“Same here. I feel a little silly admitting it, but it’s about five hours past my bedtime,” Roger said. “I usually get up around six to do my devotions. You’re more than welcome to join me if you’d like. I’d love the company.”
“That would be really nice, Roger. Appreciate the invite.”
“Always, son.”
“WAKE UP, HANDLEY!”
Luke felt his shoulders jostle roughly against the couch cushions.
“Handley, wake up!”
Slowly rising from slumber was not a luxury afforded to Merrylark visitors. For the third day in a row, Luke awoke with a startle.
“Roger?” Luke shaded his eyes against the glare of sunlight streaming across the lake and through the living room window. “Roger, what is it?”
“My Millie!” His voice shook with emotion. “There’s been an accident. We have to go!”
IT ONLY TOOK five minutes for Luke to shovel last night’s snow from the driveway and double that for the two men to make it to the hospital just outside of town. Luke had called Jolene on their way to see if she needed a ride, but she was already in the waiting room.
She handed Luke a Styrofoam cup as soon as they walked through the automatic doors. “They just took her back.”
“Millie!” Roger stood up on toe, panic flashing in his eyes. “Millie!”
“Roger.” Jolene placed her hands on Roger’s shoulders. “They’re checking her out now. We just need to wait.”
Pulling out from her grip, Roger sidestepped around Jolene. “I have to get to her. I have to see her.”
“They’re only letting family in. We have to wait here.”
“But she doesn’t have any family,” Roger said, weakly. A tear slid down his cheek and over his trembling chin. “We’re her family.”
Jolene rubbed her old friend’s back. “I know.” With one guiding hand, she led him to the row of plastic chairs along the waiting room wall. After settling him down, she came over to Luke, out of Roger’s earshot.
“What happened?” Luke whispered. He took a sip of the hot coffee in his hands.
“One of the cats got out this morning when Millie opened the door to get the paper. Apparently when she tried to run after it, she slipped on a patch of ice on the stoop. Hit her head pretty good and banged up her wrist. They’re going to run some tests and take a couple x-rays.”
“Poor Millie.” Luke felt just awful for her. “Did she find her cat?”
Jolene frowned. “That’s the worst part. Poor thing got hit by a car just outside her house. Millie doesn’t know that, though. The paramedics said they saw a cat on the side of the road when they were bringing her in. I don’t have the heart to tell her. I’m still holding out hope it wasn’t hers.”
Luke knew just how much Mildred loved her cats. “That’s terrible.” He glanced over his shoulder to Roger who sat in his chair, shoulders sagging and eyes wet with tears. “Do they have any idea how long it’ll be before we hear anything?”
“My guess is an hour or so. They rushed her right in. All we can do now is wait.”
For the next hour, the three passed the time with several rounds of gin rummy. Roger won all four hands, but it didn’t cheer him up any. The fatigue of worry finally caught up to him after the last hand and he closed his eyes, resting his head on Jolene’s shoulder. Luke sat on the other side and out of his periphery he could see her murmur something quietly in her friend’s ear, but he couldn’t hear it.
The corner of Roger’s mouth lifted into the faintest smile.
Getting up from her seat, Jolene took off her jacket, folded it, and placed it on the chair next to Roger, creating a makeshift bed for her friend to get some rest. She helped get him situated and then returned to her chair next to Luke.
Luke took Jolene’s hand into his.
She turned her head, smiling. “Thank you for bringing him.”
“Of course. I’m glad you called.” Luke rubbed his thumb against the back of Jolene’s hand. Her skin was so smooth, so soft. “How’d you know I was staying at Roger’s?”
“Kiara told me last night during our slumber party.”
Luke’s thumb stopped moving. “Come again?”
“Kiara stayed over last night. The power’s completely out at the lake house. Remind me to have you check that out later.” Jolene leaned into him as she interjected that request. “She told me you were at Roger’s.”
This information wasn’t something Luke could readily process. He tried to conceal his shocked expression.
“We watched a few holiday movies and chatted about life for a bit. She’s actually quite lovely, Luke. And Ace is really fond of her. In fact, Kiara asked if she could take him for a run this morning.” She looked at her watch. “Bet they’re out on that run right about now.”
