Lulu's Cafe: A Novel

by T. I. Lowe

“You aren’t going to join me for a swim, Crow?” Leah asked. She continued to do laps around the large diameter of the pool.

  He smiled while watching her swim around like a kid. No one had enjoyed the pool that much in quite a while.

  “Maybe another time. I’m going to start cooking you supper.” Leah swam over to the side and finally climbed out. “No need in getting out,” Crowley commented.

  “I think I’ve swam myself out.” She pulled at her soaked clothes. “I need to start drying out some.

  “There’s a small laundry room in the pool house. You can toss your clothes in the dryer.”

  “And be left with no clothes?” Leah crossed her arms and shook her head.

  “There are brand new guest robes in the linen closet,” Crowley said. He grabbed hold of Leah’s hand and pulled her gently towards the pool house. “Come on.” He led her to the bathroom while he retrieved a robe. When he returned, the door had crept slightly open and he caught a glimpse of Leah from behind. Before he could turn around to give her privacy, his eyes noticed her slender hip, which was marked with a faded jagged scar. He felt a heaviness in his heart at the sight of another wound she had endured. He was beginning to wonder if the trail was endless.

  Clearing his throat, Crowley called to her, “Throw your wet clothes into the hall and I’ll get them into the dryer for you. The robe is hanging on the door knob.” The wet clothes slapped him across his shoulders, pushing away his concern. The woman always seemed ready to keep things lighthearted, and he liked that about her. “I’m turning around so you better get that door closed real good this time if you don’t want me checking you out, Lee,” he teased as he turned to gather the wet pile.

  After getting the dryer going, Crowley headed to the outdoor kitchen where he started up a deep fryer. Leah padded out to join him as he pulled out some potatoes and onions for slicing.

  She stood beside him, wrapped in the white robe, watching. “Can I help?”

  “You cook and wait on me almost every day of the week. You do a mighty fine job at it, I might add.” He looked down slightly at her. “I’d like to wait on you for a change.” Their eyes held each other’s for a moment before he focused back on slicing the potatoes and onions.

  Leah sat on one of the stools at the stone counter to watch him. “Okay. But I’m telling you, this feels pretty weird.”

  Crowley reached into a small refrigerator under the counter. “Would you like some house wine of the south?”

  Leah shifted around on the stool. “I don’t drink any kind of alcohol.”

  “Neither do I, but I love drinking iced tea,” he said as he pulled a pitcher of tea out. He poured two glasses and handed one over to Leah. Once she accepted it, he raised his own. Before he could stop himself, he said, “Happy Birthday.”

  Leah could hardly believe what she just heard. “How’d you know?”

  Crowley stood frozen for a moment and slowly set his glass down. “Don’t look at me all suspicious.” He played it down coolly. “When I brought the food and pharmacy stuff up to your apartment that first night, your license had fallen out of your bag. I checked it out.” He shrugged. “You know you have to renew them things when they expire.”

  “You were the one who brought all that stuff to me?” she asked, embarrassed that he had kept something from her.

  Crowley went back to slicing onions. “It’s no big deal, so let’s not make it one, okay?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you knew it was my birthday?”

  “I sort of hoped you would tell me, but when you didn’t…there was no way I was going to let your day not be celebrated. I know you’re a private person so I thought I could celebrate it privately with you.” He placed his hand over hers and waited for her to look up at him. “Please don’t be upset with me.”

  She gave him a smile. “I’ve had the best birthday. Thank you.”

  He patted her hand and let go. “It ain’t even over yet, ma’am.” Crowley breathed a sigh of relief. I’m a lawyer for crying out loud, and I just gave away information… stupid…stupid…

  Crowley served up a country boy feast of fried catfish nuggets with fried potatoes and onions, along with some coleslaw and iced tea. They sat by the pool, happily eating their meal as they watched the day fade into night and the evening settle around the plantation.

  “That was delicious,” Leah said as she leaned back in her chair, propping her feet in the opposite one.

