The Seacroft: a love story (Paines Creek Beach Book 2)

by Lazar, Aaron Paul

  Back at the top of the hill, she started up the Honda and headed for the village. The elementary school was located on Main Street, just a few miles away. She passed fire trucks pumping out basements and abandoned cars skewed along the roadside. With care, she navigated the rental around piles of sand that Delilah had apparently dumped on the streets and sidewalks.

  The town looked the same, but not the same.

  Some people walked along the roadsides, looking lost. Others shoveled sand into buckets from their driveways. Signs of the storm’s aftermath littered the streets, from shattered windows to overturned picnic tables, from children’s plastic slides laying upside down in the gutters to one lone cow munching grass in the front yard of an antique store.

  She turned into the drive for the school, holding her breath.

  Please let her be okay.

  Cars crowded the parking lot, and it took her a long time to find a spot to park on the grass beyond the asphalt. A dozen other drivers had done the same, so she figured it was okay. The last thing she needed was a parking ticket for a car rented under Cody’s name. And she hoped the local police wouldn’t worry about parking violations in the aftermath of the storm.

  A dozen Red Cross vans sat on the sidewalk outside the entrance to the school, parked head-to-tail, with workers buzzing back and forth between the vehicles and the school entrance. Another truck had backed up close to the door, apparently delivering the equivalent of Meals on Wheels, based on all the carts of aluminum food trays they were unloading. She skirted the workers and wound her way into the reception area, looking for someone to ask about her mother.

  Her head swam from the commotion inside the front hall. A medical team had set up a gurney and several desks full of equipment and supplies just inside the door.

  When she approached, a nurse waved her away. “This is just for emergencies, Miss. If you need medical attention and you’re walking, you should follow the signs to the cafeteria.”

  “But,” she said to the woman’s back.

  The police attendant on the phone had told her that her mom and the other Shady Pines residents were being housed in the cafeteria. So, she followed the Red Cross signs down the tiled hall. Left. Right. Down a set of stairs. And then she smelled the aroma of institutional food, disinfectant, and unwashed bodies. Not a pleasant combination.

  “May I help you?” An elderly woman in a white cardigan with a Red Cross nametag stopped her before she could enter.

  “Yes. Please. I’m looking for my mother. She was evacuated from Shady Pines yesterday.”

  The woman smiled and checked her clipboard. “Ah. Yes. We’ve moved most of them to the gymnasium. These folks here,” she gestured inside, “require serious medical attention.”

  ‘Thank you.” Vivian sighed. “How do I get to the gym?”

  The woman pointed to the stairs. “Go back up the stairs and take a right. Go all the way down until you smell the chlorine from the pool. You can’t miss it.”

  Vivian traipsed up the stairs again and followed directions. The woman was right, the smell of chlorine was almost overpowering in the hallway. Maybe without power yesterday the system had failed, dumping too much of the chemical into the water? She went toward the sound of voices, finally coming upon a large, wood-floored gym. In the far corner was a small colony of elderly people milling about a collection of cots and tables. A food cart had just rolled in, and they gathered about the new arrival as if it were manna from Heaven.

  She recognized Eileen first, and then a few patients in what looked like donated wheelchairs, but she didn’t see her mother. Hurrying toward the nurse, she said, “Eileen? Hi, it’s me, Vivian Wood.”

  Eileen looked flustered and tired, then suddenly pleased when she recognized her. “Hello, Vivian! I’m so glad to see you. We heard you were rescued just after we got taken off the roof. I was worried about you for a long time.” She took both of Vivian’s hands in hers. “You look good. You’re okay?”

  “Thank you.” She hugged Eileen. “I’m fine. But where’s my mother?” she asked, looking around the group again.

  “She’s off on a walk. Or ride, I should say.”

  “Who took her?” Vivian asked, feeling anxious for no reason.

  “Oh, it’s a nice lady. She said you’d know her, that she’s a neighbor. She’s been helping out this afternoon with our residents. We can barely make it work on our own, with these facilities.”

  “Who’s this neighbor?” Viv asked, interrupting. How would anyone know they were her neighbor? She didn’t have a home of her own, and she knew very few people living near The Seacroft. Again, a niggle of worry swirled in her stomach.

