The Empire

by C. L. Alden

  Indian summer is what the locals would call the dry, mild weather they’d been experiencing since she arrived. Sunny, clear days, warm enough that even she, with her West Coast thinned blood, didn’t need a jacket. She hoped it lasted through her visit. Lots of people seemed to be taking advantage of the good weather, wandering in and out of all the little shops and galleries. Shoreton had experienced an art revival about fifteen years ago, and since then little galleries, and antique shops came and went in the downtown area. Several new restaurants had cropped up as well. Shoreton had even managed to eclipse Bay View in terms of drawing the artsy clientele with several museums in addition to the galleries opening up.

  She made her way up one side of the street and then back down the other. She popped into a couple of places to say hello when she saw a familiar face. As she wandered around some of her old haunts, random childhood memories bubbled to the surface. She remembered the first time she was allowed to go shopping with her friends without a chaperone. It was sixth grade, in the spring and it was a half day at school for teacher’s planning or something. She was invited to a sleepover at her friend Rebecca’s house along with Jessica. Rebecca lived two blocks from the Junior High that was just three blocks from Main St. Their parents agreed to let them walk downtown by themselves as long as they were back at Jessica’s by four o’clock. School let out at 11:50 that day. The first place they hit was Barrett’s department store. It was four stories and carried clothing, jewelry and high end linens and housewares. It was the local, smaller Maine version of a Macy’s or Saks Fifth Avenue. It still had the sophistication and elegance of a bygone era, with ornate lighting fixtures, richly paneled walls, elaborate window displays and an ornate old cage style elevator with an operator. Darcy could still remember how mature she and her friends felt that day when they walked into the elevator and politely asked for the second floor which was the ladies department.

  She couldn’t remember if she bought anything that day but she remembered the next stop was for french fries and a Coke at the Coffee Talk, and then a perusal through J.J. Newberry’s, now long gone. It was a nice little town to grow up in. Small enough that pretty much everyone knew everyone else or their cousin. She felt safe as a kid. As she got older, she found that sometimes it could be a hassle because there was no where you could go that someone wouldn’t know you, so it was very hard to get away with anything. She wondered if it was still like that for people who lived here? It was hard for her to tell because she felt so disconnected now. It had been at least twenty years since she had spent any kind of time here. When she transferred to a college out West from the University of Maine her junior year, she never moved back. After that, whenever she came back it seemed like she saw more and more new faces and few of the ones she grew up with.

  Darcy heard the sirens before she saw them. An ambulance turned onto Main St. from Trade St. Following closely behind was a black Escalade. She could’ve sworn it was Eddie behind the wheel. Wondering what had happened she walked to the corner and peered down to see if she saw any other emergency vehicles. There was a fire truck and two police cars down by the old Edmunds building, and a small crowd gathered. She turned the corner and decided to take a closer look. She walked up behind a small group on the sidewalk.

  “What happened?” she asked the group.

  “They just hauled some guy out on a stretcher.”

  “I saw the ambulance heading up Main St.”

  “Not sure, but I heard something about electrocution…didn’t see no blood. Maybe the guy got zapped.”

  “What’s in that building?”

  “Nothin’ that I know of. It’s one of the old Barrett buildings.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Darcy listened to lapping of the waves on the shore and a low buzz that sounded like a lawnmower in the distance. It was so peaceful...no other sounds, no birds, no cars, just the ocean and that continuous lulling buzz, pulling her into a relaxing sleep. Out of the buzzing she could hear a faint voice that sounded like her mother’s, almost like an out of tune radio channel, coming in and out of clarity. “Zzzzzzzzzzz…..StormzzzzzzzzzzDarcy……….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzcomingzzzzzzzzzDarczzz….pay...zzzzzzzzzzattentionzzzz………Darcyzzzzzzzzz”

  “Drinking in the afternoon?”

  The clear, close voice of her father jerked her out of tranquility. She clutched the Solo cup in her hand to steady it. She must’ve dozed off. Hank was standing beside her, his shadow crossing her face. She felt slightly disoriented. After her tour of Main St. Darcy had headed home for some peace and quiet. It was a surprisingly warm afternoon for October, so she took advantage of it, and pulled a reclining lawn chair out from under the house and sat facing the ocean, just watching the tide come in. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep. It felt strange to be out in the open air, hearing nothing but the sound of her father’s voice over the waves gently lapping at the rocks on the shore at high tide. “You must be on vacation.” he chuckled.

  “Hey Dad. Not quite, it’s just iced tea. How’d the rest of the day go?” Darcy said shading her eyes before looking up and then realizing that there was no sun to shield her eyes from, it was already beginning to set.

  “Good. Busy. Quite a few leaf peepers and this nice weather brought some of the locals out too.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Darcy said sipping on her tea.

  “How was your day?”

  “Interesting… What time is it?” she asked swinging her legs around and off the the lawn chair.

