“Yes, ma’am. I knew that was important to you.”
I nodded, running my hand over the plans. Hope House was more than just a dream to those of us involved. It was a calling. And it wasn’t happening quickly enough. “I wish we were already up and running.”
“I know it. But we’re making progress.”
“How much of a hold-up will this thing with June create?’
He scowled. “I’m not waiting a month until the next city council meeting, that’s for sure. I talked to the real estate agent today, and she’s looking into it. Once I hear back from her, I’ll run it past y’all at our meeting this weekend. Todd going to be able to make it?”
“I think so. I know he’s scheduled to go to Austin for a couple of days soon, but he said he thought he’d be able to make the meeting if he leaves right afterward.”
“Good. We’re going to need his input especially this time because—”
The pugs yipped as Sharlene slogged through the door, looking more wan than usual, if that was possible.
“Hi there,” I called out, then turned to Harry, speaking in a low voice so Sharlene wouldn’t hear me. “Can you hang around for a few minutes? I’d like to get your take on this girl.”
He raised his eyebrows, then sauntered over to the bookshelf by the door. “Got any new old books?” He called over his shoulder.
“Yep, I put a couple out this morning. One of them is a really nice copy of de Sales’ A Devout Life.”
Sharlene stared at Harry for an awkwardly long time, but he didn’t seem to notice. Finally, she turned to me. “Where should I put my purse?”
“Under the counter next to mine is fine.” I watched her shove her oversized bag onto the shelf next to my Vera Bradley. Her hands were shaking.
My stomach clenched. What was wrong? I hoped she wasn’t sick. Or high.
She stood up, clutching the counter. Her eyes were clear.
Okay, so not high. Thank God. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…not feeling very well today.” She swayed, and I shoved my stool underneath her. “Thank you. I didn’t want to miss work but I…”
“When was the last time you ate anything?” I met Harry’s concerned gaze above her head as he walked up behind her.
She shrugged, staring at the floor. “Money’s kind of tight right now.”
Oh, dear God. I’m grousing about the girl not knowing how to knit, and here she is starving to death. In Short Creek. In my store.
“Well, we can fix that.” I filled the tea kettle and plugged it in, then pulled my lunch bag out of the fridge. “Do you like stuffed peppers?”
She blinked at me. “You’re going to share your lunch with me?”
“Of course. Can’t have my employees going hungry now, can I?” I was trying desperately to keep my voice light while my heart broke.
Harry moved to stand next to her. “Heard you’re going to start working for Callie.”
“Yes, sir.” She chewed on the side of her thumbnail, not meeting his gaze. Her orange nail polish only made her stubby nails more noticeable.
“Here you go.” I stuck a plate on the counter in front of her. “Lunch is served.”
She flicked her gaze up to mine, then back to the food. “Thank you. I haven’t had stuffed peppers since I lived at home.”
Harry cleared his throat. “Where is home?”
My ears perked up. Yes, Sharlene, where is home?
I studied her as she savored each bite of leftover stuffed peppers and parmesan rice. I’d met her months ago…even sat next to her in Bible study at church a couple of times, but it never occurred to me to ask her where she had moved from.
She swallowed and patted her mouth with a napkin. “Here and there…no real place, I guess.”
“But you have family?” Harry had a strange look on his face.
“Some.” She sipped some tea from the mug I’d set by her plate, then took another bite without lifting her eyes off the food.
What was going on here? I looked from Harry to Sharlene and back again. Some sort of weird undercurrent was flowing between them.
“Ah. Well, if you’ll ring me up, I’ll take the de Sales book, Callie. Dot will love it.” Harry motioned to the register with his head, and I nodded.
“I gave you the family and friends discount,” I teased him, putting the book into a bag. We both ignored Sharlene.
“Which one am I? Family or friend?”
It was like Harry to tease me back, but his grin didn’t quite reach his eyes this time. I was surprised to see sorrow there instead. I raised my eyebrows, but he shook his head.
