“Finding my way. I wanted better for myself and look where it got me.”
“You live on the streets?”
“Not yet. I have a small efficiency apartment down the road. I met the man of my wet dreams and he left me as soon as he found out I was pregnant.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” She takes the last bite of her sandwich. “I should have known he was worthless. I don’t know anyone here and I refuse to leave my son with people I don’t know to watch him while I work or find work.” She thinks for a minute and says, “Makes it a little — a lot — hard to work.”
“Why don’t you go back home?”
She looks at her sleeping baby lying beside her on the bench. “Because I’m too proud to admit I’m a failure. “Because I’m too proud to ask for help from people I know. Because I don’t want to hear Dad say, ‘I told you so.’”
We talk some more and we both order chocolate cake for dessert. “If you had unlimited money, what would you do?”
Her eyes get big. “I would get me a small house in my hometown of Leo, Indiana. I would go back to cosmetology school, I can do some hair like no other. You can’t tell now, but my hair used to have highlights and was cut into a cute bob. I used to do my own hair.” She sighs. “I really messed up, didn’t I?”
“I don’t think it’s so bad that you can’t fix it.”
“Really?”
I think for a minute about how I want to approach this. “I’m leaving New York for good in a few days, let me help you.”
“Is this like Pretty Woman where you put me up in a condo?” she says, laughing. Her laugh has no humor. I watch her take a sip of her now warm tea.
“No, not like Pretty Woman. It’ll be a small house in your hometown and you have to promise to go to cosmetology school and cut my hair for free whenever you see me.”
She laughs loudly and I just watch her. When I don’t laugh, she says, “You’re serious?”
“Yes, I want to do this.”
“You must be a drug dealer to have that kind of money. A small house in Indiana will cost you $60,000, maybe more.” She puts her coat on and reaches for her baby.
“No wait, I’m not a drug dealer. I made some money as a boxer and I banked most of it. Please, let me help you and your son.” She reminds me of Savannah Mae with her long blond hair, but I don’t tell her that.
I remove my checkbook from the inside of my coat pocket. “What’s your name?”
“It’s Anna Harris,” she whispers.
I write her a check and place it on the table upside down so she can’t see the amount. I settle up our dinner check and say, “Anna Harris, when you become a cosmetologist, call me. I’ll be expecting a haircut, and I may even want some highlights, too.” I smile. I push the check towards her and add, “Thank you for having dinner with me. I hope to see you, and your son again, soon.” I stand to leave and she doesn’t say a word.
As I walk to buy my coffee and beer, I think about the word “cosmetology,” which is based on the word “cosmos.” All of us know that the cosmos arose out of chaos; many people, including me, believe that God made order out of that chaos. I guess that a cosmetologist also makes order out of chaos. Maybe my check will help make order out of the chaos of her life.
Savannah Mae
It’s been ten days since I’ve been home. The storm has passed and people are finally gettin’ dug out from beneath the blizzard. We lost power at Mom and Daddy’s and I have never been so grateful for the stockpile of food and necessities that Mom insisted on havin’ for such times as these. Sawyer Jackson and I wouldn’t have been able to survive the storm on our own. We lack food and firewood. I make a mental note to get a storm kit made up for us. Water, batteries, candles, and a radio, to name a few items.
Every day that passed I worried about everyone. Mia and Levi, Bud and Nelly, and the people from the church. I wanted to call Abel Lee but wasn’t able to, since I forgot the cell phone at the house. With no electricity, everyone’s cell phone died and they weren’t able to recharge them. Same thing with laptops, for those who have them.
Today is the first day that the temperatures are above zero. Daddy says, “We’re havin’ a heatwave.” I laugh. It’s still bitter cold and it’s hardly a heatwave. I look out the window and I have to squint my eyes from the bright snow and sunshine. Many neighbors are out shovelin’ their cars out from under several feet of snow. It looks like a winter wonderland. You can’t tell where the road ends and the sidewalk begins because it’s just a sheet of snow and ice. Maybe drivers don’t think it’s a winter wonderland.
