Chapter Fourteen
To Do:
Attend church
Take Aunt Edie to Beach Babes
Have Nora and Caroline over
Put up a No Cats Allowed sign
Jenna arrived in the living room to see Roger flying for his life just as the same cat she’d seen hanging around outside leaped for him. Aunt Edie was in hot pursuit, trying to whack the cat with a pillow. A lamp had already been overturned. Roger flew off through the open door into the kitchen, squawking all the way with the cat in hot pursuit.
“Stop that beast!” cried Aunt Edie.
“Come here, kitty,” Jenna called.
Kitty paid her no attention. Who wanted to bother with humans when you could catch a parrot?
Jenna had barely gained the kitchen after the cat when Roger saw it coming and flew back into the living room again, nearly taking off Jenna’s face in his attempt to escape.
She dove for the cat and missed, and it hissed at her and ran for the living room.
Frank had donned his pants and was in the room. “I’ll get it,” he said, and tried to snatch the cat. It ducked under the couch and Frank tripped over a footstool.
“Call the cops!” Roger squawked. “Call the cops.” He was on top of his cage now, and he used his beak to climb inside. “Call the cops! Call the cops!”
Jenna rushed to shut the cage door and collided with Frank in the process. Chest bump. Both landed on the couch.
“Sorry,” he muttered, and bounded back up, trying to get to the cat. Jenna hurried to the cage and shut Roger in.
Meanwhile, Aunt Edie was back with the broom. She took a swing at the invader and caught Frank on the side of the head just as he was reaching for it, which landed him on the floor again.
Finally, Jenna managed to grab the cat. It wasn’t happy and squirmed to get away, scratching her in the process. She let out a yelp and dropped it, but by that time Frank was on the job and succeeded in catching the animal and getting it out the door.
The enemy vanquished and Roger safe, they all three collapsed on the couch, Frank wiping his brow, Jenna trying to get her breath and Aunt Edie sitting with a hand to her chest.
“Aunt Edie, are you all right?” Jenna asked. Why was she holding her chest?
She nodded. “I’m fine. It just gave me such a scare. I don’t know how that animal got in.”
“I’ve seen it hanging around,” Jenna said. I fed it some tuna fish. She decided not to offer any extra unnecessary information.
“It didn’t have a collar,” Frank said. “Probably a stray. Sometimes people dump their animals and leave,” he added in disgust.
“How did it get in?” Aunt Edie asked, her voice tremulous.
Jenna was sure she’d seen the back door open when she’d been in hot pursuit in the kitchen. She went and checked. Sure enough, it was still open, letting in a nice ocean breeze. Someone, probably Pete, hadn’t closed it properly and the wind had blown it open.
“The back door was open,” she reported when she returned. “Pete—” she began.
“Oh no. I shut the door after Pete when he was done with breakfast,” Aunt Edie said.
That left only one culprit. Sabrina tended to be a little casual about things like closing doors and picking up after herself. That was going to have to come to an end, especially the door neglect.
“Glad we got rid of the thing,” said Frank. “I hate cats. They’re sneaky.”
Jenna liked cats, but there would be no kitty in residence at the Driftwood Inn, not as long as Roger was alive.
She thanked Frank for saving the day, then saw him to the door. He launched into an invite to the Drunken Sailor, but she cut him off, claiming the need to make sure Aunt Edie was okay.
It was hardly a manufactured need. She returned to where her aunt sat, twisting the agate ring on her finger, watching Roger, who was pacing back and forth on the perch in his cage muttering about whiskey and cops. “Ralph, Ralph. Where are you?”
“Poor Roger. He’s so upset,” her aunt fretted.
Aunt Edie didn’t seem to be doing too well, either. “Let me make you a cup of tea,” Jenna offered.
“That would be lovely. And please cover the cage. I think Roger needs a rest.”
So did Aunt Edie. Heck, so did Jenna. She covered the cage, then hurried to the kitchen, nuked a mug of hot water in the microwave, then stuck in a tea bag of chamomile.
