A New Leaf

by Thomas Kinkade

  “I’ll get something to drink,” Lauren said, going into the refrigerator. Amanda sat at the table, and Molly joined her.

  “So, how was school today? Anything interesting going on?”

  Molly waited. She wasn’t sure this would work. Sometimes the direct approach was best, though, catching them off guard.

  Amanda swallowed and shook her head no. Molly could tell that really meant yes, and whatever had happened wasn’t all that easy to talk about.

  Lauren came to the table with a carton of orange juice and a funny look on her face.

  “Amanda had this . . . thing happen to her today.” She rested her hand on her friend’s shoulder. Amanda sat staring down at the table, and Molly saw her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

  “Was she hurt at practice or something?” Molly asked with concern. “Amanda, can you tell me? You don’t have to if you don’t feel like it,” she added.

  Amanda lifted her head and rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes. “N-n-no . . . it’s okay.” She winced, hearing herself stutter.

  Molly hadn’t heard the speech defect in a while, and though it wasn’t terribly obvious, she could tell it upset Amanda.

  “Amanda had to give a book report today in English, and she had trouble talking,” Lauren explained. “And when the teacher left the room for a minute, this dumb guy in our class, Ricky Hanratty, started imitating Amanda, and she got really upset.”

  “Oh, Amanda, honey. That’s just awful.” Molly rose and went over to Amanda. She put her arm around Amanda’s shoulder and gave her a hug. For a long moment Amanda sat stiffly; then the tears came, and she seemed to melt. She turned and pressed her face against Molly’s hip.

  Molly leaned over and stroked her hair. “That was such a cruel thing to do. What a creep,” she stated flatly. “You just can’t pay attention to dumb kids like that.”

  She hugged Amanda. After a moment, Amanda pulled away, collecting herself. Molly got the popcorn from the microwave, poured it into a bowl, and brought it to the table. Amanda was drying her eyes with a tissue, but she still looked shaken. Maybe I helped a little, Molly thought, but what she really needs is her father.

  “I’m so sorry, dear. You had a really bad day. But soon everyone will forget all about it. You’ll see.”

  “I hope so,” Amanda managed to say.

  Lauren glanced at her mother. “Can’t we take this stuff in the bedroom? I don’t see what the difference is. I eat in there every minute of my life.”

  “That’s just the problem. Okay, take it in if you have to. Just try to pick up the crumbs later so they don’t get smashed into the carpeting.”

  As if Lauren would remember to do that, Molly thought, shaking her head.

  Molly started to fix dinner. She was rinsing some lettuce in the sink when the door buzzer sounded. Wiping her hands on a towel, she went to answer it. Phil was coming tonight to visit the girls. She had felt a little uneasy about seeing him ever since he had made his wild proposal to get back together again.

  She took a breath and pulled open the door—and found Matthew on the other side.

  “Molly, hi. I’m sorry I didn’t call first. I picked up Amanda’s message, and I came right over.”

  Molly stepped aside to let him in. “That’s all right. You didn’t have to rush. She just wasn’t sure where you were today. She couldn’t reach your cell phone.”

  “I was having some trouble with the phone today. I’ve been running around, as usual. A patient had to be taken by helicopter to Mass General this afternoon for emergency heart surgery.”

  He sat at the kitchen table, looking beat, his handsome looks marred by dark circles beneath his eyes.

  Molly felt sorry for him, yet she could also see now what had been going on between him and Amanda. She sat down at the table across from him, determined to have a talk.

  “Amanda had a problem at school today. That’s why she came home with us.”

  “What happened? Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine . . . or she will be. A boy in their English class made fun of her speech problem after she gave a report. She’s very upset. It must have been quite painful for her.”

  Matthew looked alarmed and angry. “Why do kids act like that? Don’t they know any better? You would think they were old enough by now to understand and have some consideration.” He shook his head. “I’m going to call the school. No kid should get away with behavior like that.”

  Molly reached over and lightly touched his arm. “Matthew, I know you’re upset, but making a big deal about this might upset Amanda even more.”