“I’ll talk to you later,” he mouthed, glancing in Sharlene’s direction.
I nodded. “Say hi to Auntie for me.”
The pugs trailed him to the door, their tails drooping as if they sensed his sadness.
“Come on, puggies,” I called. I could usually trust Intarsia to stay in the shop, but when Purl was feeling her oats, she’d slip out the door with a customer and then I’d have to chase her down to get her to come back inside.
They trotted back toward me, then made a beeline for Sharlene. They both parked themselves directly in front of her and gave her their best begging stare. When nothing happened, Intarsia let out a high-pitched yip, coupled with a little hop.
“One can always hope that treats will fall from the sky, if one is a pug.” I shook my head. “They are already overweight. Don’t feel obligated to share with them.”
She laughed, the first time I’d ever heard her laugh. “It’s okay. I love dogs.” She slipped them both a bite of meat. “Where is the German shepherd you have in here sometimes?”
“That’s Annie. She’s Todd’s dog.” I took a sip of lukewarm tea. “She stays with me every once in a while.”
“Who was that guy who was just in here?”
Hmm. “That was Harry Parsons, remember? I think you met him briefly before.”
She picked pug hair off her jeans. “He seems nice.”
I nodded. “He is a very nice person.” Apparently, there was an elephant in the room. I just didn’t know what it was.
She picked up her plate and looked in my direction. “Why did you give me your lunch?”
“You were hungry.”
“Yes, but people aren’t usually so nice.”
“Around here, they are.” It was true. The people in Central Texas, as a whole, are a pretty friendly bunch.
“I wouldn’t be.” She looked at me steadily now.
“You wouldn’t be what?”
“I wouldn’t be nice. To someone like me, I mean.”
Ah, here it comes. I handed her a tea mug, the one that said, “Amazing Grace” on it.
God, please give me wisdom. I pulled up a second stool and sat across from her. “Why not?”
She took a sip, studying me over the rim for a second before answering. “I’m not worth it.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“If you knew everything I’ve done…” She shook her head and reached down to run her hand over Purl’s back. “I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear all of this.”
No, I didn’t. Not really. I already had enough people to pray for and worry about. But I knew a God moment when I met one. And His love in me compelled me to love her. “Is there something specific I can help you with?”
That didn’t sound like how I meant it. Too formal. Not warm. I sighed. “I mean, if you need someone to talk to, I’ll be happy to listen.”
“It’s not like that, exactly.” She bit her lip. “It’s just that you’re being so nice and you’re willing to give me a job and…and I think you should know that I’m not a very good person.”
“Ah.” What should I say to that? “Why do you think you’re not a good person?”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think I’m not a good person. I know I’m not. But I’m trying to do better.”
“Well, that’s a start. Anything specific I should know?” I had thought she was goin
g to spill her guts, but this conversation was starting to feel like pulling teeth.
She cracked her knuckles. “That dude, Harry? He looks so much like my birth dad.”
Chapter Sixteen
I choked on my tea. “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s freakin’ me out a little bit.”
I didn’t think it would take much to freak Sharlene out. “They say we all have a twin somewhere in the world.”
She shrugged. “Whatever. Wouldn’t that be weird if him and my dad were like long-lost relatives or something?”
“Very weird.” I guess if you don’t have much of a family, you try to manufacture one. And I wasn’t sure what to make of her “birth dad” reference. Sounded like it might be a sensitive topic. “Do you see your family often?”
“Nope. They’re done with me.” She scrubbed at a non-existent spot on the counter. “I’m on my own now.”
“Ah. Well, I’m glad you’re here.” I patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. Definitely time for a change of topic. I could wait until she was ready to share more about her situation. Until then, as Todd had asked, “What’s the problem?”
I flipped open my laptop and pulled up my crazy schedule. “Tell me what you know about event planning.”