“Thank you,” Aunt Edie said when she returned. She reached to take it and Jenna saw that her hand was shaking. “I know he’s just a silly old bird,” she said in a small voice, “but he means a lot to me. Ralph got him for me as an anniversary present for our fiftieth wedding anniversary. He’s—”
“I know,” Jenna said, patting her shoulder. “He’s your baby. Don’t worry. We’ll make sure the doors are closed from now on. And I’ll see if I can find out who owns that cat.”
“People shouldn’t let their animals wander around loose,” Aunt Edie said with a frown.
“I know.” Boy, was she going to have a talk with Sabrina when she showed up.
Which she did, ten minutes later, ready to turn her hair pink.
“First, we need to have a talk,” Jenna said, leading the way to her room.
“What did I do?” Sabrina asked as they walked up the stairs. “You knew where I was going. You said I could go to the library.”
“Yes, I did. And you’re not in trouble.”
“Then why do we have to go up here and talk?” Sabrina protested, following Jenna to her bedroom.
So if you throw a fit you can do it without upsetting Aunt Edie. “I just wanted a moment of privacy.”
“Great, I’m in trouble,” Sabrina muttered. “I don’t even know what I did wrong.” She plopped on the bed and scowled.
“I wanted to talk to you about making sure you shut the door when you go out.”
Sabrina didn’t deny her carelessness. “Sorry. But what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that a cat got in and tried to eat Roger.”
“Good. I hate that bird. He’s stupid.”
“Sabrina,” Jenna chided.
“Well, he is. And he’s mean.” She gnawed her lower lip. “Does this mean we don’t get to dye my hair?”
Was there any creature on the planet more self-centered than a teenage girl? “No, we’ll still do your hair. I promised we would and I’m not going back on my word. But I’m a little disappointed in your attitude.”
“I can’t help it if I don’t like Roger. He bit me!”
“I know you don’t like Roger. But you do like Aunt Edie, don’t you?”
Sabrina caught her lower lip with her teeth again and nodded.
“She loves Roger, and she was really upset when the cat tried to get him. She was almost in tears,” Jenna added. A little guilt once in a while never hurt, right?
Sabrina’s eyes suddenly misted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I know. If you had you’d really be in trouble. And if something had happened to Roger Aunt Edie would have been heartbroken.”
For all her grumbling and complaining and snotty moments, Sabrina still had a tender heart. “I’m sorry,” she said, and began to cry.
Jenna sat down on the bed and hugged her. “I know, sweetie. Just be more careful in the future. Okay?”
Sabrina sniffed and nodded.
“Now, let’s go make you look awesome.”
Awesome took the rest of the afternoon and by the time they were done Jenna was thanking her lucky stars that she’d never opted for beauty school. Good grief, what a lot of work.
Sabrina was thrilled, though, and Aunt Edie, who’d been watching the process, complimented her on how pretty she looked. “Isn’t she pretty, Roger?” she asked the bird, who’d recovered enough from his ordeal to sit on his kitchen perch.
“Roger’s a pretty bird,” he replied. “Give me whiskey.”
Sabrina, happy with her new look and the world in general, even Roger, giggled.
“No whiskey for you,” Aunt Edie told him. “But I’d better get some dinner going for us. Just look at the time.”
“I think, after your stressful day, you should let Sabrina and me make dinner,” Jenna told her. She turned to Sabrina. “So, how about we run to the grocery store and pick up a frozen pizza and some salad in a bag?”
Sabrina thought it an excellent idea, and preened her way up and down the grocery store aisles. She checked herself out in the visor mirror so many times on the way back that Jenna teasingly threatened to nickname her Narcissus.
Sabrina frowned. “I know who that is.”
Jenna smiled and said nothing more.
Pete had plenty to say at dinner. “You look like you’ve got cotton candy on your head,” he informed her.
“Oh, Pete, you know nothing about fashion,” Aunt Edie said, coming to Sabrina’s rescue. “You look adorable, dear,” she assured Sabrina.
“Yes, you do,” Jenna agreed.
“It looks goofy if you ask me,” Pete said, reaching for another piece of pizza.
“Pete, I don’t think anyone’s going recruit you to join the fashion police,” Jenna told him.
