Charming Lily

by Fern Michaels

  Lily drove across the bridge, then turned around and did it again. She had no idea why. There was nothing appealing about Old Muddy at this time of day. It was just something to do. On her return she made a right on South Canal Street. She barely glanced at the Visitor’s Reception Center as she looked for landmarks to guide her to her house. Following South Canal, she crossed Washington Street, the prettiest street in all of Natchez when the crepe myrtles were in bloom. She craned her neck, struggling to see the street signs. When South Canal turned into North Canal she kept her eye peeled for the railroad tracks and then made a right on Madison, a left on Union, and drove until she came to the house she’d purchased from Sadie. She did love the chinaberry trees in her yard, she thought as she cut the engine and stared up at her first real estate venture. Her new home! She glanced down at her watch: 6:45. She was paying heavily for a second shift of workers. She’d contracted for the second shift to work inside so that the house would be finished when she and Matt returned from their honeymoon. She could hear the construction workers banging away inside. Well, she wasn’t going to disturb them. She’d head for the cottage in the back and sack out till morning. Then, with a good night’s sleep under her belt, she’d walk around and admire the house and grounds. But not now. If she did it now, she’d burst into tears. This was the moment she had longed for, the moment when Matt would stop the car and she’d shout, “It’s all ours, honey! I want us to raise a family here, to grow old together in this big old house. I want you to hang a swing on one of the live oaks for the kids. We’ll get a dog run for Buzz and Gracie. We’ll picnic under the trees with the kids, play ball in the yard. I’ll plant flowers and bring them indoors. Every day we’ll have fresh flowers on the dinner table. I did it all for you, Matt, because I know how you like old houses and trees and backyards. We could even build a brick barbecue so we can have weenie roasts with the kids.” Now you’re never going to know what you missed, you . . . you . . . bastard. Buzz and I are going to do all those things. Me and Buzz. So who needs you, Mr. Software Giant! Not me.

  “Let’s go, big guy,” Lily said opening the truck door for the dog. The golden Lab waited patiently, unsure where he was supposed to go in this strange new place. Lily led the way up the drive and around to the back of the house and down a path to a small cottage. It wasn’t pretty or outstanding in any way, but it would be someday. For now it was just a white-clapboard building with a white stoop and two steps. Inside there was a bed, two chairs and a huge fireplace. There was a working kitchen, but the appliances were ancient and rusty and in need of replacement. The bathroom was a disgrace but usable. She could survive there for a long time, provided she ate out.

  She knew exactly how she was going to decorate the little house. In the small kitchen she was going to use wallpaper with big clusters of strawberries. The appliances would be a soft white and would match the white table and chairs. If she was lucky, she might be able to match the place mats and curtains to the wallpaper. The heart-of-pine floors would be sanded and then varnished. Perhaps a small rug here or there but nothing large to mar the beauty of the old floors. Maybe she could do it all herself. Why not? She had nothing better to do. How hard could it be to scrape paint, sand, and wallpaper? It could be her own private little nest. A cozy room like the one she had at Ozzie Conklin’s Survival Camp. A small private place to lick her wounds.

  Lily reached into her pocket for a tissue, knowing she was going to cry any second. Her fingers touched the pendant Sadie had given her. She pulled it out and looked at it. A warm, delicious feeling washed over her as she fastened it around her neck. Her own good-luck charm. There was nothing wrong with a little luck along the way.

  She flopped down on the old bed and was asleep in an instant. Buzz, ever watchful, stretched out in the open doorway, his eyes on the main door. He knew his job was to guard his mistress. His big head dropped to his paws. Only when he heard Lily’s light, even breathing did he relax.

  The dream, when it came, was so beautiful, Lily sighed in her sleep. She was back in Wyoming with Matt at her side.

