Recipe for Trouble

by Jackie Griffey

  "Her car?" He jumped on it, "What happened to Katie's car?"

  "For goodness sake, Cas, nothing happened to it! It just wouldn't start and she's going to put it into a shop and have it checked over before she ventures out of town in it again."

  "Oh." He calmed down, a little embarrassed. "I see. I still wish you'd let me go with you or send one of my deputies with you."

  Cas stopped just short of insisting, concerned about Miss Minnie going to Mattie's cabin on the lake alone. None of them were exactly spring chickens. He pictured the area he and Rhodes had covered as he listened. Whether it made sense or not, he wasn't too sure of what she would find. Mattie's not answering the phone set off alarms he couldn't ignore.

  He took her home and stopped in their driveway, still framing excuses. "It's no trouble, I could just follow you in my car and do a patrol of the area while I'm up there."

  "Oh, heavens no. You don't need to do that. It may be some of Katie's anxiety rubbing off on me. There's really no tangible reason to worry about Mattie. All it amounts to is she sounded tired, and then didn't answer the phone this morning. Mayme said she might have been outside. Remember that swing that's on the porch? She said something about the porch once when we were talking to her, though I don't remember now what it was she said. And I doubt if she could hear the phone out there. I'm just going to make sure to ease my own mind about it. Besides, Mayme needs the experience running things alone."

  Her hand on his open truck window, she leaned in and grinned, "Being gone a day or two will make Mayme appreciate me."

  "I know you better than that," Cas reminded her. "The shop is busy this week according to Connie. You wouldn't be going if you weren't worried."

  "Now you're getting nervous too, I'd better go on before I start a panic." Miss Minnie laughed lightly, not even convincing herself.

  "A panic. Well, you may be right," Cas said, still uneasy. "Anyway, I know you'll feel better when you know for certain she's all right." He reached into his pocket, "Here, at least take this card with my eight hundred number on it in case you need me."

  "Oh, all right, I'll do that. But I'm sure I'll find out I should have stayed here. If she's a little under the weather I'll stay over a day and do whatever she needs done but I'm not worried, and don't you worry either."

  She heaved a deep sigh, "I just might get shown the door for my trouble if she's nearly through with her book and doesn't want to be bothered."

  Cas waited until she disappeared through her front door, having misgivings about not sending someone with her in spite of her excuses. He drove slowly back to his office still arguing with himself about following her.

  Picturing Miss Minnie and Mattie Carrington both on his back with their sharp tongues convinced him that giving her the eight hundred number was the best he could do at that point.

  Miss Minnie made good time on the way to the lake. She straightened her glasses on her nose and watched the winding road on the way to the cabin.

  "I don't like these narrow, winding roads. You never know when some road hog or a speeding youngster will come barreling around one of these turns."

  The knot in her neck muscles eased a little as she turned in the gate to Mattie's cabin. She could see Mattie in the swing on the porch.

  "Thank goodness! There she is. Alive and able to get out on the porch, it seems."

  Mattie hadn't seen her yet. Looking closer as she pulled in, Miss Minnie thought with dismay, "she looks grumpy or uncomfortable or something."

  At that point Mattie looked around at the approaching car. She slowly got up from the swing and came to meet her cousin at the steps.

  "I'm glad to see you, Minnie." The soft voice didn't sound like Mattie's.

  "Lord, she looks desperate. The more she tries to put up a front, the worse she looks and it looks like she did good to make it over here from the swing." Minnie tried not to let her feelings show in her face, her eyes taking in her cousin's condition.

  "I've got a chicken in the crockpot," Mattie's ghost told her. "I think it's about ready to eat. I don't remember now when I put it on, but it's done. You can tell by looking through the pyrex top." She teetered a little as she led the way in.

  "My," Miss Minnie said, taking her arm when she miscalculated a step and nearly bumped into her, "That chicken certainly smells good."

