He nodded his head not saying much as Selena and Tomas stared at him in confusion wondering what was putting that thoughtful and calculating look on his face.
“That may work better than what I originally planned,” Edric stated slowly leaning back in his seat just as his office phone rung and Mariah immediately answered her mouth going into a straight line at the voice on the other end.
“Can you hold on for one moment,” Edric said taking the other phone from his secretary. “What can I do for you Sophie?”
He listened as she pouted at him for leaving early and complaining about Ms. Welsh who it seemed left the house before making her breakfast, and Edric told her shortly, “I asked Ms. Welsh to do something for me, Sophie. I can meet you for lunch if you would like but it would have to be,” he glanced down at his watch before he concluded, “in an hour.”
He named the restaurant that she most preferred before telling her he was busy and he would see her for lunch before he hung up, and went right back to his call from Wilma.
“Ric,” she began only for Edric to stop her.
“I’m ready for my vacation,” he stated without hesitation, and those words Wilma knew that he meant a whole lot more.
“All right,” she said quietly. “I have an idea if you want to listen.”
Edric nodded his head answering without doubt, “Go ahead” as Mariah and Tomas sat down ready to help any way they could after entering his office.
Edric glanced at them before shaking his head listening to Wilma’s plan which made his eyes narrow slightly at what she was telling him.
They hung a few minutes later and Edric sat in silence until Tomas said, “So what was Ms. Wilma’s plan, Ric?”
“It looks like we are going to be kidnapping Calida after all,” Edric said getting sharp looks from both Tomas and Mariah. He sighed gently before he filled them in on what Wilma said keeping an eye on the time because he wasn’t going to allow anyone mess up his time with Calida. They needed to talk and he wanted it to be uninterrupted without any distractions because there was plenty they needed to say to each other.
Chapter 27
The day of the funeral dawned on a rainy day and Calida stared out her bedroom window thinking how appropriate it was to send Jeffrey off on a day like today.
A knock sounded on the door and Calida without turning around called out, “Come in.”
Wilma opened the door and stepped inside looking around the room before she spotted Calida in front of the window.
“Calida, we will be leaving in a few minutes,” she told her studying her as Calida turned away from the window.
Calida had left her hair hanging down but the sides were pinned up with clips while her makeup was light and she wore a black pantsuit with a pair of black flats on her feet.
“Calida,” Wilma said hesitating for a second before she fibbed lightly. “Ric called and said that he will see you at the funeral and afterwards, you two need to have a talk.”
Calida had started toward her when Wilma began to speak and she stilled for a second before she continued forward grabbing a black purse she had on her dresser.
“I don’t think there is anything else to say, Wilma,” Calida said not looking at her reflection in the mirror over the dresser. “But I guess breaking off our engagement at the funeral will be the ultimate revenge for his sister so I will let it happen.”
Wilma frowned at her words but Calida didn’t see that as she walked out of the room and Wilma sighed before following her muttering, “It’s a good thing that we decided on the action we are going to take and I hope that you won’t get upset with us later about it.”
Wilma shook her head as she closed Calida’s door behind her before she met up with Calida and the others in the living room as they headed out to the car. Calida and Marti got in the backseat as Jake and Wilma got in front and they headed toward the cemetery.
“I don’t expect many people will show up, Calida,” Wilma admitted in a soft voice as Calida stared out the window.
“I understand,” Calida murmured not seeing how the others looked at each other with sadness as the car headed south.
Once there, Calida walked slowly over to the area designated for Jeffrey next to his mother and their father as the preacher walked over to her.
“Miss Lindley, we should start the service soon,” he said softly looking up into the sky as the rains begin to fall heavier.
Calida nodded her head as Marti, Wilma and Jake joined her, and she clasped her hands in front of her glancing up when more people joined them.
Calida glanced right into green eyes as Edric stared at her and Calida didn’t look away until she noticed Sophie latching onto Edric’s arm, and she nodded her head to the both of them before turning back to the grave.
The service went on as scheduled and only a few more people showed up but Calida had told the truth when she said she understood because after what her brother did, she had doubt anyone would show him respect.
She was surprised that Edric had come to show his respect although she wanted to believe that it was more to support her than any forgiveness toward Jeffrey’s sins.
Once the service concluded and they placed their flowers, Wilma told everyone that they would meet back at the Reseda house for the wake and everyone nodded as they walked away.
At his car, Edric turned back watching Calida stand in front of her father’s grave and he saw her lips move but he couldn’t hear what she was saying.
“Ric, let’s get going,” Sophie said a shade sharply that Edric turned a hard stare to her that caused her to climb into the car without saying another word.
He shut her door and then met Wilma’s eyes as she nodded her head before turning to speak with her husband who stood next to her.
Edric walked around to get into the car but didn’t start it up and just sat there waiting.
“What are you waiting for,” Sophie asked making her voice soft, but Edric didn’t answer.
It was only when Calida started toward the car that Edric turned over the engine, but he didn’t drive away until Calida had gotten in Jake’s vehicle and Jake had started out of the cemetery.
