“This is beautiful. I love the cottage feel of your home.”
“I love it, Grandma. Are we going to live here?”
“Just for a while. Until we find our own house.”
“You can stay as long as you like,” said Bonnie. “I welcome the company. It’s quiet here, so the change will be good.”
“Do you ever get lonely out here?”
“I did until I got a puppy. I put him out back so he wouldn’t jump on you. His name is Scone, after the first bakery sale I ever made. He’s a golden Labrador. Would you like to meet him?”
Tyler let out a squeal, bouncing on his toes. “Puppy. We got a puppy.”
“Honey, Scone is Bonnie’s puppy, not ours.”
Bonnie brought Scone over to meet Tyler and Shade. Tyler sat on the ground coaxing the trembling puppy in a gentle voice.
“Hi, Scone. My name is Tyler Lane. I’ve been praying for someone like you. Come, Scone.” The puppy went to Tyler, lapping at his face.
“When are we moving, Grandma?”
“When we sell our house.” Shade looked at Bonnie. “It looks like this will be perfect for us. My only concern is prying Tyler away from Scone when it’s time to move.”
“Don’t worry. Tyler can come by and visit Scone whenever he likes.”
Shade’s house sold for the asking price within the first week. She put Sally in charge of the bakery while she took time off to move. She sold a handful of belongings—filing cabinets, Stan’s hunting equipment, and a few framed pieces of artwork. The other furnishings went into storage until she purchased a home.
Before disconnecting her phone, she called Detective Kent.
“Shade. Good to hear from you. How are you doing?”
“I’m doing well. I’m calling to tell you I’ll be moving, and I wanted to give you my contact information in case there were any new developments. I’m buying a bakery over in Edelweiss, so I’m moving closer to the shop.”
“That’s good to know. Congratulations. For a minute there, I thought you were calling to take me up on that dinner date.”
She laughed. “About that offer—I was flattered, but I’m not ready to date again. My focus needs to be on Tyler.”
“I understand. But if you change your mind, the offer stands. Regarding the investigation, I have no new leads, but I’ll let you know if anything changes. Good luck, and stay in touch.”
“Thanks, and if you’re in the area stop in at the bakery. I’ll buy you a coffee and a muffin. We don’t sell donuts.”
“Funny. Take care of yourself.”
Chapter Eleven
You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Psalm 18:28
Bonnie looked forward to her retirement years and celebrated by treating herself to a ten-day Mediterranean cruise, targeted toward mature, single adults. The itinerary included stops in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. She couldn’t wait to tell Shade.
Since Tyler and Shade had moved in, the cottage bustled with energy—something foreign to her. She could sit for hours watching Tyler and Scone running through the yard, or listening to Shade read Bible stories to Tyler while he interrupted with one amusing question after another. She dreaded the day they would move away.
Shade enrolled Tyler in kindergarten at Edelweiss Elementary School. She worked out a schedule with Mary. She would drop him off in the morning, and Mary would pick him up and take him to her house, where he’d play with Leah and Willow until she got off work.
Under her management, Shade renamed the business to Shady Lane’s Bakery and Café. She hired a creative designer to develop a new brand image and an interior designer to revamp the floor space and redesign the storefront.
Whimsical and airy tones enhanced the café interior, complementing the beach town feel of the neighborhood. New lighting added visual interest, fresh paint covered the walls, and the entrance area was reconfigured to enrich the customer’s first impression.
Sally proved to be a competent supervisor, allowing Shade to focus on new product development and marketing the business within the community. Together they made a dynamic team.
She found a new church—First Church of Edelweiss—a thriving non-denominational church with several young families. Tyler loved attending Sunday school, and Shade admired their outreach events. The pieces of her life were falling into place.
With the remodel of the bakery complete, she contacted a realtor and focused her time searching for a new house. She would miss Bonnie, but she didn’t want to overstay her welcome. Since moving in, the two of them developed a strong bond, like mother and daughter. And Bonnie had grown to adore Tyler.
