Chapter 10 #2
“She sounds brave to have traveled on her own like that, especially for a woman back in the 1950s,” he said, surprised by an urge to run his hand down Kelsey’s back.
Ida let out a soft humph. “Brave she was. In her younger years, she was a bit of a black sheep, at least in my parents’ eyes.
Her way of doing things tended to be a touch unconventional.
They never could see eye to eye. Our father was a minister, so maybe it’s no surprise.
After one particularly big argument, Sabrina left home in a fury and made for Europe.
She was just seventeen. It caused such a scandal in my hometown!
She lived like a gypsy for nearly two years, sending me postcard after postcard from one city to the next before she and Jeremy met.
She claimed if it hadn’t been for his complete devotion to her, she’d never have settled down.
“Jeremy was six years her senior and ready for a grown-up’s life by the time he earned his medical degree.
To my entire family’s surprise, Sabrina allowed Jeremy to make her his wife and bring her to St. Louis.
They lived in a small apartment in Soulard, but Jeremy bought back his childhood home the first chance he got.
And, obviously, they lived out the rest of their lives here. ”
“Wow,” Kelsey said, closing her hands over her mug. “That’s really cool. I had no idea.”
Ida smiled as she finished cutting the pie into slices. She transferred the slices to chipped and faded blue-flowered serving plates that had belonged to her sister. “I always thought this colorful kitchen was Sabrina’s way of stating that she wasn’t going to tame down entirely.”
Kurt eyed the bright-yellow countertops and light-blue cabinets with a new appreciation.
He wondered what Ida thought of her sister leaving this home and its contents to the shelter.
Personal things like paperwork and pictures had been cleared out, but so much remained.
He also wondered what Ida thought of all the crates of dogs filling up the house.
She’d been polite but quiet during the tour.
But knowing the dogs were here, she’d brought him and Kelsey the pie and was extending this welcome.
Since all this felt too personal to ask, he went with something simpler.
“Was your sister a gardener?” Although that area of the backyard was grown over, he’d spotted the makings of what once might’ve been an impressive garden.
Ida smiled as she pressed her fork into her slice of pie. “Yes, Sabrina loved to garden. Late summer to fall, she was always canning something. After Jeremy died six years ago, she couldn’t find the energy, but she kept an impeccable garden for decades.”
“After I get the yard cleaned up, I’ll give you a tour of what remains. There seem to be a few pumpkins hidden in the tall grass.”
Ida smiled. “I would very much enjoy that.”
“Oh my gosh, this pie is incredible.” Kelsey had taken her first bite. “I have a weak spot for apple pie, and this is absolutely perfect.”
Kurt followed suit. Kelsey was right. It was hands down the best slice of pie he’d ever had.
“Why, thank you. We used to compete, Sabrina and I. Good-naturedly, of course. I made the best apple pie, and she, the best peach cobbler. These apples are from my yard. You may not have noticed, but you have several peach trees on the side of the house and a pear tree at the far end of the lot. The peaches will all have dropped, but there might still be pears. They make a good pear butter.”
“It’s so awesome to hear these stories,” Kelsey said, meeting Kurt’s gaze before she refocused on Ida.
It was a pleasure seeing how animated Kelsey had become.
Maybe Ida’s stories would give her a better opinion of the house.
Help her see it in the same light he’d seen when he first set eyes upon it.
This thought brought Kurt back to last night’s dream, and he remembered a new snippet.
He’d been standing at the stove next to Kelsey, his hand on the small of her back, smelling whatever she’d been cooking.
Remembering the perfect, easy connection he’d felt between them, he was thankful he was now seated.
His knees weakened from the desire of wanting to feel something that strong in real life.
Clearing his throat, he forced his attention back to Ida.
“Your sister,” Kelsey continued, oblivious to his thoughts. “She was so kind to leave her house to the shelter, but none of us knew anything about her other than that she’d adopted her cat from us. Was she a big animal lover?”
“Yes and no,” Ida said, shifting in her chair.
“She and Jeremy always had a dog or a cat to keep them company over the years, but if anyone had told me my sister would leave her beloved home to an animal shelter, I’d never have believed them.
But their only child lives in England, teaching at Cambridge, believe it or not.
