Tangle of Strings

by Ashley Farley

  She turned to Hugh. “Why did you do this to me? You knew I’d fall in love with this place.”

  “Because this place is perfect for you. Look.” He opened the back door wide. “An alleyway leads to this small parking lot where you can load up your van and have deliveries brought in.”

  She’d recently purchased a used utility van to transport her food and supplies to events. She stuck her head out the door, taking in the small asphalt lot that was sectioned off in neat parking spaces. “That’s convenient. But not a deal breaker.”

  Hugh closed the back door and opened another that led to a generous-size storage room. “There’s plenty of room in here for all your stuff,” he said with emphasis on the last word.

  She smiled. Hugh teased her constantly about the entertainment ware she had stored in her spare bedroom and in the back of the van. She stepped into the closet and tried to picture her plates, trays, and stemware organized neatly on the shelves. “I can’t argue that the place is perfect. Unfortunately, the price is not.”

  Heidi returned to the front of the warehouse. Circling the showroom, she imagined an old pine farm table set with linens and tableware under the front window and wine racks lining the back wall. She would position commercial refrigerators and coolers along the other walls, featuring gourmet carryout dinners, appetizers, sides, and salads. The center of the room would house metal shelves packed with specialty items flown in from California and around the world. She would hire a graphic artist to design the logo. She imagined the initials H and A intertwined, painted across the window, Heidi and Annie, Catering for Every Occasion.

  Hugh approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What do you think? Shall we take a look upstairs?”

  She leaned back against him, feeling the tickle of his breath against her neck. “I don’t know, Hugh. I’m tempted. I have the money for the down payment. But I doubt the bank will finance the rest, not until my business income is more consistent. It might take me two or three years to get where I need to be.”

  He nibbled at her ear. “You wouldn’t be buying the warehouse for your catering business alone. You would be opening up a gourmet food shop. All new businesses are risky. But you have a solid resume to support your expertise. You just need to convince the loan officer that you are capable.”

  She turned to him, taking his scruffy face in her hands. “You’re a dear for being so supportive. Let me sleep on it for a couple of days. It’s more complicated than just buying floor space. I would need to hire full-time employees. I could spend a fortune just outfitting this showroom with the proper equipment and fixtures. And that doesn’t include the inventory.” She sighed. “With everything that’s going on with Annie, I can barely focus on this party tonight, let alone buying a warehouse.”

  “I can’t believe you still haven’t heard anything,” Hugh said. “Did you call the hospital?”

  “Yes. They rang Annie’s room, but no one answered. They’re restricted by the HIPAA law to give me any information on her condition.”

  “Which hardly seems right since you’re her mother. Did you call Sam?”

  “I’ve left several messages for Sam and Jackie. I understand they resent my interference, and considering the circumstances, I don’t blame them, but I have a right to know how my daughter’s doing. If I don’t hear from them by tonight, I’m going to drive down to Prospect first thing in the morning.”

  ELEVEN

  Cooper

  Cooper’s mother texted him during his last period of the day, instructing him to meet her at the hospital after school.

  He texted back: “I was planning to work out after school.”

  Jackie: “You can work out after you visit Annie.”

  Arguing with his mother was a waste of energy: “Fine.”

  Jackie was waiting for him in the main hospital lobby, the streamers from a bouquet of balloons tied around her wrist. They walked down the hall and around the corner to the elevators. She turned to him once they were inside. “Cooper, honey, whether you make up with her or break up with her, you need to be fair to Annie for the sake of the family.”

  The hairs on the back of his neck bristled. Had one of his aunts complained to his mother? “Did someone say something to you about Annie and me?”

  “Not yet. But believe me, I will hear from Sam and Faith if you break Annie’s heart. If you have to let her down, at least let her down gently.”

  “Okay, Mom. Jeez. I get it.” He could no longer procrastinate what he’d been putting off for weeks. When the elevator door opened onto the third floor, he squared his shoulders and lifted his head high. He gathered courage as he paraded down the hall toward room 311, but when he saw Annie’s small injured body lying in the big hospital bed, his confidence waned.

