Authors: Adrianne Byrd
“All right, then,” Lilly said. “I’ll see you back here in time for dinner. Okay?”
Carson hesitated.
“Okay?” she asked again.
“Okay,” he finally said.
He hung up the phone and shook his head. Lilly had to be the most stubborn woman he knew. Stepping out of his office, he managed to suppress his troubled thoughts and donned a cheerful smile.
“All right. Who’s ready for ice cream?”
Robin held Mr. Webber’s hand and Bobbi rode on his shoulders while they walked to a place called Auntie Bertie’s Ice Cream Shop. The place was packed. Robin recognized many of the faces from the ball game, and guessed that this was a fairly popular hangout after the games.
“So what would you like, Miss Robin?”
She shrugged, feeling a bit uncomfortable with having Mr. Webber buy her anything. “I guess whatever you guys are having.”
“Great.” Carson looked up at the man behind the counter and announced their order: “Three banana splits, Harvey.”
“You got it, Carson,” Harvey said, giving him the thumbs-up, then he leaned down over the counter to peer at Robin. “Who’s the new lovely lady you got there?”
Robin looked up into the man’s kind green eyes and thought that his red complexion kind of reminded her of a clown’s.
Carson also looked down at her with a wide smile, and Robin impulsively smiled back. “This little lady is Miss Robin. Robin, this is Harvey. No need to be formal around him. He likes being called Harvey.”
“Hello,” she said, smiling.
“Hello there.”
“She and her mother are just passing through. They’re staying over at Lilly’s place for a few days.”
“Is that right? Well, welcome to Moreland.” He returned his attention to Carson. “If the mother is as pretty as she is, the men in this town are in trouble, I can tell you that much.”
“Then consider yourself forewarned,” Carson said with an encouraging nod.
Harvey’s head reeled back with the force of his hearty laugh, and Robin wasn’t quite sure that she understood what was so funny.
A few minutes later, Robin, Bobbi and Carson managed to find an empty table to enjoy their desserts.
Carson listened attentively as his daughter recounted every play leading to her team’s victory. Of course, her renditions seemed more suspenseful and colorful than what Robin remembered, but what the hey?
By the end of the story, Carson applauded and announced to the crowd in the ice-cream shop that his daughter had won the game.
Everyone in the shop stood and applauded while the other players from the Wildcats team chanted her name.
The immodest Bobbi climbed up onto her chair and made a dramatic bow to the crowd.
The cheers escalated.
Robin shook her head and laughed as she watched. She was really beginning to like Moreland.
Julia tossed and turned. She still felt hot—unbearably hot. David’s rough features materialized in her head, and a combination of sadness and fear seized her. The emotions confused her. When had she stopped loving her husband? And when had she learned to fear him?
She couldn’t remember.
What do you need to get at the mall?
David’s unmistakable voice questioned her.
“It won’t take long,” Julia mumbled against the pillow as her mind took her back….
“Mommy, Mommy, wake up.” Robin’s voice penetrated Julia’s dream, and she opened her eyes to see the glowing red numbers on the digital clock. She blinked in surprise and struggled to pull herself up in bed. “It can’t be five o’clock.” She clutched at her throat, not believing that the deep, raspy voice she heard was her own.
“Mommy, are you all right?”
Julia turned toward her daughter’s worried expression and managed to nod, but was uncertain whether it was the truth.
“I’m going to go get you some more water,” she announced, grabbing the glass pitcher on the nightstand. “Ms. Lilly said to make sure that you get plenty of water.”
Julia watched her leave. After a few minutes had passed, she managed to push herself out of bed, but her balance was weak at best.
The bedroom door opened, and Julia glanced up in time to see her daughter enter, carrying a tray of food and the pitcher of water. “Mommy, what are you doing?” She closed the door carefully. “Ms. Lilly said you shouldn’t get out of bed.”
“Robin, sweetheart.” A wave of relief swept through her. “Come and help Mommy to the bathroom.”
“You’ve been asleep all day.” Robin crossed over to the bed to set the tray down before rushing over to her mother. “You’re not sick anymore?”
Julia nearly crumbled at the look of genuine concern on her daughter’s face. “Let’s just say that I’m feeling a lot better.”
“Were you sick because you were out in the rain for so long, like Ms. Lilly said?”
“That’s a good possibility.” With Robin’s help, she made it to the bathroom, where she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and actually gasped in horror.