  “Glad you liked it,” Crowley said while striking a similar pose. “You know, Lulu is going to be upset with you when she finds out today was your birthday.”

  “I know. It just felt sort of egotistical to announce to her that my birthday was coming up like it was some holiday or something.” Leah shook her head. “She would know if she ever bothered making me fill out a work application.”

  Crowley let the subject go—glad it had resolved so easily. They relaxed in quiet as crickets crooned out their night serenade and fireflies sparkled gracefully over the darkened field. Neither one seemed uncomfortable with just sitting in the stillness of the silent conversation between them. When they heard the dryer buzzer sound, Leah followed Crowley inside the pool house to retrieve her clothes.

  Crowley reached down and opened the door to the dryer. Leah’s pink panties fell out onto the tile floor. He picked them up, and Leah quickly snatched them out of his hand. “I see you took care of your unmentionable problem.” He raised an eyebrow before pulling out a matching pink bra next. Leah rolled her eyes and grabbed it away from him, as well as her shorts and shirt, before stomping off to dress.

  When she made her way back out, Leah was surprised to find the table had been cleared except for their glasses of tea. Crowley had all the food put away and the few dishes washed and dried. “Wow. You work fast, Crow.”

  He shrugged and rejoined her at the table. “I thought we could give Lulu the rest of your catfish so she can make us some fish stew one day next week.”

  Leah sat down. “Sure.” She liked him calling it her fish. “This has been a day filled with firsts.” Leah looked over the pool with a smile.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. First time on a plantation, first boat ride, first time fishing, first time swimming in a saltwater pool, and first time eating catfish nuggets.”

  “Wow, Leah. Where have you been? Locked up in a closet or something?” Crowley laughed but abruptly stopped when he took in his guest’s expression. He had no idea why, but she looked as though she was holding back tears.

  Leah cleared her throat and stood up. “Thank you for this day, Crowley. I need to be heading home now.” After a curt nod in his direction, she headed over to his truck and pulled her bike out from the back. She threw her bag into the basket and took off towards the driveway.

  Crowley stood scratching his head, completely floored. “Leah, wait a minute!” he yelled after her, but she didn’t stop. He ran over to the garage and grabbed the first bike he reached. He had to make fast work of the pedals to catch up to her.

  “Slow down,” he said as he raced towards her in the driveway. Once he reached her side, Crowley could see her damp cheeks illuminated by the lampposts. Before he could say anything, Leah surprised him by bursting out in laughter.

  “Nice bike,” she said, as she took in the woman’s hot pink bicycle with a white basket covered with flower decals. With his hat on backwards and his wavy hair peeking out around the edges, Crowley looked young and carefree in the glow of the night lights. She instantly regretted how she reacted. She knew he had no idea how his statement would hurt her.

  Crowley let go of the handles, carelessly, and shrugged. “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

  “What are you doing, Crowley?” Leah asked, trying to focus on the road.

  He placed his hands back onto the handlebars. “I’m escorting you home. Lulu would whoop me good if I didn’t.”

  “Always the gentleman,” Leah said as she wiped the tears away.

  “Al
ways,” Crowley agreed.

  She slowed her pace. “What’s with the girly bike?”

  “You took off like shot. I had to hurry to catch you, so I grabbed the first bike I came to.” He pedaled beside her for a few minutes.

  “Leah, I don’t know what I said wrong, but you have to believe me when I say I didn’t mean it.”

  “I know,” she whispered and left it at that.

  Once they reached town, they found the entire town had turned in early as usual on Sundays. They decided to take advantage of the deserted streets and pedaled around on their bikes until nearly midnight. They eventually parked their bikes behind the café.

  Crowley studied his watch as they stood at the back door. “Well, our day is about to expire.” He looked up and watched Leah fumble with her key. Before she could push through the door, he gently reached for her left hand and pressed a tender kiss into her scarred palm. “Happy Birthday, Leah,” he whispered and released her hand with a slight bow. He slipped back onto his bike and left a speechless Leah standing in the moonlight as the church bells softly chimed the midnight hour.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “You keep smiling like an old Cheshire cat today.” Lulu laughed as she caught Leah staring off into space with a lovely smile planted on her face. The young woman didn’t smile enough in her opinion, and Lulu enjoyed seeing it.