I check with Samantha Marie to see if she’ll watch Sawyer Jackson for me. If it were warmer, I think Sawyer Jackson would be able to walk home with me. I need to go home and get us some clean clothes and my cell phone. I went a year without a cell phone, but suddenly, I have the need for one. I want to check on the safety of my friends.
I dress warmly and prepare myself for the onslaught of bitterly cold air as soon as I open the door. Daddy is outside, talkin’ to a deputy sheriff. I pray it’s not about Nelly and Bud. They live on top of an impossible hill to go up in bad weather.
I close my eyes and try to breathe through the cold. It burns my face so I wrap my scarf tighter around my mouth and nose. I walk up to Daddy and the deputy, and Daddy says, “I hate to hear that.”
“What’s goin’ on?” I ask.
“Do you remember Larry from the community supper?” Daddy asks.
“Yeah, of course. He always makes Sawyer Jackson something out of balloons.”
“Deputy Miller was just tellin’ me that Larry was found dead yesterday.”
I fall against the snow-covered car. “What happened?” I think for a minute and get another chill that runs through my body. “Omigod, it isn’t related to Megan Rose’s murder, is it?” What if we have a serial killer in town.
“They’re not sure. His neighbor said he went over and tried to get Larry to stay with them durin’ the storm, but he refused to go. He said the house was cold and there was very little food in the house when they found him.”
“When will they know the cause of his death?” I ask.
“In a few days, a month, tops. I was there and there weren’t any signs of foul play,” Deputy Miller says.
I shiver and this time it has nothin’ to do with the cold. “Daddy, why would Larry stay there without heat or food?”
“Some old timers do that. They don’t want to feel like they are a burden to others. It’s the same thing with some homeless people.”
“I’m headin’ up to do a well check on Bud and Nelly,” Deputy Miller says. “Their son called several days ago from New York concerned about them.”
“Abel Lee must have been goin’ crazy, hearin’ about the blizzard but not knowin’ what’s goin’ on here.” I look from Daddy to Deputy Miller.
“Will you let us know if they’re okay? Their driveway makes it impossible to get up there in these conditions,” Daddy says. “You must be planning to walk up the hill.”
“Sure will, and sure do. Better get goin’ if I want to be back by dark.”
It’s early in the day and Deputy Miller made a joke, but no one laughs.
“Be careful, it looks pretty treacherous, even for someone who is walking,” Daddy says as he begins to brush off the car with a straw broom.
Instead of walkin’ home, I walk back into the house. My stomach hurts at the thought that Larry, a man I know, has died. There was help available, and he refused to take it. Why? You read about the elderly dying durin’ winter months because their heat gets shut off. Never did I imagine that it could happen to someone I know.
Later that day we learn that Nelly and Bud are fine and that they also have a stockpile of food and wood. Deputy Miller said Nelly and Bud were in good spirits. It makes me feel better to learn they are both safe.
Over the next few days, the electricity comes on and the roads begin to clear. The storm has
passed and will soon be nothin’ more than a memory. A bad memory. Daddy drives the 4X4 truck into town and gets some necessities and a newspaper. The Zanesville Times Recorder has a front-page article about Larry: “Local Man Found Dead in Deadly Storm.” I read it and cry. It talks about the lack of food and heat in his house. He has no family. I can’t help but wonder what will happen to his body. What will they do with him when no one claims him? What does it cost to bury someone? Funerals are expensive. Abel Lee would have the answers; he would know about these things and what we should do. We could take up a collection, but people in these parts don’t have money like that. They’re lucky enough to have money for their own needs.
“Daddy, would you take Sawyer Jackson and me home?”
“As soon as you’re ready, we can leave.”
I gather the few items we have there and head home. Daddy comes into the house and starts a fire in the fireplace while I clean out the refrigerator. The little bit of food we had spoiled while we were gone.