“Baby, can you please bring me something to change into from out of the suitcase? Mommy is going to take a shower and try to take her place among the living.”
Her daughter replied with a well-mannered “Yes, ma’am.”
It took a bit of work, but after she’d showered and dressed, she was relieved by the transformation. She was actually ready to join the human race.
“Why did you cut your hair yesterday, Mommy?” Robin asked, watching her from the doorway.
Julia flinched, then quickly composed herself while flashing her daughter another smile. “I guess I was just ready for a change.” She ran her fingers through her short hair. “You don’t like it?”
Robin cocked her head while evaluating her. “It’s nice. I have to get used to it, though.”
“That makes two of us.” Julia sighed. “I guess we need to locate Mr. Webber and see about our car.” She started to move away from the mirror when her legs threatened to give out again.
“It’s not fixed yet,” Robin informed her, missing her mother’s moment of weakness. “He said that something’s wrong with the transition.”
“You mean transmission?”
Robin nodded.
Julia’s heart sank beneath a wave of disbelief. “Please say we’re not stuck out here in Mayberry.”
Her daughter frowned. “Should we call David and tell him where we are? Maybe he can bring us the other car.”
Julia wished she could tell her that that wasn’t possible.
There were so many things she needed to tell her daughter. With a will she thought she no longer possessed, she defeated a rush of tears and avoided her daughter’s gaze.
“That’s not possible, sweetie, but I’ll see what I can do to get us out of here.”
Robin shrugged. “It’s not so bad here. I met a lot of kids today.”
“Oh?” Julia welcomed the change in topic as she moved out of the bathroom and back over to the bed. She eyed the tray of food with curiosity.
“Yeah. I went to a baseball game and watched Bobbi pitch. She’s pretty good, but she can be a little bossy though.”
“Bobbi’s a girl?”
“Well, it’s actually Barbara, but she doesn’t like it too much. I think she wishes that she was a boy.”
“Uh-huh.” Julia pinched off a piece of corn bread, surprised to see it was mixed with crackling. The rest of the plate consisted of collard greens, yams, macaroni and cheese and ribs. The food brought a smile to her face, and memories of her grandmother’s home cooking to her mind.
“But Mr. Webber was really nice. After the game he took us both for banana splits.”
“That was awfully nice of him.”
Robin smiled. “Yeah, he’s real nice.”
“How is she feeling now?” Carson asked Lilly as he carried in an armful of groceries.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been up to check on her since the last time you asked me, which I believe was five minutes ago.”
“Oh.”
Lilly laughed as she started shelving items. “But if it makes you feel any better, Robin came down a moment ago and said
that her mother was awake. I sent some food up with her. I’ll go and check in on her in a few.”
He nodded. “You still don’t think that we should send for Dr. Lockhart?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a better doctor than Lockhart. Besides, doesn’t he have cataracts in both eyes now?”
“I thought he was getting those removed.”
She shook her head. “This town definitely needs a new doctor. And Lockhart needs to retire.”
“But—”
“Since when have you had problems with my doctoring skills?”
“Since you started declaring that you have them, Dr. Roberts.”
“All right.” She waved a finger at him. “You remember that the next time you catch a cold and you’re over here whining to be spoon-fed chicken soup.”
“Point taken.” He reached into one of the bags and started to hand her canned goods. “So what do you think about them?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean in general. What do you think?”
“Uh, I don’t know. They seem nice, however elusive, but then again we’re strangers to them.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” he said absently.
Lilly’s hands fell to her hips. “What’s with you and all these questions?”
Carson shrugged, but averted his gaze. “Nothing. I just was curious about what you thought of them, that’s all.”
“Uh-huh. If you’re interested, I suggest that you don’t let that Sheri Bigbottom know about it.”
“For the millionth time, Lilly, it’s Higginbotham.”
“I call it like I see it.”
He laughed.
“You can laugh if you want to. But you’d better watch your
step. That woman is bound and determined to get your butt in front of a preacher. And if I were a betting woman I’d say she’ll do it, too.”
“Me and Sheri? I don’t think so.”
“Why? What’s wrong with her? She’s pretty and…” She drew a blank. “Well, she’s pretty.”
“If I were looking for a wife, which I’m not, I’d want her for more than her looks.”
It was Lilly’s turn to shrug.
“Besides,” he added, “Karen is kind of a tough act to follow.”
Their eyes met and they shared an awkward smile.