  “Annie, sweetheart, you poor thing.” Jackie tied the bouquet of balloons on the arm of a wooden chair and went to her side. She smoothed her hair back and kissed the part of her forehead that wasn’t bandaged. “I’m so sorry you’re having to go through all this.”

  Annie’s brown eyes met his. “Hey.”

  “Hey, Annie.” He fluttered his fingers at her and took a step back, away from this beautiful damaged creature.

  “Have you gotten the results from the CT scan?” Jackie asked.

  Annie winced in pain as she shifted in bed. “The orthopedist was here a few minutes ago. I couldn’t begin to tell you what all is wrong with my shoulder. He scheduled the surgery for tomorrow morning. I should be able to go home tomorrow afternoon.”

  “That’s great news,” Jackie said. “Isn’t it, Cooper?”

  “Sure,” he said, backing himself into the nearest corner.

  Jackie plumped up Annie’s pillow and tucked the cover under her chin. She flitted about the room, straightening the items on the bed table and reading the cards on the flower arrangements lined up on the shelf beneath the window. When she opened the blinds, Annie’s hand flew to her eyes. “Please don’t open that, Jackie. My eyes are sensitive to the light.”

  “I’m sorry, honey. I forgot about your concussion.” Jackie closed the blinds and returned to the bed. “I’m not going to stay. I don’t want to wear you out. I’m on my way to the store to get the ingredients for that chicken and corn chowder you love so much. I’ll have some waiting for you as soon as you get home.”

  Annie rewarded Jackie with a half-hearted smile. “That sounds good. Thank you. And thank you for the balloons.”

  “You take care of yourself, now, and I’ll see you after the surgery.” Jackie kissed Annie’s head once more before exiting the room, leaving behind a trail of Chanel No. 5 on her way out.

  Cooper, hoping his mother would take a hint and ditch that awful floral fragrance she’d always worn, had given her a perfume that smelled like lavender for Christmas one year. The package remained unopened on her dressing table.

  “Aren’t you going with her?” Annie asked.

  Cooper followed her gaze to the door. “We drove here separately.” He pushed off the wall and stepped closer to the bed. “You really banged yourself up good, Annie. How fast were you going?”

  A surge of anger caused her head to throb. “The other driver crossed into my lane. I wouldn’t have been able to stop the car in time no matter how fast I was driving.” Turning her head away from him, Annie stared across the room at the whiteboard, where the name of the shift nurse and pertinent patient information was scrawled. “Did Jackie make you come?”

  There was no sense in lying to her. Annie knew him too well. “I was going to visit you. Just not today.”

  “When, then?” she asked, still intent on the whiteboard. “Next month? Or were you planning to wait until the summer to break up with me? Clearly, you don’t want to be with me anymore. What are you waiting for?”

  “It’s not you, Annie. It’s me. I’m confused.”

  “That’s lame, Cooper. A clichéd excuse if ever I’ve heard one. I think you owe me a better explanation than that.”
>
  “You’re right. I do.” He massaged the back of his neck. “Problem is, I don’t really know how to explain this to you. I’m not the same person I was when we started dating two months ago. I’ve always known exactly what I wanted out of life until now. My future was clear, like looking out over the inlet on a cold cloudless day. But the fog has settled in.”

  “Are you talking about medical school, or are you talking about me?”

  “Medical school… both … I’m not really sure. I know this much. I don’t want to be a doctor anymore. And I don’t want to live in a small town. I want to go where the action is, for whatever profession I choose. Sean has always been the competitive one. But I feel like a whole new world has opened up for me in graphic art. I’m obsessed. And excited. I want to see where this path leads me. With no strings attached.”

  A single tear spilled from Annie’s right eye and traveled down her cheek. “I didn’t mean to be a noose around your neck. I thought we were hanging out because we have a lot in common and enjoy each other’s company.”

