Authors: Kathleen Pieper
As excited as she'd been to hear from her friend back home, Maddy suddenly was becoming very tired with this telephone call.
"Well, I think you're protesting too much. He looks great and he misses you." Larry was on Marie's mind but Maddy's thoughts centered on the handsome face of one complicated, but sexy deputy who had entered her life so casually and wanted her to stay in Nielsen. Larry Preston seemed like a million years ago.
"Well, I hope you didn't tell him where I was. I don't want to talk to him, much less argue with him."
"Well, it did, kind of, slip out the other night at the concert in the park, Maddy. Sorry."
"He doesn't know my number here and don't you give it to him. I don't have anything to talk to him about." Maddy could have wrapped the phone cord around her insensitive friend's neck. "Marie, you know what he put me through before I left, I just don't need any more people telling me what I should do with my life right now."
"Hey, Maddy, I'm sorry, really. You never said not to say anything to anyone. You all right, you sound weird."
"I'm fine, Marie. Just a little tired. I went out tonight, and I had such a good time." She looked at Alec sitting in the kitchen patiently. "I'll probably see the realtor tomorrow or something, I'll call later this week."
"You better. The sooner you get back to civilization the better, girl. Your boss called and you didn’t get the promotion. But that shouldn’t change anything. Just come home. We all miss you. Talk to you later. Bye."
"Ice cream's melting." Alec handed her the bowl. His was empty. Sitting down she took a bite and rested her head on one hand.
"I suppose you heard."
"It's kind of hard not to. Sorry about losing the promotion. Your friend's pushing for you to go back to Chicago and take up life as you know it, huh? Was that Buffy or Skippy?" He gave a wry grin.
"You heard me call her Marie, silly. I'm sure law enforcement calls for eavesdropping occasionally too, huh?" The ice cream was totally melted and she put it down."I didn't think I'd get the promotion anyway. I don't know how to play politics well enough. Or, maybe I really didn't want it."
"I didn't realize that you were getting pushed and pulled so much from all of us. I know I want you to stay, but that's selfish. You have to make up your own mind, Maddy, not for me or them. I had to learn that too. I got married right out of high school for all the wrong reasons, trying to please everyone but myself. I just didn't realize she didn't love me enough to try and work it out. It turned out to be a mess until I took control of my own life." He spoke softly, very wisely and gave her a wink. "I'll try and not push, too. But you let me know if this Larry gives you trouble."
"I can handle Larry. Do you have to go already?" He got up and put his black cowboy hat on. His smile was beguiling and he planted a warm kiss on her cheek, cupping her chin in his hand.
"Yes, I have to work early tomorrow, too. Besides, you need some time to yourself to think. I had a real nice time tonight, despite the mix-up with Becky. My friends all like you a lot. Like me." Maddy walked arm in arm with him to the door. He hugged her close.
"Sorry about the ice cream melting. Can we have strawberry next time?" She said in a small voice not wanting to look up at him for fear he'd say, no, there'd be no next time.
"Sure." He lifted her chin again, "Strawberry it is. Now be sure and lock everything up tight after I leave, Miss Independence."
She nodded and he opened the door and started out. He paused, then in one natural move he swept her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Relieved to feel him close to her again, Maddy didn't resist. She kissed him back.
"Strawberry." He murmured and walked out the door. She watched until he drove away.
"Strawberry." She whispered softly to herself.
***
In the morning, Maddy faced the fact she was going to have to go grocery shopping. She really hated to grocery shop, just more decisions to make. But, she liked to eat, so she couldn't hold off any longer.
The automatic doors parted and a young, carryout boy with a bright smile was the first thing she saw.
"Hi, Maddy," he said cheerfully as he put groceries in a sack for a customer. Dressed in a high school jacket, he took his job seriously. Tommy was taller than Maddy, fresh-faced with brown hair and an infectious grin. The very first time she'd run into the store for garbage bags, he spoke to her right away like they'd been friends for years.
