Orchard Hill Volume Three

by Kara Lynn Russell

  “That’s all right. I’ve got it.”

  While Harmony put the sandwich together, Peter paged through the cookbooks on the table.

  “Why do you need cookbooks?” he asked. “I thought you were an expert.”

  “Even experts can use some help every now and then. I was hoping to get some ideas for the harvest celebration party. I’m not very good at kid-friendly foods.” She put the sandwich down in front of him and sat down again.

  “Thanks.”

  He wasn’t kidding when he’d said he was hungry, Harmony thought as she watched Peter wolf down the sandwich.

  “Well, it’s fall so you have to do something with pumpkins,” said Peter, his mouth full. “And apples. Those are fall foods.”

  “Hmmm. How about caramel apples?”

  He took time to swallow before answering. “That’s okay, but sort of boring. Everyone does those.”

  “Okay, caramel apples with our own twist, perhaps.”

  “Yeah, that’d be all right.”

  “What about cranberries? Those are a fall food.”

  “True, but most little kids won’t eat them. Can I have another sandwich, Harmony?”

  Peter and Harmony were soon deep in discussion about the food for the party. She didn’t realize how late it was until there was another knock at her kitchen door.

  Joseph came in. “I hope Peter’s not bothering you.”

  “Not at all. In fact, he was helping me plan the menu for the harvest celebration party.”

  “Oh, well, that’s good. Supper is ready at home, Peter.”

  The boy jumped up and headed for the door. “Great, I’m starving.”

  “Starving?” echoed Harmony incredulously. “You just ate two sandwiches.”

  Peter shrugged. “I’m a growing boy.”

  “You go ahead,” Joseph told him. “I need to talk to Harmony for a moment.”

  “All right.”

  When Peter was gone, sprinting across the lawn for home, Joseph shut the door behind him. Harmony looked at him expectantly. The bathroom door was fixed before she came home this morning, so she knew it wasn’t about that.

  “Are you all right?” he asked her. “I mean, after last night.”

  “You mean after I was forced to leave my home against my will.”

  “You aren’t taking this seriously.” He scowled at her, an expression she was becoming accustomed to. “The door wasn’t even locked just now.”

  “I appreciate your concern, but Blake is hardly a stalker.”

  “You don’t think he’s a stalker, but then again, you didn’t think he was married, either.”

  Harmony stood so she could look him in the eye. “You are overstepping your boundaries, Joseph. You are my neighbor, nothing more.”

  “Nothing?” he asked. “Not even your friend?”

  She raised her chin. “I think that may have been another of those things I was mistaken about.”

  Their eyes locked. Joseph was the first to look away. He turned and walked out. She was certain she heard him mumble something about ‘stubborn women’ as he left.

  “The same goes for bossy men,” she called after him, even though she hadn’t heard exactly what he’d said.

  When Joseph got home, Peter was on the phone. “Just a minute,” Peter said into the receiver, and then offered the phone to Joseph. “It’s Aunt Hope.”

  “What is it, Hope?” Joseph asked curtly. “We’re about to sit down for supper.”

  “I just wanted to know how you’re doing. You were pretty upset last night.”

  “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” He hoped that answer would silence her, even though he knew she wouldn’t believe it.

  “Harmony and I had a great time last night. I’m glad you brought her over.”

  “Great. I’m always happy to add to your social life. Now if you don’t mind…”

  “Did you and Harmony make up?”

  “She’s made it clear that she isn’t interested in that. Can I go now?”

  “I’m sorry Joseph. I can’t quite believe that you’re giving up though.”

  “Well, I am. I don’t have time for one more person in my life anyway.”

  “You can try to brush me off, Joseph, but I know how important this was for you. Please don’t go back in your shell. Maybe you should look around. You might find someone else you want to date.”

  “Sorry, Hope, I’m not interested. You should know by now, matchmaking doesn’t work.”

  “Hmmmm,”

  “Don’t go getting any ideas,” he warned.

  “Maybe I’m not a good matchmaker, Joseph, but I know someone who is.”

  “You don’t mean…”

  “I do. I’m going to call Pansy Parker and see if she has any ideas.”

  “Hope, I’m hanging up now. I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that and you’re going to forget you said it.”

  “Sure, Joseph.”

  But he knew she wouldn’t.

  The next evening when Joseph came home from work, Hope’s car was parked in front of the house. He found her with all of the kids huddled around her in the living room.

  He walked in just in time to hear Hope say, “So that’s the plan, straight from Mrs. Parker herself.”

  “What’s going on?” asked Joseph.

