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| Beth Holland had never planned to move back to Alma, Texas divorced, wealthy and slightly bitter. But as she turned down the driveway of 156 Magnolia Avenue, she felt an odd sense of elation looking at the house before her. The tattered, two-story Victorian relic had been built over fifty years ago and the sagging middle was a testament to just how much this house had endured in its lifetime. But the porch was new. And in spite of its rugged appearance, this house had a strong foundation. At least, she hoped it was strong. She’d build her new dreams on that foundation. Beth turned off the engine and grabbed her purse in almost the same swift movement. Jumping out of the cab, she tried to slam the door, but it only bounced back toward her. Shaking the sting from her hand, she took the door by the handle, gently lifted and pushed it into place. This time she heard the latch click. Beth turned around and looked up at the house. The peeling foam green paint stood out in sharp contrast to the more beautiful houses on the street; she imagined a dusty blue in its place. In her best Pollyanna, she decided with so many things wrong with the house there could only be room for improvement. “I am a lucky woman,” she said out loud as a smile curved her lips. Thirty-six cement slabs marked the walkway to the house. She’d counted. Then her hand curved over the wooden rail as she walked up the steps. With a click, the old wood door swung open and she stood still for a moment. A giggle escaped her lips as she crossed the threshold. Dropping her purse to the floor, Beth twirled, imagining herself as a little girl in this wide-open living room. Seeing the room spin around brought back memories of doing just that in her parents’ house so many years before. For the first time in ten years she knew where she belonged. And more so, she knew what it meant to have a place she could belong to. The house on 156 Magnolia was all hers. She was home. A sharp bark from outside brought her back to the present. She stopped twirling and ran back to the truck to let her puppy, Pudge, join her. The passenger door opened with a deep groan and she quickly unlocked him from his safety harness, gathering him into the crook of her arm. “We’re home, Pudgy!” She nuzzled her nose against his velvet chest as the excited puppy licked her face. He didn’t really seem to care where he was as long as it didn’t involve riding any further in the truck. “Cute dog.” Beth startled at the sound of a man’s voice. Closing the passenger door she looked to her right to see an elderly man in a white t-shirt and navy shorts, wearing black knee high socks under his Birkenstocks and what appeared to be a gardening smock. His gaunt face had deep-set raisin eyes and an affable smile that promised plenty of good “neighborly” times ahead. “I’m Saul Goldberg. You the new owner?” Clutching Pudge to her chest, Beth headed over to say hello. It’d never been her intention to meet her neighbors while wearing tattered overalls and a sweaty bandana, but it didn’t really matter. It wasn’t as if she could run in the house and hide until she looked better. Besides, his smock read, “I’m the Reason My Tomatoes Blush.” At least he couldn’t judge her for her clothing. “Beth Colvin,” damn, “I mean Holland.” She bit her tongue. “Holland, Colvin, I can see how you might get mixed up.” The wry grin he shot seemed matched only by the twinkle in those milky raisin eyes. “No,” she clarified as she gave the man a thin-lipped smile, “it was Colvin, now it’s Holland again.” “I see. Well, doesn’t matter. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He reached out his hand to shake, but then seemed to notice the black dirt that caked it. He motioned to her puppy instead. “And this is?” “Pudge.” “Good name. Are you new to Texas?” She relaxed. “Actually I grew up in this town a couple miles over, in the old section.” He nodded. Reaching forward, Saul scratched the puppy behind his ears. “Well listen, I don’t want to keep you and I can see you have some unpacking to do. Do you need any help?” She really wanted to do this on her own. Before the hesitation grew awkward she let out a quick, “No. But thank you for offering.” “Alright, suit yourself. I’ll have the Missus come by later with some lemonade if you’d like.” Beth smiled and nodded. That seemed to be enough as Saul returned to his work. Not knowing what else to say, she walked back to her house. “Okay Pudge,” she whispered, “he seems nice, but I doubt he’ll want to hear much barking out of you, understand?” The puppy cocked his head, then licked her chin again. After a quick puppy trip out back, she settled into the living room with hands on hips. “Alright. Time to work.” Reaching inside her purse she pulled out a leash, attached one end to Pudge’s collar and the other around the spindle banister. “You stay here. I’m going to go grab some things.” Beth