Luke was astonished. He had no clue how to respond but felt an apology of some sort was appropriate. “I’m so sorry for that, Jolene. You should’ve called me. I would’ve dealt with her.”
“It was really no big deal, Luke. I actually enjoyed her company. She was a bit cold at first, but quickly warmed up.” Laughing to herself, Jolene clarified, “Her personality, that is. Though I suppose she was freezing without the heater and all.”
“I honestly don’t know what to say, Jolene.” Luke shook his head. “I’m completely in awe of you.”
“Because I let someone stay in a spare room that just so happened to be vacant? Definitely not Mother Theresa status. I just did what anyone would do in that situation. My neighbor needed help, so I offered it.”
“I don’t think you realize how incredible you are.”
“I’m hardly incredible—”
“You are absolutely incredible.”
Something changed in Jolene’s gaze, making Luke’s heart stutter. Blinking, Jolene looked up at him, lips parted. With her hand still in his, Luke slowly leaned in, bringing their foreheads together, just so they barely touched. He breathed out. Jolene’s eyes drifted closed. So did Luke’s.
“Roger Wilkins?”
Jolene bolted upright, jumping from her chair. She dropped Luke’s hand like it was on fire. “Here!” she blurted. “I mean, he’s right here.” She hurried over to Roger to jostle him awake. “Roger, they’re calling for you.”
“Millie? Is my Millie okay?” A sleepy and disoriented Roger sat up.
The nurse rushed to his side and took hold of his arm. “She’s asking for you, sir. Right this way.”
Arms linked with the nurse, Roger shuffled out the door.
Luke looked over at Jolene, but the moment their eyes met, she turned around. He’d wanted to kiss her so many times, but this was the first time he’d ever acted on that impulse.
Standing, he came to her side. “Jolene—”
“That’s a good sign that she’s asking for Roger, right? That they’re letting her have visitors already? That has to be good.”
“I would think so,” Luke agreed.
“I just feel so terrible for Roger. What a crazy morning. All of that worry can’t be good for his heart.”
With her statement, Luke realized just how little he knew about his new friends. “Does he have a bad heart?”
“Had a heart attack three years ago while unloading his Christmas tree from the back of his truck. Millie’s the one who found him. She was out walking one of her cats—”
“Wait one second—she walks her cats?”
“Yep, on a leash and everything. It’s actually pretty impressive,” Jolene explained. “Anyway, she found him and gave CPR to revive him. Mouth to mouth and all. Can you believe it? When Roger woke up, he said that he’d been waiting to kiss Millie for two years and if having a heart attack was what it took to get it, he’d have one all over again.”
“That sounds like Roger.” Luke chuckled. “He really does like her, doesn’t he?”
“I think it’s a bit more than like at this point.”
They both knew the word she was referring to, but neither of them could sa
y it, even if it was about someone else entirely.
Luke felt the need to clear the air. “Listen, Jolene. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay, Luke. I read things wrong, and for that, I’m sorry.”
“You’re not reading anything wrong, Jolene. I’ve wanted to k—”
“I like Kiara,” Jolene interrupted. “I think you guys would be really great together if you could work out your differences. It’s worth a shot. She seems like a genuinely nice person who really cares about you.”
“It’s more than just differences, Jolene. And it’s not something I even want to work out.”
Like she didn’t hear a word he’d said, Jolene said wistfully, “Who am I to get in the way of true love?”
He wanted to tell her that she was getting in the way of her own true love, but a page over the hospital intercom asking Jolene to report to the front desk interrupted him.
“I’ll go find out what’s going on,” she said. “Be right back.”
It was like Jolene couldn’t hurry away fast enough. Luke wondered what it would take to convince her that he and Kiara were a thing of the past. It was as though she couldn’t accept the very clear fact that Jolene was the only woman he was interested in.
Had he been too forward in trying to kiss her? It felt like the moment had been leading up to it, the way her eyelashes fluttered up at him expectantly. How she scooted in. It was only an inch or two, but it felt like they were being drawn to one another, some magnetic pull. He knew she felt it too. It would’ve been impossible not to.