  “That’s just it, Annie. We don’t have as much in common as you think. I can never be happy living in Prospect. I want more than life here has to offer.”

  Annie’s eyes turned cold. “Who said I wanted to live here forever? I like Prospect. For the first time in my life, I have a real family. I live in a real home. I’m no longer a poor fisherman’s daughter destined to become a poor fisherman’s wife. I have dreams too. Faith and Mike have taught me to believe in myself, that dreams do come true with hard work.”

  Cooper sat down on the mattress, careful not to touch her battered body. “I thought working at Sweeney’s with Sam was your dream…”

  “That’s because you never asked.” She jutted her chin out. “I want to travel the world, Cooper. See it all. I’d like to go to culinary school in New York, and then study for a few years in Italy. Maybe even France. After that, I hope to work at a five-star restaurant in a sophisticated city like New Orleans or San Francisco.”

  “What about Charleston?”

  “And live in the same city as Heidi? No thanks.” She picked at a loose thread on her blanket. “I guess we don’t know each other so well after all.”

  Cooper hung his head. “I’ve missed being with you, Annie. Can we go back to being friends?”

  “I’m sorry, but no. It’s way too late for that. If only you’d trusted me with your feelings instead of ignoring me these past few weeks, things might have been different.”

  “I will always consider you my friend, Annie. If you ever need anything, you can count on me to be here for you. I don’t want this to be the end for us. Just intermission.”

  TWELVE

  Heidi

  Sam, bundled up against the cold, was hurrying to her Jeep when Heidi pulled into the side parking lot at Captain Sweeney’s Seafood Market on Friday morning. She tooted her horn, slid into the parking space next to Sam, and forced open the heavy door of her Mustang.

  “I had to come,” Heidi said as she approached Sam. “I’m sure I’m the last person you want to see, but I’ve been out of my mind with worry. How’s Annie?”

  Sam stiffened, drawing her Barbour coat tighter. “What, you mean no one called you? I thought Jackie said she would. Maybe I misunderstood.”

  “No!” Heidi said. “I haven’t heard a word from anyone since I talked to you on Wednesday night. Please tell me she’s okay.”

  “She’s having surgery on her shoulder this morning.” Sam glanced at her watch. “Now, in fact. Mike has the best orthopedist in town on her case. He’ll repair the torn ligaments and put a plate and screws in to help mend the broken collarbone. He assures us she’ll be fine.”

  “Whew!” Heidi collapsed against Sam’s Jeep. “What a relief.”

  “I’m headed to the hospital now if you want to follow me over.” Sam swept her arm toward Heidi’s car.

  A glint of hope appeared on Heidi’s face, but quickly fell away. “Thanks anyway, but I’m not sure I’d be welcome.”

  Sam opened her car door and tossed her handbag inside. “Look, Heidi. We might as well put our cards on the table. I don’t approve of the way you abandoned Annie when she was a baby. The irony of Allen leaving me and you leaving Allen has taken some time for me to process. More than anything I wanted to marry him and have a family with him, but none of that has anything to do with you. He left me long before he met you.” She pointed at Heidi’s chest. “We’re humans. We make mistakes, especially when we’re young. I only want what’s best for Annie. It may take some time for her to sort out her feelings. Whether she decides to forgive you is up to her. But seeing that you and I are still friends can’t hurt. It might even help.”

  “Do you mean it?” Heidi asked, feeling the weight of the world, at least the past sixteen years, lift off her shoulders.

  “Of course I mean it.” Sam looped her arm through Heidi’s and steered her to her car. “Besides, I enjoy your company. I’d hate to lose one of the few girlfriends I have.” She opened Heidi’s door for her. “I’m warning you, though, Faith might not be such an easy sell.”

  When they arrived at the outpatient waiting room, Heidi and Sam were told that Faith was still in the back with Annie, that the doctor had experienced a delay and the patient had not yet gone into surgery.

  “I don’t know about you, but I could use some coffee,” Sam said. “What say we go down to the cafeteria and see if we can find some.”

