Previously Loved Treasures (Serendipity #2)(45)

I was wrong; not wrong about him being jealous of Sara, but wrong to think we’d ever be happy again.

I keep wondering if I hadn’t ever touched on his sore spot, would Joe still be crazy in love with me? Some days I think yes, and other days I know it’s just wishful thinking.

The saddest thing about an ugly mess like this is that you don’t stop loving someone like Joe; you just keep hoping things will get better.





A Rose by Any Other Name





Early the next morning before any of the other residents got out of bed, Caroline rapped on the door of the room where Rowena and Sara were sleeping. It was a soft tap, not a knuckled knock, but Rowena opened the door cautiously.

“Thank heaven it’s you,” she said when she saw Caroline.

Caroline slipped inside the door. “Stay here in the room. I’ll bring a breakfast tray up.”

The plan was set in place, and as far as any of the residents knew it was just an ordinary Wednesday. Yes, the biscuits were a bit burnt and the bacon undercooked, but that was something they’d come to expect so no one asked questions.

Caroline sat at the table nervously nibbling on a burnt biscuit. “So, what is everyone going to do today?”

“I’m thinking I might clear the weeds out of that flower patch in front of the house,” Wilbur said.

“On a day like today? Why, it’s way too hot for that.”

“It’s not that hot—”

Before Wilbur could finish his thought Laricka jumped in. “Oh, it’s definitely going to be hot! Too hot for weed-pulling.”

Pleased with Laricka’s answer, Caroline turned back to Wilbur. “See, Laricka thinks it’s too hot too.”

Laricka nodded. “You wouldn’t catch me pulling weeds on a day like today. I’m just gonna sit in that nice big rocker on the front porch and read my book.”

“The front porch?” Caroline repeated. Things were not working out as she wanted. Normally all the residents went their own way after breakfast. Some napped, others watched game shows on television, and Doctor Payne usually grabbed the lounge under the elm in the back yard and spent the day reading magazines about dentistry. It was a rarity when anyone sat, stood, or worked in the front of the house. Trying to come up with a plan that would appeal to the majority, Caroline suggested, “A hot day like today is when you ought to be sitting in a nice cool air-conditioned theater.” When no one voiced a difference of opinion, she added, “The new Indiana Jones movie is playing at the Rialto.” Although Caroline had only the Food Lion clerk’s opinion to go by, she swore it was a movie they didn’t want to miss.

“Sounds good to me,” Louie said.

Harriet agreed. And although Wilbur stuck to the thought of weeding, he eventually gave in and said he’d go with the others.

“What about you?” Caroline asked Laricka.

“I can’t go,” she answered. “My grandsons are coming to visit.”

Caroline thought of the grandsons, two boys who ran helter-skelter throughout the house. They popped up from behind sofas, crawled under beds, and once emerged from behind the coal bin in the cellar. They had big ears and loud voices. No secret would stay safe with them around.

“All the kids are going to see Indiana Jones,” she said. “The boys would be crushed if they missed it.”

The thought of depriving her grandchildren of anything struck home. “Well, yes, I suppose they would enjoy it,” Laricka said. She excused herself from the table and went to call the boys.

Doctor Payne decided to pass; he’d just received a new magazine that needed reading.

With everyone out of the house this afternoon and Max still sleeping it off behind locked doors, Caroline could set the stage for her plan.

~

Once the table was cleared, she did the dishes in record time then jumped in her car and headed for the drugstore. In less than ten minutes Caroline was back with a box of Roux hair color. She handed Rowena the package of chestnut satin dye and a pair of scissors.

“I’ll be back in an hour,” she said.

It took twenty minutes to get there, but when Caroline pulled alongside the curb in front of Previously Loved Treasures Peter Pennington stood outside.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile. “I was expecting you a bit earlier.”

Without questioning she said, “Sorry, I had to stop by the drugstore first.” Following him inside, Caroline mentioned she was looking for some children’s clothing. “Girl’s,” she specified. “Size four or maybe five.”

“Size five is what you want,” Peter replied confidently. “And I’ve got everything you need.” He carried the yellow stepstool to the back of the store, climbed up, and pulled down a box that was nearly the size of steamer trunk. “You’ll also want some toys.”

Peter hauled the box to the counter and lifted the lid. Inside was everything Sara would need: play clothes, dresses, underwear, shoes, even a miniature-sized pocketbook, a baby-faced doll, and several other toys.

Caroline gasped. “Oh, my gosh! This is exactly what I was looking for.”

“Of course it is.” Peter grinned.

When Caroline asked how much, he gave an even bigger grin and said, “Nothing.”

“Nothing? How can you make money selling things for nothing?”