Family by Design

by Bonnie K. Winn

  Back downstairs, Chrissy checked on Lillian, who produced a roll of Life Savers, then companionably offered one to the girl. Maddie’s worry eased a fraction. They were an unlikely pair, but Chrissy had latched onto Lillian. And Lillian responded in a way that made her seem a little more like her old self. If a stranger were to drop in at that moment, they might suppose that Lillian was fine. An incredible blessing.

  Nearly as remarkable was the coming together of her shop. The shelves that Seth’s carpenter built were exactly as she had envisioned. Apothecary jars filled with her own blends mingled with classics like Earl Grey that she had recently ordered. Tea shops were on the rise just as coffeehouses had once boomed. So her suppliers carried enough varieties to please anyone she could imagine.

  Seth had built out her mother’s nook perfectly. It wasn’t far from the fireplace he had unearthed. And with plenty of room to pull up extra chairs, Lillian could interact with customers and friends. And next to that space was the one designated for the children’s tables. The more she’d thought about it, the more Maddie wanted to offer tea parties for the younger set. She had already planned on carrying a line of sodas and other drinks as well as tea. And on the final menu, she had included kid-friendly sandwiches and desserts.

  Among the teapots and mugs, Maddie had interspersed smaller versions for the children. As a young girl, she’d prepared many a tea party for her parents, friends, dolls and stuffed animals. She wasn’t certain little girls still enjoyed having tea parties, but she gave in to the whimsy. If they caught on, she planned to offer “dress up” costumes and cake for birthday celebrations, the ultimate little girl’s tea party.

  Maddie glanced at her favorite purchase, a gleaming French 1940s iron-and-gilt rope three-tier tea cart, which would soon be filled with pastries and delicate sandwiches. Samantha had helped her find it online. Afraid that the cart might break in the shipping, Maddie had been delighted to see that all three glass shelves arrived intact, the frame unbent. But what was that sitting on the top tier?

  Her menu? But it wasn’t just a copy of her finalized menu. Framed in dark cherrywood, matted to match the ink, this was a piece of art. Instantly she remembered something J.C. had said after he’d admired the line sketches she had drawn on the menu. When the menu is all set, you need to put up a framed copy. She glanced again at the cart, but there was no note, no indication of how the piece had been delivered.

  Easing her fingers over the delicately scrolled frame, Maddie wondered. And held on to a wish she had no business courting.

  J.C. stopped by the Wagner Hill House after his hospital rounds a few evenings later. His last patient was an elderly man with rapidly advancing dementia. Reminded of Lillian, his thoughts turned far too easily to Maddie. The previous evening he had dreamed of Maddie and Owen Radley. Amy wove her way in between the two and his dream launched into a full-fledged nightmare. Although he carried the mistakes of his past with him every day, they hadn’t enveloped him like this since his divorce.

  Pushing open the front door, he noticed it wasn’t locked. But the shop area was dark, the workers all gone. Last person out probably just forgot to lock it. Having grown up in a house that never had locked doors, it didn’t bother him. Baylor Med in Houston had taught him that that wasn’t a safe practice in the city, but this was Rosewood.

  J.C. shifted the box he held and flipped on the light over the stairwell along with the second-floor hall light. Only days away from fully moving in, he wanted to see the final product. With most of their stuff packed, Chrissy was staying with Maddie and Lillian this last week until the move. From what he could get out of his niece, she seemed to like her new room.

  The doors to both apartments were closed but not locked. Pushing open the one to his place, J.C. deposited the box on the dining room table. The living room was dotted with color, a far cry from his beige apartment.

  Glancing past the kitchen, he saw that the doors were gone from the old butler’s pantry. Curious, he switched on one of the lamps. Tucked into the spot was a scaled-down but complete study. Although accustomed to doing his paperwork on whatever bit of space was available on the coffee table or kitchen counter, he had needed a home office for years.

  J.C. ran his hands over the smooth beech surface of the desk. What could have been a dark hole was light because of the wood and glass choices Maddie had made. Why had she taken the time and trouble to convert the butler’s pantry to a work area for him?

