Blue Moon Haven, page 2
“Ain’t good enough.” Mr. Haggart swatted her hand away, wheeled back to the door and wrapped his palm tighter around the door handle. “Baaaaaad service! I want a root beer and a cigarette.”
“You know cigarettes aren’t allowed.” The nurse pulled harder on his wheelchair. “And they’re bad for you anyway.”
He elbowed her. “This place is what’s bad for me, woman!”
“Please, Mr. Haggart, your son will have a fit if you take off again. Remember how angry and afraid he was last time?”
“Don’t care, woman.”
The two continued struggling with the door, the wheelchair and each other.
Kelly squatted beside Todd and gripped his shoulders. “That was incredibly rude, what you just did. You’ve got to learn to control your temper. It’s inappropriate to speak to adults that way.”
He shrugged. “I was right.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you were right or not,” Kelly said in a low tone. She eyed the two adults still struggling with the front door. “You can’t just go around saying whatever you think, whenever you think it. It’s not always polite or appropriate.”
The nurse managed to unfurl Mr. Haggart’s hand from the door handle, then wheeled him back to his former position by the window. Disappointment flooded the older man’s features, the phone began ringing again and moisture gathered in the corners of the nurse’s eyes.
Sympathy for both of them flooded through Kelly. She squeezed Todd’s shoulders. “Just stay quiet and let me handle things from here.”
The nurse jogged back to the counter and answered the ringing phone, held a brief conversation regarding the delayed delivery of supplies, then hung up and dragged a hand through her disheveled hair.
“Look, I’m . . .” Hesitantly Kelly approached the counter. “I really am sorry about this, and I can see you’re overwhelmed right now, so I’ll try to be brief. I’m looking for Mrs. Mae Bell Larkin.”
The nurse sighed. “Are you family?”
“No. Mrs. Larkin’s my new boss. Is she available to see me?”
A strange expression crossed the nurse’s face. “Oh, she’s available. New boss of what?”
“I’m a new hire for the Blue Moon Haven Drive-In.” The nurse stared, so Kelly added, “You know, the one right outside of town?”
“I know where—and what—it is. It’s a dumpy relic and the only blight on our otherwise-immaculate town. Folks have been trying to raze it for several years now. Mae Bell’s the only one who refuses to see reason.” She eyed Kelly a moment longer, then slid a clipboard across the counter and tapped her fingernail on the paper. “Print and sign your name here. Add the time and date here. And I’ll need to see some identification.”
Kelly did as directed, then tapped the pen on the bold heading of the paper. “‘Visitors Log’?” She rubbed her temple, where a painful throbbing had begun. “Is Mrs. Larkin a patient?”
The nurse glanced at Todd, then smiled in smug satisfaction. “Yes. Your new boss lives in room twelve.” She pointed at a hallway to Kelly’s left. “Halfway down that hall.”
Fighting back the urge to crumple into a heap on the slick linoleum floor, Kelly took Daisy’s hand in hers again, headed down the wide hallway and motioned for Todd to follow her.
Their tennis shoes squeaked along the polished linoleum, jerking to a halt when sorrowful wails echoed against the closed door of a patient room on the right. A fluorescent light flickered overhead and muted sounds from a TV, peppered with sporadic coughs, pierced the air.
Daisy tugged Kelly’s hand, pulling her to a stop, then pointed at a door where the number 12 was formed in metal letters.
“Yep. This must be it. Thank you, Daisy.” Kelly hesitated briefly, then lifted her balled fist and knocked.
A feminine voice, light, airy and formal, responded from the other side of the door. “If you possess a sense of humor and a healthy dose of ingenuity, you may enter. If you lack either, turn about and depart, please.”
Kelly fiddled with the seam of her capris. “I have a sense of humor,” she called out.