He was married about twenty-five years ago in a little stone church in Weston-super-Mare in honor of his parents.
Unlike my worldly sister, the only time I ever left the country was for that wedding. ”
Ida paused to eat a bite of pie and have a sip of coffee.
“It was both strange and fitting, the way she decided on leaving this house to your shelter. My nephew is established in England, and my sons are happy in Connecticut. So, with no heirs for her home and an inoperable cancer diagnosis—yes, it was cancer that took her,” she said in reply to Kelsey’s look of sympathy, “though I don’t have the strength to talk about that today—Sabrina was motivated to find the right buyer for the house.
She had a dozen real estate agents and appraisers come by, and she contacted two different historical societies.
You see, the house was built by a brew master of the South City brewery. ”
Kelsey raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I wasn’t aware of that.”
“That fact was never touted, though I don’t know why.
My sister had a few lowball offers from contractors who intended to gut more than they would have kept.
The idea of this happening to her beloved home set her blood to boiling.
Then one afternoon I came over, and she had your shelter’s newsletter in her lap.
She was pretty weak by then, but she looked at me with the brightest eyes and told me that she intended to leave the house—furniture and all—to the shelter so long as you all would agree to care for Mr. Longtail.
” Ida paused and gave a small huff. “I mean no insult when I tell you the idea seemed preposterous to me at first, but when my sister set her mind to something, it was set.”
Kelsey smiled and shook her head, her honey-blond hair tumbling over her shoulders. “I can’t tell you how awesome it is to hear this. I had no idea.”
“Thank you, dear. I saw you on the news the other day,” Ida said.
“And I knew right away you intended to bring the dogs here. At first, I was a bit worried, but I suspect this is exactly what Sabrina would’ve wanted.
The busier and bigger and more vivacious life was, the more she enjoyed it.
” She motioned toward the front rooms. “And from what you showed me as I came in, you certainly seem to have everything under control.” She paused to point a thin finger at Kelsey.
“And just like you did yesterday afternoon, dear, she’d have given those protesters a piece of her mind.
I was sitting on my porch when you came upon them. My sister would’ve liked you.”
Kurt felt surprise wash over him. So Kelsey stood up to the protesters. Of course she had. She simply wasn’t the type to rehash it. He wished he could have seen the confrontation himself.
“Thanks,” Kelsey said, swiping a lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s such an honor to meet you, and it would’ve been an honor to meet your sister.”
“You two would’ve gotten along well, I’m certain.
” Ida folded her napkin and stood up, bracing her frail hand on the edge of the table.
“When you’re more settled, if you have the time, I’d be happy to show you some of my sister’s photographs and tell you some of the stories that took place here over the years.
There are many delightful ones. But how could there not be?
A lot of living was done inside these walls.
And, young man,” she said, turning to Kurt, “feel free to climb my apple trees any time you’d like. The best ones are always up high.”
He and Kelsey showed her out together, but Ida refused his offer to walk her home. She pulled a flashlight from her pocket and promised she was fine. Kurt closed the door and caught Kelsey taking in the foyer and curved staircase with a look of renewed interest and admiration.
“Nice,” he said, “to have such an interesting neighbor.”
Kelsey shook her head and hooked a thumb in the belt loop of her jeans. “She’s incredible. And clearly her sister was too. I had absolutely no idea. I’ve been feeding Sabrina’s cat for eight months, and I had no idea about any of it.”
Kurt shrugged. “Sometimes things happen like that. So, did that remarkable pie give you the energy for another couple hours’ work with the dogs?”
Kelsey rolled her shoulders in a stretch. “I’m going to sleep like a log tonight, but yes, I’m good to go.”
“Great. There are a couple dogs I’m feeling confident enough about to let you do the whole thing.”
Kelsey gave the cuff of his T-shirt a soft tug as they headed into the first parlor. “Look at that. Dogs impressive enough to gain the trust of steel-hearted Kurt Crawford.”
He winked as he reached for a leash. “That doesn’t only go for the dogs, you know. You’ve made it clear you allow some of that knowledgeable mind of yours to rule along with your I brake for turtles heart.”
Even in the semidark room, he could tell his words made her blush.
“Thanks,” she said, “but just so you know, the whole world should brake for turtles.”