Finding Abigail

by Christina Smith

  I pushed back the fear that threatened at the reminder. I had thought Nick had found me. “Ha ha. I told you, you startled me.” I reached for the blanket he was again carrying, mainly to do something with my hands. I was nervous, and couldn’t get rid of the butterflies having a party in my stomach.

  The sun was out in full force, but wasn’t too bad thanks to the cool breeze. The soft wind blew the amazing smell of cooked meat. I glanced over to a tented area where a large rotisserie barbeque was placed in front. Smoke rose above a large cut of beef as it spun around the flames. My mouth watered just by the mouthwatering scent.

  “Sure I did,” he said with a wink. He took a few steps with the cooler over his shoulder. “Oh, there’s Sam and Kathy.”

  I followed him to a picnic table, where a cute couple were yelling at two little boys running around their table chasing a little brown and black beagle. The man looked to be mid-twenties to early thirties. His short brown hair was spiked at the top. The woman appeared to be the same age. She was wearing a purple sleeveless silk top and a short faded jean skirt. Her red hair was up in a messy bun. They noticed our approach and waved us over. The woman, whom I now recognized as Kathy from the grocery store, glanced over at me. “So you finally got your neighbor out? Anna, right? It’s good to see you again.”

  “You too.”

  “Yeah, she couldn’t resist a picnic,” Noah replied, setting his load onto the grass.

  I placed the blanket on top of Noah’s cooler and sat down next to Kathy, feeling anxious by her husband.

  Sam’s eyes widened as Noah took the empty bench beside him. He leaned his elbows on the wooden table. “You’re the one who punched Noah?” Sam asked, laughing.

  Kathy grinned, holding out her right hand. “Can I shake your hand? I have wanted to do that since I was sixteen after he broke my heart.” She glanced at Noah with a frown and droopy puppy dog eyes.

  “Kathy, I’m sitting right here,” Sam pointed out, a shocked expression on his face, his eyes twinkling with laughter.

  “It didn’t take you long to get over me. You hooked up with my best friend a few months later.” Noah added his version of the story. As I watched the banter between them, I felt a surge of jealousy. It reminded me of Brenda and Debbie; I missed them so much.

  “Anna, are you settling in okay?” Kathy asked, taking a beer out of a cooler and handing it to Noah, then lifting one up for me.

  I took it and popped the top off. “Yes, it’s really a beautiful place. But it’s very different here. I’m used to living in a big city.”

  She traced her finger along her beer bottle, making lines in the condensation. “You should come down to Mable’s for some pie and visit me while I work.”

  The name was vaguely familiar. “Is that where you got that amazing coffee when we met?” I asked Noah, who had turned around, his back to us, throwing a ball for one of the boys.

  He looked over his shoulder at me. “Yep, you should try the pie. Mable makes the best lemon meringue I’ve ever tasted. I tried a few bakeries in Philadelphia when I lived there and not one could compare.”

  “You lived in Philadelphia?”

  He spun around to face us again just as the ball he had thrown collided with the back of his head. We all laughed as Noah picked up the ball and whipped it at the older boy who had thrown it.

  Once Kathy’s laughter subsided, she explained, “Yeah, our Noah was a hot shot architect, until that bitch Becca messed with his head.” She took a sip of beer. “Ow,” she yelped after she swallowed as Sam kicked her under the table. “Oh, I’m sorry, Noah; I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

  “No, it’s okay. I mentioned it first.”

  There was obviously a story there, but I didn’t ask and no one said anything else.

  A very tall man that looked like he was wearing stilts began walking to the center of the park, and then stopped. He was carrying a microphone. I had never seen anyone as tall in my life. But that wasn’t the only odd thing about him. He had a receding hairline, a pointed long nose, and was wearing an ugly yellow suit The picture of a canary popped in my head.

  “Attention, everyone.” His voice was deep, almost melodic. “I’d like to welcome you here to the annual Memorial Day picnic. I see everyone has come out to celebrate, and a few new faces have joined us as well.” He glanced at me as he paused. Some people followed his gaze and I felt myself shrink back to hide behind Kathy. With that many eyes on me, the odds were higher that I might be recognized. I didn’t have my photo on most of my books, but with Wendy’s Wish, the publisher forced me. Hopefully the book wasn’t very popular in this town.