  As a group they turned to stare at him with guilty looks on their faces.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be at the PTA fundraiser meeting?” she asked.

  “Cancelled,” he replied.

  “Oh, well then…Let’s get dinner on the table.”

  “Nice try. Listen up everyone, whatever your ‘plan’ is, forget it. Do you understand?”

  They all glanced at each other, before saying in unison, “Yes, Dad.”

  But Hope was still smiling.

  This wasn’t good.

  TITLE

  Orchard Hill: volume three

  Chapter 8

  Harmony was hoping to do a second cookbook and decided she wanted to experiment with some different foods, so she stopped in at Misty’s store the next day.

  “How wonderful to see you here, Harmony,” was Misty’s greeting when she walked in the door.

  “Thank you. It’s good to see you, too, Misty.” Harmony picked up a basket and wandered down an aisle.

  “Are you looking for anything special?”

  “Not really. Just browsing.” After a moment Harmony added, “Unless you can suggest something that’s child friendly.”

  “Child friendly? But you don’t have any children?”

  Before Harmony could explain about the harvest celebration party, Misty continued. “You aren’t cooking for your neighbors are you? I wondered if this would happen when the Velasaquez family moved next to you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Joseph is just so busy. Those children need someone to watch over them, I guess. They must be running over to your house all the time.”

  “Not all the time,” protested Harmony.

  “You should put a stop to it,” Misty insisted. “After all, a woman who’s never had children doesn’t want to be saddled with a group like that at your age.”

  “My age?” Her feathers were definitely getting ruffled here.

  Misty hurriedly went on. “Yes, of course Joseph keeps saying the triplets are only staying with him temporarily, but they’ve been here for months already. I think they’re settled here.”

  “Misty, really…”

  “Of course Joseph’s kids are pretty good, but still, who wants to deal with teenage problems? Dating, jobs, colleges, acne…and the list goes on.”

  “Misty, what are you saying?”

  She leaned forward on her counter and looked Harmony in the eye. “Just this. Joseph is looking for a wife, and unless you’re ready to be responsible for all those kids, you’d better tell him to back off.”

  “Now, that’s way out of line, Misty.” Harmony set her basket back onto the stack. She was shocked by the woman
’s outrageous comments.

  “Don’t get mad. We women have to stick together, don’t we? Besides, I’ve got a much better prospect for you.”

  Harmony put her hands on her hips. “Really?”

  “Think about this: Pastor Isaac.”

  “What about him?”

  “You’d make a perfect pastor’s wife, Harmony. You’re an expert at entertaining, you always make a good impression, you’re organized…”

  Harmony held up her hand. “Stop right there, Misty. I’m not interested in dating right now, period.”

  “Well, if you’re sure.” Misty didn’t look convinced.

  “I’m sure,” she answered, trying to put all the sternness into her voice that she could muster.

  “Then there’s nothing more to talk about. Maybe you should try some vitamins. You look a little pale.”

  “No, I’m afraid I have to go now. That’s all the time I have for today.” With that, Harmony turned on her heel and left the store. Some people were just not to be believed.

  ****

  “What’s this?” Joseph held up a small cream-colored envelope from the mail he was sorting through.

  Abby shrugged. “I don’t know. Who’s it for?”

  “Dori, Lucy and Belle.”

  “I’ll get them.”

  Dori insisted on being the one to open the card, and her sisters, used to her being their leader, allowed her to do so. Inside was an invitation for tea at Harmony’s house. The triplets were overjoyed.

  “Is she serious?” asked Joseph.

  Abby grinned. “Does she know what she’s getting herself into?”

  “I’d better call her.”

  Harmony assured him she knew what she was doing, so Joseph agreed to let the triplets come over for tea Saturday afternoon. It was the first time he’d spoken to her since the day after the “Blake” incident. Joseph wanted to ask if the man was still bothering her, but he didn’t. She’d take offense, he was sure. And he didn’t know why he should care. He and Harmony were a non-item, and that wasn’t going to change. A thought that left him feeling strangely hollow.

  On Saturday, he escorted his nieces, in their best dresses, to Harmony’s house. They used the front door, since, as Dori explained, it was a formal occasion.

  Harmony opened the door looking radiant in a green dress that matched her eyes. “Come in, please. Everything is ready,” said Harmony.

  Although they were dressed like little ladies, Joseph doubted their behavior would match their clothes. “Do you want me to stay?” he asked.

  She smiled at him. She couldn’t still be mad at him if she smiled like that, could she?