  Her hand on the thin arm, she suddenly realized how frail Mattie was. With a cold feeling along her spine, she held onto her to steady her.

  "Oh, does it? I can't smell anything you know. Sort of a mixed blessing that is." She looked around as if she were trying to remember something, or maybe where she was? It was a lost, haunted look.

  "It's a good thing I came up here," Miss Minnie thought as she took charge.

  She put her things down and got Mattie seated in the comfortable chair she had brought with her. She put a blanket over her legs and a pillow behind her thin shoulders.

  The chicken did smell good. She creamed some of the chicken and made toast for Mattie. She had stopped at the store for a six pack of cokes and fixed Mattie a large glass of the carbonated drink with lots of ice in it, when she said her stomach was a little upset.

  "Must not have been sick too long," Miss Minnie thought to herself. There was a hint of spices as she bent over Mattie.

  "She smells like she's had spaghetti recently. Probably canned, poor dear."

  Mattie insisted on eating at the table and sipped her cold coke. She was eating slowly, but eating as Miss Minnie watched.

  "This chicken is good, Mattie. Mayme uses our crockpot a lot too. Before I go, I'll take the rest of the meat off the bones so you can snack on it later and have plenty for tomorrow too." She was beginning to wonder if Katie wasn't right to fuss so much and see that Mattie ate good, wholesome food, and enough of it. Not to mention she should take time to rest, she looked so tired.

  Mattie ate some more of her creamed chicken and nibbled her toast, seeming to feel better. Miss Minnie wondered if she had been slightly dehydrated. She was drinking her third glass of the canned drinks she had brought.

  By the time they were nearly finished, Mattie's eyes were clearer as she looked around.

  "I was hoping Katie might come and run the vacuum cleaner in the living room." Her sideways glance at Miss Minnie was speculative.

  Miss Mayme hadn't realized there was a vacuum cleaner in all that stuff they had brought.

  "I'll do that for you, don't worry about it. I told Mayme when I left I might spend the night, so I'll just take my time and not try to go back today. I don't like driving after dark anyway." She could see how much good the hot meal and carbonated drink had done. It warmed her heart to see Mattie so obviously feeling better.

  "Thank you, Minnie. While you were out bringing in the groceries you brought, I moved a lamp into the other bedroom so you can read a while before you go to sleep tonight if you want to. I've got a few books here."

  "Thank you, Mattie, that was thoughtful. But I've got a paperback with me. That's one good thing about these super big bags. They will hold a change of underwear, toothbrush, and a book without the rest of the world even knowing you're going anywhere," she chuckled. "But I sure do appreciate the lamp. I'm glad you brought enough things with you to be comfortable up here."

  Mattie didn't answer, standing with her hand on the table for support.

  Miss Minnie paused, peering closer at her as she got up.

  Was Mattie smiling? There was a peculiar expression on her face?

  Mattie's wan, questionable expression turned to near panic. She clapped a hand over her mouth and scuttled as fast as she could toward the bathroom.

  Miss Minnie followed closely, her own stomach feeling light and full of butterflies with the fear Mattie might fall.

  Mattie made it all right and unburdened her poor insides. Miss Minnie held a towel and knelt beside her, her hand briefly on her forehead, to see if she had a fever.

  When the unpleasant physical storm was over she bathed Mattie's f
ace in cool water and got her settled in her chair again to rest while she cleaned up the bathroom and ran the vacuum in the living room.

  After the cleaning up and dusting she thought was necessary, including her own bath, she helped Mattie into a clean gown and gathered up the dirty towels and clothes. She rinsed the towels and put them in one of the plastic bags Mattie had brought with her for Katie to use for laundry et cetera on her visits. She could wash them and bring them back and save Katie a trip if her car wasn't fixed in the next few days.

  It was obvious how sick Mattie was, to let anyone help and take care of her. She liked to be in charge if not of the rest of the world, at least her little part of it. Her eyes followed her cousin but the rest of her hardly moved.