Just a few moments later, Jolene walked back into the waiting room, her usual smile on her face.
“They’re going to keep her overnight,” she said. “Said they couldn’t find anything too concerning but they’d like to monitor her for just a while longer. Roger’s going to stay. I told him I’d bring by a change of clothes later this evening, but for now, we’re good to go.”
“That’s all great to hear. I bet Roger is breathing a huge sigh of relief,” Luke said, tossing his empty coffee cup into a nearby wastebasket. “If you’re ready to go, I can give you a ride.”
“I’d love that,” she said. Her shoulders relaxed and she took a deep breath. “What a morning, right?”
“You could say that again,” Luke agreed.
“This town sure keeps me on my toes. Too bad poor Millie couldn’t manage to stay on hers.”
Luke laughed. Jolene was so smart, beautiful, witty. Kind and caring. Generous. All of the things he’d been looking for in a woman and many of the things he didn’t even know to look for.
He’d thought this whole time that Merrylark itself was magical, but he was beginning to think Jolene was the real reason for it all. She was the magic.
19
Jolene
“DID YOU FIND the tail?”
Holding the brown cardboard box out at arm’s length, Luke shook his head. His nose scrunched in disgust. “Nope. But I have to confess—I didn’t spend much time looking. In fact, I’m not even one hundred percent sure it’s a cat. There’s a very good chance this is a possum or raccoon in here, but I’m not brave enough to open it back up to double check.”
Laughing, Jolene finished writing the day’s date on a small piece of wood. She stapled a stake to the back of it. It was a makeshift headstone, but it would have to do. She hoped Millie wouldn’t be too particular.
“I’m pretty sure it was Ozzy that got out,” Jolene said, second guessing herself now that she looked at his name written on the sign. “I honestly can’t keep track of all her cats.”
“Here’s to hoping Millie can’t, either.” Luke gestured toward the box containing the unidentifiable animal in his hands. “Shall we go have a proper burial?”
“This is anything but proper, but it feels like the right thing to do. I’d hate for her to have to deal with this when she gets home. I’m sure Roger would take care of it for her, but I’d rather he only take care of Millie. He’ll have enough on his plate.”
Luke nodded. It felt like the least they could do. He followed Jolene out Millie’s front door, careful not to let any other cats sneak out as he shut the door behind them. Millie’s house didn’t back up to the water like many of the other Merrylark homes. Instead, she had a small fenced in yard with a flower garden that had gone dormant for the winter, but still had yard ornaments stuck in the ground, spaced out evenly within the planters. There was a metal daisy that had white petals that spun around with a gust of wind, like a pinwheel. Luke smiled and Jolene noticed his reflective expression. She was glad for Luke to see this side of Millie and hoped that something about the scene endeared Millie to him more. Jolene hoped that getting a deeper glimpse into Millie’s life and the things she cared about would make Luke realize she was more than just a cranky old woman—that she had layers and under the ornery ones was a woman with a truly decent heart.
Next to the planter was a carved stone statue of a cat curled up like it was sleeping by a fire, its tail wrapped all the way around his body. Jolene figured this was Millie’s cat cemetery. Honestly, it creeped her out a bit but she had to remind herself that Luke likely buried his horses on his property back home, and nothing about that seemed weird to her. Everyone had their own way of handling things.
Luke handed off the cat casket to Jolene and reached for a shovel propped against the side of the house. He began to dig through the fresh layer of snow just a few feet from the statue. Jolene hoped he wouldn’t accidentally uncover any other cat remains.
“I feel like we should say a few remarks,” Jolene said, eyeing the box warily. “Like a eulogy or tribute. Don’t you think?”
“I s’pose so. I’ve never buried a cat before, let alone one I’d never met.”
