Millie gave Joe a light pet and her hand brushed gently against Henry’s, which was also on Joe. She then shocked him by leaning up and giving him a light kiss on his left cheek. As she did, she whispered, “Thank you for a wonderful evening.” With a smile, she retreated and headed for the door.
Henry’s face instantly became flushed, and he was left speechless as he watched her leave the room.
“All right then, I’ll see you again,” she called out as if she was leaving on any other day. He listened as she pulled the door closed behind her.
Henry had always admired Millie for a myriad of reasons and held her in very high regard. However, on this special night he learned something new about her. He learned that in addition to all of her admirable qualities, Millie really knew how to make a memorable exit.
*
The following morning Henry headed downstairs feeling especially jovial. Joe was at his heels and seemed in high spirits as well. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and Henry was eager to sample some of it. As he poured himself a cup, he reflected on the previous night’s events. Yesterday had been an extraordinary day, and his dinner with Millie had been the perfect finale.
Meanwhile, Joe had seen this movie before. Yesterday Henry had neglected to give her the early morning saucer of milk she had grown accustomed to, so she decided that perhaps a reminder was in order. Before Henry could take a sip of his coffee, she rubbed against his legs and let out a loud cry just to remind him of his responsibilities.
“Are you worried I’m going to forget about you?” he asked his little companion. At that, he put down the cup and removed a saucer from the cabinet above him. Joe watched intently and decided to throw in a few more “meows” for good measure as Henry removed the milk container from the refrigerator and poured some into the saucer. Convinced now that he was indeed on his game, she sat on the floor beneath the sink in her usual spot and waited patiently like a patron in a five-star restaurant about to be served. This is more like it, she thought. Henry bent down and placed the dish before her, and she gently began to lap the cold, creamy milk daintily with her tongue. With his most important work now behind him, Henry replaced the milk carton and went back to his coffee.
He took a swallow from the cup and gazed out the kitchen window at the brilliant morning sunshine that was streaming through the leafless trees across the back yard. He loved spring. It was a time of renewal and growth. A time for hope, and right now he was feeling hopeful and excited about the future. Life was good and getting even better.
Once Joe had cleaned her saucer and Henry had filled his cup with a second round, he put on his jacket and headed out the side door with her in tow. On nice days, he liked to get outside and take walks around the place. It was a chance to look things over as well as stretch his legs. Joe, now apparently fully over her trauma from being attacked last year, seemed increasingly interested in going outside with him. She would trot ahead or lag behind but generally always stayed nearby. She too had plenty to investigate each day. Once Henry was satisfied that he had seen it all, or perhaps because his cup had emptied, he would call out to Joe and head for the house. Typically, she would come running and join him.
On this morning, however, he had become preoccupied with what appeared to be some loose shingles on the roof of the tool shed in back and had lost track of her location. When he called for her, she didn’t come. He walked back toward the house and called to Joe a couple of more times, but each request was met with silence. Finally, as he stepped onto the porch, he let out a much more assertive and loud call for her. Still, she was nowhere to be seen. It was unusual, to be sure. However, he reasoned there was no need for alarm and went inside.
Henry’s concern for Joe’s whereabouts was soon interrupted by the arrival of Millie. She entered right on time and found him in his normal spot at the island in the chair nearest the kitchen table.
“Well, good morning,” she greeted as she walked past him on her way to the hall tree at the front door. Noticing that he was studying the latest edition of the Lewis Gazette, she added, “Anything good in there?”
“Good morning to you too. No, not much,” Henry complained as she passed. “Except Jenny Watson had her baby.”
“No kidding? Ain’t that the little gal that works over at the dry cleaners?” she asked as she returned to the kitchen no longer burdened by her coat and purse.
“Yeah,” Henry confirmed. “She’s a sweet girl. Already has two others according to this.”
“Boy or girl?” she asked.
“Nine-pound four-ounce boy,” Henry reported, reading from the article.
“Holy smokes, that’s a big baby! Poor momma!” She laughed and shook her head as she poured herself a cup of coffee from the half-full pot.
“What’d they name him?”
“Emil. Emil Andrew Watson,” Henry responded.
“Emil? Man, that’s old school,” she giggled. “Must be some sort of family name, huh?”
Henry chuckled in agreement.
“You want me to warm that up?” she asked as she glanced at his cup, which was nearly empty.
“Please,” he answered, not looking up from the newspaper. He had been distracted a bit by the birth announcement he was viewing but now suddenly became more aware that there didn’t seem to be any awkwardness at all between them. He had wondered what it would be like when he saw her this morning after last night’s affair. It had been a magical evening, but he was hoping that there wouldn’t be any lingering effects that would negatively impact their relationship. Fortunately, everything seemed to be normal, and he was relieved.
Millie moved over to the table and picked up a couple of petals that had fallen from the bouquet overnight. “These sure are pretty,” she muttered to herself as she admired them.
