Taking a deep breath and holding it, she knocked on the door.
Mavis opened it. “Yes, can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m Beatrice Lulu Eberhardt, from next door. I apologize for intruding on you yesterday, and brought you this.” She held the cake out. “It’s a chocolate cake.”
Mavis ignored the cake. “That’s very kind of you, but Harry’s got celiac disease and I’m allergic to chocolate.”
“Batting a thousand. I’m so sorry. Obviously, I didn’t think about allergies or diseases.” Beatrice Lulu lowered the cake and turned to leave.
“Please, won’t you come in? It was a very nice gesture, both last night and today.”
Flowers, that’s it, she’d send flowers. But first, she’d better make sure neither of them had allergies to flowers. Maybe a green plant would be more appropriate? Beatrice Lulu followed Mavis inside.
Expecting to see boxes stacked in every room, she was surprised to see how organized everything was. It looked as if they’d lived there forever. Crystal glasses and exquisite china lined the shelves of the cabinets on either side of the window seat. Splashes of color popped from the cushions. A long mahogany table sat in the center of the room surrounded by Chippendale chairs covered in a rich burgundy damask. Certainly, not what Beatrice Lulu expected. Elegant, yet comfortable.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” Mavis led Beatrice Lulu into the kitchen.
“I don’t want to interfere with your unpacking, although it looks like you’re about done.”
“Not at all. Harry and I stayed up most of the night to finish. Nothing I hate worse than waking up to boxes all over the house. I hate clutter.”
“I really should be going. I have dinner to make, but I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.” Beatrice Lulu caught sight of the living room through the other door in the kitchen. Art Deco armchairs upholstered in velvet embossed sage green sat on either side of a fireplace. Too bad she couldn’t see the rest of the room.
Obviously, the fireplace was the focal point of the room with its large mahogany mantle above the Carrara marble and stainless firebox. Pumpkin walls with cinnamon carpet gave a warm feeling to the elegant room.
Not exactly Beatrice Lulu’s taste, preferring bright bold colors, but Mavis had a flair for decorating, or a very good interior designer. Bit swanky for the neighborhood.
“Thank you.” Mavis extended her hand to Beatrice Lulu. “I’m sorry if I came off as rude yesterday. It was just there was so much to do, and I make it a practice never to invite anyone in if the house is in disorder. I’m sure you understand.”
“Oh yes, of course. You have a beautiful home. I’ve always loved this house. It was a shame it sat empty so long. I hope there weren’t a lot of repairs.”
“Actually, no there wasn’t. Just a few modifications Harry and I decided to make. Painting and that kind of thing. Nothing major, thank goodness.”
***
“Mark, Stanley, come set the table for dinner,” Bea called from the kitchen. Mark hadn’t come out of his room since she’d come back from next door. Ed said he still hadn’t told him what the problem was and even declined his snack.
Stanley pulled the plates from the cupboard, whistling a familiar tune. Bea couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but that was nothing new. Names of songs wasn’t her forte. “You’re in a good mood, good day?”
“Very, I talked to coach today and he encouraged me to come out for basketball. Said he’d like to see me play baseball, too, and maybe run track.”
“Wow, that’s great. Are you up for all that?” Bea took the pot of chili from the stove and poured it in a tureen. “You’re not biting off more than you can chew, are you?”
“Nah, it’s not like I’ll be doing it all at once. Basketball season is first, then baseball and track might overlap a little, but since Mr. Bunker coaches all three, he’ll make sure practices, games, and meets don’t conflict.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re getting involved. Maybe you’ll even get a scholarship.”
“Not sure about that, but I’m looking forward to it. Basketball practice starts in a couple of weeks.”
“Mark, would you get the sour cream and cheese out of the fridge?”
Mark finished setting the silverware and went to the fridge.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight, everything okay?”
Mark shrugged.
“You know you can tell me and Uncle Ed anything, don’t you?”
“I got in trouble at school.”
“What happened?” Bea gave Mark her full attention.
“The Fat boys were picking on me, and I punched one of them.”
“The fat boys?”
“Roger and Richard.”
