by Lynn Cahoon
“I made up a handout of the joys of adopting, especially senior pets, from the shelter. Hopefully some of our older guys will find homes.” She sighed. “Everyone wants puppies.”
“I think we’ll find a lot of homes tomorrow. And we’ve already raised a lot of cash for your operating expenses. It’s going to be a great day.”
Ellen didn’t quite share my enthusiasm, but she did seem happy about the money influx. It must be hard to keep a shelter financially solvent. I decided I’d write a check tomorrow from the Miss Emily fund. My friend had left me money when she died, and other than using some of it for a scholarship here and there, I’d been looking for a charity to support. I made a note on tomorrow’s schedule to bring in a check.
“I can’t believe we’re still so slow. Do you think anyone’s coming to the party tomorrow?” Sasha arranged a few chairs as she strolled through the dining room.
“I think everyone’s coming to the party tomorrow, which is probably why we’re so slow.” I packed my laptop and the book I’d been reading into my tote. “I hate to run out of here, but I need to talk to someone.”
“Is this about the mystery of the homeless man and the money?” She slipped off her jacket and pulled back her curly hair into a loose ponytail at her neck. Then she slipped on her CBM apron and washed her hands.
“Maybe. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, if it pans out. Otherwise, I got nothing.” I walked home, and after letting Emma out for a quick second, I grabbed my purse and notebook and jumped into my Jeep.
My first stop was Lumberjack Phil’s Christmas Pines. When I finally found a young man who was working, I broke up their wood-chopping contest. “Where’s Beth?”
“She called in today. I’m in charge. Can I help you?” He looked to be maybe eighteen and probably still in school.
“No, that’s okay. But maybe you should hang out at the shed where customers can find you.” As I walked away I heard the mumblings that my suggestion had brought on. Not my circus, not my monkeys, I reminded myself.
I drove to the other address Amy had given me. A small cottage sat just off the road. The yard was dormant for the season but she still had flowers blooming in pots near the door. You could see the ocean from the side of the house and I bet the back had a porch or a deck that had at least one chair aimed that way for watching the sun set.
I knocked on the door. Beth opened it and peered out at me with red, swollen eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Can I come in? I need to ask you a few things.”
Beth narrowed her eyes, then her shoulders drooped. “Why the hell not. Do you want coffee?”
“That would be nice.” Although I’d probably drank more than my daily allotment at the shop while I was waiting for Sasha. I walked into the small, clean living room and saw a picture of a young black man standing behind a young Beth, holding her tightly and grinning into the camera. I heard her come back behind me.
“You didn’t know Tommy was black, did you? Don’t worry, I can see it on your face.” She motioned to the chair by where she’d set the coffee down. “It’s kind of amazing; you’re investigating what happened to Thomas and you never even considered he wasn’t white.”
“No one said anything. And, I guess, this is the first picture I’ve seen of him.” I sat down and sipped the coffee. “That’s why your parents were so upset. You are Lizzie, right?”
“I am. And yeah, my folks were worried about what would happen. How hard it would be on both of us if we got married. It was a different time then. I’m not excusing them, but I can understand now.” She walked over and picked up the picture. “It was why he went into the service. To prove to them he was dependable and he’d take good care of me. I was just sixteen when he left, but he was the love of my life.”
“So you didn’t know he lived here.” I didn’t want to confront her about his being homeless.
“The first time I saw him after that was probably twenty years ago. I’d moved back, bought our dream house, and had started volunteering at the Vet Center. I was trying to find him. To see if he’d come home. I figured he was married and raising a passel of young ones by then.” She walked over and picked up the picture, carrying it back to the sofa and setting it on the coffee table. “So when I saw him, I was overcome with emotion. But he didn’t recognize me.”
“Why?” I looked at the love pouring out of the picture and couldn’t understand what she was telling me. These two people were desperately in love.
“I’m not sure. I heard from someone that he was injured in combat. Head trauma. I thought, maybe, if I kept showing up, he’d recognize me. But he just knew me as Beth, the nice woman who let him ramble about his Lizzie. Near the end, I don’t think he even knew me as Beth. All he cared about was that dog. And a sixteen-year-old girl he’d left behind and lost.”
“I’m so sorry.” I sipped my coffee, thinking about how hard that must have been. “My, I mean, Greg King is looking for you. Thomas left you some money and an engagement ring. There’s a letter and a journal too. Maybe that might help.”
“I could use the money. I wasn’t kidding when I said the trees don’t keep me in money for the year. But the ring isn’t mine. It’s for a girl who no longer exists. He made that perfectly clear every time we talked.” She leaned back on the couch and let her gaze focus on the ceiling. “Is it crazy that I’m jealous of her? Of the younger me? I held on to the idea of us for so long that when I realized it was never going to happen, it crushed me.”
“His dog is at the shelter. Maybe you could take him in?” I’d like to get Baby settled before tomorrow’s party. Living here with Beth, they could help each other heal.
“I know, and I can’t take that dog in. All it would do is bring back memories of a life we never got to live.” She looked around the cottage. “I’ve been living here for too long. This is our dream that never came to be. I need to find my own dreams.”