  “It’s four thirty or so, why?”

  “Oh! I’ve got to get going.” she said standing up and heading towards the house.

  “Hot date?” Hank pressed.

  “Just dinner”

  “Anyone I know?”

  “Dad, it’s not a date” Darcy replied as she headed back into the house. It was time to get ready for her dinner… meeting, that’s what it was, a dinner meeting. “It’s a dinner meeting.”

  “Oooh… dinner meeting. Is that what the kids are calling it these days? I see…” Her dad could be relentless with the teasing.

  “Kids? Really? You forget how old you are.” She could also dish it out.

  “Very funny.”

  “I need to talk to him about the Empire and maybe give him the key back.”

  “What about the Empire?”

  “Well I was gonna take a look at it today. When I was out with Eddie—”

  “On your date last night?” Hank added in the middle.

  Darcy continued, refusing to be baited again, “for drinks last night he asked me if I’d take a look.”

  “What for? Does Eddie think he’s going to convert that place into a restaurant?” Hank said as if the idea was absolutely preposterous.

  “He’s considering it among other options. The Empire isn’t doing so well since the multiplex opened.”

  “It’s never gonna happen.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Old man Barrett will never allow that. He’ll go to his grave first. I can promise you that.”

  “I kinda got that impression.”

  “Really? How’s that?”

  “Do you know he still tools around in that old black Lincoln Town Car?”

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  “It was the oddest thing. I had just left the cafe and was going to take a quick look at the theater when he just shows up outta the blue. I had the key in the lock, and bam! There he is. His driver ushers me into the back seat and the next thing I know we’re driving around and I’m getting a mini Barrett history lesson.”

  “I’m not surprised. There isn’t much that gets past the old man.” Hank said chuckling.

  “He remembered me though.”

  “I bet he wasn’t pleased to hear what you were up to.”

  “No, he wasn’t happy. He didn’t blame me though, but I think ol’ Eddie is gonna get an earful.”

  Hank laughed. “You can count on that.”

  Darcy headed upstairs to get ready
. The Grand. She had not had dinner in the dining room in years. There was a separate bar and grill called the Galley that had indoor and patio seating and a much more casual atmosphere and menu. She usually went there. Luckily she had brought a simple sleeveless v-neck black dress. She could dress it up or down. She added a pair of strappy black heels, twisted her hair and clipped it up in the back, added some dangly earrings and she was ready to go.

  Eddie arrived right on time. Darcy heard her dad answer the door and the exchange of greetings.

  “Darce, your date is here.”

  Ugh… how old was she? She could see her dad and Eddie waiting at the bottom as she came down the stairs. Suddenly it felt like prom night. Eddie looked handsome as ever, dressed in a black suit and white shirt with no tie and a couple of buttons undone. Looking at his attire, she left the light black sweater on the bannister and opted for the lightweight crocheted silver and black wrap. Not even out the door and it’s already feeling like a date.

  ***

  The dining room always reminded Darcy of old money. The current owners had tried to replicate much of the original grandeur of the room.

  Cream colored walls were accented with ornate moldings and panels subtly designed in muted colors of gold, blues and greens, lit by sconces emanating low light from frosted glass. Crystal chandeliers hung from a detailed molded ceiling above round tables with high backed stuffed chairs, linen table cloths, napkins, and candles. Tuxedoed waiters stood at the ready, anticipating their guests every need. In the corner there was a man playing piano. Restaurants were her business. She had designed every type of restaurant imaginable, but the grandeur and elegance of places like this still made her feel a little out of place. They were seated at a table by the windows. In the daytime, there would be a lovely view of the bay. Right now the skies were clear, the weather was still mild and there was a bright moon shining off the water.

  “I haven’t been here in years,” Darcy said.

  “I thought we would go a little more low key this time. It’s quieter. Easier to have a conversation.”

  “It’s lovely.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” The waiter came over to take their drink orders.

  “May I have a whiskey sour please.”

  “Interesting choice…” Eddie commented, nodding in approval. He looked over up at the waiter “I’ll have one as well, thank you.”

  “I feel like my drink needed to match the atmosphere.”

  “Stodgy?”

  “No.” Darcy laughed. “Refined. Classic.”

  “Just like you.” Eddie said with a smile.

  “Thank you.” Darcy could feel her face get hot.

  “You’re not comfortable with compliments are you?”

  “Not really.”

  “So if I said that you look really beautiful tonight—oh you’re blushing,” he chuckled.

  “I’m not!” Darcy touched her cheeks and blushed even more. Oh this is so a date, she thought to herself, though she’d never admit that to anyone.

  Eddie chuckled, “You’re awfully cute when you blush.”

  Darcy gave him a slight scowl.

  “Okay, I’ll stop.” He said pretending to try to stifle a smile.