had never imagined buying a house by herself. She’d married her college sweetheart at the end of their Junior year, and then spent the last ten years regretting her mistake. So as she walked back and forth carrying boxes from the truck to her house, she didn’t regret any of the pain now pulsing through her tired thighs and arms. It felt nice, actually. Pulling the last box from the truck bed, she looked down the street. The moving van should have been here by now. She carried the box inside, setting it on top of another. Kicking the door shut, she plopped onto the floor next to Pudge and dialed, scratching his ears with her free hand. A tired voice answered, “Stow-A-Way Movers.” It reminded her a little of Eeyore. “This is Beth Holland. I thought my moving truck was supposed to make it in today and it isn’t here yet.” “Is it five o’clock?” Now it was Rabbit, irritated and crotchety. Beth was starting to feel irritated as well. “No, should that matter?” “If it’s not five o’clock, we’re not officially late,” the voice answered flatly. Reminding herself of the days she’d spent as a waitress and how rude some customers can be, she asked sweetly, “Could you please check on their status?” A noncommittal grunt followed by a click let Beth know the conversation had ended. That woman would have never survived on tips. She shook her head and looked at Pudge. “Look’s like we have some unpacking to do, buddy.” He wagged his tale and pulled at the leash, ready to be free. The sound of the doorbell startled her. Expecting the movers, she wiped her palms as she stood and glanced through the side window. Rather than big burly men, she saw a tiny elderly woman holding a pitcher of lemonade almost as big as her and a tray of cookies. Beth opened the door and fixed a smile as Pudge barked like a crazy puppy from behind. “You must be Mrs. Goldberg. How are you today?” The woman smiled broadly. “I’m still kickin’, so I must be doing something right.” Beth motioned for the woman to come in. “Please, let me take the lemonade,” she offered as her neighbor shuffled through the door. “I have to apologize, I don’t have a kitchen table yet. I thought the movers would be here by now, but...” She let her statement linger. “I understand. Our family moved around a lot when we were your age. House to house, sometimes in the same month. Depended how much money we had to pay the rent.” She grinned toothily as the two women walked to the kitchen. Pudge yipped and whined from the living room. “Do you mind if I let him off his leash?” Beth asked as she set the lemonade and her cell phone on the Formica counter. She didn’t know how this woman felt about dogs and didn’t want Pudge’s exuberance to overwhelm her. “Oh not at all!” A few moments later, Pudge bounded in on Beth’s heels. “Mrs. Goldberg, how long have you lived here?” “Call me Neecy. Name’s Bernice, but I never did like it much. Got teased a lot when I was little, and now I just have no use for it.” She took a breath. “We’ve lived in this neighborhood for forty years now, but just bought this house two years ago. Good street, too. Lots of kids, good families. You’ll like it a lot.” Beth chuckled at the woman’s liveliness. Neecy looked every bit the part of a doting grandmother. From the top of her cotton-candy freshly dyed and curled hair all the way down to the toes of her white geriatric sneakers. And she brought cookies! Beth just hoped there wasn’t a wolf waiting to gobble her up around the corner. “Well these cookies smell wonderful Neecy. Thank you so much for bringing them over. Did you make this lemonade yourself?” “Sure did. Poured in the powdered mix, added sugar and water and stirred. Made the cookies myself too. Tollhouse.” Neecy broke one of the sugar cookies in half and asked, “Do you mind if I give one to the pup?” “Be my guest,” Beth replied. “Do you have any animals?” “Oh, I’ve always loved animals, but my Saul’s allergic to so many things. It’s okay if he’s around ‘em for a bit, but too long and he keeps me up all night sneezing and wheezing.” “That’s no good.” “Told me you’re divorced?” Beth’s cheeks warmed at the direct question. “I hadn’t told him as much, but yes. I am.” “Sorry to hear, but probably for the best. Listen,” Neecy said as she dusted her hands over the counter, “I can’t stay. Our attorney’s coming over at five to have us sign papers.” So much for no wolf. Beth had experienced her fair share of attorneys during the divorce. She’d gotten a more than generous settlement out of it, but she’d be happy if she never had to deal with another, possibly ever. Without thinking, she said, “Sorry to hear that.” “Oh no! He’s a good boy. You should meet him! He’s smart, handsome, single...” Okay, Grandma Yente. She persisted, “You could join us for dinner. What do you think?” Measuring her words cautiously, Beth said, “I think I have a lot of work to do. Besides, my movers should be here by five as well. I need to be here