CHAPTER THIRTEEN
C rystal pulled into her parking spot behind the Café and indicated the outside door to her apartment. “If you need some time to yourself, feel free to go upstairs and get settled in my guest room, which is always reserved for you anytime you want .”
“Thanks. I think I will,” said Misty. “I don’t feel like facing anyone right now.”
“I’ll bring up a nice hot breakfast for you whenever you call,” said Crystal. “But it’s important for you to get some rest after two hard days of driving and everything else that’s happened.”
“Yes, I think I’ll grab some orange juice and take a nap. I’m too upset to eat.”
Crystal waited until her sister had climbed the stairs and walked inside her apartment before she went downstairs and entered the chaos of a busy kitchen. As soon as she could, she went into the dining room and sat at a small table opposite Emmett.
He was eating scrambled eggs and toast and regarded her with a smile. “How’s Misty?”
“She’s going to try to sleep for a while. Again, I thank you for seeing us and being very sensitive and kind to her. I had no idea that her new boyfriend was abusive.”
“She was in Florida, and you were here,” said Emmett, giving her a sympathetic look. “You can’t keep her safe from everything. She’s smart. She proved it by coming home to you. Some women would have tried to hide it. But Misty knew enough to end a bad situation right away.”
“Growing up, we certainly had a good example of what not to do,” said Crystal, making a face.
“I imagine you had to protect your sister from prejudice too.”
“At times,” said Crystal. “But Misty was as accepted as I, probably because living in a small town like this where everyone knows your business, means more acceptance. At least, that’s been my experience. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t embarrassed by my mother and her problems. Sometimes, the kindness of strangers can make it seem even worse.”
“How old were you when your mother died?” Emmett studied her.
“I was eighteen, thank God. That meant I was an adult who could take care of my sister. She was ten.”
“And you got her through those rough teen years by yourself?” Emmett’s eyes rounded with surprise.
“Not really. As I mentioned, others in town helped. GG, Whitney, Dani, and Taylor’s grandmother, made sure we could go to college with financial help and scholarships. Others, like Edie Bullard, who owns the hardware store, and her daughter, Sarah, helped with nice hand-me-down clothing, along with the Gilford girls. A little help here, and a little there from people in town made it possible. It’s one reason I never want to leave Lilac Lake. It, not my mother, made it home for us.”
“That’s unusual, but very nice,” said Emmett.
“You’ve met a lot of my friends, but you’ll meet more. Then you’ll see for yourself,” said Crystal. “Whitney and Dani’s sister, Taylor, is a well-known author. She and her husband are coming here for the rest of the summer.”
“I’ve heard stories about the Gilford girls,” said Emmett. “It seems they were a nice part of past summers as you were all growing up. They’re remarkable women.”
“Yes, very special friends,” said Crystal. “And whenever you visit The Woodlands, I hope you’ll make it a point to stop in and see their grandmother GG, Eugenia Wittner as often as you can.”
“Definitely,” said Emmett. He checked his watch and rose. “Are you sure I can’t pay for breakfast?”
“Positive,” Crystal replied, standing, holding back a sudden urge to kiss him for all he’d done for Misty and her.
His gaze remained on her face, and she observed a tenderness enter the way he was looking at her before he turned away.
The usual morning crowd entered the Café, along with some tourists, and Crystal’s attention was drawn to them. When she turned to give Emmett a wave, he was gone.
Later, during a brief lull, Crystal climbed the stairs to her apartment to check on Misty.
She went to the guest room and peered inside. Misty’s full suitcases were open on the floor. Misty was asleep on the bed, wrapped in her favorite pink blanket atop the queen bed.
Crystal stared at her, her heart filling with love for the sister who was more like a daughter to her. Misty’s long, straight, black hair fanned out across her white pillow. Though her eyes were puffy, it didn’t take away from her short straight nose and the full lips that covered her white teeth.
As if sensing Crystal’s presence, Misty stirred.
Crystal left the room and quietly closed the door behind her. Sleep would do Misty good.
###
T hat afternoon, Crystal held her first cooking class for middle schoolers who wanted to enter the Summer Faire baking contest. She was going to spend the next three days teaching them some basic lessons about baking as they made cookies, brownies, and finally, a cake. Twelve kids—nine girls and three boys—had signed up for the classes.
Misty entered the kitchen, which had closed for the day as Crystal was getting set up for the class.
“Need help?” Misty asked.
“Thanks. That would be nice.” Crystal explained what she was doing, and Misty easily stepped in to assist her.
“Feels a little bit like old times,” said Misty. “Remember how you used to teach me how to cook?”
“Yes, I wanted to be sure you could provide a healthy meal for yourself,” Crystal said, giving her a tender hug.
“Maybe I can help you in the kitchen while I’m here,” said Misty. “I can’t just sit around and scrounge food and a place to stay without repaying you in some way.”
Crystal studied her. “I’ve been thinking of hiring an assistant manager for the summer. Interested?”
