Sedona's Heart

by Sasha Fino

  “I wasn’t aware, but I don’t know that I can do anything about it, anyway, “You can help get them away from the Pig.”

  Momentarily startled, Max looked directly at her, wondering if Lexy knew about Blanche and him

  “Lexy, do you like Mrs. Burlington?”

  “Mrs. Burlington is very cool. I really like her. She’s always making us good things to eat, and she takes Kimberly to awesome places. Kimberly loves her very much.”

  “So, you are happy that I’m renting my shop to Mrs. Burlington?”

  “Dad, I was wondering something.” “And what might that be?”

  “It’s not like you to help someone like Mrs. Burlington out. Is there a reason?” Lexy asked looking him straight in the eyes

  “Lexy, I help people like Mrs. Burlington daily.”

  “I know, but why her? Is it because Kimberly and I are friends?”

  “That’s part of it, and I like her. I wanted to help her out because she was having a hard time finding a job here, and her husband is good for nothing, so they needed money. Besides, you didn’t want Kimberly to move away.”

  “That’s true, Dad. Well, I’m done with my dinner. I will be in my room if you need me,” Lexy told her father as she stood up.

  “Lexy… what if a woman were to come into our lives who was closer to my age and wanted love and companionship, not money. Suppose you got along with her well. Would you mind my marrying someone like that?”

  “Come on, Dad, you always fall for women who have no goal in life. They only want a sugar daddy to support them, and who they can fawn all over for expensive gifts and trips to Europe. I can’t stand those types of women.”

  “Your mother wasn’t like that. I admit I have made some bad choices, but that doesn’t mean all women are like that. Look at you, your teachers, the nannies, my female employees, and gym trainers. You admire Mrs. Burlington. Need I go on?”

  “All of them just want into your pants, and it is my job to protect you, like it or not,” Lexy told her dad

  “Look, Lexy, I don’t want to grow old alone!”

  “You won’t, Dad. You have me, Bill, & Horace. What more do you need? I’m not going anywhere!”

  Max decided to take it a step at a time. A trip to Italy could give Lexy a chance to get to know Blanche and see how different she was from the others. Having an older woman to occupy her dad while she and Kimberly went exploring might just do the trick. And she seemed to like Blanche

  “Tell you what,” he said, changing the subject, “I’m going to invite Mrs. Burlington and Kimberly to go to Italy with us, and I’ll see what I can do to protect them from Mr. Burlington

  “Great! Thanks, Dad!” Lexy said with joy. Max watched his daughter turn back toward the mansion. Lexy was right about the women he chose to date, but Blanche was different. He wanted to grow old beside her.

  Thursday morning came early for Kimberly. She had planned to sleep in, but at the crack of dawn, Blanche came in to wake her, and an hour later, she was sitting at Sedona’s Heart watching her aunt interview people for a waitress post. About sixteen people came to apply, and it didn’t go very well

  “Umm, thanks, I will get back to you, Patty,” Blanche told a

  smelly, longhaired hippy who horrified Kimberly

  “I need this job!” Patty begged Blanche

  “I’m sorry, but I have not made up my mind yet,” Blanche told

  her nicely, “But I can’t wait for you to make up your mind. I need a job now!” Patty told her

  “And I told you I need time to make my decision.”

  “Fine! I don’t have time to sit and wait for you to make up your damned mind. Don’t hire me!” Patty said and stomped out of The Sedona’s Heart Café; Kimberly looked at her aunt. Everyone who had come for a job interview was

  “Next time, leave me to sleep!”

  “Oh, come on! This is fun!” Blanche said in high spirits,

  “Fun? I beg to differ,” Kimberly said,

  “So, we had some bad ones.”

  “Like that guy who looked like a woman?”

  “Kimberly!” Blanche chided her. “Besides, I liked that girl named Lana, who’s looking for a summer job!”

  “Lana, the cheerleader? The cute one who won’t show up on time and will work as little as possible?” Kimberly asked her aunt

  “Kimberly!”

  “What? I am giving you my opinion. Isn’t this what you dragged me out of bed for?”

