On the Corner of Hope and Main

by Beverly Jenkins

  Her face lit up. “Really? When I can start?”

  “Up to you.”

  “Tomorrow? Today. Five minutes ago?”

  They laughed.

  “Any of the above,” Rocky said.

  “OMG! Okay. I’d like to start right away. Is there a place where I can stay? I can pay rent.”

  Bernadine said, “Go talk to your parents, and once you’re done, come back and we’ll turn the logistics over to Lily July. She’ll help you move your life to Henry Adams.”

  Audra began to cry and gave each of them a tight hug—totally inappropriate during a job interview, but they looked past that.

  She took the tissue Bernadine handed her and dried her eyes. “Both my parents are only children too, so I don’t have aunts, but now I feel as if I have three. Three Spinsters. Three Aunts.”

  They smiled.

  “Thank you so much for this opportunity. I won’t let you down. I promise.”

  She left them to go tell her parents.

  The encounter took place behind the conference room’s closed door, which meant Bernadine, Tina, and Rocky weren’t privy to the conversation. They did hear quite a bit of shouting, however.

  A short while later, Audra returned. Sadness filled her eyes. “I’m going to go back home first. My parents reminded me that I should probably give my current job my notice. And they’re not real happy with my decision. I need to sort this out. Can you hold the job for me?”

  Rocky said, “Yes, but not indefinitely.”

  Bernadine agreed.

  “I know they’re going to try and talk me out of this, but I’m not going to let them. I want the job. I’ll be in touch to work out things with Ms. July asap.”

  “Okay. We’ll look forward to that.”

  She offered a weak smile and departed.

  Her parents left the Power Plant without so much as a word. The Three Aunts decided that was okay.

  THORNTON WEBB ARRIVED for his interview a few hours later. Bernadine admitted to being shocked by how big a man he was. Prizefighter big. Defensive end big, with a shaved head and a warm brown face as pretty as Muhammed Ali in his prime. She looked over at Tina, who raised an appreciative eyebrow. Rocky showed no reaction.

  “Welcome to Henry Adams, Mr. Webb,” Bernadine said. She made the introductions. He nodded at each before taking a seat. She offered coffee. He declined.

  “I hope travel wasn’t too exhausting. We lack a lot of the big-city amenities.”

  “I noticed but not holding that against you. This is rural Kansas.”

  She wasn’t sure how to take that. He hadn’t smiled so far and there was a touch of skepticism in his eyes, which made her wonder again why he’d applied for the job.

  Rocky said, “It’s rural but we like it here, so if that’s a problem, we can cut this short right now.”

  He viewed her silently for a moment. “Wasn’t trying to offend. Just making a statement.”

  Bernadine said, “The obvious question for all of us is, why would someone with your expertise and reputation want to move here?”

  He shrugged. “I’m looking for a change. You reach a point in your life where you need a challenge and moving here might be it.”

  Tina said, “We’re looking for someone who’ll give us four or five years. Is that you?”

  “Possibly. Takes a while to establish a place’s reputation. You ladies will be starting with none. I’m arrogant enough and a good enough chef to do that, but it won’t happen overnight. Depending on how this interview goes, I’d be willing to put in the necessary time. Who knows, I may even stick around longer. I’ve never lived in a place without sirens or crowds. My question to you is, how do you plan on your chef getting access to the various foods needed for a quality place.”

  “Such as?” Bernadine asked.

  “Fresh meat and seafood mainly.”

  “Would a jet work?”

  His brow furrowed. “A jet?”

  “Tina and I have private jets. Flying you out, or products in, shouldn’t be an issue.”

  He appeared stunned. “Really?”

  “On speed dial,” Tina tossed back.

  And for the first time since entering the office, Chef Thornton Webb showed a ghost of a smile. “Can I get a tour of the town? See where the restaurant will be? Get a feel for the place?”

  Bernadine looked to Tina and Rocky. Each appeared pleased. “Sure.”