  The cleaning finished, Miss Minnie turned a tentative smile on her patient. "It's time for the news, if you feel like watching it."

  "Yes, I always look at the news," Mattie sat up straighter. "I think I'll be all right now. You know, I think there's more carbonation in the canned drinks like you brought than those bottled ones I had. My stomach's better. And I do thank you for coming. I didn't know I was going to be so much trouble."

  "Hush! You're no trouble, you're family." Miss Minnie felt a tug at her heart at Mattie's attempt to apologize.

  She saw Mattie to bed after the news. She was either feeling a lot better or putting up a brave front. Hopefully, she would be over whatever had upset her by the next day.

  The next morning, Miss Minnie's first feeling was pain. She got up massaging her neck.

  "I must be too old to wake up anywhere but in my own bed," she ruefully admitted to herself. "Mattie isn't the only one who's getting older."

  She made coffee and had toast browning in the broiler when she heard Mattie coming. They sat at the table getting their eyes open as they drank their coffee. Neither could be classified morning people.

  "It was good of you to come up here to see me when I know you must be busy at your shop."

  "Mayme can manage all right for a day or so. It may make her appreciate me." She played down the inconvenience, glad she had come.

  "I'll find a way to make it worth your while and show my appreciation."

  "Now Mattie, don't go making mountains out of mole hills. You're family. Let's hear no more about it."

  She straightened up, making the bed she had slept in before cleaning up the kitchen. She boned the chicken and put it in a covered bowl for Mattie. She could just snack on it if she didn't want to do anything else, and it would give her some strength. Putting away the last cup, she looked out the window over the sink.

  "Looks like I'll have a good day to drive back. Is there anything you need me to do or get for you before I leave?" She turned to look at Mattie, "Or I could stay another day if you want me to?"

  "No, I'm over whatever I had, I'll be fine now. But, wait just a minute."

  As Miss Minnie set her oversized bag by the door, Mattie returned with two books.

  "I signed these for you, my first two books, if you want them. I'll give you my new one when it's out."

  "Why, thank you! Of course I want them," Miss Minnie's smile showed her delight with the gift.

  She looked at the covers Mattie had put back on them and the note she had written inside.

  She gave Mattie an impulsive hug, "And if Mayme drops anything on one of them I'll," she stopped, trying to think of something bad enough, "I'll impose sanctions on her!"

  They hugged again, laughing together and Mattie waved from the door, her affection and gratitude showing in her smile.

  Returning to Maryvale, Miss Minnie drove straight to the shop. She found her sister sorting ribbon and making busy work for herself. She hadn't seen the car pull up to park at the back entrance. Minnie slipped in the back door. Mayme turned with a glad cry of surprise, opening her arms for a hug. She kissed her sister on both cheeks and tears welled over. She dashed them away with a ruffle on her work smock.

  "Oh, I'm so glad you're back and all right. Why didn't you tell me you were on the road so I could worry?" Miss Mayme laughed at herself.

  "I just got my foot in the road and came straight here, afraid you might be snowed under with work and customers."

  "Thanks for the thought. Business has been coming in bunches like bananas with several or none to wait on, but I managed all right. All I've done is watch the shop and wait on customers and do a little bit on getting my under counter supplies a little straighter. I left some things for you on the desk back in the office."

  "That's fine. I'll get busy on them, then. As I said on the phone when I got there, I wouldn't have stayed if Mattie hadn't been sick. I'm glad I went." She filled her in on all that had happened.

  "Are you sure she'll be all right now? Maybe you should have stayed a while longer with her," Miss Mayme's worry lines didn't relax.

  "No, she seems to be over whatever was wrong with her and sounds like her old self again. Her stomach was upset for some reason and she was so weak, but having her digestion upset would account for that. Maybe it was one of those mysterious viruses that come and go. She seemed all right again when I left. Sort of weak, but all right and getting better."

