by Solly, Clare
“Huh?” she said only just realizing how tensed she had made her body.
“Are you ok? Are your nerves getting to you?” Joe asked coming around to face her, but still had his hand gently cupping her elbow.
“Yes. I mean, no. What are you asking?” she stumbled with her words.
“Are you nervous about this game?” Joe said softly and kindly.
“Why would I be nervous about the game?” she said a little loudly and waved her arms around in a circle.
“You zoned out and I can’t think of any other reason you would be like this,” Joe was concerned. “I was trying to tell you it was time to change sides.”
“Oh. No. I’m… fine,” Dottie spat.
“Uh oh, you’re using the eff word...”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she was getting a little irritated. “I don’t swear, Joe Thomas.”
He laughed. “No, I… you said ‘fine.’ My father always said that when a woman uses that word, which begins with an “F” that nothing is even close to resembling fine,” he stepped a little closer. “So, what is wrong.”
“It’s nothing,” she protested, “I’m—”
“Fine,” they said in unison.
“Stop that.” She gave him a gentle smack on his shoulder and cracked a smile. “Let’s play and we can talk about it later.” Because he was giving her a look of disbelief, she repeated, “I promise we will talk later. I’m just in my head, and now isn’t the time to talk about it.”
Joe followed Dottie to the other side. They were picking up their horseshoes and Joe’s phone rang again. He pulled it out of his pocket, tapped a quick text then put it back in his pocket. They tossed their shoes again and Joe checked his phone which seemed to vibrate a lot in the last pitch. He scowled and tapped something back.
“Everything ok?”
“Fine,” he said and sighed.
“Uh oh… now you’re using the eff word.” she said with a serious face, then smiled to show she was teasing. “So, when we’re done here, we’re gonna talk about my thing and your thing.” Her smile made him relax a little.
“Fine,” he said, smiling at her in agreement.
They finished the round and miraculously won. Dottie was so surprised her face was in shock through Hetty’s announcement.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, that wraps up round two,” applause rung through the barn. “Before you all leave for the twenty-minute break, I want to remind you all that we will have two more rounds. Because we had only three teams to advance to the semi-final round, a wild card position is going to the losing team that had the most points.” Hetty paused for a bit of drama. “If you’ve been paying attention you know the point leader from the last round. And the team to advance to the semi-finals is,” she paused again. “Team Kevin and Kaitlyn! Other teams to advancing are Dottie and Joe, Bart and Ashley, and Don and Aaron.” Applause. “Congratulations to all of our semi-final teams. We will see you back here in twenty minutes.”
Dottie turned to talk to Joe, but he was nowhere to be seen. Dottie sighed to herself. He disappeared again during Hetty’s announcement.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
There was banging on the door. “Hurry up, we’re going to miss it,” bellowed the loud voice at the door.
“I’m coming!”
Dottie leaned over the sink to put on her lipstick. There. Perfection.
More banging.
“You know the door is open, right?” Dottie hollered over her shoulder. Hetty could be so irritating sometimes.
She heard the click of the door knob turning as she walked out of the small bathroom. Hetty slipped in through the door and closed it behind her. Turning around Hetty gasped.
“Wow!” Hetty said as she walked into the room. “You look—”
“Amazing?” Dottie finished for her.
“Yes! I knew that was the right dress!” she said as she crossed the room and took Dottie by the hand. “If you ask me, there aren’t enough red heads that dress up in green these days.”
“Well,” Dottie said taking on a haughty voice and pretending to fan herself, “Red and green are just so Christmassy, so everyone would be jealous,” they both laughed. It felt so good to be silly what with all of the seriousness lately surrounding the museum.
After the tournament, Joe dashed away again, to who knows where. He wasn’t at his house. Dottie had looked. They hadn’t gotten a chance to talk. Dottie was getting nervous. His avoidance wasn’t a good sign.
“What? What’s wrong,” Hetty asked as Dottie had stopped laughing and made a scrunched-up face of worry.
“Nothing,” Dottie relaxed her face and fanned it again, this time trying to keep the tears away.