“Roger and Richard are fat?”
“No, that’s their last name.”
“Oh.” Bea sat on the kitchen stool, heart pounding. Oh no, surely everyone wasn’t right about the boys being trouble. “Why were they picking on you?”
“Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does matter. If someone’s picking on you, Uncle Ed and I will talk to their parents.”
“No! You don’t need to do that.”
“No one’s going to talk to anyone’s parents.” Ed came in the kitchen. “But we do need to know what this is about.”
“Tell them, Mark.” Stanley sat on the stool next to Bea.
Mark shook his head.
“Dinner’s ready, let’s eat. Ed, would you bring the crackers?” Bea carried the chili to the table. “We’ll talk after dinner.”
After dinner and the dishes were cleared away and the dishwasher started, Ed took the boys into the living room. Bea came in with a tray of hot chocolate and coffee.
“It’s time to tell us what’s going on, Mark.” Ed took a cup of coffee, sipped it, and leaned forward. “You can trust us, but we’ve got to know what’s going on.”
“Roger and Richard were taunting and pushing me, saying I’d be too much for you to handle. They said nothing good can come of a runway, and that I was going to be nothing but trouble.” Mark turned away and swiped at his eyes. “Now I’ve gone and proved them right. I shouldn’t have punched them, but they made me so mad.”
“Uncle Ed and I wouldn’t have taken you in if we thought you’d cause us trouble. You have to ignore comments like that.” For two cents, Bea would march over to the Fat house and give their parents a piece of her mind. The boys must have heard it from them. Seemed to be the consensus all over town. Enough was enough. She had to put a stop to this talk. All she had to do was figure out how.
Ed gave her a look, and she knew his meaning well. No, she wouldn’t go see the Fats. Besides, she’d promised. Mark wouldn’t tell them anything if they didn’t keep their word. “Next time someone says something about us taking you in, you tell them at least we chose you.” Bea stood and gave Mark a hug. “How about watching some TV?”
“Thanks, Aunt Beatrice Lulu.” Mark gave her a shy smile. “I don’t care what anyone says. I like being here. I won’t fight any more, I promise.”
“Good.” Bea grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. “Let’s see if we can find something appropriate to watch.” She scrolled through the guide. “Last Man Standing, anyone up for that?”
“Works for me,” Mark said.
“I still have some homework to finish, so I’m going to my room.” Stanley got up from the couch. “Thanks for understanding Mark’s problem. I told him you would.”
Bea settled on the couch next to Ed and snuggled close. Gosh, it was great having a family. She already loved these boys as if they were her own. Life was more complete with them here.
***
“What time do you think you’ll be at the rescue center, Ed?” Bea found her oldest jeans and sweatshirt. Without Ed to help this morning, more than likely she’d be out in the pens. Not that she minded, she’d gotten used to being around the dogs, even cleaning them out. She actually enjoyed walking them.
&n
bsp; “Hard to say. How long does it usually take for an eye exam? Depends how many patients are ahead of me, too. I’ll be there when I get there.” Ed hugged her. “Even in those old jeans and sweatshirt, you’re the prettiest woman I ever met.”
Bea kissed him. He could still make her blush. Sometimes she felt giddier than a school girl. Ed had that effect on her. God, she loved that man. What he saw in her she still couldn’t figure out. A sweeter, kinder, gentler man she’d never known. Not even her father, the man she’d always compared every man to. That’s why she’d remained an old maid for so long. No one could live up to her daddy. Not until Ed, that is. Lived up to and surpassed him.
She walked with Ed to her car. “I’ll see you later. Depending on the time, do you want to bring us lunch?”
“Sure, but it might not be that late. Unless you want cold sub sandwiches. I doubt I’ll be much more than an hour.”
“Cold sub sandwiches sound great. I’ll see you later, love you.” Bea kissed Ed’s cheek. More than that, they might end up back in the house. Things had gotten a little awkward since the boys moved in. Maybe they ought to finish the upstairs and move the boys up there, instead of the guest room. It’d be much bigger for them and give everyone more privacy. She’d discuss it with Ed later.
