Cafenova

by S. Jane Scheyder

  “Oh, please, do we have to talk shop?” Rob complained good-naturedly.

  Maddy looked up, surprised, and Becky dropped a piece of cantaloupe.

  “Honey…” his wife interjected.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I’m kidding, of course. I’m glad you enjoyed the message, Otis. Romans Twelve has always been one of my favorite passages.”

  “The children’s message was wonderful,” Maddy added. “Did you really rewrite the whole chapter to rhyme?”

  “I sure did, and memorized it, too. I almost printed it for the bulletin. Maybe I will next week.”

  “I wish you would. I thought that was clever,” Maddy responded.

  “Thank you. I’ll be sure to do it,” Rob beamed.

  John watched the exchange with a smile, then added, “It’s been a while since we’ve read Dr. Seuss in our house. We’ll have to go to the library and check some of those books out.”

  “The ‘Sleep Book’ is the best,” Maddy commented with authority, as she dug into the crepes. “If you don’t have a copy, I’ll buy one for you.”

  This time, it was Rob’s turn to look approvingly at Maddy. “I can see that we’re going to get along very well.”

  

  On their way to the airport several hours later, Maddy had mixed feelings about seeing her sister go. Her time with Becky was definitely limited, and as much as she sometimes struggled with their relationship, Maddy knew that she would miss her, too.

  “So, what are you up to next?” Maddy asked, knowing that Becky’s summers were often unpredictable.

  “I was thinking of spending a few days in Rockport,” Becky answered. “It’s such a beautiful coastal town. I’d love to paint the harbor in the middle of summer.” She paused. “I have a meeting in Boston tomorrow, and then I really don’t have any commitments until I meet some friends in Baltimore in a couple of weeks. Then I’m teaching at my community center in August.”

  “You’re welcome to come up here and paint any time,” Maddy reminded her. “The Maine coast is very picturesque, I think.”

  “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” Becky said. “I’ll try to stay better in touch,” she added thoughtfully.

  “That would be great.”

  “So, what’s going to happen with you and John?” Becky asked with a glint in her eye.

  “I have no idea,” Maddy smiled. “It’s definitely going to be interesting trying to work together.”

  “Good luck getting anything done.”

  “Looking for furniture will take me out of the house more often. That will probably be a good thing.”

  Becky nodded. “When do you think you’ll be open?”

  “My goal is Labor Day. I guess there’s nice potential for the foliage season.” She paused. “Anyway, my money will probably run out by then, so I’ll have to do something if I don’t have paying guests.”

  “What are you doing for insurance?” Becky inquired.

  “Good question,” Maddy answered. “I can hold on to my current insurance until next spring, then I’ll have to find a replacement.”

  “One of the reasons I teach is for the insurance,” Becky confessed. “That’s probably not the noblest motivation.” She looked out the window.

  “It’s certainly an important one.”

  “I guess.”

  “So, you know that Mom’s coming out later this month?” Maddy asked. “She’s going to help me with decorating.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “I think it will be. I’m hoping to have the bedrooms mostly furnished by then, so we can concentrate on the accents. That’s never been my specialty,” Maddy admitted with a grin.

  “Mom will be great at that,” Becky concurred.

  Maddy sensed a note of sadness in her voice. “She would love to see you, Becky. She’d come to your place if you invited her.”

  “I don’t know about that. Mom’s not crazy about how I live.” Becky continued to look out the window.

  “She’s just concerned about you. You know she loves you and wants you to be happy.”

  They arrived at the airport and Maddy wished they had more time to talk.

  “We have different ideas about what constitutes happiness,” Becky pointed out. “I could never be like Mom.”

  “I don’t think you’re supposed to be,” Maddy answered thoughtfully. “But Mom still has a lot of wisdom. They’ve lived a while, you know. They’ve figured a few things out.”

  “Yeah, well, I just get mad when she tries to push her morals on me,” Becky bristled. “It makes me want to run out and do bad things.”

  Maddy laughed, then realized that Becky probably hadn’t intended to be funny. “I haven’t always agreed with Mom and Dad, either,” she replied. “In the end, I think they’re only trying to protect us.”

  She pulled into the departure lane and up to the curb in front of Becky’s airline. She parked and leaned over to hug her sister. “I’m so glad you came,” she said sincerely. “Don’t wait too long before you come back.”

  thirteen

  Maddy was pouring coffee when John arrived the next morning. He tapped on the kitchen door as he entered.

  “Morning, Maddy.”

  “Morning, John.” She handed him his coffee and admired his predictable work clothes: dark T-shirt, faded jeans, boots; no tool belt, yet.

  “Thank you,” he said, taking the mug. “Not much of a sunrise this morning, huh?”

  “No, I slept right through it. It’s supposed to rain later today, but it should be nice for the rest of the week.”

  They walked out to the porch, the weather not really weighing heavily on their minds.

  “Did your sister get off okay?”

  Maddy nodded. “We had a nice trip to the airport; had one of the best conversations we’ve had in a long time.”

  They stood at their favorite spot by the railing.

  “When will you see her again?”

