by Pamela Bauer
When she arrived at the picturesque two-story home, there was no answer to her knock on the front door. She followed the walk around to the back.
Sitting in a sandbox was Melody and a boy Kika assumed was her older brother, for he had the same shade of red hair as the toddler. Kika leaned over the white picket fence and said, “I’m looking for Nick Miller. Is he home?”
The boy jumped up, and a shower of sand fell from his jean shorts. “He’s in the house getting gum out of Patrick’s hair.”
“Would you tell him I’d like to see him when he’s done?” Kika requested, wondering if Patrick was yet another of Nick Miller’s children.
The boy ran over to the basement window, knelt down and shouted, “Dad, there’s a lady here to see you.” Kika watched him nod, then run back over to the fence and open the gate for her.
“He says he’ll be out in a few minutes.” He waved her inside. “Come on in.”
There were several lawn chairs in the shade of an old oak tree, but Kika opted for a wooden corner seat on the sandbox.
“Hi, Melody. How are you?”
Melody didn’t say a word, but neither did she look away.
“You know my sister?” the boy asked, eyeing Kika curiously.
“Yes, we met at TylerTots,” she answered, reaching for a plastic shovel. “What are we making?”
“I think it’s a town,” the boy answered. “Melody hasn’t told me for sure, but she’s moving those little cars along what looks to be a road.”
“Aha,” Kika said in understanding.
“Are you a friend of my dad’s?” the boy asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself. I’m Kika Mancini.” She offered her hand to the child, who took it without hesitation.
“I’m Zachary Miller. I’m nine.” He pumped her hand briefly, then dropped it. “I’ve never heard the name Kika before.”
“It’s Italian.”
“Oh. We’re Heinz.”
“Heinz?”
He nodded. “You know—fifty-seven flavors. We’re all sorts of stuff—English, Irish, Norwegian. Grandma says we’re mostly German.”
“I see.”
“Are you from the day-care center?”
“No, I’m just visiting Tyler. Actually, I’m here on business. I’m looking for a little girl to star in a TV commercial.”
“Are you the Hollywood lady who’s going to make some kid in Tyler rich?” His eyes widened.
“I’m not from Hollywood, but I have worked with some of the people there.”
“You know movie stars?”
“A few.”
“Do you know Jim Carrey?”
“I’ve met him, yes.”
“Really?” His eyes grew even wider.
“Yes, really. He’s a funny man, isn’t he?”
“He’s cool!” After a few moments Zachary said, “Everyone’s been talking about the posters you’ve put up around town. Are you really going to choose someone from Tyler to be on TV?”
“That’s why I’m here. Of course, it all depends on what happens at the audition,” Kika answered. “Hopefully, one lucky Tyler tot will be the next Fancy’s Baby.” As she said the words, she looked at Melody, who continued to stare back at her without so much as a smile or a frown...just an innocent gaze.
“What kind of a baby are you looking for?” Zachary wanted to know.
“One we can use in a baby-furniture commercial. Someone who can sit in a children’s rocker, lie on a youth bed—that sort of thing.”
“Will the baby have to talk?”
“Umm-hmm, but just a couple of words.”
A look of disappointment crossed his face. “It figures. I was hoping Melody could try out.”
“She can.”
“But she doesn’t talk.”
“She doesn’t have to say much. Just the word fancy.” Kika looked at the little girl and said, “You can say fancy, can’t you, Melody?”
Again there was no response.
“She can’t say anything,” Zach told her.
Kika looked at the beautiful little girl. She herself was no authority on childhood development, but all the babies she had auditioned thus far had vocabularies ranging anywhere from half a dozen to hundreds of words.
“She doesn’t talk,” Kika repeated, suddenly understanding why Nick Miller hadn’t wanted to pursue the audition. Why hadn’t he just told her he had reservations because his daughter hadn’t developed her vocabulary?