  Leah was standing in the kitchen washing a pot as she looked over at Lulu and widened her grin. “I wrangled a twenty-pound catfish,” she said.

  Lulu thought the girl was wrangling a one-hundred-ninety-something-pound man too, but didn’t comment on that. “A true southern gal in the making.” She smiled.

  The lunch crowd was already gone for the day when Crowley came limping in, bowlegged. As he made his way into the kitchen, Leah caught sight of him and laughed.

  “Last night really ended up being a pain in my backside, Lee.” He moaned. “How about you?” He hobbled over to the sink and leaned on the counter beside Leah.

  “No complaints.” She kept washing dishes as a smile played over her lips.

  Lulu walked in with a few glasses and handed them over to Leah to wash. “Obviously. All that girl can do is grin today.”

  “I wrangled a twenty-pound catfish,” she said, causing her company to laugh.

  “Yep. We have ourselves a natural fisherman here, Lulu,” Crowley said. “You’ll have to go with us next time.”

  Leah smiled at the promise for a next time. Lulu made her way to the counter to wipe it off, leaving Leah and Crowley alone. Leah glanced up at Crowley and saw he was studying her dish washing ability as though it was some important task. Her eyes lingered on his lips and without notice, a hot flush warmed her cheeks at the memory of last night’s kiss. It was just a kiss on the palm of her hand, but it was the sweetest kiss she had ever received. She quickly looked away, feeling foolish for acting like such a kid over the nice gesture. She waited for him to tease her about the blush; instead he reached up and lightly traced along the heated side of her face with the tips of his fingers.

  He cleared his throat. “I’ll see you later.” He then limped bowlegged out of the café, causing the intimate moment to dissipate and be replaced with the lightness he always emitted.

  As he reached the street, out of Leah’s view, Crowley straightened his stance and walked normally. He wanted to check on her, to make sure she was okay with last night, and decided to get a rise out of her with the sore buttocks act. Smiling to himself at catching her in a blush, he headed to his office to catch up on some work.

  An hour later, as Crowley sat with his legs propped up on his desk and a file open in his lap, he heard a faint knock at the door. He put the file down and made his way to the front door. When he opened it, he found a white pharmacy bag tied to a yellow Get Well Soon helium balloon. He opened the bag and found a bottle of extra-strength Tylenol and ice packs. Laughing, he looked up just in time to see Leah slipping into Ana’s boutique. He sat in a rocking chair on his porch and waited for her to come back out.

  ****

  Leah walked into the boutique to look at the latest batch of sundresses that had just arrived. She spotted Ana, tucked among the racks, hanging up the new inventory.

  Ana looked up to greet her customer when she heard the bell on the door tinkle. Seeing Leah, she smiled and waved her over. “That run must have done you good,” Ana said, taking in her friend’s running clothes and large smile.

  “I haven’t been yet,” Leah said. “I wanted to check out these sundresses before you swiped all of the good ones.” Leah pulled an orange and gold one out of the shipment box and slid it on a hanger. “These colors would look gorgeous on you.”

  “You’re too happy. I guess that means you enjoyed fishing yesterday.” Ana wrinkled her nose.

  Leah grinned and repeated her catfish speech for Ana, who wasn’t impressed in the slightest.

  “Here, try this one on.” Ana tossed Leah a one-shouldered flowing sundress in several shades of teal and aqua blue.

  Leah handed it back. “I will later. I want to get my run in and a shower first.” She turned to leave, but Ana hopped in front of her.

  “Oh no you don’t. Not until you share every detail of yesterday.” She walked over to the counter and placed the dress behind it for Leah. She turned back to Leah and waited.

  Leah shrugged. “We went out to Big Oaks Plantation and went fishing. After that I went swimming in that massive pool while Crowley cooked me supper. That’s it really.”

