Kelly's Rules

by Barbara Miller

  He hung his head. “Okay, I accept you weren’t deliberately shutting me out, that it isn’t your first thought to rely on anyone else, but please remember I’m here in the same universe with you.”

  She bit her lip and looked at him with tears in her eyes. “That’s very sweet. You know it took me years to learn to rely on Earl instead of taking the law into my own hands. I just need a little retraining here, Quinn.”

  “Tell me what happened,” he said as he embraced and rocked her. “You okay?”

  “No worse off than if I’d bought a ticket on the Looper at the amusement park.”

  He held her at arm’s length and looked at her.

  “Technically Mom was driving but it would have taken me by surprise as well.”

  “You think it was Brenda?”

  “I don’t have anyone else mad at me right now. Mom sure put up an impressive smokescreen for your benefit. She cares about you. But I’ve got to tell, you, Quinn. If Brenda hurts my mom, wife or no wife, I go after her.”

  “I’ll go after her myself if anything happens to you two.”

  Kelly wanted him to say more. Life wouldn’t be worth living, I’d die of a broken heart, or something of that nature, but he didn’t.

  “Don’t worry. I’m pretty tough. You’d better get some rest. Don’t you have to drive to Pittsburgh again tomorrow?”

  “No, I fired that lawyer. Brenda and I are both in town so she persuaded her lawyer to drive out here. How I don’t know.”

  “Good move. Home turf advantage.”

  “Except it isn’t my turf anymore.”

  “Don’t start that. The house is still yours. What would I do with it?”

  “Sell it. Make a nice profit.”

  She smacked him on the shoulder. “Back to you when the time is right. Quinn, I know you may have been betrayed by women in the past, but you can trust me. And my life hasn’t been about profit in a good long time.”

  He smiled. “I get that.” He nodded grimly, but then he left.

  What a liar. He still thought something would go wrong. Oh, well, she’d just have to prove otherwise. Bea came down drying her spiky hair.

  “Did Quinn just leave?”

  “Yep. All a girl has to do to get a hug is fall off the road. You still want to cook a ham?”

  “Not if there are no men to eat it.”

  “I thought you always said it wasn’t worth cooking for men.”

  “I also said never to trust any man, but things change.”

  “Oh, so that was your rule, not mine?”

  “Kelly, it was almost the first thing I taught you, but I’m having second thoughts.”

  Kelly stared at Bea. It was a revelation to think that some of Kelly’s rules might have been handed down from her mother. That would make them co-authors.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Rule 15: Don’t count on being rescued. Do what you can to save yourself, but hope that a hero will come along as well.” — SMFA

  Kelly had showered hot and long the previous night but still woke up stiff. That was only to be expected and not a worry for her, but her mom was another matter. She’d have to keep an eye on Bea. Funny how Sue had slid back home and Bea had returned to Kelly. Had that been managed by the two of them somehow?

  So Bea had taught her not to trust men, Kelly pondered as she dressed in jeans and a green plaid flannel shirt. Bea had good reason. When Kelly thought about it, her life had not been bad compared to her mother’s. Why had she never realized it before? Bea had not been able to choose her life as Kelly had. If she ever actually wrote that book about Separating the Men from the Animals she was going to have to give her mom half the credit.

  Kelly decided to take the day off. She needed a break. So she got on her computer and wrote up a document long overdue.

  Bea seemed okay at breakfast but preoccupied, so Kelly walked to Sue’s house and caught her before she and the kids left. They were wearing little karate outfits.

  “Hi, kids. I think I can guess where you two are going.”

  “Devin watches them while I’m doing customers. They help him with mats and signing students in and out. They’re both getting pretty good. I may take a few lessons myself.”

  “Could you store something in your strongbox?”

  “Strongbox?” Sue staggered in mock awe. “What do you think this is, Wells Fargo?”

  “I mean wherever you keep your important papers.” She thrust the envelope on Sue again.

  “You mean the shoe box under my bed?”

