"Elena is crazy," Sherry responded. "I know. I looked into her eyes when she was attacking me. Nobody will believe me." She drew a deep breath. "Do you still want to take me to dinner tomorrow night?"
"Definitely. I'm looking forward to it. You need to get away from all this for a while."
She didn't go to bed until after midnight. It was past three when she went to sleep. The clock's red numerals showed eleven o'clock when she woke up. Even though she would like to have remained in bed, she knew she had to get around to leave for work at two-thirty. She muddled through the day trying to focus on what she needed to do. She could not keep her mind off Mark. He intruded into everything she did. "I don't want to fall in love with him," she muttered to her dishwater. Her hot shower didn't wash him from her mind.
Chapter 6
She was glad it was a busy evening at work. But on the drive home thoughts of Mark followed her. She hoped that she would not have to deal with Elena. The last thing she wanted was for that woman to find out that she and Mark were going on a date. She almost called to cancel. But she really wanted to go. She needed a distraction from the complications of her life. And Mark was distracting.
She changed to a flowered dress topped by a white sweater. Then she called Mark. Hiding her purse in one of the milk cans, she pinned a door key to the underside of her collar. She was waiting when Mark drove in the driveway.
He chose a small family restaurant frequented by rural families. That late in the evening there were quite a few teenagers hanging around the pinball machines. When Mark guided her to an empty table, Sherry selected a chair where she could see the door, just in case Elena had followed them.
A hefty woman with her gray hair pinned up in a bun and a pencil behind her ear came to take their order. "Well, hello, Mark. We don't get to see you much anymore."
"This is Sherry Winnette. Violet's grand-daughter."
"Your grandparents used to come in here every Saturday night. I'd guess you'd be the little tyke they used to bring with them."
Sherry smiled. "Possibly. I don't remember." She looked over the menu. "A BLT, fries and coleslaw. Chocolate milk to drink."
Mark grinned up at the woman. "Sounds good to me, Kate. Make it two."
When Kate delivered their food, Mark pulled the toothpicks out of his sandwich and picked up half. "The food here is good."
Sherry was hungry because she skipped her supper break. She sat eating without pausing for conversation.
"Cat got your tongue?" Mark asked.
She shook her head and swallowed. "It's impolite to talk with your mouth full. I'm famished." But she remained quiet through the meal.
"What's wrong?" Mark asked.
"I keep expecting Elena to walk through that door. If she does, I'm going under the table."
Mark gave her a grin. "Elena wouldn't lower her standards to come to a place like this."
"That's what I thought about the Laundromat. But she did. I have the marks to prove it." She indicated the scratches on her cheek. "I got a summons in the mail today. My hearing is next Wednesday at nine o'clock. I'm ready to go home. I'm tired. I haven't been sleeping well and we had a busy evening at work."
She remained quiet all the way home. Mark tried to draw her out but she remained reticent. When he walked her to the door he asked, "May I come in?"
"No."
"May I kiss you without getting bit?"
She stood on the doorstep making her as tall as he was. She smiled. "I won't bite."
He put his hands on her shoulders and she put her hands on his chest to keep him from getting too close. The kiss began gently but deepened. She slipped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with ardor. Until his hand touched her breast. She shoved against him and stepped back.
"That's enough." Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. He had awakened feelings in her she didn't know existed. She knew if she allowed him to come in she would end up in bed with him. "Good night, Mark."
"You expect me to just go home after a kiss like that?"
"Yes. Go home, Mark." She turned, opened the storm door and unlocked the door. He reached to stop her but she slipped inside and shut the door, locking it. With her heart hammering she unlocked the door to the kitchen and stepped inside. She stood watching him through the kitchen window.
At his truck, he turned back and looked at the closed, locked door. Then he shrugged and got in his vehicle and backed out of the driveway.
