“Will you be leaving during Thanksgiving break?”
He nodded. “I have an aunt in Vermont. I’m driving up there for a few days.”
No question about her plans. She noted that Justin either lacked curiosity or had a very strict boundary when it came to other people’s business.
As if sensing her unease, he stood. “Thanks again for the cocoa.” He strode to the stairs, retrieving his jacket as he ascended.
He’d been a soldier, served in the war, returned home with a permanent limp and a dark, haunted look in his eyes. What must he have endured? It wasn’t that she found Justin attractive. His reticence to talk about himself only served to pique her own curiosity. The writer in her wanted to know more.
~
Four inches of snow had fallen the night before Thanksgiving. Fancie stood by her car and stared at the blanketed driveway and sidewalks. Tracks ran along the main street where traffic had melted the white stuff, but it was still intimidating. Kinley’s house sat at the top of a long hill near the turn off for the ski lodge. “Oh, joy. I’m not going to like this part of living in New England. I’m pretty sure of that.”
She gave the car too much gas backing up and fishtailed out of the driveway. Her heart was in her throat as she headed up the long incline. Hopefully the temperature wouldn’t drop before she headed home. The thought of coming down that hill on ice was more than she could handle.
Fancie arrived at two on the dot. The cedar log home sat back from the road. It looked like something out of a fairytale set in the forest and surrounded by snow. Pine trees lined the property on either side of the house. Smoke plumed from the chimney and soft golden light shone in the windows, brightening the otherwise gloomy atmosphere. An undisturbed blanket of white spread across the expanse of lawn. She removed her phone from her purse and snapped a few pictures before proceeding up the driveway. It was like driving into a Christmas card.
Fancie carried a bottle of chardonnay and the box of pumpkin spice cookies her aunt had sent. A young girl dressed all in black and sporting unnaturally blue black hair opened the door. “Mom’s in the kitchen.”
“Thank you.” Fancie took that as an invitation to step inside. She offered a hand. “I’m Fancie.”
The girl looked her up and down. “Seriously?”
Kinley strode down the hallway. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Amber. Take Fancie’s coat.” She reached out. “Here, let me take those things you didn’t have to bring. Amber’s in the process of determining her individuality and, hopefully, finding her manners.”
The girl rolled her eyes at her mother—something so like Kinley that Fancie almost laughed. “I like your hair, Amber.”
“Thanks.” Amber brushed past her mother and down the hallway.
Fancie slipped out of her jacket and hung it in on one of the vacant hooks on the wall.
“Come on in.” Kinley led her to a spacious kitchen. “What’s in this box? It smells heavenly.”
“My Aunt Josie’s pumpkin spice cookies.”
“You didn’t have to bring them to share with us. She baked them for you.”
“I wanted to. They’re best when shared.” She looked around. “I just love this house. I hope it’s okay that I stopped and took a few pictures before I drove up. With the snow, this place looks like a Christmas card.”
“Wait until Eddie gets the lights up outside. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Our electric bill doubles after Thanksgiving until New Year’s.”
“My dad’s the same way. He loves Christmas and decorating. People in Columbus tease that they can see Quail Hill from across the Alabama state line.”
Kinley poured from an already opened bottle of wine and handed the glass to Fancie. “We can have yours with dinner.” She lifted her glass. “Here’s to a Southern-style Thanksgiving. We have cornbread stuffing, sweet potato casserole, macaroni ’n cheese, and greens—along with all the other traditional food. If I had my way, the turkey would be deep fried, but Eddie has to watch his cholesterol.” She clinked her glass to Fancie’s and sipped. “I’m so glad you joined us.”
“I am, too. Mama was happy when I told her I’d met a friend from Mississippi and would be joining your family for dinner. She said to thank you, and I do.”
“Let me baste this bird one more time, then I’ll introduce you to Eddie and to Halston. You might want to finish that drink first.”