That made him frown and Sabrina snicker.
The night ended well, with a movie on TV, popcorn and root beer floats. Life was looking up on the home front at last. And the following day Sabrina would be meeting Nora’s granddaughter. Thank God her daughter would have one of her own kind to hang with. Jenna would soon have one less thing to worry about.
* * *
The next morning it looked like Aunt Edie was recovered from the trauma of the day before. She’d made a French toast casserole for breakfast and was dressed in her favorite jeans with the elastic waistband and a pink sweatshirt about the color of Sabrina’s hair.
“Beach Babes is having a sale today,” she said as she and Jenna drank their morning coffee together. “I thought you might like to go.”
Not particularly, but Jenna knew her aunt would, so she said, “That sounds like fun. Nora’s coming over with her granddaughter later so how about we go right after lunch?”
“That will be lovely. I’d like to get a new sun hat.”
And so, after lunch, Jenna and her aunt wandered into the shop in search of the perfect hat. In spite of the lure of an offer of twenty-five percent off on all merchandise, the shop wasn’t exactly packed. One window-shopper was just leaving, empty-handed, as they came in and a couple of older women stood in a corner by the window, checking out sweatshirts with cats on them. Aunt Edie wouldn’t be buying one of those.
She forgot her quest for a hat and drifted over to a sale rack hung with pastel slacks, all with elastic waists. Jenna decided to go say hi to Courtney, who was at the cash register at the back of the store.
She stopped halfway when she realized Courtney was having a discussion with her boss, Susan Frank.
“I’ve asked you before and I don’t want to have to ask again,” Susan said sternly. “I need you to wear some of the things we sell here. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to comply with that request when I give you an employee discount.”
“I’m sorry, Susan,” Courtney said.
If Jenna hadn’t seen her she wouldn’t have believed it was Courtney talking. Courtney hadn’t struck her as a meek woman.
“At least wear a scarf,” Susan continued. “Go pick one out. And try to talk up those beach bags. We need to move them.”
“Yes, Susan.”
Courtney started for the scarves and caught sight of Jenna gawking. A flood of red crept up her neck and onto her cheeks. “Hi, Jenna. Can I help you find something?”
“Aunt Edie’s looking for a hat over in the slacks section,” Jenna said in an attempt to lighten the moment. “I’m thinking I need a scarf.” She needed to buy something.
Courtney nodded and led her over to the scarves while Susan, who had seen Edie, was now busy selling her on a pair of slacks. “Does that happen a lot?” Jenna asked in a low voice.
“Often enough.” Courtney frowned. “What circle of hell is it where you have to wear the ugly clothes your boss sells? I hate working here.”
“Maybe you should quit,” Jenna suggested.
“I can’t afford to. I’m stuck.”
Ironic that Courtney was always after Annie to leave her husband yet she couldn’t leave her job.
Jenna bought a scarf.
* * *
Nora came over late that afternoon with her granddaughter Caroline, and bearing ice cream and hot-fudge sauce and a can of whipped cream. “I can have ice cream anytime I want,” Caroline bragged to Sabrina as they settled around the kitchen table with their treats.
“That has its drawbacks,” Nora said. “I’m walking proof. Remember when I was skinny?” she said to Aunt Edie.
“You were too thin,” Aunt Edie informed her.
“No danger of that now,” Nora joked.
“I’m never getting fat,” Caroline announced. She pulled out a cell phone and took a picture of her sundae. “Ice cream whenever I want. My friends are going to be so jealous.”
Then, with that out of the way, she turned her attention to Sabrina. “I like your hair.” Oh, yes. These two were going to be good friends.
“We just did it yesterday,” Sabrina said.
“I want to dye my hair but my mom says dark hair doesn’t dye very well.” Caroline scowled at her ice cream. “I think I will, anyway.”
“Not until you check with your mother,” said Nora.
Caroline shrugged. “She won’t care.” She shoved aside her half-consumed sundae and said to Sabrina, “Come on. Let’s go up to your room.”
“Okay,” Sabrina said, and they vanished.