"Hey there, Tommy, how are you doing?" Maddy waved and grabbed a cart. He waved back enthusiastically.
Maddy had learned from Aunt Polly that Tommy often did odd jobs for her aunt and was the town's unofficial mascot at high school. Everyone in town loved Tommy. From the high school jocks to the senior citizens, he was just one of those neat kids who had a heart of gold. He wasn't retarded, just a little slow, the checker had explained carefully out of earshot. It was obvious she and others were very protective of the friendly kid. Charmed immediately by his honesty and natural friendliness, Maddy and he became good buddies.
Maddy filled her cart with all kinds of groceries. It was obvious she was out of everything. The bill was massive but Tommy sacked everything neatly and in no time led the way out to her car.
"Say, Tommy, I hear you used to help my aunt out around her place, would you like to do the same for me? I sure could use the help. I'd pay you, of course."
"Sure, I would." He said without hesitation, "I have to ask my folks, but I'm pretty sure they'll say okay." He looked excited and pleased.
"Good. Let me know. Maybe you could start Saturday. My lawn's growing like a weed patch." She gave him a wide smile.
Aunt Polly sat rocking on Maddy's front porch as she pulled up.
"Hi. Got tired of TV dinners and mooching off of you so I did some major grocery shopping. What's new?"
"Not much. I thought we might finish upstairs. I'm determined to find that missing jewelry. Speaking of which, Leland stopped by. Said to tell you he had a prospective buyer for the house here. He'll stop back."
Aunt Polly glanced at Maddy who was quietly pulling groceries out of the vehicle, a chagrined look on her face.
"I didn't know you were going to put it on the market?"
"To tell you the truth, Aunt Polly, I haven't really made up my mind. I'm sorry I never said anything though. Jack Drake mentioned it, and I guess Leland took the bull by the horns. I'll take care of it."
"I have to tell you, I had to bite my tongue not to say anything about your aunt's jewelry and those fancy books."
Sighing, Maddy nodded patiently, carrying the last of the sacks to the kitchen. "But I did tell him not to rush you about this here house. You got time, don't you? To make up your mind, I mean." Peering at her young friend, Aunt Polly just asked her, "You think you know what you want to do?"
"Funny you should ask that, Aunt Polly." Maddy folded the empty brown sacks and closed the cupboards. "I got a call from my friend in Chicago last night. It was really good to hear from her." Aunt Polly's face fell and she eased back into the wooden rocker in the kitchen. "But, you know, the longer I talked to her, the less I wanted to leave. The longer I'm here," she looked around and smiled, "this feels more like home to me than Chicago ever did."
"Oh, I was hoping you'd feel that way. I know, I know, I won't get my hopes up totally. You need to make up your own mind, but seeing you here, how you look and act like you been born and raised in Nielsen." The old woman's eyes lit up immediately.
"Well, I do feel comfortable here most of the time. And, I didn't get the promotion, and that had a little to do with it. Just don't say anything to anyone, I still have some things to work through, but it won't be a rash decision. Leland will just have to wait until I'm ready to sell this house."
"Good for you." Aunt Polly slapped her thigh gleefully. "That's good enough for me. You use your own instincts, especially with Leland. Besides, houses aren't selling that good in small towns. And I got to tell you, I'm getting awful fond of you, too."
"That's nice to hear, Aunt Polly. Everyone has made me feel welcome. Another thing is, I need to find a job if I decide to stay. My inheritance won't last forever."
"Well, at my age I've learned not to worry and fuss, it doesn't help. Things will work out the way they're supposed to work out." Giving herself a boost out of the rocking chair she rubbed her hands together. "Let's get to work if you're done stashing all your loot from the grocery store."
Maddy led the way upstairs and Aunt Polly headed for the first of four bedrooms. Each one held a simple bed, chest of drawers, nightstand and a small table or desk with a chair. An antique washstand with a beautiful pitcher and basin stood in a corner of each room also. The hardwood floors lay under a coating of dust, and rag and braided throw rugs were scattered liberally about.