“Nope. I know you too well Dottie Henry. We are not leaving this room until you tell me why you’re making that face.”
“Well…”
“Take a deep breath. That helps hold the tears down,” Hetty suggested. Dottie did. “And another.” Dottie did. “One more,” Dottie’s shoulders relaxed.
“Well. Joe lives in Los Angeles.”
“Yes,” Hetty confirmed.
“And I live here in Connecticut,” Dottie stated the obvious.
“Yes,” Hetty confirmed again.
“And it’s thousands of miles,” Dottie threw her arms up in the air.
“Uh huh…” Hetty scrunched her forehead in confusion.
Feeling her friend wasn’t getting any of the problematic issues Dottie was trying to convey, she took Hetty by the arms and shook her. “This is never going to work.”
Hetty wriggled out of Dottie’s death grip, “Honey, you’re gonna wrinkle me if you keep doing that. Now. Let’s talk this through. True, Joe has a job in Los Angeles, that we’re not sure he’s getting again—”
“I’m sure he is!” Dottie interrupted. “His agent kept calling him all day long.”
“Right, but that could be about anything,” Hetty reasoned.
“Uh, I’m pretty sure that the job of an agent is to negotiate contracts and get jobs for players. So, I’m pretty sure he will be in Los Angeles,” Dottie reasoned.
“Okaaay… well, the good thing is that you’re both adults and can figure things out. Although, we’ve had to lead you both by the nose to each other, so the jury is still out. But don’t you worry, between Frank, Murray and me, we’re going to make sure this relationship gets every chance it can. It’s been a long time in the making.”
Dottie looked aghast at her friend. “What are you saying?”
“I’m telling you that we’re not going to let you and Joe run away from each other any longer. No matter how far apart you are,” Hetty said with all seriousness. “Baseball season isn’t that long. And Los Angeles isn’t that far. Plus, there is this crazy invention called an airplane that magically transports people—”
“Hetty! Be serious!”
“Dottie, I am,” Hetty started to chuckle. “Besides, it’s so great to see you as happy as you are around Joe. This crazy relationship that should have happened decades ago!” Hetty’s laugh bubbled out. She was overjoyed for her best friend. It was infectious and Dottie started to laugh too.
As quickly as the laugh started, Dottie stopped laughing and looked terrified.
“What if I made the wrong decision. What if it doesn’t work out?” Dottie pained.
“Alright,” Hetty stopped laughing and had a solemn look on her face. She sighed. “Well, like I said, it’s not like Los Angeles is that far away. Just a plane ride. And you want to visit new places, right? So, this will give you to do that. The museum is closed a few days a week anyway,” Hetty walked over to her friend and took her by the hand. “And you’ve lived this long without him. When something is meant to be it works itself out. Just believe. Tis the season for miracles.” Hetty reassured her. Dottie still didn’t look convinced, so Hetty continued. “It’s obvious to anyone who was in that barn today that you’re in love with each other. I had to squash rumors all day that he bro
ke up with that model for you—”
“Really?” Dottie looked hopeful and as if she was holding in a secret. “Well, I don’t think you have to do that anymore.” Dottie rolled her eyes upward coyishly showing she had a secret.
“What? Why? Did Joe say something?” Hetty got excited.
“No, Heather did actually. Apparently, she texted Joe during the tournament. The thing she was in New York for today? The photo shoot was only part of it. She booked a new television show. Joe said she texted saying that in the same press release about her new show, Heather mentioned that she and Joe amicably split because she is moving to New York to film.” Dottie smiled.
“That’s great news,” Hetty squealed like a teenager.
“I know, right?” Dottie bounced on her toes. Then calmly stated,” Joe said that it won’t hit the news circuit completely for a few more days. But that it’s up to me if I want to start telling people.”
Hetty pulled Dottie in close and started to embrace her but then halted.
“Hetty, what’s wrong?” Dottie asked.
“I’m so happy for you, but… I don’t want to wrinkle you,” Hetty was solemn.
