by M A Comley
“I may have a solution for some of what you need,” Brendon interrupted her.
“Oh?”
“This isn’t what most girls have in mind, I know, but timing is trumping convention. Lucy, we’ve known each other for a long time, and much of that we’ve fought like a couple of kids. But that recently changed, and I’m pretty sure you feel the way I do. Lucy Diamond, will you marry me?”
Her mouth suddenly dried up. She swallowed and asked, “What? Brendon? Are you serious?”
“Hey, of course I am. You can move in with me tomorrow morning—it’ll give me time to clean up the house this evening and gather up my dirty clothes.” He grinned. “I have an extra car, a truck, actually. You can drive it until you get your situation straightened out. But Lucy, I was heading toward asking you, anyway. To tell you the truth, I was setting money aside for a ring with the intention of asking you on your birthday in May. But with all this, now seems a more appropriate time. Would you?”
Really? Am I ready to make such a huge commitment after what happened with Mark? I know Brendon is totally different, but people change. What am I saying? I love Brendon, he’s nothing like Mark. Her mind now clear of uncertainty, she whispered, “I thought you’d never ask,” she said, putting her arms around his neck. They kissed and this time tears of happiness flowed down her cheeks. Pulling back, Lucy laughed. “No, I’m serious. I literally did think you would never ask.”
“That should put an end to your wayward thoughts then, and I know I should do the right thing before you get away from me again.”
“What do you mean?”
He nodded. “I’ve loved you more with every disagreement we’ve ever had. I know what I’m in for; life with you will never be boring, Lucy. I happen to like that idea.”
Lucy laid her head back against his chest, her own heart feeling light and at peace, despite her recent losses. Sometime later, Lucy fell asleep in his arms.
Brendon eased out from under Lucy and covered her with a spare blanket, then he tiptoed out the house. Putting on his smoky jacket and shoes, he stood on the front porch, looking out over the moon-bathed houses in town, hearing a dog bark in the distance. He let out a contented sigh. Life is good, and I can tell it’s only going to get better with Lucy by my side.
21
Lucy slept from utter exhaustion. She turned to find a note on the pillow next to her.
Good morning, sleepyhead.
I had to leave early and I didn’t want to wake you.
Why don’t you move in tonight, yes, I would have rather said this in person, but you were dead to the world and I’m eager to have you by my side. Gushiness aside, I can’t wait to come home tonight and find you there. It would make my day.
If you need me to pick up some clothes for you, I’ll do my best, so give me a call.
See you later.
I love you.
B xoxo
The heat rose in her cheeks, and she reread the note a few times and clutched it to her heart. She would ring him later and give her reply, also tell him not to bother sourcing any clothes or shoes, she’d ask Grace for help with that mission.
A sudden thought struck her. She grabbed her phone and called his number.
“Good morning. Everything all right?” Brendon sounded concerned.
“I’m fine. You worry too much. I found your note. I’d love to move in.”
“Good. I’m delighted to hear it.”
“Umm… one thing I need to run past you though.”
“What’s that?”
“Can we keep the engagement announcement under wraps for now?”
He laughed. “Whatever suits you. Sorry, I’m going to have to fly.”
“Go, sorry I interrupted you at work. I promise not to make a habit of doing that.”
“We’ll see. Bye for now.”
She ended the call, contemplating their announcement. The last thing Lucy needed was pity regarding the fire to overshadow their exciting news. She groaned inwardly, dreading what the gossips would say. Let them think what they like for now. Then she remembered Sal’s was closed, which could mean the fountain of gossip has been temporarily turned off. At least she hoped so.
Grace appeared in the doorway, pulling her out of her thoughts. She placed a tray on the coffee table next to the sofa. Lucy instantly sat up and blustered, “Oh, Grace, I’m so sorry. I know this is a public room and I never meant to spend the night in here. I guess I dozed off and Brendon thought it was best not to wake me when he left.”