  “Let’s give a round of applause to the women of the planning committee, who have been cooking up a storm for days.” He began clapping as about ten women stood up who were seated near the tent with the food table. When the clapping died down he continued his speech. “Dinner is ready, so if you’d like to form a line you may begin. And don’t forget to put a donation in the bucket for next year.” Everyone clapped for the food as much as they did for the man who was now walking toward the food table, taking the first spot in line.

  “Who is that man? And why is he wearing a yellow suit?” I leaned in and asked Kathy.

  “Mayor Alfred,” she replied, turning to look at me. A lock of hair fell out of her bun, and she tucked it behind her ear. “If you think that suit’s bad, wait until Easter when he wears his pale purple one.”

  I laughed. I couldn’t imagine a man, let alone one as tall and skinny as him, wearing a purple suit. “Seriously?”

  “Are you two discussing our mayor’s fine fashion sense?” Noah asked, standing beside me, leaning between us. I couldn’t help but breathe him in. There was the smell of his spicy cologne, but underneath it was the scent of wood. What was I doing? Sniffing him? Was I so desperate for the soft touch of a man that I’d fall for the first one I see? I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t ever trust again. The pain was just too much. I quickly scolded myself.

  “Yes, but he dresses almost as bad as you, Noah.” She grinned at him, and he laughed. She pushed him away so she could stand up. “Let me by, I have to get in line to get some food for the two monsters.” She paused and tilted her head. “I mean the younger ones.” She laughed at her own joke as she stepped away.

  Sam looked up from his beer. “What about me?”

  She had started toward the line. “Get your own,” she called over her shoulder. I followed until I was walking beside her. With every step we took toward the food, the line seemed to grow. Half the town was already there eager to eat. The familiar anxious feeling emerged as we mixed into the crowd. I took a deep breath and moved closer to Kathy. We had just met but I felt comfortable around her; she reminded me of Debbie.

  “Your boys are beautiful. What are their names?” I asked.

  “The one over there wrestling with the dog is Jeremy.” I looked to where she pointed and saw the boy who looked about eight, his hair was dark brown like his father’s, he was wearing jean shorts and a T-shirt, both were full of grass stains, and yes he was wresting with the dog over a ball. “And the one trying to jump on Noah is Jamie.” Jamie looked about ten or eleven, and he, like his mother, had red hair and green eyes. He was trying to jump on Noah’s back while Noah was making his way to the food table, but every time Jamie put his arms on Noah’s shoulders, Noah would pretend to swat a fly and knock him to the ground. We could hear Jamie’s laughter from where we now stood in line. We watched as Sam approached the two, carrying Jeremy, just as Jamie landed on Noah’s shoulder, surprising Noah and knocking him to the ground. Sam and Jeremy jumped on them in a pile of laughter and curses.

  The scene both warmed my heart and made me sad. I really missed my niece and nephew. “Noah seems to love your boys.” We took a few more steps, getting a little closer to the meal. I actually couldn’t wait; the aromas drifting in the air smelled delicious.

  Kathy smiled, emotion warming her eyes. “And they love him too. He
moved away when they were little, but he’s been home for about three years. They call him Uncle Noah, which he loves, since his own niece lives in New York state.”

  “Sam and Noah have been best friends for a long time?” I leaned into Kathy after a short balding man in front of me elbowed me in the gut. Air whooshed out of me, and I resisted the urge to groan. Kathy grinned and stifled some laughter.

  “Since about birth. Their parents were close, and when Noah’s folks moved after high school, Noah stayed with Sam’s family. He went to a college nearby with Sam. Sam was devastated at the thought of Noah moving away, so it was lucky for him that Noah didn’t want to leave either. He’s not much of a city boy. We were all surprised when he moved to Philadelphia.” Her expression changed as she glanced over my shoulder. I turned to see what she was looking at. The two women I had seen at the grocery store a month ago who Kathy had called gossip mongers stood in line behind us.