  His mind full, J.C. ambled out into the hall. He intended to enter only his own apartment, but his fingers closed around the doorknob of Maddie’s place. Swinging open the door, he was met with silence. What had he expected? Maddie? Waiting for him to just stumble by? Feeling ridiculous, he turned to go.

  Click.

  It was a quiet sound, nearly inaudible. Had he imagined it? J.C. listened again.

  Nothing.

  A footstep whispered in the dining room close by. Must be Maddie. Not completely sure whether he wanted to run into her, he hesitated. Remembering how he had scared her before, J.C. flipped on the light switch, blinking at the sudden change.

  Eyes focusing, they landed on the last person in the world he expected to see. Owen Radley. “What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Owen countered.

  J.C. angled his head in disbelief. “I don’t think so.”

  Owen’s eyes narrowed into ugly lines. “Unless you own the place—”

  “Actually, I do.”

  Owen didn’t like being crossed and didn’t mind showing it. “You don’t own Maddie Carter.”

  J.C. felt a tic in his jaw and forced himself to be still. What was Owen implying? That he had a hold on Maddie?

  Owen stood his ground, his posture and gaze a clear challenge.

  J.C. didn’t have a claim to Maddie, but he didn’t have to allow Owen in the place. “I was just locking up.”

  Owen frowned, obviously resenting J.C.’s tone. Instead of replying, he pushed past J.C. and out the door.

  Staring after him, J.C. wondered if Owen and Maddie … She had never said anything about him, still … The other man’s attitude implied that Maddie was his business. He glanced at the short distance in the corridor between their apartments, and hated the sinking in his gut that told him he would learn soon enough.

  Moving day was exhausting, but at the same time exhilarating. No longer running between Wagner Hill and the Carter home, Maddie would be able to devote more time to her shop, get it ready for her grand opening day. There wasn’t that much left to do, but she wanted to make it perfect.

  Even though friends were helping, J.C. had hired some men to carry the heavy furniture up the stairs. Maddie asked them to set up the beds first, including the extra twin bed in her own room that was for Chrissy whenever she stayed over. By the end of moving day, Maddie wanted to be certain every one was able to sleep in his or her own bed.

  Lillian was at Samantha’s for the day because the stress of the move would be overwhelming. Maddie hadn’t purchased any new furniture for their apartment, intending to set it up to resemble their home. Familiarity in their surroundings was important with Lillian’s dementia. Blessedly, her mother still recognized her own home and possessions.

  While the movers left to take a short break, Maddie quickly put sheets on all the beds, then added blankets and pillows. Nothing worse at the end of a grueling moving day than to find they were camping out instead of curling into their beds. As a final touch, she plumped the small heart-shaped pillow that her father had given her mother on their first anniversary.

  “What’s that?” Chrissy asked.

  Startled, Maddie whirled around. “I didn’t hear you come in. Whew! Um, this? It’s a special pillow Mrs. Lillian likes to put on her bed.”

  “Oh.”

  “Is everything going all right at your end?”

  Chrissy shrugged. “I guess.”

  “How about your room?” Maddie had drawn a scaled sketch of just where ev
erything should be arranged so J.C. could tell the movers.

  A sliver of interest pricked the girl’s eyes. “It’s okay.”

  “Need any help?”

  “Nah.”

  “I’m planning to come over and make sure everything is set up right once all the furniture is delivered. That okay with you?”

  The resolute lines in Chrissy’s face eased. “Yeah.”

  She was trying so hard to be all grown up, but she was just a little girl. Impulsively, Maddie smoothed her ponytail. “I’m excited about being neighbors.”

  Chrissy snubbed the toe of her shoe at the floor. “Where’s Mrs. Lillian?”

  “She’s at my friend Samantha’s. You’ve met her.”

  “When will she be back?”

  “Later today after the movers have gone.”

  Relief flashed in the child’s eyes. “Good.”

  “My feelings exactly.”