“Dad’s had her to the doctor and they said nothing’s wrong with her voice. She’s just doesn’t want to talk,” Zach informed Kika in a very adultlike manner. “Grandma thinks it’s because of our upbringing, but Dad says Grandma doesn’t always know the answer to everything.”
The sound of a screen door slamming had Kika’s head turning in the direction of the house. Nick Miller was striding toward her, an angry look on his face.
“Ms. Mancini,” he said gruffly.
Kika stood up, refusing to be intimidated by his glare. “I was just having a chat with your children, Mr. Miller. Zachary is a very interesting child.”
Zachary beamed at the praise and moved closer to Kika, smiling up at her avidly.
“Zach, would you go inside and see if your brother’s all right?” It was more of an order than a request.
“Do I have to?” he asked with a frown.
“Zach, go.” It was a command this time.
“Goodbye, Kika,” Zach said, clearly smitten with their guest.
As soon as he was out of sight, Nick said, “I don’t think we have anything further to discuss, Ms. Mancini.”
“I thought we had agreed it was Kika,” she said warmly, ignoring the frostiness of his tone. “And I hoped you’d give me a few more minutes of your time.”
“I’m not interested in Melody trying out for any commercial,” he stated in no uncertain terms.
“You won’t have to travel all the way to Minneapolis. There’s going to be a crew coming out next week, to do the taping right here in Tyler.”
“I told you I’m not interested.”
“Please don’t say that, Mr. Miller. She’s a beautiful child and this could be a wonderful opportunity for her.”
“No.”
“If you’re concerned because Melody isn’t talking yet, you don’t need to be.”
His eyes darkened and his brow furrowed. “Maybe you don’t understand the word no, Ms. Mancini.”
Melody had been watching the two adults from her spot in the sandbox. As her father’s voice grew louder, her eyes widened. When his last “no” came out with resounding finality, she burst into tears.
Nick lifted her into his arms to comfort her. “I think you’d better be going, Ms. Mancini.”
“I’m sorry,” Kika apologized. “I didn’t mean to upset her.” She wished there was something she could do to comfort the little girl, but at this point it was obvious the only thing to do was leave.
As she started for the gate, she saw Zach in the kitchen window. She went out of her way to walk past him.
“Bye, Zach. It was nice meeting you,” she said through the screen.
“Too bad you can’t stay.” He held a pair of handcuffs. “Dad’s going to show us how to do magic tricks with these.”
Magic tricks. Was that why Nick Miller had handcuffs and a blindfold in his suitcase? Even though she hadn’t accomplished her goal to get Melody to audition, Kika had a smile on her face as she drove away.
CHAPTER FOUR
IT DIDN’T TAKE Nick long to realize that in a town the size of Tyler, news spread faster than germs. At the front of the news brigade was his mother-in-law, a fact he discovered the following morning when she corralled him on a street corner and steered him into Marge’s Diner for a cup of coffee.
“Annabelle, this isn’t a good time for me. The kids...” He tried to excuse himself, but she wasn’t about to be deterred.
“The kids are fine. Abby’s perfectly capable of watchin
g them for another thirty minutes,” she told him, aware of the fact that he had hired the teenage girl next door to baby-sit while he ran errands in town. Annabelle shoved him onto one of the stools at the counter while several pairs of eyes watched.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Mancini woman is here because of Melody?” she demanded in a loud enough voice that Nick was pretty certain even the kitchen help could hear.
“She’s not.”
“I talked to Glenna McRoberts today.”
“Then you know Kika Mancini is here because of the videos Glenna produces,” Nick said calmly.
“And the fact that she had seen Melody on that video, right?” His mother-in-law pinned him with her intimidating stare. “She came all the way to Tyler hoping to get Melody for that commercial, didn’t she?”
“You’d have to ask her that question,” he said, hoping his near whisper would cause her to lower her voice. Almost every head in the place was cocked in his direction. In the short time he had been in Tyler he had learned that when Annabelle talked, people listened.
“Glenna says you met with this Mancini woman at TylerTots.” Again, her voice held an accusation.