It wasn’t until I sank down next to Todd at the Hope House planning meeting that evening that I realized I hadn’t told him what Sharlene had said about Harry reminding her of her birth dad. I had mentioned it briefly to Harry before Todd arrived, but we hadn’t had a chance to discuss it. I waved at Mona, Rob, and Lonnie, then leaned over to whisper in Todd’s ear. “I need to tell you something after the meeting.”
He clasped my hand in his warm one under the conference table. “Good news or bad news?”
“Neither. But—”
Harry cleared his throat and sent us a pointed look. “Houston, will you open in prayer?”
I bowed my head and let myself relax. A feeling of peace washed over me in the warm, familiar room. We always used the big choir room at Houston’s church for our meetings. Everyone called it the choir room, but it was used for everything from prayer gatherings to baby showers. It was one of the larger rooms in the aging building, and I loved it. I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of hundred-year-old hymnals and a century’s worth of praise. I was struck by the thought of how many other believers had sat in these same wooden chairs over the years, asking for God’s wisdom as we did now.
Harry briefed us about the situation with June Blackman. “Sheriff Wayne thinks she’s blowing smoke. She hasn’t demonstrated any legal grounds to stop us from purchasing the land, if we do win the bid.”
“So, we can go ahead?” Rob stroked his beard.
“Well, for the most part.” Harry turned to Todd. “Todd, will you address that question?”
I felt my phone vibrate and snuck a look at it under the table. It was Karen.
I texted her. In a meeting. Call you in a few.
Todd leaned back in his chair. “Since June actually filed an injunction, the seller has put the brakes on and is waiting for legal counsel. Our real estate agent says it’s only a formality, and she doesn’t think it will hold things up for too long. But there’s nothing right now to stop us from—”
The wooden door flew open, and June Blackman made a beeline toward Houston, her high heels clacking on the worn linoleum. “Reverend Gregory! I called your secretary and explicitly requested to meet with you this evening.”
Todd’s chair thunked down. He was standing between Houston and the crazy lady before I even had time to blink. His hand hovered near his hip. “Mrs. Blackman—”
She waved him off, breathing hard. “This is between me and the preacher.”
Houston glanced at Todd. “Mrs. Blackman, I was not aware of an appointment with you, but as you can see, I’m in the middle of a meeting. I’ll be happy to meet with you this evening once I’m free. Or perhaps tomorrow morning would be more conducive to your schedule.”
I watched her face as he was speaking and knew the exact moment she realized the significance of who was assembled in the room. Her eyes narrowed as she gripped her briefcase. “Hope House.” She hissed the words. “I see. This is what I get for trying to better this community all these years. People meeting behind my back to dream up ways to undermine the very foundations of what we stand for.”
We all gaped at her. Well, everyone except for Mona, who stood and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. Her African-print tunic and whimsical zebra earrings did not complement the scowl on her face. Rob leapt up to stand next to her as she faced June.
“June Blackman. The people in this room have done more good for this community in the last year than you have done in your entire life. There’s a whole boatload of hurting, broken people in this little town—if you haven’t noticed—and if you think funding a walking trail or building a new bank is going to do anything to save them, then guess again.” She dashed a tear from her eye and the zebras quivered. “I suggest you just march your rich little self right out that door and find something else to do with your time and money, or I’ll have to remind everyone what happened in this very room five years ago.”
“Amen!” Rob broke the silence and grinned at his wife. “You tell her, sugar pie.”
I almost laughed, then sucked in my breath at the venomous glare June directed toward Mona.
“Are you threatening me?” June stepped toward Mona, her voice a hoarse whisper.
Rob squeezed Mona’s shoulder as he towered over her, as if daring June to come any closer to his wife. He spoke with a hint of menace in his drawl. “No, ma’am. She’s statin’ the facts.” He smiled at the livid woman. “Toodaloo, June.”
She pursed her too-red lips together, then turned on her heel and left the room without another word, the door banging behind her.