  “Okay, then who would you hire if you were me?”

  “Brad Pitt! God, he’s sexy,” Kimberly said, daydreaming about how wonderful it would be to have Brad Pitt working at The Sedona’s Heart Café.

  “Hah, I mean out of the people we just interviewed?”

  “I don’t know there was nobody I liked. We can run the shop all by ourselves,” Kimberly said

  “We need someone for Monday. This isn’t a fairy tale, Kimberly. We cannot run the shop with just the two of us. I wish we could, but on top of it all, you are underage,” Blanche said

  Just then, the front door of Sedona’s Heart opened, as a middle-aged woman walked into the shop.

  “Hello, am I late for the job interview? Oh, my, it’s you, Blanche!”

  “Marge! Long time no see, and you are not late for an interview. This is my niece, Kimberly. Kimberly this is our neighbor, Marge,” Blanche said

  “Hello!” Kimberly said pleased to meet her, remembering what Gabby had told them about Marge and her husband

  “Nice to meet you, Kimberly. So, Blanche, what are you doing here?” Marge asked as she came closer to where Kimberly and her aunt sat

  “I own The Sedona’s Heart Cafe! Why don’t you sit down?”

  “How wonderful for you to open a business,” Marge said as she sat down across from Blanche

  “Thanks, so you came for an interview?” Blanche asked her

  “Well …I need a job. I have never worked in my life. As you know, I am a housewife with two boys at college and …” Marge stopped what she saying and looked at Blanche

  “Did Gabby tell you about Dick?” Marge asked,

  “Well, I’m not going to act like I don’t know because I do know. Yes, Gabby told me, I bet she also told half of the neighborhood,” Blanche told her

  “Gabby, damn her!” Marge exclaimed as she began to cry. “Dick left me a week ago with a pack of bills to pay,”

  “Oh no, I am so sorry, Marge,” Blanche said quietly. Kimberly also felt bad for her because she once had a friend whose mother suffered the same fate.

  “I need this job badly. I am a good cook and make a great cup of coffee. I cannot do office work, so this job would be perfect for me. And it would give me great pleasure to work for you, Blanche

  Blanche and Kimberly looked at each other, their minds were made up.

  “The job is yours, Marge!” Blanche said, smiling at her.

  Chapter 17

  The limo pulled into the Heller Plaza parking lot at a quarter past noon. Max put down his newspaper and looked at Lexy, who was sitting on his left side.

  “Lexy, don’t pester the neighbors and stay out of trouble!” Max ordered his daughter. He was already counting the days until school started. A Lexy bored in the Plaza was never a good thing

  “Oh, come on, people love me!” Lexy replied in her Upton good voice, as the limo driver opened Lexy’s door for her.

  “Then why did the candy store close up shop and move away?” Max asked looking at her as they exited the limo

  “Because they were jerks!” Lexy said as she started to walk with her father to the Gallery

  “Hmm,” he raised an eyebrow at her

  “It’s true! They just got what they deserved, and their fake kids, also!” Lexy said as she remembered the snobby Whiteman’s who used to own a candy shop at the Plaza

  “Lexy! Please do me a favor and be good to the neighbors this summer!” Max begged her

  “Oh, Daddy, did you forget?”

  “Forg
et what, Lexy?” Max asked suspiciously

  “Kimberly and I will be too busy at Sedona’s Heart to get into trouble!” “Of course, Kimberly. Just make sure that you stay out of Mrs. Burlington’s way.”

  “No problem. Like I told you, I like Mrs. Burlington. She is way cool. I promise to be a very good girl and stay out of trouble.”

  “Yeah, yeah, get in the Gallery,” Max said, opening the door for them. Once in the Gallery, Max saw Bill staring out of the window at The Sedona’s Heart Café.

  “Good afternoon, Bill! Sell anything?” Max said, causing Bill to look at him. “Afternoon, boss! Not a sale yet, today. Lexy, what’s going down?” Bill asked looking at Lexy

  “Hey, Dad, look who’s here,” Lexy replied as she walked towards Bill.

  “All right! Planning to be up to no good, Lexy?”