  He glanced at her, then nodded. “Good point. I didn’t think about that.”

  Molly withdrew her hand. He seemed very conscious of her touch and of her taking it away from him. “You told me once you came here to make a new start, so you would be able to give Amanda more time and attention.”

  Matthew looked puzzled. “Yes, that’s true. But what does that have to do with it?”

  Molly sat back. “You haven’t been around much these last few weeks. Not that I don’t love having Amanda here. I do. But I feel as if she’s here more than at your house lately.”

  He frowned at her. “I’ve been busy with work. I can’t help my difficult hours.”

  “Maybe not,” Molly agreed mildly. “Or maybe you just can’t help falling back into old habits again.”

  “You’re saying I’m doing the same thing I did when I was with Sharon?” he asked sharply.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re the one who told me that you have a way of disappearing into your work. And I watched you disappear on me.” She saw that he was about to interrupt her, and she silenced him with a look. “That’s okay. I’m fine,” she said calmly. “But it’s not okay for Amanda. She needs you, and you’re not there for her lately. You ought to think about it. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Matthew looked blindsided. “I guess we ought to go now.” His voice was quiet.

  Molly stood up. “Okay, I’ll go tell Amanda you’re here.”

  Matthew watched as Molly disappeared down the hallway that led to the bedrooms. He let out a long breath. She had all but accused him of running away from her. Had he? He had thought he was doing the honorable thing, trying to protect her feelings, to keep himself from disappointing her. Apparently it added up to the same thing.

  As for Amanda, Molly was right on that score. He had fallen into his old workaholic habits again. Even his sister had noticed it on Easter Sunday and said something to him. He had to break out of these tired patterns. It felt as if he was coping, but it caused more damage in the long run.

  He could get back on track with Amanda. He was sure of that. But he didn’t think he could ever fix things now with Molly.

  TUCKER WAS ALONE IN THE LOCKER ROOM, GETTING READY TO GO HOME, when Chief Sanborn walked in. “Tucker, glad I caught you. I wanted to have a word.”

  Tucker closed his locker door. “What’s up, Chief?”

  “It’s about North Creek Road. The Degan house.”

  Tucker had already guessed that would be the topic. “Did you find more evidence?”

  “Not really.” The chief’s tone was vague. The crime had been reported nearly two weeks ago, but Tucker knew from gossip around the station house that no real progress had been made since then.

  “We’re still looking at Carl. The neighbor wants another chance to identify him. If we do get a clear I.D., I think Carl will give us a confession.”

  Tucker laughed; he couldn’t help himself. “If he did it, that is, and if you can find him. He could be anywhere by now.”

  “That’s why I’m talking to you, Tucker. Any idea of where he went?”

  Tucker considered his boss’s question for a moment. “I have some idea,” he admitted. “But I don’t have an address, if that’s what you’re asking for. You can’t have him picked up without any hard evidence, Chief.”

  “I know that, Tucker.” Sanborn’s tone was harsh and impati
ent. Tucker realized he’d gone too far, but somehow he didn’t really care anymore. He respected Chief Sanborn a lot more, he realized, before this whole business with Carl.

  The chief stared at him a moment. “When the time comes, I expect you will be more forthcoming.”

  Tucker leaned back and squared his shoulders. “If the time comes, you mean,” he corrected, and he left the station without waiting to be dismissed.

  TUCKER ARRIVED HOME TO FIND FRAN COOKING DINNER. HE BRUSHED by her without a greeting, took some headache medicine from the cupboard, and poured himself a glass of water.

  “You don’t look well,” Fran said sympathetically. “Did you have a hard day?”

  “They all feel hard lately.” Tucker swallowed the pills and drank some water. “The chief stopped me on the way out. He wants me to tell him where Carl is. He has absolutely no hard evidence, but he wants to make that arrest.” Tucker’s tone was bitter as he sat down in a kitchen chair.