Sophie frowned as she asked, “So you’re going to follow them to the Reseda house? It’s not like you don’t know where it is.”
“I want to make sure that they arrive there safely,” Edric told her in an indifferent voice.
Sophie bit her lip wondering what Edric was planning now as they followed the car in front of them to the Reseda house.
Once there, Edric helped Sophie out of the car before he followed the others into the house and he noticed that there were more people for the wake then at the actual funeral itself, but Calida merely nodded her head when people approached her.
Edric stood off to the side keeping an eye on her as he was joined by Mariah and Tomas, and Mariah murmured, “I found something out, Ric, that I thought you would like to know.”
Edric sipped from the glass in his hand as Sophie joined them hearing Mariah’s word asked, “What did you learn?”
Mariah glanced at her but she continued what she was saying when Edric nodded his head. “According to what Wilma was telling me earlier, the house along with most of the furniture is being foreclosed on. It seems that Jeffrey had mortgaged the house to the hilt and didn’t keep up with the payments.”
Sophie couldn’t help the laughter that erupted from her mouth at those words and before Edric could stop her, she whirled around heading straight for Calida who was starting to get weary from standing for so long as her body began to ache.
“Why don’t you go sit down,” Wilma told her seeing the strain on Calida’s face.
Calida was about to nod her head when Sophie walked up to her and said with a touch of gloating in her voice, “I hear that the house is being foreclosed on, Calida. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Sure you are,” Wilma bit out, but Calida shook her head.
“Thank you for your concern, Sophie
, but some things can’t be stopped no matter what we do,” she told her bluntly although a slight hardness entered her eyes which Edric caught.
He immediately stepped forward as Sophie went to say something else and he grabbed her arm.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” he told Calida in a sincere voice.
Calida looked at him for a moment before she smiled without humor, “No, you’re not Edric but thank you for coming. Excuse me.”
She nodded her head and walked away slowly, and Edric frowned watching her as Wilma stepped next to him.
“She’s in pain, but she won’t sit down,” Wilma told him as Sophie grunted and crossed her arms over her chest.
Sophie walked away not seeing the look that Edric and Wilma shared before he followed her.
“That was rude, Sophie,” he told her in a sharp voice as he caught up with her.
Sophie glared at Calida as she told him in a cold voice, “After what her brother did to me, she’s damn lucky that I even came here today.”
Her voice carried and Edric saw the looks that were thrown their way, and he gritted his teeth turning to Tomas and Mariah as they walked over.
Calida finished speaking to the woman she was talking with before she walked over and told Sophie in a blunt voice, “If you don’t want to be here, Sophie, then you are more than welcomed to leave.”
Edric turned at her voice and Sophie smiled at her with a smirk before she said in a lowered tone, “Oh, I’ll think I stay as I know that something good will happen afterwards.”
Calida tightened her mouth at Sophie’s words before she shot Edric a look and then turned away heading for the entrance where a few more people had walked in.
Edric swore under his breath as he watched her walk away while Tomas and Mariah looked at each other worry reflected in each other eyes.
Almost an hour later, people started leaving and Calida gave a deep sigh as the last person left leaving her with Marti, Wilma and Jake although she frowned when she saw Edric and his friends were still left behind.
“Calida,” Marti said in a weary voice.
“Jake,” Calida called out getting Jake’s attention as he walked into the room. “Why don’t you take Wilma and Marti home?”
“How about the garage, Calida,” Wilma said giving Jake and Marti a panicked look.
Calida didn’t answer for a few minutes before she said wearily, “How long do you think it will take?”
“It shouldn’t take too long,” Jake answered as he pulled a key out of his pocket, and Calida shook her head.
“All right, we’ll do it now,” Calida agreed pushing a hand through her hair as one of the clips slipped out and she stared at it a few seconds before she bent down to pick it up slipping the clip into the pocket of her slacks.
“Jake, take Calida to the garage while Marti and I help clean up here,” Wilma stated.
“We’ll help, too,” Mariah said pulling Tomas forward as Calida frowned at them hazel eyes slightly dim with pain.
“It’s no problem, Calida,” Tomas told her seeing the look and Calida nodded her head while Marti waved them along.
“Why don’t I go with you,” Edric offered getting a startled look from Calida and she opened her mouth to say something when Jake interrupted.
“That actually works for me because I have to use the bathroom,” Jake stated walking over to hand Edric the key before putting a hand to his stomach. “My stomach’s been acting up since this morning.”
Edric nodded his head taking the key handed to him as Jake nodded his head and hurried out of the room while Sophie said, “I will go with you, Ric. I want to see what’s so important.”
Edric didn’t make a comment although he saw the brief look that Calida sent her before she turned on her heel and led the way out of the room.
Edric followed her catching the scowl on Sophie’s face when he didn’t wait for her before she hurried after him.
Calida went out the front door and started around the house telling them when Edric and Sophie caught up with her. “After my mom died, my father had put all her things in this small garage he actually had built for Jeffrey who expressed wanting to learn to do carpentry at one time. He barely stepped foot in here so my mom used it for storing odds and ends.”
