Cynic, Surfer, Saint (Scenic Route to Paradise #1)

by Andrea Aarons

  Normally, Mr. Nelson would have been dissatisfied with such ambiguity but he and his wife spent about an hour examining Toni’s portfolio before lunch. Their information was fresh and detailed, matching Toni’s version. Todd and his wife, Celina had their connections but most of the recent history was gleaned from the Nanny & More Agency. Celina’s personal assistant put the information together which had included phoning her own second cousin, Lupe Lopez who seemed to know a little bit about everybody residing within a 45 minute radius of Santa Fe.

  While everyone’s story is unique, Toni’s was also, simple. Born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, she travelled to Santa Fe on a college trip to do some serious partying and not so serious, snow skiing. On the third day of Spring Break, she broke her leg. Along with her extended stay in Santa Fe to recuperate, the handsome ski patroller from the day of her accident became her boyfriend. Eventually, Vance Merriweather became her husband. They both got involved in a local church where they were trained to be missionaries. For thirty years they did mission work from their church, The Santa Fe Christian Assembly. A son and daughter were born in Santa Fe; the third child, a daughter was born in South Africa. After almost two decades in Africa, the Merriweathers returned to Santa Fe to minister again locally through their home church. Beforehand, their children had returned to the states when they each became of age, settling elsewhere. Lupe Lopez told her cousin that Toni’s husband died more than a year ago shortly after their return from overseas. Lupe couldn’t remember how he died but she thought it was during a rock climb.

  Nanny & More gave the Nelsons the mundane facts. From Portland, Oregon to Cape Town, South Africa including Santa Fe, Toni was given excellent references and recommendations. She had an FBI clearance, had passed the drug test and had no DWI. She carried current CPR certification and Wilderness Medical credentials, as well as Emergency Event Training with the Red Cross. Her health was excellent. Toni never worked Sundays; Monday evenings she taught a women’s Bible Study at the Santa Fe Jail until 8pm. The last paying job she held was as a personal secretary for a busy mother who was wife to a medical specialist... while she was in college thirty years prior.

  What wasn’t known by the agency or Lupe Lopez was that while Toni’s husband, Vance was a salaried pastor and missionary, hers had been solely a labor of love. For the last ten years, she worked on a voluntary basis. Also, Vance Merriweather died fishing not rock climbing.

  Toni had received Vance’s salary until the end of the year doing odd jobs at the church. As the New Year approached and Toni was nearing the end of the church financial benevolence, she sought God in prayer and through pastoral counsel as to what sort of “paying” work she should do but no satisfactory answer was forthcoming. Her family wanted her to move back east. Although she hadn’t received any tangible direction for a job she knew in her heart of hearts that Santa Fe wasn’t finished with her yet. So, she stayed.

  The same day that she decided to move into the guesthouse on Upper Canyon Road which had been her prayer deadline for landing a job, the Nanny & More Agency called. They wanted to interview her as one of their permanent part-time, emergency nannies. This position had been what Toni primarily wanted being one of the first jobs she applied for back in January.

  Toni didn’t mention getting fired from the agency to the Nelsons. They didn’t mention it either.

  Todd Nelson busied himself with his lunch as Toni replied to each of his questions. Celina nibbled but mostly pushed her salad around indifferently with her fork. As for Toni, she was hungry but ate methodically understanding that this was a working lunch; an interview.

  “Can you swim?” asked Todd.

  There had been a prolonged pause in their exchange. Toni chewed the bite she had popped into her mouth as she thought about her reply. Her thoughts momentarily wandered to Cape Town’s alluringly deserted beaches where surfers come from all over the world to dodge the sharks and ply the waves and where the dazzling water is frigid year round. It was wetsuit water. She detested wearing a wetsuit but hated cold water swimming even more. When middle-age arrived, a hot tub became Toni’s idea of a relaxing swim. His question seemed rather random but remembering Misha telling her how she loved to swim, Toni formed her response.

  Dabbing her mouth with her napkin, she said, “I can swim. My late husband was a professional surfer in his teens and so, he spent a great amount of time and energy… whenever he got the opportunity, trying to teach me to surf.” She finished with a chuckle, “I never did learn… but yes, I’m a swimmer.”

