by LK Kelley
“I’ve worked on it for weeks, Gem! I loved the description so much in your books, I just had to match it here. I never dreamed, though, that you would be staying in it! After she left, I had planned to show it to you.”
“It’s absolutely beautiful, Taylor, and spot on the money from my description!”
“The door on the left of the bed is a closet, and just wait till you see what I did for the bathroom!”
OK. That was enough for Gem. She headed straight for the bathroom, opened the door, and came to a dead halt! You know those OMG moments? This just happened to be one of them!
The bathroom was completely tiled in the same seafoam green. The ceiling was painted in a deep midnight blue, almost black, dotted with stars of every color that actually twinkled as if one was literally looking at the night sky. A long cabinet on the left side was painted in a distressed cream, again, and the doors and drawers underneath were shuttered. The top of the sink was clear glass while one of the glass basins was blue and the other was of green. The handles were gold seashells, and the faucets were ribbed. Gem turned to what she was really interested in seeing. The bath and shower.
In front of her was a humongous, sunken tub with plenty of jets for a whirlpool. Two sets of steps led down into it. But, one set also let up into the shower next to it. There were two steps in both, and the backs of each step curved. Both were completely open, except around a corner of the shower where rocks had been stacked to the ceiling with a spout at the top resembling what Gem could only describe as “spouting hole” that she had seen at Hanging Lake, Colorado! It took Gem a moment, but she realized….
“Taylor? If I use the shower…I mean does water…I mean does it flow into the tub over the steps like a waterfall?”
“Yep! Isn’t that great? There is one, larger than normal drain in the tub, and that is where both the tub and shower drain!”
“This is a real dream, Taylor! I can’t believe you did this!”
“I thought it would be a great idea to take a photo or two of all of this, so that you might use it in the advertising of your book.”
Tears appeared in Gem's eyes. Her best friend had done all of this…for her! She threw her arms around Taylor, who held her tightly while Gem finally let her tears flow. She needed to cry! She’d truly lost everything she had, yet had gained so much more!
After a while, she wiped her eyes, and sniffed.
“Thank you so damn much, Tay! You guys are the bestest friends in the entire world!” She pulled back, and then said, “I think I’m going to go to what’s left of my house, tomorrow, and see what I can salvage.”
“Want me to go with you, sweetie?” Taylor asked with compassion.
“No. But, thanks. I need some time alone. No offense,” Gem hastened to add.
“None taken. I understand. We can let you drive one of our cars.”
“No. I think tomorrow morning, I’ll just run to the house, instead of from it. Whatever I find, I can leave to pick up later.”
“Sure, Gem. Just take your cell phone, and check in with us a couple of times.”
“Oh, Tay?” Gem asked.
“Yep?”
“Could you, or the kids, let Lola into the room when you go to bed? But, if she wants to sleep in the kids’ room, that’s just fine. I know how much she loves them. But, I’m betting that she will want to be with me tonight, especially after what happened.”
“No need!” Taylor pointing to the door as she turned to leave. “I made sure a tiny door was put into the door so she could go in and out whenever she wanted!”
Gem just smiled even bigger! Lola wouldn't have to be trapped!
“Oh. Almost forgot!” Taylor opened the outside door onto a multilevel deck, and a small fenced yard. “We also put in a deck, a small, fenced yard, and doggie door, so she can run in and out to do her business, too! Now, I put some extra clothes in the dresser. A couple of lounge outfits, some T-shirts – short and long sleeved – but, I just don’t have jeans to fit you, so I left you a couple of my jogging pants, and panties for the short term.”
Gem’s eyes filled with tears at how they had gone to so much trouble for her – even if they had designed it for that great aunt they had never mentioned!
“Thanks, Taylor,” she sniffed. “For everything, and for taking Lola into account, too! She will love it!” Gem blew her nose into a tissue, that she had taken from a box on the nightstand. She took a deep breath, then continued. “After I finish at the house, I’m going to the store to get some things.”
“Want some company?” Taylor waggled her eyebrows, and laughing.
“Sure, I do! I mean…who’s going to tell me if my butt looks big when I try on some jeans?”
