by Timms, Lexy
“Pardon?”
“I could use a shower… and a drink.” He grabbed their bags and started up the stairs, carrying everything but Charity’s travel bag. He took the stairs two at a time.
She quickly tucked her remaining bag under her arm and raced after him. She whispered loudly, “I’m not staying in your room. I just told your mom we’re friends!”
“What?” Elijah rolled his eyes and huffed. “Whatever.” He stomped down the hall, dropping his bag off at the first door on the right and continued down the massive hall. He opened a door at the end and tossed her bag inside. “Here’s your room.” He stepped back to let her pass.
She knew he was ticked. Suddenly, spending the next five days in this massive house didn’t seem like a good idea. Hopefully a shower and some rest would make Elijah happier. Or…
She grabbed his wrists and pulled him into the large room, at the same time leaning in and kissing him softly. She slipped her tongue into his mouth. Elijah hesitated a moment before his fingers found their way into her hair and his lips responded.
Her stomach interrupted them. It growled loud and long.
Elijah pulled away. “Alrightie then! I’ll jump in the shower and get something on the barbie.” He pointed at her stomach. “I’m kinda scared of that thing.”
She slapped his hand away. “Not as scary as your mother,” she whispered, feeling daring.
“You didn’t grow up with her. This is nothing.” He headed down the hall to his room, whistling, “Nee, ne, nee, ne, nee, nee,” to the tune of the witch from The Wizard of Oz.
Chapter 11
Margaret had disappeared into some part of the house when Charity came down the stairs after her shower. With guilty thankfulness that it was just the two of them, Charity and Elijah sat at a small table outside by the barbeque overlooking the freshly cut lawn and water. They barely talked. Charity figured it was because they were both tired from the long trip. When Elijah went to pour her a second glass of wine, she declined.
“Sorry,” she said, yawning. “I’m wiped and in about a minute I’m going to need toothpicks to keep my eyelids open. Do you care if I head upstairs for a nap?”
Elijah shook his head and poured more red wine into his goblet. “I’m going to walk over to Albert and Mia’s.”
She tried to stifle back another yawn but it managed to escape. She covered it with her hand and then stared out across the water. The rolling waves and their calming, continuous sound tempted her to close her eyes. The warmth of the early evening sun seemed to be in on the temptation as well. She blinked a number of times and focused on Elijah. He seemed amused by her. “It’s good to see your smile.”
“It might be the last time you see it for the next few days till we’re back on the plane.” He took a long drink of his wine.
She didn’t have the energy to argue. She decided to cover the basics. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He stared out across the water watching dolphins jump and swim.
Charity had the gut feeling again that coming had been a mistake. How could they have gone from such easy company to completely uncomfortable? Simply because of a five minute conversation with his mother? “Is there anything you need me to do?”
“No. Go get some rest. Text me when you wake up and I’ll come back to the house.”
“Okay.” She stacked their plates together and began clearing the table.
“Just leave it. I’ll do it when I finish my wine.” He poured the rest of the bottle in his glass.
Charity stood and was slightly disappointed when Elijah remained seated. She walked behind his chair, letting her hand trail across his shoulders as she passed. He didn’t say anything and neither did she.
The house was quiet except for the sound of nature coming in through the open windows. Nearly winter in New York and summer here. She made her way up the spiral staircase and down the long hall to her room. She’d changed into a long skirt and tank top after her shower and slid her skirt off to hang over the back of one of the gorgeous chairs by her bed. The soft, yellow sheets were cool against her freshly shaved legs and the rest of her body. She closed her eyes and fell instantly asleep.
Charity rolled over in the comfy bed and snuggled against the pillow. For the past five years she’d moved to a lot of different towns but she’d never had a problem settling in and being comfortable. At the moment, however, she couldn’t remember where she lay. New Zealand. The answer drifted through her head like a light breeze. Her eyes shot open. It had grown dark but from the rest she’d just had, it felt like it should be morning.
She hit the indiglo on her Iron man watch. Nearly midnight. She cocked an ear. The only noise she could detect came from the open window. Rolling over, she debated trying to go back to sleep, but she had already slept seven hours and her body disagreed. It wasn’t used to that much sleep in one stint. Maybe a light snack would help her try to sleep.
She flipped the light beside her bed on and slipped out of the bed. Rummaging through her suitcase, she found a pair of Capri jogging tights she’d bought from Lulu lemon and slipped them on. Tank top and tights – probably not the fanciest thing to wear in this castle but from the sounds of it, everyone was sleeping.
The dark hallway got lighter as she walked toward the staircase. Elijah’s door was closed. Someone had left the large chandelier on that lit up the grand room entrance. Even on a low setting it shone bright. At least that was what she thought until she got closer and realized the full moon shining through the sun windows was the source of the brightness.
The stairs were cool under her bare feet. She padded her way into the kitchen and checked the massive fridge. Elijah had wrapped the leftover chicken he had barbequed on a shelf. That on a bun or sandwich sounded pretty good. She grabbed mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber and set to work slicing what she needed. She found a loaf of fresh French bread and cut two pieces off. All it needed was some cheese.