  Because the construction site was within walking distance of the Power Plant, they walked. The air was chilly, the sun shining. Webb asked, “How cold does it get here?”

  Rocky said, “Capital letters cold from as early as mid-October until sometimes the end of April.”

  He smiled. “Strike one.”

  Amused, Bernadine protested, “Hey. Not fair. A little cold never hurt anyone.”

  “You’re talking to a California man, Ms. Brown.”

  “Terence—he drove you here from the airport—moved here from Oakland last year. He survived his first winter just fine.”

  Tina threw in, “Take it from a girl from the Midwest. You’ll get used to it. You might even learn to love it.”

  Webb appeared doubtful.

  At the site, everything was going full bore: earthmovers, semis, workers with survey instruments. He glanced around at all the chaos, but kept his thoughts unspoken. He was introduced to Trent and to construction chief Warren Kelly and both men welcomed him to the community.

  “I haven’t accepted the job just yet.”

  Trent said, “By the time these women are done with you, you will. Believe me.”

  Warren laughed. “Listen to him, Mr. Webb, and they are a joy to work with and for.”

  Webb nodded.

  Trent and Warren returned to duty and the tour moved on.

  Webb asked, “Do you have a name picked out for the restaurant?”

  Bernadine told him what it would be and why.

  He stopped. “This town has been here that long?”

  “Since 1879. We’re trying to get Henry Adams listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Not many all Black townships have survived this long.”

  As they walked down Main Street, they gave him a brief history of the town, the man it was named after, and the Exodus of 1879.

  “Never heard of the Exodus.”

  “Consider it your homework,” Rocky said.

  Bernadine explained how she purchased Henry Adams on eBay, and the sorry state the town had been in back then.

  He asked with surprise, “So you paid for all these improvements?”

  She nodded. “When much is given, much is expected.”

  As they approached the church, Paula stepped out and walked toward her truck parked in the driveway. Seeing them, she waved. Rocky called her over.

  “Want you to meet Chef Thornton Webb. He’s interviewing for the restaurant. This is our priest, Reverend Paula Grant.”

  Paula shook his hand. “Welcome to Henry Adams. This is a great place to live and to work. The people are wonderful.”

  “A lady priest. Episcopalian?”

  “Yes. Are you familiar with us?”

  “I am. My restaurant in Oakland partners with the local diocese’s soup kitchen.”

  “Always a joy to meet someone helping do God’s work. I have to run. Nice meeting you, Chef Webb. Hope you’ll consider moving here.”

  “Thanks.”

  As Paula left them, and their little tour group moved, Bernadine saw him visually track Paula’s truck as it moved down Main. Rocky appeared to notice as well and sent Bernadine a quick but significant look.

  Inside the rec center he was introduced to Tamar. “Pleased to meet you, Chef Webb.”

  “Same here.”

  “Do you know your family history?” she asked.

  He studied her silently for a few moments, then admitted, “Other than that my grandparents on my mom’s side moved to the Bay from somewhere in Oklahoma, no.”

  “It’ll be something you can wo
rk on after you take the job.”

  He smiled. “Everyone seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion that I’ll be taking the job.”

  Tamar said, “Because you will. You need what we can give you. I can see it in your eyes.”

  He went still.

  Tamar said, “Nice meeting you. Thanks for bringing him to meet me, ladies. Now, let me get back to work.”

  Dismissed, they exited.

  He asked, “She always that mysterious?”

  Rocky cracked, “Always. You can put that in all caps, too.”

  The last place to see was the Dog and as he entered, Chef Webb smiled. The lunch rush was just getting started so the place was only partly filled. The waitstaff was delivering orders. The very young Stevie Wonder was on the box begging his girl to sign a “Contract on Love.”

  “I like the atmosphere. Can I see the kitchen?” he asked Rocky.

  “Of course.”

  She introduced him to head chef Randy Emerson and the other members of the staff. Bernadine saw Webb glance at Randy’s tattoo sleeves featuring cuts of meat and smiled.

