by Mary May
“So her brothers were protective of Shayla, I take it?” Sabrina asked.
“Woo! Watched over her like a mama croc watches her hatchlings they did…poor child was near to eighteen before they let her alone with anyone long enough for them to know if they liked each other!”
Sabrina laughed out loud at Miss Cleo’s expressions. She just loved to listen to the woman talk. “So did anyone ever come along brave enough to face the fearsome four?”
Cleo barked out a laugh. “Fearsome four…they would have loved to have been called that! Yes, K.C. Ponteria was finally smitten enough to face down my sons and win Shayla’s heart and her brothers’ respect,” she replied.
“I bet that was something to see… I have a feeling that your sons were not easily impressed. How did he do it?” Sabrina questioned.
“Well, you would have to actually see my boys to understand what poor K.C. had to face down.” Cleo rummaged around in her purse and pulled out a small photo album; then she flipped a few pages and handed it to Sabrina. “Starting from the right it’s Kanan, Jon, Brennan and Stefan. The tiny thing standing in front of them is Shayla.”
Sabrina felt her eyebrows rise into her hairline. The men standing behind the small woman were all built like N.F.L. linebackers. They were massive! Shayla was just the opposite; she was very tiny and petit and really very pretty. Wearing a simple white sundress, she had her hair in a mass of flowing curls down around her shoulders pulled off her face by a wide white ribbon. She was smiling like she knew she was safe from the world. Looking at the scowling faces of the wall of muscle behind her, Sabrina could understand why she felt that way. She felt a whole new respect for any man brave enough to face that.
“K.C. wasn’t originally from our area; he moved in about a year before this picture was taken. If you look to the right, you can see him peeking out from behind the rose bush.”
Sabrina squinted and finally made out a boyish face smiling behind the yellow roses. She couldn’t see much of K.C. other than his wide smile. “How did he win them over?”
Cleo smiled and shook her head. “Pure old-fashioned tenacity…the boy just would not go away! Every time my boys tossed him in the river, he climbed out and came back. For every scuff and dirt rolling they sent him on, he just shook it off and came back for more. I think he just wore them out, to tell you the truth.” The lady smiled fondly. “But bless his stubborn little soul…he loves my Shayla more than his next breath, and I know God sent him just for her.”
She flipped the page one more time, and this time it was a wedding picture, almost the same pose as the picture before. This time K.C. wasn’t hiding behind the rose bushes; he was proudly standing beside a beautiful Shayla in her wedding gown. The wall of brothers in suits and ties were all smiling this time. “They were married almost two years after that first picture was taken, which shows you just how many times he was tossed and rolled and scuffed up before my sons finally agreed to let him see Shayla. They have three children now, and K.C. pastors a small church in Baton Rouge.”
Cleo ran her finger over her children’s faces and smiled wistfully. “I don’t see them too often anymore; they all got their own families and such to tend to.”
Sabrina caught the sadness in Cleo’s voice. “You haven’t said anything about their father; did he die young?”
Cleo gave a deep sigh. “Yes and no. Marcus was around for most of the growing years, but he had a real fondness for drink. He didn’t hold down a job for very long at a time, so money was tight…real tight. If it hadn’t been for my boys taking on odd jobs here and there, I don’t know how we would have survived. He passed away just a few months before Shayla’s wedding day. My oldest boy Kanan walked her down the aisle.” Cleo then reached over and patted Sabrina’s hand. “But the Good Lord got us through it just fine…yes, He did…just fine.”
After lunch they cleaned up the dishes, much to Sabrina’s dismay. “Cleo, you’re a guest. I can’t have you washing dishes!”
Cleo just waved her towel at Sabrina. “Oh, posh, girl…I think we both know I got the job, right? Or did I miss my guess?”
Sabrina looked at Edgar, who just shrugged his shoulders, basically leaving it in her hands. Sabrina looked at Cleo and then tried to imagine someone else standing there…and couldn’t.
Chapter 3
Sabrina showed Cleo to her suite of rooms just down the hall from the kitchen. “Now you feel free to decorate or change anything you would like in here; we want this to feel like home to you.”
