by ML Gardner
Caleb thought about it for a moment, debating in long, slow, slurred thoughts. His father had said he could never sell the place. But he didn’t say he couldn’t sell part of it.
“Sure, why not.” He threw his hands up and smiled.
“Good. Thank you. I’ll draft an agreement and have you sign it, aye?”
“Aye, Aye, Captain,” he said with a smirk. He waved him away and went back to his bottle and pictures.
Patrick plucked a lantern off its peg by the barn door on his way out. He struck a match on a rock and lit it, lowering the wick to adjust the light. He marched off in the darkness toward the far back of the property.
It was a good ten minute walk, when the cabin came into view. There was a small spot for a garden next to the south side, its short fence destroyed and the plot grown over with weeds and vines. An outhouse sat to the right, leaning slightly, and in the distance he could see what might have been an animal shelter of some kind. There were covered stalls, with the beginnings of walls, appearing to be abandoned mid construction.
The cabin itself was old. The roof sagged heavily on one side and the windows long since broken out. He pushed open the heavy wooden door and its old iron hinges groaned.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. After a few moments he was able to survey the place. It wasn’t large, but it was large enough. A room only twenty by fifteen, he guessed. And, he could add onto the back for a bedroom for the children. A large fireplace had doubled for heat and cooking, and an old cast iron stew pot lay on its side on the hearth, red with oxidation. He picked it up and set it upright. A few pieces of broken furniture littered the floor and other than a wooden hutch that sat against the wall leaning at a dangerous degree, the room was empty. It had an earthy, tangy smell to it, and he was grateful it didn’t smell of mildew or rot. He wondered if they had housed animals here at some time.
He walked slowly around the circumference of the room, inspecting the chinking, floor, and roof as best he could.
He smiled to himself after he’d finished his inspection. He would draw up the papers tonight, and begin the work needed to make this home, tomorrow, after the farms chores were done.
August 16th 1930
Arianna sat in a chair in the kitchen holding a picture she had ripped from a magazine.
“I just can’t take this heat any more,” she grumbled, holding out a pair of scissors to Ethel. “Cut it all off.”
Ethel stood behind her, somewhat hesitant. “Well, now, Ahna, I’ve only ever cut men’s hair…I don’t know how to do the latest styles.”
Arianna glanced at the picture. “Well, that’s basically what I want. Just leave me enough to do a decent finger wave. Just do it like the picture here.”
Her hair had grown significantly since the twins were born and now resembled a bob that nearly touched her shoulders. Ethel grabbed the bulk of her hair in the back and cut straight across, right at the nape of the neck. She dropped the handful of hair on the floor and began to snip and clip all over her head, glancing frequently at the picture Arianna held.
“I want to look fresh for our dinner with Marvin and his wife tonight. First impressions are important, you know.”
Ethel suddenly gasped. She froze, staring at the back of Arianna’s head.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just…nipped my finger, is all,” she said, staring at the closely shorn patch of hair in the back, where the scissors had slipped. “Ah, almost done,” she said with the slightest tremor in her voice, trying to arrange other bits of hair to cover the hole. A few more snips and she stepped back.
“All done.”
Arianna sprang up and went to the mirror over the fireplace. Ethel held her breath.
“Oh, it’s lovely!” she said as she touched the top and sides. It’s so short all over with just enough to wave! It feels so good to have it off my neck!”
Ethel stared at the spot she had clipped too short, and groaned under her breath. It was horribly obvious, despite her attempts to disguise it.
“I’m going to find Caleb,” she said turning away from the mirror. “Then I’ll feed the babies before I go. Thank you again for watching them. It will be so nice to get out for a bit.”
“You’re welcome, dear.”
Arianna gave her a passing peck on the cheek and headed out to the barn.
Caleb worked in the loft, pitching hay down onto the floor below.
“It’s almost time to get ready.” She used a sweet, light voice, looking forward to the first social outing in a long time.
“Okay. Let me finish up here and I’ll be in.” He threw another forkful of hay over and squinted down at her.
“Did you do something different to your hair?”
“Yes.” She grinned. “Your mother just cut it for me.”
“It’s nice,” he said.
She twirled around like a ballerina and when she looked at him again, his face had fallen, eyebrows raised.
“What?” she asked, touching her hair self-consciously.
“Oh, nothing, I’m just not used to seeing you with such short hair.”
“Don’t be silly, Caleb. I used to wear it like this all the time.” She smiled and gave a quick wave, bouncing back toward the house.
“Not quite like that,” he whispered as she left.
∞∞∞
Jonathan and Ava pulled up to the farm in his father’s old relic of an automobile, and it sputtered to a violent stop. Jean jumped out, heading toward the house; his bare feet sent up small plumes of dust as he ran. Aislin met him at the door with a big hug and they both scampered inside to find the babies.
Jonathan opened Ava’s door and offered his hand to help her out, the picture of male chivalry. She stepped out of the car and directly into a hug, nuzzling her face in his neck, deeply inhaling the cologne he wore.
They broke, hearing the screen door slam as Arianna stepped out.