She rummaged through the drawers of the fridge and found some kind of cheddar. “Perfect,” she whispered. She spun around and nearly threw the cheese across the kitchen island.
Elijah sat on the side eating her sandwich, still wearing the clothes she’d seen him in earlier.
“Freakin’ ‘eh! You scared the crap out me!” She leaned back against the fridge, the stick of cheese still in hand pressed against her heart. “I thought everyone was in bed.”
Elijah finished the mouthful he’d been chewing and swallowed. “So did I.” He took another bite.
“Hey,” she said, laughing. “That’s my sandwich!”
“It’s awesome. Want to make me another?”
“Guess so, since I have to make a new one for myself as well.” She began cutting the vegetables up again. “Have you slept yet?”
He shook his head. “I actually just got back.” He pointed at the long row of windows. “I walked by here and saw your cute little bum wiggling as you were grabbing something near the bottom of the fridge. It’s a great view from outside.”
“I could have been your mom.”
A look of horror crossed his face and then he laughed. “No chance.”
She set his sandwich on the plate near him and took a bit of her own. “This is really good,” she mumbled between bites. “Just needs some chips.”
“There’s crisps in the cupboard below you. Crisps – chips… same thing. Sorry. A couple of beers and I’m speaking the lingo again.”
“How were Albert and Mia?” She found a basket full of small bags of chips and grabbed a ruffled flavor.
“Good.” He stole a few of her chips. “Dave showed up with the wife and kids. I stayed and caught up with them. They’re living in Auckland.” He chuckled. It must have been at something funny they had chatted about or had happened while at the caretaker’s house. He didn’t say what. He finished his sandwich and put his empty plate in the sink. “I’m ready for some Zs. Are you staying down here or heading up?”
“I’m not sure.” She smiled
and winked at him. “You tired?”
He missed the wink or the obvious hint. “I’m wiped.” He walked by her and pressed his lips against the top of her hair. “I’ll see you in the morning. We’ll go for a boat ride if you want.”
“Sure. I’m up for whatever.” She had figured he had family stuff to take care of since the service for his father was scheduled for the day after. “If there’s anything…” She glanced behind her and let her sentence trail off. Elijah had already disappeared out of the kitchen. She finished her sandwich and headed back upstairs. Elijah’s lights were already out so she found her iPad and checked her emails until she fell asleep.
It was just after nine when Charity headed back down to the kitchen to make a coffee. She had changed into a simple pink and black striped sundress – classy but completely comfortable. The minute she stepped through the kitchen door, she wished she could turn around and race back upstairs. Margaret sat at the counter where Elijah and Charity had eaten the sandwiches last night. No traces of the plates or food were visible. Charity hoped Margaret had not had to clean up their mess.
“Good morning,” she said, forcing a smile. Why did this woman’s mere presence make her uncomfortable?
“Gd’day.” She held her mug and continued to read the newspaper. She wore designer pyjamas and a matching robe. “Where’s Elijah?”
“I think he’s still sleeping. The door to his room was shut when I walked by.” She made a point to let Margaret know they had slept in separate rooms. Without any offer of assistance from Margaret, Charity found the mug cupboard and poured herself a cup of coffee from the already made pot. She added some milk and a bit of sugar. “Margaret?” She sat across from Elijah’s mother. Her coming with Elijah had been a mistake. She should have followed her gut instincts but it was too late to regret it now. For some reason, she needed to be here. She just didn’t know why yet.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”
Margaret looked up from her paper with a wary face. “What did you do?”
“Pardon?” Charity shook her head. “Oh. No. I haven’t done anything. I just wanted to say I’m sorry about your husband’s passing.”
“Why? Did you know him?”
“No. I—”
“Then why are you sorry?”
Seriously? Did the woman have any ounce of niceness inside of her? Charity exhaled slowly. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine.” She thought of her mother and the hollow spot in her heart that never seemed to want to heal, even after all the time that had passed. She couldn’t imagine losing a spouse. She nearly laughed out loud at another thought. If this woman was anything like her father – which didn’t seem too far off the mark at the moment – then she’d be fine.
Margaret looked over her reading glasses at Charity. “I don’t know why my son took you along. The two of you apparently barely know each other. I don’t know if you are gold digging or some kind of trophy he plans to show off. I don’t really care. Either way, it’s not going to work.”
Charity blinked in surprise. “I’m not some kind of trophy. Nor is money an issue to me. I came because a friend asked me to.” She understood why Elijah had been hesitant to return home. “I’m sorry if you feel this way, but you’re mistaken. Those are not my intensions.” She sighed. She wanted to like this woman but it felt next to impossible. She had dealt with clients similar and always found a way to make it work. Maybe… An idea began to form in her mind. “Margaret, part of my job is designing galas and events. Is there anything I can do to help with tomorrow?”
“Besides stay away?” Margaret waved her hand. “I’m joking.”
Charity didn’t know whether to believe her or not. “I would love to help. What are your plans for tomorrow? Elijah mentioned you are part of the yacht club. Are you holding a party afterwards there?”
