“But we must be prudent,” she continued. “It’s our job as board members to protect our church.”
“That’s true,” said Alice. “But the church’s job is to serve the community.”
Fred nodded in agreement. “I think it’s time to put this to a vote.”
There was only one vote cast against the church’s participation in the festival. They also agreed—almost unanimously—to donate all church proceeds to the Helping Hands ministry. And finally, at half past eight, Fred called the meeting to an end.
“How’s Vera doing?” asked Lloyd as they began to stand up.
“Not so well,” said Fred. “She’ll have more tests on Friday.”
“Maybe we should, uh, pray for Vera to get b-better,” suggested the assistant pastor, Henry Ley. “Before everyone leaves.”
So they paused with bowed heads on Vera’s behalf. Then Patsy Ley invited everyone to enjoy the brownies that she had baked. “It’s a new recipe,” she explained. “With coconut and pecans.”
“Have you seen Clara’s baby yet?” Ethel asked Florence Simpson as the two older women made their way to the dessert table.
“No, have you?” said Florence.
“The brownies look lovely, but I better pass,” Alice told Patsy. “I already had one dessert tonight.”
“Not me,” said Sylvia Songer. “These are much too tempting to pass up.”
“I think I’ll hurry on home,” said Fred. “I need to check on Vera.”
“Here,” said Patsy as she loaded some brownies on a paper plate. “Take some with you.”
“Well, it’s simply the ugliest thing you ever saw,” continued Ethel in a voice loud enough for everyone to overhear. “It’s got this awful black snout and bristly hair. Ugh.” She shuddered dramatically. “Can you imagine keeping that smelly thing in your house?”
“Not in my house,” said Florence. “I think Clara Horn has completely lost her senses.”
“I’ve heard those potbellied pigs can grow to be hundreds of pounds,” continued Ethel. She poked Lloyd Tynan now. “What do you think of that, Mr. Mayor?”
He shrugged as he picked up a brownie. “Well, I spoke to the town manager today, and it seems we don’t have anything in the ordinances that prohibits it.”
“You must be joking,” said Florence. “You mean people can have farm animals right here in town?”
“Well, it seems our laws are a little outdated. In fact, did you know that according to our ordinances, you aren’t allowed to smoke or chew tobacco in town?”
“Now that just figures,” said Florence. “I better tell my husband to leave his pipe at home next time he takes a stroll through town and to watch his step if Clara’s filthy pig has been out for a walk.”
“Clara’s pig isn’t filthy,” said Alice. “She is actually rather sweet.”
“Harrumph. It just figures you would side with her, Alice. You’re always for the underdog,” Florence said.
“Under pig,” Sylvia whispered to Alice.
Alice giggled, then said, “I don’t see how Clara’s pig is hurting anyone or disturbing the peace. Daisy seems to be a sweet little thing.”
“Daisy?” Florence shook her head. “She actually calls it Daisy?”
“Or ‘baby,’” said Ethel. “She wheels it around town in a baby carriage, you know. Just wait until that animal grows into a big fat hog. She won’t be so cute then.”
“Well, she’s sure cute now,” said Sylvia. “She brought Daisy into my shop the other day, and she’s just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh my,” said Florence. “I think you need to get your eyes checked, Sylvia.”
Alice decided it was time to make a break. “If you’ll all excuse me, I’d like to call it a night. I have to get up early for work tomorrow.”
“You and me both,” said Sylvia as she linked arms with Alice. “Let’s walk together.”
“I’m sure that Lloyd will be happy to see you home, Aunt Ethel,” said Alice.
“No problem,” said Lloyd.
Alice sighed as soon as they were out of the door.
“You and me both,” said Sylvia.
They both laughed as they walked toward the exit.
“I don’t know why they love controversy so much,” said Alice. “It just wears me out.”
“It’s because there’s not much else going on in their lives,” said Sylvia as they left the church. “Haven’t you noticed that the ones who love to gab and criticize are the ones that don’t have much of a life?”
