The Beach House

by Vicky Jones

  “I’m OK. I think,” she said, running her hand through her hair.

  “Something you ate, d’ya think?” Shona asked, stroking Chloe’s arm.

  “Maybe.”

  “Well, I reckon we should see how you are in the morning. Then, if you still feel bad, we should see about getting you in to see a doctor. Can’t be too careful, not with that flu going around last year. Paper’s said it killed thousands.” Shona stopped talking after catching a sharp look fired her way. “Oh, I didn’t mean that… I’m sure it’s nothing as serious as…” Shona ran an embarrassed hand over the back of her head.

  Chloe grinned. “Honey, stop digging yourself a hole there. I’m gon’ go to bed. You coming?”

  “Yeah, sure. I just gotta go lock up. You go, I’ll bring you some peppermint tea.”

  “OK, thank you. Don’t be long now,” Chloe wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and disappeared into the bedroom.

  Chloe slipped her sunglasses on, dropped the roof of the car and sped off up the sandy drive to the road leading into town. In five minutes, she was there, stopping off at an ice cream stand halfway. With one hand on her ice cream cone and the other on the wheel, she sang loudly to the tune on her radio with the wind blowing through her shoulder length brown hair loosely wrapped around a piece of fabric. She didn’t wear much makeup in the days since they’d left Daynes, but what she did wear accentuated her naturally stunning looks, large chocolate brown eyes and full red lips.

  Driving past the large sign reading ‘Welcome to Sunnybrook’, Chloe let the relief flow through her. They really had been lucky to find a town that looked and felt every bit of its name. Flower baskets and green spaces greeted her as she drove along the road through the square, passing the garage that had piqued Shona’s interest. Stopping momentarily outside it, Chloe pulled down her sunglasses as a thought crossed her mind. Pushing them back on her face, she set off again, passing a bakery which was emitting the most mouthwatering smells imaginable. Fresh baked bread, cakes and pies wafted on the sweet Californian morning air, making Chloe stop again and inhale.

  After making a mental note to pop back there later to pick up Shona’s favorite chicken pie for dinner, Chloe pulled back around the square and found a parking space outside the drugstore, which was next door to the doctor’s office. She climbed out of the car, took another glance around the town square and the lovely green space contained in the middle of it, and walked into the doctor’s office, the little bell connected to the door tinkling above her.

  “Thank you, Doctor Thomas, you’ve really put my mind to rest now. I thought it was gon’ be bad news,” said a young woman holding a small boy’s pudgy hand. “He has been so upset.” She softened her gaze at the young, handsome doctor standing in front of her.

  “My pleasure, Mrs. King. Nothing but a bad sprain. Try to keep Billy from using it too much for a coupla days,” Doctor Thomas added, a twinkle in his soft brown eyes.

  Mrs. King turned around, then yanked on her son’s good arm. “Billy. For goodness’ sake. You ask Doctor Thomas if you can have one before you go takin’ one,” she barked down at Billy who was trying to grab a sweet.

  Billy looked up at Doctor Thomas with his large blue eyes. “Please, doctor. May I have one?” he asked, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

  Doctor Thomas laughed then reached down to pick up the boy. “Of course, sonny, you’ve been such a brave soldier today. If you’d been in my unit, back in ’44, I’d be very proud of your conduct today.” He let Billy reach the jar of candy canes, then placed him back down on the ground and saluted him. Billy saluted back, then munched on his candy cane.

  “Say thank you, Billy,” Mrs. King prompted.

  “Thank you, Doctor Thomas,” Billy mumbled, the candy cane in his mouth. “When I grow up, I wanna be a doctor just like Doctor Thomas,” he said as he was walked out of the office, his mother blushing as she said her farewell.

  As Doctor Thomas headed back into his room, his path was crossed by two women.

  “So, Marion, when do you suppose you’ll be able to get the money, then? This idea of yours sounds just amazing. And just what this town needs,” the older of the two women said to the other as she walked back behind her post at the reception desk.

  “I have the money. I’m just waiting for the auction next week. That old garage across the street will make the perfect daycare center. It has just the right dimensions and that beautiful lil’ wildflower garden behind it. Just needs a little imagination to smarten that building up is all,” Marion continued.