Eddie Slater, a tall, slightly balding man with the beginnings of a paunch, stood when Kinley and Fancie entered the family room. But his eyes remained glued to the 50” TV screen mounted above a fireplace. “Come on. What’s wrong with you?” he shouted.
“Eddie, we have a guest.”
He turned and smiled. “Sorry. I get overly-enthusiastic about football.” He shook Fancie’s hand, then wrapped an arm around Kinley and kissed her cheek.
The affection between them was so evident, it made Fancie blush. It also made her yearn for that kind of easy relationship, so much like the one her parents shared. “It’s nice to meet you. I don’t want to interrupt your game.”
“Not at all.” He turned to the TV. “Oh, for Pete’s sake. Another interception?”
“And this is Halston,” Kinley said, pointing to a thin, pale young man seated at one end of the sofa, absorbed by something on his phone. “He’s apparently suffering a loss of good manners at the moment.” She stared at the boy until he looked up and then quickly stood.
He looked like a thermometer filled with black ink and had long dark hair that swung over his face as he nodded. “Nice to meet you.” He sat again and resumed texting.
Kinley shook her head. “We’ll be in the kitchen. Dinner should be ready in about half an hour.”
“It won’t be half time yet,” Eddie said.
“That’s not my problem. We eat when the turkey’s done.”
Kinley checked the turkey, then sat across from Fancie with a glass of wine. “Are you feeling at home here in Henniker?”
“I’m starting to. I miss my family, but I know this is where I need to be for now.”
“Leap of faith?”
“Oh, a leap of something. I was so lost for a while.”
Kinley nodded. “I’d imagine a broken engagement could do that to you.”
“It wasn’t the breakup. It was the relationship. Have you ever noticed how you sometimes have to step back from a mirror to see your image clearly? It wasn’t until I was free of Graham that I could see myself and realize how much I’d changed to accommodate his needs. I won’t make that mistake again.” She lifted her wineglass and tapped it to Kinley’s.
“Here’s to self-directed women,” Kinley said.
Fancie happily helped Kinley with the last preparations for dinner. When the little red timer popped on the turkey, Kinley called down the stairs to the family room, “Five minutes.”
Over dinner, Fancie learned that Eddie was the superintendent of the local highway department. Kinley joked that if the snow continued to fall, he could always call out one of the plows to lead Fancie home after dinner.
“I may need it. I’m not used to driving in this weather yet,” Fancie said.
Amber and Halston ate quickly and excused themselves.
“Where are you going?” Kinley asked.
“To use my computer,” Amber replied.
“I don’t think so. Use the one in the family room.” Eddie didn’t miss a beat while spooning more stuffing onto his plate.
“It doesn’t have my apps on it,” Amber whined.
“It also doesn’t have your bed beside it. Downstairs.”
She stomped to the stairs and Halston, hunch-shouldered, followed.
Eddie grinned. “I’m not ready to be a grandfather. Especially not to the likes of what those two might produce.”
“Eddie!” Kinley admonished.
“What? You want a granddaughter that looks like Morticia Adams? I don’t want that kid anywhere near Amber’s bedroom.”
Kinley laughed and said to Fancie
, “We’re still hoping it’s just a phase she’s going through. Here, have more turkey.”
“Oh, I can’t eat another bite.”
“I hope you saved enough room for pie.” Kinley took their plates to the kitchen. “I’ll make coffee.”
“So Fancie, how are you liking Henniker?” Eddie asked.
“I love it here. It’s different, that’s for sure. But a good kind of different. I enjoy small-town life.”
“Kinley wasn’t so crazy about it when I brought her here. I think it’s grown on her, though.”
“What are you saying about me?” Kinley called from the kitchen.
“Just what a wonderful wife you are, dear.” Eddie grinned and winked.
Fancie liked these people. She felt comfortable, as if she’d known them for a long time. She managed to force down a slice of pie and cup of coffee. “That was delicious. Thank you so much. I’ll be glad to help with the cleanup before I leave.”