"You can't afford to fall in love now," she told herself. "What about all your plans and goals? Think about college and what you plan to do with your life." But Mark wouldn't go away. Thoughts of him inserted themselves into everything she tried to do. She put a classical CD in the stereo and went to bed
It was nearly nine-thirty when she awoke. She didn't feel like getting up but there were things she needed to do. She could sleep late tomorrow. She put the teakettle on and tried to open the silverware drawer to get a spoon. It stuck. She tried to work it open to no avail. "I've had trouble out of you ever since I moved in," she complained to the drawer. "I'll get you open one way or another."
Just then the door buzzer sounded. She turned around to look out the kitchen window. Mark stood at the breezeway door.
"Just what I need--an engineer. Can you fix a sticking drawer?"
"I think I might be a little over qualified but I'll try." He followed her to the kitchen. He tried pushing the drawer back in. That way it worked easily but when he tried to pull it out it stuck again. He removed the drawer just below it.
"That was my next plan but then you came so I figured I'd let you do it." Sherry turned off the gas as the teakettle began to whistle.
Mark knelt down to look at the bottom of the drawer. "Flashlight."
She placed the flashlight in his hand. He directed the beam at the bottom of the drawer. "There's something taped to it."
Sherry leaned down to look. Mark turned his head and they were nose to nose. He put his left hand behind her head and kissed her as he stood up and laid the flashlight on the counter. As he embraced her with his right arm, the kiss deepened. She could feel his tongue enter her mouth. She pressed her open mouth to his as his kiss stirred up the same feelings as the night before. This time she didn't push away but clung to him.
Finally reason penetrated her giddy brain and she pushed away from him gasping for breath. Her heart was hammering so she thought it might burst free of her chest. "Don't...do that!"
"All I did was kiss you."
"That wasn't a kiss; it was an oral invasion."
He chuckled at her sally and knelt down again. "There's only room for one head here." He reached up to pull down what was taped to the underside of the top drawer. "It's an envelope. It says 'Sherry'." He passed it to her and turned to replace the drawer he'd removed.
"That's Gram's writing." Sherry tore open the envelope and removed the paper inside. Something small hit the floor and skittered away toward Mark.
He picked it up and stood up. "A key. What's the letter say?"
"It doesn't say anything; you have to read it." She read aloud, "Sherry, my dear little girl. Here is the key to the safe deposit box. I forgot to put it in my will but I want you to have it.
"There have been Winnettes in every war this country has ever fought back to before it was a country. They all kept diaries--from the French and Indian War until the present in Iraq and Afghanistan. The safe deposit box contains the diaries from the French and Indian War until the middle of the Civil War. Your cousin Hannah has the ones from then on.
"I know you will keep them in the family. Under no circumstances are you to allow Uncle Roy or your mother to get their hands on them as they are quite valuable and they would sell them. You are my dearest little girl.
"Love Gram."
Sherry looked up at Mark with trembling lips as tears wet her eyelashes. He pulled her into his arms as she wept for the grandmother she loved. She pulled back and swiped at her tears with her hand.
"I'm okay."
"That letter tells you just how much she cared about you," he said softly. "You were always her little girl."
"If I had known she was so sick I would have come to take care of her, but no one ever told me. I didn't even know she died until I got the letter from her lawyer saying I inherited the house. Mom must have known but she didn't tell me. She knew I would leave if I knew."
"Is that letter dated?"
"July 11."
"We have to get that in to Mom as quick as we can. Come along."
"I have to get dressed first. I'm still in my pajamas." She wore a faded black sweat suit. She went to the dining room and got jeans and her favorite hot pink tee shirt before going to the bathroom. "I'm ready," She said when she returned to the kitchen. She picked up her hammer from the counter.
"What's that for?" he asked.
"To open the milk can where my purse is hid. Your father said I can keep them and they make good hiding places." She whacked the milk can lid to loosen it and took out her purse. She put the letter in her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder. "Let's go."
