Chapter 28
28
Jewel
To distract herself from obsessing over Cooper and the missing bees, Jewel got serious about emptying out the kitchen cabinets, removing everything except the essentials needed for her and Cooper to fix basic meals. Then she packed all the odds and ends, some that probably hadn’t seen the light of day in decades, into the recycled moving boxes she’d stashed in the barn for just this purpose.
Finally it was past noon and she’d received no word from her daughter, so she shot her a text. In return, Cooper sent back a couple of disturbing photos of a huge living ball of honeybees clinging to the trunk of a big tree. Did Coop think that was reassuring?
Still, determined not to worry, Jewel picked up one of the heavy boxes to take out to the barn. She was barely down the back porch steps when a familiar pickup drove a bit too fast up the driveway. What was Aaron doing here now? He pulled right up to the porch, then jumped out and insisted on taking the box from her. Relieved for the help, she gladly handed it over.
“It’s heavy.” He huffed as he took it.
“It’s full of old cast iron.” She walked beside him.
“Throwing it out?”
“No, I think it was my great-grandma’s. I plan to have some kind of sale. There’s so much old stuff to get rid of. I’m hoping Cooper will help.”
“Might be some valuable pieces,” he said as she opened the barn door for him.
“Maybe.” She pointed to a stack of boxes. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” He grinned as he set the new box on top.
“So, what are you doing here?” she asked.
“I came to give you an estimate. You texted that you were ready to move forward, and I wasn’t busy.”
“Oh, wow.” She smiled. “Thanks. That’d be great. Come on into the house and look around. It’s kind of a mess since we were in the midst of getting my parents moved into the new house.”
“How’s that going?”
“So far, so good. Well, except for Dad’s bees.”
“His bees?”
As they went inside, she explained about the AWOL bees, and he just laughed. “Maybe it’s a good thing. Somebody like your dad probably shouldn’t be working with bees in the first place.”
She bristled at his judgment but held her tongue. “Well, Cooper’s been helping him a lot. She’s becoming quite the expert. And it would probably break both of their hearts not to get the bees back.” To change the subject, she got out her list and began to go over what she wanted done in the kitchen, waiting as Aaron made his notes.
She walked him through the house, pointing out a few other things she thought might need attention and then down to the cellar to talk about the duct system for the new heat pump.
He grimly shook his head. “Might need to replace it all.”
“Really?”
“Well, I’ll let my HVAC guy decide. But I wouldn’t be surprised.” He closed his notepad. “Are you sure you want to make all these renovations?”
She blinked. “Yes, of course. Why shouldn’t I?”
“It’s a lot to invest.”
“Like I told you, I want to create a B&B,” she reminded him. “I hope to generate some income and—”
“Well, if you really want to generate income, you should just sell the whole place.”
“Sell the whole place?” She couldn’t hide her aggravation now. “This is my parents’ farm, Aaron. I can’t very well sell it. And even if I could, why would I?”
“Because it would make a good development.”
“A development?”
“Yeah. You could put in thirty to forty building lots here. Do you realize how much you could make on a deal like that? And I could help you—”
“Aaron”—she held warning in her tone—“this is my parents’ property, and I have no plans to—”
“It’s really your mom’s property,” he interrupted. “Your dad is too far gone to have an opinion—”
“Oh, don’t fool yourself, my dad still has opinions.” She didn’t care to mention some of his opinions were a little offbeat. “And as for my mom, I’m sure she has no intention to sell.”
“Maybe not today. But when your dad is gone ... well, she might be ready to move on. Selling this property would give her the freedom to live anywhere, do anything.”
Jewel hadn’t really considered this and wasn’t sure she even wanted to.
“Look, I’m not trying to be a downer, Jewel. But you should face facts.”
She reached for the stair railing then looked him straight in the eyes. “You’re right, this is my mom’s property. In fact, it was her family that left it to her. And my mom loves this farm and the countryside. I seriously doubt she will ever want to sell it.”
He held up his hands defensively. “Hey, I wasn’t trying to step on toes. I just thought it was something you might want to consider. For everyone’s best interest. Your mom’s not getting any younger. And running a B&B and maintaining this property, well, it could turn into a real money pit. Ya know?”