  “With Becky, you never know. I’d love it if she’d come back when my mom visits, but I don’t think that’s too likely.”

  “When is your mom coming?”

  “She’s planning to visit at the end of the month. I hope to be ready with the bedrooms for her decorating touch.”

  “They’ll be ready,” John replied, switching to work-mode. “We’re putting the polyurethane on the floors next week, then the rooms are all yours.”

  “How long do you think the bathrooms will take?” Maddy asked.

  “Willy’s still working on checking the fittings and pipes, and getting the shower functioning in that second bath. The problem in your bathroom is a little more complicated. He has to replace some of the pipes in the ceiling, and we’re having trouble matching what’s there. Once that’s repaired, we have to patch, prime and paint the ceilings and walls. We’ll lay the new tile when all of that’s done.”

  Maddy nodded with satisfaction, her mind spinning with decorating possibilities.

  “So what do you have planned for the day?” John asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know. I thought I’d sit on the beach and get some sun.”

  John raised an eyebrow.

  “Kidding… I’m not going to sit around while you work.” She leaned into him.

  “You’d be surprised what some people do; women, specifically.”

  “What do women do, John?”

  “Some of the homeowners make it a point to sunbathe while we’re working. It can be distracting.”

  “No kidding.”

  “I can’t imagine what goes through their heads.”

  Maddy could. “Well, I’m going to go put my swimsuit on.”

  John turned to her and grinned. “You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?”

  “I’m trying to make it easy,” she countered, tipping her head to the side.

  John set his mug on the table and then rested his hands on the railing on either side of her. He leaned toward her and stopped. “It’s your loss if I’m not produ
ctive in my work.”

  “That would depend on what I want to get accomplished.” Maddy reached up and put her hands on his shoulders.

  John laughed quietly. “You know I can’t kiss you on the job.” He delayed the inevitable with a slow smile. “I think that would be considered some sort of harassment.”

  “No, I think that’s only if I kiss you,” Maddy clarified, now linking her fingers around his neck.

  “So you won’t fire me if…” and Maddy reached up and kissed him before he could say another word.

  “Sue me,” she whispered, pulling back to gauge his response.

  His response was very agreeable. They heard Burt whine, indicating that someone was in the house. Maddy ducked under John’s arm with a grin and went to pour coffee.

  “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,” he called after her.

  

  Maddy spent the day in Augusta, doing errands and looking for furniture. She purchased several new pieces for the bedrooms, including a small dresser that she barely fit into her vehicle, an end table and a mirror. She picked up some hardware supplies for John as well, and then visited two fabric stores to get some ideas for curtains.

  When she arrived home, the crew had gone for the day, but John left a note. He informed her that Tom had quit, but didn’t leave any other details. Maddy wasn’t disappointed. She wondered how it had all come about, but figured she’d find out soon enough.

  

  Tuesday morning commenced with the financial discussion that they missed Monday afternoon. Once again, John showed up a little early, and he and Maddy sat at the kitchen counter together while it rained lightly outside. John pointed out how projected figures matched up with the actual numbers.

  “We went over on projected plumbing costs,” he said, “but, so far, the electrical hasn’t needed as much overhauling as we originally thought.”

  Maddy nodded and grinned in response. John looked up and caught her staring, not at the paper but at him. He leaned back and looked at her.

  “Have you been listening to anything I’ve said?” He tried to look stern.

  “Absolutely!” she answered. “Plumbing’s over, electric’s under. Got it.” She smiled brightly at him and then looked down at the paper. “What else?”

  John shook his head and bent back over his pad. Maddy’s hair smelled really nice. “Okay, you’re going to have to back up so I can think,” he said, pushing her shoulder with his.

  “It’s my money,” she said, pushing back. “I have to see where it’s going.” They turned to face each other, too close to ignore an alternate method of occupying themselves for the moment.

  John finally pulled away. “This is getting… challenging. I really do need to go over this with you.” He stood and circled to the other side of the counter, taking his pad and his stool with him. He poured himself more coffee, warmed up Maddy’s, and then sat down again.

  “Behave,” he warned her.

  They discussed the expenditures to date, and talked about upcoming costs. John outlined the work remaining to be done, which sobered them both up a bit, but concluded that it was all still possible before Labor Day.

  “I need you to give some thought as to how you want us to handle your room,” he continued. “We have to get at the floors and the walls, and it’ll be easier, obviously, if everything’s out. Well, except for the bed.” Here he looked at her with some concern. “I don’t know if you’re ready to leave it yet, but if you are, then we should get your space down here ready so you can just move in.”

  Maddy nodded; she knew this time would come. “I guess it makes sense to move,” she agreed, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Do you think you could add some shelves to my closet down here?”

  “I think we can,” John smiled. He reached over and covered her hand with his. “It’s what we do.”

  

  During the following mornings, as Maddy watched the sunrise from her balcony, she imagined what it would be like for her future guests. Although she was sad to see her little season in that room come to an end, it was fun to imagine the memories that would be made by the people who would soon be spending vacations there.