  Chrissy lifted her face, her expression a trifle less guarded. “Does she like going to Samantha’s?”

  “Yes, but when she’s tired she likes to be home. That’s why I wanted to finish her bedroom first.”

  “How come you didn’t get new furniture?”

  If only life were that uncomplicated. “What we had is fine.”

  Chrissy scrunched her forehead in concentration. “The apartments are way different.”

  “Because people are different,” Maddie explained. “My mother is comfortable in the furniture she picked out years ago. She’ll have lots of new to get used to down in the shop.”

  “Oh.”

  Maddie glanced at her watch. “Are you getting hungry?”

  Chrissy shook her head.

  The child never wanted to eat. “What about your uncle?”

  “I dunno.”

  Maddie needed to continue putting things away, but Chrissy had to eat some lunch. “Why don’t we go check?”

  Chrissy didn’t reply, but she followed Maddie across the hall. Poking her head into the kitchen, Maddie felt a tap on her shoulder and let out a squeal before she saw that it was J.C. “You gave me a start.”

  J.C.’s expression flickered.

  Instantly, she wondered if he, too, was remembering their encounter on the night they crashed into the fireplace.

  “Looking for me?”

  “Yes.” Realizing she sounded breathless, Maddie calmed her voice. “Chrissy should eat some lunch.”

  J.C. pointed to the dining room table. “Ordered from the café. Just sandwiches and chips.”

  Maddie felt unreasonably nervous around him. “Then I’ll leave you to it.”

  “I ordered enough for all of us.”

  “Oh.” She noticed three paper drink cups, as well. The chairs were scattered around the spacious table and she was suddenly very glad that the old apartments were so large. Unlike most new ones, these had been built when families gathered around the table for every meal. So the dining room wasn’t an abbreviation linked to the living room. Instead, there was plenty of room for them to spread out. Which Maddie did, taking the chair at the far end of the table.

  “We’ve got ham and cheese, roast beef and pimento cheese,” J.C. told her.

  “Anything’s fine.” Maddie directed her attention to Chrissy. “What’s your favorite?”

  Predictably the child shrugged.

  J.C. handed Chrissy a sandwich. “Ham and American cheese with mayo on plain white bread.” Then he offered Maddie the other two sandwiches.

  “Really, I don’t care.”

  “You choose.”

  He seemed to be challenging her. Deciding she must be overly tired from not sleeping the previous night and imagining things, she opted for the pimento cheese. But J.C.’s eyes remained on her as she unwrapped the sandwich. Her own appetite dried up under his scrutiny. Chrissy glanced sideways at her, so Maddie made an effort. Although the pimento cheese sandwich was tasty, she felt as though she was trying to swallow cardboard. Unaccustomed to the intensity in his gaze, she wondered what could have caused it. Sipping soda from her cup, she tried to wash down the bite of sandwich. “Just think, not too long and we’ll have cucumber sandwiches and tea right downstairs.”

  Chrissy looked at her blankly.

  “Not just cucumber,” Maddie rushed to explain and fill in the awkward silence. “We’ll have all kinds of sandwich fillings. And pastries. And tea, of course.” Both J.C. and Chrissy stared at her. “All kinds of teas,” she ended lamely. She needed a bracing cup of her strongest blend. What was up with J.C.? Fiddling with the chips, she wished someone or something would fill the yawning void of silence.

  “Eat your sandwich,” J.C. instructed.

  Maddie’s head whipped up, but she saw that he was speaking to Chrissy who had taken only one bite.

  “I’m not hungry,” she complained.

  “Probably because we forgot to bless the food,” Maddie blurted, needing the prayer that began all her meals. Needing the Lord’s guidance to get her through this unknown minefield. “J.C.?”

  Hesitating only a few moments, he set his sandwich on the table, then clasped his hands together. “Dear Lord, please let us be thankful for this nourishment. May it strengthen us in all ways and fortify our resolve. In the name of your son. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Maddie echoed.

