by Kathi Daley
“Something on your mind?” Principal Remington asked as I pulled myself out of my daydream.
“Trees,” I answered. I hadn’t heard him approach. How long had he been standing there? How long had my girls been standing around gossiping instead of working out?
“Trees?”
“Really. I was thinking about the effect a single tree can have on a complex ecosystem. Did you need something?”
“Actually, I did want to speak to you about a phone call I received this morning. Can you come by my office during your prep period?”
I nodded. “Sure. I can do that. Do you need me to bring anything with me? This month’s expense report or the schedule for the ski team?”
“No, the business I want to speak to you about is unrelated to school activities.” Remington looked toward my class, many of who were sitting on the floor by this point. “Just pop by when you can. For now, I’ll leave you to it.”
“Okay,” I called to the girls. “Your break is over. Let’s head to the weight room.”
I picked up my clipboard and followed the girls from the gym into the hallway. I really did need to get a grip. I knew that I was doing what I have a tendency to do, which was to make things a lot more complicated than they needed to be. Kyle wasn’t pressuring me into setting a date. He wasn’t insisting on a timeline for the girls and me to move into his home. I’d opened the door by talking to the girls about the concept of Kyle and me marrying, but perhaps I needed to back off on the immediacy of the whole thing. The way things were now seemed to be working out just fine. During the week, I was home with the girls, but on most weekends, I spent at least one night at Kyle’s, giving us some couple time. As long as Dad was right, and Rosalie was fine with all of us living in the house, I didn’t see why our current arrangement couldn’t continue for the time being.
“Coach Jensen?”
Once again, I was abruptly pulled from my musing to find myself standing in a crowded hallway.
“The door to the weight room is locked.”
I actually felt myself blush. “Oh, sure. Sorry, I was thinking about something else.” I took the master key to all the rooms in the building that I kept on a string around my neck and unlocked the door. I’d speak to Kyle later and get his take on things. Right now, I really did need to pay attention and do my job.
Chapter 16
“You wanted to see me?” I asked, after poking my head into Greg’s office almost two hours later.
“Yes. Thank you for coming by. Have a seat.”
I did as instructed.
“I received a call this morning from Kyle. As I’m sure you know, he is working with the remaining town council members to try to get the town back in business.”
“Yes. We’ve talked about it. There are bills to pay, decisions to make, and subcontractors to manage.”
Greg steepled his fingers as he worked up to his reason for calling me into his office. “Of course, I’d heard about the bombing and the total destruction of the town hall, but I have to admit that until Kyle and I spoke, I hadn’t considered what a huge task was actually at hand. The loss of human life has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind, but the loss of the town’s files and infrastructure is likely to have an even more far-reaching effect.”
I nodded. “It really is a mess. The town is basically closed down at this point. There isn’t even a mechanism in place to pay the plow drivers should we have a big storm.”
Greg frowned. “Kyle explained that when he called this morning to ask if I would be interested in one of the three town council seats that are open. My first reaction was to be flattered to be asked, which was followed shortly after by a sense of panic at being pulled into what seems, at this point, to be a sinking ship. Don’t get me wrong. I have every confidence in Kyle to get things back on track, but I have a feeling that the town council as a whole is looking at some bumpy water before things flatten out.”
“The council does have a long and rough road ahead,” I agreed, unsure why we were having this conversation. “And I, for one, understand how important it is to find the best candidates the town has to offer to fill the empty seats.”
Greg leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. “You’ve worked for me for a number of years now. You’ve also been close to the town council and its members. Do you think I’d make a good addition to the team?”
Okay, I wasn’t expecting that, but I could somehow sense he wanted my honest answer. I took a moment to consider all the names that had been tossed around. I thought about the strengths and weaknesses of each of the names on the list and tried to gauge how each would do with such a difficult task ahead of them.
“Well,” I began. “The council is going to need someone who can commit a significant amount of time, at least in the beginning. And this school is a fairly large institution with a lot of moving parts which keeps you pretty busy, so I can see that at times you might encounter conflicts scheduling your time, but you are organized and hardworking, and if anyone can juggle two huge commitments simultaneously, I think you can. As for having the right temperament to be an asset to the community, you are fair and open-minded. You seem to really listen to what people say, and I’ve known you to consider both sides of a conflict before making up your mind. You are both creative and analytical, so yes, I think that you have a lot to offer. The position won’t be easy, but it is important. We need exceptional people to sign on. I’m not certain if you are asking me if you should consider the offer, but if that is what you are asking, then yes, at the very least, I think you should continue your discussion with Kyle and see where it ends up.”
Greg nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate your honesty. I will discuss it with my wife. I do understand the urgency of the whole thing, so I assured Kyle that I will make up my mind one way or the other by tomorrow.”
I left Greg’s office wondering if I had helped Kyle in his campaign to fill the empty seats or if I had hurt it. I supposed in the end, he needed town council candidates who were certain they wanted and were ready for the job, the same way that he deserved a fiancée who was ready and willing to get married and not waffling at every turn.
