Refuge on Leebrick (The Hills of Burlington Book 4)

by Jacie Middlemann

  Once they’d settled in, each deciding for their own reasons to make Burlington their home for the time being, they had also begun to make decisions about where to go from there with their lives. They had combined their talents and time to form several business ventures that had done well for all of them. Casey had reluctantly committed to do a handful of short travel news videos for the network she’d walked out on in order to fulfill her contract. By the time she was done fulfilling her commitment Casey realized she enjoyed the role behind the camera far more than being in front of it. That led to a series of cooking videos featuring their Aunt Charlie and Mallie, Carrie’s mother and niece. Because of the tremendous success of those cooking videos both locally and regionally they had more recently just completed a special series of home restoration and renovation videos. The series had focused on their work at the Summer Street house that Mary had become the new owner of. Because it was the home that their great-grandparents had lived in for most of their marriage the videos had taken on a more personal view of their efforts. And it had shown in the results of every room.

  Never one to sit still for long, in addition to the production company, Casey had also gotten them started with an online store that involved almost everyone in some way or another. Carrie was primarily responsible for shopping all the local and not so local stores to help keep their online store stocked with vintage items. It had to be replenished often because so much of what they carried often sold quickly.

  Mallie and Grace, who just happened to be the granddaughter of a close friend of their grandparents, kept the online site fine-tuned and running like a charm. Grace also played the role of public relations guru for the endeavor. It was her efforts that were in large part responsible for making it known on the internet and elsewhere that their online store was the only place to buy Mary’s popular cookbook and Charlie’s paintings. Those items alone brought tremendous numbers of visitors into the store. And Casey did just about anything else that needed to be done especially in the beginning. Later when both Beth and Addie arrived in Burlington they too were drawn into the small but successful business venture. Everyone had a role and each benefitted from its success.

  In the coming days, the jewelry book that Mary had worked on for months until it finally met her own high expectations, would become part of the store’s inventory. And it terrified her. Her nerves were on edge every bit as much as when her cookbook had first gone online. In many ways it was no different than when each and every one of her novels had hit store shelves when they were first released. She’d go through that day, that first week, terrified that not a single one would be bought. That the publishers were wrong and the story wasn’t good enough. It hadn’t ever happened. But the fear each time had been as real as the first time. And she’d never forgotten it.

  “I hope you’re right about the jewelry pattern book, Casey. I’m going to feel like three shades of a fool if it turns out to be a dud,” Mary said to her cousin as that thought hit her out of the blue…again.

  Casey just shook her head. Her cousin had never in her life written anything that could come even close to being classified as a dud. She’d even gone out and bought jewelry supplies to make one of the simpler bracelet patterns in her book. She’d been thrilled with the results. She, the queen of klutz, could personally attest that the instructions in the book were straight-forward and concise. Not only were they easy to follow they had resulted in a finished product that met…no…met and exceeded…her very low expectations. Because she, the queen of klutz had never before in her life completed anything even close to as nice as that bracelet.

  “You’re worrying for no reason, absolutely no reason. And let’s face it Mary, if it wasn’t this it would be something else. Sometimes I swear it seems like you look for things to worry about.”

  Mary just smiled and rose to refill her coffee cup. Subject changed. Then she turned her attention to her other cousin. “How is Rob doing, Carrie?”

  Carrie ran her finger along the rim of her cup. The answer to that wasn’t a simple one. She’d struggled with it the night before when Nick had called while Court was out with both Addie and Rob picking up pizza and a couple of movies that they’d spent most the night watching. He had asked her the same thing.

  “He’s watchful of me. Cautiously hopeful with Court. And alternately amused and confused by Addie.” Carrie shook her head as the laughter escaped at her own words. “Honestly, I think Addie is the best thing in the world for him. Beyond being cousins it looks like they’ve become friends. And since their discovery over at the Summer Street house they’ve both found a common obsession.”

  “Researching our family chronicles,” Mary said lightly. She could see how the two teenagers in question would be enthralled by what they were learning. She was enthralled by it herself. Who wouldn’t be? Just the excitement of finding all those volumes of writings that chronicled the family history going back centuries would be enticing for anyone.

  “At the very least. They’ve set up their own Ancestry account and spend hours on it researching the family tree. What time they don’t spend in front of the computer they spend at the library digging through the archives that the library has access to that the general public doesn’t. It’s amazing what various university libraries have in their archives that can be accessed through most public libraries.”

  “So Rob’s beginning to fit in better?”

  “I think the more important thing is that he’s no longer determined not to.” And as far as Carrie was concerned that was half the battle.

  “Mary, dear,” Charlie spoke up again from where she’d been quietly staring out the kitchen window across from her that looked down the alley to her childhood home. “Going back to this young woman, are you certain leaving her home to come here is the best thing for her?”

