Dating, Dining, and Desperation (A Dear Daphne Novel)

by Carlson, Melody

  Daphne imagined herself jumping—leaping through a flaming hoop being held by her diminutive neighbor as she cracked a whip on Daphne’s backside. Of course, that was ridiculous. And so despite her concerns, Daphne agreed. Really, how bad could it be? It’s not like Daphne couldn’t say no if she thought Sabrina was pushing her too far.

  On Thursday morning, Daphne was driving the Corvette toward Fairview with Sabrina and Tootsie happily seated next to her. Sabrina had the whole day planned for the three of them, starting with a hair appointment.

  “One thing is for sure,” Daphne declared. “I am not cutting my hair.”

  “No, of course you’re not.” Sabrina flipped her own blond locks over her shoulder. She had insisted on having the top up in order not to muss her hair. “Most guys secretly love long hair, honey. And yours is barely on your shoulders. Although it might need a little trim to clean it up some. Hey, maybe we should get you some extensions.”

  “No.” Daphne firmly shook her head. “No extensions.”

  “This salon sounds like a good one. I looked it up online and it had mostly five-star reviews. I’m very picky about where I get my hair done, but it will be helpful to see how they do with you.”

  “Meaning I’m your guinea pig?”

  Sabrina laughed. “Well now, I wouldn’t put it quite like that.”

  When they arrived, Daphne had to admit the salon seemed clean and stylish and inviting. And Karla the stylist was both professional and considerate. She seemed to genuinely listen to Daphne’s concerns about looking unnatural.

  “The last time I got highlights was more than a decade ago,” she admitted to Karla. “And it turned out horrible. I actually went to another salon and got the streaks covered up with my own hair color.”

  “I’ll use a very light touch. Your natural hair color is so gorgeous, I wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin it.”

  “I just don’t want it to look brassy,” Daphne said nervously as Karla was applying the lightener and wrapping the strands in aluminum foil.

  “It won’t.” She gave her a reassuring smile. “Just relax. Why don’t you read the magazine your friend brought you?”

  Daphne looked down at the thick, slick fashion magazine in her lap. Sabrina had told Daphne to peruse it for clothing ideas. But as Daphne flipped through the pages, she felt like everything in it was aimed at a much younger woman. Not Daphne.

  It took more than an hour, but when Karla finally proclaimed her done, Daphne was truly impressed. Not only did the layered cut soften her angular face, but because Karla had smoothed her naturally curly hair out, it now felt sleek and shiny. And the golden highlights against the copper were fun and fresh looking. “I really like it.”

  “Oh, honey,” Sabrina said as she joined them. “It is stunning. I swear it takes at least five years off you.”

  “Like I’m twenty-nine?” Daphne held up the hand mirror to examine the back.

  Sabrina chuckled. “Well, that’s assuming you looked like thirty-four before.”

  “Oh.” Daphne grimaced at the not-so-subtle hint. Of course Sabrina would feel that Daphne looked older than her real age. After all she hadn’t been spending the past several years going to Botox parties. Daphne frowned at her image in the mirror. Besides her hair, which did look great, she really did look a bit dowdy and frumpy and faded. She could probably pass for someone in her forties. Was that really the image she’d wanted to put out there?

  Their next stop was the makeup section of the salon. Sabrina had made another appointment for Daphne with a cosmetologist named Brianna. Still feeling pleased with her hair results, Daphne decided to be more trusting. She tried not to be too negative as Brianna tried various samples and colors on her. And eventually, with a little input from Sabrina, they finally decided on a look that was both somewhat natural, but flattering. “You’d been wearing the wrong colors,” Brianna informed Daphne as she removed the makeup bib and tossed it into the trash.

  “Now you look ten years younger,” Sabrina proclaimed.

  As Daphne studied her image in the mirror, she had to agree she did look younger. Not twenty-four, thankfully, since Daphne had no desire to look that young. But the improvement was remarkable.