  “Well, I think it’s fabulous, don’t you, Doctor Thomas?” the receptionist gushed, fluttering her eyes at him.

  “Yes I do, Blanche. But you know what’d be even more fabulous?” He paused as both women gazed into his bright green eyes.

  “What?” they both said in unison.

  “If you, Marion, would take Mister Gordon through for his appointment and you, Blanche, would see to this nice young lady who’s been standing at your desk for the last five minutes waiting for you to finish your conversation,” he said with a wink. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss…?”

  “Mrs. Clark. Chloe Clark. I’m new in town. I just came down to register myself and my…um… sister, Shona. Clark.”

  “Well, then, Mrs. Clark. While you’re here, why don’t I give you a little check over, blood pressure, general health and all that. Won’t take a moment. Blanche, could you help Mrs. Clark fill in the basics on the form, then send her through to me, OK?”

  “Sure thing, Doctor Thomas.”

  Chloe took the pen from the receptionist and filled out the registration card, handing it over to Blanche when she’d finished.

  “Why thank you, Mrs. Clark. You can go straight through,” Blanche said, smiling as she filed Chloe’s card in her Rolodex.

  Chloe nodded her thanks and walked over to Doctor Thomas’s door.

  “Come in,” called the voice inside.

  Chloe opened the door and was invited to sit by the doctor.

  “Nothing to worry about today, Mrs. Clark. I’ll just take a blood sample, tick a few boxes, make sure you’re fighting fit, that’s all.” He reached across to his telephone. “Marion, could you come in here, please?”

  Marion came in with a small dish and needle. She wrapped a thin rubber band around Chloe’s arm and pulled it tight. “Won’t hurt a bit, now hold still,” Marion said, her voice not in the least bit reassuring.

  “Ouch,” Chloe said as the needle pricked her smooth, pale skin.

  “Now, you hold still. I gotta take a bit more,” Marion scolded.

  Chloe looked over to Doctor Thomas who nodded to check she was OK. His eyes seemed to glow brighter the longer he looked at her.

  “All done. Just press this cotton ball to your skin for a few minutes and you’ll be fine.”

  “Thank you,” Chloe whispered.

  “We should have the results in a few days. Pop back then when you’ve settled in your new home,” Doctor Thomas said as he walked Chloe out of his office. “And ask your sister to come in to register too when she has a minute. Shona, was it?”

  Chloe nodded, then said her goodbyes and headed back out onto the street.

  Marion stood by the reception desk sorting through patient notes. “Hmmm…well, who knew he was an alcoholic. And this guy? Well, I’d want that checked too if I was him.” Picking another file out of the pile on the desk, Marion opened it and let out a low whistle. “I knew she was cheating on her husband. He can’t have kids but she’s three months gone. Well, I’ll be damned…”

  “Marion, can you please concentrate on your job, not the lives of others in this town?” Doctor Thomas’s stern voice sounded behind her.

  Spinning around, Marion found herself face to face with her boss, who looked more disappointed in her than angry.

  “Yes, Doctor Thomas. My apologies.”

  Chapter 5

  Edie Foster sat in the corner of Bertie’s bar reading from a large,
heavy looking encyclopedia. Every few minutes she let out a low whistle as she came across an even more amazing fact.

  “Woah. Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Hey Bertie, did you know two thirds of the world is actually water? That’s insane. I mean, there are billions of people on this planet. How do we all even fit on a third?” She pulled off her cat-eye glasses and looked over to the bar area where the owner, Bertha, known as Bertie to everyone in the town, was counting the stock and filling out an order form. Bertie was in her mid-thirties, short and stocky, with slicked back black hair.

  “Yeah, everyone knows that, you lemonhead.” Bertie leaned a chubby tattooed arm on the bar, smiling when she saw Edie roll her eyes. “Now quit bashing my ears with all these facts, will ya?”

  “OK,” Edie replied.

  “The others will be here in a minute so budge up outta my seat,” Bertie barked, walking around the edge of the bar and motioning for Edie to move.