She reached the place and stared at it for a few minutes before she stepped aside giving a nod to Edric.
Edric unlocked the padlock before pulling open the door and he coughed as dust flew out, and Calida remarked with a wry twist of her lips, “No one’s entered it since dad put mom’s things in here.”
She walked inside waving her hand as dust flew around her while Sophie said, “Ric, why don’t we stay out here while she looks around?”
Edric didn’t answer her as he followed Calida inside the building catching up with her as she trailed a hand over a bed post.
“My father bought it for my mother when I was about five I think,” Calida said in a soft voice sensing his approach. “I remembered because she laughed and told me that she hadn’t meant for him to buy it, only that she had liked it.”
Edric studied what she was staring at and he made a mental note as Calida continued looking around until suddenly she stopped and Edric following her frowned at the sudden movement until he saw what caught Calida’s attention.
“Calida,” he said quietly his green eyes flaring with worry as they stared at the crib.
Calida shook her head as she raised a shaky hand to the railing of the crib before she clenched it into a tight fist and hurried away not seeing the look on Edric’s face as he stared at the crib before he reached out and touched it with a hard hand.
With an indrawn breathe, he lowered his hand and walked after Calida a determined look on his face as he pulled his phone out and sent a text message to Tomas.
Calida continued looking around smiling at some of the things she found and when Jake joined them about thirty minutes later, she told him what she wanted to take along with the bed and crib although her voice stammered a little as she mentioned it.
They were walking out when she mentioned the crib and Sophie catching the last part said, “Ric, why don’t we see if she will sell it to us? Although I don’t like old things, I think it will hold up much longer than some of the newer things when we have children.”
Calida turned sharply at her words before she cried out almost collapsing until hard arms swept around her and Edric muttered, “I’ve got you.”
Calida began to cry at his words and Edric held her tightly to him as Sophie scowled before saying, “I think, Ric, that it’s time you told her the truth.”
Edric lifted his head and glared at Sophie as he said, “She knows the truth, Sophie, but I still need to talk with her.”
Calida regained her composure before she pushed herself out of his arms and said her voice a little wobbly, “Edric, please just get it over with.”
Edric turned to her as she wrapped her arms around her middle and stared up at him with eyes that were filled with tears.
He reached out and wiped the tears off her face before he smiled, and said, “I will when I’m ready to do so, and right now I’m not ready.”
Calida’s mouth fell open as Sophie said in angry voice, “I thought the whole point of coming here was for you to finally tell her the truth of how you were using her to get to Jeffrey for what he did to your sister.”
“I don’t have to tell her because she learned about that some time ago,” Edric told Sophie without looking away from Calida whose eyes widened slightly at his words. “Yet there are still some questions that I have for her.”
“What are you talking about, Ric,” Sophie asked in confusion as the others joined them.
“Edric, I…” Calida began only to stop when Edric shook his head.
“You’re not going to run away until I get all of my answers,” Edric told her watching as Calida bit her lips nervously.
“Calida, why don’t you go with Ric so you two can talk and we will finish up h
ere,” Wilma suggested as she walked over to them. “The bank allowed us a few days to take the things that you want out and you’ve told Jake what you wanted to keep. I’ll tell the bank that they can have the rest to add to what is owed for the mortgage although they will get their money back with the house alone.”
Calida was hesitant as Edric put an arm around her waist and began to usher back toward the house as Calida uttered, “What about Sophie?”
“I’ll talk to her once you are settled in the car as you haven’t sat down since we’ve arrived,” Edric told her getting a brief glance from Calida. “I know that you are in pain so I’ll get Jake to bring your meds to you while I talk with Sophie.”
“Edric, I don’t think it will take long for us to talk so why don’t you…” Calida began only to be stopped when Edric turned her to face him and leaned down to kiss her briefly.
She stared up at him in shock as Sophie uttered in astonished voice, “Ric” although Edric didn’t look at her.
“Not another word,” Edric warned Calida and she nodded her head speechless while wondering what game he was playing with her now.
They walked to the truck he was borrowing from Tomas which Calida looked at suspiciously allowing him to help her inside the cab.
“Don’t move,” he told her in a stern voice and she scowled at him as her eyes narrowed. “I mean it, Calida, or do you want me to carry you back to the truck?’
Calida muttered under her breath as she slumped back against the seat and Edric smiled before closing the door.
The others had followed them but much slower and Edric walked over to Jake muttering something softly that Sophie couldn’t catch, but she saw Jake nod his head before he hurried inside.
“Ric,” Sophie called out as Edric walked over to Tomas and Mariah before being joined by Marti and Wilma.
Sophie stalked over to them as Edric finished talking and he turned just as Sophie reached them where she grabbed his arm in a tight grip.
“What do you need to talk with Calida about now,” she asked him in a hard voice. “I thought we were going on our vacation after the funeral.”
Past Sins Revisited Page 36