  But Chrissy didn’t join in. Maddie wondered if the child had been counseled by their pastor, if she was receiving the comfort of fellowship. Her own connection to the Lord was what had gotten Maddie through losing her father. She missed going to church. After Lillian’s first stroke, Maddie had tried to continue taking her to worship services. But Lillian’s attention wandered and often she forgot why they were there, speaking aloud during the sermon or prayers. The pastor visited weekly, but it wasn’t the same as being part of the loving body of worshippers.

  J.C.’s cell phone rang, sounding especially loud. “Hello.” He listened for a few moments. “Right here.” He handed the phone to Maddie.

  “Hello?” She heard Sam’s voice and felt some of her tension dissipate. “Is Mom okay?” Listening to Sam’s assurances, she sneaked a glance at J.C. and realized he was listening. Sam offered to keep Lillian entertained as long as needed. “You’re sure? Okay, then. We’ll be ready for her by evening.”

  “She’s going to be gone all day?” Chrissy questioned.

  “Well, until things are a little more settled.”

  “You expect to get everything settled by tonight?” J.C. quizzed. The words were tame enough, but the undertones in his voice were anything but ordinary.

  What was he getting at? It seemed the walls of the large apartment were shrinking, boxing her in. Swallowing, Maddie wished she could set time back. Back before they had found the fireplace. Back before the kindness in his eyes had turned to distrust.

  Chapter Nine

  Maddie worked like a madwoman to get every last knickknack in order. Lillian was fine with the new apartment, for the most part not realizing she was in a different place. She wondered at the elevator every time they used it, but that, too, was forgotten quickly.

  Once Lillian had gotten to the apartment on moving day, Chrissy seemed to relax. Maddie knew the child felt that every thing she had or wanted was always taken away, so Lillian’s reappearance was an apparent comfort. While the duo played checkers or rearranged the large dollhouse that had been Maddie’s as a child, she was able to concentrate on final details in the shop. Her grand opening was set for Friday and Saturday. Not that she expected it to be all that grand, but it was the official kickoff.

  In choosing the days, she wanted stay-at-home moms to be able to stop by on Friday because many of them spent Saturdays with their husbands. For people who enjoyed coming downtown on Saturdays, she hoped her new sandwich-style advertising board that sat on the sidewalk would entice the crowd. The fair weather held and she placed inviting tables outside beneath the aged elms that lined Main Street.

  By Friday, Maddie felt like a child on Christmas morning. Would people res
pond to this different sort of shop? Had she gone overboard on the old-world café look? Did people in Rosewood even drink tea? The sandwiches would be made to order, but she’d baked long into the night to prepare the pastries, petits fours and tiny cakes. Now, she looked at them as though alien invaders filled the glass-fronted display case. What had she been thinking? What man would want one of the delicate little jam tarts? Or mincemeat tartlets? She pictured large manly hands trying to grasp them and decided the whole idea was insanity.

  Brewing fresh coffee for non-tea drinkers, she set out small pitchers of rich cream as well as vintage salt cellars filled with sugar. A curiosity, that’s what her shop would be. People would shake their heads at the Carter Folly.

  “Are you open yet?” Emma McAllister asked. Smiling, she held the hands of her two youngest children. “I’m so glad you picked a weekday for the launch.”

  “Yes, yes, of course.” Maddie ran her hands down the sides of her apron, willing them to be still. “You can sit anywhere you want. I have a few child-size tables next to the adult ones in that corner.” She pointed. “In case the kids would like to have their own little table.”

  “Perfect. A few friends are going to meet me and I’d love a grown-up table.”

  Soon Emma’s few friends crowded the shop, oohing and aahing over the sweets in the display case, then ordering some of everything. Almost all of them also purchased tea blends to take home.

  From her nook, Lillian visited with more people than she had seen in years. She couldn’t remember names, but she enjoyed the interaction. People dropped in all day, even in what Maddie had expected to be the lull time. Chrissy popped in after school and promptly claimed her spot beside Lillian, engrossed in all the activity.

  By five-thirty, when Maddie turned the Open sign to Closed, she was joyfully exhausted. “Can you believe the turnout?”