“You know, Bobbi’s growing to be more like her mother every day,” he said.
“Her curveball?”
He laughed. “I never could hit that darn thing.”
“That’s because you were a lousy baseball player.”
“I don’t remember you qualifying for Player of the Year.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. You have a lousy memory, too,” Lilly joked, then ducked from his lunging hands.
“I’ll get you back for that one,” he warned playfully, then quickly turned serious. “You know, I don’t think that Bobbi and I would have been able to get through the past couple of years without you. You’ve been wonderful.”
She only nodded as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “You know, she would want you to remarry.”
Carson’s heart squeezed as an instant image of his late wife surfaced, startling him with its clarity. “That may be so, but you only love like that once. I’d be a fool to think that it could happen again.”
J
ulia and Robin finished the tray of food that Lilly had prepared for them. Neither talked about or speculated on how long they’d have to stay in Moreland, but the question was never too far from Julia’s mind.
While she ran her daughter’s bathwater, Robin replayed the day she had had at the ball game. The more Robin talked about Bobbi, the more intrigued Julia became by the little girl.
She’d also noticed that Robin hadn’t asked her about David. No doubt she wouldn’t win any Mother of the Year awards on how she handled this sticky situation. A small part of her was convinced that this was neither the time nor the place to have this heart-to-heart talk, mainly because she wasn’t prepared for it.
After she’d finished with the water, she laid out towels and a pair of pajamas for her daughter.
“Are you okay, Mama?” Robin asked, peering up at her.
Julia blinked and shook off her troubled thoughts. She realized then that she’d stopped listening to her daughter.
“I’m just fine. Don’t worry about me. Why don’t you go ahead and take your bath while I return our tray to Ms. Lilly and see if I can talk to Mr. Webber about our car.”
“All right.” Robin yawned. “You know, we forgot to pack some of my books for bedtime stories.”
Julia smiled. “I’ll see what I can do about getting some new ones, okay?” She leaned over and kissed her daughter’s forehead.
“Okay.”
Julia retrieved the food tray. She took her time descending the stairs. Her strength hadn’t returned one hundred percent, but she refused to remain helpless. She had just rounded the base of the staircase when she heard several voices booming from the dining room. She concluded that the other guests were still having dinner.
The last thing she wanted to do was disturb them.
The front door opened and Julia jerked in its direction. The tray slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor.
Carson entered with a curious frown. “Ms. Julia?”
Her heart rammed against her rib cage. Who had she expected to see? She looked down at the shards of broken dishes. “Oh, my goodness. I’m so sorry about this,” she said in a trembling voice, then knelt down to clean up the mess.
Carson cocked his head. “Are you all right?” He joined her on the floor.
“Yeah. I’m fine,” she answered, but she knew that she was doing a lousy job of convincing him. Her life was in a shambles and she was anything but all right. “You just startled me, that’s all.”
She felt his gaze on her, but he said nothing.
Julia, however, made a point of avoiding his eyes. Something about the man threw her world off its axis, which was a sure sign to keep her guard up. Of course, there was a high probability that after two failed marriages, she was wary of men—period.
When Carson faced her again, Julia managed to compose herself and get down to the business at hand. “About my car, Mr. Webber—”
“Ah, yes. The car. Well, it’s going to take a little longer to fix it than I’d originally planned.”
While he gave her the bad news, he sounded apologetic, but Julia swore there was a twinkle in the man’s eyes. She clenched her jaw in irritation.
“Exactly what’s wrong with the car?” she said, halfway hoping that Robin had been wrong.
“Transmission.”
Julia refrained from cursing and instead nodded. “How much is it going to cost to fix it?”
Carson folded his arms and rubbed his chin while he thought about it. “I’m not sure, to tell you the truth.”
“I see.” She shook her head as she suddenly remembered her disdain for mechanics. They never gave a direct answer or charged a fair price. “How about a ballpark range?”
He smiled and the gesture further irritated her. Now that she thought about it, the man did nothing but smile all the time. Did anything ever ruffle his feathers?
“Ms. Julia, I have to make some calls. You’re driving a sixty-two Chevy Impala. Though it’s a beautiful car, it’s old, and trying to find parts for a car like that here in Moreland is going to be close to impossible.”
This time Julia smiled. It was either do that or scream bloody murder.
“But don’t worry about anything. I’ve already talked to my sister, and she says you and your daughter are welcome to stay here while I work on your car.”