Wishing for the umpteenth time she’d had the money and opportunity to attend community college sixteen years ago, she glanced up at the tiled ceiling and tried to recall where she’d left off in the old pocket dictionary she kept stuffed in the cramped glove compartment of her car. She’d bought it right after her visit with the school psychologist. The dictionary had cost her fifty cents at a flea market near the mobile home park where she and the kids had lived, and she’d carried it to her car in her palms, as though it were a twenty-five-ounce diamond, in hopes it would help bridge the communication gap between her and Todd.
Anomaly, bucolic, catharsis, dogma, ethereal . . . Her shoulders slumped. She’d memorized all of those and many more words, but she hadn’t made it to the I’s yet. Or . . . good grief, maybe ahn-gee-new-ity started with an A instead?
The door swept open on a sweet burst of floral perfume. A tall woman, perhaps seventysomething, dressed in a silky leopard print pants suit, purple heels a mile high and an air of confidence, looked down at them. Diamond studs glinted in her earlobes beneath the fluorescent lights, and a midnight black scarf secured her long pearl-white hair away from her powdered face in an elegant bun. Piano music played beyond her, flowing from the room in soft, tinkling chimes.
“I have a sense of humor,” Kelly repeated.
The woman—Mae Bell Larkin, Kelly presumed—raised one immaculately manicured eyebrow. “And ingenuity?”
Kelly rubbed her cheek, her skin hot against her fingertips. “Whatever it is, I got that, too.”
Todd scoffed. “It means intelligent and origina—”
“What’d I tell you earlier?” Kelly asked through a tight smile.
“That it doesn’t matter if I’m right or not,” he recited dully. “That I can’t go around saying whatever I think, whenever I think it. That it’s not always polite or appropriate.”
The scorching heat in Kelly’s cheeks traveled down her neck. She took a deep breath and counted to ten.
The woman in front of them studied Todd, a slow smile lifting her wrinkled cheeks. “My dear, one should never stifle one’s voice or dull one’s mind, no matter the circumstances. And saying—and doing—what’s right is always appropriate, as it’s the only honorable way to live.” She tapped Todd’s chin gently with a polished fingernail. “Don’t you agree?”
Something almost resembling a grin flashed across Todd’s mouth. “I do.” He cut his eyes toward Kelly. “I totally agree.”
Kelly stiffened. “That’s a nice idea, but it doesn’t always work in real life.”
The woman’s attention returned to her. “That depends on how you define ‘real life.’ How do you define it?”
Kelly winced. “Work, bills, responsibilities.”
“Obligations.” Todd crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.
The woman lowered herself to Daisy’s eye level. “And you, my dear? What’s your definition of ‘real life’?”
Daisy’s wide gaze roved over the older woman’s face. She lifted her hand, trailed her fingertips along the woman’s headscarf and rubbed the silky material between her fingers. Then, absentmindedly it seemed, stuck the thumb of her other hand in her mouth.
“Ah, I see. You’re a lady who knows what she wants and unabashedly pursues it. That’s a great way to live, doll.” The woman patted Daisy’s fingers, then straightened, looked all three of them over and smiled. Her maroon-painted lips were a stark contrast with her bright teeth. “I think y’all will do just fine.”
“Are you Mrs. Larkin?” Kelly asked.
“Call me Mae Bell, dear. I enjoy ceremony, but prefer informal address with my friends. As you are my new hire, I hope you and I will become good friends during our venture together.” She held out her hand. “Kelly Jenkins, I presume? ‘Ambitious, independent and seeking a fresh start, hard work and interesting challenges,’ according to your résumé, if I adequately recall?”
Todd scoffed. “More like broke, unemployed and looking for a place to liv—”
Kelly clamped a hand over his mouth. “I need to talk to you, Mrs. Lar—er, Mae Bell. May I come in?” She slipped past Mae Bell, then steered Todd farther into the hallway with Daisy. “Wait there with Daisy and don’t move until I come out, okay?”
Todd glared. “Stop sticking your hand over my m—”
Kelly shut the door and rested her forehead against the hard wood. She became intensely aware of Mae Bell’s presence at her back. “I’m sorry for Todd’s behavior.”