“Well, if you change your mind, call me.” I left my card on the coffee table by my cup. “Baby’s really sweet.”
She followed me to the door. “Thank you for coming by. I’ll give Mr. King a call this afternoon. But I won’t be adopting Baby.”
I was depressed as I drove home, so I called Amy and related everything that had happened. “I can’t believe she’s not taking in the dog.”
“I can’t believe he didn’t recognize her. You hear the stories about people finding each other all the time. After twenty years, they’ll be at the same shopping mall and run into each other. Love is supposed to work that way.” Amy sniffed into the phone.
“Now I have you depressed too.” I focused on driving back to South Cove. “I guess his brain got rewired after the accident. He knew he’d loved Lizzie. But Beth wasn’t Lizzie, not anymore. Anyway, I’ll see you in the morning. Let’s hope we get all the dogs and cats new homes. I need a mark in the win category this week.”
When I got home, I grabbed a blanket, turned on the sappiest love story I could find, and cried into Emma’s fur.
CHAPTER 8
Early Saturday afternoon, the party was in full swing. Santa had a good-size line of kids waiting to talk to him. The dogs and cats were getting along without much barking or hissing. And Ellen was ecstatic, as she’d had five placements in the first hour. Greg came by and stood next to me. He kissed me on the cheek. He’d come over last night after Beth had called him and told him the story.
“This is a good thing you’re doing here.” He nodded to Doc Ames, who was talking to Ellen while holding Rex, a large gray cat. Apparently, the prior family had named him after a dinosaur. When they moved, they couldn’t take the aging feline. Rex leaned into Doc Ames’s hand and I could swear I heard the purr all the way over where I stood.
“I know. I’m just sad about Baby.” I squared my shoulders. “I tried to talk Aunt Jackie into taking him but she blew me off. I guess if he’s stil
l up at the end of the party, he’s mine. Emma will just have to deal.”
“I think she has room in her heart for another dog. Just don’t expect her to share her toys. She can be a little protective of them, even with me.” Greg nodded when Ellen waved him over. “It’s my turn to take a dog outside. I swear, I’m not this busy at work.”
I smiled as he walked away, and felt a hand on my arm. I turned to greet the newcomer, but my smile faded as I recognized her. “Beth, what are you doing here?”
“Thank you for coming by yesterday. I’m afraid I was having a small pity party.” She smiled and patted my cheek. “I’m here to do I should have done weeks ago. I’m claiming Thomas’s dog. At least we’ll have each other.”
As she walked to the pen, Baby stood on his hind legs and whined at her. He recognized her. Thomas hadn’t been able to, but Baby knew the woman who was walking toward him. Maybe he recognized the love she’d tried to pour into Thomas or just recognized her as someone he’d met in the past, but the dog was ecstatic to see her. And the feeling was mutual. I heard Beth’s voice as she picked him up out of the cage. “Hey, Baby, do you want to come home with me?”
The dog barked his answer and I smiled after wiping the tears from my eyes. Baby was going to have a very merry Christmas.
“You did good, Jill. Thanks for making her so happy.” Santa stood by me, a cookie in his hand.
“She just had to find her way.” I swallowed hard. “I’m just happy that Baby isn’t alone anymore.”
“Neither of them is alone, now. Thanks to you. And that’s the true meaning of the season, being with others.” Santa turned and looked at his line. “Time to go back and finish up my list.”
I watched him walk back to the chair they’d set up where Sasha could take a picture of each child on Santa’s lap.
“You okay?” Greg paused with a wriggling boxer on the leash. The dog knew where they were going and was anxious to get there.
“I’m perfect.” I glanced around the crowded Coffee, Books, and More, and realized I was just fine. I was home.
Author’s Note
Hello readers,
As I was writing Santa Puppy, I was thinking about what cookie I was going to bring for a cookie exchange. And, like Jill, it really freaked me out! Would it be special enough to share with a group of women I’d never met? Then I thought about Russian Tea Cakes. Or Mexican Wedding Cookies. Or they’re also called Snowballs. I learned to make these in high school and have loved them ever since.
Growing up in rural Idaho, I didn’t get exposed to many cultures, but my home economics teacher had Greek heritage. She exposed us to a wide range of foods. And Russian Tea Cakes were always my favorite.
According to Wikipedia, the cookie is a form of jumble, a pastry common in England during the Middle Ages.
Food has history. Recipes handed down from one kitchen to another. A heartbeat of a memory.
I’m so glad I can share this memory with you.
Lynn
Russian Tea Cakes
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ teaspoon salt
Pre-heat oven to 400
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Then when mixed, add the flour, nuts, and salt. You may need more flour, but you want this to form and stay into a ball when rolled.
Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking pan. Bake 10-12 minutes. Don’t let the cookies brown. Roll the baked balls in powdered sugar. Let cool. Roll again.
Simple and elegant.
Alternate Opening Scene
“Jill, Jackie, I’m so glad you chose us for your charity this year.” Marco James took a sip of coffee. My aunt Jackie and I were finalizing the arrangements for the Christmas party. Marco was the public relations coordinator for the shelter in Bakerstown and had just confirmed the place needed the influx of money.