“Oh Hetty!” Dottie said and pulled her friend in the rest of the way. “A little hug won’t hurt this dress. Friends are worth wrinkling for. Plus, I’m feeling so wonderful, I could care less about how I look!”
Pushing back out of her friend’s arms, Hetty looked aghast. “Take that back Dorothy Henry!”
“Fine! Fine,” Dottie threw her arms up in the air. “I do love how I look tonight,” a smile lit up her face and she did a twirl in her beautiful dress.
“Good!” Hetty said looking placated.
“And…”
“There’s more?” Hetty questioned in surprise.
“Yeah. It gets better. The museum looks like it will be open for a while. I received seven deposits today for weddings to be held here,” Dottie said calmly.
“Seven!” Hetty echoed shrilly.
“Yes, SEVEN!” Dottie shouted and started jumping up and down. “And there are inquiries for twelve more, including some for the following year!”
They both jumped up and down and made loud giggling noises.
“Are you girls having a slumber party up there or what?” Don hollered up the stairs.
“No, honey! Dottie just got good news. Be right down,” Hetty hollered back to her husband. “He hates to be left out,” she winked at Dottie. “We should get down there, though. The natives are getting restless and we should probably open the doors and start this shindig.”
“Right!” Dottie said. Hetty turned to walk out.
“Hetty, wait!
“What is it?” Hetty turned back suddenly with a little fear in her eyes.
“Hetty, you’re my best friend.”
“Yeah, honey,” Hetty said as if it was a simple fact.
“I love you so much. You’re always supportive and strong and just always there for me. I don’t know what I did to deserve—”
“Oh stop! You’re gonna make me cry!” Hetty waved a hand in front of her face to shoo away the tears and took Dottie’s hand in hers. “I love you, too, crazy lady.” She squeezed Dottie’s hand before letting go then turned toward the door and took steps toward it. “Now, let’s get downstairs!”
“Right behind, ya!” Dottie hollered as she dashed into the bathroom to take one last look in the mirror. Turning off the lights behind her, she closed the door to the bedroom and started down the stairs. A face looked up at her and she met his sparkling eyes.
“Hi,” she said breathlessly to him on the fourth step.
“You look...stunning,” Joe said as she stepped down next to him.
Blushing, Dottie said, “You do too. I think I’ll write to the commissioner of baseball and see if I can persuade him into making tuxedo’s the league uniform.” She reached forward and gently smoothed his lapels then looked up.
They gazed into each other’s eyes just floating there in the foyer of the museum. But their moment was interrupted when Hetty came from around the drape that was still up in front of the ballroom. Murray was still guarding it when Dottie came back from the competition. She barely noticed as she dashed upstairs to get dressed. The tournament went longer than expected, and Dottie had very little time to get dressed, let alone peek at the ballroom. Still Murray guarded it. He was nowhere to be seen now.
“She’s out here, you guys,” Hetty yelled through the curtain.
Don slipped out followed by Frank. They both took one side of the drape and looked at Dottie with anticipation of her reaction.
“Dottie,” called Murray from the other side of the curtain, “are you ready?” Murray asked.
“As I’ll ever be, Murray,” she called back, then looked at Joe and shared a smile.
“Alright, boys. Take it away,” Murray instructed. Don and Frank pulled at the pipe and drape, and it came apart at the top and the fabric slipped away like magic. Joe reached for her hand as she took two steps forward and gasped.
ChapterThirty
The room looked like a sparkling winter wonderland. The rugs had been rolled up and the light hardwood floor was lit with a bright wash of light to make it look like it was whitewashed. The dark wooden walls had been covered with pipe and drape and the wooden walls were hidden by soft sheets of iridescent white and blue making the magical effect of a winter wonderland.
