’re freezing.”
The place looked deserted. Dirty teacups and saucers littered the tables. A stray napkin or two lie on the floor. “Is everyone gone already?”
“Yep, the last straggler just left. An odd-looking fellow. Had his hat pulled low and seemed to be looking about the place. He made me nervous.”
“I wonder if it’s the same guy I bumped into. I went out back to call the kids and locked myself out. I ran smack dab into this guy on the sidewalk. He was pretty rude. Didn’t say a word.”
“So, that’s why you were outside, freezing to death. Girl, let me get you some tea.” They both started laughing.
Sheila was pouring the tea when Laney remembered the box. “A box came earlier. I didn’t see who brought it, but it must be a grand opening gift.” She went to retrieve it from the kitchen.
Sheila picked up the box and looked for a note or a card. No such luck. She untied the bright red ribbon, lifted off the top of the box and screamed loud enough that Austin came running from the back of the room.
Laney dared to look in the box, not knowing what to expect. Her heart lurched at the sight. Laney couldn’t be sure, but it looked like Matt’s guinea pig. It was hard to tell with all the blood matted in his fur. Nothing had happened in the past couple of weeks. She thought he got the message and was going to leave them alone. Of course, there was no way she could prove the animal was Matt’s. It was then she saw the animal’s leg twitch. It was still alive. She ran for the bathroom. What type of person could do this to an animal? And why?
After the three of them composed themselves, Austin asked, “Do you think we should call the police?”
Laney smirked. “Why, so they can tell us it’s teenagers playing more pranks? There’s no point.” She stood in front of the window. “I’m getting sick of this. His game playing is getting old.” She wiped a tear. “If this is Matt’s pet, what do I tell him?”
Sheila wrapped her friend in a hug. “You don’t know for sure this animal is Matt’s. I wouldn’t worry him for nothing. Hopefully, it isn’t his and it is some sick joke. I pray it is, Laney. I would rather it be that then the alternative.”
“You’re right. I keep thinking the worst.” Laney walked back to the table. “I don’t know what it is, or why I keep thinking of Paul when these things happen, but I do. It is just little things. If it is him, he is being careful.” She turned to Sheila. “What scares me is he is fully capable of everything that has happened. The man I lived with, the man I promised to love and cherish all of my breathing days is capable of burning a house down, threatening an old lady, and killing an innocent animal. If it’s him, how did I not know? How could I not tell?”
They finished washing the last of the teacups and saucers by hand. Everything else went through the dishwasher. The tablecloths were bagged and ready to be washed and pressed. Thankfully, Ella had made two sets of covers so the tables were set and ready for tomorrow’s business before they locked the door. Austin made sure Laney was safely in her van before getting into his and Sheila’s truck.
* * * *
Ella had left earlier with a couple from church. She picked up Laney’s kids and took them home and readied them for bed. It was quiet when Laney walked in the door. The kids must have been pretty wiped out to not protest going to bed before she got home. Ella was sitting on the couch, leafing through a magazine.
“Sorry I’m late.” She hung up her coat and kicked her boots off. She slipped her boot slippers on, thankful for the warmth. She was still chilled from her walk outside without her coat.
“I didn’t expect you any sooner. There was a lot to clean up. It was nice of you to stay and help.”
“I couldn’t have done it without your help, so thank you.”
“You are welcome. Well, I should get home. I don’t quite last as long into the night as I used to.”
Laney smiled in agreement, trying not to be distracted. She didn’t want to worry Ella any more than she had to. “I’m pretty tired myself. I’ll be hitting the hay as well.”
Laney watched from her doorstep to make sure Ella got in her house safely. She wouldn’t want anything to happen to the older woman who was like a mother to her.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Paul couldn’t believe Laney didn’t recognize him. She’d almost plowed him over. He had kept his head down and didn’t respond. He had to keep her guessing. She would know he was responsible for everything when he decided she should know, not before. He couldn’t move too fast. It wasn’t time yet.
He was in the teashop when the delivery guy brought the package in. He hoped they would open it right then. He should have known they would set it aside until later. That’s okay; he still sent a message she understood. She would know it was Matt’s stupid rat. She knew everything about those kids. All her friends were planting seeds of doubt in her, but he could see it in her eyes. She knew he was responsible and she was scared. Which is exactly how he wanted her.
He stood and watched her leave. She looked nervous, glancing over her shoulder every few steps. He wondered if she could feel his anger, if she could feel his hate wrapping its claws around her heart, squeezing the life out of her. If she couldn’t feel it now, she’d feel soo
n enough. He turned and walked down the street.
Time to move things along.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Spring came quickly. The robins returned home, bringing with them warm winds and hard rain. Laney was delighted to see crocus peeking through the last remnants of snow. It was a welcome sight compared to the red that decorated her yard from a few weeks ago.
The seasons were easily identified in this part of the country, and Laney loved it. She and the kids made a game of guessing the date they would see the first robin or see the first flower appear. It was fun.
She was at her busiest at work and Ella was helping with the kids. If the day brought rain, she’d leave work, pick up the kids and drop them off, then head back to work until early evening. The thought of bigger paychecks kept her going, that and knowing the long hours would only last a few weeks.
She wasn’t surprised when she pulled in front of the school to find only Joy waiting for her. “No Matt?”
“No, mom, I haven’t seen him. He’s probably in the office again.”
“Well, I told him what would happen. I don’t have time to be dealing with his nonsense.”
Joy buckled up and Laney took off. He had his umbrella, so she wasn’t worried about him walking the couple of blocks home. Besides, kids walk home from school every day, right?
She couldn’t feel guilty about this. He knew it was coming. He’d been told again and again. She pulled up and dropped Joy off at Ella’s. “Tell Ms. Ella that Matt will be late. He’s serving a detention, again.”
“Okay mom. I’ll let her know.”
* * * *
Laney was back at the office, working hard and not paying attention to the clock when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the caller id. Ella.
Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer) Page 18