“The boy speaks his mind. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Except the majority of what he says is insulting and he’s great at it. At ten, his IQ is higher than that of most adults.”
Mae Bell made a sound of impressed approval. “How high?”
“I don’t remember, but high enough to make me feel dumb.” Kelly pushed away from the door and faced Mae Bell. “I didn’t realize you lived in a nursing home.”
Mae Bell’s smile dimmed. “We all must live somewhere, my dear. And as luck would have it, this”—she gestured toward the walls and ceiling—“establishment is the location my stepdaughter chose for me.”
“Your stepdaughter?”
“Yes. The daughter of my seventh husband and my only living relative—I use the term loosely.”
“Y-you were married seven times?”
Mae Bell’s smile returned. “Indeed. The first three marriages were youthful mistakes, the fourth, fifth, and sixth I thought were true love, and the seventh, well... ” A wistful expression appeared on her face. “My decision to marry Chandler was driven more by lust than love, but we made each other very happy, and I was devastated when he passed so soon after our marriage.” Her eyes closed as her fingertips drifted down her neck and over her collarbone. “We had an adventurous seven months together, full of passion.”
Kelly cleared her throat. “Yeah, about us all having to live somewhere . . . ?” She waited until Mae Bell opened her eyes and refocused on her. “You said one of my duties as assistant manager was providing a private viewing each week at the drive-in for you and your friends. You can’t possibly still expect that of me.”
“Of course.” She frowned. “Why not?”
“Do your friends live here with you, too?” At Mae Bell’s nod, Kelly gestured around her. “Well, how am I supposed to do that when y’all live here under what I’m guessing—from what I witnessed earlier with another resident—are pretty tight regulations?”
“I assume you’re referring to Jimmy Haggart and his most recent attempt to escape?” Mae Bell waved away the concern. “He’s made it out several times without being caught, one such escape in the dead of night.” She shrugged. “I’m sure you also possess the resourcefulness to smuggle us out of here.”
Kelly huffed out a breath. “I wouldn’t bet on that. And in the emails you sent me, you referenced ‘homey living quarters.’ I’ve been out to the drive-in–theater lot and there’s no home out there. It’s totally run-down and neglected. There’s trash everywhere, one of the projection screens has holes and the other screen is half blocked by big tree limbs. It’s obvious no one’s touched the place in—”
“Ten years.” Mae Bell lifted her chin. “That’s when I had my little stroke. Small, though it was, it did enough damage that my stepdaughter took it upon herself to place me here, and it’s where I’ve remained ever since.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I truly am. But the trailer—”
“Is in perfect condition. Did you look inside or just frown at its exterior?” Mae Bell studied Kelly’s expression. “You are the lucky resident of a 1951 Spartan Royal Mansion, the entirety of which has been renovated over the years, while still retaining its original charm. It’s a spacious double ender, too. Everything you need is inside that beautiful gem of a home.”
“I’ll admit I didn’t go in, but it didn’t look very promising from the outside.”
“And that”—Mae Bell spread her arms—“is how most people miss the greatest treasures in life. By judging everything and everyone by appearance, financial gain, and practicality. They seek the illusion of security and predictability when life is everything but.” She tilted her head. “And you?”
Kelly blinked. “What about me?”
“Something brought you out here. What are you seeking?”
“A job.”
“To support your son and daughter financially?”
“They’re not mine.” Kelly entwined her fingers, squeezing them tightly, and focused on the pain in her fingertips rather than the welling of hot moisture along her lower lashes. “I’m just taking care of them.”
Mae Bell grew quiet as her gaze drifted over Kelly from head to toe. “Where are their mother and father?”
“She passed away a year ago.” Kelly stared out of the window to the quaint, quiet street that lay beyond. The kind she’d only ever dreamed of living on. “Breast cancer.” Her skin prickled as Mae Bell continued to scrutinize her. “Laice—their mother—was my best friend. We’d known each other since we were kids. I promised her not long before she passed that I’d look after Todd and Daisy if something happened to their father.” Her lip curled. Just the thought of that man was enough to turn her stomach. “Zane, their dad, dropped Todd and Daisy off at my apartment three months after Laice died. I haven’t heard from him since.”