“We could run, you know.” He grinned devilishly and kissed her quickly. “My parents aren’t home, we’d have the whole house to ourselves,” he whispered.
She watched his lips as he spoke and a slow, sinful grin spread across her own face as she considered the possibilities. With morning sickness over, and her hormones in full swing, she found that hardly a day went by that she didn’t think about all the possibilities, and took almost every opportunity that presented itself for them to be together. She took a weak-kneed step back.
“Hold that thought until after dinner, okay?”
“You’re right,” he said, standing straighter. “We finally get an adults night out, we should enjoy it…first.”
They turned toward the house with his arm around her waist.
“You look beautiful, by the way.”
“Thank you.” She blushed. She wore one of his mother’s dresses, a light, pink dress of thin material with a low scoop neck and room for her belly, now five months gone with their child. Her light brown hair was swept up in simple elegance, held with plain pins.
Jonathan reached over and touched a small piece of hair that had fallen out of place.
“It’s getting darker,” he said.
“It is?” she asked with a hint of panic.
“Yes. But I like it. Darker blonde suits you.”
Arianna smiled as they stepped onto the porch.
“Oh, aren’t you just so excited to have an evening out?”
Ava smiled back and started to speak when Arianna twirled around, opened the screen door and went inside ahead of them.
“Arianna, your hair–”
She twirled back around again, touching the tight black finger waves. “Isn’t it lovely? Mother Ethel did it for me this afternoon. It feels so good to have all that hair off my neck. You should let her do yours, too!”
“Ah, I’m alright,” Ava said, struggling to keep a straight face. Arianna disappeared into the living room just as Caleb came down the stairs. He looked clean and sharp, with a fresh haircut of his own, minus the bal
d spot.
“Are you almost ready, Ahna?” he called.
“Yes.” She rushed back into the kitchen and past Caleb to the stairs. “I almost forgot to change my dress. Give me just a second.”
Jean waved to Jonathan from the living room where he sat holding one of the babies.
“You be good, mind Ethel and help with the babies,” Jonathan called to him.
He nodded and smiled, rocking Samuel in his arms.
“Shannon and Patrick aren’t coming?” Ava whispered to Jonathan.
“No. It’s a double date,” he said with a wink. “Patrick is working late on the cabin and Shannon offered to help Ethel with all these kids.”
Arianna came down stairs in a sleeveless white dress with small delicate black embroidery along the neck and waist, and pronounced herself ready to leave.
The air was light with excitement and romance, anticipating the evening ahead as Jonathan sputtered down the long dirt drive with Caleb and Arianna in the backseat.
A few moments later, they pulled up to a house that didn’t quite match Marvin’s description of a ‘small, cute house’. It was a grand square house, made of gray stone with clean, white shutters. Jonathan checked the address, and looked back to the house.
“I guess this is it,” he said as he turned off the engine and got out.
As they walked up the cobble path Arianna eyed the house with a cocked eyebrow. “A deputy’s pay buys you all this, huh?”
Jonathan knocked on the door with Ava by his side, Caleb and Arianna standing behind. A tall, beautiful woman with long black hair and exquisite olive skin opened the door.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m looking for Marvin’s house.” He glanced to the house numbers by the door and back down to the paper as he took a step back.
“You have the right house,” she said with a smile. “Marvin is my husband, please, come in. We are expecting you.” She spoke with an Italian accent. As she stepped aside to welcome her guests, they all filed in, following her into in a lavishly decorated living room.
“I’m Donatella.” She put a limp hand out to Jonathan, palm down. He took it and gave it a quick, impersonal shake.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jonathan. This is my wife, Ava.”
Donatella nodded to her with a smile, and her eyes traveled down to her stomach.
“When are you due?” she asked.
“December,” Ava said with a flush of the cheeks.
“That long? I would have sworn it would be sooner, by the size of you. Should be quite a healthy baby. Congratulations.” She laughed, Ava didn’t. Jonathan shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Ava. Donatella turned her attention to Caleb and Jonathan leaned to whisper.
“Ignore her. You’re not that big at all.”
Ava nodded tightly, blinking away the sting of the insult.
She held her hand out to Caleb in the same fashion, and Caleb took it and kissed it quickly.
“Ah, now this is a man who knows his manners,” she said.
“I’m Caleb.” He had let go of her hand but continued to stare in a way that Arianna thought a little too admiring. She elbowed him in the side and cleared her throat.
“Oh, right. This is my wife.”
Arianna stared at the side of his head and poked him in the ribs again.
“Her name is Arianna.”
She smiled tightly and turned to Donatella, who was visibly sizing her up; comparing their striking features.
“Very nice to meet you. Mind if I call you Anna?”
“Yes, actually. Only my close friends call me Ahna.”
“Well, that does sound fancier, doesn’t it?”
“You can call me Arianna.” She said with a fake smile as she did her own inventory of Marvin’s arrestingly beautiful wife.
“This might have been a mistake,” Jonathan whispered to Ava with a nervous grin.
“Jon, Caleb, nice to see you.” Marvin appeared in the arch of the dining room and waved them in.
“Dinner is ready, please, come eat.”