“We can’t do that. I already feel like we’re taking advantage of her hospitality.”
“I didn’t say you could stay for free,” he injected.
“Oh.” Julia’s eyes widened while her heart fell somewhere close to her knees. “W-well, I don’t have much money with me,” she began, wondering why she couldn’t have left well enough alone.
“That won’t be necessary either,” he said, waving off her stuttering speech. “I suspected that you’d consider our help as charity and I sensed that you had a healthy dose of pride in you, so I suggested that you assist Lilly by working here at the Georgia Inn. As far as your car, maybe we can work something else out between us.”
Heat scorched a trail up Julia’s neck. Surely she hadn’t heard him right. “Come again?”
He laughed as he rolled his eyes heavenward. “That didn’t come out right, did it?”
Julia crossed her arms. “I hope not.”
Intrigued by the sparks igniting in the woman’s catlike eyes, Carson tried again to pacify her. “What I meant was that maybe we could work out some type of payment arrangement. You seem to be trustworthy. Can I trust you to mail payments once you get to where you’re going?”
She definitely wasn’t hearing him right. “Let me get this straight. You are offering to fix my car for trust payments?”
“Are you saying I can’t trust you?”
She was now convinced that Moreland was indeed Mayberry and she was conducting a conversation with Goober. She stood and shifted the tray to hold out a hand. “I say you’ve got yourself a deal.”
Carson gripped Julia’s hand in a firm handshake. An undeniable warmth rushed up her arm and stimulated a strange fluttering in her chest that unnerved her. She jerked her hand from his grasp and ignored his stunned expression. “I’m overwhelmed by you and your sister’s generosity,” she said, covering her fluster.
“Think nothing of it.” He waved off her comment and an uncomfortable silence stretched between them. “Here, let me take that for you.”
She twisted the tray out of reach. “That won’t be necessary. If I’m to work for my room and board, I may as well get started now.” She turned without further comment, thankful that she could finally shake off whatever havoc his presence had on her senses.
The moment she marched into the dining room, all chatter and laughter ceased and a crowd of curious eyes shifted in her direction. She smiled awkwardly.
At that moment, Lilly also entered the room from the kitchen. Her face colored with surprise. “You’re up.”
“Yes. I wanted to thank you for taking such excellent care of me,” Julia said. Her nervous gaze once again skittered to the crowded table.
Lilly placed a pitcher of ice water on a mat on the table, then wiped her hands as she moved toward Julia. “Thank goodness you’re feeling better. That’s all I can say. You gave everyone here a good scare, especially Carson.”
She took the tray from Julia and said nothing about the broken dishes. “Let me introduce you to some of our guests. I’m sure everyone here is anxious to meet you.” She found a place on the buffet for the empty tray, then led Julia over to an older man sitting at the head of the table.
Once glance at the man’s handsome features and Julia knew the man’s identity.
“This is my father, Charles Webber,” Lilly began. “And my mother, Grace.” She gestured to the beautiful woman next to him.
Julia nodded and shook their hands. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“My, you are pretty,” Grace proclaimed with a widening smile. “I’m pleased to say that your daughter is a stunning replica of you.”
Julia blushed at seeing the other guests bob their heads in agreement. “You’re too kind.”
“Where is Robin, by the way?” Lilly asked just before she moved on to the next guest.
“She’s taking a bath. Seems she had quite a day with your niece.”
“Bobbi could wear out Superman if given the chance,” Lilly confided, then directed her attention to a well-groomed man with small wire-framed glasses. “And this devilishly handsome man is Moreland’s pride and joy, and coincidentally is known as my better half, Mayor Richard Roberts.”
“Please call me Rick,” he said, offering his hand. “And after an introduction like that I almost feel like I should stand on the table and dance a jig.”
The guests laughed.
Julia heard the door to the dining room swing open. She didn’t have to turn around to see who had entered. She instinctively knew who it was by the room’s sudden electrical charge.
“Ah, Carson,” Lilly exclaimed. “I’m glad to see that you made it back in time to join us.”
“I’ve been here a few minutes. I just went to wash up for dinner. Good evening, everybody.”
Everyone at the table murmured their greetings while Julia made a point to keep her back turned to him. She could still feel the unnerving flutter in the pit of her stomach while her senses seemed infinitely sharper. What was it about this man that put her on edge? Surely she should feel nothing but gratitude for all he had done for her.