Throwing her hands up, and her head back hooting with laughter, Taylor closed the door behind her, and traipsed up the staircase.
Instantly, Gem ran to the bathroom! She was going to soak in the tub for a while. Turning on the faucet, she let the tub fill, stripped, and stepped down into it sitting on one of the two built in seats in the whirlpool. Once the water reached the right depth, she pushed the button, turned on the jets, then settled back, and let the tears run down her face.
Slurp! Slurp! A warm, wet tongue slapped itself across Gem’s face. She moaned, and turned over in the bed. Then, a tiny little body started to bounce up and down on her legs causing Gem to open one eye, which glared at Lola. Knowing Lola needed to go outside, she dragged her body out of the bed, and sleepily found Lola’s leash. She stumbled to the door, and opened it onto the multi-level deck that was outside the room. Lola led her outside, and spent her sweet time just finding the “perfect spot” so that she could relieve herself. Gem yawned, and almost dislocated her jaw. She had no idea that she was this tired! Lola danced around her feet when she was finished, and the two of them walked back inside. That's when Gem stopped, turned to look at Lola who actually had a snarky look on her face. She looked back at the door, then burst out laughing at the doggie door Taylor had put into it. She looked back at Lola.
“Oh, you little stinker! You knew about the doggie door, and deliberately didn't remind me, didn't you?” she laughed.
Lola's expression of “I have no idea what you're talking about” was so ridiculous, Gem just laughed all the more. Still laughing, Gem took off Lola's leash, and the two of them shuffled to the kitchen. Opening the cabinet door in the kitchen, Gem found a 5 lb bag of Lola’s favorite dog food, a brand new doggie bowl for her food with a matching water dish, along with a mat to go under them. She filled the water dish, and put it down, then filled the bowl with 1/3 cup of the dry dog food, setting it down next to the water dish. Before she could get it down, Lola leaped up, and knocked some of the food out of the bowl into the floor. She did it every time Gem fed her. Knowing Lola would have her food downed in about ten seconds or less, Gem stumbled into the bathroom. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and combed her hair. She’d gone to bed with it wet, and naturally, it was curling and frizzing.
Giving up on it, she pulled it back into a ponytail, then went to the dresser to pull out what clothing was in it. Everything except a bra was there. Taylor was a 38-C while Gem was a 36-B. No way could she wear any of Taylor's. But, she had washed her sports bra out in the sink the night before, and even though it wasn’t totally dry, she pulled it on over her head anyway. She pulled on panties, the yoga pants, and then, grabbed the long sleeved matching yoga jacket. Turning to Lola, who was still busy snuffling around for more food, Gem scooped her up, receiving an enthusiastic kiss.
“So, Lola? Wanna go with me, or stay with the kids?” she asked.
Lola looked at her pet, then cocked her head. Was her pet serious? Go on a hike all morning, or stay and play games with her second favorite two humans? No contest. She wiggled, which told her pet to put her down, then she dashed to the door, pushed open her little doggie door, and sped into the small hall that led to the first floor above.
Gem shook her head, she muttered, “Traitor.”
/> Well, just as well. Lola did love to get off track when they went for a walk. Oh, well! Gem would never get things done with her stopping at every little thing, to inspect it! Not noticing, Lola grinned at her words. Gem grabbed a water bottle, filled it with Gatorade, then grabbed her keys, her phone, darted out the door got her thirty minute jog to what was left of her house.
It was a good thing she was in great shape! Passing the Sip 'N' Stop, she decided to tell Newton that she would have the truck towed. Before she went into the building, she...stopped. She looked at the tree, but her truck was gone? She jogged over to it, and saw where the truck had been thrown into it, but no truck! Far too curious, she dashed into the building.
“Hey, Newton? Where’s my truck?”
“Your truck? Huh? Well, I didn’t even notice! Are you telling me that it’s not there?” Newton asked in surprised.
“No!” she exclaimed with surprise.
Newton followed Gem outside, and looked at the tree. She was right. The truck was gone.
“I have no idea where it is, Gem,” he told her. He shrugged.
