Blanche tried to put on her best professional librarian face and voice, “I’m finding it very informative, the setting and time are riveting. I’d have to say that I’m really enjoying it.”
With a knowing look and a hush in her voice, Ms. Carmichael replied, “I’ll bet you are.”
Blanche wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that statement so she just pressed on, “I guess I’ll spend some more time looking through the paper and Internet for some condo leads. I have an appointment again tomorrow morning, before work, with the realty agency so I want to be prepared.”
“How’s that house hunting going anyway?”
“Slow, at least for now. I’ve got a couple I like but don’t like the neighborhoods very much. Do you have any suggestions?”
“Let me see, let me see,” the older woman whispered to herself, walking around the kitchen until she arrived at the windows overlooking the sink. “Have you looked at the new development just across the highway and south of the Air Force Base? I hear the condos are quite modern and have all the fixtures and appliances included. A fellow who stayed here last month ended up buying one of them. Said it was a good time to buy before the prices start to go up.”
“I’ll have to remember that. I know we haven’t looked anywhere outside of town yet. How much of a drive is it, do you know?”
Caroline rubbed her chin, dusting it with flour residue, “I reckon it’s a good 10 or 15 minutes from where you work but don’t know if they got bus service or not.”
Showing appreciation in her voice, Blanche responded, “That’s very helpful anyway and I’ll see what I can find out about it. Looking forward to those rolls tonight and thanks again for the sandwich.”
Blanche nodded on her way out of the kitchen and could hear the owner say behind her.
“Sandwich, what sandwich?”
Reaching her room and opening the door in anticipation of one more quiet afternoon before having to return to work, she was greeted with the tell tale sound of the thump, thump, thump of the headboard against the wall.
“Are you kidding me!” she said aloud, in hopes that it would quiet the rabbit like neighbors next door. Frustrated and angry, Blanche grabbed her umbrella and purse and stormed out her refuge, leaving the empty room to echo the lover's rhythm being played against the wall.
CHAPTER TEN
Deep, restful sleep was elusive for Blanche prior to her meeting with Beverly. She twisted in the sheets, trying to get comfortable, thoughts passing in and out of her fitful dreams making it impossible to reach that peaceful state her mind craved. She desperately needed just a few hours of rest and a reprieve from the never-ending stream of thoughts and ideas. The clock on the end table, glaring at her, was a constant reminder of the few hours available to her for some sleep, it seemed to mock her and gave her brain just one more thing to think about.
When morning finally did come, she felt more exhausted than she had the night before. With her body yelling 'no' she literally rolled from bed, first landing on her knees, then placed her hands on the bed for support, she pushed herself to a standing position. If there was a joint or muscle that was not stiff or sore she didn't know where it was. She managed a quick, very hot shower, which did little to wake her up but did make her aching body less obstinate.
"Been too long since I've run," she thought as she toweled herself off, hoping that she could find time in the near future to get a workout routine going again.
Blanche wrapped the towel around her head and returned to her room but within minutes the humidity brought a fine mist of moisture to the surface of her skin. The towel was used one more time, extended between her hands, she used it like a shoeshine rag, buffing her skin and bringing it to a pink hue. Once completed, she dressed in something a bit less conservative than usual and prepared for the day.
The guests were already enjoying their homemade biscuits and gravy by the time Blanche made her appearance.
"Good morning," everyone said in unison.
Blanche looked around and noted that Mr. 'Wonder' was not among the seated guests.
"What happened to 'Clueless'?” she asked, more out of surprise than care.
Ms. Carmichael jumped in, "He was suddenly called away to Washington on some very important, hush-hush business."
"Or so he said," included Mrs. Muir, continuing to sop her toast in the white gravy. "What's a guy like that doing with connections in Washington?” pausing only momentarily then continued, “I guess it shouldn't come as any great surprise though, I mean just look at the mentality of most of our elected officials."