  The sunrises weren’t the only lure that this romantic location had for her. Maddy spent the next few days finishing the job she started by priming and painting the rails and deck area. By the end of the week, she’d had more than enough time to bond with her balcony.

  The rest of the house was full of activity as well. While Willie worked on the bathrooms, John and his crew stormed the bedroom downstairs, patching and painting the walls and refinishing the floor. From Wednesday on, Maddy wasn’t allowed in the room, so she kept her computer in the kitchen. She was curious, but she stayed away, even in the evenings when she had the house to herself.

  When John led her into her new bedroom late Friday morning, she was stunned. It was the first room in her house that was almost completely finished, and it was beautiful. Maddy was amazed at the quality of the wood floor that had been covered with beige carpeting. John said that they would still give it a coat of polyurethane, but he was pleased with how nicely it had cleaned up, even without that final step. The molding had been stripped and stained, contrasting nicely with the walls, which were painted a soft yellow color.

  The room had undergone a significant transformation, but Maddy was completely surprised by its furnishings. There was an antique twin bed and nightstand in a rich maple that complimented the molding. A matching dresser lined the wall, and her antique computer desk now had a chair. Maddy was dumbfounded.

  “I don’t know what to say,” she finally spoke. “Where did you get this beautiful furniture? It’s perfect! You even found a chair for my desk.”

  John explained that the set was from a previous job. The owners were updating, so he got a good deal, and kept it in storage with some other pieces he’d collected along the way.

  “I’m glad you like it,” he continued. “Of course, you don’t have to keep it if you find something you like better. You might want a bigger bed,” he said, considering what she’d left upstairs.

  “No, it’s wonderful,” she answered, running her hand along the top of the dresser. “I can’t imagine anything better.” She turned to him. “Of course, I’ll see this expense listed on the next financial report.”

  “I’ll show you the figures.”

  Maddy wasn’t sure that this satisfied her request. “John, this is so beautiful, and I’m thrilled that you went to all of this trouble. But you can’t just give it to me. I’m sure you couldn’t have been thinking of doing that.” She looked back at him, and he shrugged.

  “You bought me a coffee mug.”

  She laughed. “John, I can’t accept this.”

  “We’ll talk about it on Monday, okay? Come and see if these shelves are what you had in mind.” He took her hand and led her into the closet. “What do you think?”

  Maddy looked around, delighted. Shelves lined an entire wall, and several columns of cubby holes were built into the unit. “It’s perfect.”

  “Check this out.” John went to the back of the closet, and Maddy followed, watching as he slid back a panel door, revealing one of the first floor bathrooms.

  Maddy gasped. “When did you do this?”

  “It’s been an interesting week.” He pointed to the side of the bathroom. “We’ll take out that wall and put in a shower, essentially in what is now the hall closet. We’ll talk more about fixtures later. It won’t go in for a while, but at least now you’ll have easier access to the bathroom.”

  “This is so cool!”

  “It is, isn’t it?” John pulled her back through the closet into her room, and gestured at the bed. “You’ll want to replace that mattress eventually, but it will do for now. I can recommend a few places where you’ll have a decent selection and get a reasonable price.”

  Maddy nodded. “I’m going to need four, maybe five more sets upstairs. I’ll definitely be looking for a deal.”


  “We can look into that next week,” John offered. He paused, looking around. “I don’t know if you have sheets and bedding for a single bed. I didn’t get that far when I set things up in here,” he grinned.

  “Good thing. You’d probably pick out a bedspread with pictures of fish hooks and other… man things,” she said, wrinkling her nose.

  John laughed. “I guess you won’t be asking for my help with decorating.”

  Maddy shook her head. “How soon do you want to start on my room upstairs?”

  “There’s no hurry,” John said. “We won’t get in there before Monday. Enjoy the weekend.”

  Maddy smiled up at him. “I intend to.”

  

  John pulled into Maddy’s driveway shortly before seven that evening. He caught himself as he reached for the door, rang the bell, and waited. He thought of the first time he rang that bell, early in the morning just after they’d met, and Maddy had come to the door in her bathrobe and tousled hair.

  This time, Burt’s large, drooling face greeted him at the screen.

  John cleared his throat. “Well, darling, you look lovely. Are you ready to go?”

  Maddy laughed as she came to the door. She was wearing a sleek beige dress, straight-cut and sleeveless, with subtle floral designs throughout the material. She carried a white sweater and a small handbag.

  “He’s ready, but he’s not going. You’ll have to settle for me,” she said, pushing her dog back as she stepped through. “Bye, Burt,” she whispered, and then locked the door and turned to face John. Her eyes were bright, her smile a bit nervous.

  John thought she looked amazing. He’d seen her dress up for church, but this was different. This was for him. “Well, darling, you look lovely, too.”

  He held her hand as they walked to the truck. Maddy smiled as she walked next to him, enjoying the formality of his opening the door and handing her in. Once they were inside, however, a silly wave of nervousness swept over her. She glanced at John behind the wheel. He looked very handsome in his all-black ensemble, maybe even a little dangerous. She smiled to herself at the thought; he didn’t seem the type to want to create that impression.