“What a waste of ice cream,” Nora said. She pulled her granddaughter’s bowl over and began to eat it. “I know,” she said between mouthfuls. “I’m an addict.”
“I can think of worse things to be addicted to,” Aunt Edie told her.
“Me, too,” Jenna said as Seth’s little sister came to mind. “Thanks for bringing it,” she added. “My hips thank you, too. Not.”
“I know. I couldn’t resist. It looks like the girls have hit it off.”
“Yes, it does. Thank heaven. Maybe now I won’t have to hear about how bored Sabrina is and how much she misses her father.”
“Girls and their daddies,” Nora said.
“This daddy doesn’t deserve her,” Jenna said. No way did he deserve to have anyone think he was a loving father. “He’s balked at the idea of me bringing her up to visit. And he sure hasn’t said anything about coming down here to see her.”
“The man’s a disgrace,” put in Aunt Edie.
“But her mom more than makes up for it,” Nora said, putting them back in positive conversational territory.
“I’m trying,” Jenna said. “I really want her to be happy here.”
“You have to have gotten major mommy points with the hair,” Nora said to her.
“Oh, yes. And I have to admit, it is cute. And I’d rather her have that than gauges in her ears.”
“That will be next,” Nora predicted. “Or at least a nose ring.”
“I’ll probably let her do that down the road, but right now she’s too young.” She was too young for a lot of things, including taking a bus all the way to Seattle to see her dad, which was her latest plan. Barely fourteen, going on twenty.
Was Jenna being too overprotective? She didn’t think so. Surely with kidnappers, perverts and terrorists everywhere there was no such thing.
Nora checked her watch. “I should dash back and see how everything’s going at the parlor. Want me to leave Caroline here for a while?”
“Great idea,” Jenna said.
“I’m sure they’re both enjoying time together on their devices,” Nora said with a grin and a shake of her head.
“Probably,” Jenna agreed.
“We’re going to dinner at the Porthole at six. How about I pick her up a little before?”
“Sounds good.”
Nora left, Aunt Edie decided to relax with her latest gory mystery novel and Jenna, with some free time, headed for the beach.
She found Seth at the water’s edge, a bucket by his side and a fishing pole in the water.
“Catch anything?” she called as she walked up to him.
“Crab in a pot.” He gestured to the plastic bucket next to him.
Sure enough, there was a crab trying to make its way out. “I’ve never seen anyone fishing for crab,” she said.
“You can buy a collapsible trap to put on the end of a pole,” he said. “Gonna build a fire and cook me some crab. Want to join me?”
“I never turn down free crab. How about I start the fire?”
“Deal.”
An hour later he had two crabs killed and cleaned and they were dipping cooked crab in butter melted in an old iron pot at the edge of the fire. “I never get tired of being out in the open air,” he said, looking out to sea.
She could only imagine what that felt like after having been deprived of his freedom for so many years. “You’re doing a good job of making up for lost time.”
“I’m trying.” He pulled some more meat from a shell, leaned over and dredged it through the butter, then popped it in his mouth with a satisfied sigh. “When I was in high school a couple of buds and I would go north and camp at the beach. Dig clams, catch crab. Good times.” His smile faded.
“Have you heard from them since...high school?” She already knew the answer.
He shrugged. “Nope. Haven’t heard from any of my old friends. Guys aren’t like women. They don’t keep in touch.”
Especially when one of them was alleged to have shot someone.
“New town, new friends,” he said.
“New start,” she added, thinking of her own life. “Do you ever think about making up for lost time by finding someone and settling down?”
“I was ‘settled down’ for a lot of years. Anyway, how’d that marriage thing work for you?” She made a face at him and he chuckled. “I rest my case.” He sobered. “There’s more than one kind of prison, Jenna.”
She made a mental note later as she walked back to the house not to fall for Seth Waters. He was not in the market.
Brody probably was. And she had to admit she was drawn to him, as well.
Don’t fall for any man, she lectured herself. There was a reason she wasn’t in the market, either. These days the man market was full of cheats and liars. It was no place for a nice (not to mention dumb and trusting) girl like her.