for them.” She glanced down at her watch. “And it’s already 4:30, so really they should be here any time now.” “I understand,” Neecy said, stepping away from the counter. “Well if you change your mind, you know where we live. Keep the cookies and lemonade. You can bring the containers back when you’re done.” Beth walked her to the door while Pudge tried to sniff as many cookie crumbs from the floor as he could find. “It’s been wonderful meeting you,” Beth said, holding the door open. “And thank you for the warm welcome.” “Oh, pleasure’s all mine. It’ll be nice to have some new blood in the neighborhood. I’ m afraid Saul and I bring the place down a bit. Old as we are.” “Oh stop!” Beth laughed. “I don’t know you very well yet, but I doubt there’s a single place you go where you aren’t the life of the party. I’ll bring your tray and pitcher over soon.” Neecy waved behind her as she walked swiftly down the steps and crossed through the brush into her yard. “Come on by later if you change your mind!” she called, waving one last time before heading into her house. Beth shut the door and shook her head. She’d met some pretty spry older people doing volunteer work in Seattle, but Neecy had them all out run by at least a mile. Turning to the sound of scratching in the kitchen, she saw Pudge trying to dig up the floorboards with his paw. “No, no,” she scolded. Scooping him up she decided to re- introduce him to the backyard before he had an accident in the house. While he explored his new surroundings, Beth made mental notes about her plans for the yard. She closed her eyes and inhaled the heady smell of rose blossoms and honeysuckle that flowed over her neighbor’s fence. She imagined planting a few bushes of her own. Maybe a small water pond; Koi would be nice. She could build a gazebo beside the fence and maybe a fire pit on the other end. Across the way she heard her neighbors greet their visitor. She smiled as she heard, Well if it isn’t the queen of microwave cooking, in the flesh. How are you Neecy? If she hadn’t just made it out of a horrendous marriage, she might actually feel like meeting the guy. He had a nice voice. Familiar sounding, and warm, like cinnamon or a full body hug. The laughter that followed his statement flowed over her and almost tempted her over. Almost. But the phone rang. “C’mon, Pudge.” She headed quickly back into the house. The puppy lagged behind, so she left the door open as she grabbed up the phone. “Hello?” “Ms. Holland, this is Brenda with Stow-A-Way Movers, I’m sorry to tell you this but your truck will not be there until tomorrow.” Beth’s temples tightened. “No. We had an agreement. They were supposed to be here today, and I’d have a bed to sleep on tonight.” “Well I can’t say much about your situation, ma’am,” the nasally voice replied, “but you’re just going to have to make other arrangements. They should be there tomorrow, by noon. Have a good evening!” The click happened before Beth could argue further. She pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it dumbly. What was it with this place and hanging up on her? And what was she suppose to do for tonight? Well, she knew one thing. “We need pizza,” she said as she looked down at her puppy. He’d finally made it all the way into the house and now busily gnawed on her shoelaces. She remembered seeing a pizza place a couple blocks over, off the main road. Picking up Pudge, then her purse, she gave up on the idea of changing out of the overalls and headed out for food. “So you’re the new neighbor, huh?” The same voice she’d heard over the backyard fence. A voice like the fourth of July, all apple pie and fireworks. She swung her eyes to the right and felt her heart do a double take. She didn’t know what kind of a lawyer he was but if she ever got in trouble she definitely wouldn’t mind spending time in his office. Perhaps they could go over briefs together. “I suppose I am.” She walked to the edge of the yard and stuck out her hand. He clasped it and shook firmly. “Name’s Richard Spangler, nice to meet you.” Beth’s heart froze. She’d known a Richard Spangler once. Looking at this man, she turned her head slightly to try to see him in a new light. “Did you grow up around here?” she asked without introducing herself. “I did, actually. Just a few miles from here. Family moved when I was eleven though. Came back after law school.” A twinge of a smile tickled the edges of Beth’s mouth. “And you used to have a one-eyed cat named Daisy, didn’t you?” “Now wait, how is it you know so much about me and I don’t even know your name?” His eyes narrowed, as if trying to remember her from somewhere. She wanted to toy with him a little longer. “Oh, I also know that the first person you kissed was Patricia Fitzgerald. And that she thought your lips tasted like watermelon bubblegum.” Richard’s cheeks reddened. “Patty? I didn’t recognize you. You’ve changed so much!” Beth laughed. “No. Beth! You lived