She did know. But she wasn’t about to admit it as she trudged up the stairs. Back in the kitchen, she folded her arms in front of her and cocked her head to one side, narrowing her eyes into an I-mean-business look. “So, Aaron, I guess I’ll look for another contractor to handle my renovations. Obviously your heart’s not into it if you think we should just sell the whole place.” She strode toward the living room and, as a clue their conversation was over, opened the front door. “I appreciate your expertise, but I think it’s time to part ways.” Instead of waiting for his response, she went onto the front porch, eager to send him packing.
When he joined her out there, he looked slightly crushed. Or were those crocodile tears? She didn’t really care. She just wanted him gone. She leaned against the porch railing with a no-nonsense expression, arms folded in front. But instead of leaving, he planted himself in front of her.
“Oh, Jewelie, don’t overreact when someone gives you some friendly advice. It might be hard to hear, but someone needs to say it. Can’t you see I care about you and am just trying to look out for your welfare? For you and your daughter and your mom. Three women out here alone ... with your dad going downhill so fast. A B&B might seem fun at first, but things break down, weather can get rough in winter, a roof can leak, a pipe can break. It gets expensive. And before you spend one more penny on this place, well, it just seems responsible for me to point out another option.”
He stepped even closer to her, planting his hands on the porch railing on either side of her and looking tenderly into her eyes. “You’re a beautiful woman. A talented artist. An intelligent businesswoman. Do you really want to be tied down to an old run-down farm? You could sell and reinvest in a comfortable, new, low-maintenance home for you and your daughter and mom. You might enjoy living in town with neighbors next door. And you could start up a new art gallery, like the one you used to own. It could be handily located right downtown where folks can get to it and enjoy it. Think about all the traffic you’d never get out here in the country. And you could be a real asset to the community. Join the chamber and get involved...”
She couldn’t deny there was an appeal to all he was saying ... and yet, as she glanced over her shoulder to where the pumpkin patch was coming on strong, then over to where the lavender field was in full bloom, she felt a tug on her heart. She’d enjoyed years of city life but, to her surprise, she hardly even missed it now.
“I get what you’re saying,” she said stiffly. “I appreciate you caring enough to speak your mind.” Uncomfortable being boxed in against the railing, she decided to just buck up and speak her piece. At least she had his full attention. “It might seem foolish to you, but I need to pursue this dream. Mom and Dad are happy as clams in the new house, Cooper is actually happy here—she likes the country life—and I have a real vision for this farmhouse. It’ll take work and perhaps have some big challenges, but I think it could be a profitable B&B, and I can imagine a really cool gallery in the barn. It won’t be open every day, but for special exhibits by invitation only. And I want to run artist retreats and maybe even make this into a venue for music festivals or weddings or who knows?” She shrugged. “I just can’t give it all up. Not yet, anyway. If you don’t want to help me renovate this money pit, as you call it, please, just say so, and I’ll find someone who—”
“Okay, I’ll do it,” he said quickly. “And I’ll do it for less than any other contractor in town. Under one condition.”
She felt cautiously curious. She narrowed her eyes. “What’s that?”
“If it becomes too much for you, and things don’t go like you planned ... and if you decide to utilize my idea to create a division on this property, then you will let me handle it for you. Can you agree to that?”
“My mother would have to agree first,” she pointed out.
He nodded. “I know. But if you reach that place, can you agree?”
She considered his condition. In her heart, she seriously doubted she’d ever want to see this property subdivided and developed in the way he’d described. So she wasn’t really worried about making that concession. “Okay, I can agree to that.”
He stuck out his hand. “Shake on it?”
“Yes.” She extended her hand. “You have my word.”
He beamed as he clung to her hand. And now she noticed the sound of wheels coming down the driveway. She looked over to see a pair of pickups. One was unfamiliar but had a load of some white boxes in back, but the second one looked like Miguel’s, and both were driving slowly. She noticed Cooper in the passenger seat of Miguel’s pickup, waving eagerly and pointing at the truck leading the way.
“The bees,” Jewel said suddenly. “That must be Miguel’s beekeeper friend. They’re bringing the bees back.” She nudged Aaron aside. “I’m going inside. I don’t want my bad vibes to upset the bees.” She scurried into the house and, to her dismay, Aaron was at her heels. As she closed the front door, she realized how easy it would be for Miguel to misconstrue what he’d just witnessed on the porch. And she had no doubts he’d been looking. So just like Desi would say to Lucy on Jewel’s favorite old sitcom, she’d have some ’splaining to do.