  Daphne settled the bill and, after waiting for Tootsie to have a potty break, they went to the Fairview Shoppes where they got some lunch to fortify themselves for an afternoon of shopping.

  “Now if I work you too hard, you just let me know,” Sabrina said as they went into another clothing store. “Some of my Atlanta friends can’t keep up.”

  As they looked and gathered items for Daphne to try on, Sabrina continued to insist that Daphne was buying clothing that was one size too large.

  “But I’m more comfortable.” Daphne turned around to show Sabrina the black capri pants.

  “Come here,” Sabrina said to a stylish-looking salesclerk. “We would like your honest opinion.” She pointed at Daphne. “Do you think those pants are a little too big?”

  The salesclerk looked closely at Daphne and slowly nodded. “Yes. They’re not meant to be baggy. They’re meant to be slimming. Can I get you a different size?”

  Sabrina pointed to the pair she’d hung on the dressing room door. “No, I got a smaller pair already, but I couldn’t get her to try them on.”

  “Oh, you should try them,” the woman said. “You have a lovely figure, and those great long legs. It’s a shame to hide all that under clothes that are too big.”

  Sabrina laughed. “See, Daphne. What did I tell you?”

  “Did you pay her to say that?”

  The salesclerk laughed too. “No, she didn’t. But your friend seems to know what she’s talking about. How about if I get you a smaller top too? It will definitely be more flattering.”

  Daphne agreed with reluctance. Once she tried the slightly smaller garments on, she had to admit they really did look better. “But what if they shrink?”

  “Don’t put them in the dryer,” Sabrina warned. “You’ll be fine.”

  By midafternoon, Daphne was exhausted but Sabrina seemed unstoppable. “You remind me of the Energizer Bunny,” Daphne told her as they stood outside, waiting for Tootsie to take care of his business again. Shopping with a little dog came with its own challenges. “But I really feel like I’m done.”

  Sabrina looked disappointed. “Well, I’m guessing we did do some significant damage to your pocketbook. I suppose we can call it a day. If you’re really that worn out.”

  Daphne nodded eagerly. “I am. I’m not used to this.”

  “I’ll agree to quit now if you promise to go to dinner with me tomorrow.”

  Daphne glanced at Tootsie. “I’ll promise to go to dinner with you if you promise to leave Tootsie at home.”

  Sabrina frowned. “Well, I guess it won’t hurt to let him be on his own for a couple of hours.”

  “Really?” Daphne was surprised.

  “Sure, it’ll be good for him.” Sabrina pointed at Daphne. “And when we go to dinner, I want you to wear the green sundress and those killer sandals we got to go with it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want to show you off.” Sabrina laughed as she tugged on Tootsie’s leash. “Come on, wittle boy. Auntie Daphne wants to go home.”

  As Daphne drove them home, she had to wonder about this new extended family she’d recently picked up. Being an aunt to a spoiled Chihuahua wasn’t exactly her dream relationship. Although she couldn’t deny that the temperamental brown dog was growing on her. At least he didn’t bark when he saw her coming anymore. And who knew, if this catching-a-man thing didn’t work out, perhaps she would get herself a dog. Not a Chihuahua of course! But a Labradoodle might be fun.

  Chapter 6

  Daphne couldn’t believe how many bags she had to carry into the house. Had she really bought all that? Perhaps she’d return some of it la
ter . . . without mentioning it to Sabrina. But as she laid it out on her bed, she had to admit that everything they’d picked out did have a fun, youthful vibe to it. And compared to most of her other clothes, these pieces really were more flattering. The question still remained, would she feel comfortable in them?

  As she hung things up, she reminded herself of the old I Love Lucy shows she used to watch with Aunt Dee. Lucy had always dressed with such splash and style. And since Daphne was occasionally compared to a young Lucille Ball, perhaps it was time for her to start emulating Lucy’s love of fashion as well.

  Starting tomorrow, she would try out some of these new clothes. Not the dressier ones, but some of the casual pieces Sabrina had convinced her were a huge improvement over Daphne’s other clothes. Maybe she’d pay Olivia a visit and get her response. It might even be fun.