  “All right everyone, open up your backpacks and let’s see what we have to throw away. Oh, Mrs. Larkin, no, no, no. You know the rules. No candy, no gum, and no cigarettes. The forest is too dry. No tobacco of any kind. I’m going to pat you down so don’t even think about stuffing your pockets. We eat what we bring with us and live off the land for the rest. Mr. Sebastian, did your instructions say you could bring a cell phone? No, they did not. Put it on the pile. You’ll get it back when we return. No firearms of any kind. I don’t care, Mr. Oliver, if you are a homicide cop or not. The gun stays behind. Did any of you read the instructions?” she demanded, as the pile of objectionable material mounted.

  “I’m not keen on having a female guide,” a voice in the back chirped. Matt grimaced as he watched Lily for her reaction. “We leave in five minutes. Make up your mind. You can, of course, stay behind and eat all this junk, make calls on this cell phone, and shoot at the trees. There’s no way you can get off this mountain for the next twenty-one days. You better make up your mind real quick. It’s starting to rain.”

  “We’re going in the rain?” a frizzy redhead whined.

  Lily laughed at her designer outfit. “Yep. Single file. Step lively, or you’ll be drenched before we hit the woods. Hiking in wet clothes is very uncomfortable.”

  Lily gave two short blasts on the whistle hanging around her neck. She waited just long enough to see a young man rush out with a basket to pick up all the loot on the ground.

  “Move out!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Matt said smartly. “I have this sudden urge to kiss you. Do you think we could lag behind so I can hold you in my arms and kiss you till your teeth rattle?”

  “Unfortunately, no. I’ll be happy to give you a rain check, though. Better yet, we could zip our sleeping bags together tonight. These people don’t need to know we aren’t married.”

  Matt grinned. “I love you forever and ever and even then.”

  “Move! We’re supposed to be setting an example for these prairie flowers.”

  “I still can’t believe you do this for a living. What do you do if someone gets sick?”

  “You mean really sick? Or do you mean pretend sick to get out of it?”

  “Both I guess.”

  “It’s a judgment call. I have a radio. We don’t take chances, Matt. I thought you knew that.”

  “I don’t know the half of it. That’s why I’m here. I want to know every single thing about you. I want to see you every minute of the day. Our future is something we can’t see right now. I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful and happy. I want the picture complete. In order to do that, I need to know all that came before. I’m putting my life in your hands, Lily. I’m as green as the others. I trust you.”

  “I’ll be trusting my life to you when we get married. I think that says something about both of us. Like you said, I will love you forever and ever and even then. Now, hustle your ass, Mr. Starr, you are lagging. The rain is going to slow us down, and we can’t stop until we get to the ridge.”

  “I love it when you talk tough,” Matt grinned.

  Lily burst out laughing. “Oh, Matt, I hope you still love me when we get back to camp.”

  Matt grimaced. “I hope I don’t disappoint you, Lily. I don’t know one tree from another and don’t know how well I’m going to do foraging for food, but I’m game to try because this is your world. I don’t expect you to cut me any slack. If I’m not measuring up, tell me.”

  “You could never disappoint me, Matt. When you love someone, you love them for who they are, not what they can and cannot do. I think you’re going to do just fine.”

  Matt crossed his fingers as he shouldered his backpack and fell into line.

  Chapter Three

  Lily woke but didn’t move. She knew instantly that something was different about the room she was sleeping in. She didn’t feel threatened or alarmed, because she knew Buzz would pro
tect her with his life, but she did sense that someone was watching her. She could feel the presence. She cracked one eyelid and peered through her lashes before she bolted upright. “Sadie!” she squealed. “How long have you been standing there? What happened? Why are you here?”

  Sadie gurgled with laughter. “This dog of yours wouldn’t let me cross the threshold even though he’s known me every day of his life. I tried to coax him to wake you, but he wouldn’t budge. So I’ve just been standing here. I guess I’ve been here about twenty minutes.”

  Lily was off the bed in a flash to wrap her arms around her best friend. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be on your way to Australia. Sit down, tell me everything. I’m so glad you’re here. God, I missed you so on the ride home from the airport. Tell me everything.”