Margaret’s face lit up at the mention of the yacht club. Charity had obviously said the magic words. “I thought about doing it there but the clubhouse is too small. I decided to do it here.”
“Well the place is definitely big enough.”
“Has Elijah showed you the entertaining quarters? One of the wings John had built has guestrooms on the upper floor and a large banquet room. I didn’t want to do anything too lavish. It is, after all, a funeral. So I kept the décor as is and just ordered simple dark blue accents. John loved navy blue.”
She went on to explain in minute detail what catering she had ordered. Charity poured a second cup of coffee and listened to the woman talk. She asked the right questions to keep the conversation going.
Margaret tapped the counter with a perfectly manicured nail. “I believe I’ve misjudged you.”
She took that as the best apology she would get. “Have you thought of doing some kind of special action? When my mother passed, we released fifty-five white doves to signify each year of her life.”
Margaret began to pace. “Wonderful idea. No one in the club has ever done that. Now what would be something large and significant?”
Charity had chosen white doves for their purity and freedom to represent her mother’s life. The thought of significance and being showy had never crossed her mind. She nearly laughed out loud. To each her own.
“What about hot air balloons?” Margaret snapped her fingers. “Take everyone up in the air in a ride. Have maybe twenty or thirty ready?”
Charity hid her smile. “As much as I’d love to have a ride in a hot air balloon, I’m not sure you could get that many here by tomorrow. You would need drivers and I’m not sure if you need a licence to have that many at once. What about something a little easier? It doesn’t have to be something for each year of his life, that’s just what I did. Is there anything John was passionate about?”
Margaret slapped the counter. “He loved the damn wildlife. So annoying. He constantly sent money to these groups who knew he would give it. I just tossed some brochures out yesterday. I’m going to dig them out of the recycling bin and go through them.”
She’s one hard woman. Charity didn’t know what to make of Elijah’s mom. If the woman tried to talk to the endangered groups the way she thought of them, Margaret wasn’t going to get anywhere. “Why don’t I call for you?” she suggested. “It might come off better if it sounds like you’ve hired someone to do the research. Is there an amount in mind I could suggest as a donation to put towards it? Let me call around and see what might be able to be done by tomorrow. It’s a small chance it’ll work, but you never know.”
“Good idea.” Margaret walked outside and came back a moment later with three pamphlets. “Try these ones first. I can find more if you need them. I don’t care what the cost will be – the bigger the better. It’s all about the show. I’m going to get dressed. I have a hair appointment in half an hour. Hopefully Elijah’s up by the time I get back. We have an appointment with the lawyers after lunch.”
When she left, Charity took a moment to absorb the silence. The woman was nothing like Charity imagined she would be. How someone like Elijah came from that woman… Charity stopped the thought before she finished. It was not her place to judge. Now on her own, she looked over the brochures and concentrated on them. The kiwi bird pamphlet seemed the most promising. She wrote down some information and used the phone on the kitchen wall to call.
An hour later she hung up and danced around the room. A few spins and some jazz moves, finishing with a fist pump.
“Do you do that every morning?” Elijah asked from the doorway. He wore golf shorts and a polo top, his tattoo neatly showing as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“I believe I’ve just scored the big one.” She twirled by him and kissed him on the mouth. “Coffee?”
“Sure. What are you talking about?”
“I’ve had a very successful morning.” She began ticking off her fingers. “Got your mother to like me; found something your dad was passionate about; and for the party at the house tomorrow, twenty-five young kiwis are goin
g to be released into the wild.” She looked over the notes she’s scribbled on a notepad. “The small Rowi, Okarito kiwi, are considered nationally critical. They are in a fragile state of existence and need islands off the mainland to reside. Rapt Bach is the perfect location. The Conservation of New Zealand was more than happy to have part of your father’s legacy associated with their release. Apparently he was one of their largest contributors and will be sadly missed. They’re going to personally deliver the baby birds tomorrow afternoon.”
Elijah’s eyebrow rose. “My mother agreed to this?”
“She wanted to do something and I offered to help out. She basically was up for anything that would be done on a big scale. Twenty-five of the rare endangered kiwis are coming here. That’s huge! Your father would be proud and your mother’s going to be made up with the show of it.” She did a celebratory jig. “I did go—od, I did go—od.”
Elijah wrapped his strong arms around her and hugged. “I knew there was a reason I asked you to come with me.”
“Oh! Your mom mentioned you need to go with her to see the lawyers this afternoon.”
He jerked his back in surprise. “What the hell?”
Chapter 12
“When? She never told me.”
“It’s not like we’ve really seen her.” It seemed strange to not have seen her yesterday afternoon. Would she want to spend time with her son? “Was she at Albert and Mia’s last night, too?”
Elijah scoffed. “She wouldn’t hang with the hired help. That’s not her style. She could have bloomin’ sent me an email or told me before we flew out here.” He shook his head, clearly annoyed. “What time?”
“This afternoon, sometime.” She shrugged and gave him an apologetic look. “She didn’t say a time. She had a hair appointment and then said you and her needed to go to the lawyers.” She didn’t bother to add that his mom had added that she didn’t think he’d be up in time.