  “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” Lexy said as she gave Bill a high-five,

  “That’s my girl! Would you do me a favor and drive away that bitch who owns the new Bath & Body Shop?”

  “Sure, what do you have in mind?” Lexy asked as Max rolled his eyes at them

  “Well, what if you…I don’t know…just go and be a pain in the ass, causing hell!”

  “OK!” Lexy said happily

  “Bill! Lexy!” Max exclaimed

  “What?” they said together

  “Lexy promised me that she would behave, not even ten minutes ago,” Max said looking at her

  “Yes, I did, Bill.”

  “That’s not fun, but I can live with it. If I end up marrying that woman, I will blame you, Max.”

  He wasn’t listening to them. He was looking out the window toward The Sedona’s Heart Café, watching Blanche set up shop and missing her. Max loved her so much, he yearned for her but was trapped between his daughter’s mistrust of women. His fear of pushing Blanche too far, too fast, and of losing her wondering if she would leave Dean for him.

  “Dad… why are you staring at The Sedona’s Heart Cafe?” Lexy questioned, calling him back to reality.”

  “There were some really hot babes lined up outside of The Sedona’s Heart Café,” Bill said with a bit of a leer in his smile

  “Shit! The interviews were this morning! I told Blanche that I would help her with them. I can’t believe I missed it!” Max yelled

  “Don’t look at me,” Lexy said

  “Man,” Max said under his breath

  “That’s what you get by sleeping in!” Lexy said

  Just then, the front door opened, and Kimberly came into the gallery, “Hey, Kimberly!” Lexy called out to her, “Hi, Lexy! Hi, Mr. Heller! Hi, Bill!”

  “Hey!” Bill replied waving his hand at her

  “Hello, Kimberly, how did the interviews go?” Max asked

  “They went well, Mr. Heller. We hired a good woman who needed a job badly.” “That’s wonderful!” Max was pleased to hear it

  “Yep, Lexy, come on. Aunt Blanche wants to show us something!” Kimberly said to Lexy

  “Great! Bye, Dad and Bill. See you later!” Lexy told them as she walked over to Kimberly who was standing by the door

  “Have fun!” Max called as they left the gallery

  Max watched the girls walk into Sedona’s Heart and turned to walk to his office and start his work for the day

  “I’m happy that Lexy has a pal to hang out with,” Bill said following Max to his desk

  “Yes. Me, too. I also think that Kimberly will be good for her.” Max said, “True, but Lexy is Lexy,” Bill reminded him.

  “You’ve got that right!”

  “I also think that you have a thing for Blanche!”

  “What! Don’t be ridiculous, Bill.” Max said, wishing that he could confide in him “Listen, Max, I wasn’t born yesterday, and I saw the way you looked at her the other day. I can’t blame you— she’s very sexy—ah, if only I was younger,” Bill said

  “Blanche is married, and I don’t have a ‘thing’ for my new tenant. Don’t put any ideas into Lexy’s head because it is not true at all.”

  “Come on, you were mad that you missed her interviews, buddy! Also, you guys seem to disappear together, from time to time.

  “Do you have work to do?” Max asked Bill, raising his eyes to him.

  “And here we go…the inaugural first pot of coffee at The Sedona’s Heart Café!” Blanche announced to her friends Max, Kimberly, Lexy, Annette, and Bill. They were crowded around a table on Friday night in celebration of her grand opening. Marge was right beside Blanche putting the coffee cups out

  “Yay!” Kimberly and Lexy said together

  “Way to go, Aunt Blanche!” Kimberly said as she clapped her hands together.

  “Congrats Blanche! I will go get the sandwiches we made,” Marge said with

  a smile on her face as she walked back into the kitchen.

  Blanche had never known such a feeling of pride or of belonging.

  She looked around the shop knowing that she had strong,

  supportive friends and that she’d never be alone, again “Holy cow pore me a cup of coffee right now. It smells great!”