“Wow.” I pulled at my blouse to give myself some air, the sweat prickling under my arms.
Houston slumped into his chair. “There’s no rest for the wicked, and the righteous don’t need any.”
“What version is that, Preacher? Pretty sure it ain’t King James.” Rob guffawed, and that was all it took.
We sat around the table, hee-hawing until our stomachs hurt.
Harry finally wiped his eyes. “The look on her face when Mona told her off was priceless.”
Mona harrumphed. “Miss I’m-too-big-for-my-britches should have known better than to barge in and try to stir up trouble. And she never did call for an appointment with Houston. That was a bad-faced lie.”
A bad-faced lie?
Todd glanced at me and snickered, kicking off my giggles again. I didn’t get the giggles often, but when I did, they were hard to stop. I drew a deep breath and picked up my copy of the evening’s agenda and used it to fan myself.
I didn’t dare look at Harry, or the twinkle in his eye would start me off again. I had discovered months ago that he was a kindred spirit when it came to the love of all things “wordy.” Mona’s malaprops were a source of great amusement to him.
Todd settled down beside me and cleared his throat. “Okay, Mona, spill the beans. I’ve seen June Blackman stomp out of many a room, but never without the last word.”
“Yes, do tell,” said Houston. He smiled, but weariness sat heavy on his brow. My heart ached for him.
Mona sat, her feet not quite touching the floor. “It’s kinda sad, really. I shouldn’t have brought it up, but I can’t stand mean people.” She fiddled with her bracelets. “This was right before you came, Houston.”
He nodded.
“The church finance committee was having a meeting in here, and they called me in to take the minutes. Guess they were desperate.”
Mona was not known for her writing-while-listening ability.
“So anyway, they’re all just talking a million miles a minute and I’m scribbling it all down which didn’t matter ’cause I’d be the one typing it up anyway. Then June starts her PowerPoint presentation of the budget stuff.” She rolled
her eyes. “Y’all, you should have heard her go on and on. Like to give me a migraine. Bob Jordon was workin’ the laptop for her. Then—”
“Then he hit the wrong button!” Rob slapped his hand on the table.
Mona’s shoulders shook. “Bob accidentally turned on a video of June yelling something derogatory at her husband. And the worst part of it was that she was in her bathrobe without her wig on.”
Harry howled. “I would have paid money to see that.”
“Harry.” I shook my head, trying not to laugh. It was a good thing Aunt Dot wasn’t here. She would have gotten after us for gossiping.
“That wasn’t the worst part. Then she started screaming that she was going to sue Bob for slandering her, blah, blah, blah. I got that part on my phone.”
“You recorded it?” Todd picked up a pen.
“Yep. I thought maybe if the sheriff came he might want some evidence.”
“But then she lost her phone.” Rob made a face.
Mona spun her chair around to glare at her husband. “I did not lose my phone. I never lose my phone. I had it one day, and then…poof, it was gone.”
He shrugged and grinned at the rest of us. “I thought maybe we’d make us a million dollars on some TV show with that video, but I guess I’m still drivin’ trucks, now, ain’t I.”
“I still think June stole it that day we were all at the fish fry at the Methodist church. Remember that? Me and you and the grandkids ate those fried pickles that made y’all sicker than dogs? Remember?” Mona’s round face was red.
Rob patted his wife’s shoulder. “Whatever you say, sugar plum. I’m sure you’re right.”
Todd and I exchanged glances. Could June have stolen Mona’s phone? That seemed a little extreme, but stranger things have happened.
Chapter Seventeen
We finally got ourselves down to business and finalized the budget for phase one of the Hope House construction before we called it a night.
Mona grabbed me in a hug before I walked out. “Call me later, okay?” She murmured the question in my ear.
I pulled away and searched her eyes, glimpsing what she had kept hidden tonight from everyone else. Must be bad news. I squeezed her forearm. “I will. Hang in there.”
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