  Kelly snorted a laugh. “Yeah, can you put this in your shoe box with your other valuables?”

  “It’s addressed to Bea.”

  “I’ll put one in my safety deposit box and one with my papers. I guess I should give Quinn a copy as well but not just yet. And it needs to be where people can get to it.”

  “This is your will.”

  “Well, yeah, we all should have one.” She hadn’t meant to make a big production out of this, certainly had not meant to scare Sue.

  “Especially if we have just been run off the road. Earl told me. Kelly, are you all right, seriously?”

  “I’m fine, I just don’t want to leave anything to chance.” Kelly smiled and tilted her head as though everything was fine.

  “You’re not leaving me anything, are you, because you shouldn’t.”

  “To save you the trouble of steaming that open, I’m leaving my place to Mom, and you get the antique mirror in the hallway.”

  “You’re leaving that to me in your will? You said I could take it as soon as I painted.”

  “Whichever comes first.” That came out badly.

  “Now I’m worried. I won’t want it if you’re dead. You are afraid. What about Quinn’s house?”

  “I’m leaving that to Jason.”

  “Which is the same as leaving it to Quinn. But you’re right. If you leave it to Quinn he’d have too much pride to take it.”

  “I’d hope not, but he’s been down lately.”

  “No wonder if his wife almost killed you and Bea. Well, if something happens to you, we will avenge you.” Sue raised her arm like a warrior queen and Kelly believed her. What a friend.

  “If it was her maybe she was drunk and just did it on a whim.”

  “Tried to kill you. Yeah, she seems the type.”

  “But you know I have a dangerous job. I could die by accident any day of the week.”

  “I see.”

  “Are you still stewing about the mirror? If the Beast starts, I’ll bring it over now.”

  “This is not about the mirror. You are my best friend in the whole world, well maybe my only friend. And someone is trying to kill you. Instead of hanging with the man who could protect you, you write a will? That’s like giving up.”

  “You got a point there, but you know me. Always trying to anticipate disaster and head it off.”

  “This is more like running on an arrow.”

  “You mean—” She was about to correct Sue and tell her she was far from falling on a sword but decided against it. “You mean you’d miss me?”

  “Well, yeah and the kids would too.”

  “Then I just won’t let her get at me. I’ll stay close to Quinn.” In her heart she knew that was the more dangerous course but she wanted to appease Sue.

  “Bring the mirror for my housewarming tonight. I was going to call and invite everyone.”

  “You mean it’s done? That would have taken a miracle.”

  “Want a preview?”

  Kelly peered around the door then stepped slowly inside. “Hey, this is classy.”

  “The mirror would be perfect right there.”

  Kelly scrutinized the deep green wallpaper and nodded.

  “Okay, I’ll bring it tonight. I was saving it for—”

  “For when I got married. Yes, I know, but that’s as likely to happen as you predeceasing me, so just bring it tonight. Around seven.”

  “No problem. Quinn is definitely go
ing to have to hire your decorator.” She went down the sidewalk, laughing to herself on the way to the bank.

  She didn’t expect to see Quinn at his house today, but she had no idea where Jason was and that bothered her. Even when he stayed at the Barkley place he showed up at home for meals. Maybe he’d gone with his father. Well, he wasn’t her child, and she shouldn’t feel so protective of him. But she couldn’t help it. Jason was almost her step-son and she had a right to worry about him.

  She checked on her mom, who was lounging around watching TV and waved her concern away. Kelly had not forgotten the mention of medication and wanted to find out what her mother had to take. She sneaked a look in the tote and found blood pressure pills. That wasn’t so bad. Lots of older people had to take that.

  She picked up the koi and water plants from her friend, still amazed that the Beast started right up. It rattled a lot more and one door had to be tied shut but it ran. She drove to Quinn’s place and started acclimatizing the fish by adding spring water to their bucket a little at a time. Then she did some trimming to the barberry hedge so Quinn could actually get to his garage without scratching his car. Of course it hadn’t had body work yet. She was being proactive. Jason was not in the house but it had been properly locked so she wasn’t too worried. She was in her bare feet, planting the water irises and lilies when a shadow fell over the pool.

