A Spicy Secret

by D. Savannah George

“Well, find out, would ya? I want to take her to the Maine Maritime Museum down at Bath. They’ve got a new exhibit on the scallop industry I’d like to show her.”

  She sighed as quietly as she could. “Harry, you know Vanessa won’t want to go the Maritime Museum. Can’t you take her to something in Portland that she’d actually want to do, like a Sea Dogs game or the planetarium?”

  “Pshaw. Scooter likes seeing the boats. Besides, the Sea Dogs don’t play in the winter. Duh!”

  Her ex-husband, a third-generation Stony Point fisherman, owned and ran his own scallop boat and thought everyone was obsessed with the sea and everything to do with it. Vanessa had outgrown her fascination shortly after outgrowing her nickname, yet he refused to acknowledge it. Kate figured he still was mad that his only child had been a girl—he’d really wanted a son to work with him on the boat.

  Kate clenched her fists in frustration. “All right. I’ll ask her and get back with you.”

  “Cool. See ya,” he said as he hung up.

  She took some deep breaths to sooth her nerves and then went back to her book.

  ****

  Later that afternoon, Kate sat in her favorite chair in the living room, crocheting on her first afghan for the Haiti project—using her very own pattern, of course—while Vanessa and Mackenzie sat on the floor, surrounded by art supplies of all kinds—paints, markers, pencils, poster board, stencils, and even a dictionary. The pair laughed as they came up with ideas for the flyer and the poster to track donations. They seemed especially tickled with the line “Heatin’ Up Haiti,” much to Kate’s amusement, even though she had no idea why they found it so funny.

  “Hey Mrs. Stevens, didn’t Miss Brock say people could drop off their blankets at the store?” Mackenzie asked, putting aside a red marker and picking up a blue one.

  “Duh,” Vanessa teased. “And she said she’d give 10 percent off supplies. Weren’t you listening?”

  “Uh, yeah, but I still have a question for your mom.”

  Kate smiled. “Darling daughter, do try to be polite and let your friend ask her question.”

  “Whatev’,” Vanessa said, tossing her hair out of her eyes. To anyone else, it might have seemed like backtalk, but Kate knew her daughter was just teasing.

  “Anyways,” Mackenzie said, “I wondered if Miss Brock might like it if we decorated a box for the store, where people could put their blankets when they’re done. I bet our teacher would even give us extra credit for it.”

  “I’m sure Mary Beth wouldn’t mind at all, but I’ll ask her just to make sure.”

  “We just need a really big box to decorate,” Mackenzie said. “Do you know where we can get one?”

  Kate laughed. “Do I ever! We’ve got boxes up to our eyebrows at the store. I could run by and find one. And how about I pick up a pizza for dinner from Sal’s Pizzeria while I’m out? I don’t know how we survived before he opened.”

  “I do love his pizza,” said Mackenzie. “I want pepperoni.”

  “I want veggie,” said Vanessa.

  “All right—you got it! Can I trust you two not to draw on the walls while I’m gone?”

  “Mom!” Vanessa said. “We’re not five years old anymore.”

  “I just never know with you two,” she said, grabbing her coat and purse, and pulling on a pair of brown gloves and a purple hat. “I’ll be back shortly, and woe unto you if the wall is damaged!”

  “Mom! Seriously!” she heard as she went out the door to the garage. Then she heard Mackenzie’s voice: “She didn’t say a thing about the carpet.”

  ****

  Kate hated to leave the warmth of the house and face the gloomy, snowy day. But she also knew she could use a little time to herself, and a visit with Mary Beth would do her good. The girls had woken up not long after Harry had called, and she hadn’t had time to really think about his request. She felt awfully irritated with the whole thing. In fact, practically every word that came out of his mouth irritated her. How dare he not take his daughter’s feelings into consideration and act like Vanessa was a dog or a potted plant he could just pick up whenever he felt like it?

  She hadn’t yet mentioned the call to her daughter; she knew Vanessa would get upset and unsettled. The girl preferred not to think about her father. His violence had really affected her, and he continually reneged on promises. Kate knew she’d have to bring it up eventually, but for now she wanted her daughter to enjoy her day.