“But what about Cyril Overstreet?” asked Alice. “He doesn’t have too much going on in his life, yet I’ve never heard him say a mean word about anyone.”
“Yes, you’re right. I guess it’s not fair to generalize about people.”
“Do you really think Clara’s pig is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” asked Alice as they paused to part ways on the sidewalk.
Sylvia chuckled. “Oh, you know me. I’m sometimes given to exaggeration. But it’s true that I thought Daisy was cute. I can’t believe she’ll grow up to be a ‘big fat hog,’ as Ethel likes to put it.”
“Well, as long as she doesn’t bother anyone, I don’t see why it should matter.”
“Nor do I.” Sylvia smiled. “Good evening, Alice.”
Alice went up the front porch steps and jumped when she heard a creaking sound to her right. “Who’s there?” she called.
“I’m sorry, Alice,” said Susan. “Wendell and I were just out here enjoying the quiet and the crickets and the moonlight. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to disturb your peace.” Alice’s eyes adjusted to the darkness until she finally spied Susan in the wicker rocker with Wendell curled up comfortably in her lap as she stroked his fur. “Louise usually leaves the porch light on.”
“That’s my fault,” said Susan. “I saw the moon just starting to come up over that hill, so I slipped in and turned off the light.”
Alice looked up at the nearly full moon. “Oh, isn’t that pretty.”
“You want to join us?” asked Susan. Then she laughed. “It sounds silly for me to invite you to sit on your own porch.”
“I’d love to join you,” admitted Alice. “Especially after that meeting I just escaped from.” She sat down in the porch swing and leaned back her head.
“Board meetings can be pretty awful,” said Susan. “Believe me, I know.”
“What is it you do, Susan?” asked Alice. “I don’t know if I’ve heard you mention it.”
“I’m the curator for a corporate art collection.”
“Oh, that must be interesting.”
“It is. But board meetings can get pretty tedious.”
“I’ll bet they don’t waste all their time arguing about potbellied pigs,” said Alice.
Susan laughed. “Well, no, that particular subject hasn’t come up yet. But you’d be surprised at the silly things that can consume some people.”
They chatted amicably for a while and then grew quiet.
“Do you mind if I ask you something?” said Susan.
“No, of course not.”
“It’s really none of my business, but now that you have had time to think about it, do you remember why you and my brother broke up?”
“You know, it was so long ago that it is a bit muddled in my mind. We were both young and had definite visions for the future. I had commitments that I felt I had to honor, and Mark had things he felt he needed to do. Life just pulled us in two completely different directions. We wrote letters and called for a while, but we slowly drifted away.” Alice knew that was not the complete story, but it was the best she could do at the moment.
“That makes sense. Mark’s life and routine have never seemed very conducive to a long-term relationship. Every time I turn around, he seems to be hopping off to some strange locale to treat an exotic animal. Did you know that he spent two months in Antarctica last year treating penguins for some kind of fungus
?”
Alice laughed. “I’ll bet he had the time of his life, too.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right about that.”
“The next time you see your brother, please give him my best.”
“Of course. I’m sure he’ll be interested to hear about my visit and the way of life here in Acorn Hill.”
“I’m sure he’ll think it is quite tame compared to the lifestyle he’s accustomed to.”
“Sometimes tame is very welcome. I’m falling in love with your little town. Just this morning, the owner of that darling little fabric shop was encouraging me to take up quilting.”
“That’s Sylvia Songer,” said Alice.
“Right. Sylvia’s Buttons. Then there’s that woman in the bookstore with all the cats. What a hoot. She was trying to get me interested in some seventeenth-century biography—not exactly my thing.”
“That would be Viola Reed. She’s quite a character. Believe it or not, she and Louise have the same taste in literature.”
“I guess I better not let Louise catch me saying anything negative about Viola’s books.”