There were clusters of three Christmas trees of varying heights in each the corner of all wrapped around their bases in piles of what looked like snow. The tree that Hetty and Joe decorated just off to the left of the band stand. A short riser was in front of the rounded windows, and the six-piece band sat there dressed in whites and light blues. Clusters of lights and crystals hung from the ceiling making it look like icicles were hanging down. And in the center, the chandelier was wrapped with the iridescent fabric. Over in one corner there was a photo area with a five-foot snowman and a backdrop that looked like a snowy mountain. To top it off, it had started snowing outside, so it looked like the entire room was inside a snow globe.
Dottie found she was in the middle of the room just slowly turning in awe.
“Do you like it?” Murray inquired.
“Like it?” She almost tackled Murray with a hug. “I love it,” she said muffled into his shoulder.
“He wasn’t the only one who did anything!” Frank protested.
“Oh, Frank! Thank you too.” And Dottie gave him a big hug.
“He’s taken, Dottie. Get your own,” an older female voice pulled them apart.
“Marilyn, you know no one could take the same place in my heart as you,” Frank said as he looked at his wife. Then took her by the hand, twirled her and kissed her deeply.
“Thank you, Don,” Dottie said as she quietly hugged him while Frank and Marilyn kissed. Dottie then turned to the group and remarked, “I can’t believe all of you did so much for…” she looked upward as to not let the tear that was forming in her eye drop and ruin her makeup.
“I hope you’re wearing that waterproof mascara I gave you,” Hetty joked.
Dottie laughed. “I love you all. I don’t know why I thought I’d want to ever leave. I’d miss you all too much. I’m so glad I’ve decided to stay in East Haddam.”
Murray whooped, Hetty clapped and the rest joined in shouting and cheering.
“Well, we should get ready, I think people are starting to arrive,” Hetty said as she pointed to the door where six or seven people had just walked into the front room. “I’ll go,” Hetty said, looking at Dottie then saying something to Joe with her eyes. She started to walk out of the room, and snapped her wrist at the band, and said, “Hit it boys!”
They started to play a slow Christmas tune. Don went off to the kitchen to check on the food. Murray saw a friend of his and walked over to say hello. And Frank and Marilyn started to slowly dance.
Dottie was just about to start walking out to the front, when Joe said, “That’s a good idea,” and h
e reached out for Dottie’s hand and pulled her into his arms. He put her hand on his shoulder then put his on her waist and led her as they casually danced in each other’s arms.
“So... you’re staying in town,” he asked.
“Yes. The museum needs me. And,” she said looking around the room, but seeing the whole museum in her mind’s eye, “I think I need it, too.”
“Ah. So, definitely not moving to New York then,” Joe reaffirmed.
She looked him in the eye and laughed. “No. Not moving to New York. Oh, and probably not going to be a multimillionaire anytime soon,” she frowned. “Harold left a message during the tournament saying that the company went in a different direction and they no longer want my recipe.”
“I’m sorry. That’s too bad,” Joe commiserated.
“I don’t know,” Dottie was thoughtful. “I’ve always believed that everything happens like it is supposed to.”
“How do you mean?” Joe cocked his head a little and gave her a questioning look.
“Well…” she sighed thinking of an example, “Like me throwing the wreaths on your head. If I hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here now.”
“How do you figure that?” questioned Joe skeptically.
“Well, if no wreaths, then you wouldn't have forgotten the new doorknob and gone back to get it the day that this roof leaked. So, you wouldn’t have been dragged into helping and fallen through the roof. And if you hadn’t found the pictures when you fell through, the ideas for the horseshoe fundraiser and the yearbook exhibit wouldn’t have happened.”
Joe smiled a big knowing smile. “So, what you’re saying is that if I wouldn’t have come home to fix my parents’ house to get out of the weird funk I was in with baseball, I wouldn’t have gotten hit on the head, then fallen in love with you, and then when I got the offer to move to Boston as their starting catcher for the next two seasons, I wouldn't have taken it?”
“Nope,” pragmatically she replied. It took another moment for it all to register. Her eyes got big and she stopped dancing. She looked up and their eyes met. “Wait—”
“Dottie!” Interrupted Robert. “So good to see you, the place looks amazing. I would like you to meet Amber Randall, she is a local news reporter who—”