“Yes. I’m thinking of staying here and applying for a teaching job in the area. Maybe even in Boston. I just want to be closer to you.”
“Okay, then, I’m going to call the Ogunquit theater and tell them I’ll take a supporting role in the traveling production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers . It’s going to play in Maine for eight nights in August.”
“That’ll work. I can take over for you while you’re gone. Helping you will still give me time to prepare for a teaching job. It makes me happy to be able to help you.” Misty smiled at her. “I remember how you loved the theater. A way for you to escape.”
“Yes, it still is. Nothing like becoming someone else for a while.” Crystal turned to the doorway as her cooking students arrived.
When all the kids had their special Café aprons on and stood in their assigned spaces at the long wooden table in the kitchen, Crystal introduced Misty and herself. She explained about the basic tools and supplies used in baking. She was especially glad to see Elise Sawyer in the group of children. She’d played the mouse in Whitney’s first community play, and her mother, Pam, and father, Tyrone, were both schoolteachers. Maybe they could help Misty.
“Today, we’ll make Chocolate Chip cookies. It’s a basic recipe that you can change by adding more than chocolate chips or changing up the chips for something else. Not only is it important to follow the recipe with the right ingredients, it’s important to bake them at the proper temperature. Fortunately, we have two large ovens to handle the cooking.”
The recipe had been enlarged and posted on a blackboard hanging on the nearby wall.
As Misty read aloud the recipe, Crystal watched each child. Most were nodding their heads, comfortable with it. One girl and a boy seemed a little uncertain.
“Okay, let’s get started. If at any time you’ve got questions, Misty and I will assist you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We who work in the Café kitchen do it all the time.”
She’d set the ingredients at each place. She was pleased to see how quickly the kids got to measuring and mixing. As she observed them, she was surprised by a sharp longing for a family of her own.
The cooking class became a real success when the bakers could taste their products. Watching them enjoy the fruits of their labors, Crystal couldn’t hold back a little chuckle. Cookies warm from the oven were always special.
When parents came to the Café to pick up their children, Crystal sought out Pam. “I was hoping to see you. My sister is home and looking for a teaching position. I thought you might be able to point her in the right direction.”
“Sure. We need teachers.”
Before Crystal could answer, Misty approached them.
Crystal made the introductions and left them talking while she saw that all the children were being met.
As soon as she could, she went back to where Pam and Misty were still talking.
Pam smiled at Crystal. “I’m confident we can find a spot for Misty. I’ll talk to my principal about it. We can always use more teachers in our system.”
“Excellent,” said Crystal, putting an arm around Misty. “Now that she’s back home, I want to be sure she can stay.”
“See?” Misty said to Pam.
They both laughed and then Pam said, “Once a big sister, always a big sister. I know because I am one myself.”
“Oh, I don’t mean to be pushy ...” Crystal began.
“What you’re doing helping me is sweet,” said Misty. “And I appreciate it.”
“Nice to meet you, Misty,” said Pam. “I’ll message you with all the information you’ll need to apply. One of my favorite lower-grade teachers has unexpectedly moved away for her husband’s job.”
“Perfect,” said Misty.
Pam left and Misty turned to her. “Now, let’s go have a taste of the cookies I made.”
Crystal grinned. “They did look tempting.” Though she worked with food all day, Crystal was careful about what she ate. She had no intention of giving in to all the tempting choices around her.
“Do you still meet the gang at Jake’s a lot of evenings?” Misty asked her.
“Yes. At least to say hello. Why?”
“Because I want to join you tonight. Everyone might as well know why I’m back and that I intend to stay. It’ll be easier that way.”
“Okay. That’s what we’ll do,” said Crystal, proud of the fact that Misty wasn’t choosing to hide.
###
W alking into Jake’s with her sister felt special to Crystal. Misty had always been someone who added to a group with her humor and kindness.
She glanced over at the regulars’ table. Tonight, Dani and Brad were sitting with Dani’s sister, Taylor, Ross Roberts, the retired baseball player, his friend, Mike Dawson, a former pro who taught tennis at his clinic in Florida, Dirk McArthur, and his sister, Diana.
“Lots of new people, I see,” murmured Misty as they made their way to the table.
Taylor jumped to her feet and moved to hug Crystal. “Whitney told me you were going back to your natural blond. You look fantastic.” She turned to Misty, studied the bruises on her face, and then hugged her. “I’m glad you’re back in town.”
“Thanks. Hi, everyone! For those of you who are new, I’m Misty Owen, Crystal’s baby sister.”
Ross introduced himself and Mike to her. Dirk stood, gave his name, offered her his chair, and went to get another one. Diana told Misty her name as she moved her chair over to accommodate room for one more.
Conversation was lively as Crystal and her sister sipped their sodas and then ordered dinner. Crystal was wondering what Emmett was doing when he showed up and took a seat in a chair beside her.