Alice smiled as she stood. “It’s been nice talking with you, Susan, but I’ve got to get up early tomorrow. I’m glad you’re enjoying your visit.”
“Yes, I think I’ll have to make Grace Chapel Inn a regular event. Maybe I’ll bring Tom next time.” She chuckled. “Or not. He might not appreciate it the same way that I do.”
“Acorn Hill is an acquired taste,” said Alice. Then she told Susan good night and went inside.
Other than the night lights that they always left on for guests, the house was dark and still. Alice tiptoed up the stairs, assuming that both her sisters had already turned in for the evening.
“Alice?”
She turned to see Jane coming up the stairs behind her. “Oh, Jane. I thought you’d gone to bed.”
“I was just finishing up a batch of muffins for breakfast tomorrow.”
“I thought I smelled something delicious coming from the kitchen.”
“Cranberry-orange muffins. Go get yourself one before bed if you like. They’re nice and warm right now.”
“Tempting, but I better pass.”
“Did the board meeting run this late?” asked Jane when they had reached the third floor.
“No, I was just out on the porch, watching the moon and getting better acquainted with Susan.”
“Did she mention Mark?”
Alice laughed quietly. “Oh, Jane, you make too much of that.”
“He was your beau, Alice. Sometimes I think that there’s a story that you’re holding back—a story that a sister should share with her sister.”
“Oh, the old guilting-the-sister trick, Jane. Really, I thought you were above that sort of emotional blackmail.”
Jane chuckled. “Well, it was worth a shot.”
“Nice try. Now, if you’ll excuse me I really am exhausted. Six o’clock seems to be coming earlier than ever these days.”
After Alice finished her prayers and nightly Scripture reading, she was unable to go to sleep. It felt as if thoughts and memories of Mark Graves were haunting her. She tossed and turned and tried not to look at the clock. Even when she did finally fall asleep, her old beau intruded on her dreams and not in a pleasant way. The dreams were confused and backwards and nothing made a bit of sense.
Chapter Eight
Alice was happy to see her workweek come to an end as she signed out on Thursday at noon. It was nice to know she had three and a half days to do just as she pleased—to an extent. She buttoned her sweater against the chilly breeze and hurried across the hospital parking lot to her little blue Toyota. She planned to swing by Vera’s on her way home. Fred had called from the hardware store to let her know that Vera had not felt well enough to go to school in the morning.
“I’m sorry, Fred,” she had told him from the phone at the nurse’s station. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Well, I hate to bother you at work, Alice, but I’m really worried about her.”
“What can I do?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t have the slightest clue. I just thought I’d let you know that she’s home and not feeling so hot.”
“I’ll pop in and see her as soon as my shift ends, Fred. Today is my half day.”
“Thanks, Alice. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”
Alice found Vera resting on the couch. She looked pale and weak. Alice could see why Fred was so worried. She encouraged Vera to have some herbal tea and a piece of toast.
“You’ve got to keep your strength up, Vera.”
“I don’t know how. It seems all I can keep down these days is a little lukewarm tea and dry toast.”
Alice sat down on the chair beside the couch.
“Oh, Alice, why can’t the doctors figure out what I’m dealing with? I feel so certain that it is cancer.”
Alice reached for Vera’s hand. “None of the tests show any signs of cancer, Vera. You need to think more positively.”
“I know. I know. But it’s hard to feel positive about anything right now. I can’t believe I’m stuck here on this stupid couch while a substitute teacher is probably winning over my fifth graders during their first month back at school.”
“Oh, Vera. No one can possibly win over your fifth graders. You know how much they always love you. They always cry about having to leave at the end of the year.”
Vera waved her hand, dismissing the idea.
“I think we should pray,” said Alice as she bowed her head. “Dear Heavenly Father, You made Vera and You know exactly what’s wrong with her. I pray that You will help her to get well and help the doctors to figure this thing out. In the meantime, I pray that You will give her the patience to endure this trial. Amen.”