“Hush now. It’s fine. As far as I know, you haven’t inconvenienced anyone. The guests rarely come in here in the morning anyway, so stop worrying. “Have a sip of coffee, it’s freshly brewed. It should help wake you up.” She pointed to the tray.
Lucy sipped at the hot liquid and felt instantly revived, the cobwebs of sleep dispersing fully after only a few moments. She eyed the toast and jam on the tray.
Grace smiled. “Go on, it’s for you. Jenny and Sophia both left earlier. They didn’t want to disturb you before they went. They told me to pass on their best wishes and also said to call them if you need them. Now what are your plans? I assume you and Brendon came up with something?”
Lucy looked up at her. Grace had obviously taken it upon herself to fill in the role as Lucy’s mother, asking her to reveal her private decisions.
“I’m sorry I missed my friends. I’ll give them a call later. As for my plans, well, I’ll be out of your hair soon. Brendon is coming back later to pick me up. This morning, I plan on going to the thrift shop to pick out some clothes and shoes. Maybe I could borrow an outfit from you in the meantime. I’m so sorry to keep putting you out like this, you’ve been so kind to me.”
Grace waved a hand. “Nonsense, you would have done the same if the boot had been on the other foot. But, Lucy, where will you go?”
“We have it all worked out.”
“There’s no reason for you to go in search of somewhere else to stay when you have a perfectly adequate room upstairs for however long you need it, you know that. We can discuss a cheaper rate for you.”
Lucy set the cup down and looked at Grace. “The girls and I very much appreciate you taking us in last night, loaning us nightclothes and such. That was very generous.”
“You’re welcome. You know I’m always here for you. I’ve just thought, what about your phone, did that go up in the blaze too? How will you call Jenny and Sophia later?”
“I’ll need to buy another one.” She dabbed at her mouth with the napkin, finished her coffee and uncrossed her legs to stand. Folding the blanket, she replaced it over the back of the sofa and picked up the tray. “I’ll just put this back in the kitchen,” she said, heading in that direction.
“Oh, no, dear, I’ll do that,” Grace called after her, eventually following her. Grace took the tray from Lucy’s hands.
Lucy gave Grace a quick kiss on the cheek, stemming all further comments. “Thanks for all your help. All right if I take a shower now?”
“Of course. I’ll go and sort out some clothes for you and drop by your room.”
The doorbell rang and Grace excused herself and scurried through the house to answer it.
“Oh, Brendon, come in.”
“Hello, Grace. Is Lucy here?”
Lucy appeared in the doorway and cleared her throat. “I’m here. I wasn’t expecting to see you until this evening.”
Brendon handed her a shopping bag from one of the nicer boutiques in town. “I guessed your size and the woman said she knows you anyway, so everything should fit. Happy birthday a little early.”
Lucy blushed. “Thank you. You really are a very kind man. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Go find Grace, I’m sure she’ll make you a coffee if you ask her nicely.”
Lucy raced through the hallway and up to her room. Forgoing her shower, opting to have a quick wash instead, Lucy then dressed in the skirt and sweater Brendon had kindly bought her. The woman at the store did, indeed, know her and her penchan
t for retro-style clothing well. There was even a pair of shoes that could, with a stretch, be considered of that period. “Aaaah…” she gushed as she yanked on the bulky item at the bottom of the bag. It was a fur-lined parka with gloves and a knitted scarf rolled into the hood. Although spring was on the horizon, it was still plenty cold. Brendon had thought of everything. She loved the steel-blue color of the coat and it was a perfect fit.
“I’m ready,” Lucy chirped as she entered the living room.
“Oh, well, leaving already? I suppose—” Grace seemed disappointed. Maybe Grace had the intention of grilling Lucy all morning, catching up on the local gossip now that Sal’s was closed. Her boarders weren’t local, so there was nothing to be had there. She gave Lucy a hug and waved as the two of them left the house and got into Brendon’s squad car.