  “Hey ladies…and Bertie,” a voice rang out from the doorway. Two women entered the bar, one wearing a blue men’s suit jacket and trousers, the other wearing black denim jeans, a plaid shirt and a wide-brimmed black hat, her lank dark hair hanging loose. “Still working on that duck butt there, Bert?” the suited woman pointed up at Bertie’s hair.

  “Ha ha, very funny, Dee,” Bertie replied, mock-grinning to the woman in the blue suit. She raked a lock of hair out of her eyes and leaned her large body back into the booth. “Where you two been anyway? I said to be here by eleven. I gotta open up soon,” Bertie’s piercing blue eyes stared at the two latecomers.

  “Hey, don’t flip your lid. Blame Lula here. She’s in one of her moods again. Took me ages to persuade her to get out of her pit.” Dee nodded her head to the other woman who appeared to have pulled her hat down lower on her head.

  “What’s eating you today, Lula?” Bertie asked, her voice less harsh than it was towards Dee.

  “Nothin’. Just feelin’ annoyed today. Broke another string on my guitar,” Lula mumbled, leaning her body back against the bar, one foot flat against the mahogany wood. She looked down at the floor as she nibbled on her fingernail.

  “Well, I got some news that might get us all jazzed around here.”

  “Yeah?” Dee asked, sitting down in the booth opposite Bertie and Edie. Lula sauntered over and sat with a thud next to her.

  “Yeah,” Bertie continued. “You know that garage across the street? Well, I finally got the dough together to put in an offer at the auction next week. My sister came through with the loan I asked her for, so I can put that together with the money from this place the bank agreed to free up. So come next Monday I’ll be there, front and center.” Bertie’s round face broke out into a huge grin. She wasn’t attractive in the conventional sense of the word, but her smile now accentuated the light in her blue eyes.

  Lula looked up from the edge of the table she was fiddling with. “That’s great news, Bertie. So what kinda business you gonna run there?”

  “Ooh, maybe you could open up a record shop or something?” Edie suggested.

  “Or a place that sells guitar strings. I’m sick of havin’ to go across to the next town every time I break one,” Lula said, scrunching up her face.

  “Or…I could reopen the garage,” said Bertie. The women around the table nodded as if the suggestion was too obvious to even consider.

  “Well, I guess that would be the most sensible thing to do,” Edie remarked. She looked at her watch. “Shit, I’d better hit the road. My shift starts in an hour. I gotta get home to change.” She reached over to where her polka dot jacket was lying and wrapped it around her. “Later, girls. Congratulations again, Bertie.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” Bertie offered.

  As they reached the doorway, they saw two police officers standing on the sidewalk staring at the bar and muttering to each other.

  “G’mornin’, officers. How may I assist you on this fine morning?” asked Bertie, the sarcasm in her voice staying just on the right side of polite.

  “Now, don’t play the innocent with me…” the first police officer hesitated, “lady.” He put his hands on his hips. “Deputy Lawrence and I know what kinda place this is and I have to say we don’t care for it too much.” The young officer stuck out his chin.

  “What Danvers here means is we have eyes and ears all around this town and for too long you’ve been encouragin’ the wrong type of clientele to this place.” Deputy Lawrence chewed his gum, waiting for a response from Bertie. She said nothing.

  “You and your kind ain’t a good fit for this town. We’re gonna make it so you go out of business real soon,” Officer Danvers added.

  Bertie cleared her throat and considered every word she was about to speak. “Deputy Lawrence.” She looked him in the eye, then looked at Danvers. “What is it you suppose goes on in here?” She folded her thick arms across her large chest. “I serve good beer, play good sounds and my apple pie is the talk of the town. Everyone who comes in here gets the same warm welcome, from families to couples just wanting a great night out.” She smiled as she got to the important part of her well-rehearsed speech. “I pay my taxes on time, comply with all licensing regulations and never stay open past the curfew.” She watched their faces harden, knowing she was right. “Boys, I’m a straight-down-the-line businesswoman just trying to earn a crust. And you fellas are welcome here anytime. First draft’s on the house.”