Chapter 17
Meeting with Greg had put me behind on my paperwork, so by the time I finished up and got everything turned in that needed to be turned in, it was almost time to pick up Gracie from play practice. I was so excited that she was chosen to be part of the annual event, but I would be glad when all the extra running around to take her to practice and pick her up would be over. Thankfully, Kari was in the play as well, so Jenna and I had decided to divide the carpool duties between the two of us.
“I thought I was picking up today,” I said to Jenna as I slid into the seat beside her.
“You were, but it was the first day of dress rehearsal, and I wanted to stay and watch. I texted you to let you know I could bring Gracie home if you wanted me to.”
I pulled out my phone. She had texted, but I hadn’t checked. “I was late getting off today, so didn’t check my phone.” I looked toward the stage. “The girls sure look cute.”
“They really do,” Jenna agreed. “I’m going to have to thank your dad for negotiating for Kari to be an Indian Princess instead of a tree. She was so disappointed when the original roles were cast.”
“Why do they even have trees? Can’t they build trees out of cardboard if they really feel they are necessary? I can’t imagine that any kid would actually be happy to be cast as a tree.”
“Other than the role of a tree, most of the other parts have lines to memorize. I suppose kids who want to participate but don’t want to be responsible for learning lines might welcome the chance to be a tree.”
I supposed that much was true.
“How did things go at dinner last night?”
I laced my fingers together and then unlaced them just as quickly. “Dinner was really nice. Th
e girls loved dressing up, and Kyle treated them like princesses. He let them order anything they wanted, including a Shirley Temple that was presented in a fancy glass.”
“So they’re okay with the wedding plans?”
“I didn’t say that. Ashley seems to have turned the whole thing into some sort of negotiation, and Gracie is very upset about leaving Grandpa. She has a point. He does seem to find his meaning in life from his role as caregiver to the girls.”
“Yeah,” Jenna said in a soft voice. “I can see that. I noticed a real change in his demeanor after they came to live with you and you all moved back out to the resort.”
“I spoke to my dad about it. I thought it might make me feel better, but it made me feel worse. I don’t think he was trying to make me feel worse, but I could see how bummed he was that the girls and I would be moving out at some point.”
“He must have known that would happen,” Jenna pointed out.
“Yes, I think he knew, but I also think that he is going to miss the chaos that comes with living in a multigenerational household. I guess I figured that since he and Rosalie were getting married, they’d both be happy for some alone time, but he said that Rosalie loves living in such a big family. He really seems to think she will miss us as well.”
Jenna turned to look at me. “You aren’t thinking of ending your engagement with Kyle, are you?”
“No,” I said with a conviction I really did feel. “I love Kyle. I want to marry him. I want to build a life with him. I just wish I could do that without messing up the ecosystem.”
“Ecosystem?”
“I just feel like everything is perfectly balanced as it is.” I paused. “Well, except for the two queen bees thing and I think that is my issue and my issue alone. Rosalie does seem to enjoy having the girls around, and Ashley told me that she plans to talk to Dad about turning one of the spare bedrooms into a sewing room for her and Ashley. I know how much you and Kristi enjoy sewing together. I want that for Ashley, but I hate to sew. Rosalie seems to be happy and willing to fill that void and to be honest, I am happy and willing to let her.”
“Ashley and Rosalie don’t have to live in the same house to sew together,” Jenna reminded me. “You will be moving fifteen minutes away. The girls can spend as much time at the resort as they want.”
Jenna made a good point. Maybe I really was overthinking things. “Okay, but what about Grandpa?”
“I wish I could say that it is not your responsibility to provide him a purpose in life, but I don’t actually feel that way. I think of all the obstacles you have brought up, his place in the lives of the girls is the one to really consider. Have you talked to Kyle about it?”
I nodded. “He suggested that we ask Grandpa to live with us.”
“That could be an option. And it would be nice to have an extra set of hands. Have you asked your grandpa about any of this?”
“No. He doesn’t even know that Kyle and I are engaged. I just told my dad this morning. I told him not to mention it to anyone until I have a chance to talk to Grandpa. I just wish I knew what I was going to say. I sort of feel like I only have one shot of getting it right.”
“I don’t think you are giving your grandpa enough credit. He loves you. He isn’t going to want there to be a conflict between you.”
“Maybe. But I really do want him to consider coming to live with Kyle and me, and I know if I approach it wrong in the beginning, he might decide I am just asking him out of pity and then he’ll never go for it.”
“Again, I am going to counsel you to simply be honest with him. He is an adult. You can be real with him.”
I took Jenna’s hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. “Thanks. I think I needed to hear that.”
Jenna squeezed my hand back. “That’s what best friends are for. To offer advice and moral support.”
I glanced back toward the stage where the pilgrims and the Native American’s were gathering for a feast. “They really are growing up fast.”
“They are,” Jenna sighed. “I’m going to miss this when Kari graduates elementary school.”