"Still kind of rubs me wrong, the way he lit out of here with not so much as a good day or thank you," said Caroline.
"What was it he said he did?" the young librarian asked.
"Oh, he said he was in marketing or something like that, never really clarified what he was doing here, always changed the subject when asked directly. Seems more weird now than it did at the time," said Mrs. Muir.
Blanche joined the group and covered her plate with one biscuit, no gravy, a round of sausage and a cup of fruit. Everyone at the table watched as she readied her breakfast before continuing.
"Looks like you had a rough night sweetie," her landlady perceived. "Wasn't our newlyweds was it?"
"No, just too much on my mind, had a hard time getting to sleep," Blanche informed her breakfast companions.
For the next few minutes everyone sat in silence and concentrated on finishing their meal. Blanche was trying to remember what she'd done with the list of condos she'd prepared the afternoon before at the local Internet cafe, when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
“Good morning everyone,” came a voice from behind her. It sounded somewhat familiar and then it dawned on her. It was the voice she’d heard coming through the wall the past few days. She pivoted in her chair to get a better view of the young couple. They appeared a little different this time around, less shock and surprise on their faces and much less skin showing.
The young bride was even more attractive than Blanche remembered her from the bathroom incident, her black hair framing her face and accentuating her cheekbones and full lips. She was petite but curvy in all the right places and her behind, though very round, looked like you could bounce quarters off of it. Blanche watched her wiggle her bottom around the table and into a chair opposing her own. Her husband was stout and looked like he could pick his wife up with one arm and pack their entire luggage with the other. Not really attractive from Blanche’s perspective but he was fit with a manly, commanding voice.
Hellos were exchanged and introductions made for those that hadn’t had the pleasure. Blanche tried not to meet their eyes, just too embarrassed, knowing what she did about their ‘activities’. As irritated as she was with them, and the impact they had on her sleep the past few days, she had to admit that they looked extremely happy and excited about starting their life together. She was more than a little jealous, the easy smiles back and forth, the hands on the knees under the table, the knowing looks exchanged even with all these people in the room. Ever the hopeless romantic, it still was driving Blanche crazy that they had each other and she had nothing but her books and her dreams of ‘Mandingo’.
Mrs. Muir was the only one brave enough to put forth a challenging question, “So, you two just look so happy. You must be having a great time. What do you think of our little town?”
The young wife just about choked on her sausage but managed to say, looking down into her lap, blushing slightly with her response, “Well, to tell you the truth, we really haven’t seen much of your beautiful little city but we are still finding things to do and we’re having a great time.”
“You don’t have to tell me that,” thought Blanche, sarcastically rolling her eyes and hoping that nobody noticed.
Caroline, wanting to clarify their reservation, jumped in, “Have you decided how much longer you’ll be staying?”
The husband took a drink of his juice before answerin
g, “Looks like we’ll need to get going later today. We’re so close to the Okefenokee Swamp that we decided to head over to Waycross and see what’s going on over there, but we have enjoyed our stay with ya’ll.”
“I don’t think there’s any question of that,” Blanche almost said aloud, but what did come out of her mouth was most likely worse, “Yes, young love can be so exciting, learning all the ins and outs can be trying but worth the sacrifice, if you know what I mean.”
With nothing further to say and no retort from the guests, Blanche excused herself and left for her room. As an afterthought she said, while climbing the staircase, “By the way, really enjoyed sharing the bathroom and the ambiance with you.”
Her meeting with Beverly was to be at 10:00 a.m. so she tidied up her room and spent a few more minutes looking over the list of condos she wanted to look at that day. When she’d talked with Bev earlier in the week the house hunting didn’t sound very promising. There were a lot available but nothing that really fit her needs or budget. She had to remind herself that she was still early in the hunt and not to get discouraged, surely something would come along that would be well suited for her. The trick was not to get too impatient and settle for something less than desirable. The units that Mrs. Carmichael had mentioned to her looked promising but there wouldn’t be enough time today to drive out to look at them hopefully next week.