  As Daphne was feeding the cats, she noticed a slightly built man walking into her yard. Curious as to what he was doing, she peered out the window to watch. He was an older gentleman with thinning gray hair and a narrow mustache. Upon a closer look, she realized she knew him. Mr. Renwald from Appleton High. He’d been her favorite English teacher and part of the reason she’d become so interested in writing. Thinking he was coming to her front door, she dropped the cat food can into the sink and hurried to meet him. But from the big front window, she saw him stooping down in front of the free-produce box. However, the box must’ve been empty because he stood up straight and then, looking over his shoulders as if embarrassed, he backed off.

  She went out to the porch, thinking she’d call out to him, but seeing him scurrying away, she suspected he did not want to be seen foraging through an empty produce box. He crossed the street and went directly into the house next door to Sabrina’s. So Mr. Renwald lived in her neighborhood.

  Feeling badly that he’d discovered the box empty and eager to speak to him again, she grabbed a basket and went out to her garden, quickly picking a nice selection of ripe produce. After the basket was nearly full she paused to admire the pretty selection of veggies. Hooking it over her arm, she marched over to his house and rang the doorbell.

  He answered with a quizzical expression. “Can I help you?”

  “Mr. Renwald.”

  “Do I know you?”

  She grinned, holding out the basket. “Probably not, but I went to Appleton High and you were my favorite English teacher.”

  He brightened slightly. “You do seem familiar, but I’ve been retired for ten years and I’m afraid my memory is fading fast.”

  She told him who she was and that she lived across the street. “I noticed you stopped by for some produce. My garden is producing out more vegetables than I can ever use. So I brought this for you.”

  He stared down at the basket. “Why thank you, Daphne. That’s very kind. Are you sure you can’t use them?”

  She told him about her canning experience with Mrs. Terwilliger. “I don’t want to do that again anytime soon. So I’m very glad to share with the neighbors.”

  “I noticed the neighbors helping themselves to your box,” he confessed. “I kept thinking I’d go over, but I didn’t . . . and by the time I got there it was picked clean.”

  “Well, I’m glad I saw you and glad you were home. It’s very nice to see you again, Mr. Renwald.”

  “Since I’m no longer your teacher, why don’t you call me by my first name. Wally.”

  She smiled. “Okay, Wally. I’m glad to know you’re my neighbor.”

  He frowned as he took the basket from her. “I’m afraid our neighborhood is going to the dogs.”

  “What?” She tipped her head to one side. “How so?”

  He nodded his head toward Sabrina’s house. “That horrible woman and her yappy little dog have been testing my patience.”

  “Oh? What’s going on?”

  “She lets her dog out and he immediately runs directly into my yard to relieve himself. If I go out and tell the little rat-dog to vacate the premises, he makes a terrible scene, barking and growling as if I am the trespasser.” He scowled.

  “Oh, dear. Have you mentioned this to Sabrina?”

  “Sabrina?” He looked suspicious. “You know that woman?”

  “Yes. I mean, I only met her this week. Her dog barked at me at first too. But now he doesn’t.”

  “I can’t even go out into my yard without concern that the little beast will bark at me. He’s stolen my peace and quiet.”

  “I’m sorry. That must be miserable. Hopefully Sabrina will put up a fence.”

  “I doubt that will help. He’ll still bark.”

  “Maybe he just needs to get used to the place.”

  Wally grimly shook his head. “No, I doubt it. I’ve seen little dogs like that. Nothing stops them from barking. I’m halfway tempted to sell my home. I’ve been considering downsizing anyway. This old house is really too big for one person.”

  “Oh, I hope you’re not leaving too soon. I’m so pleased to discover you’re my neighbor.”

  He gave her a weary half smile. “Well, I’m sure I’ll be around for a while anyway. Thanks for the produce. Do you want me to empty it right now so you can have your basket back?”

  “No, just leave it on my front porch if you like.”