Honey
It’d taken about twenty minutes of searching before Honey found CT. She couldn’t help but smile to herself when she’d discovered him tinkering with his old farm truck. With the hood up, he was leaning over the engine, talking to himself and acting like he was about to make it start. He didn’t even notice the wires that she’d had Miguel disconnect to ensure the pickup stayed in place. With the temptation of a peanut butter and honey sandwich, she’d lured him back into the house. And swinging wide of the hives, she’d managed to distract him from noticing how quiet they had been today.
Once they were at the house, she realized how worn out he was from that little excursion. He could barely make it up the single porch step, and she had to help him inside and into his chair. He collapsed into it with a grunt, then looked around. “Where is this?”
“Honeymoon Cottage. Home,” she said as she reached to pull the lever to elevate his feet. Then to make sure he didn’t wander off again, she gently removed his shoes and set them out of sight in the bedroom. She smiled as she came out. “Remember Honeymoon Cottage?” she said cheerfully. “Our vacation home.”
He brightened then nodded as if he remembered, although by the blank look in his eyes, she felt fairly certain he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. Just the same, she continued playing the game. “How about a mimosa?” she said lightly as she opened the fridge, removing the leftover champagne and some orange juice. She poured their beverages into goblets and then brought them over to him. “We’ll make a toast.”
“Toast?” His brow furrowed. “Peanut butter and honey?”
“Yes. But first this.” She clinked her glass to his, making him smile. “Here’s to us, CT. And to Honeymoon Cottage.”
His eyes twinkled as he clinked his glass against hers for a second time. She held hers up and took a sip, and he imitated her. “Now I’ll go make that peanut butter and honey sandwich,” she said. “I’m sure you worked up an appetite.”
“Uh-huh,” he muttered. “Honey.”
She hummed as she fixed his lunch. Despite their rocky start, she wanted to make their first full day in Honeymoon Cottage as pleasant as possible. Just as she set his plate on his eating tray, she got a text. She set down his milk and pulled out her phone. It was Cooper, saying the beekeeper was rounding up the bees and that they would be bringing them home within the hour. She also warned that Walter wanted them to keep things peaceful and quiet when they arrived. In other words, keep CT inside.
Honey considered informing CT of the good news but realized that would simply agitate him all over again. She’d let it go for now. When the bees were safely returned, he could go visit them. Thank goodness Miguel had stepped in. Hopefully CT would appreciate his neighbor’s help in this bee rescue. She would make a point of reminding CT of this and of what good friends they had in the Oroscos.
CT had barely finished chewing his last bite of sandwich when his head tipped back. By the time Honey stealthily removed the tray, he was snoring like a chainsaw. Even as a pair of pickups drove slowly up the driveway, CT didn’t flinch. While Honey tidied up the kitchen, she kept one eye on her husband, knowing how easily he could slip away. Then she sat down on the sofa, opened a deck of cards, and proceeded to play solitaire on the coffee table. Determined to keep him inside, she would stay at her post until she was certain the bees were safely in place.
Finally, she heard an engine and got up to see one of the pickups gone and just Miguel and Cooper out in front of the farmhouse. Since CT was still sleeping, and she assumed the bees were back, she decided to go investigate. Knowing she would need to reimburse Miguel’s friend for this help, she grabbed her checkbook.
“How did it go?” she asked Cooper and Miguel when she was within earshot.
“It was exciting,” Cooper told her. “Walter knew just what to do.” She pointed to some new hives. “He’s loaning us those hives since that’s what he used to help move them. And he checked our hives and thinks they’re still okay. Hopefully the bees will relocate later in the day.”
Honey held up her checkbook. “Well, I should pay Walter for his trouble.”
“I gave him your phone number,” Miguel told her. “He’ll call in a couple of days to see if you guys need to keep his hives.”
“Did he say why the bees left?” she asked.
Cooper shrugged. “He wasn’t sure. He said the conditions here looked okay, but maybe something upset them.”
Honey couldn’t imagine what would upset bees like that, but she was watching Miguel. He looked troubled, and his eyes were fixed on the house. That’s when Honey noticed Aaron Hanford’s pickup parked over by the barn. “Looks like Aaron came by,” she said.
“Yeah.” Miguel just nodded. “I should be getting back.”
Cooper exchanged a glance with Honey. Then they both thanked Miguel for his help and watched him get into his pickup and pull around.
“He seems upset,” Honey said quietly.