Cleo spun in a slow circle taking in the high ceilings and the skylight over the king size bed. The room was painted soft cream and the furniture was white wicker with touches of a deep emerald and scarlet in the flowing curtains and the plush throw pillows on the love seat and bed. Two French doors led to a balcony that held a table and two chairs, and a large potted palm in the corner gave the feeling of privacy. Her bathroom was classic white with gold finishes on the sink, tub and shower stall. The overall feel of the suite was light and airy. Cleo laughed out loud.
“My lands…I have never seen such a pretty bedroom in all my days! Feels like I stepped into one of those fancy home magazines.”
Sabrina smiled at the look on Cleo’s face. “I know how you feel; I walked around this place for days on my first visit with my mouth gaping open. It is very awe- inspiring.”
Cleo walked around and touched the smooth rails of the poster bed then ran her fingers over the surface of the vanity next to the window. She stopped and caressed the lace edging of one of the many pillows piled on the bed. “It’s just all so beautiful! I’m afraid I will ruin it.”
Sabrina saw that Cleo truly did look uncomfortable, so she did her best to put her at ease. “Miss Cleo, you will hear us talk a lot about Sherrilyn. She was the previous owner of this place and my dear friend. A more down-to-earth person you will never meet. She passed away a few months ago. Do you want to know what she would probably say to you right now?”
Cleo nodded her head.
“She would say, ‘Cleo, it’s just a room full of stuff. There isn’t anything special about it until someone is in here to love it. When you leave, it goes back to being a room full of stuff again. It’s the person in the room enjoying it that makes it special or beautiful. So enjoy it!”
Cleo chuckled. “Well, now, sounds like your Miss Sherrilyn was a very wise lady, and she would be right…It is just a room full of stuff when you get right down to it. So, I will do just that -- enjoy it like your Miss Sherrilyn would want me to. Thank you, Sabrina; that really did make me a lot more comfortable.”
Sabrina smiled. “I’m glad it did. Sherrilyn just had a way about her that put you right at ease and she always had some saying or quip to fit whatever the situation was.”
Cleo heard the sadness in Sabrina’s voice, so she walked over and put her hand on the young woman’s arm. “You truly miss your friend, don’t you, sweetie?”
Sabrina nodded and sniffed and quickly dashed away the few tears that had escaped. “Yes, I really do. Some days I feel like I am all right and others I feel like I can’t breathe from the pain of losing her. Sherrilyn was the one that helped me get through the loss of my husband over three years ago, and now I just feel…I don’t know…sorta tossed around, I guess.”
Cleo bundled Sabrina up in her arms “Ah, sweet child, I know all about being tossed around and lost, but you see we ain’t tossed or lost. The precious Lord has given us just what we need when we need it. He gave you Sherrilyn when your husband passed and now…” She tilted up Sabrina’s face to look her in the eyes. “Now He sent me to you. Yes, Lord, I know now why I am here. Lord, comfort Your child and ease her suffering and longing for her dear friend. Start to heal the jagged edges of her heart, Lord, so she can breathe without pain.” Cleo held Sabrina for a minute longer then eased her away and looked into her eyes once more. Seeing the peace now instead of the anguish, she nodded her head, satisfied. “You’re gonna be alright, you hear me?” Sabrina smile
d and for the first time since Sherrilyn had passed she truly felt like she might.
In just a few days Miss Cleo had taken over the house duties like she had been there forever. The only problem was when she would try to make Edgar sit down. The old butler wasn’t giving up his post, and Sabrina truly feared a major head-on collision was in their future. It finally happened when Cleo was dragging out the large rug from under the dining room table. She was intent on taking it outside and beating every molecule of dust out of it; Edgar was insisting that would damage the fibers and that it wasn’t proper. Sabrina came into the room to find Cleo with one end of the rug and Edgar with the other end; neither one was budging an inch.
“Mr. Edgar, I am going to take this dusty rug outside now, so you just be letting go!” said Cleo.
“This is a Persian rug, Miss Cleo; you can’t be dragging it outside and beating it with a…a… stick!” replied Edgar.
“Mr. Edgar, I am sure they have dust in Persia and that this was how they got it out of the rugs!” Cleo admonished. Moppet was bounding back and forth barking like it was all a great game.