“My realtor has a few properties for me to look at today,” said Shade, as Bonnie sat nursing a mug of coffee.
“That’s great. Are you taking Tyler?”
“Yes. Hopefully, he’ll be patient.”
“Why don’t you leave him with me? It won’t be any bother. Besides, he can spend the day with Scone. You should see that dog when Tyler leaves for school. He lays at the front door whimpering and looking out the window. Last night Scone wasn’t in my bedroom, so I went looking for him. I found him with Tyler, the two of them cuddled up in his bed.”
Tyler ran through the cottage, playing fetch with Scone, while Bonnie sat and read in front of the fireplace.
“What are you reading?” asked Tyler.
“It’s a book my mother gave me when I was young. ‘Anne of Green Gables.’”
“My grandma reads Bible stories at night. If I get my book, can you read to me?”
“I’d love to, honey. Bring it over.”
Tyler handed Bonnie the book and sat at her feet. “Can you read the Christmas Story?”
“Sure,” she said, donning her reading glasses.
“Do you think Jesus wears glasses?”
“Probably not. I bet he has perfect eyesight.”
“Me too. Did you know God’s real name is Howard?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“Yeah. A boy in Sunday school told me. It’s in the Lord’s Prayer,” he declared. “Our Father who does art in heaven, Howard be his name.”
Bonnie grinned, patting him on the head. She had never spent much time around children and found herself fascinated by Tyler’s innocence and sense of wonder.
When Shade returned home, Tyler was asleep on the floor next to Bonnie. “Looks like you wore him out,” she whispered. “How was he?”
“Like a little angel. Did you find anything?”
“Perhaps. I almost put in a bid but decided to look around a little more.”
“Come sit, and tell me.”
Shade removed her coat. “It’s a cute house, with a lot of character. About 1,500 square feet with a large fenced-in yard in a well-maintained neighborhood. I’d like to get Tyler a dog, so this would be perfect. I’ll need to make improvements, but not right away.”
“It sounds nice. I’ll miss you two when you move. It’s been nice having you here.”
“Well, I’m sure we’ll still see each other. Do you have family nearby?”
“I was an only child, so no family to speak of. Just a cousin, Francis. Haven’t seen her in years. She calls once a year. To check if I’m still alive.” Bonnie shook her head and let out a sigh. “Hey, you’ll never guess what I did. I booked a European cruise.” She handed Shade the brochure. “I leave in two weeks, so you’ll have the house to yourself.”
“I’m so excited for you. A cruise sounds wonderful.”
“I can’t wait. Do you mind if I leave Scone here with you? I could take him to a kennel, but Tyler would be devastated.”
“Without question. You’ve done so much for us. It’s the least we could do.”
The idyllic towns and villages of Western Europe captivated Bonnie’s heart. On the first day of the cruise, she met another single woman, Labushka from Yugoslavia, and they became inseparable traveling companions. Labushka was a professional photographer and g
ave Bonnie several tips for scoring that perfect photo. With cameras dangling from their necks, they’d meet on the ship each day to begin their trek through the bustling streets and alleyways.
On the last day of the cruise they set out, negotiating the hidden side roads of Lisbon, Portugal, in search of that elusive National Geographic shot. They stopped at a trendy outdoor café for lunch with a view overlooking terracotta rooftops and chalk-white church domes. In celebration of their last day, they ordered a bottle of wine from the Lisboa region, a full-bodied Arruda. For their entrée, they feasted on Bacalhau à brás, a shredded codfish with fried potato, onion and scrambled eggs topped with a sprinkle of black olives and chopped parsley. While they savored their lunch and sipped wine, Labushka outlined their plan for the day.
“Ve must hurry vhile sun shines perfectly,” said Labushka, pushing her chair away from the table and knocking it over backwards—with her in it.