Henry peeked over from his paper and admired the view of her from a different point of view than he ever had before. “I see you ditched the dress,” he teased as he noted she was wearing her more typical attire of blue jeans this morning.
“Yeah, didn’t want to get you worked up this early,” she shot back, sensing his playfulness. “Gotta think about your heart. After all, you’re no spring chicken.”
“Ha!” Henry fired back. After a pause and a little reflection he mumbled, “Good call.” It was a gentle confirmation that he had definitely approved of the dress, and it did indeed have an effect on him.
Millie smiled and took a sip of her coffee as she looked around the room gathering her thoughts about where to start for the day. Tuesday was her light cleaning day, and she intended to make the most of it. Suddenly, she realized that there was one very important party missing from the gathering.
“Say, where’s Joe?” she asked with surprise. It was then that she noted that the little feline hadn’t greeted her yet as was the norm when she first arrived each day.
“Good question,” Henry replied as he looked up from the Gazette. He too now was reminded of his concern for her whereabouts. “We took a walk, and she headed off somewhere,” he added. “Probably tracking down a mouse or something. I called to her a bunch of times, but she didn’t come.”
“Huh, that’s kinda funny,” Millie commented as she digested what Henry had just said. “That’s not like her. She’s usually right with you, ain’t she?”
“Yeah, normally. I guess she’s getting more confident again,” he said, referencing Joe’s former fear of the outdoors after her near-death experience the previous fall.
“Well, I guess that’s a good thing,” Millie said with a slight hint of concern. She scanned the backyard for Joe through the French doors, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll turn up soon. Probably just a little spring fever,” Henry stated, attempting to disguise his own anxiety while alleviating hers.
Throughout the day, Henry and Millie took turns sneaking glances through the windows for Joe. Henry took several impromptu walks outside, and Millie had to go to her car
on several occasions for items she needed or to look for something. Neither wanted to add to the other’s uneasiness, but secretly they were both growing quite distressed that Joe had wandered away. It wasn’t like her to do so, especially not for any length of time. The fact that she had not responded to either of their voices only increased their fears as it meant she was unwilling or possibly even unable to return for some reason.
The day seemed to drag along as the accumulating hours only emphasized that something was not right at Oak Forest. Finally, the clock indicated that it was time for Millie to head home. Even though she had delayed nearly thirty minutes past her typical departure time, there was still no sign of the little cat.
Henry had busied himself at his desk in the office and was reviewing some documents when Millie came in to say her farewell.
“All right Henry, your dinner is on the stove, and I guess I am going to go,” she said in a slightly dejected tone. She preferred to stay until Joe had reappeared but felt obligated to stick with routine.
Henry knew exactly how she felt but didn’t want to add to her angst. He smiled and said goodbye before returning his attention to his work. Once he was certain she had departed he intended to head outside and begin a comprehensive search for his pal.
Millie opened the side door to leave and was thrilled to see two icy blue eyes peering innocently up at her. Their missing family member had returned.
“Well, there you are!” she cried out as she knelt to gather up the little cat who didn’t seem to understand what the fuss was about. “Where you been, girl? You’ve had us worried sick!” she gently scolded as she nuzzled Joe under her chin. Joe instantly erupted into a purring frenzy as she too was happy to be home. Millie immediately spun and headed back toward the kitchen with her surprise. She could not wait to tell Henry that all was ok. However, Henry had been anxious to get outside to begin his search and nearly plowed into the two of them as he entered the laundry room, not realizing Millie hadn’t left yet.
“Whoa! Hey, she’s back?” Henry exclaimed, startled by the near collision but elated at the sight of Joe safely in Millie’s arms.
“Yep! How about that? Just opened the door and there she was looking up at me like nobody’s business.”
Henry took Joe from Millie and gave her a good once-over before deeming her unharmed and no worse for wear from her adventure outside. After concluding all was well, he released a deep sigh of relief and Millie continued on her way home equally relieved. It was time for Henry’s meeting with Jake, and he was extremely thankful that Joe would be attending as well.
Chapter 3
Quite a Gal
Over the course of the next several weeks, the regular routine of Oak Forest morphed into a new normal. Millie and Henry no longer ate meals alone or separately but instead regularly broke bread together at the kitchen table. In addition, Joe exhibited a far greater degree of independence than she had shown since her near-fatal encounter the previous fall. She now spent blocks of time outside patrolling the estate, exploring, or simply observing her world.
Henry felt good about both changes. He hadn’t ever put any thought into why he and Millie ate separately from each other prior to this. However, he now realized that it had created a boundary between them, and he was comfortable removing it. His meals with Millie provided conversation and companionship that he had been unaware he was missing out on. As for Joe, Henry was pleased to see her feeling so confident. He perceived it as an indication that she was strong and well, and his worries about her safety had largely evaporated because of it. She sometimes disappeared for hours now but always returned in time to attend her daily meeting with Henry and Jake.