  Mary let out a deep sigh. Because she saw nothing more than real concern in her aunt’s face she answered her as honestly as she felt she was able. “I think from what I know of her situation that some time away from everything that’s gone on in her life recently will give her time to think things out in a way she isn’t able to there.” She looked steadily into her aunts eyes, as sharp and keen as they’d been in her childhood. “She needs some time to herself without all the outside interference from the many who love her and want only to help her. All I’m doing, Aunt Charlie, is giving her a place where she can take that time.” She watched as her aunt gave a slight nod of understanding as she had expected she would. Few would understand what Liana needed most as well as her Aunt Charlie could.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “Mary, I thought you said this was a small house.” Liana stood on the front sidewalk leading up to the two story Cape Cod style home in front of her. It was anything but small.

  “Actually, when I first talked with you about it I think I said it was charming,” Mary said as she nodded towards the gorgeous house she now owned. “And it is. Anything I said in regards to small, I was talking about the little house on the back of the property.” Mary hid the smile that snuck out by dipping her head and making a show of searching through her purse for the keys. “It is most definitely small. Fact is you would not believe just how small it is.” She lifted the keys from her purse and smiled at the woman standing beside her. “This,” she nodded at the structure before them, “just sort of came with it.”

  Liana followed Mary to the side yard and gazed back along the driveway that ran up and along the side of the house ending at a building situated at the very back of the property. It was small. More in line with a large cottage. “You bought this house because you wanted that?” She couldn’t help how she sounded. And she knew exactly how she sounded. Stunned. Verging close to outright rude. Her mother would have sent her one of those famous glares she remembered so well from her teenage years had she been here and heard her daughter’s poorly chosen words.

  Mary laughed and the joyful sound of it brought Liana’s attention back to her and made her forget her worry
about how she may have sounded to the other woman. There was something more here than what she was aware of. “What made you buy this?” Liana asked.

  “My father spent quite a bit of his childhood here,” Mary answered simply. “He lived there.” She nodded to the large house that was situated on what would be considered a fairly large piece of property for Burlington. Her grandmother’s house could easily sit on either side yard next to the house and still have quite a bit of room to walk before you reached the houses on either side. She had no idea if there had been smaller homes located on the property at some point but she was going to find out. “Whenever he spoke of the time he lived here he always talked mostly about the small house in the back and how much he enjoyed the time he spent back there.” She turned to Liana, smiled at the awe still on her very expressive features. “I think perhaps it was his refuge.”

  Liana wanted to ask why he needed one and decided before the words spilled out of her mouth that maybe that was something that should wait for another time. If she was here for any length of time she had a feeling there would be lots of talks and time to ask all kinds of questions.

  “Anyway, the more I thought about it I decided I might use the little house for myself. Maybe make it into my own small refuge.” Mary shifted her gaze from the small house at the back edge of the property over to the woman who still stood quietly beside her. “And that this would be wonderful for you,” she nodded again to the large Cape Cod style house even as she turned and led them both back towards the front of the house. “While I was talking with you the other day it came to me that this would be the perfect place for you and your children.” She sent Liana a quiet smile almost as if she could hear the other woman’s thoughts. “I know it’s big but with two kids it might not seem so much so when you need some quiet time to yourself.”

  “I don’t know what to say…” Liana began but didn’t have a chance to say anything else before Mary interrupted her.

  “That’s because there’s no need to say anything at all,” Mary said simply. Then she gestured to the far side of the house opposite from where they were standing. “There’s a large game room on that end of the first floor that I think you’ll appreciate. The couple that I bought the house from were retiring and didn’t want to take all the furnishings with them. From what I know they gave their kids first dibs on anything they wanted. There was quite a bit left after that so I bought those pieces that their children didn’t want as well. There are a couple of rooms that are empty but much of the house is at least partially furnished. If there’s anything else you need we can work that out as well.” She looked over to where silence continued to reign and understood what she saw. Knew too the decision wasn’t hers to make. “Here.” Mary held out the keys. “Why don’t you go in and look around. I’m going to wander around for a little bit out here and take a few minutes in the house out back. Take your time,” she added as she stepped away in the direction towards the back of the house.

  Liana took the offered keys and watched Mary wander in the direction that took her around the side of the house. Then, with a deep breath, she walked up to the front door and after fooling around a few moments with the lock, let herself into the huge house.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Mary walked back up the side of the house almost thirty minutes later. She’d made good use of the time making decisions about what she wanted to do with the small house in the back. And imagining her father there, wondering what it was he’d found there in the solitude of the small retreat he’d made it into. She wondered if it had been a sanctuary as well as a refuge for him and if so…why. She reached out and turned the door knob and let herself into the larger house that for some reason hadn’t held nearly the memories for her father as the much smaller one behind it.

  “Liana?” She barely raised her voice knowing in the still silence the other woman would be able to easily hear her wherever she was in the house.