“Labushka,” screamed Bonnie, shocked at the sight of her friend’s shape lying on the ground, camera straps tangled around her neck. “Are you alright?”
“Oosh. Maybe much too much vine,” laughed Labushka, struggling to right herself, brushing pebbles from her embroidered linen skirt and matching woolen knee socks. “I’m good. Ve must hurry,” she said, gathering her equipment and walking briskly down the road, Bonnie at her heels trying to keep pace.
They spotted an old gothic church and pulled out their cameras. Labushka directed Bonnie to a location near the entrance of the ancient town, down a charming cobblestone passageway. “Bon-a,” shouted Labushka, “you look to lens—vhile valking. Keep shooting—vhile valking. I tell you to stop.”
Bonnie walked forward, staring into the wide-angle lens, adjusting the outer ring until the image came into focus. She heard Labushka scream—in Slovenian. “Ustaviti!”
“What?” Bonnie responded, still peering through the lens. Simulating a slow-motion scene, her heel caught the edge of immovable metal. The manhole cover rested alongside the gaping hole. And Bonnie, in an instant, plunged fifteen feet. Head first. Into the dark abyss.
Labushka would later lament, “One time I see her head. Next time I see her feet. Oh, Bon-a,” she cried, “I so sorry.”
The phone rang, stirring Shade from sleep.
“Hello,” said a heavily accented voice. “I’m calling on behalf of Bonnie Langley. You were listed as an emergency contact. Are you a relative?”
“No, I’m a friend. Who’s calling?”
“This is Constable Sousa, from Lisbon, Portugal. I’m saddened to inform you Bonnie had an unfortunate accident. In an open manhole. We will prepare to send the body back. My condolences, Madame. I’ll be in touch soon.”
She sat stunned, holding the phone to her ear, listening to dead silence. This must be a sick joke. But it wasn’t. Bonnie had retired. Literally. “Oh, Bonnie,” Shade cried. “It isn’t fair.”
The following morning, Shade rummaged through Bonnie’s desk and found the number of her estate attorney, David Cunningham. “Hello David. My name is Shade Lane. I’m a good friend of Bonnie Langley.” Her voice quivered as she spoke. “She fell into a manhole,” she sobbed.
“She what? Is she okay? I met with Bonnie right before she left. She told me about her European cruise.”
“She’s dead,” Shade hiccupped. “It’s so tragic. I wanted to get a hold of her relatives, but the only person I’m aware of is a cousin named Francis.”
“Yes, Francis Cabot. Her only living relative. Did you say a manhole?”
“Yes, a manhole.”
“How unfortunate. Can you meet today? I could drive to the cottage.”
“Yes. I’d like to get in contact with Francis as soon as possible.”
David arrived at the cottage toting a briefcase. After settling at the kitchen table, he pulled out Bonnie’s estate plan and slid it across to Shade.
“This may come as a shock,” he said, removing his glasses, “but you are the sole beneficiary of Bonnie’s estate.”
She stared at David, her eyebrows furrowed. “What? Me?”
“Yes. Bonnie met with me before the cruise. She wanted to change her trust before she left in case anything happened. Bonnie wasn’t comfortable leaving everything to her cousin, Francis. They hadn’t seen each other in years. She talked a lot about you, Shade. And about Tyler. Said you two were the closest thing she had to family, and nothing would make her happier than to know you were both taken care of after she’s gone.”
Shade dropped her head in her hands and wept. David sat, waiting for her to come to terms with the news.
He patted the estate plan. “Everything is spelled out for you in this binder. You are the named Successor Trustee and Power of Attorney. You should have no problem accessing Bonnie’s assets and transferring them into your name. Please call me if you have questions.”
Everything Bonnie owned now belonged to Shade, including Scone. Aside from the house and the bakery business, Bonnie left over $960,000 in savings and mutual funds.
Shade worked with David Cunningham to create a Trust in her name, naming Tyler the Successor Trustee.