By early April, spring had swept away the last remnants of winter and was fully in control at Oak Forest. Ample sunshine and regular showers were fueling an explosion of growth on the increasingly green landscape and in the forest canopy above. The light breeze was sweet and fresh, flavored with the scent of renewal.
Henry methodically pushed the sole of his right boot against the edge of the back of the spade and drove it into the soft earth. With each lunge, he twisted his wrists and overturned the soil to ready it for planting. This was just one of his many flower beds, which in addition to his vegetable garden, required such attention following the winter months. He paused for an instant to glance around the backyard and take in the sights, sounds, and smells before resuming his work.
It was Friday, and that meant Millie was engaged in her weekly ritual of deep cleaning the house. As a result, after having considered the weather forecast, Henry had astutely reasoned that it would be a good day for him to stay outdoors. He had put together a list of chores to accomplish and had spent the day crossing them off one by one.
The afternoon was waning, and Henry felt satisfied with all that he had achieved. He glanced at his watch and noted that it was nearing time for his meeting with Jake and Joe and so decided that enough was enough. Anything else that needed to be done could wait until another time.
Before long, he had put away his tools and Millie had gone for the weekend. She didn’t get away though without a trip back into the house to retrieve her car keys, which always proved to be elusive. Henry had observed Millie’s mental block about her keys first-hand many times and had often advised her about the advantages of placing them in one spot regularly in order to remember them. His best efforts had been for naught, and now he relished in the sport that teasing her provided. At every opportunity, he would move her keys from whichever random place she had left them to somewhere else just for fun. It had turned into a game of sorts for him, and he was amused by the fact that she had never caught on. However, the real mystery was that she had the same level of success in finding them whether he had moved them or not.
The air had become cooler now, so Henry decided to hold his meeting indoors and settled into his favorite leather recliner. His old friend Jake was in hand, and his newer friend Joe had nestled comfortably into her regular position between his right thigh and the arm of the chair. She liked it there because it was snug and warm, and it provided an opportunity for Henry to gently massage her ears, always a preferred delight. He was rather engrossed in a John Wayne movie that was on the television and nearing the end of his first drink when a knock on the front door disrupted the meeting.
“Now, who the heck could that be?” he asked Joe as he rose abruptly from the recliner. Joe wasn’t sure what was happening, but she didn’t like the interruption to the tender scratches she had been receiving. She jumped down from the chair with a mild cry of protest and watched with indignation as Henry exited the room.
Henry stepped through the kitchen and past the staircase toward the front entry. As he approached, he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a younger woman through the sidelight to the left of the front door. She must be lost, he thought. A lone female stranger at Oak Forest on a Friday evening was a first in all the years he had been there.
He unlocked the door and pulled it open, revealing a smart-looking and attractive woman on the other side of the glass. She appeared to be in her late thirties and had sandy brown hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail with a few wispy bangs framing the left side of her slightly round face. Her emerald green eyes were stunning and sparkled as she smiled at him. An empty forest green Jeep Cherokee stood in the driveway, which confirmed in his mind what he had guessed, Definitely alone and off-course. He opened the storm door and greeted the wayward traveler.
“Hello there. Are you lost?” he asked.
“Well, I suppose that depends,” she replied with a distinctly British accent. “Are you by chance Mr. Henry Engel?”
Henry was caught off guard by her question and her enunciation and stumbled on his own words just a bit. “Uh-um, yeah, I sure am. Can I help you somehow, miss?”
“I certainly hope so Mr. Engel. My name is Anne Francis Wagner, and I’ve come a long way just to see you,” she said with a sigh of relief as she confidently extended her right hand towa
rd him. Henry hadn’t noticed the New York license plates on her vehicle at first but did so now as he reciprocated and shook hands somewhat timidly with her.
“I am so very sorry to be a bother, but might I trouble you for just a few moments of your time to have a word?”
Henry wasn’t one for casual conversation with strangers. However, he could see that she represented no threat to him, and he was intrigued by her presence at his door. Therefore, he accommodated her request.
“Sure, I suppose so. Come on in,” he said as he extended the storm door to its full reach allowing her to enter the home past him.
“Thank you ever so much! I beg your pardon for my uninvited presence here, and I do hope I haven’t interrupted your dinner or anything. I promise I’ll just be a bit,” she apologized as she stepped inside.
“No, not at all, I was just having a meeting with my friends Jake and Joe when you pulled up,” he said as he motioned for her to proceed down the hall to the kitchen.
“Oh dear me, I truly am sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
Henry let out a small chuckle as Joe entered the kitchen from the family room at the same time as he and Anne were arriving. “It’s not quite what you’re thinking,” he said as he pointed toward the little cat who was curiously surveying them. “That’s Joe.”
“My goodness! What a dear little cat,” Anne exclaimed as she knelt near the table and extended her left hand toward Joe.
Henry walked past and into the other room for an instant to retrieve his glass. “And this is Jake,” he said as he held the tumbler up for emphasis upon his return.
Celebrations With Jake and Joe Page 3