They found themselves seated at a long table, where Donatella fussed over every detail until everyone and everything was arranged perfectly.
“I’ve made a wonderful dish that is a favorite of my family back in Italy,” she announced as a woman who was obviously her maid, brought in plates of steaming food, placing one in front of each guest. She returned with slices of bread, side salads and several other exotic smelling, colorful side dishes. She bobbed a curtsy to Donatella and left the room.
“My cousin,” Marvin explained quickly. “Her husband is out of work. So, she works part time for us,” he explained. “We try to help out family when we can.”
“That’s nice of you,” Jonathan said.
“Has everyone been introduced?” Marvin asked cordially as he shook a napkin out, placing it in his lap. Jonathan handled introduction of the wives to Marvin.
Everyone nodded with a polite smile, making curious glances from Marvin’s gawky, unassuming stature, to his wife, who sat rather elegantly at the other end of the table.
He struggled to keep conversation going and resorted to telling stories of his heroic acts as a policeman in New York City.
“From policeman to deputy…how do you make that transition?” Jonathan asked.
Marvin laughed with an awkward smile. “Depends on who you know,” he said with a wink. “Donatella here wanted a quieter life, and it just timed perfectly with the opening here.”
“Well, it is definitely slower here,” Arianna said. “Nothing like New York.” She rattled off a list of social clubs and restaurants they used to frequent in their old life. Donatella looked unimpressed. She picked up an elegant fan, spread it wide and began fanning herself.
“The humidity is awful,” she complained. “Takes my hairdresser hours to tame my hair with how frizzy it gets.” She turned to Arianna. “Who does your hair?”
Arianna shifted uncomfortably. “I have a woman who does a fabulous job. I just went to see her, actually.”
“What woman? I thought my mom cut your hair?”
Arianna’s jaw set and she turned slowly toward Caleb. “No, dear, the woman who normally does my hair. Your mother gave me a quick trim this morning is all. My gal was booked. She’s very popular.” She said with a flick of her wrist and took a dainty bite of salad.
Donatella grinned and turned to Ava. “What about you? Do you have a good hairdresser to recommend?”
Ava wiped her mouth and shook her head. “I do my own.”
Jonathan glanced across the table. Caleb was being rather obvious in his appreciation of Donatella. Jonathan had looked, as any man with eyes would have, but he kept his glances brief, and more importantly, discreet, simply appreciating the view and nothing more. Caleb however, was doing little to be discreet and looked nearly daydreaming. And Arianna had started to notice.
“Caleb, darling. Tell Marvin and Donatella about our babies,” she said, staring pointedly at Donatella. “We have twins.” She smiled before Donatella could speak and ran a hand from her throat down the bodice of her dress. “I know, it doesn’t look like it, does it!” she said vainly. Ava snorted a muted laugh in her water glass, not for Arianna’s act, but for the fact that she had a large piece of salad stuck between her teeth.
He appeared awkward as he rattled off a few things about the babies, their names, ages, and cute things they were starting to do.
Jonathan and Ava sat quietly across from them, eating their dinner, praying the hissing would die down.
Marvin interrupted the escalating feminine war with talk of the town and his new boss, Vincent. He prodded Jonathan for information about the locals and broached the subject of the boat accident, but Jonathan shot him a look with a nod to Caleb, deferring the conversation.
Arianna, distracted by the obvious exchange of glances between Caleb and Donatella, was watching Caleb out of the corner of her eye as she ate. A glob of spaghetti slipped off her fork, down the front of her dress and landed i
n her lap. She gasped and grabbed for her napkin, smearing the sauce in messy streaks down her white dress. She looked up, horrified and frozen to Ava, who had already begun to stand.
“Where is your bathroom, Donatella?” she asked, motioning for Arianna to get up.
“Second door down the hall. Extra towels are under the sink.” She offered no more help than this as her lips quivered, fighting a laugh.
The second the bathroom door closed behind them, Arianna began growling. “I have never, in my life met someone so rude!”
Ava wet some hand towels and began trying to clean the mess off of Arianna's dress.
“Did you see the way she's flirting with Caleb? She’s looking at Jon, too, you know. I saw her.” She stood there, tapping her foot, breathing through her nose like a bull getting ready to charge. “If she thinks she can flirt with my husband right in front of me, she's got another thing coming! I mean, granted, my husband is ten times more handsome than that mole she's married to. That's what he looks like! A mole!” She growled a few more unintelligible things and Ava hushed her, while trying in vain to clean her dress.
“It looks like she's enjoying getting you riled up,” Ava said, frowning at the dress. She stood up and held her hand out. ”Take it off.”
“Who does that? I mean, honestly. Saying and doing things just to cause a stir.” She pulled the dress over her head and handed it to Ava, who stared at her for a long moment.
“I can think of someone who likes to do and say things that cause a stir.”
Arianna narrowed her eyes and gave a snort. “I always had a good reason. And I never did it to intentionally hurt someone.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. There was—”
“Okay, there was Ruth. But she deserved it.”
“And there was Sarah. And the woman at the club in London and that poor gal at the—”
“I get your point.”
“Let’s just try to get through this dinner, alright? We never have to come back here.”