“I know. Me neither.” She closed her eyes and angled her face heavenward. “Ollie—I mean Ozzy,” she quickly corrected, “was a good cat. A fluffy one. He liked to sleep and eat and scratch up the furniture, but Millie didn’t mind. She loved him all the more for it. I don’t know why he tried to escape this cold December morning, but my guess is that he was on his way to rally all of the town’s strays in hopes of bringing them back to live a life full of Millie’s love, just as he had. It was a selfless act that led to poor Ozzy’s fateful end. He was a martyr—a true cat martyr.”
Luke snickered but Jolene continued her prayer.
“May Ozzy have an eternity filled with unlimited sandboxes to do his business in and endless amounts of catnip to keep him feeling frisky,” she said in closing.
Jolene opened her eyes and crouched down. Luke had carved out a big enough hole for the box to fit in, and she easily placed the box into the ground. Grabbing a handful of unearthed dirt from the pile next to her, she sprinkled it over the cardboard lid and crossed herself.
“Rest in peace, Ozzy.”
“Rest in peace,” Luke echoed.
He covered the hole back up and then took a shovel full of snow to spread on top. Jolene then drove the stake headstone into the ground and stepped back, arms folded over her chest.
“I feel better.” She looked at Luke. “Do you feel better?”
“I think so.”
“I sure hope that was Ozzy,” Jolene said, contemplatively. “I’ll feel awful if it’s a different one of her cats in that box.”
“Whoever or whatever it was, it got the best burial any piece of road kill has ever gotten, that I’m sure of.”
“Very true.” Jolene shivered and tugged her wool jacket tighter across her body. “Gosh, it’s getting cold. Want to go into town with me to warm up with some of Martha’s sweets? I have a huge craving for some shortbread.”
Putting his arm around her shoulders, Luke said, “It feels like the only appropriate thing to do after a cat burial.”
“You’re not making fun of me, are you?” She elbowed his ribs.
“Absolutely not. I would love nothing more than to drown my sorrows in sugar.”
“That’s the only way to do it!”
&nb
sp; MARTHA DROPPED A paper bag onto the center of the table.
“These are all of our day-olds. On the house,” she said with a wink. She swiped her hands against her apron and blew a breath that lifted her gray hair from her forehead. “Enjoy! I’ve got to get back to baking!”
Opening up the bag, Jolene peered in. “All of this is left over from yesterday?”
“Oh sweetie, that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. You would be amazed how much goes in the dumpster each night. Easily ten times that.”
“And you can’t just resell them the next day? I’d pay good money for these.” Jolene took a snickerdoodle out of the bag and bit off a piece. It was mouthwatering—maybe not quite as soft as usual—but the flavor was unmatched and it tasted every bit as delicious as Martha’s other baked creations.
“Absolutely not!” Martha looked horrified. “When people come into The Rolling Pin, they expect something fresh, gooey, and right out of the oven. I would never feel right selling anything less than just that! Plus, we don’t have any extra room in our pastry cases. Doesn’t make any sense to hang onto them.”
Luke took the bag and rummaged through it. “Too bad there isn’t a place, I don’t know—maybe down the street—that is big enough for all of this and more so it didn’t have to go to waste.”
Martha got the hint. “I’ve told Devon I’ve no interest in that retail space of his. There’s no place in it for a proper kitchen to accommodate the huge ovens we have here. Sure, sometimes I do wish I had more room for the customers to stay and enjoy their purchases, but I’ve already got a baker’s dream kitchen. I’d never give that up.” She nodded toward the back of the store. “I do hate to waste so much, but nothing else makes any sense. Anyway, you two enjoy and I’ll be back in a bit to check on you.”
Left to their bag of sweets, Jolene and Luke continued the conversation about Devon’s retail store. Jolene understood Martha’s reasoning. The Rolling Pin had been in the same spot on Glenn Street for over twenty-five years, and she figured the thought of starting out on a brand new venture at Martha and Gary’s age was a daunting one. It wasn’t for Jolene, though. It was exciting to think of a new endeavor, new possibilities. It reminded her of the excitement she once had for her little shop that never was. But she couldn’t push someone to do something they didn’t fully get behind. New businesses already had such low success and survival rates, even with enthusiastic entrepreneurs leading the way. What Martha said made sense.
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