Sabrina finally ran up to them. “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hold on! Both of you put down the rug before you both pull a muscle or something. Moppet, hush!” She looked back and forth at them until they each dropped their end of the rug. “Really, tug of war over a rug?”
Cleo sighed. “Miss Sabrina, I was just trying to clean this rug and Mr. Edgar won’t let me take it outside. Now just how am I supposed to clean it?”
Edgar crossed his arms over his bony chest. “They have created this wonderful device called a vacuum cleaner. Perhaps I can show you how to use one.”
Gideon stifled back a laugh. Old Edgar was coming along quite nicely in his use of sarcasm. Although he had loosened up a lot in the past year or so, he was still wound as tight as the leather around the handle of his sword.
“Ok, there has to be a meet-in-the-middle spot somewhere. Edgar, why can’t the rug be taken outside and dusted?” Sabrina asked.
“Because this is a Persian rug, Miss Sabrina. The fibers are delicate and can be damaged easily; you clean them with a vacuum cleaner, not a stick off the ground!”
Sabrina turned to Cleo. “Ok, why can’t we clean it with the vacuum?”
Cleo stared at Edgar. “Vacuum cleaners just surface clean and drive the dirt and dust deeper into the carpet fibers. To really get it out, you have to be able to turn it to the underside and beat it!”
Sabrina’s brow wrinkled while she pondered a solution to the problem… then she smiled. “Edgar, go get the vacuum and bring it outside to the back deck. Cleo, grab that end of the rug and help me haul this thing out there.” Both Cleo and Edgar looked skeptical but did as they were told and a few minutes later everyone had gathered on the back deck. “Ok, let’s drape the rug over the railing very gently, bottom side up.” After that was done, she looked at Edgar. “Ok, now we gently but firmly pat the rug to loosen the dust and dirt but not harm the fibers, okay?”
Edgar gave his brisk nod; then they all commenced to slap the rug all over. After a few minutes Sabrina said that was good enough. “Now let’s lay the rug bottom side up on the deck. Edgar, you run the vacuum over it a few times then we will flip it and you run the vacuum over it a few more times on the other side. This way both methods are used and the rug comes in clean and unharmed, okay?” Cleo and Edgar looked at one another and they both looked satisfied.
Gideon was impressed with Sabrina’s way of handling the problem. Both parties had valid points, and she was able to use them both and protect the rug while cleaning it at the same time. She would have a made a great commander. She was able to listen to both arguments and find an agreeable solution. He smiled. She was really growing into a strong woman. He almost felt like what he imagined a proud father would feel like, watching his child grow up and make wise decisions.
A couple of days later the loud rumble of the Harley announced Devon’s return from who knows where. His disappearances were lasting longer and longer. When he was home, he stayed secluded in his suites most of the time. Gideon still wasn’t able to figure out what the man’s angle or problem was…but he would in time.
Devon killed the bike and swung his leg over the seat and stretched his long frame. It was good to be home. He thought about that word… home. He hadn’t had anything to call that in a very long time. He looked up at the front door, and sure enough Sabrina standing there with little Charlie on her hip smiling her welcome. She never questioned where he went or when he would be back. She let him go and do what he needed to do without a million and one questions most women would throw at him. He knew he should leave and never return. If he was honorable, that’s what he would do. But honorable and Devon James Lane were not words that were linked together in a sentence very often.
He knew Sabrina was a sweet woman and an honorable one as well, but his heart couldn’t stay away from her. She was like a balm to his scarred soul, and he needed her more than was healthy for either of them. When he allowed himself the luxury of daydreams, it was to be able to ride up the driveway and see Sabrina like she was now, baby on her hip and a warm smile for him on her lips. In his dreams he would be able to walk up and claim both the baby and those lips. But he knew better; Sabrina was so far above him all he could really hope for was just the pleasure of her company when he couldn’t stay away any longer. If she knew who and what he really was, she wouldn’t let his shadow darken her doorstep, and he wouldn’t blame her.