  Toni was bewildered by their reaction. Celina noticeably picked up pace in scooting her salad morsels about. For his part, Todd looked about nervously as if he had spotted a hundred dollar bill on the floor and wondered if someone else hadn’t seen it first. Finally, husband and wife eyed one another and together grinned conspiratorially. Toni sensed that she was the mouse caught between two cats.

  “I never learned to surf,” she repeated, her voice higher than she planned. “I’ll put it this way, I can swim but I don’t love swimming.” She laughed at herself and then more in control, she added, “I don’t even own a swimsuit anymore and my surfboard is in storage in Flagstaff, Arizona.” Taking a bite she nodded self-confidently as if that was the conclusion to the swimming matter.

  Celina said, “Sweetheart, she can surf!”

  Todd let out a brief burst of nervous laughter before he said, “Two for one! That settles it then doesn’t it?”

  “I would think so!” replied his wife and then to Toni’s amazement they gave each other a high-five while continuing verbal kudos back and forth as if she had said she’d won the World Surfing Championship at Huntington Beach.

  Toni took a polite sip and then an anxious not-so-polite gulp from her water glass. “Excuse me,” she said shrilly. They both looked her way. “I said, ‘I cannot surf.’ I’m telling you my husband wasn’t able to teach me… Huh, I really hate wearing a wetsuit for one thing, but also cold water and I are enemies unless it’s in a bottle and it’s labeled as coming from a natural spring. I cannot overemphasize how much I dislike surfing.” Toni continued to ramble while Todd and Celina turned away and resumed their talk of “how providential” it was and “what luck” that Toni was the emergency nanny on-call last night, etc.

  The surreal situation was interrupted when Todd Nelson’s cell phone chirped. He excused himself. Celina like a cat peering at the cornered mouse, beamed across the table.

  Uneasy, Toni said, “Delicious salad. Thank you, for inviting me to lunch.” Celina nodded and wiped her hands on the cloth napkin before dropping it atop her own salad. “It seems you are looking for a nanny or companion of sorts.” Toni added.

  Celina made a dramatic face. “Yes! That would be correct. Very good! I think ‘companion of sorts’ is an appropriate description. Todd will love it! We were actually looking for something… I should say someone totally different than you, Toni,” Celina said as she leaned forward after the waiter took her plate. “Last week when we were planning our night at the opera, we examined the entire list of nannies employed at Nanny & More. We didn’t glance twice at your information, I am afraid to say.” With a shrug, Celina conveyed their obvious omission.

  Curious, Toni asked why. In truth, she could think of several reasons off the top of her head; she was not a regular nanny but an on-call emergency one and her age… Additionally, she remembered she had put on her information page that she did not swim.

  Celina said, “Well, we were looking for a male. That is who we assumed we wanted until last night… I’m telling you, I got hardly any sleep! And if I would have known what I know now... Certainly, I wouldn’t have slept a wink!” She pulled her compact from her purse and checked her eyes in the tiny mirror.

  “Oh!” Toni was surprised. Thoughtfully, she plugged away at finishing her salad. Finally, she said, “Mrs. Nelson… Celina, I wasn’t actually looking for permanent full-time work… What do you and Mr. Nelson have in mind?”


  Celina motioned to the waiter. She said to Toni, “About three months ago, Todd and I put several requests in with the many domestic agencies around the country. There are some truly great ones, you know. In this economy you would think we would have people beating down the doors in response but we had only two unsuitable bites and it looked absolutely glum.”

  Toni processed this information and wondered at it while Celina took the bill from the waiter. It didn’t make sense to Toni and yet, she felt that there was something extraordinary about meeting the Nelsons, including last night’s incident.

  “You didn’t want coffee or dessert did you? I’m sorry I forgot to ask,” Celina inquired.

  “Thank you, no.” Toni then asked what exactly were they wanting in a “companion of sorts.”