  They were pleased to discover a Starbucks kiosk in the hospital cafeteria. They doctored their coffee with cream and sugar and found a table for two by the window. Sam removed her phone and thumbed a text. “I’ll let Faith know where we are, in case she wants to join us.”

  “She’ll be thrilled to see me, I’m sure.” Heidi slipped off her coat, and draped it across the back of her chair. “Since we have a few minutes alone, do you mind if I ask you about your business? I’ve found an old converted warehouse. It’s quite charming, actually. I’m considering opening a specialty market. Much like Sweeney’s only geared toward my catering business instead of seafood.”

  Sam propped her elbows on the table. “That sounds exciting. Does the warehouse have a kitchen?”

  Heidi nodded. “The current owner ran a Thai restaurant there. He had to close because of mismanagement. The appliances are practically new. I would operate my catering business out of the back and sell tableware, wine, gourmet foods, and specialty goods from all around the world out of the storefront.”

  Sam lifted her coffee cup to her lips. “Why bring in items from around the world when you have so many wonderful choices from right here in the Lowcountry?”

  Heidi thought about the stoneground grits she loved so much and the Benne Wafers. She could have a whole section devoted to products from local vendors. “I haven’t thought about that. But I like the idea. My goal is to have a place where folks can grab a salad for lunch or a casserole to take to a sick friend. I eventually plan to offer full dinners one or two days a week. Tell me, how many employees do you have?”

  “Three full time—Roberto in the back, Mom out front, and one floater. That’s me. We have two part-time—Annie, who comes in after school and helps wherever I need her, and Faith, who handles our accounting. Although Faith pitches in wherever we need her when we’re shorthanded. I beef up the staff in the summertime and during the holidays. Right now, business is really slow. Being in downtown Charleston, I imagine you’ll need more full-time employees.”

  “That’s what I figured. And I will need extra staff to handle the catering events.” Heidi blew on her coffee before taking a tentative sip. “The timing is all wrong for me. I have enough for the down payment, and the warehouse is the perfect space. I would feel more comfortable if I had a larger client base on the catering end. Then again, if I had a commercial kitchen, I could handle more than one event at a time.”

  “Hmm,” Sam said, staring up at the ceiling. “Have you considered taking on an investor?”

  H
eidi gave Sam a quizzical look. “You know, that’s a great suggestion. But I’m not sure where I would find one of those.”

  Sam folded her arms on the table. “How about me? I inherited some money from Uncle Mack, who wasn’t really my uncle but that’s a long story for another day. It’s just sitting in the bank earning interest. I would love to put it to good use.”

  “I don’t know, Sam,” Heidi said in a weary tone of voice. “I’m not sure I like the idea of doing business with a friend. I would feel horrible if my project didn’t succeed.”

  “That’s why I would only invest a portion of my inheritance.” Sam settled back in her chair and crossed her legs. “Why don’t we both give it some thought. There might be economical benefits to a partnership of sorts. For starters, we would have more buying power with the wine distributor.”

  We? Partnership? I thought we were talking about an investment. But the idea of working closely with Sam appealed to her just the same. Heidi would benefit from Sam’s vast experience operating a similar-type business. She admired Sam’s spunk and her strong work ethic. Plus, with her only child off at college, she would have time to devote to their partnership.

  Faith appeared in the doorway. She spotted them and marched over to their table. Tipping her head in Heidi’s direction, she said, “What is she doing here?”

  Of the three sisters, Faith was the one Heidi knew the least. She’d heard all about how considerate and even-tempered Faith was despite her unfortunate history with her abusive first husband. But Heidi had yet to see this favorable side of the youngest Sweeney sister. She’d been in her presence only once or twice, but each time Faith had come across as standoffish despite Heidi’s attempts at friendliness.

  “What’d you think, Faith?” Sam said. “She’s here for Annie.”

  “She has no right to be here.” Faith spoke with her back to Heidi, as though she wasn’t in the room. “She’s the one who put Annie in the hospital in the first place.”