“How was the rest of your day?” she asked him quietly.
“Busy, but good. I’m getting to know more people. I had time to stop in at The Woodlands and was able to spend a few minutes with GG. I’ll tell you about it later.”
Though she was curious about it, she tuned into the conversation between Mike and Misty. It turned out that they’d lived close to each other in Florida but had never met. She listened to Dirk talk about the rental property he’d found at one of the older lakeside estates. Once a carriage house, it was now a vacation rental that would become his residence until he found something more permanent.
“I like the property a lot, but, for now, it’s just a rental. We’ll see how I do in the dental practice with Uncle Bob and then I’ll decide what I want to do,” Dirk explained.
“It’s nice that you’re here. Everyone needs dental care at one time or another,” said Taylor.
“Thanks. I’m hoping it works out,” Dirk said.
Ross announced that he was going to start a sports program with Mike. “Mike will handle the tennis and I’ll take care of the baseball program. We’re talking about building an indoor tennis facility for year-round use.”
“We can use it for high school programs, individual classes, and as an exercise facility,” said Mike. “The people in this area are sports-minded, and this will give them the opportunity for a year-round facility.”
“What about your training center in Florida?” asked Brad.
“I like the idea of having four seasons and living here,” Mike said. “We were thinking of talking to Collister Construction to build what we want.”
Brad grinned. “Aaron and I would like that.”
“Speaking of Aaron ... where is he?” asked Taylor. “I was hoping to see him.”
“He’ll be along. We sold another house, and he wants to celebrate with us,” said Dani. “Here he is now.”
All eyes turned to the tall, dark-haired, handsome man strolling toward them. “Looks like a big group tonight. Glad to see it.” Aaron’s gaze rested on Misty. “You’re back for a while?”
Misty nodded at him. “Back to stay.”
“Good,” he said, returning Misty’s smile and then facing Diana with a questioning look.
Her eyelashes fluttering, Diana introduced herself to Aaron.
He nodded politely and spoke to Dirk and then Emmett before taking a seat next to Diana. “It’s great to see more people here.”
“I may stay here all summer,” said Diana smiling at him.
“Nice,” he said in a noncommittal way.
Sensing Diana’s frustration with Aaron’s lack of interest, Crystal couldn’t help but be amused. True to the teachings of his mother, appearances meant little to him.
Taylor caught Crystal’s eye and gave her a knowing wink.
As she and Misty were about to leave, Emmett said, “I’ll walk you out. I’ve got an early day tomorrow.”
Outside, Misty said, “If you don’t mind, I’ll go ahead. Thanks again, Dr. Chambers, er, Emmett, for taking care of me this morning.”
“I’m here to help anytime, Misty.”
After Misty walked away, Emmett turned to Crystal. “I’m happy to see Misty out and about. She’s very courageous.”
“I was pleased to see she wanted to face the world and not hide the abuse she’s suffered. It’s a very positive sign toward healing. In the past, we’ve talked to a psychologist about our family, and if I see a need for more visits, I’ll remind Misty of that option.”
Emmett studied her and then his expression softened and those unusual eyes of his, outlined with less bruising, seemed to flare with an even brighter turquoise. “I like you, Crystal. A lot.”
“I feel the same way about you but realistically, we both know I’m not what you’re looking for.”
Emmett’s back stiffened. “I don’t know why you’re saying that. I’ll decide for myself.”
Crystal laid a hand on his arm. “That’s sweet of you, Emmett. But I don’t want either of us to get hurt.”
“I want to see you again. Can I give you a call? Spend another free day with you?”
Crystal sighed. “I want to do the right thing ...”
“Then say yes. You owe it to both of us to see where our friendship may take us.” Before she could protest, he swept her in his arms and kissed her.
With his warm lips on hers, Crystal’s pulse raced so hard she collapsed against him.
His hand caressed her back in loving circles as he kept kissing her.
Crystal felt her whole body go weak. She’d never been kissed like that before.
When they finally pulled apart, she gazed at him, speechless.
“That’s the right thing,” he said with satisfaction. “Shall I call you tomorrow and order lunch?”
“Okay,” she said, still reeling from the sensations going through her like a freight train out of control.
###
W hen Crystal entered her apartment, Misty gave her an impish grin. “How’s the doctor? Did he give your heart a checkup? The two of you were staring at one another each time I looked. It was very hot.”
“I’m attracted to Emmett. More than I’d like, because there are many problems with our even dating. His family is just the start. You know as well as I that our backgrounds sometimes work against us. This is one of those times with a capital T.”
“Okay, big sister, listen to me. You have no reason to be ashamed of yourself. You’re an outstanding person who proves her success each day. You’re beautiful and well-mannered. No fancy family can rightfully attack that. Maybe Emmett’s family isn’t up to our standards. Right?”
At the image of Emmett’s mother being told she wasn’t good enough, Crystal burst out laughing. Maybe Misty was right.