In the truck, she worked the key onto her keychain. She remained quiet until Mark commented about it. "I've been thinking about Gram. I'm not sure I can ever forgive Mom for not telling me she was sick. I could have come to take care of her and she wouldn't have had to go to a nursing home. It just hurts so much knowing Mom deliberately kept it from me."
Mark found a parking place across from the bank. They went straight to Jan's office where Mark entered without knocking. Sherry followed him in.
"Hi, Sherry," Jan said. "What can I do for you?"
Mark answered that question. "The lost is found. Sherry has the key to Violet's safe deposit box."
Sherry laid the letter on Jan's desk. Jan picked up it to read it. "This is very important. So is that date." She picked up the telephone receiver to place a call. "Hello. Gail?" She listened a second before speaking again. "Is your brother home?"
"Mom?" Sherry asked.
Jan nodded. "Do you have a portable phone? Take it out to Roy and tell him Jan Blakely at the bank wants to speak to him about a very important matter." Jan put her hand over the receiver. "He's out mowing the lawn."
While she waited, Jan put the letter in her printer and pushed a couple buttons. The printer spit out four copies. She gave one to Sherry. "This is for you. Oh, Roy, I'm sorry to bother you while you're busy but this is important. You won't need a court order to have the safe deposit box opened. Sherry has the key and a letter from your mother giving the contents to her. The letter is dated July 11." She listened a few minutes before continuing. "Do what you feel you must, but until I have something from the courts to the contrary, what is in that safe deposit box is Sherry's. This letter specifically tells Sherry not to allow you or your sister to have those diaries. They are to be kept in the family."
She listened a little longer and hung up. "He didn't like it but he accepted it."
Sherry looked worried. "Is he going to contest it in court?"
"No. He wants to keep them in the family, too. He agrees that you shouldn't allow your mother to get her hands on them. I am to send him a copy of the letter. I shall include one for your mother; one for me; and one for you. That original needs to be put in the safe deposit box with the diaries. I am also going to scan it into my computer."
"While you ladies do that I'm going to withdraw some money so I can take Sherry to lunch at Souper Sally's." Mark left the office.
After the letter was safely locked away, they left the bank to go for an early lunch. "The souper in Sally's is spelled S-O-U-P-E-R. It's a soup and sandwich place. She bakes the bread for the sandwiches. Good country food." Mark grinned down at her and put his arm around her as they stopped at the curb. "We'll make a country girl of you yet."
She laughed and looked up at him. "Do you think you can do that?"
"Uh-oh," He said as he looked up the street. Sherry followed his gaze and saw the silver Lexus slow down.
Elena put down the window and screamed at Sherry, "Bitch! Bastard!" She accelerated away from them.
Sherry saw no other traffic so she stepped off the curb to cross the street. She was in the middle of the street when she heard tires screaming and looked down the street. Elena made a U-turn and was coming toward her. Sherry froze where she was.
"Run, Sherry! Run!" Mark yelled behind her. "Run!"
Her feet felt like they were made of lead and everything seemed to be in slow motion except the car speeding toward her. Elena was on the wrong side of the street aimed right at Sherry. She felt Mark's left arm encircle her waist and he lifted her as he put his right arm around her head and dove between the back of his truck and the SUV parked behind it.
He tried to turn sideways but bounced off the hood of the SUV. Sherry felt her right thigh hit the trailer hitch on the back of his truck. The landing knocked the breath out of her and then Mark fell on top of her. What little breath she had left was suddenly gone. Though she couldn't breathe she was fully conscious of what was happening.
Mark got to his knees straddling Sherry's legs. "Oh, my God!" he cried. "She's not breathing! I killed her!"
Chapter 7
"I'm a nurse. Help me get her out of there"
Mark looked up at the brown face of the nurse he had seen in the emergency room on Monday. He got to his feet and helped the nurse carry her to the sidewalk where they laid her down.
The nurse spoke to Sherry, "If you can hear me blink."
Sherry blinked.