With her room in order and nothing else to do for a couple of hours she lay back on the bed and picked up her book. Before long she was back in the ‘Old South’, the words on the page going in and out of focus, she placed the book upon her abdomen, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
She awoke with a jolt, her eyes searched for the clock and the time alarmed her, 9:45 a.m. in bright red, illuminated numbers. Blanche scrambled to get the few things together that she needed for the day, checked her looks quickly in the mirror, adjusted herself in her bra, and dashed from the room, down the stairs and out the front door, nearly knocking Mrs. Muir over in the process.
“Well, I never!” she exclaimed, looking on as Blanche ran down the street toward the bus.
The stop was about two blocks from the B&B, normally a pleasant, peaceful walk along azalea-fronted homes, but not today. She could see the bus moving down the street. Lifting her feet a little more quickly she raced for the stop, waving her hands and trying to grab the attention of the driver in hopes that he would wait for her, but it was to no avail. She arrived at the bench in time to see the bus turn the next corner and it was gone.
“Just frickin’ great!” she said, slamming her things down on the bench and placing her hands on her hips, walking in circles trying to catch her breath. Rifling through her purse she retrieved her cell phone and placed a call to Beverly at her office. Ring, ring, ring..., no answer.
“What else is going to go wrong today!”
She tried Bev’s cell number, “Hello Ms. Davis, this is Blanche, I have an appointment with you right now but I’ve missed my bus. Would it be possible to reschedule?”
“Don’t be silly, where are you? I’ll just come by and pick you up,” Bev enthusiastically belted into the phone.
Blanche gave her the approximate address and the realtor indicated she’d be there shortly.
“That was one crazy run for the bus there lady,” a young man half hollered, followed by a different voice.
“Yeah, would sure like to see some of that action again. You interested?”
Blanche lifted her umbrella in case she needed a weapon and turned to confront the verbal assailants. Three young men in their late teens were walking toward her, skateboards in hands. Each had a different baseball hat sitting askew on their head with dark glasses covering their wandering eyes. Jeans worn very low, crotch between their knees and skater type shoes on their feet.
The presumed leader spoke, “Yo, mama, you's lookin’ so fine dis moanin’. You need some hep with somethin’? We’s sure we got what ya could use.”
Looking at each other they laughed and shook each other’s hands in some secret combination. The creepy young guy strutted closer to Blanche, looking her up and down. A tattoo curled from the inside of his t-shirt, up and around his neck and terminated in a snake’s head on his Adam's apple.
“Listen, why don’t you boys just mind your own business and be on your way?” the increasingly frightened Blanche said, through clenched teeth.
“How ‘bout you come wit us then, bootiful.”
They circled her, cutting off any possibility of escape except it be through them. She lowered the umbrella and issued another warning, “I don’t want any trouble, I’m just trying to get through my day, so I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave me alone.”
More laughter, “Yeah, Mikey, leave the poor little woman alone,” they taunted.
“I’ll leave her ‘lone aw ight once she takes care a sum buidness fer me.” Mikey extended his arm and ran his hand over her shoulder.
Reflexively, Blanche spun the umbrella, knocking his hand away and swung the object in a circle pushing the teens beyond an arm's reach.
“Grab dis bitch so I’s can get a feel,” the startled leader yelled. As the two accomplices circled Blanche looking for an opening their attention was drawn to the road.
The sounds of squealing tires and locked up brakes startled the group who turned in the direction of the incoming sounds. A yellow Datsun could be seen on the opposite side of the road making a quick turn, jumping the meridian; a dark figure huddled over the wheel.
“What’s this sheeeit?” Mikey said, stepping ahead of the others, bringing his skateboard up in a defensive stance.
The little truck came to a screeching halt, only meters away from the skaters, and a very large, agitated black man squeezed his way out of the truck.