“Thanks, Alice. I can see why you’re such a good nurse. I always feel better after you’ve been here.” She smiled. “Maybe I could go to work tomorrow.”
“Don’t count on it, dear. Besides, we’ve got those tests tomorrow.”
“Yes, well, maybe by Monday.”
“Finish your tea, Vera. I’ll be by to pick you up tomorrow at nine to go to the hospital.”
“I feel bad making you go to the hospital on your day off, Alice.”
“Nonsense. I love the hospital, and taking you isn’t the same as working anyway. If you’re feeling well enough we might even stop for a bowl of soup on our way home. Remember not to eat or drink anything after ten o’clock tonight.”
“Thanks, Dr. Alice.”
Alice smiled and squeezed her hand. “You’re going to be just fine.”
Alice did believe that Vera would be just fine and that whatever was plaguing her would soon disappear. Still she prayed as she drove home and parked her car next to the house.
Two new guests were just registering at the front desk when she walked in.
“This is my other sister Alice,” said Louise. “Meet the Parkers, Alice. They drove all the way up from Charleston, South Carolina.”
“Goodness, that’s quite a distance,” said Alice. “What brings you up here?”
“My wife thought we were going to see some fall foliage,” said Mr. Parker in a sharp voice. “Seems she was wrong.”
“It is a bit early for a lot of color,” said Alice. “But I’ve noticed some things are beginning to turn.”
Mrs. Parker looked a bit embarrassed. “I guess I got my facts mixed up. I thought this area would be at its peak by now.”
“Every year is a bit different,” said Alice. “There have been times when the colors are looking quite beautiful by now, but we’ve had a late summer this year.”
“I told you that you should’ve asked,” said Mr. Parker. “But you were so certain that you were right.”
“I just thought—”
“Just thought,” said her husband. “That’s the trouble. You need to do more than think.”
Louise and Alice exchanged looks, and Louise cleared her throat. �
�It is possible that the color is better up north,” she said in a firm voice.
“I’m sick of driving,” said Mr. Parker. “The only thing I want to be driving is a golf ball. Do you have any good courses around here?”
Louise took some brochures from the front desk and handed them to him. “There are several advertised in these.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” said Alice, wanting to escape this couple and fix herself some lunch. “I hope you two will enjoy your stay.”
“Thank you,” said Mrs. Parker. “It seems to be a lovely place.”
“Is there a bathroom in our room?” barked Mr. Parker.
“Yes,” Louise assured him as Alice ducked down the back hall that led to the kitchen.
Alice found Jane chopping celery. “Did you meet the Parkers?” she asked in a soft voice.
Jane chuckled. “Yes, I had the pleasure of their acquaintance.”
“Mrs. Parker seems sweet.”
“That man makes me want to scream.”
Alice nodded as she looked in the refrigerator. “He’s the kind who makes you thankful to be single.”
“If he snipes at his wife one more time, I might have to slap him.”
“I can just see the headlines in the Acorn Nutshell,” said Alice as she took some leftover pasta salad from the refrigerator. “Renowned Chef of Grace Chapel Inn Assaults Guest.” She held the bowl up. “Mind if I finish this?”
“That’s what it’s for.”
Alice told Jane about her visit with Vera as she ate her lunch.
“I thought perhaps I’d make something to take over to them for dinner tonight,” said Alice as she rinsed her bowl.
“Oh, you don’t have to,” said Jane. “I’ll just make enough of this chicken soup for them and we can put in that extra loaf of bread and—”
“Yoo-hoo,” called Ethel from the back porch, “come see what I brought you.”
Jane and Alice went out to the back porch to see Ethel setting down a box of apples. “Lloyd and I took a lovely drive out in the country this morning and we discovered the best little produce stand. Can you believe these apples were picked just this morning?” She leaned over and smelled them.
Hidden History Page 7