“Two more dogs are sick,” Louise said when Beatrice Lulu walked in. “We really need to figure out why.”
“Which ones?”
“Thor and Brutus. They went to the vet yesterday. Doctor Johnson even sent the vaccinations out to be tested, to make sure there wasn’t anything wrong with them. Although none of his other patients got sick, just ours. It has to be something here.”
Bea shook her head. If only they could figure it out. The only ones who had constant contact with the dogs was Adam, Louise, and Jill. Everyone else volunteered on different days. Surely, Adam or Jill weren’t giving the dogs something to make them sick. She’d have to keep her eyes open. “Ed couldn’t be here this morning, but he’ll be in later. Is Ethel here yet?”
“No, she hasn’t come in yet.”
“Tell me where you need me. I wore old clothes, figuring without Ed, you’d be short-handed.”
“Go on out and help Adam feed them. Tell him I said to start hosing the pens down. And thanks, I need the extra hand today.”
“No problem.” Bea turned to leave and Ethel came in. Now she’d see if her sister talked to Louise about Bruno.
“Hey,” Ethel said and nodded at Bea. “Louise, do you have a minute? I need a favor.”
Good she was going to ask. Bea went into the kennel. No reason to stand and listen. Besides, there was a lot to do.
Ethel found her a couple of minutes later. “Louise said it’s okay to keep Bruno here, unless she needs his pen. So far, no dogs coming in next week, but that’s subject to change. Come on, I’ll show him to you.” Ethel linked arms with Beatrice Lulu, almost causing her to spill the dog food. Another clean-up they didn’t need.
Bea filled Ethel in on the sick dogs while they walked to Bruno’s pen. Rare to get a full-bred German Shepherd in a rescue. “Do you know anything about this dog? Why it’s here? Who owned it before? What about its temperament?”
“Greg asked all those questions. I believe an older couple gave him up, husband’s in a wheel-chair, wife had to go back to work and they couldn’t take care of him anymore. That’s about all I know.” Ethel stopped before Bruno’s pen, reached her hand in and pet the top of his head. “There he is, isn’t he a beauty? Hey Bruno, pretty soon you’re going to have a new home.”
“Never would have pictured you with a dog this big.”
Ethel laughed. “Well, we’re even, because I never pictured you with a dog at all.”
“So true.” Beatrice Lulu didn’t care for big dogs. Champ was bigger than she’d like. Not to mention the shedding. Keeping her house clean was going to be a full-time job. Another job for the boys. After all, it was their dog who did the shedding. Bixby didn’t shed at all. What the heck was she going to do with a dog this size in the house? Ed would be in his glory, no doubt about that. Good thing, because no way was she walking that monster.
Before she finished feeding the dogs, Ed showed up. “Louise said I could put the subs in the refrigerator. Are you almost done feeding?”
“Just about, only a couple more dogs to go, and I’m not sure if I should feed them.”
“Why?”
“Thor and Brutus are sick. I’d hate to make it worse. Maybe Louise should make them some chicken and rice.” They approached the dog pens. Poor things stood in the far corner and didn’t even come near them. “Thor’s new, isn’t he?”
“I’ve never seen him before. Must have come in yesterday. He’s a beauty. Wonder what breed he is.”
Bea looked at the note on the pen. “He’s a Saint Dane. Part Saint Bernard, part Great Dane. Wow, what a combination. He is pretty, though, I’ll admit that.”
Thor stood and wobbled over to them. Poor thing. Ed put his hand through the pen and rubbed his back. “This guy’s huge.”
Even on all fours he came up to Ed’s chest and Ed stood six foot. Bea shuddered. The thought of a dog like that in her house made her cringe. “Don’t get no bright ideas, mister. Two dogs are more than enough, thank you, very much.”
Ed laughed. “Don’t worry, honey pot. Even I couldn’t imagine a dog that size in our house.”
Bea chose a couple of small dogs to walk and Ed picked out two medium sized dogs. Walking was great exercise. It energized her. It had only been a short time, but already she thought she lost weight. At first, she thought it was her imagination. But then she noticed her clothes getting looser. Even these jeans, which used to be quite snug, hung on her. If it wasn’t for her belly holding them up, they’d probably fall off. One of the rewards of walking dogs, maybe she’d end up with slender figure. The thought made her laugh. She’d never been thin. Not even in her younger days. True, she’d been a lot thinner than now.