  “How quaint,” Brenda said around the cigarillo that dangled from her lip.

  “Water features are in.” Kelly grabbed the bucket so Brenda wouldn’t drop ash in it and poison the fish. Why hadn’t she remembered to latch the gate? She submerged the bucket and let the fish swim out and find hiding places. Then she stepped out.

  “If you’re looking for Quinn, I think he had a meeting today. In fact wasn’t it with you?”

  “I know. I just saw him. So he sold you this house.”

  “Yes, he’s given up any idea of having a home.”

  “So you’re his latest.”

  “No I was his contractor. He says he’ll never live here.”

  “And he dumped the money into Jason’s new college account. How thoughtful of him. He thinks I can’t touch it there.”

  That set Kelly off. Bad enough Brenda was trespassing, but she couldn’t stand her gloating. “Jason deserves to go to school. You didn’t care you’d be screwing up Jason’s life when you decided to sabotage Quinn’s job, did you?” Kelly looked up in time to see the confusion on her face.

  “If you’re talking about the newspaper story, that was Paul.”

  Kelly nodded. “You trained your son to be just like you. I’m glad Jason is Quinn’s only son.”

  “What did you say?”

  “Jason is Quinn’s son, and Paul isn’t. That should be plain to anyone.”

  Brenda tapped her ash and looked down her nose at Kelly. “Quinn acknowledged Paul, so what you think doesn’t matter.”

  “Even you shouldn’t be able to justify grabbing half of Jason’s money. You’re his mother.”

  “Whatever happens to Quinn he deserves.”

  “What about Jason?”

  “What about him?”

  “He’s as likely to be driving my Jeep as I am. Whoever ran me off the road last night might have killed him.”

  Brenda actually looked puzzled. “So why are you telling me this?”

  “Just a warning. I will fight back next time.”

  “And Quinn, he’s just not a fighter, is he? He rolls over for the sake of his son.”

  “Any decent man would do anything for his son.”

  “For Jason but not for Paul.”

  “You’re the one who turned Paul against Quinn. And Quinn doesn’t even know why, doesn’t know how you cheated on him even before you tricked him into marrying you.”

  Having a mountain lion land on you was nothing to having a furious woman pounce on you. Kelly jumped backward into the pond. Fortunately she was prepared for the cold water, whereas Brenda started shrieking. At least she knew her suspicion was correct.

  Someone came running and Kelly didn’t recognize him.

  “What’s wrong?” the lawyer type asked.

  “I told you to wait in the car,” Brenda said. He gave her his hand and she got out dripping down the sidewalk toward the gate, her tight clothes clinging revealingly to her bony body and her hairdo ugly in its sodden state.

  Quinn was coming across the yard looking at Kelly and she thought she detected a smirk. She replanted the iris that had been dislodged and got out to count the fish.

  “Did you lose any?” he asked as he surveyed the agitated water.

  “No, they’re a little startled. I just hope her perfume doesn’t make them ill.”

  “Mud wrestling and I missed it.”

  Kelly laughed and squeezed the water out of one sleeve. “So it went okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m kind of off the hook. At least her lawyer has come to an agreement with me even if Brenda is dragging her heels. She wanted to show her attorney this house and demand he get the rest of the money you owe for it.”

  That was exactly what Kelly had feared. “What did he say?”

  “That she’s the one who forced the sale. Your guy Tennant is worth his weight in gold. He called me this morning. Seems he uncovered a lot of assets Brenda neglected to mention before to her attorney. Stock she bought with the money I earned, artwork. I could go on. Kind of nice to realize she wasn’t throwing it all away on shoes. Anyway, since she had no income during our marriage or ever, half of that valuation should be mine. So I think she’s going to let the divorce go through without demanding anything from me. In fact I’d have a good case to go after some of her assets.”