  “I’d invite you in, but it’s rather messy in here. It’s never been quite the same since Molly died.”

  “Was that your wife?”

  He nodded. “She passed on six years ago.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “We’d just moved in here before she got sick. She’d inherited this house from her parents. I never really wanted to live here, but she was thrilled.” He sighed. “And now I’m stuck with it.” He glanced over to Sabrina’s again. “And stuck with that horrid little dog too.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to tell Sabrina that Tootsie is bothering you.”

  “Tootsie?” He shook his head. “It figures that such a foolish dog would have an equally foolish name. I suppose she named him for the Tootsie Rolls he leaves in my yard.”

  Daphne couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry, Wally. I promise to do all I can to see that you get your peace back.”

  He looked unconvinced but thanked her anyway. As Daphne went home, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for the old guy. It really wasn’t fair that Tootsie was invading his yard and stealing his peace. The poor old guy did not deserve that.

  After a fairly long phone call where Daphne had to interrupt Sabrina numerous times to finally get her point across regarding Tootsie, Sabrina eventually agreed that it was time to put in a fence. “I was hoping to get completely unpacked first.” Sabrina sighed. “I’m still living in a maze of boxes.”

  “I just assumed that you were all settled in,” Daphne said. “You shouldn’t have sacrificed a whole day’s worth of your time just for me today.”

  “Oh, that’s all right. That was fun. And I was ready for a break.”

  “Well, I appreciate it. Let me know if I can help you with the unpacking as a repayment. I could come over tomorrow if you like.”

  “I’ll think about it, but I’m so unorganized, you might get frustrated.”

  “Not if I was helping you. I tend to be fairly organized.”

  “Really? Maybe I’ll take you up on the offer.”

  Daphne looked out the window to see Tootsie in Sabrina’s front yard now, wandering over the sidewalk and into the street. “And you will do something about getting a fence up too? Not just for Wally’s sake, Sabrina. Tootsie could get hit by a car roaming out there in the street like he’s doing right now.”

  “What?” Daphne could hear the sound of Sabrina’s footsteps running through the house, and then she was out in the yard yelling at Tootsie to “Come!”

  “Even though there aren’t many cars in this neighborhood, you never kn
ow.”

  “That’s true,” Sabrina said breathlessly. “Poor Tootsie is used to having five wooded acres to roam freely upon.”

  “Even more reason you need that fence.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right, honey. I’ll see what I can do. Say, do you think Mick the garden guy might be able to help me with it?” Sabrina sounded hopeful.

  “Mick is a good place to start. If he doesn’t have guys already working for him who can do it, I’m sure he’ll have good contacts.”

  “Okay then. That’s just what I’ll do.”

  “And I’ll come by tomorrow to lend a hand,” Daphne promised. “Around ten okay?”

  “Perfect. See ya’ll then.”

  The next morning, Daphne was tempted to put on one of her new outfits, but the thought of scrounging around and unpacking boxes did not seem conducive to sprucing up. So she just put on her old khaki shorts and a T-shirt and went over. However, when Sabrina answered her door, trying to muzzle Tootsie’s crazed barking, Daphne was surprised to see that, as usual, Sabrina was immaculately dressed with every hair in place.

  “Are you going somewhere? Because I thought you wanted me to help you unpack today.”

  “That’s right, I do.” Sabrina opened the door wider. “Come on in.”

  “Wow.” Daphne looked through the rows of boxes in the front room. “You weren’t kidding about the maze.”

  “I know, and it’s overwhelming. The problem is, I’ll open a box and then instead of putting things away like I ought to, I wind up studying each piece . . . going down memory lane, you know?”

  Daphne nodded. “What you need is some objectivity.” She pointed to a box marked kitchen. “Can I assume that the boxes are labeled correctly?”

  “Why, of course.”

  Daphne picked up the kitchen box. “Then I will take this to the kitchen and we’ll start putting it away.” Daphne smiled to remember how Olivia had helped her in this very same way. Maybe it was karma that she was helping Sabrina now.