  Bill told her Max just smiled at her and she returned his smile,

  wondering what the

  future held for them

  Blanche poured Max, Marge, and Bill cups of coffee. Kimberly

  and Lexy opted for Coke. Marge passed sandwiches around. “Cheers to Sedona’s Heart and to news friends! We are ready to

  open the shop come Monday morning,” Blanche said once

  everyone was seated

  “Cheers!” Everyone responded and clinked their coffee cups After everyone left, and the lights were turned low casting

  shadows. Inviting intimacy, Max and Blanche retreated to her

  small office, next to the kitchen, and indulged in some cuddles

  and kisses. She felt like a schoolgirl, stealing the first kiss before

  her parents came home. Max laid his head against her nude

  breast.

  “Blanche… I love you!” Max said in a deep, throaty voice of

  desire. Blanche was moved and guilt-ridden at the same time.

  Kimberly was enjoying this Friday night to herself with the TV remote and a big bowl of popcorn. She loved that Uncle Dean wasn’t here. She had invited Lexy to stay and hang out, but Lexy was tired and ready to go home. Kimberly found it odd that her aunt was still at the shop at this hour. She’d been back two hours already. Kimberly had her suspicions that something might be going on between Max and Aunt Blanche, and she wondered if Lexy had picked up on it, too. If her suspicions were correct, it would be pure hell if Lexy and Uncle Dean found out

  She heard the back door open, hoping to god that it wasn’t her uncle Dean. She didn’t want to turn to see who was at the door “Kimberly, I’m home,” Blanche called out to her

  Kimberly was relieved that Blanche was home, but decided she

  should confront her

  “Aunt Blanche, where were you? I thought that you were right

  behind us,” Kimberly said, noting that Blanche’s shirt was open

  further than it had been earlier that evening and her hair was a

  little disheveled

  “Max and I were talking and lost track of time, then I had to

  lock up the shop,” Blanche replied, setting her purse down on the

  living room table. “Is Uncle Dean home yet?”

  “No,” Kimberly said and decided to make the leap

  “Great, I can take a bath before he…”

  “Are you and Max having an affair?” Kimberly burst out before

  Blanche could finish what she was saying. Blanche was taken

  aback.

  “What?”

  “You heard me, are you with him?”

  “It’s not something we should be discussing,” Blanche said in a

  low voice “Yes, it is. Besides the fact that Max is my best friend’s

  father, if Uncle Dean finds out, we will both suffer
the

  consequences!”

  “Kimberly, we are just friends. That’s all.”

  “Aunt Blanche, your shirt buttons are open further than they

  were earlier, and your hair is mussed.”

  “I turned off the air conditioner after everyone left, Kimberly.

  The shop became hot.”

  Kimberly looked at her in disbelief. She knew she was lying. “You know, Aunt Blanche, I am the only person in this world

  who has your back and sides with you whenever hell breaks loose.

  I’m not a child anymore. In school, they tell us that in many

  cultures, I would be an adult with tending a baby. You are the only

  one I had in all the world! If something happened to you, I would

  go into foster care. So, your decisions affect me, too.”

  Aunt Blanche’s eyes misted up. “Yes, I have been seeing Max

  since the night of the fundraiser at your school. It is time you

  knew about it,” Blanche confessed, coming to sit next to Kimberly.

  They talked for over an hour, and Blanche shared many of her

  deepest thoughts

  “Aunt Blanche, your secret is safe with me,” Kimberly told her “Thanks, Kimberly. If you feel it is necessary, I am giving you

  permission to tell Lexy. But I don’t want you to jeopardize your

  friendship with Lexy over this. It is between Max and me, not you

  and Lexy.”

  “If Lexy is truly my friend, then she will understand. She may

  even be relieved that Max won’t be bringing home any more

  bimbos! If she doesn’t like it, then that’s that. Friends come and

  go, but family lasts forever.”

  Blanche reached out to hug her. Just then, the door opened,

  and she knew that Uncle Dean was home

  “What are you two doing?” Dean barked, shutting the door

  Kimberly could tell that he was really drunk

  “It’s just girl talk, Dean,” Blanche told him. “I thought you were

  coming to our preopening party tonight.”

  “Why would I go to that damned party?”

  “Because you’re my husband.”