  “Tucker, calm down. You’re taking this so hard.” Fran rested her hand on his shoulder.

  “How am I supposed to take it? First Carl is accused of robbing a house, then he disappears and Sanborn is after me as if I’m some kind of accomplice because I won’t tell him where Carl is. I don’t even know where Carl is.” Tucker shook his head. “I still can’t believe he robbed that house.”

  Fran sighed. “I think it’s fairly likely he did. A neighbor saw him running from the yard. He even had that cut on his hand from breaking the glass.”

  “You sound just like Sanborn now, Fran. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

  Fran sat down near him. He could tell she felt sorry for him, but that seemed to make it even worse, as if she felt he were a naive fool to believe Carl could be innocent.

  “I have a feeling no one will ever know for sure, Tucker. He did run away though,” she reminded him. “That should tell you something.”

  Tucker didn’t know what to think anymore. One minute he believed Carl was unjustly accused, the next he believed he was the guilty culprit who had played him for a fool.

  “There was your diamond stickpin.” Tucker’s tone was reluctant. “Maybe I should have known after that.”

  Fran got up from the table and checked a pot on the stove. “I finally found that. It was the funniest thing. I hid it in an old handbag and totally forgot about it. I thought I had told you.”

  Tucker turned to look at her. “No, you didn’t tell me that. I would have remembered. I definitely would have remembered.”

  Fran stirred the food in the pot with a wooden spoon. “I’m sorry. It just slipped my mind. But honestly, Tucker, one thing has nothing to do with the other. So, he didn’t steal the stickpin. That doesn’t mean he didn’t rob that house.”

  “It means a lot to me, Fran,” Tucker practically shouted at her. He was so angry, he could barely see straight. “You should have told me you found the pin, Fran. How could you not tell me such a thing? Why, we practically chased Carl out of the house over that. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

  Fran stepped away from the stove. “You’re right. I should have told you, Tucker. I don’t know why I forgot. I was embarrassed, I guess, for making such a fuss about it at the time. I even thought one of us should apologize to Carl for the things I said.” She sighed and looked down at the floor.

  “Well, we can’t now. Nobody can apologize to him,” Tucker said. “It would have made a big difference to me, Fran, knowing you found that pin. I would have treated him differently that night he was at the station house. I wouldn’t have doubted him the way I did. Maybe he wouldn’t have run away. It wasn’t just about you being embarrassed. Don’t you understand that?”

  “I-I guess I didn’t think of it that way.” Fran looked up at him, her expression remorseful. “I’m sorry, Tucker. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “I’ll say you weren’t.”

  Tucker came to his feet. He was stunned and furious and sick at heart. He had more to say to Fran—a lot more—but he felt himself choking on his anger. He strode past her and into the mud room, then pulled open the side door and left the house. He heard Fran calling after him, but he didn’t turn around. His mind was whirling. Carl hadn’t stolen that stickpin, after all. It seemed to change everything.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “MOLLY . . . WAIT!” MOLLY HEARD THE SOUND OF MATTHEW’S voice calling out to her from down the street. She turned slowly, her arms filled with the sample books of linen swatches she’d borrowed from her teacher.

  Matthew walked up to her, looking breathless and happy. She hadn’t seen him for over a week, since he’d come to pick up Amanda and they’d had words about his long hours.

  “What are you up to? Did you just rob the library?”

  “I’m meeting with Emily Warwick here.” She tilted her head toward the door of the Beanery, which was a few feet away. “I’m catering her engagement party.”

  “Wow, that’s great. It sounds pretty involved.”

  “You have no idea.” Molly rolled her eyes. “Neither did I, or I probably wouldn’t have gone through with it.”

  “When is the party?”

  “A week from Saturday.” She paused, unsure of how much she wanted to tell him. “I’m trying to start a new business. Emily is my first client.”

  “I’m impressed—the town’s most prominent personality. That’s quite a start.” Matthew smiled at her. “Here, let me help you with that stuff.”

  She let him take some of the heavy books, feeling as if they were suddenly in high school.