"I'm going to give you mouth to mouth. Try to help me by breathing in." She took a deep breath and bent down to pinch Sherry's nostrils shut and blow into her mouth. The blackness that threatened to engulf Sherry receded. It took two more breaths before Sherry could now breathe on her own.
"I know it will hurt," the nurse told her, "but try to take some deep breaths. Put your hands over your ribs. I'm certain they're broken." She looked over at Mark who knelt on the other side of Sherry. "I'll get my first aid kit and bandage that arm. That's a bad case of road rash."
"I have a kit under the front seat of my truck."
Scott Wade parked his cruiser in front of Mark's truck. "Don't you have enough to do when you're on duty, Rose?"
"I hope you called for an ambulance. That girl needs to go to the hospital."
"There's one on the way." He turned his attention to the bystanders. "Who saw what happened?"
Rose just finished with Mark's arm when the ambulance pulled up. She went to give instructions to the EMT's. "Make sure you give her oxygen. She had quit breathing."
Just before they loaded the gurney into the vehicle, Mark gave Sherry a tender kiss. "I'll be right behind you."
Once they got to the highway, the ambulance hit the left lane with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Mark stayed right behind them hoping people thought his red truck was an emergency vehicle. The only cop car he saw was headed up the northbound lane with his siren wailing.
After Mark gave the check-in clerk as much information as he could about Sherry and signed the papers for his own insurance, she told him, "Go to the waiting room. You will be called in the order of seriousness of condition."
"What about Sherry? Can I see her?"
"I have to go find her anyway to finish this paperwork. I'll try to find out and let you know."
Mark wasn't happy about that but there wasn't much he could do about it. He didn't sit down in the waiting room but paced back and forth in the corridor. His cell phone rang so he took it from its belt clip and flipped it open. "Yeah, Mom?"
"I just want to know how Sherry is."
"So do I. They won't let me see her and no one has told me anything."
"What about you?"
"I got the paperwork done. Now I'm waiting for them to call me. I'll let you know when I know. I can't have my cell phone on back there because it will interfere with their electronic equipment. I'll talk to you later." He closed his cell phone and put it back in
its case.
A nurse came out and called his name. Mark followed her back to a large room with gurneys inside curtained-off compartments. The nurse patted the cot. "Up here. First I'll take your blood pressure."
"Right now it's probably pretty high. I've been trying to find out about my girl friend and nobody will tell me anything."
She fastened the cuff around his arm. "The girl they brought in the ambulance?"
"Yeah."
"She's back getting a CT scan. We're pretty sure she has broken ribs. From what she told us she had a rough landing."
"And I landed right on top of her. I saved her life and almost killed her doing it. I thought she was dead. That nurse saved her life. She works in here. Rose?"
"A black woman?" She put a thermometer in his mouth.
"Brown," Mark corrected when she took it away. "About the color of milk chocolate."
"That's Rose Dale. She's a good nurse." The nurse began to cut away the bandage.
"Rose Dale sounds like the name of a place."
"Dale is her husband's last name. Carl Dale. Here, put this pad under your arm so you don't get blood on your jeans."
"I already have blood on my jeans."
The doctor came over for a look. "That's a nasty case of road rash."
"That arm is what kept Sherry's head from hitting the pavement. Is she going to be all right?"
"Nothing life threatening. She's in a lot of pain. Are you in pain?"
"Some but it's tolerable."
"When was your last tetanus shot?"
Mark thought about it. "Too long to remember."
The doctor gave orders to the nurse. "Give him a tetanus shot. Clean that up and put a new non-stick bandage on it." He turned to Mark. "Clean it with peroxide every day and put on a clean dressing until it stops oozing. I'll give you prescriptions for pain pills and antibiotics. Any allergies?"
"Penicillin. May I see Sherry?"
"As soon as they bring her back from radiology." He went on to his next patient.
They brought in a child screaming in pain just as Sherry was wheeled back to her compartment. Mark took advantage of the distraction to sneak over to see her. He leaned down to kiss her lips. "How are you doing?"
No Plans for Love Page 6