  “No, I’ve got everything under control. But I did make up a plate of goodies for you to take home for the other kids. Peter helped me make the cookies.”

  “Peter? I don’t even think he knows where the kitchen is at our house.”

  “Really? He’s been a big help to me with planning the harvest celebration party.”

  Harmony asked the girls to be seated in the parlor while she got the platter she’d wrapped up for the rest of the family. Joseph followed her into the kitchen.

  “It was nice of you to do this for the girls.”

  “It’s my pleasure.” She handed him the platter.

  There seemed to be nothing left to do but thank her and leave. He wished he’d pushed his luck and asked about Blake. He wished he’d insisted on staying.

  ****

  By the time Harmony joined the three girls, they’d gotten bored and started a pillow fight. She walked in just in time to catch a vase that was sent flying. “All right ladies, freeze,” she said, not loudly but very firmly. To her surprise it worked.

  “Just because they’re called throw pillows doesn’t mean that it’s all right to throw them,” she admonished the girls.

  “There was nothing to do. You don’t even have a television in here,” whined Lucy.

  “That’s not an excuse for misbehavior. Please return the pillows to their places.”

  The girls did as she requested, more or less. The pillows didn’t end up in the casually elegant arrangement that Harmony had put them in, but it was close enough.

  “When do we get to eat?” asked Dori, bouncing with excitement.

  “Will we have real tea?” asked Belle. “I’ve never had tea before. Does it taste good?”

  “Yes, we’ll be having real tea,” Harmony answered. “You’ll have to decide for yourself if it tastes good. But first there’s something I want to show you.”

  She took the girls upstairs to her sewing room. Opening the door, she waved them in first. It was gratifying to hear their gasps of astonishment.

  Hanging from the closet door were three dresses, three gorgeous, sequined, ruffled, sparkly princess dresses in little girl sizes.

  “Miss Solberg,” whispered Bell in awe. “Did you make those?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “But you don’t have any little girls,” Lucy pointed out. “Who are they for?”

  They were taking the bait. “I suppose they could be yours. Didn’t Abby tell me you wanted to be princesses for Halloween?”

  “Pop star princesses,” Dori corrected. “That’s better than being an ordinary princess.”

  “Yes, pop star princesses. Do you think the dresses might work?”

  There was a chorus of agreement from girls.

  “Can we really have them?” asked Belle, suspiciously.

  She was a smart girl, Harmony thought. “I might let you have them,” she told them, “if you can behave like pop star princesses.”

  “I knew it,” Belle mumbled.

  “How does a pop star princess behave?” wondered Lucy.

  “Pop stars always get what they want,” Dori insisted. “They yell and someone runs and gets them whatever they ask for.”

  “Not pop star princesses.” Harmony took the pink dress down and held it up to Dori. “Princesses are always polite and kind.”

  Dori crunched her little face into a scowl. “Are you sure?”

  “That’s the way princesses act in the storybooks,” Belle piped in.

  “Storybooks aren’t real.” Dori stomped her foot to emphasize her point.

  “Think about real princesses.” Harmony put the pink dress back and picked up the blue one. The sequins caught the light, making it sparkle. “They represent their entire country. If they were rude to a king or a president, there might be a war.”

  “Hey, that makes sense,” Lucy cried. “And even pop stars wouldn’t be stars for long if they were mean to their fans.”

  “Now you’re thinking.” She held the dress up to Lucy, who sighed with delight. Belle looked at the yellow dress longingly, so Harmony took that one down, too.

  “So you’re saying,” said Dori, “that if we want to wear these dresses for Halloween, we have to be polite and kind.”

  “That’s right. No more burying other people’s things or soap on toothbrushes.”

  Belle’s eyes shone brighter than the sequins when Harmony held the dress up to her. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Let’s try, please, Dori?”

  Lucy added her plea. “Yes, let’s try, please.”

  It was clear that none of them would go along with her deal unless Dori okayed it.

  “What will you do with the dresses if we don’t behave like pop star princesses?” she asked Harmony.

  She hadn’t thought of that. “I’ll sell them online, and some other little girls will get to wear them,” she improvised quickly.

  Three pairs of eyes widened in horror at this statement.

  “How long do we have to do this?” asked Dori.

  Another good question. Harmony hadn’t thought they’d bargain like this. “Until after the harvest celebration party.”

  She could almost see the wheels turning in Dori’s head, calculating how long that was and how much work it would be. Finally she nodded her head. “All right, we’ll do it.”

  “How do w
e know we’re doing it right?” asked Lucy. “Behaving like princesses, that is.”