  She arrived at A Stitch in Time a little after three thirty. Mary Beth sat in one of the comfy chairs, working on the blanket she’d begun earlier in the week.

  “We’re closed,” the older woman said without looking up from her flashing needles.

  “Sure you are,” Kate said. “Your sign says you close at four o’clock, so you still must be open. And anyway, I planned to spend a whole bunch of money today. Guess I’ll just have to go down to Finer Things and get rid of my cash there.”

  “Guess so,” Mary Beth retorted, looking up. “I don’t need your kind in my store anyway.” They laughed as Kate sank down into the chair next to her.

  “So, really, why are you here?” the older woman asked. “I’m pretty sure I gave you the day off, and it’s practically time for me to get out of here.”

  “Ah, well.” Kate heaved a sigh. “The girls are working on the flyer and asked if you’d be OK with them decorating a box to put in the store as a place to collect the blankets. I told them I’d ask and then pick up a pizza.”

  “And that makes you sigh, because?”

  “That doesn’t. Harry called this morning and wants a weekend with Vanessa, or ‘Scooter’ as he persists in calling her. And he gets under my skin like no one else. I still don’t know why I ever married that man.”

  “Aw, honey, I’m so sorry.” Mary Beth put her knitting down and gave Kate her full attention. She knew how much Vanessa hated that moniker, and she really hated to see Kate so upset. “You married him because you loved him, and you got a wonderful kid out of the bargain.”

  She leaned over and gave Kate a quick hug. “What does Vanessa say about it?”

  “I haven’t told her yet. He says he wants to take her to the Maritime Museum—as if she’d even want to do that, and as if he’d actually take her.”

  “He’s not exactly one for keeping promises, is he?”

  “No! I’m sick of having to clean up his messes, and I’m sick of him hurting our daughter. Plus, I don’t know what weekend she’s free. She’s always so busy with school and her friends.”

  “Have you tried ignoring him?”

  “Yes, but that ends up being worse.” Kate sighed again. “He accuses me of keeping him from his daughter when I do that. Never mind that he’s the one who stays away.”

  “I think all you can do is tell Vanessa as gently as possible, and then tell him when she’s available and hope for the best.”

  “I guess you’re right,” she responded. “So, is it OK if the girls decorate a box for people to put their blankets in? Mackenzie said they might even get extra credit for it.”

  “Of course! Far be it from me to stand in the way of extra credit,” Mary Beth said. “Would you like me to help you look for one?”

  “Only if you can tear yourself away from that chair,” Kate teased.

  “Ha, ha. Thank goodness my assistant cleaned the back room,” Mary Beth said. “Should be easy to find one that will work.”

  “I hear she’s quite talented,” Kate said.

  “That’s what I hear too,” Mary Beth countered. “Hey! How about the box the new refrigerator came in? We haven’t gotten rid of it yet, have we?”

  “That would be great!” Kate said. “I broke it down, but it would be easy to tape it back up. Plus the girls can cut it down to whatever height they need.”

  Mary Beth helped Kate load it in her car and then gave her a hug.

  “Don’t worry, Kate. Vanessa will be fine. You’re a great mom. And soon enough she’ll be eighteen, and you won’t have to w
orry about Harry anymore. It will be up to her if she wants to see him or not.”

  Kate groaned. “Thanks, I think. I’m not sure I want to be reminded that my baby will be an adult soon.”

  “Well, she will be. We all get older, even if we don’t grow up.”

  ****

  Kate arrived back home, big cardboard box and two steaming pizzas in hand. She put the pizzas in the oven to stay warm and lugged the box into the living room. She smiled at the sight of two brown heads bent over a poster. It looked like a tornado had gone through the room and scattered art supplies to every corner. Thankfully, the walls were unmarked.

  “Hey girls! Dinner’s here, along with your box,” she said.

  “Hi Mom,” said Vanessa.

  “Oh hey, Mrs. Stevens,” said Mackenzie. “Look! We’re almost finished! What do you think?”