  “I’m in the kitchen.”

  Mary made her way through the large and open living areas towards the kitchen that was situated at the back of the house. She found Liana standing in front of the large farm style sink that she suspected was original to the house. For a quiet moment she just stood there and imagined her father standing in that same place, in front of the old sink, looking out to the back of the property. “It’s a wonderful piece, isn’t it?” she said softly, obviously talking about the huge sink.

  Liana turned away from where she’d been gazing out the window above the sink in question. “It’s almost as big as the one at your house.” She felt as if she’d been dropped into a rabbit hole of some sort. She’d been there before but for far different reasons. “Mary, the house is wonderful. I know without any doubt my children would love it. But I just can’t stay here without paying you. This isn’t the little house in the back.”

  Anticipating just this very possibility, Mary was prepared. “And I can’t take your money, Liana.” She held her hand up for silence as she would with her children. “But if you feel that strongly about it I’m sure we can work something else out.” She walked over to stand beside her at the sink and looked out through the window Liana had just turned away from. “My cousins and I have found ourselves in the position of being what you might call…small business owners. We have a number of small businesses that we’re responsible for and I promise you there’s always something that needs to be done that no one has the time to do. If you feel the need to pay me in some way, helping us out in any of the many ways that are needed there would be far more appreciated.” She turned, caught and held the other woman’s eyes. She dearly wished there was something more she could do to erase even just a small part of the sadness that seemed to weigh so heavily in them. “Does that work for you?”

  “It seems it’ll have to,” Liana said and realized almost immediately how she sounded. “Oh, Mary, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so unappreciative. I really didn’t.” She turned away from her, lifted her arms up in an expansive motion, gestured to the room they stood in and all that was beyond it. “Look at all this. I mean, just look at it.” She walked to the doorway opposite the one Mary had come through, stood in its archway and just waved her hands outwards once again. “It’s gorgeous. Every room I walked through was more wonderful than the one before.” She turned back to her new friend and wondered if the phrase fairy godmother was ever more apt. “My girls are going to be absolutely besides themselves. I can already hear the arguments over who gets what bedroom at the top of the stairway. It’s literally a pink paradise that would appeal to any little girl. Even though it’s bigger than the others, their battle won’t have anything to do with its size but undoubtedly its color scheme. The fact that it has an attached bathroom any girl of any age would simply die for almost makes me want to take them on so I can have it for myself.”

  “Oh, Liana,” Mary walked over and simply clasped the younger woman’s hands in her own. “This is exactly what I hoped for when I went through it yesterday. I couldn’t help but think of you and your girls in every room I walked in. It’s perfect for you. And for them.” She looked from the room on the one side of the doorway that could easily work as either a dining room or TV room then let her gaze slide back in the direction towards the light and airy open kitchen that was filled with sunlight from the row of windows that almost filled the entire back wall. “Can’t you just imagine them in here after school, gathered around the table with each one trying to talk over the other as they told you everything that went on during their day?”

  “I can,” Liana said as she shook her head. It felt so overwhelming but not nearly in the way everything else that had been slapping at her back no matter how hard she ran over the last several months.

  “So…” Mary began as she waited for the other woman to look at her. “Are we good with this?”

  “Yes. I think you’re unbelievably kind, you have to know that. I don’t know this area that well but I have a pretty good idea what you could get in rent
for this place.”

  “I’m sure, but as I’ve told others and I have no problem telling you the same, money is not and never has been a major consideration for me. It certainly isn’t when it comes to this place that was at one time my father’s home. That doesn’t mean I don’t understand its value. I do. And I know I’m very fortunate to be able to feel as I do. But I’ve reached a point in my life where so much more is of greater value to me.” She sighed and looked around. She could easily imagine her father feeling somewhat overwhelmed here when he was younger. She was beginning to better understand his need to seek refuge in the smaller cottage at the back of the property. “So, how about we go out for a celebratory lunch before you have to hit the road again?”

  “That sounds wonderful,” Liana said and for the first time in a long time meant exactly what the words implied. She might not feel wonderful but she felt as if she was finally making steps forward that would take her somewhere close to it. And maybe even someplace where she could begin to find that sense of wonderful again. “What sounds good to you?”

  Mary smiled, pleased that everything had worked out even better than she’d hoped for. “I know just the place. And we can talk about what all you plan to bring with you so I can make sure you have what you need when you come back.”

  Liana just shook her head at the way Mary simply believed everything would always work out for the best…and how she seemed to somehow always make sure it did. She was almost anxious to return home, a place she hadn’t found any solace in at all, just so she could pack up and return to Burlington. But there was something else they still had to talk about and she wanted it out in the open and out of the way before they went off for their lunch.

  “Mary, I know you think it’s just a handful of words grouped together and the whole thing is a tempest in a teapot but I am sorry about it. However it happened it wasn’t intentional. It really wasn’t.”