  “Where are you from Randy?” he asked

  “Texas.”

  “I like the sleeves. Nice work.”

  “Thanks, Chef.”

  “So, Chef. What’s on the lunch menu today?”

  Randy, sounding a bit nervous, gave him a rundown.

  While they spoke, Bernadine said to Rocky, “Tina and I are going to back to my office. Let me know when he’s done here, and we’ll see about TC getting him to the airport for his flight home.”

  “Will do.”

  TWO HOURS LATER, Webb was on his way back to the airport. Bernadine sat in her office working on some things and reflecting on the day. She wondered if she’d imagined Webb’s interest in Paula, then decided to leave it alone. Tina had been dropped off at Bernadine’s to handle some phone calls and relax. They’d hook up again for dinner.

  Lily came in. “So is Mr. Handsome Chef going to take the job?”

  “He said he’d let us know in a few days. He seemed impressed with our little corner of the world, so we’ll see. I do think adding Audra might be a good thing for her, though.

  “Her parents were real unhappy when they left. I hope she can work things out.”

  Bernadine agreed. “What did I miss this morning while doing interviews and playing tour guide?”

  “The survey company was out at Marie’s, and guess what?”

  Bernadine paused. “What?”

  “Her house is sitting on a very large deposit of natural gas.”

  “Really?”

  “They’re still checking their data on the deposit, but yes. Their office did some calling around and had someone search through the old county deeds and records and found that her mother, Agnes, had a survey done back in the sixties. She knew about the deposit then, but never moved forward on the extraction.”

  “Why not?”

  “I called Tamar and she said Agnes was afraid the gas companies would try and take her land if she gave them access to it, so she sat on the information, and basically it was lost through time. She never said anything to Marie about it, either.”

  “I wonder if that was why, when Marie and Leo were dating, Agnes kept telling Marie that Leo wanted the land, not Marie.”

  “Quite possibly.”

  “Wow.” Agnes’s last words to her daughter, Marie, had been to hold on to the Jefferson land. Bernadine was convinced Leo knew about the natural gas deposit back then. He and the Salem Oil company probably came across the information while doing research for the pipeline they’d wanted to install. “So, what does Marie plan to do?”

  “She said she’s going to do some reading up on it, then talk to you and Tina about what she might do next. The survey company says her land is sitting on a small gold mine.”

  “Is this the kind of gas that needs fracking to extract?”

  “She was worried about that but was told it’s conventional gas, and pumping is used instead. Fracking is used for what’s called unconventional natural gas.”

  “And the difference?”

  “From what the geologists told Marie, conventional is closer to the surface. She said if fracking had to be used, she’d just let it sit.”

  Bernadine was pleased to hear that. When Leo was trying to get approval for his pipeline a few years ago, Trent held a special Movie Night and showed the 2010 documentary Gasland that chronicled the extensive damage the fracking process caused not only to the environment but to people’s lives. A safe extraction of Marie’s gas deposit would be good for the surrounding area, and if it proved to be as lucrative as estimated, she’d be set financially. Now that she was getting help for her gambling addiction, there was little chance of her squandering the newly found fortune at the tables in Vegas, or so Bernadine hoped.

  “Any news on Leo and the land buy he told the farmers about?”

  “No. Tina and I are pretty sure he’s lying. We’ve had our people talk to developers and investment companies from Beijing to San Francisco to Boston and back, and no one’s heard a thing. Of course, Leo lying isn’t a surprise. I just wish he wasn’t trying to bamboozle our neighbors. Again.”

  “I agree. Maybe the Fickle Finger of Fate will strike.”

  “The Fickle Finger of Fate?”

  “Yes. From the old Laugh-In show. Amari found it on the internet and we’re having a ball watching it.”

  “Ah. Just a bit before my time.”

  “Mine too, but it is funny. President Nixon was on one of the episodes.”

  “Goodness. Anything else I missed today?”

  “No. Not that I can think of. Oh, yes! I got a text from Sheila this morning. Barrett is dropping out of the race.”