“I know what you mean. The events at the middle school are fine, and I know that Ashley really enjoyed the play she was in earlier this year, but the plays put on by the middle school are so much more polished. They just don’t have the heart-tugging appeal of a grade school event.” I huffed out a breath. “I guess it won’t be all that long before Ashley and Gracie are worrying about how to get on with their own lives without leaving a giant hole in mine.”
“The giant hole is a given from the moment you give birth, or in your case, are presented with custody. As a parent, I think it is up to us to find a way to fill that void without making our kids feel guilty for leaving it in the first place.”
That, I realized, was going to be easier said than done.
“Look who just walked in,” Jenna nudged me.
I turned around to see Margie Holden walk in with Brandy Baldwin. I waved at the pair, although I had to admit to feeling sort of weird about things now that Sinful Secrets had aired their dirty laundry. The women paused near the doorway leading out to the hallway of the auditorium, spoke to each other for a moment, and then headed in our direction. I imagined they’d talked things over between them and then decided to put on a brave face and approach Jenna and me.
“Margie; Brandy,” I greeted.
The women sat down directly behind us. “Tj; Jenna.” Brandy said.
“The kids sure look cute,” Jenna said, in what sounded to be a casual tone of voice.
“My middle daughter decided not to participate this year, but both my oldest daughter and my youngest are pilgrim girls,” Margie informed us.
I wanted to say something about how sorry I was about what had happened to Margie and her middle daughter, but I couldn’t think of a single thing to say that wouldn’t make things even more awkward than they already were.
“I heard that you were involved in the explosion at the town hall,” Brandy said to me.
I nodded. “That’s right. I was sitting in the back of the room, so I managed to come out of it with only minor injuries.”
“Did you know that it was Harriet behind Sinful Secrets?” Brandy asked. She seemed to be directing her question to both Jenna and me.
“No, of course, not,” I answered.
“Harriet had everyone fooled,” Jenna seconded.
“She totally destroyed my daughter’s life,” Margie said. “In fact, Carl and I are planning to move as soon as the holidays are over.”
I offered Margie a sincere look of sympathy. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for your entire family. Harriet was my friend, and I’m sad she is dead, but there really is no excuse for what she did to both of you and the people you care about.”
“Did either of you have any idea at all who was behind the hurtful blog?” Jenna asked the women.
Both women agreed that they’d had no idea, although Margie did admit that she had briefly thought it might be Helen since she had shared her deepest secret with her and the next week, everyone in town was being let in on the thing she was the most afraid of and the most ashamed of.
“I’m sorry that you were hurt in the blast, and I’m sorry that Lloyd died as a result of the blast, but I am not sad that Harriet is dead,” Margie said. “She got what she deserved.”
I really couldn’t disagree, given the hurt Harriet had caused for Margie and her family.
“When Roy came by to talk to me about the explosion and told me that Harriet not only appeared to have been the target but that she was also the one behind the blog, I simply couldn’t believe it,” Brandy said. “I simply couldn’t believe that anyone could be so mean. Outing me and the affair I’ve been having was bad enough, but telling everyone in town about Margie’s indiscretion and that Carl was not the father of the daughter he had raised si
nce birth was beyond reproach.”
Jenna and I just looked at each other. There really was nothing to say at this point.
“Do you know if Roy ever figured out who killed Harriet?” Margie asked.
“No, not yet,” I answered.
“If it was someone the witch outed, then I hope he or she gets away with it,” Brandy said.
“Harriet wasn’t the only one to die,” Jenna pointed out. “Lloyd is dead, Hank is paralyzed from the waist down, and Bookman is only just beginning to heal. I don’t disagree that Harriet may have deserved what she got, but the others who were injured were innocent bystanders. Personally, I hope that Roy does figure out who did this horrible thing for those who died or were injured but really hadn’t done anything wrong.”
Margie leaned forward slightly. “Brandy and I are outraged by what Harriet did to our families, and we have every right to be, but I do understand innocent people were killed and injured. Roy asked me if I knew of anyone other than myself, of course, who might want to harm Harriet. At the time, I mentioned the other victims of the blog, including the two of you, but he seemed to have all those names. I’ve been giving it some thought, however, and it occurs to me that perhaps he should speak to Deputy DuPont.”
I raised a brow. “Deputy DuPont?”
“I had an appointment at the bank the day before the explosion. As I mentioned before, after the facts relating to my affair were made public, Carl and I decided to move out of the area in order to try for a fresh start, and I wanted to talk to the bank about a loan to help us with moving expenses. As I was walking past the town offices, I saw Deputy DuPont standing just inside the town building. Harriet was standing directly across from him, and it appeared the two were arguing.”
“Arguing about what?” I asked. Deputy DuPont worked out of the main county office in Indulgence, and he rarely visited the Serenity office. I’d never known him to visit our small town on the North Shore of Paradise Lake recreationally, so I had to wonder why he was speaking with Harriet.