Daddy leaves and goes to the store for me to get some much-needed items. Milk, bread, butter, and some other things. Sawyer Jackson takes a bath, and I check my cell phone. I cringe when I listen to the voicemails and read the texts from Abel Lee. I knew he would be worried, but I had no idea he would be this worried. I try to call him and it goes right to voicemail. I leave a message to let him know we’re fine. I also leave a text message to let him know the sheriff’s department has checked on his parents and they are also fine.
I look through the stack of mail that has accumulated over the past week. Bills, junk mail, and a postcard from Florida from a good friend of mine, Brea. The postcard is a divided picture. On one side is a girl on a sunny beach and Brea wrote, “This is me.” And on the other side of the card is a wintry blizzard and Brea wrote, “This is you.” I laugh out loud before turning it over to read it.
Hey, Mae,
The blizzard has been all over the Weather Channel. Hope you and Sawyer Jackson are safe. I couldn’t resist sending you this postcard. Let me know when you’re ready for a visit. I have a spare room reserved just for you.
Love you bunches,
Brea
I went to school with Brea and she is the only person to ever call me by my middle name. I miss her terribly. Oh, how I wish I could visit her in Florida. Sunny beaches and warm weather would be perfect right about now.
I open another letter with no return address. Looks like a card, probably a birthday party invitation.
Savannah,
He’ll hurt you, too.
Confused, I read the card again. The hair on my arms stand and I get goosebumps. Not the good kind I get when Abel Lee is near me. I flip the card over and nothing else is written. This feels like a warning, but about what? From whom? It’s the same writing that was on the last note I got like this.
Heather Sue will stop at nothin’. She stole my husband and she can’t stand the thought that I’m able to move on with my life. I toss the note in the trash and forget all about it. It’s gotta be from Heather Sue, who else could it be from?
The house was cold and took awhile to warm up. When dinner is in the oven and Sawyer Jackson and I both had our baths, we sit down and play Go Fish. It’s a simple game and one of his favorites.
I hear a vehicle comin’ down the road, crunchin’ through the frozen snow still coverin’ the roads. Finally, the small community is comin’ back to life. I raise up slightly from the floor and see Johnny’s mom drivin’ slowly past the house.
After dinner and a bedtime story, “Snoopy the Sheep” by Helga Moser, I put Sawyer Jackson to bed. While sittin’ on the couch, I check my cell phone for a message from Abel Lee; sadly there isn’t anything from him. I wonder if he’s mad, or maybe he’s out of service, too. Now it’s my turn to worry. I don’t have cable or a satellite, so I have no idea if he was also affected by the storm. The snow stopped, but it’s still blizzard conditions. It’s too bad and still too cold to leave the house. There’s no way for me to find out about Abel Lee.
Abel Lee
The sheriff’s department called me and told me they were able to check on my parents and they were both fine. What an enormous relief. I wanted to ask about Savannah Mae and Sawyer Jackson, but I didn’t. I know the sheriff’s department is busy without running around doing well checks for everyone.
I load up some of my personal items and drive to Ohio. I think about the letter I got in the mail. Who would know my whereabouts in Rose Farm and in New York? Who would have a vendetta against me? A fighter? An ex-girlfriend? Savannah Mae’s ex? Megan Rose’s killer? I honestly have no idea. And what kind of threat are they making? It would be foolhardy to think I can be easily beaten in a fight.
I can’t get home fast enough. I never thought I would ever say those words. It’s bitter cold, and although I’ve been watching the news, I still wasn’t prepared for it.
My mind races with thoughts of Levi, Mia, and the baby, Momma and Pops, and Savannah Mae and Sawyer Jackson. It also races with thoughts of the people from the church. I wonder if the entire Rose Farm community is struggling to keep warm and have food.
I wonder what the best way would be to help everyone. Wouldn’t some kind of a job to employ people be a better way to assist them? What kind of a business would be beneficial for that area? I have money, but not many people like handouts. I’m sure some people would love nothing more than a free ride, but I also know it’s a sure way to offend many men and women. I think back on the time I left Savannah Mae a $100.00 tip. I thought she was going to rip my head off. I don’t want to suffer that kind of wrath again. Think, Abel, think.