A bathroom at the end of the hall held another claw foot bathtub adorned with bronze fixtures and cherubs. The hallway itself boasted several original oil paintings of her aunt's with lighting tracts illuminating them, and the last door by the bathroom led upstairs into the attic. The light fixture didn't work there so they decided to wait for Alec to check it on his day off.
"I hate dark, creepy places like this attic, Aunt Polly." Maddy peered up in the darkness and shivered. "I checked, there's a lot of stuff up there."
They left that for Saturday and began on the rooms with added fervor. Domestic chores never were Maddy's favorite, ranking right up with grocery shopping. But, with Aunt Polly helping it went smoothly and as exhausted as she felt, it was a job well done. Everything sparkled by the end of the day.
"Aunt Polly, you're a whirlwind when it comes to cleaning. Now, I don't want you to overdo it. I wonder," Maddy said absently as they finished putting clean sheets and a blanket on the last bed, "why did my aunt keep all these rooms ready to use. Did she have a lot of company?"
"No, not really. But anytime the pastor called with a poor soul who needed bed and board, she'd open up a room. It was the same with emergencies. One family was burned out of their farm home, she put them up. Another time a tornado completely destroyed a family home, she put them all up for a couple weeks." Tucking a neat hospital corner on her side of the bed Aunt Polly smiled reflectively. "Your aunt was a natural caretaker. She was in her glory when the house was full of people and activity. Just wish we'd have found the jewelry and books."
Maddy gathered up the cleaning supplies and they stood back surveying their finished handiwork. Satisfied with their progress they closed the last door just as the doorbell rang.
"Leland." They said in unison and then laughed.
"Well, I'm getting out while the getting's good. You have to talk to him, I don't. See you later." Aunt Polly headed down the hall and out the back door before Maddy could argue.
"Good afternoon, Miss Morris. Did Mrs. Smith tell you I was coming?"
"Yes, I've been expecting you. We definitely have some things to discuss. You certainly look bright and cheerful, Mr. Lancaster, come on in the kitchen, I need to get rid of these cleaning things. We just finished the upstairs."
"Thank you, have a golf game later on today. You sure have made the place sparkle, I must say. It'll go a long way impressing the buyers who want to see the place just as soon as they can."
"To tell you the truth, Mr. Lancaster, I’m not sure I want to sell."
"Oh, call me, Leland, remember. I think we're good enough friends to be on a first name basis." Then her meaning became clear, “You don’t want to sell?”
Maddy put the cleaning supplies under the sink, a rueful smile on her face, which she kept Leland from seeing.
Wiping her hands, she took a long time before answering. "Okay, Leland. Truthfully, I'm not sure I want to sell anymore."
"Look, I know the thrill of owning your own place must be exciting, but this," he swung his hand out in front of him, "it's just too much for a young woman. You must think about this more before jumping into it," he said seriously.
Maddy looked at him impatiently, still irritated at his opinion. "No, I told you I would let you know if I did."
"I just mean, you said you'd finished cleaning upstairs, I thought maybe you might have found something."
Maddy shook her head, busy making a pot of coffee.
"No. We've gone through everything with a fine-toothed-comb. Well, except for the attic and the roll top desk in the library. There was a brown attaché wedged behind the desk, it's full of papers but they looked like bills. I'll go through them sometime and let you know."
"Yes, you do that." He rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.
"Say, Leland, I do have something else I need to ask you."
“
Did you know my Aunt had a black jewelry box? Aunt Polly said she’d seen it before and there were some valuable pieces in it. I haven’t been able to find it.”
Leland's face was blank and he shook his head slowly. "No, can't say as I do. I wasn't familiar with her jewelry and personal stuff. I know she had a red jewelry case, but a black one? It’s missing you say? That is strange."
Maddy nodded and didn't relent in her questioning. "Yes, a strand of pearls, a ruby ring, and a diamond broach, oh, and a set of hand bound, leather books embossed in gold, classics I believe. Aunt Polly thought they might even be first editions. Do you know anything about them?"