  Celina lifted her hand with fingers extended to name the qualifications they were searching for. Putting up her thumb, she said, “Intelligence. Someone who can think on their feet.” She smiled and put up a finger as she named each trait, “Integrity, appearance and maturity,” nodding as she wiggled her ring finger which bore a pea-size diamond that bedazzled Toni. Assuming Celina must be referring to her age, Toni shifted her gaze from the mesmerizing jewel. But Celina continued as her pinky finger went up. She added, “And a surfer!” Smiling triumphantly, and before Toni could demur, she scooted her chair away from the table.

  “Come! Let’s take a walk.”

  They went through the lobby and out onto the sidewalk without seeing Todd Nelson. Toni looked about expecting to see his lean figure, leaning against the wall or sitting as he talked, his cell phone pressed to his ear. Celina wasn’t looking for her husband and Toni guessed they pre-arranged his exit. In a chummy manner, Celina took Toni’s arm as they headed for the plaza.

  Toni stood at least two inches above her prospective boss. Where Toni had shoulder length, light brown, almost mousy hair with wavy highlights to camouflage the incoming grey – Celina’s hair was black but in the sunlight, Toni saw a glimmer of purple. She wore it cropped at her ears and straight; complimenting deep blue eyes. Celina was pretty, petite and thirty-two years old. Her image radiated wealth and competence. Toni pulled sunglasses from their case to cover her own green eyes. The two women looked the typical Santa Fe tourist with Celina window shopping, pointing out her favorite likely buys.

  It was after two o’clock and dry-hot as they crossed the street, heading for a shaded but unoccupied bench in the plaza square. Before they sat down, Celina’s daughter, Misha came running up with Grandma Rose trailing by several yards.

  Misha had the remnants of an ice-cream cone which she abruptly tossed into the grass behind the bench. Neither mother nor grandmother appeared bothered by the child’s misbehavior. Toni realized that the interview was over. She discreetly retrieved the cone and paper wrapping as the others greeted one another.

  Celina pulled a business card from her purse asking Toni to think over their discussion and please call her before noon on Monday. After an odd inadvertent discovery, they said their adieus and Toni left baffled.

  Running errands and more than an hour later, she squeezed into her parking spot on Upper Canyon Road. The “cozy cottage” had two spots but a small blue VW Bug with a black convertible top was there taking up a space and a half.

  “What now?” Toni murmured. Her brain was full and she wanted a nap.

  Pushing open the gate, Blondie came bounding toward her with a soggy green tennis ball in her mouth. Slamming the gate, Toni quick shut off access to the road in order that the exuberant beast wouldn’t run past. Merry, child number three, the youngest of the Merriweather’s children sat crossed-legged in one of the wrought iron patio chairs.

  “What have you done to my dog?” Merry demanded as she motioned toward Blondie. “Look at her! She has a small head and an oversized body… You’re over feeding her!” Blondie was originally Merry’s pet while Blue had been Vance’s dog.

  Toni ignored her unnatural greeting and her complaint. Asking in turn, “How are you darling?” She walked over and bent to give her daughter a kiss on the forehead as was their custom. Merry tilted her head to receive it.

  “I’m here on business but I thought I would pop in and see you.”

  “Well, certainly! And how did you find me?” Toni asked.

  “Mom, GPS!” Merry rolled her eyes at her mother’s obvious ignorance.

  Toni looked at the leftovers on the table. The food came from her icebox. She asked tartly, “Don’t tell me you used your GPS to climb through the bathroom window… How did you get inside?”

  Although 20 years old and clever as an organ grinder’s monkey, Merry often defaulted to her pre-teen ways of interacting with her mother. She drawled the words in exaggerated frustration, “Mom… you always put a key under a flower pot or a rock.” She pointed to the fuchsia colored geranium. “Simple! I helped myself. I knew you wouldn’t mind and thankfully, you forgot to set the alarm.” They both knew Toni rarely set any alarm. That had always been Vance’s mindful responsibility.

  Toni pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and then, tossed her bag on the third chair as she plunked down across from Merry. “Cute place, huh?” she said.

  “I like it! The kitchen is sweeeet and this place has two bedrooms. Its perfect, isn’t it? You lucked out, Mom.” Merry said this as she looked around the yard and patio area with genuine appreciation. Toni nodding, picked up the wet ball from her lap where Blondie dropped it as was the dog’s ploy. She threw it and both dogs scampered off. The ball bounced off the adobe wall and Blue caught it on the re-bound. Toni turned back to her daughter.