“I bet this will be all over town by dark, Sal’s or no Sal’s,” Lucy commented wryly as they pulled away.
“I think your personal life pales into significance when you consider that there’s a murderer and an arsonist at large, and we don’t yet know who it is. I’m actually more surprised that people aren’t calling in every five minutes, reporting a stranger on the sidewalk or an odd noise coming from their basement.”
“True. Could we go by the bank? I need to get some checks and then start replacing all my important documents.”
“Sure thing.” Brendon drew into the bank parking lot. As he went to park in a spot, the car next to them suddenly left its spot and almost smashed into the side of the squad car. Brendon immediately hit the flashing lights. He grabbed his clipboard and left the car. She watched him wag his finger, and it was obvious he was giving the driver a stern warning along with a piece of his mind for being so careless. Although the car looked familiar, Lucy had trouble placing it.
After another few moments, Brendon opened the door and got back into the car. He tossed the clipboard onto the dash and turned off the flashing lights. Lucy glanced at him, hoping he would divulge what had gone on with the driver.
“Do you know who that was?” The irritation in his voice evident.
“I have no idea.” She snuggled down into the fur of her new coat.
“That was none other than Marnie and Winnie.”
“Really?” Lucy craned her head to watch their car pull out of the parking lot. “I thought I recognized the damn car. I had no idea they were straying this far from home. Can you hang on for a minute and let me go into the bank?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
Lucy went inside the bank and took a seat to wait for the vice-president to finish his phone call. She couldn’t help but overhear his fraught conversation.
“I’m just not comfortable with Mrs. Whitmore closing her account and putting all her money into a new account under the name of Winnie Buttons. The other woman has no existing accounts elsewhere, as far as I can tell… No, she closed it completely. Even her Social Security Disability check is to be auto-deposited into Mrs. Buttons’ account... I’ve never seen anything like it. I do wish you were in today. This makes very little sense to me… Yes, very suspicious… No, I don’t think I can report it as it all seemed perfectly legal… No… Yes, I understand. I’ll keep an eye on it, but I’m not sure what I can do even if any irregularities crop up… Yes, sir… Yes, thank you.” The vice-president, Mr. Tolliver, hung up and cleared his throat before he glanced in her direction and asked, “Yes? May I help you?”
Lucy stood and slowly swung around to face Mr. Tolliver. She was mortified by what she’d overheard, and it obviously showed on her face.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You look rather pale.”
“I’m—I’m fine. Yes, I need your help. My house and car burned last night and everything I had is gone. My account is here and I need temporary checks, a credit card–whatever you can get me set up with to get me through.”
“Oh, dear, dear. You are in a fix, aren’t you?” He slid a sheet of paper across his desk toward her. “Give me all the personal information you have and let’s see what we can do. Be sure and give me your signature.”
Twenty minutes later, Lucy left the bank, a small stack of blank checks and a temporary credit card in hand. She hopped into Brendon’s car. “Wow, this is going to be a mess, you know that?”
“We’ll get through it. Listen, I was just about to come and get you. I have to rush back to the station, it’s an emergency. I’m going to drop you off at my place, I want you to make yourself at home. Huh. I guess that was silly. It is your home.”
“Aww… I like the sound of that.” Lucy decided not to say anything about the call she’d overheard until she’d thought through the consequences.
“Get used to it.” He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek and drove out of the parking lot.
Brendon quickly saw Lucy into the house. “Whatever you need, make a list if you want me to pick it up from the store later. I’ll stop by and get a second key made for the truck. It’s yours to drive. Will you be okay here until I get back from work?”
“Sure. I’ll be fine. I think I’ll take a nap first and then I’ll get busy on that list. It’s time for me to start rebuilding. Thank you.”
Brendon lovingly caressed her cheek and then they shared a deep kiss. It was possessive and more fulfilling than any they’d shared before. He broke away. “Not sure I want to go.”
