by Dee Ernst
“We had a night of ecstasy, and then we stopped talking to each other.”
“Oh, Jenna,” she sighed.
I looked around. There was a floor, and walls, and even sheetrock. I could see the kitchen roughed in, and from the back of the house, the whirring of power tools.
She pulled off her hat and yelled toward the back of the house. “Steve, I’m on the porch for a sec.”
I followed her out. The porch floor had also been replaced, as well as the rotten railing. We sat on the new front steps.
“Tell me,” she said. “The ecstasy part first.”
“It was after the night at the pier. I was drunk, but not that drunk, and I pretty much attacked him in my back yard, and then we went into the house and he attacked me, and then we had a giant fight and we’ve been avoiding each other ever since.”
“Jenna, honey, you live in the same house.”
“Yes, and that makes things difficult, but not impossible. I’m taking a few days vacation myself, going up to Boston to visit my cousin, Clare. He’s got a third interview somewhere, so maybe by the time I get back he’ll have accepted a job and will move the hell out of my house.”
“Oh, Jenna, but what about Amanda? You know, I’ve seen her, and she looks so much happier, and you did that.”
I felt tears. “Not me,” I snapped. “She’s got a best friend now. I had nothing to do with anything.”
“Of course you did,” Terri said. “And you love that little girl. And the twins. Jenna, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I moaned. “And I’m going to miss them, and I love him, Terri, and he thinks I only slept with him because he was so much like Sam, and maybe that would have been true before, but…he’s so great, he really is, and he thinks I’m a, a, oh…” I wiped the tears from my face with both hands and sniffed. “He hates me.”
“I doubt that. You’re really a great person, too, Jenna. Any fool can see that.”
“Well, obviously there’s one fool who can’t.” I sniffed some more and watched as a car full of teen boys sped down Main Street. “Have any drunks puked on your brand new walkway yet?” I asked.
“No, not yet. But the summer isn’t over.”
I nudged her with my knee. “And Steve McCann?”
She shut her eyes and tightened her lips. “He asked Chris out, but she said no.”
“Oh? Well, that’s…a good thing?”
“Yes. Because she has developed a very strong crush on Mike.”
I choked, trying not to laugh. “Are you kidding?”
She opened her eyes. “You cannot make this stuff up.”
“Don’t the brothers talk to each other? I mean, isn’t at least one of them keeping score here?”
“Apparently not.”
“Men.”
“I know!”
“What are you going to do?”
She blew out noisily. “Well, I was thinking about accidentally taking all my clothes off one afternoon, but Steve is never here alone, and it could get awkward.”
“True.”
“Or I could pretend to faint and force a little mouth-to-mouth action, but with my luck the plumber would get to me first, and that would be nasty.”
I stopped trying to not laugh and let loose. “Terri, you are too much.”
“Well, what else can I do?” she asked.
“Did you ask him to meet you for dinner some night to discuss the work?”
She frowned. She sat straighter and tilted her head, obviously thinking very hard. “That’s a good idea.”
“You think?”
“That might actually work. I’d have to figure out how to keep Chris out of the conversation. After all, it’s her house.”
“Yes, but you are the force behind this project.”
“Yes. I am.”
“You are, how can we say this…the brains behind the operation.”
“No, not really. I mean, Chris is really smart. But Steve might not know that.”
“Absolutely.”
“What are you going to do?”
My shoulders slumped. “Terri, I am at a loss. I have no idea what I can do or say to make him believe me, especially since he refuses to be alone in a room with me.”
“Write him a letter?”
I shot her a look. “Seriously?”
“I want to help.”
“I know.”
She laid her head on my shoulder. “We really miss you at breakfast.”
“I know. I’ll be back. I miss you guys, too.” I looked back at the house. “The house looks good.”
She nodded. “Yes, it does. Chris is really happy.”
“Where is she?”
“Went back to Rehoboth. Tying up loose ends.”
“Ah. So you won’t have to try to get her out of the way?”
It took her a second, then her eyes widened. “That’s right! Oh, my gosh. But where would we go? Anywhere around here and the rumor mill would run into overtime.”
I stood up. “The rumor mill is always running into overtime. Olivia filled Craig’s head with all sorts of goodies.”
She looked uncomfortable. “Yes. Olivia has been busy.”
I turned to her. “What has she been saying?”
“How much of a disgrace it is for you to be chasing after your stepson. Like he was a young thing you’d help raise from the cradle, and now…”
I exhaled loudly. “Well, she certainly picked up on a fairly hot topic.”
She stood next to me. “But, Jenna, it’s not like that, not at all, and we all know it. Olivia always tries to spoil the well if she can’t be the one drinking from it.”
“Yes, but still…” I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s all over.”
“I’m so sorry, sweetie. And thanks, Jenna. Really. For stopping by, and for all the good advice.”
I gave her a quick hug. “Sure thing. Keep me in the loop.”
“There’s a loop?”
I nodded. “Always.” I walked back to the Jeep and headed home.