next door to me.” “Lizzy.” He shook his head and looked her up and down. “Lizzy Holland. Oh my God it’s great to see you! How have you been? I haven’t seen you since—” Those razor blue eyes. She should have remembered the eyes. “Beth. It’s Beth now. We were in sixth grade.” Accusingly, she continued, “You told me you were only going for the summer and I waited and waited for you. We were supposed to paint my clubhouse together. I was so hurt when you didn’t come back.” Red spots played across his cheeks and he tugged one of his long white sleeves into place. “I remember that. Actually, I didn’t know we were staying either. My father took us on a family trip and got offered a job. Moving company packed our things and brought them all to us. I lived in Perseverance, Maine until I left for college.” Down the road, a child rode in lazy circles on her bicycle. Beth watched a car drive close and honk the horn. The little girl waved and followed the car into a driveway. Probably mom or dad. She turned back and asked, “Do you still go by Ricky, or are you something else now?” “Rick,” he said as his lips stretched into a heart threateningly warm smile. “But I’ ve heard you only just became a Holland again. Neecy just told me I should go invite the good looking divorcee next-door over for dinner.” Beth cringed at the reference to her divorce. The Goldberg’s were much quicker with their tongues than she would have been. “I married my college sweetheart. It didn’t take. That’s all.” As if to let his presence be known, Pudge started gnawing on Beth’s thumb. “Listen, Rick. I’d like to catch up, but I really have to get something to eat.” “I thought Neecy invited you over for dinner?” “Oh she did,” Beth replied motioning to her puppy, “but I’d feel bad about leaving Pudge alone on our first night here.” “Ah. I understand. Okay, well how about dessert then? I could bring something by later?” Beth froze for a second. Dirty thoughts raced through her head. She fought just as hard to usher them right back out. “I don’t have any furniture. We wouldn’t have anywhere to sit.” She stroked Pudge’s fur and gently pried her thumb from his piranha like teeth. “We can stand. Do you like chocolate cake?” “You’re just going to whip one up between now and dinner?” “No. Neecy always sends the cake home with me. Usually I’ll eat a piece and then throw it away after a week or so. I’d feel bad about it, but she’s just so persistent.” Those red spots came back to his cheeks. “You’re a lawyer...she’s an octogenarian. Isn’t it your job to win arguments? Or at least come out even? Wait, she bakes?” He chuckled. “No, buys. But it’s the best chocolate cake you can find in this town.” He paused before leaning in closer. “And I’m great at my job, thank you. But have you met the Goldberg’s? I’m not sure if even the Supreme Court could stand up against them.” She conceded. “You’re right. Alright. The old owners left their fridge. I’ll pick up some milk from Sam Haines Grocery and you bring the cake.” “Sam Haines isn’t there anymore. Burnt down a few years back. Try Stop Quick, it’s a little convenience store next to the pizza place around the corner. I’ll bring two forks. I’m sure Neecy won’t mind.” She shook her head. “Burned down? Wow. I remember taking my allowance there when I was nine and spending every cent on candy.” Beth blushed at the memory. She’d been a chubby kid and he looked so handsome. Beth didn’t want to remind him too much of how she’d looked. She’d thought about him a lot over the years. Seeing him now left her mind reeling with memories. He’d had dark curly 80’s style hair as a boy. It had straightened over the years, and she could see the tiniest hints of gray around his temples. Those razor blue eyes still cut through her heart, but the way they crinkled now and those lines around the edges softened them somehow. She looked at his cheeks. All the little boy softness had been replaced with hard lines that drove straight to his steely jaw. She wondered if his cheeks and ears still turned red when he was sleepy. She shook her head at the memories. “It sounds like we have a plan, Rick. I’m gonna go get my dinner now. You should get back inside before Saul sends Neecy out to search for you.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled a lazy smile. Clean white teeth showed under soft, kissable lips. “It’s good to see you again Beth.” Without thinking she reached forward and pulled him into a hug. “It’s so good to see you. Little Ricky Spangler.” She let go and appraised him again. “Rick. I’m so glad you’re here. I needed a friendly face right now.” He pulled back from the embrace and looked at her for what felt like half an eternity. “I feel like I’m seeing you for the first time. You’re just not that little girl anymore are you?” Her cheeks burned. “We’ll talk later. Go get something to eat before that puppy chews your hand off.” |
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