I’m Jill Gardner and my Aunt Jackie and I were meeting with the shelter’s representative at the coffee shop to finish the planning. Coffee, Books, and More was my addition to the South Cove business landscape. I like to say we are the only coffeehouse bookstore on the central California coast. But I’ve heard that maybe there was a copycat store opening in the city. I really couldn’t think about that right now, not with Marco continuing to lecture us on the need for no-kill shelters. The fact I agreed with his crusade didn’t make the ongoing dissertation any less painful to sit through. I hoped he was starting to wind down.
Marco continued with what seemed to be his closing statement. “The homeless pets of the area have very few who are willing to stand up for them.”
Apparently, Marco was a true believer. In my other life, I’d been a lawyer and had worked with a lot of men who had their canned speech on replay in their heads. I’d learned early it was better to let them run out of steam rather than try to stop them in the middle of the roll. Instead, I looked for a distraction and one was at my feet, staring up at me. I reached down and ran my fingers over the dog’s silky ears. “We’re happy to be a part of the solution. Is she your dog?”
“Princess does reside with me. She was found not far from the turnout for South Cove. We kept her for several months without putting her up for adoption, hoping her family would find her, but their loss was my gain.” He smiled as he scratched the dog’s head. “She’s been part of the family for over three years now. You don’t know the joy a dog can bring to your life.”
“Actually, my niece has a perfectly lovely Golden Retriever who has more than enough love for her and all of her friends.” My aunt turned the page of the agreement that she’d been reading while Marco talked. “Emma is part of our family. She is one of the reasons we felt your shelter would be perfect for our Christmas party.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize. I thought Harrold said you didn’t own any pets?” Marco glanced at his phone where apparently, he had notes he’d been using to talk from during his monologue.
“I don’t have an animal.” My aunt didn’t look up from her reading. “But Jill does.”
“Wait, you know Harrold?” I was beginning to think that the idea of supporting the shelter hadn’t been my idea at all. How had it come up during our planning? Sasha had talked about the women’s home in Bakerstown but I’d suggested the animal shelter…after seeing a flyer in our office. I narrowed my eyes at my aunt.
“Harrold’s a dedicated volunteer. Every Wednesday he comes down with his daughter.” Marco smiled, pleased to have a connection he could work.
“Lille’s not his daughter. She’s just a friend.” My aunt corrected but this time, she did look up—not at Marco, but at me.
I shot her my best we will talk about this later look. “Do the papers look okay?”
“Perfectly in order. We’ll pay for the marketing and Sasha will work with Marco to design the flyers for the party.” My aunt put the paperwork into a folder. “If there isn’t anything else, I’ve got to go. My shift starts soon and I need to get my feet up and eat.”
“I don’t want to keep you any longer than necessary. There’s just the matter of the entertainment. We were thinking we could do a mini talent show? That way the kids could enter with songs and plays about animals. Maybe even a coloring contest?” Marco grabbed for his briefcase. “I have some samples of the pages we could have them color. We’d put the party information on the page. Then they could use it as a flyer as well as an entry.”
“Great idea.” I glanced at my aunt who was already standing up. “Why don’t I bring Sasha over here to finish up the planning with you?”
“It was nice to meet you, Marco.” My aunt held out her hand. As he shook it, she smiled. “Harrold has had such lovely things to say about you and the shelter.”
“We love him as well.” Marco beamed.
“Sasha will be right over.” I followe
d Aunt Jackie away from the table. Using a thumb and jerk movement, I non-verbally expressed my request for Sasha to take our place. Her eyes wide, she acknowledged the message and ran over with a notebook in hand. When we reached the back room, I put my hand on my aunt’s shoulder to stop her from escaping.
“Why didn’t you tell me this was Harrold’s charity?”
The look of innocence on her face would have fooled anyone except me. I’d seen that look too many times. “I don’t know what you mean. Harrold isn’t part of the shelter.”
“Just their best volunteer. And Lille? She volunteers too? I thought it was a no-kill shelter. What can she do that doesn’t scare the animals to death?” I glanced out the window to make sure no customers had come into the store.
“I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of this.” My aunt’s temper was raising with her voice. “You’re the one who brought up the shelter.”
“After the store had been peppered with flyers just before the meeting.” I watched as a young couple came into the shop. Hoping they’d turn and look at a book or two before ordering, I realized I didn’t have much time. “Look, you could have been honest with us. That’s all I wanted.”
“Well, if you want to tell that nice young man that you’ve changed your mind, be my guest.” My aunt turned and started up the stairs. She must have been feeling good that morning because she almost flew up the narrow flight to the second floor to her apartment.
“You know I won’t do that.” I called up after her. Just once, I’d like to win an argument with my aunt. Just once. I went back into the front and met the couple at the coffee bar. Apparently, they weren’t big readers. “What can I get for you today?”
Twenty minutes later, I saw Marco and Princess leave the shop. Sasha came back over to the coffee bar and while I finished another customer’s order, she refilled the dessert case. Finally, the store was empty.
“So how did the planning go?” I poured a cup of coffee into a to go cup. I was heading home in a few minutes to grab my dog and take her for a run.