  Kate walked over to the oasis of calm in the middle of the floor. On the top of the poster and the flyer, they had written “Blanket Haiti” in big colorful letters.

  “That’s a great name for our project! Who came up with it?” she asked.

  “I did!” Mackenzie piped up. “But it’s not really my very own idea. My mom bought some sheets from a company called Blanket America. She told me they make a donation to the needy for each sale they make. I figured they wouldn’t mind if I used that, since we’re kinda doing the same thing, and they support Haiti too!”

  “That’s great,” Kate replied, “and I love all the colors.”

  The flyer featured a tall stack of hand-drawn blankets, each one a different color—from bright blues and fluorescent pinks to pale greens and sunflower yellows.

  Three poster boards taped together on the shorter ends made for a very tall tracking poster.

  “Look, Mom. We drew the outline of forty blankets on this. You can color in a blanket for every three you collect!”

  “How does this sound, Mrs. Stevens?” Mackenzie said and handed her the flyer.

  Kate took it and read aloud:

  Blanket Haiti.

  Volunteers from Stony Point Community Church are heading to Haiti to be of service at Light of Hope Orphanage. In conjunction, the Hook and Needle Club hopes to make and collect at least 120 summer blankets for the orphans and the workers who care for them. Make one (or seven) or donate your like-new extras! They should be lightweight and twin-size. Drop off your blankets at A Stitch in Time before June 15. See Mary Beth or Kate at the store for more information. You can make a difference!

  Kate turned to the girls. “Perfect! This is really wonderful. Mary Beth is going to be thrilled, and I’m sure your teacher is too. The only thing I see that needs changing is that you need to add that the church is accepting cash donations as well.”

  The girls beamed and went back to drawing.

  “When do you want to eat dinner?” Kate asked.

  “As soon as we’re done with everything,” Vanessa said. “Thanks, Mom!”

  After dinner, Vanessa and Mackenzie covered the box in brown paper and wrote ‘Blanket Haiti Blanket Drop’ in large letters on one side and drew piles of multicolored blankets on the other three.

  Mackenzie’s mother arrived to pick her up a little before nine o’clock. The women chatted as the girls finished collecting the art supplies from various corners and even from under the couch, returning each item to where it belonged.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Stevens, I had a lot of fun. And thanks for dinner,” Mackenzie said, putting on her winter gear.

  “You’re very welcome,” Kate said, giving her a hug. “You know you can come over and make a mess on my floor anytime you’d like. But the walls are still off limits.”

  “Mother!” Vanessa said, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation.

  They said their goodbyes, and Kate and Vanessa collapsed onto the couch after Mackenzie and her mother had driven away.

  “That was fun, huh?” Kate asked.

  “Yeah, lots, but it was also tiring. I love Mackenzie, but she talks so much sometimes I just want to throttle her.”

  Kate leaned over and kissed the top of her daughter’s head.

  “I know what you mean,” she segued. “Speaking of throttling, your father called this morning.”

  “Oh no! What does he want now?”

  “He wants a weekend to take you to the Maritime Museum in Bath. I told him I’d find out when you’re available.”

  “Mom, do I have to?” Vanessa’s voice suddenly sounded tearful. “I don’t want to go anywhere with him, much less to that museum. We’ve been there like a hundred times already. And all Dad wants to talk about is his boat.”

  “I know, honey, and I’m so sorry,” Kate said, drawing her into a hug. For once, Vanessa didn’t resist but curled up on her like she’d done as a little girl. “But he is your father, and you know how he gets if we try to ignore him. And I don’t want to be dragged to court because he’s mad.”

  She kissed the top of Vanessa’s head. “And anyway, as a wise woman told me today, you’ll be fine. And when you’re eighteen you won’t have to worry about it anymore. You can decide how often you want to see him, and you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

  Vanessa smiled a little. “So, who was the wise woman?”

  “Mary Beth, of course. I told her I didn’t want to be reminded that my little girl is growing up.”

  “Thanks! I’ll just have to remember that if and when Dad actually takes me somewhere.”

  “Good idea. Be sure to tell me when you have a free weekend, and I’ll call him in the morning.”

  Kate yawned, and Vanessa followed suit soon after.