  Lawrence and Danvers grunted and walked back to their patrol car, leaving Edie to sidle up behind Bertie and grab her around the shoulders.

  “Nicely done, Bert. Although you know as well as I do there ain’t nothing straight about this place,” she said out of the corner of her mouth before sauntering off.

  Pursing her lips at Edie’s cheeky comment, Bertie exhaled. She’d seen off the latest confrontation with the law, but they kept coming back. Looking over to the garage she was planning to buy, she smiled. “I’ll show them knuckleheaded cops they can’t keep me down,” she whispered to herself.

  Behind her, Lula and Dee appeared, looking concerned. “What did those germs want now?” Lula asked, wrinkling her nose as if she’d caught a stench of shit in the air.

  “Oh, just the usual.” Bertie looked past Dee’s shoulder over to the garage and stopped smiling, noticing something she’d missed before.

  “What?” Dee asked.

  “The auction sign ain’t there no more,” Bertie replied, her eyes scanning the garage parking lot. “I got the number for the vendor. I’ll give him a call see what’s going on.”

  “OK, well, we’d better split too. I gotta drive this one into the next town for that damn guitar string. Otherwise I’ll have to stare at that miserable face all day,” Dee said, playfully jostling Lula, who scowled back at her.

  “See you later tonight, yeah?” Bertie replied, her eyes still fixed on the vacant space left where the auction sign once was.

  Chapter 6

  It was late afternoon by the time Shona saw dust and sand blowing up on the horizon at the end of their tiny track leading to the main road. A heavy rumble filled the air but the sight she was expecting to see was puzzlingly different. Stepping outside, Shona hopped down the three steps from the veranda onto the front garden, hands on hips as a faded blue pickup truck trundled towards the beach house. Her eyes widened as she realized who was driving it. Speechless, she watched the driver hop out carefully and slam the rickety door shut, then again until it finally stayed put.

  “What do you think? A peach, ain’t she?” Chloe announced, wiping her sweaty brow and grinning. She walked over to Shona and linked arms with her. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

  Chloe led Shona up to the truck and pointed out all of its features, including the hook and winch on its tail.

  “OK…I’m confused. This is great an’ all, but where’s the Chevy?” Shona asked, her blue eyes wide.

  “I sold it.” Chloe stepped back from the truck and spread her arms out wide.

  Shona stood m
otionless, trying to process what Chloe was telling her. “And you bought this hunk of junk instead?” Shona’s jaw dropped. “Are you crazy? That car’s worth ten, no, twenny of these.”

  Chloe stood smiling at Shona’s animated reactions.

  “Well, that settles it then. I’m gonna have to get a job as soon as possible. I didn’t realize we were so low on money that you had to sell the car. I thought you were gonna swap it for something of the same value. Jeez, this place must have cost too much for you.” Shona paced the sandy ground between the truck and the beach house, running her hand through her blonde hair.

  “Come with me. I got a surprise for you,” Chloe said, climbing back into the truck and starting the engine. It groaned and spluttered as the thick diesel chugged through the pipes.

  “Where we going?”

  “Just get in and quit bellyaching. It’ll be worth it, I promise,” Chloe replied, her brown eyes twinkling with excitement.

  As they pulled out of the driveway and onto the road, Shona looked over to Chloe, her eyes moist. “I swear I’ll find some work. It’s my job to provide for you, for us and I won’t stop until I find something. I don’t wanna live off you forever. I got my pride. You didn’t need to sell that car, honey; I just needed a bit more time.”

  By the time Shona had finished her speech, Chloe had already made it to town and had pulled up at the side of the road. She turned the engine off and looked at Shona. “I know, Shona, but I didn’t want you to have just any old job working for someone who don’t appreciate how good a worker you really are. So, I reckon it’s about time you had something of your own.”

  Chloe looked past Shona’s head out onto the sidewalk and nodded at the building they were parked outside. The familiar ‘For Sale’ board had been removed, as had the notice of the upcoming auction. “It’s yours.” Shona turned around and stared behind her at what Chloe was looking at. In shock, she fumbled for the truck’s door handle and stepped onto the sidewalk.