  “Thank you.” Darcy replied, trying to regain her composure. “Not for the teasing, but the compliment.” The waiter arrived with the drinks. A nice diversion and a good moment to change the subject.

  Darcy took a sip. “Perfect.”

  “Not bad.” Eddie said, following her lead, and taking a drink.

  “So how—” They both said at the same time, and then both laughed.

  “Ladies first.”

  “So how was your day?” she wondered if he was going to mention the accident, and then immediately wondered why she thought he wouldn’t.

  “It was all downhill after I left you. Until now, that is,” he said with a smile.

  Moment of truth. “What happened?”

  “There was an accident at the Edmunds building. A guy got injured. He’s okay now, but it was scary.”

  “Do you know what happened?”

  “Some freak accident with the electrical, I don’t know… But he got a pretty good zap.”

  “I’m glad to hear he’s okay.”

  “Me too.” he said, more to himself than to Darcy, looking relieved.

  “And how was your day? How did the walk through go?”

  “My day was… strange. And, well, because of that, I didn’t do the walk through.”

  “Oh? What happened?”

  “Your grandfather.” Darcy saw a brief flash of panic in Eddie’s eyes which he quickly covered with a cavalier smile.

  “Uh oh…” he chuckled. “Am I in for it?”

  “Probably.” Darcy relayed the story of his timely arrival. “...I half expected to see Marlon Brando.”

  Eddie laughed. “Oh no. What happened?”

  “We drove around.”

  “Did he make you an offer you couldn’t refuse?”

  Darcy chuckled, “Well...kinda, in his own way.”

  “Did he give you a hard time?”

  “No, not at all. I was impressed he remembered who I was though. It’s been a lot of years since I’ve seen him. He did quiz me as to why I was going into his theater, though he seemed to already know.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know how he does that. He has eyes and ears everywhere.”

  “Well, just a heads up that he does not like the idea of a theme restaurant in his theater.”

  “Gramp does not like change.”

  “Gramp?” Darcy remarked skeptically.

  “Yeah, why? You think it should be graahnd faahther, graahnd papaah” he corrected, testing out the sound of each title, drawing them out like some stereotypical upper crust muckety-muck. He chuckled at himself. “Yeah, he’s not too keen on “gramp” either.”

  “I didn’t think so.”

  “Well, unfortunately for grandfather, change is inevitable. He has to understand that everything I do, I do for the family businesses. I’m trying to preserve the family legacy. Keeping the theater open, one way or another, is important for the family and for the town.”

  “Do you have any other ideas?” Darcy hoped for his sake that he did. She would hate to see Barrett, Sr. really angry.

  “None that he would be any happier about. No, I want to continue brainstorming this restaurant idea. I think it’s a good one.”

  “Okay then. Well if that’s the case, if you don’t mind, I’ll hang on to the key and take a look.”

  “I’d appreciate that. So, that concludes the business portion of this evening. Let’s get back to you and I.”

  Darcy must’ve looked a little shocked, because Eddie chuckled. “Relax. I meant, you know, catching up”

  “Of course.” she said. But although his mouth said catching up, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that his look was focused on the you and I.

  The waiter arrived to announce the specials. They ordered some appetizers and another round of drinks and the conversation turned to swapping stories of life after high school. Darcy was curious about Eddie’s marriages and kids.

  “So, you’ve been married…

  “Twice” Eddie filled in.

  “Really?” she knew this information, but she was curious about what had happened. “I did notice you aren’t wearing a ring…”

  “Checking me out are you?” Eddie asked in a charmingly playful manner. Darcy smiled. She couldn’t deny it.

  “So you’re divorced?”

  “Yes. The first time was an utter failure. A mistake of epic proportions. We didn’t even last a year.”

  “Do you mind if I asked what happened?”

  “I was young and dumb. She was too.” He chuckled. “Just out of college. Ready to rule the world. Nowhere near mature enough to handle all the challenges of marriage. We loved each other, but probably not enough. Neither of us was willing to work to weather the hard parts.”

  “And your second?”
r />   “Rebecca. She’s Jasper and Evie’s mom.”

  “You have kids?!”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “Wow—I mean no,” she didn’t want to hurt his feelings by being astonished at the prospect, but she kind of was. “I’m not, really...Well, I—it’s just that I guess I never pictured you as the father type.”

  “What? Fast Eddie isn’t father material?” he asked in playfully mocking tone. Once again he’d managed to slough off any negativity like it didn’t affect him at all.

  “Well…no. Not really.” Darcy felt a little uncomfortable actually saying it out loud, but it was the truth. Eddie looked at her, his face suddenly stoic.

  “I’m a complicated man, Darcy. A man of many facets.” She looked up at his serious face and saw the twinkle in his eye and burst out laughing. Eddie broke character and began laughing too.

  “You had me going there for a moment,” she said relieved that she hadn’t offended him.