  Miss Mayme nodded, "Good, I'm glad you went, too, and I know it will make her feel better that you did. Knowing Mattie, she'd have to be too weak to use the phone before she called for help, but she knows we're close and will come if she needs us."

  "And Mayme, I have a nice surprise too. I left them in the car so I wouldn't forget to take them home, but she gave me signed copies of both her books and promised me we would get the new one when it comes out."

  "How nice of her. We both have one now of the first one, and we didn't have the second one at all. It's a good thing you left them in the car, I'd be looking at them instead of working. Oh, and speaking of working people, Cas called and said he wanted to talk to you when you got back."

  "I'll call him now, before I get to work."

  Glancing over the pile her sister had left for her, Miss Minnie simply gave everything on the desk a big push and pulled the phone toward her to dial the sheriff's office.

  "Pine County Sheriff's Office, Cas Larkin speaking."

  "This is Minnie, Cas. I just got back from the lake and Mayme said you called."

  "Are you at the shop?"

  "Yes, why?"

  "Gladys is on break and I'm answering the phones or I would come over there. Are you too tired to come over here and talk to me?"

  "Just how old do you think I am?" Miss Minnie inquired archly.

  She hung up on his laughter, tossed her purse in a drawer and went.

  Miss Mayme was with a customer. She pointed across the street as she left the shop.

  * * *

  Except for still being a little tired Mattie felt better, getting back into her work routine after Miss Minnie left. She ignored anything but gushing blood or muscle spasms when she was trying to get something done and she was making good progress. She even stopped a few times to do some of the leg lifts to keep from taking root, smiling to herself. The first draft of her book was done except for two or three things she had made notes to consider changing and all the proofing that was so important. She drank deeply of the large glass of cola she had poured herself to put off fixing anything to eat.

  The next day she had a leisurely hot bath and rubbed in a lot of the cream she used on her dry skin, thinking that might help her get ready to face a good day's work. She had other things for her fingers to do than scratch itchy, dry skin and she was determined to get a lot of work done that day.

  Coming out of the bathroom she glanced around her. The cabin was clean and her papers with the additions and changes she had decided to look at had been in order before she stopped to rest and bathe, but she felt a little light headed.

  She reached into the refrigerator and got a couple of pieces of the chicken Miss Minnie had boned for her, not bothering to make a sandwich.

  "I'll sit in the swing a few minutes before I get started again
, I'm going make a final decision on the recipes I want to substitute for the ones I have marked, and proof those again to make sure my fingers and my brain were working together."

  She wiped her fingers and put the chicken on a paper towel before opening the door of the refrigerator again.

  There's that other big bottle of cola Eugene left me, I might as well use it. She took it and a glass along with her chicken and headed for the swing.

  * * *

  Miss Minnie came into the office as Miss Mayme turned to see who the chimes were announcing. She sniffed the scent from the office, "I'm glad you made coffee, I can use some."

  "You mean Cas didn't offer you any," was Miss Mayme's surprised reply.

  "He was too busy asking questions."

  "I should have known, he's concerned about Mattie. You could tell he wasn't much in favor of her staying up there by herself when we told him and Connie about it."

  "I know he's conscientious about his job and concerned about everybody in the county, that's why he's such a good sheriff. But he asked so much!"

  Miss Mayme giggled, "Got the third degree, did you?"

  "That shows your age, they don't call it that anymore. Answering all the questions he asked, was like feeding data into a computer. He now knows everything about my visit with Mattie. All the facts, everything that happened, and what I thought about it, too."

  Miss Mayme got out cups. "Well, you can relax now that you've reported, and wet your whistle with some fresh coffee." She added mischievously, "And do tell me anything you might have left out about your visit!" She held up a graham cracker to defend herself.

  * * *

  Three days later, Cas came into the flower shop. It was nearly closing time and there were no customers. He beckoned across the shop to Miss Mayme and pointed to the office.

  "Lock the door before you come in," he called over his shoulder.

  Startled at the order and the expression on his face, Miss Mayme lost no time getting up the closed sign.