  “Off to bed for both of us, I think,” Kate said. “Sleep well, darling. I love you.”

  She was rewarded with a big hug and a whispered, “I love you too, Mom.”

  5

  The morning of the next Hook and Needle Club meeting dawned bright and cold with a cloudless pale blue sky. Annie figured even the heavens were tired of being covered up.

  The weekend had been positively dismal, with biting wind, blowing snow, and not a ray of sunshine. Annie and Alice had spent a lot of time together, sipping hot cocoa and watching DVDs of old movies at Grey Gables.

  They had sung You’re the One that I Want and had danced along to all the songs in Grease—though in Alice’s case, she had mostly swayed back and forth to keep from re-injuring her recuperating ankle. Just thinking about it made Annie laugh.

  “You look like a cross between Stevie Wonder and the Church Lady on Saturday Night Live,” Annie had teased her friend.

  “Well, that only proves how old you are,” Alice retorted, doing a funky hip thrust. “These moves made me very popular in high school.”

  “I can only imagine,” Annie replied dryly, getting a pillow in her face for her trouble.

  They’d eaten way too much popcorn while watching When Harry Met Sally and had cried while watching Steel Magnolias. Somehow, they’d even managed to get some work done on their blankets for the orphanage. They had also spent time talking about the mystery of the recipes, but had made no real progress in figuring out why the recipes had been placed in the hidey-hole in the second floor of the carriage house. Annie had gotten out her notebook, but ended up adding nothing but doodles.

  Annie woke up later than usual that Tuesday, and she had to rush around to get ready. Even in her hurry, she still felt positively cheerful. She dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a turtleneck, covering that with a green sweater. She pulled her hair—now in an awkward growing-out stage, courtesy of her last haircut—back into metal barrettes and put on a light coating of mascara and lipstick.

  Satisfied with her looks, she went downstairs for a quick breakfast, fed Boots, and packed her tote bag with a skein each of her blue and white yarn, crochet hook, and the blanket she had started—so far she’d finished eighteen squares of the first pattern, nine in each color.

  She was just putting on her coat when Alice called.

  “Would you mind driving me to the meeting?�
�� her friend asked. “I have such a load to carry, and my ankle is hurting again. It’s so hard being me sometimes.”

  “It’s hard being me sometimes too,” said Annie in a teasing tone of voice, “especially when I have to listen to your whining.”

  “I’m not whining. I’m just stating a fact. The cold is making my ankle throb,” Alice said in response. “So, would you pretty please drive me to the meeting? Plus, you know my Mustang does not look pretty in snow tires.”

  “And my car does?” Annie retorted. “Plus, in case you haven’t noticed, your Mustang does have snow tires on it.”

  “Yeah, yeah. OK, you got me. Can I have a ride anyway?”

  “No problem—as long as you don’t make me later than I already am!”

  They hung up, and Annie finished buttoning her coat. She pulled on her fleece-lined gloves and wound a thick brown scarf around her neck. Five minutes later, she pulled her trusty Malibu into Alice’s driveway. The heat was on full blast, though it barely made a dent in the cold. Her breath came out in clouds of fog that coated the windows in frosty patterns that reminded her of fine lace.

  She honked the horn, waiting for Alice in the idling car. She hadn’t paid much attention before, but now, after talking about the renovation and looking at the old blueprints, she noticed that her grandparents had done a remarkable job in converting the carriage house from a utilitarian building into something that truly looked like a home. The Swanns had chosen a different color scheme from Grey Gables with its white siding and gray accents. Annie made a mental note that when the carriage house needed it, she would suggest to Alice that it be painted to match Grey Gables, as she was sure it once had been.

  “What could be taking that girl so long?” she asked aloud, just as Alice’s arm snaked out the front door in a come-help-me gesture.

  Annie unbuckled her seat belt and got out. She left the car running in hopes that it would finally warm up.

  “Yes?” she asked, peeking in the front door. “Don’t tell me you need me to carry you to the car!”

  “I just need you to carry this,” Alice replied, handing Annie a plastic grocery bag and a Tupperware container full of cookies.