Lilly waited until her brother took his seat at the table before she continued with her introductions.
Julia took an instant liking to Joe and Rosie Sinclair. They were like eternal honeymooners, pawing over each other and finishing each other’s sentences. Albert and Dotty Cornell
were nice, too, but Julia sensed a strained tension between Dotty and Lilly. Then again, hadn’t Lilly said that she’d once dated Albert?
Albert, a medium-sized man with average looks, didn’t quite seem like the type to cause a war between women, but he did possess a wicked sense of humor.
Julia relaxed with the friendly group and had almost managed to push Carson’s presence out of her mind—almost.
“Sorry I’m late.” A female’s breezy voice floated into the room. “I hope I didn’t keep everyone waiting.”
“Sheri, I was just beginning to think that you couldn’t make it tonight,” Lilly said, sounding none too pleased to see the woman.
Julia turned and watched an attractive, curvy woman saunter into the room. She headed straight to Carson and placed a peck on his cheek before sliding into the empty chair beside him.
Julia was surprised and puzzled by her instant dislike for the woman.
Sheri met Julia’s gaze with a wide plastic smile and frosty eyes. “Well, who do we have here? Lilly, aren’t you going to properly introduce me to our new visitor?”
Julia didn’t know what to make of the woman or her dramatic flair for commanding attention.
“Sheri, Julia. Julia, Sheri,” Lilly huffed, then went on about her business in the kitchen.
Carson stood and took over the introduction. “Julia will be staying with us for a few days. That is, until I can get her car up and running.”
Sheri’s gaze never left Julia, as if sizing her up as…what? Competition? The thought nearly won a laugh from Julia.
Sheri was the first to attempt conversation. “I believe I already met your daughter this morning. Quite a charmer.”
“Thank you, I think.” Julia looked around the room and found that everyone had tuned in to their conversation. Actually, they seemed entertained by the awkward exchange.
“Well, I need to get back upstairs. Robin should be finished with her bath by now,” Julia said finally. “It was nice to meet you all.” She nodded in everyone’s general direction.
“Are you sure?” Carson asked, laying a warm hand against her arm.
Sheri’s eyes narrowed at the gesture.
“I’m sure dessert will be out in a moment, and we all would love the pleasure of your company,” he insisted.
“I’m positive,” Julia responded firmly. “Good night, everyone.”
“Good night,” they chorused out of sync.
Sheri remained silent as she followed Julia’s exit with suspicious eyes.
Once Julia left, everyone at the table returned to their idle chatter.
Carson, however, remained rooted where he stood, staring at a closed door.
“Now that’s a real nice lady,” Pierce Taylor’s unmistakable voice rose above the table.
There was a murmur of agreement when Carson turned to respond, but he stopped at Sheri’s angry look.
“What do you think about our new guest?” she asked in an icy tone.
Suddenly the room fell silent again.
“I like her,” he answered honestly. “Don’t you?”
At that moment Lilly breezed back into the room. “Dessert, anyone?” she asked, carrying a variety of cakes on a long tray.
“Saved by the cheesecake,” Charles announced.
The group laughed, relieving much of the tension.
Lilly turned. “What’ll ya have, Carson—turtle cheesecake
or double chocolate?” She looked up and caught the strange looks on his and Sheri’s faces. “What did I miss?”
Carson was the first to defuse Sheri’s potential eruption. “Nothing.” He clapped his hands. “I think I’ll have the double chocolate tonight.” He returned to the table.
Lilly’s curious gaze shifted to Sheri, who, in turn, clamped her mouth shut.
“Oookay.” Lilly shrugged, then went on to serve her guests.
Julia returned to her room just as Robin stepped out of the bathroom with a frown.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” Julia asked with instant concern.
“You packed the wrong pair of pajamas.” Robin pulled at the neck of her top. “These are too small.” She tugged again.
Julia pressed her lips together to prevent herself from laughing at the sight of her daughter squeezed into clothes that were two sizes too small. “I guess you’re right.”
“It’s not funny, Mama.”
“You’re right,” Julia conceded, then moved over to her. “How about you just sleep in your underwear again tonight? And I’ll see what I can do about replacing them tomorrow?”
“Deal,” she agreed, then tried to pull her shirt over her head, but it got stuck and her mother had to help her.
When she was finally free of the strangling pajamas, Robin climbed into bed.
Julia once again felt her strength dip, and she quickly moved over to the bed as well.