Eddie waved her off. “No, that’s my department. Kinley does all the before work and I do the after—dishes, pots and pans, trash.” He stood, pushing up the sleeves of his sweater. “You ladies relax.”
Fancie glanced nervously toward the window. “I think I should probably head home before it gets dark and much colder.”
Kinley nodded in agreement. “It is supposed to freeze tonight. You want Eddie to drive you home? I can follow in our Subaru and bring him back up the hill.”
“No, that’s okay. I might as well get used to it now. And I do have all wheel drive.”
At the door, she juggled the mountain of plastic containers filled with leftovers that Kinley insisted she take home. “I had a great time.”
“I’m glad. We’ll do this again.”
“I’d invite you to my place. Well, to Luke’s. But to be honest, I can’t cook. Maybe you can teach me a few things sometime?”
“I’d be happy to. That would be fun. Amber is so not interested in anything to do with cooking.” Kinley slipped into boots and walked with her to her car.
The roads were dicey, but not yet frozen over. Fancie gripped the steering wheel and kept the car in low gear as she descended the long hill. She gasped every time the vehicle slid and the all wheel drive grabbed for purchase. When she finally pulled into the driveway at the house, she let out the breath she’d been holding and slowly unwrapped her stiffened fingers from the steering wheel. When a cold wind slapped her face as she stepped out of the car, she thought of her parents cruising the warm Caribbean. That would be nice, too.
Chapter Fourteen
Two weeks later, Fancie was fifteen minutes into a discussion on story plotting with her afternoon class when Dr. Archer, the Dean of the school, appeared at her door. He motioned for her to step out into the hall.
“Excuse me,” she said to her students.
“Miss Hollensby, I need you to dismiss your class early and come to my office, please.”
Fancie frowned. “I’m sorry, what? Is something wrong?”
His face was drawn and pale. “Please just come to my office as soon as possible.”
“Okay.” She returned to her class. “I’m sorry. I have to cut class short today for an emergency meeting. We’ll resume this discussion on Thursday along with creating compelling characters. Your assignment is to develop character profiles for two compelling characters—one male, one female. You have the outline to work from.”
She waited until the students filed out, then put her notes back in her bag and headed for Dr. Archer’s office. A tremor rolled through her at the uncertainty of what this meeting was about. Had she done something wrong? Something that called for discipline or dismissal? Her mind whirled as she examined her brief time at the college. Nothing. She had no explanation for her being called to the Dean’s office.
Dr. Archer’s assistant looked up when Fancie walked in. “Miss Hollensby, Dr. Archer said to send you right in.”
“Thank you.” She knocked and then opened the door to the inner office.
Turning from where he stood at the window, Dr. Archer nodded. “Please sit down.” He rounded the desk and took a chair opposite her. “I received a phone call earlier. I…uh…I’m not sure how to say this. Your family has been in an accident.”
Fancie’s heart plummeted into her stomach. “My family? I don’t understand. Who called you?”
“Your cousin asked Luke to contact me. He called about twenty minutes ago. He wasn’t sure about calling you directly, if you’d be alone.”
Fancie struggled to draw in a breath and doubled over. “Are they….?” She couldn’t finish the question.
Dr. Archer put a consoling hand on her shoulder. “He said they were taken to a trauma center. Your parents and your brother.”
“How…? My parents are on a cruise.” Then she closed her eyes, trying to envision the email from her mother. “Today’s December 8th. They were on their way home.” She pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. “Oh, my God.” She got to her feet so quickly, she wavered.
“Miss Hollensby, let me call someone to take you home.”
“No. No, it’s fine. I walked. I have to go. I have to call my cousin and make arrangements to fly home.”
“Of course. I’ll get someone to fill in with your class temporarily. Will you let me know how your family is doing? Have Luke call me.”
She nodded, feeling dazed. “I will. Thank you.”
Fancie hurried from the office and shoved open the door to step outside. She stopped, closing her eyes, letting the biting cold burn her face. Then she dug into her purse for her cell phone and called Chastity.