  “Will you?” Kelly couldn’t picture Quinn as the aggressor but she wouldn’t blame him if he went for blood in Brenda’s case.

  He smiled. “I’ll keep that option open until we sign the final papers.”

  “That’s such a relief.” Kelly stared at him for a moment and she thought she could see the old Quinn shining through again. “Coming to Sue’s housewarming tonight? The party starts at seven.”

  Quinn looked puzzled. “Isn’t that what you have when you move or get married?”

  “Give her a break. She isn’t likely to do either.”

  He nodded. “What should I bring?”

  “When in doubt, bring wine. Once you change and pick that up can you stop by and help me carry the mirror to my car?”

  “Sure. See you in an hour.”

  Kelly gave the fish a handful of food then went home to shower. She was happy to see Quinn unlock the door to his house. Maybe he just had to get some clothes, but she was overjoyed that he was willing to enter it.

  * * * * *

  Quinn laughed at Kelly’s efforts to fit the huge mirror into her Jeep. He offered to drive it over and helped her slide the article into his Suburban cargo area well padded with blankets. Kelly said Bea had gone over earlier to help cook. When they got there Nicky and Daf were both in their best clothes showing off the living room and dining room. Quinn didn’t even have a chance to set the mirror down. Ray took it from his arms and hung it in Sue’s entryway.

  “Perfect,” said Devin.

  The kids brought out the paper samples for their rooms and they all settled down for a feast, a strange mixture of Polish and Chinese dishes depending on who cooked them. One of Quinn’s bottles of wine was sampled and the rest stowed in the wine rack Ray had donated. Bea had bought Sue a picture frame, very old and ornate, but it was perfect for the picture of Sue and her kids. Devin presented her with a lifetime karate membership, and Jason had brought six kinds of ice cream.

  After they rolled back from the table to wait for there to be room for dessert Bea said, “Speaking of pictures, who wants to see my vacation snaps?”

  The kids excused themselves and made for the TV room. Quinn didn’t blame them when he saw the stout envelope of pictures Bea was leafing through.

  Still reeling in awe over Sue’s new old house, Quinn
waited his turn as Sue took the first packet and started leafing through from back to front. He couldn’t believe how quickly the small house had been transformed. The old enclosed back porch made a terrific TV/sun room in yellows, reds and browns. The open dining/living area was tied together by the rich wallpaper and wainscoting. It actually looked formal and cultured without being stuffy. A comfy new set of living room furniture helped give the overall impression of ease.

  Sue remarked on the blue of the water and the size of the ship and finally giggled. “Why Bea, a bikini? You look damn good.”

  “For my age,” Bea said with a smile.

  “For any age—oh, my—they allow topless?”

  Even Devin and Ray hopped around behind her to see.

  Kelly rolled her gaze heavenward and finally looked over at Quinn who felt himself grinning.

  He was definitely going to have to hire Ray to do the downstairs of his house. He stopped himself. It wasn’t his house, so he better not make any plans. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Kelly. He believed she meant to return the house. He just wished she didn’t have to risk so much to help him.

  “Kelly, you should take a cruise,” her mom said.

  “Yeah, you work too hard,” agreed Sue. “You need to live a little, not be making your will.”

  Quinn stared at her and saw embarrassment. Maybe she wasn’t afraid of Brenda, but she did consider the threat to her life serious. And this danger to her was his fault.

  After reliving her cruise experience for her audience, Bea said, “I need coffee.” She got up and went with Sue to start it while Ray spooned out the ice cream and took some to the kids.

  Quinn stood and tossed Jason his truck keys, then went to the door. “Party on, but I need to get some sleep.”

  Kelly stared after him, hoping he would not fall back into his silent depression. She should have warned Sue not to say anything about the will.

  Later Jason left without saying much of anything. He’d heard the will remark as well and was a smart kid. He could figure out what was going on.

  When Ray dropped Kelly and Bea at home, Kelly waited ’til her mother went to bed, then knocked on the summer house door. Jason answered but it was obvious he was packing the last of his things.