  “I’m not sure. But she seemed very high class, if you know what I mean. Well educated. A real lady.”

  “What did she look like?”

  “Let me see. She had dark hair. High cheekbones. She was very pretty.”

  “Where’d they go?” Viv shouted, causing Eileen to back up a few steps.

  “Well, I’m sure I don’t—”

  She wanted to shake her, but tried to calm herself. “Listen. Eileen. There’s a woman who might have been brought in here today with stability issues. She hates me. She might want to harm my mother.”

  “I’m sorry. I—I think they went toward the pool,” Eileen said. “That way.”

  In spite of her exhaustion, in spite of the terror she’d already endured for the past two days, Vivian tore across the floor with the energy of a track star.

  Doc Wheeler said he was volunteering at the school today. Where would he have dropped Uvi? The police officer said the jail was closed, the building unstable. So where would he take her? Here? To this facility? In the care of some of the local Red Cross people, all of whom were clearly overwhelmed?

  How easy would it be for Uvi to slip out of their care, to infiltrate herself in another group? To act normal?

  It would be all too easy.

  She raced around a bend, smelling chlorine again. She wanted to call out “Mom!” but knew her mother probably wouldn’t recognize her. So she hurried toward the pool, slipping on the smooth floor when she turned a corner.

  There. On the far side of the pool, Uvi Polansky propelled her mother in a borrowed wheelchair toward the edge of the water.

  “Uvi!” Vivian screamed. “Stop.”

  Uvi’s head jerked up and she smiled as if she’d just caught sight of an old friend in an unexpected place. “Vivian, dear.” She pushed Mirella’s chair closer. “How nice to see you. Don’t come too close, now.”

  Vivian reached the side of the pool where Uvi stood smiling. “Well, isn’t this an unexpected pleasure.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “With your mother?” Uvi trilled a laugh. “Isn’t this just lovely? I discovered her last name is Wood, and one of the kind nurses told me you’re her daughter. Delightful lady, Mirella. So sweet.”

  Her mother looked up at both of them, confusion clouding her eyes. “Are we done with our walk, Miss?”

  “Please, Uvi. Don’t hurt her.”

  “Your mother doesn’t remember you, Vivian. Did you know that?” Steel shot from Uvi’s eyes. “She has no idea who you are. You are nothing to her. Dirt. Beneath dirt. You are nothing,” she shrieked.

  Tears welled in Vivian’s eyes. “I’m well aware of my mother’s condition. Please. Don’t hurt her.”

  She put up a hand to stop Vivian’s advance. “Stay where you are.”

  Vivian stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I won’t move.”

  “No, you won’t. You’re a good little doobee. My good little toad.” She leaned down to Mirella’s face. “Do you recognize this young lady, Mirella? She’s your daughter.”

  Mirella looked puzzled. “No. I—”

  Uvi continued, building steam. “And can you imagine why my beautiful boy toy would choose her over ME?” She spat the last words, gesturing to Vivian’s body. “Just look at her. She’s a pathetic little mouse. She’s a nothing.” />
  Anger built in Viv’s chest, rising to her throat. If she could just get a little closer, she could tackle Uvi and start screaming for help once she had her pinned on the floor. She had to try, to do anything to get Uvi away from her mother.

  And what the hell happened to the effect of the medicine the doc had given her? Uvi didn’t seem sedated in the least. How long had it been? Two? Three hours? How could it have worn off so quickly?

  Doc Wheeler appeared in the doorway with a young man at his side. “Ah. There you are, Mrs. Polansky. We’ve been looking all over for you.”

  Vivian turned a panicked face toward him. “That’s my mother,” she said in a rush of words. “She’s got her, Doc. Please. Be careful.”

  Uvi narrowed her eyes. “Why Doc. How nice to see you. But don’t come any closer, either of you. I think my new friend here would get nervous. She doesn’t take to strangers very well. Including her own daughter.”

  Again, the barb to the heart. Vivian’s rage grew.

  “Please, Mrs. Polansky. Let’s be reasonable. We just want to talk,” Doc said.