  “You know me, Lily. When things go awry, I always say there is a reason. I pay attention to stuff like that. We were all on the plane. Then we had to get off the plane because there was a short circuit of some kind in the cockpit. That turned out to be a little more serious than they originally thought. Someone came on a loudspeaker and said we would board another plane in two hours, but only if it arrived at the terminal in time. On top of that I heard two of the stewardesses talking. They said they had to replace the copilot because he was hungover from too much New Year’s partying. That was all I needed to hear. I started to think about this trip and about Tom. I never really wanted to go to the Outback. Somehow or other I let him talk me into it. I realize now I only agreed to the whole thing because you were getting married, and I didn’t want to be alone. I’m not in love with Tom Bendix. I love him as a friend, but I’m not in love with him. Now, do you want to hear something really screwy? When I was talking to Dennis Wagner in the lobby yesterday, something happened to me. This is corny so don’t laugh, okay?” Lily nodded solemnly.

  “I looked into his eyes, and I thought to myself, this man is my destiny. Yeah, he’s nerdy and wrapped up in computers, but then Matt is that way, too. I saw a spark in his eyes. Plus, are you ready for this? I just went to the apartment, and he was still sitting in the lobby with all kinds of folders and papers and stuff. When I realized you were gone, I knew you had come here, so I told him he could use the apartment. He absolutely refuses to believe Matt stood you up. He is convinced something happened to him. He said he wasn’t going anywhere until he knew for certain. I believe his plan was to rent a hotel room or find a furnished apartment for the time being, so that’s why I told him he could use our apartment. I hope that was okay. That’s not all, Lily,” Sadie said breathlessly. “I saw a stray dog that looked like Matt’s. I chased him for two whole blocks, but he got away. We can go look for him now if you want. Gee, this is like old times. Tom pitched a real fit over the phone when I called him to tell him I changed my mind. We both said things, so there’s no going back. Now I’m stuck with a round-trip ticket to Australia. God, all I’m doing is babbling. Are you okay?”

  “More to the point, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Thanks for not laughing,” Sadie grinned.

  “There is the little matter of the woman Dennis had with him at the rehearsal dinner and then at the church. Have you given that any thought? She didn’t seem his type, but then what do I know. Guess we’re going to be bunk mates again. You get the bottom of the bed, I get the top, and Buzz gets the middle. Welcome home, Sadie.”

  “Perfect. Lily, I couldn’t go off and leave you at a time like this. I just couldn’t. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Lily smiled. “I am now. It is so good to see you. I couldn’t stay in the apartment. I had to get out of there. This is so weird, Sadie. Before I fell asleep I was thinking of how I would redo this little house. It was all for you. Everything I thought about doing was to your taste. You know, so when you came to visit you would have your own place and be comfortable. I was going to do it all myself. All I did was dream about Matt. Wonderful, sweet dreams. One right after the other. Your destiny, huh?” Lily said shifting her thoughts to her friend. “Now who’s babbling.”

  “I say we go outside to gather up some firewood. We’ll clean out the fireplace, get it ready for later. We can go for some takeout, get some wine, and snuggle in, just the two of us. It will be almost like old times. How does that sound, Lily?”

  “It sounds wonderful. There’s a woodpile in back of the house. And a wheelbarrow. I’ll start to clean the fireplace. Take Buzz with you. He needs some exercise, and he probably has to do his business. That was a long nap I took, so he hasn’t been out for a while. I’m going to be all right, Sadie.” She almost said ‘now that you’re here,’ but held her tongue.

  An hour later, Lily set the shopping bag full of Chinese food on the floor of the backseat of the Rover. Buzz sniffed and growled but didn’t attempt to paw through the white boxes that were giving off such tantalizing aromas. Three bottles of Luna de Luna wine rested next to the shopping bag. Their night was set.

  “Look at that dog!” Sadie shrilled. “Oh, he’s limping. Stop, Lily. I think he’s hurt.” Lily slammed on the brakes and hit the door the same moment Sadie did. Both women sprinted after the dog, but he was too fast for them. He ran off and disappeared into the shadows.