  “What?”

  “Apparently, he was so impressed by her performance last night that he’s withdrawing. Wants to help her get elected.”

  “Oh, my goodness.” Bernadine found it amazing that the man who’d been so upset by his wife’s running was now getting over himself so she could win the race. She wondered what made him change his mind, other than being one of the men Sheila mopped the floor with. “I have to give him kudos for making that decision and supporting her.”

  “I agree. She was over the moon.”

  Bernadine was so happy for Sheila. Barrett’s attitude had been weighing her down like an anchor.

  Lily continued. “Her campaign signs came in today. I’m going to help her put them up tomorrow. Preston and Amari have volunteered, too.”

  She paused before saying, “I think she can win, Bernadine. I don’t see Thad or Riley coming anywhere close to her in votes, but stranger things have happened.”

  “True.” One had only to look at the political mess in Washington to know the truth in that.

  “But the gender prejudice Riley is pushing worries me. Trent said some of the construction guys agree with him and won’t be voting for Sheila.”

  Bernadine didn’t like hearing this. “Does Trent have any idea how widespread the feeling is?”

  “He just mentioned it in passing. I’ll ask or you can when you see him.”

  “Okay.”

  “We’re putting her signs together at my house after dinner. If you want to help, come by around seven.”

  “Will do.”

  She returned to her office. Bernadine went back to her laptop, but the reality that some men were stuck in the horse-and-buggy days in their view of women left her unsettled. She hoped it was just a few. Surely, Riley wouldn’t win the election. Would he?

  AT A BIT past five, Bernadine decided to head home. The day had been long and all she wanted was to put on her sweats and veg out until bedtime. She wasn’t sure if she was up to helping with the campaign signs. She’d wait and see how she felt later.

  At home, she was surprised to find Tina on the phone with her suitcase beside her. Tina held up a finger forestalling questions while she continued her conversation. “Okay. Be there as soon as I can.”
r />   The call ended and the worry on Tina’s face concerned Bernadine. “What’s happened?”

  “Mimi fell and broke her hip.”

  Mimi was Tina’s eighty-year-old mom. “Oh no!”

  “That was my brother, Kevin, on the phone. She’s at the hospital and stable, but docs are pretty sure she’ll need surgery. Kevin said they’re waiting on the X-rays to come back.”

  “Did she trip and fall?”

  “Fell skating. We keep telling her to stay off the skates. Does she listen? Of course not.”

  Bernadine knew this was serious, but Mimi, a former roller derby star, was a force of nature and Mimi was going to do Mimi. “Well, tell her I send my love. Don’t you yell at my girl too much. That she’s still active at her age is a blessing.”

  “Not when you fall and crack your behind, it isn’t.”

  Bernadine smiled. “Is Mike on his way?” He was her copter pilot.

  “Yes. We’ll fly to Tulsa, leave the chopper, and switch over to the plane. It’s in a hangar there. I should be in Milwaukee before midnight.”

  Bernadine gave her a hug. “Take care and travel safe.”

  “Will do. Wasn’t sure where you were in your day, so TC’s on his way to take me to the field by the firehouse so Mike can pick me up.”

  “Okay. Keep me posted.”

  “Will do. Oh, Mal stopped by.”

  Bernadine stiffened. “Why?”

  “He left you something.”

  On the couch was a box wrapped in shiny purple paper.

  Tina said, “I think he planned to leave it on the porch but I saw him drive up and opened the door.”

  Bernadine’s curiosity was piqued. “Did he say what it was?” There was a lovely burgundy bow on top.

  “No. Only that it was for you. Then he left.”

  A car horn sounded. “That’s TC. I’ll text you when I get to Milwaukee.”

  Bernadine’s attention swung from the box to Tina. “Okay. Hope Mimi will be okay.”

  “If she stays off those damn skates.”

  Tina and her brother had been trying to get Mimi to give up skating for years but to no avail.

  TC came to the door, carried Tina’s suitcase out to the black town car, and the two departed.