Boston was wonderful. I stayed with my cousin and her husband for five days, and played tourist with her and her three kids. One night we did the Patriots Path Pub Crawl, stopping and drinking in the very same pubs that Samuel Adams and his ilk frequented while planning a revolution. We also saw Plimouth Plantation, and I marveled how any group of people could be so successful under such adverse conditions. I almost felt better about my own situation. Sure, I was miserable, but at least I didn’t have to chop my own wood and grind dried corn to keep from starving to death.
Craig had promised to take care of the dogs, Dave took goat duty, and Amanda said she would look after the garden. I came home late that weekend, missed church, and spent a Sunday afternoon gathering tomatoes and zucchini. I had enough for a small army.
My being away had not eased the tension between Craig and I. When I came home from my shift, I changed quickly, then went right back out. There was a note on the counter late Wednesday night when I came in that the girls were spending the afternoon with Keesha’s father the next day, and that there was no need for me to get them from the playground.
That was why I was home the next morning, a hot, muggy and miserable morning, when a shiny new Cadillac pulled up in front of the house.
The dogs went crazy. I was in the garden, sweating and elbow deep in compost, and completely baffled. Who the hell was this? Did people really drive a Cadillac anymore outside of the movies?
I called to Chloe and Finn and walked over, scooping up Bit and looking at the car.
It had an Illinois plate.
The man who got out was short and stocky, with silver-gray hair and expensive sunglasses. In fact, everything he had on reeked of money, from the thick gold chain around his neck to his highly polished shoes. He looked out at the water first, then at the house, then at me.
“Nice place,” he said. “Must be worth a pretty penny.”
The woman who got out was much younger, her
perfectly cut ash blond hair screamed money, as did her very chic sunglasses.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“I’m looking for Craig Ferris,” the man said. He held out a hand. “Robert Cordane.”
I held up my hands, one caked with dirt, the other holding Bit, and shrugged apologetically. “Why?”
He smoothly put his hand into his pocket. “Actually, I’m looking for my granddaughters. I believe they’re living here? With Craig?” I could only imagine what he thought of me, standing there with my messy bun and muddied Doc Martens. “And you, I suppose.”
“How did you find the house?” I asked. I looked past him to the woman, who was coming around the car, tottering on very high heels.
“Googled it, what else? I must admit I was beginning to think the GPS was broken. Not much out here, is there?”
“How did you even know they were here?” I asked.
“Public records are, well, public. I looked up Ferris’ will. I tried to get a judge to bring him back to Illinois, but…” He shrugged. “If Mohammad won’t come to the mountain…”
The hate I felt for this man was sudden and completely unfounded, but very real. From his car to his gold chain and pinky ring, his smug attitude…was this the man who’d been trying to take the girls away from Craig?
“They aren’t here,” I said. I looked from him to her. He didn’t even introduce his wife? What. A .Jerk.
“At all?” he asked. “Or at this moment?”
I pulled Bit closer to my chest and glared.
“I have the address of the bar, too,” he said. “I’ll look there next. Do the girls spend a lot of time with him there?”
His wife fluttered her hands. One of those. “That’s not good for the children, I’m sure.”
“It’s fine for the children,” I shot back. “They’re close to the beach, they’re close to their father, people look after them…it’s fine. It’s more than fine.”
Robert took off his sunglasses and looked at me through narrowed eyes. “He’s working at a bar,” he said slowly. “The man is a drunk, and he’s working at a bar.”
I saw where this was going and was suddenly afraid. “He owns a restaurant, a very successful one, that happens to have a bar. And he goes to a meeting every week.”
“Are you sleeping with him?” he asked, a dirty, smug twist on his lips.
“Not that’s any of your business, but no.”
“Of course it’s our business,” the woman said shrilly.
I jerked my chin at her. “And who are you?”
“Penny. I’m the girls’ grandmother, and I have very real concerns about their well being, living all the way out here in the middle of nowhere, spending time in a bar.”
“Yeah? Well, guess what? I’m also their grandmother, and I’m telling you they’re happy and safe and getting along just fine. I don’t know what you think you’re going to do here, but I want you to leave. Now.”
Robert let out a whoop of a laugh. “You’re their what?”
“I was married to Sam. Sam was their grandfather. So that makes me their grandmother.” I nodded toward Penny. “As much as she is, anyway.”
Robert put his sunglasses back on. “We’ll find him. Is it far?”
“Google it.”
He took a step toward me. “Listen lady, we’re going to find him, so you may as well tell us an easy way to get out of here. You don’t want to become involved in this. This Podunk little place isn’t going to be able to protect you if things start to go badly for you.”
“Get off my property before I call the police and have you arrested for trespassing. This Podunk place doesn’t think too highly of fat cats who think they can threaten folks in their own front yards.”
Chloe moved to my side and began to growl, very softly. Robert glanced down at her, then opened the car door and got back in. Penny scurried around, got in her side, and the car started and took off in a rather impressive display of flying gravel.
What a pig. Not only was he a pompous ass, he didn’t even open the car door for his wife.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called the bar.