He sighed. “I saw her when I dropped off Melody. It was not an arranged meeting.”
“So it’s true then?”
“What’s true?” he asked a bit impatiently.
“That she’s bringing the film crew here because of you?”
Just then Marge interrupted them, a coffee carafe in hand. “You two gonna have breakfast or just coffee?”
“Bring me one of those caramel rolls, will you?” Annabelle answered.
“Welcome to Tyler, Nick,” Marge said as she poured him the cup of black coffee he requested. “I would imagine it’s quite different from what you’re used to in California.”
“Yes, but it’s a nice kind of different,” he said sincerely.
“I suppose all this Hollywood stuff is nothing new to you,” Marge remarked, leaning a hip against the counter. “I can’t believe the commotion this Fancy’s Baby thing is causing, can you?” Her question was addressed to Annabelle.
“It’s no wonder. There are posters everywhere.”
“She’s got plenty of people talking, that’s for sure,” Marge commented.
“Everyone thinks it’s their kid who’s going to get a big break,” Annabelle said with disdain.
“The word is that some lucky family in Tyler could end up millionaires.” There was awe in Marge’s voice.
Nick shifted uneasily. “It’s only a commercial, not a lottery winning.”
“Just last week there was something on one of the talk shows about getting into commercials and making lots of money,” Marge added, obviously undaunted.
“That’s right. All it takes is one clever advertisement and—” Annabelle snapped her fingers “—instant fame.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen with the Fancy baby,” Nick said soberly.
“Maybe, maybe not,” Marge said pensively. “Of course, to the folks around here it doesn’t matter. With so many people being out of work, the thought of a baby making extra money is a tempting one.”
“Well, there definitely won’t be a shortage of babies at that audition,” Annabelle agreed. “There are too many hungry mouths.”
“What about your little granddaughter? Is she going to try out?”
Nick gave Annabelle a look that dared her to contradict him. She didn’t. “Melody’s not the type for commercials,” she said in an almost gentle voice.
Any animosity Nick had been harboring for his mother-in-law dissolved. It warmed his heart to know that Annabelle’s voice softened whenever she spoke about Melody. It made him think that he had done the right thing coming to Tyler. Melody needed a woman’s love.
“I hear this little Italian gal is quite a looker,” Marge said, her eyes on Nick as if gauging his reaction.
“She’s too perky if you ask me. I’ve always been suspicious of perky people,” Annabelle answered.
“When did you meet her?” Nick asked his mother-in-law.
“She stopped in the post office this morning. Wanted to know if we had overnight mail service.” Annabelle harrumphed again. “Where does she think she is? In Mayberry?”
Both women laughed. Nick didn’t want to admit that he had wondered the same thing. Was Tyler a large enough community to provide express mail service?
“By the way, what’s the latest word on Tisha?”
“She’s getting stronger every day,” Annabelle told the owner of the diner. For Nick’s benefit she added, “Tisha Olsen owns the beauty shop down the street. She had a heart attack last month, but she’s going to be all right.”
“I hope she’s up and about in time for the weddings.”
“I figure she’ll make Sheila Lawson’s in August for sure.”
“She wanted to do something special for Glenna’s, but that’s only a few weeks away. Well, I’d better get back to work,” Marge said when the short-order cook called out to her. “It’s good seeing you, Nick.” With a little wave, she was gone.
Nick expected that having Annabelle for a mother-in-law was going to speed up the process of getting to know people in Tyler. Before they finished their coffee, she had introduced him to everyone in the restaurant. Which was just as well, Nick figured, since they had all heard the conversation about Kika Mancini.
On the way out of the café Annabelle suggested he might be interested in meeting some of the single parents of Tyler. Nick had a hunch she meant the mothers, not the fathers.
What he didn’t need was a matchmaking mother-in-law. If and when he ever started dating again, he wanted to choose with whom. Unbidden came the memory of Kika Mancini sitting on a miniature chair with her blond hair swishing across her bare shoulders.