He took two quick steps toward Mikey, puffed up his chest and said, “Miss Delaney, these punks giving ya any trouble?”
Blanche quickly sidestepped the trio and ran behind Jasper. “Rescuing me again? I must say you have impeccable timing.”
Mikey was not discouraged, “Lady, yo pet gorilla don’t scare us none, do he boys?” There was no reply, “Right boys?”
He turned to see why his partners were quiet and could only make out the back of their hats as they bounded over the fence of the nearest house. With his head turned, Jasper moved to action, grabbed the skateboard with both hands, wrenching it away from the thug, dropping Mikey to his knees in the process.
“Man, we was jus havin' some fun wit her, we wasn’t goin’ to hurt her or nothin’,” he pleaded.
“You little creeps are giving Valdosta a bad rep, how ‘bout you get on your way ‘fore I do something terrible,” Jasper hissed, arms and shoulders towering over the quaking Mikey.
“Gimme back my board, man.”
“Oh yeah, right!” Jasper took the skateboard with his hands positioned at opposite ends and extended the board as if to hand it to the troubled youth. Mikey stretched forth his hands to accept the board, but before he could, Jasper lifted his powerful leg and brought the board down with a mighty thrust, breaking the board in half across his thigh. Splinters and wheels twirled through the air.
“There you go (handing the board back to Mikey), now get out of here you scumbag.”
The hood took a couple steps backwards, threw half of the remaining board at Jasper who brushed it aside like a mosquito, before turning and running at full speed across the space and over the same fence his friends had used as an avenue of escape. A moment later a defiant finger raised in belligerent triumph appeared above the top of the fence.
“Punks” Jasper spewed, then turning his attention to the quivering librarian he said, “You okay?”
“Just about peed myself but I’m okay, lucky you showed up when you did,” Blanche replied, still shaking from the ordeal.
“I was just on my way out to the job site and saw you was in trouble,” he said compassionately, putting both of his strong hands on her shoulders to help steady her. “Bee
n meaning to drop by your place anyway to give you the details on that competition I was telling you about.”
He provided the information which Blanche put into her phone, promising to attend, after all he had been her rescuer on two separate occasions and he was really, really buff and quite sweet for a ‘gorilla’. Jasper promised to stay with Blanche until her ride showed up so they sat on the bench and enjoyed a minute or two of small talk before Blanche saw a BMW turn the corner and accelerate toward them.
“Looks like my ride,” Blanche said, tilting her head in the direction of the oncoming car.
“Too bad, I'd have enjoyed some more time with my damsel in distress,” Jasper said, as he stood and took her hand to help her up. She was still trembling from the fright she’d received at the hands of Mikey and crew. “You sure you’ll be okay?”
“Yeah, but thanks, you are just so sweet.” She wrapped her arms around his thick neck and pulled him down so she could kiss his cheek. “Thanks again, don’t know what I would have done without your help.”
The BMW skidded to a stop at the curb and Bev’s head popped out of the sunroof, “Blanche, you need me to call the cops, this guy bothering you?”
“No, no, nothing like that, he just saved me from a bunch of thugs.” Once again, Blanche committed to attending the upcoming competition. They hugged and Blanche was on her way comfortably seated in the front of Bev’s B’mer.
“That’s quite a hunk of man you’ve found yourself there?” Beverly’s voice suggested more of a question than a statement.
“Jasper? Yeah he’s been my hero on more than one occasion since I hit town. Lucky for me he was close by this morning. Don’t know how long I could have held off three horny teenagers with an umbrella,” Blanche said, trying to laugh, her voice still quivering.
It was obvious to Beverly that her client was in no condition or state of mind to do any house hunting so she suggested a quiet location with hot coffee, padded seats and delicious donuts. After finishing her first cup of white-hot chocolate and glazed donut, Blanche began to feel somewhat better. The tremor in her hands had ceased and her voice was much less shaky but her anxiety level was still elevated as Beverly tried to console her.
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