“Go on,” she laughed. “Get out of here and go to work. We need the money,” she teased.
Lucy walked from room to room, absorbing the scents and hidden corners of her new home. She felt empty inside at the thought of her loss—the stress was beginning to seep in. She drifted into the bedroom to try to sleep and failed. So she searched the room for a notebook, found what she was looking for and began making lists. At the top of the first list was a phone.
With a start, she unexpectedly grasped how very alone she was. She didn’t even have a way to get help. Abruptly the cozy, loving atmosphere became foreign, even spooky. She felt strange. Her heart thundered against her ribs and her throat felt like it was closing up. Am I dying? Getting more and more desperate by the moment, she finally ran outdoors, sucking at the air in great gulps. Isolation drove her to the neighbor’s house. She rang the bell. A woman she didn’t know came to the door.
“Yes?”
She placed a hand over her chest. The pain was excruciating. “Please, I think I’m dying. I feel awful. I’m with Brendon, next door. I don’t have a phone. Can you call him? Just call nine-one-one for me? Please?”
“Come in. Sit down and breathe deeply. I’m Mary Rathborne. I used to be a nurse. Come on, let me help you.”
Lucy nodded and allowed the kind woman to guide her inside the house. She pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and eased Lucy into it. Then she placed her phone on the table. “Now, before I make the call, I think you’re going to be fine. It sounds to me like you’re having a panic attack. Let me make you a cup of tea and we’ll talk. If you don’t calm down within a few minutes, I’ll make the call.” She lifted Lucy’s wrist to feel her pulse. “It’s going ten to the dozen, but I think it’s just panic. Are you feeling pain anywhere?”
Lucy shook her head. “I mean yes, in my chest. Here.” Lucy showed her exactly where the discomfort was, but admitted to herself that it had subsided a little since she’d entered the house.
“Okay, we need to get you to breathe deeply a few more times. Breathe in through your nose, hold it and then slowly release it through your mouth.”
“Are you sure? I need Brendon!”
“Trust me. It probably feels like you’re dying. I understand, but you’re going to be fine. The phone is right there in front of you. Let me put the kettle on.”
Mary patted Lucy’s arm as she stood to put on the kettle and removed two cups from the cupboard. “Feeling any better?”
Lucy shook her head. “No, no.”
“You will. Just keep breathing as I told you. Name four things you can see.”
“What?”
; “Name four things you can see. C’mon, I’ll get you started.” She held up the cup. “Cup.”
Lucy nodded. “Table, window, floor, fridge.”
“Good. Very good. Now name two things you hear.”
“You. Cars.”
“Good, now two more things you can see.”
As Lucy was going through the paces, Mary set a cup of hot tea before her, then a jar of fresh honey and a small bowl of lemon slices.
“Lemons, honey.”
“Good. Try a sip of your tea and feel the heat as it goes down your throat.”
Lucy did as requested.
“Keep deep breathing.”
Mary sat quietly, breathing with Lucy until eventually Lucy looked at her and said, “It’s over.”
The woman gave her a knowing smile. “Is it? Oh, good. I’m so glad.”
“How can I ever thank you?”
“Don’t be silly. Glad I was here to help. Everyone has a panic attack at one time or another.”
“You really think that’s what it was?” Relief flooded through her.
“Oh, yes. You’re feeling better, right?”
“I’m so embarrassed.”
“Oh, heavens no. I can’t even count the number of them I’ve had. My guess is you’ve been through some unusual stress lately and this is your body’s way of telling you to slow down. To take stock of things and change certain aspects of your life for the better.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “You have no idea how accurate that is.”
“Do you need to talk?” Mary reached into a cabinet and brought out a bag of cookies. “Want them on a plate?”
“Why bother?” laughed Lucy. “Actually, my whole life has been turned upside down over the past few days. I can’t really talk about it.”
“Oh? A vow of silence, eh? Sounds intriguing.” Mary winked, putting her at ease once more.