She looked like a million bucks, but she was not a woman any single father should be interested in. She made a living selling kids to the entertainment industry, and he had three children.
So why was he still thinking about her?
* * *
BECAUSE IT WAS the start of the Fourth of July holiday, Granny Rose’s Bed-and-Breakfast was booked solid by the time Kika decided to return to Tyler. Thanks to Susannah Santori’s efforts, however, she was able to get a room at Timberlake Lodge.
Located about twenty minutes’ drive from Tyler, the former private hunting lodge had earned its reputation as a wonderful getaway for those looking for the quiet charm of the country. Susannah’s husband, Joe, had completed the renovations, managing to retain the lodge’s rustic appeal yet still modernizing it so that it would be attractive to guests. Several new wings had been added when the Addison Hotel chain had purchased the lodge from its longtime owner, Tyler industrialist Judson Ingalls, yet it didn’t have the feel of a big hotel.
The minute Kika walked in the front door and saw the chandelier made of deer antlers, she knew she was going to like the place. It had character and atmosphere, as well as every convenience known to travelers.
At first Kika had been hesitant about staying anywhere but in Tyler, but after talking to Sheila Lawson, the lodge’s manager, she decided it would feel more like a holiday if she stayed here rather than in a motel. On the first morning of her stay, however, she began to question whether she had made the right decision.
Strange sounds came from the forest surrounding the lodge. Taking a walk down to the lake, Kika was surprised to again hear the sound that had woken her. It was yodeling. She knew the lodge was bordered by farms, but not once in her twenty-eight years had she heard any of the Minnesota farmers yodeling in the morning. If someone had warned her she might hear a mooing cow at the lodge, she wouldn’t have been surprised. But yodeling?
It had been three days since the ad soliciting tryouts for the Fancy’s Baby model had appeared in the Tyler Citizen and the posters had been hung. Eager to see the sign-up sheet, Kika drove to TylerTots immediately after breakfast.
“Glenna. It’s good to see you.”
She greeted the day-care worker with a smile. “I’ve come to see how many names we have so far.”
Glenna ushered her into the office and handed her a clipboard. “It looks like around forty.”
Kika’s eyes scanned the list of names. As she expected, Melody Miller was not among them. “It looks as if so far everyone is from Tyler.”
“A lot of those names are kids from the center. I’m sure once people in the surrounding communities get wind of the audition, they’ll start calling in, too,” Glenna told her.
“I really appreciate your help with this. I figure since nearly everyone knows you because of your video business, you’d be the perfect one for them to contact. I hope it hasn’t interfered with your work here?”
“Oh, no, not at all. Angela’s been good about letting me do the videos. Fortunately, there’s enough of us here that we can manage.”
Kika glanced out at the play area and saw that Angela Murphy and one of her assistants were glancing curiously toward the office. The only staff member who didn’t seem interested was Daphne Sullivan.
The first time Kika visited TylerTots she had learned that Daphne had a two-year-old named Jennifer, who hadn’t been in any of the Playmates videos. Kika looked once more at the list and remarked, “I don’t see Jennifer Sullivan’s name on here.”
“I think Daphne’s a little shy about stuff like this. When she started working here she asked if we would mind not including Jennifer in the videos,” Glenna told her.
“First it’s Melody’s father, now it’s Jennifer’s mother.” Kika shook her head in amazement. “Normally I have to discourage people, not encourage them.”
“I can talk to Daphne if you’d like,” Glenna offered.
Kika shook her head. “No, it’s all right. It looks as if we’re going to have a full schedule the way it is.”
“When will the film crew arrive?” Glenna asked curiously.
“A week from tomorrow. I need to arrange for a place for them to stay. Sheila Lawson told me once the Fourth of July has passed she’ll have room at the lodge.”
“Independence Day is a big celebration here. Every year we have a parade and a picnic in the park,” Glenna explained. “This year there’s a carnival coming to town, plus fireworks to end the day.”