Candace dragged two of the suitcases inside, set them in the middle of the entryway and went back for the other.“I was already packed. I just hadn’t found a place to move yet.”
“Oh, well, I’ll help you get your things upstairs.”
It took a considerable amount of effort on both their parts to drag all three suitcases up the stairs. It seemed to Sidney that Candace hadn’t left even one article of her things at The Wild Ivy Inn. Even if her job didn’t work out for her here, Candace wasn’t going back to her grandmother’s anytime soon. Sidney helped her get her suitcases into the room and then assured her she could have some time to unpack before she needed to start work.
“This evening my other house guest is going to teach me to make cinnamon rolls. You could join us.”
“Sure. I love cinnamon rolls. Besides, that’s a good thing to offer for your morning breakfasts. People love fresh baked goods.”
“Can you cook?” she asked Candace.
“I make awesome scones and pancakes. But my grandmother does most of the breakfasts.”
Sidney turned toward the door.“I’ll call when it’s time to make the cinnamon rolls. I’m sure Betty will be here shortly.”
“Betty Holberg?” she asked, freezing. Her body looked like someone had just sent an electric shock through her.
“You know her?”
“Everyone knows everybody on this island. She hates me. I can’t work here.”
“Why? Betty doesn’t seem the type to hate anyone.”
“She hates me all right.” Candace sat down on the bed.“I’ll tell you because I’m sure you’ll hear it from Betty, anyways.” Candace sighed.“She walked in on me with one of her sons a couple of years ago. Came after me with a broom. Crosses the street every time she sees me.”
Sidney let out a laugh and then shrugged.“Well, guess we’ll have to hide the broom. No need for you to quit before you even get started. I’ll make sure Betty’s nice to you.” She walked away with Candace still staring at her with a shocked expression. What was it with Betty and household items? She sure has figured out how to use them for violence. Blow dryers? Brooms? What else would she use?
Sidney flinched when she heard the front door slam and dashed down the stairs when she heard a man shouting.
Chapter Seven
Too Many Visitors
Betty stood with her back to the front door, pushing on it, her face as red as a Christmas ball. A large man pounded on the door. Betty’s whole body shook, bracing the door, trying to keep it shut.
“Elizabeth,” the man screamed.“Let me in. I only want to talk to you.”
Betty shut her eyes and shook her head like a schoolgirl.“Get out of here. Leave me alone. I don’t have anything to say to you that hasn’t already been said. Do you really want to hear that you’re a lying, cheating, sack of garbage?”
Sidney came close to Betty. Betty shook her head and held up one of her hands.“I’m sorry. The man followed me from the market. Someone must have called him and told him I was in town. He’s got spies all over.”
Sidney put her hand on Betty’s shoulder.“It’s all right. You go on upstairs. I’ll take care of it.”
“Are you sure? Dan can be pretty persuasive. Maybe I better go get the blow dryer.”
Sidney laughed.“I can handle it.”
Betty let go and moved away from the door. Sidney spoke to her before she disappeared up the back stairs.“There’s a girl upstairs. Her name is Candace. She says she knows you.”
Betty frowned.“That girl slept with my baby.”
“He must have been a little older than that.”
Big Dan was still pounding on the door, pacing the front porch, peeking through the windows with crazy wide eyes. Betty looked at her.“What’s she doing here?”
“She came applying for the house keeper job. I hired her.”
Betty tipped her head.“You seem to be taking in a lot of strays.”
“Just don’t go looking for any brooms.”
Betty’s eyes widened and then let out a loud laugh.“I’ll do my best.”
“I’ll come get you when Big Dan is gone.”
Betty disappeared up the stairs.“You may be the one who needs to get the broom,” she called down.
“I prefer frying pans myself,” she called back. And she did just that. Sidney grabbed the frying pan from her cupboard and walked out the kitchen door, and stepped quietly around to the front door. Big Dan was pacing back and forth on her front porch, running his hands through his hair. He jumped two feet backwards when he saw her.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked, eyeing the frying pan.