Before I get into town, I stop by the grocery store and make a small purchase. The shelves are almost bare, and I learn that delivery trucks are having a hard time making their deliveries. I also leave extra money to cover arrears for the customers with the owners. I’m not surprised to learn the account I set up earlier is in the negative. At the checkout, I pick up a copy of the Zanesville Times Recorder newspaper. I skim the article and learn that starvation may have had something to do with Larry’s death. Pain seizes my heart and I know I have to do something.
As soon as I pull into town, Levi and Mia’s house is my first stop. I’m relieved to see they are both safe, snowed in, but still safe. I see a book on the coffee table: Everything You Need to Know About Raising a Child with Down Syndrome. I don’t ask about it and I don’t mention it. They don’t need to be reminded. If something new happens, I’m sure they’ll tell me.
“How’s Junior?” I ask.
“She’s wonderful,” Levi says as he pats Mia’s small baby bump.
“It’s a girl?” I ask excitedly.
“We don’t know for sure,” Mia says, “But she sure is growing.”
I visit briefly and Levi helps me carry in some groceries before I leave.
“Did you hear about Larry?” I ask Levi.
“I did. Can you believe it?”
“Is it true that he possibly starved to death?” I ask as I get the last of the groceries for them from the backseat of the truck.
“I think so, yes. Well, that and a combination of freezin’ to death, but I haven’t heard firsthand the details of his death, just what the paper is reportin’.”
“That’s so hard to believe. Is there any news on Megan Rose’s killer?”
“No, nothin’. The killer’s still at large.” Levi and I stop talking as soon as we walk into his house. There’s no need to upset Mia with this kind of talk. Once everything is put away, I say my goodbyes and leave.
I need to see Momma and Pops, but I stop by Savannah Mae’s first. I’m grateful when I see the lights on in her house. I wasn’t sure if she would even be home with the storm. I decide to get some groceries out of the truck before I knock on her door.
The door opens before I have a chance to knock. “Abel Lee, you can’t answer your phone?” she greets me. Savannah Mae can be quite sassy, and I secretly admit, I think I like it. She isn’t like th
e girl’s I’ve dated in the past.
I try to hold back a chuckle. I’ve been so worried about her, but as soon as she opens her sassy mouth, I realize I had nothing to worry about. “I’m sorry. Did I miss a phone call or two from you?” I walk through the door and I walk past her en route to the kitchen.
She follows behind me. “Yes, you did. I’ve been worried about you.”
I can only laugh. “I turned off my cell phone while driving. The road conditions weren’t the greatest to drive in. Do you really want to talk about missed calls and text messages?”
She giggles, “No, I guess not.”
I set the groceries on the counter and look at her. “I’m glad to see you’re all right.” I walk past her and head to Sawyer Jackson’s bedroom. I poke my head in and I’m happy to see he’s warm and sound asleep. Walking back to the kitchen, Savannah Mae is watching me. “I’ve been calling you for a week,” I say when I get closer to her. I stand in front of her looking into her blue eyes. She is just as beautiful as I remember. I touch her soft cheek and lean down to kiss her before she can say anything. She stands on her tiptoes and welcomes my kiss. “I missed you,” I mumble between kisses.
She moans and after the kiss she says, “I missed you, too.”
“You both are safe.” I kiss her, again.
She says between kisses, “We are.”
“I’m glad I was worried for nothing.” I kiss her again and touch her soft cheek with the pad of my thumb.
I begin to remove the groceries from the brown paper bag and she says, “I went to work one night and left the phone at home.”
“That was the night of the storm?” I ask.
“It was. The snow was comin’ down pretty hard, so Sawyer Jackson and I stayed at my parents’ house. We actually just got home today.” She opens the refrigerator and puts the cold food away. “Wait? Why am I puttin’ this food away?”
I laugh as I open the cabinets and place some canned vegetables and soup on the middle shelf. “Because I bought you and Sawyer Jackson some food.”
“Daddy just bought us some today.”
Rose Farm Trilogy Boxset Page 14