  “I’m amazed y’all hung out at his place. He hardly ever entertains company out there,” Ana said as she walked back to the sundresses. She pulled out a black haltered one with an intricate pattern of aqua blue and silver rhinestones along the top. “I’m holding this one back for you too.” She placed it with the other one before noticing Leah’s silence. She turned to find a confused expression on her friend’s face. “What?”

  “Crowley owns Big Oaks Plantation?”

  “Yes. Oh, he didn’t tell you? Oops.” Ana laughed.

  Leah crossed her arms. “It’s not funny. Why would he do that?”

  “Honey, don’t take it personal. He’s very private. He wants people to just like him for who he is. You know…love me for my body, not my money,” Ana said.

  Leah’s stomach knotted as if she’d just been punched. Without another word to Ana, she bolted out the door and took off running.

  Crowley watched her take off from his front porch. “Hey, Lee!” When she didn’t respond, he jumped off the porch and sprinted after her. He sensed something was wrong, again.

  Leah took in his smooth stride as he caught up to her. She turned her head towards him in brief acknowledgement. “You lied about the sore butt too? Humph.”

  Crowley saw the coldness in her eyes. “Lied about that too? What are you talking about?” Crowley asked as they continued running. For a few moments, the only sound between them was the flap-flap-flap from his flip-flops as they beat the sidewalk.

  “Ana just informed me that you are the spoiled rich kid who owns Big Oaks Plantation. I feel like such a fool for not figuring it out yesterday.” She took off towards the edge of the river. “Just leave me alone.”

  “You’re one to insinuate me being spoiled as you walk around this modest town in enormous diamond stud earrings and sporting a Rolex watch.”

  Leah stopped dead in her tracks. She took the earrings out and slung them into the dark water. “Yes, Crowley. You have me figured out. Growing up in foster homes and orphanages really spoiled me rotten,” she said, full of venom. She undid her watch and tossed it in behind the earrings.

  “Let me apologize.” Crowley took a step in Leah’s direction and reached for her arm.

  She yanked out of his grasp and stomped off in the direction of her Jeep Wagoneer. “Forget this!”

  “Where are you going?” Crowley asked.

  “I need a donut.”

  Once she reached the Jeep, Leah retrieved the key from under the floor mat
and climbed in. She checked the glove compartment and found the emergency cash she had stuffed under paperwork. She shoved a few twenties into her pants pocket. As she cranked the engine, Crowley pulled the passenger side door open and climbed in.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Crowley shrugged. “I want a donut, too.”

  Leah just sat there while the engine idled and stared at him. She was fuming, and he was just sitting there looking like he didn’t have a care in the world.

  “Leah, you ain’t driven anywhere since you arrived last fall. Do you really think you can find donuts and your way back here?” Crowley asked as he adjusted the air conditioner.

  “I found my way to Rivertown all by myself the first time. I think I can do it again, if I want.”

  “True, but I know where the best donuts in the county are secretly located,” he said as he raised an eyebrow for emphasis. He was trying to smooth things over with his charm, but it appeared that Leah wasn’t letting him off that easy.

  “Why did you feel like you had to hide stuff from me? I thought we were friends?” Leah asked.

  “Why do you feel like you have to hide stuff from me? Really, Leah? How are you any different?” he asked. “We are friends. We just need to start trusting each other some. Don’t you agree?”

  “Fine. I trust you to show me where the donuts are.” She gave in and headed out the lot.

  “Take a right. You know this is a really sweet ride. A 1978 Jeep Wagoneer, right?” Crowley asked.

  “Yep.”

  Crowley ignored the clipped tone of her response. “Take a left at the light,” he said. “This would make a really cool surf-mobile.”

  “A what?” Leah asked as she took the left turn.

  “It’s already got surfboard racks on the roof. All you need are a few boards.” His eyes were lit up like a kid as he imagined it.

  “First off, I have no surfboards. Secondly, I don’t even know how to surf,” Leah said and glanced in Crowley’s direction.

  “First off,” Crowley said, “I have plenty of surfboards. And secondly, I can teach you.”