“Chas. It’s me. What happened?”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes. I just left the Dean’s office. He told me about an accident. What’s going on?”
“Aunt Alicia and Uncle James flew back from Florida this morning. Tripp picked them up at the airport. They were on the way home and, you know what that blind curve is like before the turn to Quail Hill. Tripp just started to turn when a car came around the curve at high speed and…. Oh, Fancie. I don’t know how to say this. The other driver. It was Ashley.”
“What? Is she…?”
“She’s in the same hospital.”
“Was Tripp drinking?”
“He says he wasn’t. The police are waiting to interview them all. Uncle James has a fractured ankle and bruised ribs. Tripp has a concussion from his head hitting the side window and a shoulder injury.”
“What about my mother?”
The pause made Fancie’s heart stutter. “Chas, what about Mama?”
“Aunt Alicia was in the back seat. She wasn’t wearing a seat belt. She was thrown from the truck.”
Fancie stumbled and lowered herself on to a snow-covered bench. “Oh, God.”
“She’s in a coma. They’ve scheduled surgery for later today to repair a compound fracture on her left arm. She also dislocated her right hip and has a lot of abrasions. You need to get here as soon as possible.”
“I’m on my way home now. I’ll get the first flight out and let you know when I arrive. Call me if there’s any change. And, Chas? Dr. Archer asked for an update. Would you ask Luke to stay in touch with him?”
“I will. Luke’s been great, by the way. I’ll see you soon.”
Fancie slipped and slid on the packed snow as she crossed the stone bridge toward home. When she approached the coffee shop, Kinley was outside clearing the walk in front of her door.
“Hey, Southern Girl.”
Fancie came to a stop and looked up at her.
“Oh, hey. What happened?” Kinley set the shovel aside and came toward her.
Between sobs, Fancie told her about the accident.
“Okay, give me two minutes. I’m coming with you. I’ll help you pack and get you to the airport.”
“You can’t do that. You have the shop.”
“I can and I am.” She flung the door open, set the shovel inside and turned off the machinery. Turning the door sign to C
losed, she shrugged into a parka. “Let’s go.”
Relief at having someone to help her washed through Fancie. She shook as she tried to thread the key into the front door. Kinley took it from her hand and unlocked the door. “What do we need to do first?”
“I have to see about a flight.”
“Okay, let’s do that first. Where’s your computer?”
Fancie closed her eyes. “Oh, no. I left my laptop in my office.”
“Does Luke have a computer here in the house?” Kinley asked.
“In the den.” Fancie hurried down the hall with Kinley on her heels. She turned on the HP tower.
The screen came to life. A search revealed there were no direct flights the rest of the day to Golden Triangle Regional Airport. She found a flight leaving in two hours that would get her to Birmingham, Alabama. She called Chastity. “I need you to pick me up in Birmingham. It’s the closest I can get tonight. I’m emailing the flight info.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Any change?”
“Not for Uncle James or Aunt Alicia. A witness driving behind Ashley said she was speeding, passed him on a double yellow line and was driving erratically before the crash.”
“How is she?”
“Multiple lacerations, a few broken ribs, chest trauma and a punctured lung. She almost died at the scene, Fancie.”
“I don’t even know how to begin to process this. I’m going to pack and get to the airport. I’ll see you later.” She printed out her flight information, sent the email to Chastity, and turned off the computer. “Kinley, thank you for being here with me.”
Kinley squeezed her hand. “That’s what friends are for. You go up and start to pack. I’m gonna call Eddie and then I’ll be right up.”
She was stuffing clothing into a suitcase, unsure of what she was packing or what she’d need. Kinley came into her bedroom and handed her a juice glass of amber liquid.
“What’s this?”
“Brandy. Sit and drink. It’ll help.” Kinley pulled clothing from the suitcase, folded it all, checked Fancie’s dresser drawers, removing bras and panties and added them to the bag. “You need toiletries?”
Flight of Fancie Page 12