  “Hey, Kathy, who’s your friend?” the one with short brown hair asked. Kathy rolled her eyes at me, then turned to look at the women. A fake smile was pasted on her face. “Anna, this is Cindy Mason and Kelly Bartlet. This is Anna, she moved into Sylvia Newman’s cottage.”

  Cindy smiled; it was just as fake as Kathy’s. “Oh, so you’re Noah’s new neighbor. That explains why he brought you. Isn’t he friendly?”

  Was I just insulted by a woman I had never met before? Obviously she had the wrong idea about Noah and me. “Yes, it was very nice of him to bring me here and show me around. But we’re just friends.”

  Kathy glared at Cindy. “Actually, she and Noah have been inseparable since she moved here. He told Sam they get along so well he just had to ask her to the picnic.” She turned to me with her eyes wide, obviously trying to send me a private message. “Aren’t you, Anna?”

  By the tone of her voice I was afraid to argue. “Yes, we’re having a great time,” I answered, playing along.

  Cindy’s face went cold as she turned to Kelly. “Oh look, there’s Wade, lets go see how Cheryl’s doing.” She pulled her friend away, glaring at me as she went.

  I turned to my new friend. “What the hell was that?”

  Her green eyes were now narrowed, her jaw clenched. “That bitch has been after Noah since he moved back three years ago. And since she was already jealous of the two of you, I thought I’d add fuel to the fire.”

  “But there is nothing between Noah and me.”

  She shoved me, making me take a few steps forward as the line moved up a bit. We were almost to the table. “She doesn’t have to know that. And besides, if you’re worried about Noah, I’ll tell him what I did. He knows I love giving Cindy a hard time and if it keeps her away from him, he’ll thank me.” The line moved again, and it was finally our turn. She took two plates from the stack to fill.

  “Tell me what Jeremy likes, and I’ll get his and mine.”

  “You don’t have to do that; I can get back in line.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, I have two hands. You get Jamie’s and I’ll get Jeremy’s. Noah and Sam can get their own, if they ever stop playing around.” I glanced behind me to the four males, who were now throwing a Frisbee around.

  Kathy laughed. “I like you; I think you and I are going to get along great.”

  I smiled. That sounded too good to be true—my freedom, and friends. Maybe I would like it here. I ignored the nagging feeling that I should keep to myself. I hadn’t spoken to a single person besides Noah in a month.

  After our plates were filled, we headed back to the table. Noah and Sam took their turn. When everyone was sitting down at the picnic table enjoying their food, Kathy turned to Noah. “Hey, Noah, did you see Cindy?”

  He froze. His macaroni-salad-filled fork hovered in front of his mouth. “Almost. I saw her headed my way, but I ducked behind the boys. So she went after Frank instead. He didn’t look happy.” Frank must be the black-haired tall guy wearing a cowboy hat that I had seen her talking to earlier.

  “Well, she insulted Anna. She must have seen you two show up together and thought you were an item. Anna was about to set her straight until I told her you guys were basically in a hot love affair.”

  Noah turned to me and grinned, a gentle breeze blowing a strand of hair onto his forehead. “A love affair already?” He winked. “I’m fast.”

  Sam, who was quietly shoving food in his face, added, “So we’ve heard.” Kathy and I laughed. Noah punched Sam in the shoulder.

  The rest of the afternoon was fun. The boys entered a few competitions. Jamie beat everyone at the watermelon-eating contest. Jeremy came in third in the three-legged race with his friend Curtis. We sat around watching them, drinking. Every time I put an empty beer bottle down, Noah was handing me another. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was trying to get me drunk. But since we hardly knew each other, I decided he was just being friendly. On the fourth one, I told him I had had enough.

  “You guys staying for the fireworks?” Sam asked Noah. He was sitting next to his wife, with his arm wrapped casually around her shoulder.

  Noah was spinning one of my beer caps on top of the table. “It’s up to Anna, since she’s the guest.” He glanced at me. “What do you think, do you want to stay?”

  I’m not sure if it was because I had gone so long without socializing or it was the environment, but I felt really relaxed. Not just with the group I was with, but with the whole town. I hadn’t felt that way in so long, it was a feeling I could get used to.