Sabrina tried to keep her excitement at seeing Devon again from showing on her face; she always feared that when he left he wouldn’t ever return. She had to bite her tongue to stop herself from asking where he went and what was he doing to stay away for so long, but she kept quiet. She knew she was feeling something for the man, but she wasn’t ready to admit what that feeling might be. It was all very confusing. It would help if he were not Sherrilyn’s brother. She wondered if she wasn’t transferring her love for her friend over to her bother, not that Devon wasn’t lovable in his own right. He was very handsome and mysterious; wasn’t that a recipe for heartbreak? Devon also had a very dark and shady background that concerned Sabrina a lot, so until she knew exactly what was going on with him, she was going to try and play it smart and just keep her heart to herself…for now.
Sabrina watched as Devon swung off the Harley and stretched the kinks out of his muscles. She judged from the way he was stretching that he had been riding for a while. She smiled. “Hi, are you hungry? We just finished lunch but it wouldn’t take just a minute to heat it back up.”
Devon smiled, and when he reached the top step where they stood, he tickled Charlie’s bare toes. “Hey, sweet girl, have you been good for your mama while I was gone?”
Charlie laughed and he noticed that she was losing her baby laugh and was sounding like a little girl. “Yes, I’m good!” she exclaimed with gusto and pointing at herself with her little index finger.
“Have you been good?” she asked Devon, turning that finger on him.
Devon chuckled then reached and took her from Sabrina’s arms. “Well, now, little darlin’, that depends on who you ask, but let’s just say I was as good as I have ever been.” He looked over Charlie’s mop of blonde curls at Sabrina. “Everything been all right here?” he wanted to know. They turned and walked back inside together.
“Yes, everything is good, better than good, actually. I hired a new housekeeper. Wait until you meet her, Devon. Her name is Cleo and she is from south Louisiana and she has the best accent; you’re gonna love her!”
Devon let out a long whistle. “She is a long way from home, or was she already living in the area?”
Sabrina shook her head. “No, that’s the really neat part. She was living in a small town in Louisiana and she said the Lord told her to pack up and come help us.”
That stopped him in his tracks. “She said what?”
Sabrina looked up at Devon’s frowning face. “Why are you looking like that, De
von?”
Devon sighed. “Sabrina, you just can’t be letting people move in here without finding out who they really are first! For all you know, she is a con artist and is just waiting to rob you blind! You have got to stop being so naïve!” he admonished.
Sabrina stared up at his face; she could actually feel her blood pressure shoot up about a million notches. “Really, Devon? It seems to me that I know as much about Miss Cleo as I did you, and yet you didn’t give me this lovely speech about trusting you! Maybe you are planning to rob me blind!” She reached for her daughter and Devon turned Charlie out of Sabrina’s reach.
“Sabrina, wait -- that didn’t come out right.” Sabrina pulled herself up to her full five foot four inches and glared up at the man who towered over her.
“Give me my child,” she growled. She looked like she was ready to claw his eyes out if he didn’t comply.
He slowly handed the child to her mother. “Sabrina, I’m sorry…”
She stopped him right there, with a finger pointed at him like a weapon. “Devon, I have learned a few things in my short life span. One, trust your gut. It usually knows things you don’t. Two, listen to the Holy Spirit because it tells you things you have no way of knowing. Three, and this one is very important, never assume anything!” With that she turned and marched down the hall toward the kitchen.
Devon stared after her in shock. It seemed his sweet little Sabrina had some claws. He chuckled to himself, “I do believe she was fixing to clean my clock!”
“I would go with that thought, Mr. Devon. Whatever it was that you did or said, it wouldn’t be advisable to ever do it again.” Edgar had walked up on the tail end of Devon’s conversation with himself.
Devon looked down at the old man. “Man, I have never seen her so mad! Actually… come to think of it, that’s the first time I have ever seen her mad. She is really beautiful when she is all riled up, isn’t she?”
Edgar looked at him like he had lost all his senses and he shook his head. “Mr. Devon, may I offer you a word of advice?” He didn’t wait for a reply. “Don’t ever let Miss Sabrina hear you say that… if you enjoy breathing.” Then the old butler walked on down the hall, leaving Devon standing there with his mouth hanging open.