  Vivian stilled her heart, lowered her voice to a gentle whisper. “I’m sorry, Uvi. I’m sorry for all that happened.” She reached a hand toward the woman, but Uvi flinched.

  “No. Stay back, or you’re mother’s going swimming.”

  Vivian felt the sweat trickle down her temples and onto her neck. Oh, God. She’s really crazy.

  The wheels were alarmingly near the edge now. Uvi pushed the chair back and forth with a low chuckle. “I’m making you nervous. How delightful.” She glanced quickly at the doctor and his assistant, who’d moved forward a few feet. “You two, stop where you are. Now.”

  “Uvi. Please.” Vivian tried again, ready to lunge forward and grab the arms on the chair.

  “No. You’ve destroyed my life, Vivian. You’ve outed me. Now the whole world will know my husband left me.”

  “But that wasn’t my—”

  Uvi sneered at her. “Quiet. Another word and—”

  Vivian lunged for the chair, grabbing her mother’s arm. “Get away from her,” she cried.

  Uvi screamed and pushed hard. The chair went over the edge, settled for a minute like a surprised insect, and slowly sank into the water.

  Chapter 46

  Vivian kicked off her shoes and jumped into the water, twisting away from Uvi, who frantically tried to grab her.

  “No!” Uvi screamed.

  Vivian hit the water with a loud thwack, letting herself sink fast, searching for her mother in the blue haze.

  There. A burst of bubbles flowed before her, rising from her mother’s opened mouth. Mirella sat on the bottom of the pool, still attached by the belt on the wheelchair.

  Vivian dove lower, reaching for the strap. Frantically, she tried to unbuckle it, and when it finally came apart, she grabbed her mother’s arm, dragging her up and kicking hard.

  Her lungs burned. The chlorine stung her eyes, and she strained to see. Little by little, she rose upward, pumping her legs and swooping upward with one free arm, dragging her unresponsive mother behind her. When she was almost there, hands appeared from above, reaching for her mother, reaching for her.

  She burst into the air, sucking fresh, sweet breath into her lungs. Coughing hard, she hung onto Doc Wheeler’s hand, resting on the edge of the pool while the young man who’d come in with him began to perform CPR on her mother.

  “Please,” she said, still gasping for air. “Please save my mother.”

  Doc Wheeler pulled Viv up onto the side of the pool and went to help with the resuscitation. In a miraculous moment of clarity, she saw her mother’s chest rise and fall, and water spurt from her mouth. She began to cough and breathe, and Vivian felt a wave of intense relief wash over her.

  She’s alive.

  She crawled toward her mother, dripping with pool water and weak from exertion. “Mom,” she cried, leaning over her mother’s chest.

  “Vivian?” Her mother’s ice blue eyes fluttered open, and she smiled up at her daughter. “What happened?”

  Viv slumped forward, trying not to cry. “You fell in the pool, Mom. But we got you out. You’re okay now.”

  Doc Wheeler raised an eyebrow. “She recognizes you?”

  Vivian took her mother’s hand in hers, kissing it over and over again. “Sometimes she breaks through. She knows me for a few minutes.”

  Her mother patted her face with her free hand. “My beautiful Princess Vivian.”

  Tears streamed down Viv’s face. Would this be the last time her mother knew her? Or would there be more. Either way, she planned to enjoy the moments she’d been given. “I love you, Mom.”

  “And I love you too, sweetie.”

  Uvi sat slumped on the bleachers, restrained to her seat. Vivian noticed with a startled gasp that her wrist was secured to the side of the stands with a large white tie-wrap. How poetic.

  Had the Doc and his pal planned to restrain Uvi when they found her? Probably. They’d certainly been ready for her.

  She smiled inwardly. I’m not a mean person. Not usually. But this is sweet payback. There sat Uvi, restrained with the same mechanism she’d used on Vivian that morning, when she’d actually threatened to kill her. When she planned to shoot her and toss her overboard.

  But now that she’d attacked Mirella, all bets were off. There would be no more feeling sorry for this evil woman.