  “We’ll call Animal Control in the morning. They know how to catch strays. If they’re successful, we’ll claim him and take him to a vet to get him fixed up. If we can’t find his owner, I’ll take him. Buzz needs a companion. He looks like Gracie, Matt’s dog. She’s such a sweetheart. Buzz got along well with Gracie when Matt brought her down last year. It was so nice watching him share his food and toys with her. Dogs are supposed to be good judges of character. How is it Gracie doesn’t know what a weasel her master is?” Lily asked, getting into the truck. Buzz threw back his head and howled. Lily reared back in surprise. “What’s that all about, big guy?” she said, stroking his huge head.

  Buzz barked and barked as he threw himself against the door in his struggle to get out.

  “He probably knows there’s a cat out here somewhere, prowling around,” Sadie said as she buckled her seat belt.

  “Guess you’re right. Settle down, Buzz. I don’t want you catching some poor cat. We’re going home and have some supper. You’re having beef tips and rice. Tomorrow it’s back to dog food for you when I go to the store.”

  It was well after midnight when Lily eyed the two empty wine bottles sitting on the floor. Buzz nudged her arm. “Okay, I’m in no shape to walk you, so go out and you get right back in here. You hear me, Buzz. Ten minutes. Don’t make me come looking for you. Find your place and get back here.”

  “What’s up?” Sadie demanded. “That is one ugly bathroom, Lily.”

  “I know. I was talking to Buzz. I let him out. Usually I walk with him, but I’m more than a little tipsy. He’s real good about coming back.”

  “Did you say I get the bottom or the top of the bed? What are you going to do about the apartment?”

  “You get the bottom. I get the top, and Buzz gets the middle. The lease was up in December. The management company extended the lease for the month of January because I was getting married. There’s a new tenant waiting to move in February 1. Why?”

  “Just curious. I wonder how long Dennis will stay. He’s kind of cute, don’t you think?”

  “If you say so. I was supposed to be starting my honeymoon. If things had worked out, we’d probably be making wild, passionate love right now.”

  “Was Matt that good in bed?” Sadie twinkled.

  “He is. Was. . . . Sex was great. Matt was a considerate lover. He could be wild, and then he could be gentle. We were a perfect match in every way. I hate men. I’m never going to look at another one, and I’m never going to get married either,” Lily said, flopping down on her end of the bed. “Call Buzz.”

  Sadie opened the door to call the dog, at the same time turning on the outside light.

  Both women waited, but the Lab was nowhere in sight.

  At two o’clock, hoarse from calling Buzz, L
ily sat down on the front stoop and huddled into her thermal jacket, Sadie at her side. “We can’t even go after him because we’re too drunk to drive. Let’s walk.”

  “What makes you think either one of us can walk down the driveway, much less around the block, looking for a dog who doesn’t want to be found? Buzz knows his way. It’s the middle of the night, and there’s absolutely no traffic. In case you haven’t noticed, my voice gave out at the same time yours did.”

  “Oh, God, Sadie, what if he doesn’t come back? What if he runs wild like that dog we’ve been trying to catch? He’s all I have. First Matt, and now Buzz. What’s wrong with me, Sadie?” Lily wailed.

  “You have me, Lily. Buzz will come back. He loves you. He’s just stretching his legs. Dogs are loyal. Men aren’t. That’s the difference.”

  “Do you like men, Sadie?” Lily said, slurring her words.

  “Sometimes. Not all the time. Mostly on the weekends I like them. During the week they stink. It’s a nice night. Cold, though. It’s always about them. I hope I never get so desperate for a man that I settle. Women do that all the time.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Lily mumbled.

  “Remember that time the chick from AT&T took Ozzie’s survival course with all those men. She was their boss. She came loaded down with all her designer duds and gear trying to prove she was better than all those men working under her. Until it came time to cross Big Red at the gorge. She buckled then, and the little fat guy who chugged all the way had to help her. She sent Ozzie a wedding invitation. She married the fat little guy. Not one of the tall, rugged ones. They either had wives or girlfriends. Guess she figured she wasn’t going to get anyone else since she was forty-three. She damn well settled is what she did. I saw it on her face when they were leaving.”