  And I loved fireworks. The last time I watched them was at the park in my mother’s neighborhood. Haley was wrapped around me like a backpack, terrified of the noise. “Sure.” I lifted my soda can to my mouth and paused. “So Sam, what do you do?” He was sitting across from me, and I was enjoying everyone’s company. Although it could have been the beer making me feel all loose and friendly.

  “I’m a cop.”

  I choked on my soda. “A cop, here? Isn’t Shimmer Lake too small for a police station?”

  “I work in Martin, about half an hour south of here.”

  I was suddenly very nervous. I bent my head, trying to hide my face just in case Nick had my picture spread at every police department in the country. Of course since Sam had spent the day with me, it was too late. But it didn’t matter; the relaxing, comfortableness I was feeling had disappeared. “Noah, I just remembered, I have a phone call to make.” I turned to him, lifting my leg up over the bench. “Would you mind driving me home?”

  “Are you sure? The fireworks are usually pretty good,” he asked, exchanging confused looks with Kathy and Sam.

  I stood up, a knot of nerves forming in the pit of my stomach. My hands threaten to shake; I wished I had pockets to hide them in. “I’m sure, but you can come back after you drop me off or I could call a cab. I don’t want to put you out.” I was extremely anxious to get away.

  They all smiled at me. “No cabs around here, but I’ll take you home. It’s no problem.” Noah stood up and started weaving around the people lounging on blankets, heading to his car.

  I followed. “Thank you both, I had a great time,” I called over my shoulder.

  “Come by the diner some time,” Kathy yelled.

  “I will.”

  “Are you going to tell me who you’re running from?” Noah asked. His voice was gentle, not wanting to scare me like he had when we first met. We were parked in his driveway. This time the ride was not as quiet. I kept him talking, asking about the people from the picnic. I kept the conversation where I wanted because I knew he would ask me why I wanted to leave.

  Fear shot through me. “I’m not running from anyone.” I opened my door and got out, making my way to the cottage to let myself in.

  Noah followed me in and closed the door. He folded his arms in front of him as he leaned against the arm chair. “Then why did you look terrified after you found out Sam was a cop? You couldn’t get away fast enough.”

  I stepped up to the window, staring out at the lake, not wanting to
make eye contact with him. The buzz of fear lingered in my chest. The wind was picking up, creating waves in the lake. They crashed against the dock, spraying water onto the top.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just remembered I had to get home. My mom is supposed to call at eight, and I didn’t want to miss it.” I finally turned around to face him.

  He sat down on the sofa, picked up the remote for the TV, and turned it on. A loud surge of clapping rang out of the speakers as Wheel of Fortune appeared on the screen.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, wishing that he would leave.

  “Well, it’s seven forty-five now,” he explained, glancing down at his watch. “So I figured I’d wait for you to get your phone call, and then I could take you back for the fireworks. They don’t start until about nine anyway.” He smiled at me again, his eyes soft, his face relaxed. He wanted to know what was going on but I could also tell he was taking extra care not to scare me. It almost worked. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but his constant questions were making me anxious.

  “I’m kind of tired. I thought I’d go to bed after I got off the phone. My mom and I talk a long time anyway. I don’t want to keep you waiting.”

  He put his feet up on the coffee table, his arms behind his head. The bottom of his sandals were dirty. “I don’t mind, really. I have a sister, I know how women can talk.”

  Ugh, how was I supposed to get rid of him? And now I’d have to clean the coffee table. “I am tired though, I’d really just like to relax and go to bed early.”

  He shook his head and chuckled. “You really aren’t going to tell me the truth, are you?”

  “I am,” I replied, falling into the chair next to the couch.

  He stood up. “Fine, but I want you to know you can trust me. I told you I would never hurt you and I won’t let anyone else either. My grandmother asked me to protect you. And I take that seriously. How can I do that when you won’t tell me the truth?” His voice was filled with emotion. He truly just wanted to help me. But I couldn’t let him in. Giving up, he nodded to me as he let himself out of the door. A few seconds later I heard his car start and drive away. Thank God.