“Charlie, It’s Jenna. I need to talk to Craig.”
I heard him put the phone down and came back seconds later. “Craig’s busy.”
I clenched my jaw and took a breath. “Tell him Robert Cordane just left.”
It took less than ten seconds.
“What?”
I started to tremble. “Robert Cordane. He just left here in a big Caddy. His wife was with him. They wanted to know where you were, where they girls were.”
“Did you tell him?”
“God, no!” Amanda had said Grandpa Rob wanted to take them away. That was why they were here, to try to get his granddaughters.
“How did they find us?” he whispered. I could hear the fear in his voice.
“He said he got the address from Sam’s will. Do you think he’d just take them?”
He swore. “I don’t think so, but I don’t know how far he’d go.”
“You mean, like, kidnapping them?” I said, my voice rising. I started to run toward the house.
He swore again. “He’s rich. He’s not used to not getting what he wants.”
I grabbed my keys and headed back out to the Jeep. “I’ll get them at the playground and drive them across the bridge. It doesn’t matter what kind of money he has if he can’t find them. They can stay at my mother’s place until you find out what’s going on.”
There was complete silence. I got in the car and turned the ignition. “Craig?”
“You’d do that for me?”
I leaned forward and leaned against the steering wheel. “Do you really think I’d let anyone take those girls away?”
More silence, then, “Thank you, Jenna, and listen—”
“I’ll listen later. After I get the girls across the Bay.”
I got in the Jeep, my heart in my throat. I knew all along in the back of my mind that when Craig left, Amanda and the twins would go with him. I’d been trying to imagine what that would be like. They had all become a part of my life, and I knew I would miss them terribly. But the thought of Craig losing them was almost too much to think about.
I couldn’t let that happen. I didn’t even know what I could do to help, but I had to help him.
Because I loved him and couldn’t bear him being hurt.
Amanda, when I told her, turned white. “He took Daddy to court,” she whispered. “I was so afraid he would take us away.” The fear was coming off her like a wave. “Is that why he’s here?”
I hugged her. “Baby, I will not let anyone take you away. Got that? We just have to get you someplace else for a while. You up for that?”
She nodded, went back to the counselors, talked to Keesha, and minutes later we were all headed for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
“Why does your mommy want to meet us?”
“Where does your mommy live?”
“Is there a pool?”
“Will Daddy be there?”
“I’m hungry. Is there food?”
“We never had a sleepover before. We need our pajamas.”
“When we get there,” I told them, “we’ll make a list of stuff you need, and I’ll bring it to you, okay?”
Crossing the Bay Bridge in summer was never fun, and it seemed to take forever before we came to Mom’s. Sharon was at work, but Mom had the situation under control. I hadn’t told her much on the phone, but when we finally got there, she had premade baloney sandwiches, my childhood favorite, and lemonade for lunch. She’d even baked chocolate chip cookies.
Amanda had put on weight during the summer, and that thin, pinched look was gone from her face. But at lunch, she looked almost as she had the first day she’d arrived: sad and afraid. Watching her pick apart her sandwich made my heart twist. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her. Not again.
The girls always had their bathing suits and towels in their packs for the pla
yground, so it was an easy fix to get them down and in the pool. Mom, who rarely left the balcony, looked offended when I said I’d watch them.
“Jenna dear, they need things. You need to bring those things. I can certainly watch them. I can sit right here under the umbrella and make sure they don’t drown. Go do what you need to do. And you could use a shower, dear. Imagine, trying to steal little girls in this day and age. Why, that Cordane person should be arrested for just thinking about it.”
So I drove over the Bay Bridge again and went back home. I showered, changed, and packed up the list of indispensable items that Amanda and the twins compiled. It took two suitcases.
By the time I made it to Cape Edwards, it was dinnertime. I had to park illegally in the alley behind Main Street and snuck in the back door to Sam’s on Main.
Craig was in the bar. Actually, he was behind the bar, mixing a drink with what looked like expert precision. I watched him for a minute, then pushed my way up to the bar.
“You’ve gotten good at that,” I said.
He glanced up. “Yeah. I have. Give me a second.”
I backed into a corner and waited. He came around, grabbed me by the arm, and we went through the storeroom and back into the alley.
“Tell me exactly,” he said. I did, leaving out nothing, not even my mothers request that I shower. He stood, head bent, arms folded against his chest.
“Robert was here,” he said when I was done. “He’s got nothing. I called Chicago. Rob filed an appeal, but the judge struck it down. My lawyer told the judge I had relocated permanently, and the judge said if Robert wanted custody, he’d have to move down to Virginia to try again.”
Relief flooded through me. “Then this is over?”
He shook his head. “Robert bought a place in Virginia Beach. A condo. It’s not a permanent address, but it’s good enough. He’s going to take another shot.”
“How much money does this guy have?”
He cracked a grim smile. “A boatload. Which was one of his arguments, that he could provide for the girls. He also probably thought he could use the bar against me, but that won’t work either because I can start the job in Richmond September first.”