“He saw Mom and Aaron on the porch,” Cooper told her.
“So?”
“So, it looked like they were, uh, kind of embracing or something.”
“Really?” Honey couldn’t believe it. That didn’t sound like Jewel.
“Yeah. Miguel got real quiet after that.”
“Oh.” Honey didn’t know what to say. “Well, I’m sure it was nothing.”
“Miguel really likes Mom.” Cooper bit her lower lip. “And I thought Mom liked him too.”
“How do you feel about that?”
Cooper shrugged. “Miguel is a good guy. I like him. Lots better than Aaron Hanford.” She made a face. “Even if he is Anna’s uncle, he kinda creeps me out.”
Honey smiled. “Well, I’m sure your mom can straighten whatever happened out.” She peered toward the house. “What’s she doing, anyway?”
“I told her to stay inside. Walter said not to let anyone or anything upset the bees.” She pointed to the new house, where CT was standing on the front deck, looking their way. “That probably goes for Grandpa too. Can you keep him occupied?”
“Why don’t you come talk to him,” Honey suggested. “That might distract him.” She put an arm around Cooper’s shoulders. “I bet you haven’t had any lunch.”
“Yeah, I’m starving.”
As they walked toward the new house, Honey thought how comforting it was to have a sweet granddaughter like Cooper around, green hair and all. She stopped herself and stared at Cooper, shocked to see no more lime green. “What happened to your hair?” she asked. “The green is gone.”
Cooper shrugged. “I had Anna trim it. Think Grandpa will notice?”
Honey laughed. “Who knows?” She playfully tugged the thick ponytail. “I used to have thick, dark hair just like this before it started turning gray.”
“Mom says I look like you.” Cooper smiled. “And I saw those photos in your bedroom. I think maybe I do too.”
“Well, I’ll take that as a high compliment.” Honey felt a youthful spring in her step as they stepped onto the deck. Granddaughters were good medicine! After fixing Cooper some lunch and seeing her situated with CT while they watched some goofy animal videos that Cooper pulled up on YouTube, Honey slipped out the back door and called Donna.
“Hello,” Donna answered cheerfully. “Is this Honey?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“I still have your number saved in my contacts.”
“That’s nice. Thanks. So I was wondering if you’d like to meet for coffee this week?”
“I’d love to, except I’m in Alaska.”
“Alaska?” Honey walked around to the front deck.
“Yes. I got a great deal on a cruise, and we decided to just go for it.”
“Oh, that sounds fun.” She sat on a rocker, trying not to feel jealous.
“It’s delightful. Perfect weather. Beautiful scenery. Fabulous food. Oceanside suite with a balcony. You and CT should take an Alaskan cruise, Honey.”
“Oh, I don’t think CT would be up for that.” She shuddered to imagine the trouble her husband might get into on a cruise ship. Trying to tinker with the engine room or losing his balance and toppling overboard.
“There are some older couples here. Some with dementia challenges too.”
“And they feel safe?”
“Seems like it. Might be a good break for you. You could just relax while someone else does the cooking and makes the bed.”
“It does sound lovely, but I’m not sure how relaxing it would be if I was worried about CT. But I’ll think about it.” Of course, Honey didn’t think she’d ever take CT on a cruise like that. Just getting to the boat dock sounded ominous. And, although he might not remember it, CT had always claimed he wasn’t a cruise person.
“Well, let’s get together when I get back, Honey. I’d love to see you.”
“You give me a call when you’re back home and all settled.” Honey tried to sound brighter than she felt. They said goodbye, and Honey hung up. With a sigh, she leaned back in the rocker, looking out over the alfalfa field. With a slight breeze wafting over the top of the alfalfa, it felt kind of like being on a big green ocean. She could imagine it was. And she could pretend Honeymoon Cottage was their fancy oceanside suite with a balcony, just missing the cute umbrella drinks.
But she couldn’t dream away her husband’s dementia. Not while she was awake, anyway. Sometimes she had happy dreams of the way things used to be. Too bad she hadn’t realized back then that they were actually living out the good old days. Of course, that brought the old Carly Simon song to mind. Amused, she started to hum the tune as she rocked, singing the lyrics aloud. “These are the good ol’ days.” And suddenly she realized these really were the good old days still . And life on this side of heaven wouldn’t last forever, so she better enjoy what’s here while it’s here—and perhaps practice a little more gratitude along the way.