“Well, I need to find out where it is, and if you didn’t have it towed, then who did?”
“I have no idea,” he answered.
“Look, I’m going up to what’s left of my house, and when I come back down, maybe you can help me.”
“OK. Sure. No problem! I’ll see what I can find out while you’re at the house.”
“Thanks, Newton!”
She waved at him as she jogged out of the store, and headed to her house.
Angry, narrowed eyes watched Gem leave the Sip‘N’Shop. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d spent last night watching over her across the street. The dark shape he had shadowed had suddenly disappeared about 2 am. So, why didn’t he leave? He had no answer. Well, an idea was forming, but he refused to believe it, so he pushed it aside. There was no way he was going down that road! Mainly because it was a total impossibility!
Professor Hawkins discreetly followed Gem to make sure she didn’t get into any more trouble. The storms were bothering him – a lot. There was something not right about them, but for the life of him, he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. If he didn’t know any better, he would swear that the storms were going after Gem! But, that wasn’t possible. Was it? If so, he’d never seen anything like it in his long, long life! He needed to talk to Gem about it. Maybe she had the key to why, although how she could know was out of his zone of understanding. After all...she was only human.
Gem finally stopped in front of the burned out house. She just hoped that something was left! She looked behind her expecting the cops or the fire department to come along and stop her. But, they weren’t, and they didn’t, so she walked into the ashes. Not much was left, but she was going to look anyway.
After going through the living room, and finding her burned up computer on the floor, she proceeded to the kitchen. The kitchen looked as if it hadn’t been so badly burned. She opened a cabinet door, and it fell off the hinges, making her jump as it hit the floor. Inside, her Mother’s stoneware looked pristine! Not a speck of ash on them! Tears beginning to form, she pulled out one of the plates, and blew on it. A bit of dust, but that was all! She almost broke down into tears at this one, small thing still left of her life! Holding the plate, she turned around. Where would she put it till she could take all of it back with her? Her eyes fell on the patio table that hadn’t been hurt. She put the plate down on the cabinet, and made her way carefully back through the house, until she walked out onto the lawn.
Pulling the table across the grass was tough, but she managed to do it, leaving it just outside the kitchen area. Then, she walked back into the kitchen, and began to pull the stoneware out of the cabinets, and set them on the table. Next, she looked into each cabinet, and discovered she had some pots and pans along with the utensils still relatively intact. She left the things that looked burned, crooked, or bent, and took the good condition utensils and pans to the table stacking them, then, she went back into the ashes.
Diligently, Gem silently, and methodically, worked through all the destruction. She found her parent’s photo still fairly intact in a frame that had been in her Dad’s room. A few other things such as a watch, two rings, an engagement ring, and a pair of slippers. She rattled around inside his closet, and pushed and pulled her way through the clothing that had smoke damage, and burns.
Just as she turned around in the closet to leave, her foot hit something sticking out, and she heard a squeaking noise, then a twang. Gem looked behind the clothing pushing them aside. A small door at the baseboard had swung open, and inside it was a royal blue velvet box. She looked at it, and frowned. Why had she never seen it before? She stooped down for a better look, and then, reached out, and pulled it out of its little cubbyhole. It was about 3 inches wide x 4 inches long, and at least 1 inch high. The size of one of those costume jewelry boxes one bought at Christmas containing a bracelet, necklace, and earrings. Gem ran her hands over the soft velvet, then turned it upside down, and sideways. It looked as if it had no opening at all! No hinges, no lock. Nope. She couldn’t find any way to open it. Scratching her head, she had to wonder why would her Dad have something like this? What was it? Where did it come from, and did Dad even know about it? OK. That was a dumb question! Of course her Dad knew about it! He would have had to hide it, for goodness sakes!
While she puzzled about how to open it, Gem heard someone stepping through the broken boards and ashes. For whatever reason, Gem grabbed one of her Dad’s coats off the hanger, and quickly wrapped the box inside it just as Professor Hawkins came into the room. Why she felt she needed to hide it from anyone, she didn’t know, but at the moment, it just seemed imperative that she keep that box from everyone. At least until she had time to figure out how to open it.