  All sense of empathy drained from her. She stared at Uvi, wondering what was going through her head. What if she had been a few seconds too late? Would her mother have died at Uvi’s hands? Or had she egged her on by showing up and confronting her? Was she just toying with the idea of revenge when she saw Viv and became further enraged?

  Vivian shook her head, turning back to her mother. “Are you cold, Mom?”

  Mirella smiled at her. “I’m okay, Katrina.”

  Katrina?

  Vivian’s heart fell. So she was back in time again, and now she’d imagined that her daughter was her sister, once again.

  Doc Wheeler shot her a kind smile. “Why don’t we get Mirella back to the group now, huh?”

  Vivian stood up, shivering and wet. “Good idea. I’ll just grab one of the empty chairs from the hallway. I saw a few out there.”

  “No. You sit here with Mirella. I’ll get it.”

  He returned with another non-electric wheelchair. Between the doctor and the young man whose name she still hadn’t asked for, they lifted her mother into it.

  She tapped the young man’s arm, finally noticing the tag on his shirt. “Thank you for helping us, Ethan.”

  He beamed at her. “My pleasure, Miss.”

  Together they rolled Mirella back to the gym, where both wet women were given warm blankets and coffee.

  Eileen fluttered around them like a mother hen, tucking their blankets and searching for dry clothes. “I know we have five bags here that someone dropped off this morning to help us out. Something in here should fit you two ladies.”

  Vivian rummaged through the bags, found a pastel housedress and a sweater that would fit her mother, and a pair of fluorescent pink sweats and a matching sweatshirt that she thought would be just fine for her ride home. The staff helped Mirella change in the bathroom, and Vivian did the same, peeling off her wet garments. Although the color of the new outfit was far from her usual style, she was thankful to be warm and dry.

  Doc and Ethan left to tend to their more critical patients. When her mother settled into a group with two other clients, Vivian cornered Eileen.

  “Do you think she’ll be okay now?”

  Eileen sighed. “Of course she will. And I promise to keep a closer eye on her. I’m so sorry about earlier. I should learn to be less trusting. But that woman seemed so… normal, you know? And she knew your name and—”

  “It’s okay. I understand. But where will you folks go? You can’t stay here for too long, can you?”

  “We’re still working on it. Insurance and all that. We may have t
o export everyone to other facilities that have free rooms until we rebuild. If we rebuild.”

  Vivian’s face fell. “Do you think I should take my mother home?”

  “You’d need round the clock care, honey. She’s fine one minute, then scared to death the next. She really does need professional attention.”

  “What if we hired you to come home with her?” Vivian said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. How could she pay for such a thing?

  “I’d love that, but I’ll be busy getting everyone settled and working with the owners to figure out where we’re going next. If we do rebuild, they’ll expect me to be involved with the plans, you know?”

  Vivian cast a worried glance at her mother.

  Eileen put an arm around her shoulder. “There are plenty of good places around here. I promise you, I’ll find her the best situation possible. She’ll be safe and happy.”

  Vivian leaned sideways to hug Eileen. “Thank you.” With a heavy heart, she left the building and headed for The Seacroft. It was time to get back her own clothes and start packing up her things, time to forget about Uvi and all the drama. Time to start her new life.

  Chapter 47

  Vivian opened the front door to The Seacroft and stepped into the dark interior. A wave of irrational fear hit her. Shadows danced and threatened, curtains billowed in closed windows. A whispery shiver ran through her.

  “Stop it,” she said aloud. “You’re being ridiculous. Uvi’s not here.”

  She flicked on all the lights downstairs to quiet her nerves. Before she and Cody left the premises for good, they’d have to take down the plywood still covering the first floor windows. And maybe fix that broken window upstairs, where she’d first found the sodden passport and other papers.

  Instead of being her habitual goody-two-shoes self, she should have left those damned documents in the water to molder and fall apart.

  Good little toad that you are.

  She couldn’t get Uvi’s voice out of her head. The insults. The sneering. The hatred.

  Shaking herself mentally, she climbed the stairs to her room and dragged her suitcase out from under the bed. She didn’t own many things. Just some items in the closet, a few drawers of clothes from the bureau, and some toiletries. Her books. Her laptop. Three pairs of shoes and a couple of coats.