Overcome with gratefulness, she thought back to her unprivileged childhood, the horror of Stan’s secret life, Addy’s murder, the stain of her guilt. And now this. Why me, God? I’m not worthy.
Chapter Twelve
You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.
Song of Songs 4:9
Year 2000
Tyler discovered a new love besides Scone. Baseball. Edelweiss Elementary sponsored a baseball camp, and Tyler begged Shade to enroll. At six-years-old, he understood the mechanics of the game and could name every player on the Detroit Tigers team.
Baseball camp took place after school, and parents were encouraged to practice with their youngsters at home. She worried about the time commitment until Mary offered to help.
Enthralled with the game, Tyler had an eye for the ball, whether hurling toward his bat or running to catch a fly ball in the outfield. When Shade got off work, they played catch on the beach, or she pitched while Tyler practiced hitting—and Scone practiced retrieving.
Shade wondered if Tyler inherited his athletic ability from his father. She didn’t know much about Scott other than what Addy had mentioned—his passion for weight lifting. She considered Addy’s father, Matthew, and his athleticism. Matthew dreamed of getting into the University of Michigan on a football scholarship. Were sports in Tyler’s genes?
When the baseball team played their first official game, Mary, Leah, and Willow met at Shade’s house, and they drove to the game together. Tyler managed two base hits, one stolen base and an outfield catch that brought the crowd to their feet.
“I’m so proud of you,” said Shade, after the game. “All that practice is paying off.”
“Thanks. We’re a good team,” he declared, before running off to join his teammates.
“You’ve got one talented son,” said the man, offering his hand. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Brent Meyers, Tyler’s coach.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Tyler’s grandmother, Shade. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Well, I hope it’s all good,” said Brent, trying to mask his surprise. “Everyone is meeting at Dairy Cone for ice cream. I hope to see you there.”
“We wouldn’t miss it.”
“I met Tyler’s coach, Brent,” Shade said to Mary on the drive to Dairy Cone. “He seems like a nice guy.”
“Yes, he’s good with those boys. I watch him during practice. He’s so patient, but he’s also firm. The boys have a lot of respect for him. And he never singles a player out, whether good or bad. It’s all about teamwork.”
“That explains it,” said Shade, lowering her voice. “When I congratulated Tyler, he was quick to point out it wasn’t about him. It was about the team.”
Mary laughed. “I guess he’s paying attention.”
> Arriving at Dairy Cone, Shade studied Brent as he corralled the raucous boys into an orderly group. She was amused at his ability to handle the chaos.
While they sat eating ice cream, she gazed openly at Brent. She liked the way he looked and how he handled himself. His skin tanned and slightly weathered. His eyes were the color of sapphire and warmed when he smiled, causing faint wrinkles to form at the corners. He had a nice build. Well-toned and tall. He looked to be in his early forties. Her eyes traveled to his left hand. No ring. Mary awakened her from her dreamy state.
“I heard Brent used to be a Major League Baseball scout but changed careers when he got married. It required too much travel, and he didn’t want to be away from his family. Now he’s the Athletic Director for Edelweiss Schools, and he coaches baseball camp in his spare time.”
“Well, we’re lucky to have him,” Shade responded, hiding her disappointment.
Brent approached their table while making the rounds. “Great game today,” he said, tousling Tyler’s hair. “You played like you wanted to win.” He extended his hand to Mary. “I’m not sure we’ve met, but I’ve seen you at practice. I’m Brent Meyers.”
“I’m Mary, Shade’s friend, and this is Leah, my granddaughter.”
“Nice to meet you both. Do you like baseball, Leah?”
“Yes,” said Leah. “I like watching Tyler. We play catch together.”
“That’s great. Tyler, have you been practicing at home—like we talked about?”
“Yes. Me and Grandma practice. She pitches while I bat, and we play catch.”
The Essence of Shade Page 10