“Sidney Franklin. The owner of this home. What can I do to help you, sir?”
He stepped forward and shook his finger at her.“I want to see my wife.”
“She doesn’t want to see you.”
“She’s my wife. I have a right to see her.”
“No, you don’t. If she wants to talk to you, I’m sure she has your phone number. She’ll call you.”
“She has my number lady. I’m going to stop payment on my credit card. You won’t get a dime from me.”
“You go right ahead. You’re still not going to be able to see her on my property if she doesn’t want to talk to you.” Sidney took one step closer and held up the frying pan, length wise, toward his face.“Now, I’m only going to ask you one more time and then I’ll call the cops. I want you to get off my property.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets.“Maybe I’d like to rent a room.”
Sidney pulled her phone out of her sweater and started to dial 9-1-1. He took a few steps back and held out his hands, palms out.“Just tell her I love her.” His eyes pleaded with her.
“I’ll relay your message.”
“I’ll be back,” he said, stepping off her porch.
“You come back on my property to harass my guest and I’ll do more than hit you with a blow dryer. Is that understood?”
He touched his bruised cheek.“Are you threatening me?” he asked. His eyes widened and he seemed more surprised than irritated.
“No. I’m warning you to stay off my land.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Dr. Kellen walking over to her yard. She frowned.
Big Dan ran his fingers through his hair.“Hey, Kell,” he said.“I’m here to see Betty. But this lady says I have to get off her property.”
Sidney glared at Betty’s husband. She held up her phone again.“Do I really have to make that call?”
He seemed to get more defiant with Dr. Kellen near him.“The sheriff’s one of my good buddies. I just want to see my wife. Lawrence’ll understand that.”
Sidney stepped toward Dan and lifted up her frying pan again. She raised her voice, squinting her eyes.“Get off my property and leave my guest alone.”
Dr. Kellen gripped Dan by the shoulders and pushed him toward his house.“Why don’t you go over to my house, Dan. I’ll get you something to eat. We probably ought to check your blood sugar.”
Dan reluctantly started for Dr. Kellen’s yard. Sidney sighed in relief. She realized Dr. Kellen was staring at her.“What?” she said, pushing the hair out of her eyes.
“Nothing. You just reminded me of someone for a minute.”
“Who?”
“My grandmother.”
Sidney returned her phone to her pocket and hung her head, laughing to herself.“It’s always nice to be told one looks like a grandmother. Thank you.”
Dr. Kellen started to say something, but Sidney interrupted.“Listen, your opinion of me is the last one I’d regard as important. Please tell Dan to leave Betty alone. She doesn’t want to see him.”
“He’s missing his wife, Ms. Franklin. That’s all.”
“I don’t care, Dr. Kellen. Tell him to stay off my property.”
“He’s not normally like this. I think his sugars are out of whack from stress. He’s diabetic.”
“It probably started with him sneaking a
round cheating on his wife. She caught him in her own house, you know. How low can a man go?”
Dan rushed back toward Sidney, pointing at her.“That is none of your business, lady. That is between me and my wife.”
Dr. Kellen gripped his shoulder hard and turned him toward his house again.“Go to my house Dan. I’ll straighten this out.”
“I don’t want him near her,” Sidney said.“She wants peace and space. I intend to give it to her.”
Dr. Kellen nodded and looked up at her house.“I’ll do what I can. Just tell Betty to call me, please.”
Sidney moved toward her porch steps.“I’ll tell her.”
Before Sidney could say anything more, Candace stepped out onto the front porch.“Do you want me to do something?” she asked.
Sidney shook her head.“No, but thank you. Dr. Kellen was just taking Dan over to his house.”
Candace moved back inside and shut the door.
Dr. Kellen crinkled up his brow.“What is Candace doing at your house?”
“I hired her.”