Mae Bell remained silent.
Kelly rubbed her hands together. “I was living in Birmingham, things weren’t working out and I needed a job, so I had no choice but to take a chance on this one.”
“That’s not true, my dear.”
Frowning, Kelly faced her.
Mae Bell smiled. “We always have choices, no matter the circumstances. The options might not always be ideal or the ones we want, but they’re always present nonetheless.” Her smile widened. “And you chose this one.”
Kelly shook her head. “The three of us won’t fit in that trailer.”
“You will. Comfortably.”
“You said no experience was required for the assistant manager position. I assumed the manager would be on the premises with me. I have no experience and no help. There’s no way I can renovate and revive that place alone.”
“The only experience you need is a steel spine, and I wouldn’t have hired you if I didn’t get the impression you had it. Besides, I’ll help you every step of the way.”
“How? You’re living here, not on the property. And that place is in total—”
“Decay,” Mae Bell said sharply. “Do you know how easy it is for something—or someone—to fall apart when it’s left alone with no one to love it? No one to care for it? To even acknowledge its existence?”
Kelly watched as Mae Bell closed her eyes briefly, then walked slowly across the small room to the twin bed in the corner, her legs visibly shaking.
Heart aching, Kelly crossed the room and cupped her hand under one of Mae Bell’s thin elbows, helping her to sit on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you or to imply . . .”
Mae Bell took Kelly’s hand in hers and squeezed. Her blue eyes, wounded, widened at Kelly, the crow’s feet fanning out from the corners caked with powder. “Be honest, please. Out of all the paths you could’ve taken, why did you choose to come to Blue Moon?”
Kelly looked down and smoothed her thumb gently over the delicate skin covering a thick vein in Mae Bell’s hand. “I came because I wanted a different ‘real life.’ I wanted to bring Todd and Daisy to a place that would help them heal and become excited about life again.” She lifted her chin, meeting Mae Bell’s direct gaze. “And I came because of me. I’m capable of more than I was entrusted with back in Birmingham. I have more to offer, and I want a chance to do work I’m proud of. I want to help people smile again. And because, as silly as some people may think I am . . . I still believe in happy endings.”
Mae Bell squeezed her hand tighter. “I promise, you’ve come to the right place. That clear, wide-open sky out there isn’t the only beautiful jewel in this country town. There’s more sweet, healing magic here in Blue Moon for those two beautiful children than you could ever imagine.” Her smile returned. “Stay a while. Give the Spartan Mansion a try and the drive-in renovation a trial run. I’ll call the bank and have you added to my business account for restoration expenses and get you an advance first thing in the morning.”
Kelly smiled. That lonely gaze and pleading tone made it impossible to say no. “Okay. I’ll give it a trial run.”
“Perfect! I left a trunk in the Mansion for you. Your first task on our priority list is to follow the instructions inside. How about you stop by tomorrow and we’ll make a list of the rest of the priorities for the renovation?” Mae Bell’s expression brightened. “Any time is fine.” She gestured toward the room around her and smiled wide. “As you see, my schedule is open.”
“Then I’ll be by tomorrow, midmorning.” Kelly glanced at the closed door; Todd was probably still fuming on the other side. “For now, I’m gonna get the kids settled. Is there a chain saw somewhere in those trash piles at the drive-in?”
Mae Bell raised one eyebrow. “Why?”
Kelly grinned. “The top of my priority list—before this trunk unveiling of yours—involves sweating off some stress.”
CHAPTER 2
Seth Morgan had been blessed early in life. He’d grown up in a loving two-parent home, developed a close bond with his entertaining (but sometimes aggravating) little sister, earned an undergraduate degree in agriculture and a graduate degree specializing in plant pathology, married his first love at twenty-two and, one year later, had the most perfect daughter in existence.