“What are you grinning about?” Ed took her hand with his free hand.
“Just thinking about the benefits of walking.”
“You mean like losing weight?”
“Yes, how did you know? Have you lost any?”
“Nope, but I noticed you did.” Ed pulled her toward him and hugged her. “You’re even prettier than when I met you.”
Bea reached up and kissed him. “That reminds me. I think we should finish the upstairs bedroom. Make it into two rooms and finish the bathroom up there for the boys. It’ll give everyone more privacy.”
“Why honey pot, that’s an excellent idea. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Well, it has been a little awkward since the boys moved in. I mean, well, I just don’t feel right, you know.” Heat burned Bea’s face, and she looked away.
“You’re pretty when you blush.”
Bea hit his arm. “Go on with you.”
“I’ll start on those bedrooms right away. The sooner the better. I think the boys will feel better, too. They’ll know we really want them.”
After they put the last dog in the pen, they walked back to the office. Neither of them had discovered anything about why the dogs were sick. At least Thor and Brutus looked a little better when they left. Poor things. “I’ve got to stop at the store on the way home. I shouldn’t be long.”
“Okay, I’ll stop and pick up the boys.” Ed leaned down and kissed her.
Bea pulled into the parking lot of Walmart and hurried inside. A quick walk through to hair products, and she’d be on her way. That is, if she wore blinders. There was always something she needed. Hurrying through the grocery section, pizza caught her eye. Great idea for dinner, quick and easy, and she’d bet anything the boys would love it.
Mavis Davis stood next to the pizza counter, looking at the cheese. “Hi, Mavis. How are you?”
“Beatrice…Lulu is it?”
“Yes, that’s it. Can I help you with something?”
Mavis shook her head. “No thanks, sometimes
I just get a taste for something different.” Mavis pointed to the pizza. “Of course, Harry can’t have it.”
“Can’t you get a small one and make it for yourself? I mean, do you have to eat everything Harry eats?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ve never even ordered things he can’t have at a restaurant. It’s cruel to eat something in front of him that would make him sick.”
Bea touched Mavis’s arm. “Okay, fix Harry’s dinner, then come to my house. We’re having pizza tonight. You’re more than welcome to join us.”
Mavis pulled away and brushed her sleeve as if there was dirt on it. “No, thanks anyway.”
“If you change your mind, you know where we live.” Beatrice Lulu looked across the aisle. That looked like the Fats. “You probably heard by now we’ve got two teenage boys living with us.”
“Um…” Mavis fumbled with her purse. “Yes, I did hear that.”
“I figured as much. Small town and all. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. I suppose you’ve heard the consensus is my husband and I have bitten off more than we could chew. Most people think because the boys ran away, they’ll be nothing but trouble.” Beatrice Lulu raised her voice more with each sentence.
“They couldn’t be more wrong. The boys are a delight. Well behaved, well mannered, help around the house, and get good grades. Unfortunately…” Beatrice Lulu paused for effect. “The rumor has been spread among our young people. Some people think they can tell their kids anything, or don’t care if their kids overhear conversations.” By now the anger surfaced. Beatrice Lulu gritted her teeth as she spoke. “A couple of kids taunted Mark at school, telling him he’d be nothing but trouble and too much for us to handle.”
“I’ve got to go,” Mavis finally got a word in edgewise and turned to leave.
“Mark’s very sensitive.” Beatrice Lulu stepped in front of Mavis. She wasn’t about to let her go. Not when she had an audience. And no doubt, the Fats were listening. “He lost his parents and grandmother in a relatively short time, went to live with an uncle who didn’t know a thing about children, let alone teenage boys. Poor guy feared them. Because of that, he took a hard stance with them. Not to mention he went out of town too often and left the boys alone.” A quick glance told her she had the complete attention of the Fats. Good, maybe they’d shut their boys up once and for all.
Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained Page 13