He stared off at her house with an interesting expression. He seemed to be lost in thought. He finally spoke.“How did that come about?”
“I don’t see how that is any concern of yours, but she applied for the job.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Dr. Kellen’s question had a sort of implication to it, probably the very something she knew Candace wasn’t telling her.“Other than fact that her grandmother is the owner of The Wild Ivy Inn?”
“She told you? Well, yes. That is something to consider. I wasn’t thinking of that, though.”
Sidney eyed him warily. Apparently, Dr. Kellen knew what Candace was keeping from her.“Candace’s private life is her own business, she said. “As for her grandmother, I’m not worried about her. I’m sure there’s more than enough guests to go around.”
“You think that now, wait till you meet her.” Kell gave her a grim smile.“I’ll see you later Ms. Franklin.” He turned toward Betty’s husband who was now standing on Dr. Kellen’s front porch leaning his head against the railing looking like a young boy who’d lost his way.
Kell jogged over to tend to his friend, Dan.
Sidney Franklin caught him off guard. She wasn’t doing anything he expected. Everything about her was unusual and individual, even her hair. And the whole Betty and Dan thing was getting out of hand, and now Candace Peterson was staying at the mansion.
Candace probably didn’t tell Sidney she was pregnant, which he couldn’t do anything about. He also remembered some animosity between Betty and Candace, something to do with Betty’s youngest son, Danny. This would be interesting.
Despite how Sidney had her hands full, she seemed to take it all in stride, even thrive in the middle of Big Dan’s tantrum. The way she pushed back her hair. It was exactly the same way his grandmother had done. She had spunk and sass, even wit—words came to her so fast Kell couldn’t take it all in. And it was obvious she didn’t like him—at all.
He regretted the way he’d addressed her on their first meeting and was beginning to realize he had never needed to establish correct expectations with her. She wasn’t the type of woman who could ever be accused of being on a husband hunt, or even someone who flirted for attention. Quite the opposite, he could see. She was probably the one used to being flirted with.
He climbed up each porch step and sat down next to Big Dan on the porch swing. He checked his blood sugar, which was as high as Mount Everest. He got Dan’s insulin out of the car and helped him with the injection.
“Dan, how did you let your sugars get so out of control?” Kell asked.“You’ve never been this high that I remember.”
Dan put his head in his hand, leaning over.“I can’t think right since Betty left. I haven’t been eating, sleeping, nothing. I can’t live without her, Kell.”
Kell patted him on the back.“I don’t think showing up at the inn, yelling at her to talk to you is going to get you anywhere with Betty.”
“What am I supposed to do, then?”
“Give it some time. Where’s the girl you were seeing?”
He waved his hand in the air without lifting his head.“I haven’t talked to her since Betty caught us and left me.”
Kell shook his head in dismay.“Whatever possessed you to sleep with the woman in your own house?”
“It was stupid. There’s no good reason for what I did. I just lost my head and now I’m paying for it.”
“Why couldn’t you have bought a new car or something like that for your mid-life crisis, Dan? Why’d it have to be another woman?”
Dan shook his head.“She made me feel young again, I guess. I don’t even know.”
“Where did you meet her?”
Dan sat up and leaned his head against the back of the rocking swing. He put his fingers to his forehead like he was trying to fight off a headache.“She’s the woman I’ve been trying to make a deal with for the ice-cream.”
Kell nodded in recognition. He’d seen that woman come into town quite a few times. She was a country girl from Monroe, with poorly done blond-highlights and very tight shirts. She drove a pick-up truck, wore cowboy boots, and walked with swaying hips. She was just the sort of girl that made Kell want to run the other way. Clearly, Dan hadn’t felt the same.“What’s her name?” he asked.
“Shelby Langley.”
Kell patted him on the back again.“We’ll get through this. Don’t worry. I’ll try to talk to Betty in the next few days. But for now, you’ve got to leave her alone. You shouldn’t have cheated on your wife, Dan.”
“I know it.