  “I wouldn’t call it luck. We’ve been praying a lot about housing, a job and God’s will, remember?” Toni reminded.

  The long drawn out response came again. “Mom…” said Merry. “You know what I mean.” Toni smiled. “Mom, everybody is worried about you. That is the other reason I’m here,” Merry said.

  “Everyone? Really? Like who? I don’t know anyone ‘worried’ about me besides your aunties and Jellybean… even Grandpa isn’t worried. So, who is everybody?” Toni asked with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.

  Merry spoke with hesitation. “Well, that is who I mean… all your sisters – the aunties. I haven’t talked to Jellybean so I don’t know if Grandma is worried but…”

  Toni had jumped up to wrestle the ball from Blue’s mouth. She threw it with force against the adobe wall again. She said interrupting Merry, “My sisters have been worried about me since the day I jumped off the roof holding two umbrellas as parachutes… I think I was four years old.”

  “I heard about that. Did you break your leg?” asked Merry, her eyes lit up at the mental picture which popped into her head.

  Toni said, “No. I simply lost my wind until I passed out… I didn’t do that again.” Toni’s face glowed at the memory. Most of her misadventures left minimum regret; she seldom recalled the pain or negative consequences to any of her “incidents” as her family described them. An adrenaline buzz is what she remembered. Toni glanced over at Merry. She said to her, “Gladys, you’re grinning.”

  Merry retorted, “So are you!” (Merry’s actual name of Gladys derived from Vance’s mother, Gladys Merriweather. No one ever called her by her given name with the exception of Toni.)

  They moved inside as Toni decided on a cup of strong tea. She wasn’t going to get a nap.

  Chapter 3

  Toni and Merry were much alike in personality although Merry’s exceptional face and shapely form came from Vance’s DNA. Oddly enough, the Merriweather girls possessed golden brown eyes; both Merry and her older sister, Kate. Their brother, Dale had stunningly blue eyes. Toni and Vance carried green eyes! Vance’s eyes had been a dark ocean green while Toni’s were a pale blue-green. Toni’s family had blue and green eyes and Vance’s family were brown and green eyed. The golden brown in the gals was a genetic mystery.

  “So what’s new, Mom? How is the nanny job coming along?” Merry asked. She was lying o
n the rug, a throw pillow propped under her head with Blondie crowding her on one side and Blue stretched out on the other.

  Toni hesitated a bit too long as she stirred her tea. “It isn’t what I thought.” She didn’t plan on telling her daughter about the failed kidnapping incident or that she was dismissed from Nanny & More.

  Merry knew her mother comfortably enough to understand her hesitation preceded a partial truth. Toni never lied but she was infamous for telling half truths.

  Merry said warily, “Yeah? I suppose it isn’t.”

  “I am actually looking at another nanny-type job,” said Toni. Clearly wanting Merry diverted from asking awkward questions that would cause Toni to resort to verbal calisthenics, she hurried on. “What I mean is, I don’t have the formal interview until Monday. It’s a long shot. If all goes as planned, I’ll call you Monday afternoon to tell you all about it.”

  Merry sat up. “That sounds promising but you won’t have to call me. I’ll be here. I was planning on sleeping on your couch but you have an extra room… Swee-et! You can tell me in person all about your new job - then.”

  The extra room was filled with miscellaneous boxes, mostly empty from the recent move. The bed wasn’t assembled and the closet held Toni’s winter clothes.

  “You might be better off on the couch. I slept on it the other night; comatose comfy,” suggested Toni.

  “Mom… I am going to be here for weeks! Didn’t you read the email I sent you?”

  Toni lit up. “Weeks! Oh goodie! No, I didn’t read it! I did read your text.” Toni picked up her phone and pulled up the message. “Here it is. It says, ‘Check your e-mail.’”

  It turned out that Merry and Kate had argued. Merry’s email announced that she was taking a break from her sister, Kate for the summer; at least until school started up again in August. She would be driving from Flagstaff to arrive in Santa Fe on Saturday and on Monday she would start searching for summer employment. If she couldn’t find anything feasible, Merry wrote, she would travel east.