  “I’m a little early for my meeting. Would you like to have some coffee?” She felt nervous asking him, wondering if he was mad at her for the unsolicited advice she had given him.

  “I would love to,” he replied. “I don’t want to interrupt your business meeting, though.” So, she was a businesswoman now, having meetings that shouldn’t be interrupted. She rather liked that idea.

  “It’s really fine. She’s not due here until four, and Emily’s always late,” Molly added with a grin.

  Matthew opened the door for her, and they went inside and found a table. The both ordered espressos. Matthew glanced at the desserts in the glass display case. “Those chocolate chip cookies look good—and familiar. Did you bake those?”

  Molly nodded. “A standing order.”

  He smiled. “You’re going to be famous someday, Molly. I just have a feeling.”

  “You can say you knew me when.” Her tone was light, but her heartbeat suddenly raced, set off by the look in his eyes.

  “I’m hoping I’ll still know you then, to be perfectly honest.”

  He caught her gaze, and Molly again found herself at a loss for words. She was relieved when the coffee arrived, and she stirred her cup with the pretty stick of crystalized sugar that came with it. A nice touch, she thought. I’ll have to remember that.

  “So, how is your practice going?” She meant it as a neutral topic of conversation, then realized he might think she was checking up on him after their talk about Amanda.

  “It’s fine. I’ve figured out a way to cut back on my hours a bit. I guess I was overwhelmed at first. The town hasn’t had a local doctor in so long, people ran in with everything from a hangnail to acute appendicitis. And I tried to accommodate them all—even the hangnail.” Matthew gave her a wry smile. “But I’ve found a doctor in Essex who will see my patients on my off hours.”

  Molly nodded. “That sounds like a good arrangement.”

  “Yes, it should work. I probably would have done something like this sooner or later, but I have to admit talking to you gave me the push I needed to look for someone right away.”

  Molly took a sip of coffee, still unsure of what to say.

  “You were right. I was letting the practice take over my life. That’s not why I came here. It’s not fair to Amanda.”

  “I didn’t mean to be hard on you, Matt. I just felt badly for her. She was so upset.”

  “Yes, sh
e was. She’s better now, and she’s getting some speech therapy again, too. I know she loves living here. It was a good move for her.”

  How about for you? Molly wanted to ask, but she didn’t have the courage.

  “So, this business of yours . . . have you come up with a name yet?”

  Molly shook her head. “Lauren suggested Awesome Food. No, I got that wrong, Totally Awesome Food,” Molly corrected herself in a serious tone that made Matthew laugh. “Jill came up with a good one, Incredible Edibles.”

  “I vote for Totally Awesome Food. Maybe you should have a contest. It could be good publicity.”

  “Good idea. I’ll make a note of it.”

  Molly enjoyed talking and laughing with him like this more than she wanted to admit. She had missed him. Matthew was special to her, different from all the men she had met after her divorce. He had somehow won a place in her heart. She couldn’t say how that had happened, only that mysteriously it had.

  “You’re going to be a big success, Molly. I just know it.” His tone was quiet but sincere, and Molly felt her spirits lift with his praise.

  “Thanks. I’m trying,” she said with a small smile.

  He reached over suddenly and took her hand. Molly’s heart skipped a beat. He sat staring at her hand in his, seeming lost in thought. When he looked up at her, his gaze wandered over her face, resting on her mouth. She felt as if he wanted to kiss her. He wouldn’t do that here, in the middle of the Beanery, would he?

  Not that she didn’t want him to, she suddenly realized.

  “Mayor Warwick, good to see you.” She turned to see that Emily had just walked in, and Felicity Bean was talking with her. Felicity and Jonathan Bean had given Molly’s baking business—and her confidence—a big boost that Molly would always be grateful for.

  Matthew eased his hand away and sat back in his chair. “I guess your four o’clock is here, Ms. Willoughby.”

  She laughed at his secretary impersonation. “The mayor again. Guess I have to take a meeting.” Her blasé tone made him smile.