Kell helped Dan get up and walked him into the house and put him in the recliner. His sugar was stabilizing and he needed to take a nap. They’d get him home later.
~
Sidney stood on her porch for a few minutes thinking about the strange turn of events. She wanted to make cinnamon rolls, not deal with marital feuds. She wanted to have a bed and breakfast and live a simple life. Why did the exact opposite of what she wanted happen to her? She was trying to get away from cheating men and one landed right in the center of her life.
Betty called out the window.“Your phone is ringing? Should I answer it?”
Sidney opened the front door.“Sure.”
She waited for a moment.
Betty called out,“Someone named Jeff.”
Sidney rushed into the kitchen, and slapped her hand over her mouth.“That’s my ex-husband.”
Betty’s eyes widened.“Why is he calling?”
Sidney shook her head frantic-like.“Should I talk to him?”
Betty shrugged and held out the phone. Sidney grabbed it. Shehadn’t talked to him since the day she signed her divorce papers. About three months ago.“Hello, Jeff.” He had probably just returned from the Iron Man. He and his new girlfriend had been in training together.
“Sidney,” he said.“Thank you for answering the phone. How have you been?”
Sidney’s eyes squinted in ironic amusement.“I’m fine Jeff. What are you calling for?” She leaned against the kitchen counter.
“I’m not so good. I was hoping we could talk.” His voice sounded tired.
“I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”
“I miss you, Sidney. I’d really like to talk. Can I take you out for coffee?”
Sidney’s face heated up. He missed her?“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Where’s Deb?”
“Deb’s no longer in the picture. I broke it off. I’ve realized what a mistake I made and had to end it. I need to see you, Sidney. Please.” His voice sounded earnest, almost desperate.
Sidney paused.“I’m living on Perez Island now. You’ll have to come out here if you want to see me.”
“Sure.” Jeff said.“How about next weekend?”
Sidney’s heart stopped, her stomach swirled. She didn’t think he’d actually want to come. Did she want him to come to her new house? What if he wanted to hurt
her again, or what if he told all the people on the island that he’d humiliated her and shattered her world into little-itty-bits?“I’m going to go into Seattle in the next week or two to put an advertisement in the Seattle magazine and to see my mom. Why don’t I call you when I have it figured out? Maybe we could meet for coffee.
“It can’t be anytime sooner? I really want the chance to talk to you.”
Sidney wasn’t sure what to say. Hearing his voice sound so desperate to see her was like drinking cold water on hot, summer day. Maybe he was sorry.
She’d waited for him, hoping, praying he’d come home. Finally, when it hurt too much to see him with the other woman, and she got tired of being stomped on, she quit her job and accepted her mother’s gift.“I don’t think so, Jeff. I’ll let you know when I’m in town,” she said.
“Listen, if you decide not to go to Seattle, I’ll come to you. I’d love to see the house you inherited. I can’t believe you never told me about it. It sounds amazing.”
After they finished their call, she leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. Jeff sounded like a different person. What had come over him?
~
The next morning, Kell’s head ached for a cup of coffee. He had tossed and turned throughout the night, worrying about Dan and Betty. He hated the thought of their thirty-year marriage crumbling. It not only affected their lives, but their children’s, their grandchildren’s, and the whole island. If Dan and Betty couldn’t make it work, who could? He hoped that over time, Betty would come to forgive Dan and move back home.
In the kitchen, his dad and Jake were eating breakfast. Normally, his dad took Jake to school and then went into the Gypsy Cat Café for tea and to read the morning paper. Kell typically rose early and went to the office to get paperwork done before his appointments started. This was so he could get home in the evening to help Jake with homework and make dinner. However, this morning he dragged himself out of bed at least an hour later than normal.
Jake was eating a bowl of cereal and Pastor Matt was eating oatmeal.“What are you still doing here?” Matt asked.
An Ordinary Love (A Christian Contemporary Romance) (Sidney's Sanctuary Book 1) Page 7