Hawkins had yet to see her, since she was still in the closet, and it gave her an opportunity to really look at him without his noticing. He had been coming to the library as long as she had been working there, and she had noticed him, but had never really looked at him. He always sported that hoodie, and duster. But, now, he had a flight jacket on that was zipped almost up to his neck, and a cap with his favorite baseball team on it. He wore ragged blue jeans, which she had never seen him in, since he always wore khakis. It was fall and after the solstice, so the mornings and evenings were colder, now. He had his glasses on with a strap holding them in place, so he could run without worrying he would break them. He was rather non-descript, and it was just darned hard to get a read on him.
“What are you doing here?” Gem rudely demanded, as she stepped out of the closet with the coat tightly held in her hands. She realized it, and offered an apology immediately. “I-I'm sorry, Professor. Just everything has gotten to me.”
“No worries. I understand. I thought I’d come look to find if you had anything left. I was going to filter through it, and sort out anything that was still salvageable.”
Gem wasn't altogether sure that he was telling her the truth, so she frowned, but thought it better not to tell him that she didn't believe him.
“Uh-huh. OK. Thanks, but I wanted to see if there was anything left, before the fire department got here with their investigation.”
“You do know you are not supposed to move anything, right?” the Professor asked.
Hmm! Why was it that she still didn’t believe the reason he gave for being here? She’d never had cause to distrust him before, so why now? She narrowed her eyes at him trying to discern the truth. She twitched the right side of her lips upward as she considered it.
“Yeah. I know, but who knows what would happen if they got in here, and stepped on something that was OK till their boots stomped on it. I truly appreciate your offer of help, Professor Hawkins, but I think I have everything that I could find. I laid it all on the patio table in the backyard over there,” she pointed. “I’m going to borrow Taylor’s car, and I’ll pick them up later today.”
“Well, if you�
��re sure?” Professor Hawkins asked.
“I’m sure,” Gem answered cautiously.
The two stared at each other forever. At least, it seemed that way to Gem.
“Care to join me in a jog back to town?” Professor Hawkins asked.
Trying to get out of it, Gem replied, “Oh, I don’t want to take you out of your way, Professor.”
“It’s not out of my way. Please,” he added.
Damn! Well, she was obliged to go with him, now. She took another look around, and nodded.
“Sure. Why not?” she answered him. “Give me a sec to get my jacket.”
The Professor went outside, and Gem quickly unwrapped the velvet box, stuffed it into her pocket with her cell phone, and joined Hawkins outside. The two started off at a loping jog, both silent as they concentrated on their run. They picked up speed, after they reached the bottom of the mountain, and took off toward town. When Taylor’s house came into view, the Professor waved, and took off in a different direction.
Gem just stopped, watching as he put distance between them. What the hell was that all about? He’s certainly not her type, of course, but then, she didn’t think he was any girl’s type! What an odd bird! She shook her head, then let herself into Taylor’s basement. Taking her now dead cell phone out of her pocket and the blue velvet box, she opened the drawer of the bedside table, and put them inside it. Then, she headed to the shower, stripping as she went. The most fun she had was in the bathroom, where it was relaxing, Gem could swear she could live in there forever! She giggled, turned on the shower, and stepped inside of it.
After her shower, Gem took Taylor and Rick up on their offer to drive the car she had been offered. She drove back to the house to scoop up what she had left on the table. There was no way she was going to let anyone else take her stuff. It would take forever to get it back from the authorities.
After she rescued everything salvageable, she contacted her insurance company. Next, she spoke to the fire department, who apparently had appeared just after she had picked up the things she’d dug out of the ashes. But, except for the blue box, plates, and cookware, there just was nothing left. Gem knew she shouldn’t have disturbed anything, but there was no way she could go without checking everything. Imagine if the door had popped open, and anyone could have stolen the box from her – even someone from the fire department, or a passing bum. The insurance, of course, insisted upon investigating it, before they would give her any money, and they told her it could take several weeks, if not months. In other words, they practically accused her of burning the house down to get the insurance money!
