It's Bliss (28 page)

-

Billie walked into the house holding the rose and envelope, frowning.

Turning the envelope over, she saw in typed letters, Miss Billie Bliss.

“
What have you got there, snooks?” Grandpa asked, coming out of the library.

“
I don’t know, Grandpa.”

Matilda, who had scurried out of the kitchen to see who had rung the bell, gasped in delight. “Oh, how lovely, and how romantic, Billie. They’re probably from your professor.”

Billie looked askance at her aunt as she walked into the kitchen, placing the crystal vase and rose upon the table. “Aunt Tilly, Dr. Ackerman calls me Bliss, not Billie, and besides, this wouldn’t be his style. He tried hard but he’s totally clueless about romance, let alone doing something romantic like this.”

Her grandfather, who also had followed her into the kitchen, asked, “Are you going to open the envelope and read it?”

Billie sighed, feeling bored with it. “I guess, Grandpa.” She opened it and read:

“
How beautiful, Billie. Who is it from?” asked Matilda eagerly.

“
There’s no signature,” Billie said in exasperation. “Someone thinks he’s being very clever by remaining anonymous.” She promptly went over to the wastebasket under the sink and threw the poetry in.

“
Oh no!” Aunt Tilly exclaimed. “Don’t throw it away. You never know, you might wish you’d saved it.”

Billie just silently shook her head, walked out of the kitchen, and up the back stairs to her bedroom.

“
Our girl is certainly having a hard time of it,” Bill stated to Matilda.

“
Well,” she said, digging into the wastebasket, “I’m going to save it for her whether she likes it or not.”

Bill smiled. “Good girl, Matilda.”

Upstairs, Billie got ready for bed, turned out the lights, and lay there thinking. No way was she going to allow herself to be harassed by some would-be Romeo!

-

The next night, around the same time, Lora ran across the Bliss’ lawn to the bushes. Clutched in her hands were three red roses wrapped in green paper and an envelope. She waited, then ran up the porch steps. Setting the items down as before, she rang the bell and again retreated quickly down the steps and into the bushes. Feeling even more nervous than the night before, she wondered if this time someone would look more carefully for the courier. Hearing the door open, then soon close, she was relieved, but puzzled.

Waiting longer this time before venturing out of the bushes, Lora dashed across the lawn to the welcoming darkness afforded by the overhanging limbs of the trees that edged the lot.

Matilda, who had opened the door, quickly and delightedly retrieved the treasure off the door step and hurried into the kitchen, calling Billie.

Removing the previously received single rose from the crystal vase, she replaced it with the three roses. Laying the envelope next to the vase, she went in search of Billie. She found her in the library looking at a map with her father.

“
Billie, go into the kitchen and see what you got tonight.”

“
Not now, Aunt Tilly—later.”

Billie and her father were going over her options, jobwise and conferring together on where to look for this job.

“
I wish you would reconsider getting another job here in Claytonville, Billie.”

“
I wish I could, Papa. I hate leaving you and the family, but right now it’s best for me to get away.”

It wasn’t till 10:00 p.m., when Billie entered the kitchen to get a glass of milk, that she remembered she told Aunt Tilly she would look at the latest gift from the anonymous Romeo.

She poured herself a glass of milk, reflecting on how her family was now concerned over her lack of appetite and loss of weight.

She picked up the vase that held the three new arrivals and breathed in deeply the rich, aromatic fragrance. She sat down and sipped her milk, debating whether to even open the envelope—but curiosity got the best of her. She opened it and read:

Billie read the poem several times. “How beautiful,” she whispered. “Who could have sent this?” She sighed. All the poem managed to do was oppress her with loneliness for her true love. Leaving it on the table for Aunt Tilly and the rest of the family to read, she went upstairs to bed.

-

Sheldon had never felt such sweet misery as that which filled his soul while typing the next poem for his beloved Bliss. When he was through, anxiousness tormented him. He agonized—wondering how Bliss was reacting to his gifts of love. Could she have possibly guessed who sent them? If so, how did she feel about him? Could such a beautiful, kind and wonderful girl as Billie Bliss learn to care for a man like him?

Nettie, Sharon, and Molly each had called him to see how he was and each had asked what he was doing to win the girl he loved. He assured them that he was working on it and thanked them for their moral support. And how he did appreciate it. He longed to visit with his mother and ask her advice. At least she had left him a legacy of poetry books. Not only did he find them soul satisfying—but very useful.

-

Thursday evening, in the driveway of her apartment, Lora was delighted to take the long, white box Dr. Ackerman handed her.

“
Is it a dozen red roses?”

Sheldon smiled. “It is. And the card is inside.”

“
Oh, Dr. Ackerman,” she sighed, “this is all so romantic.”

“
You really think so, Miss Lemmon?” he asked, feeling pleased over her reaction.

“
I do.”

“
Good. Well, good luck tonight. I commend you for not getting caught,” he said, smiling at the memory of her bumbled sleuthing while trying to follow him.

-

Lora drove up to her usual parking place against the curb a block away.

She waited awhile, hoping it would become dark enough that the white box wouldn’t be so visible as she walked down the sidewalk toward the Bliss home.

Her heart beating wildly against her chest, she ran across the lawn to the corner of the house. Once there, she waited, watched, listened, then ran to the steps and up. Quickly placing the box in front of the door, she rang the bell.

She almost stumbled as she ran back down but managed to squeeze into the bushes in record time. The door opened abruptly and she heard a male voice.

“
Who’s there? I know you’re there! Show your face before I call the police!”

Lora almost choked, she was so scared. She heard him come down the steps muttering under his breath. He proceeded out onto the walk and looked around.

“
All right, you coward, if you don’t show your face, I’ll dump the box into the garbage can and my niece will never see it.”

Lora gasped, almost audibly, at this, but managed to restrain herself.

However, she did notice a little smile on the face of the grumpy old man as he walked back up the steps. Hoping desperately that this was an indication he was only teasing, she waited with bated breath. After the man entered the house with the box, Lora continued to wait an even longer time before exiting, for fear he was waiting to pounce on her the minute she stepped out of the bushes.

Arly Bates cruised slowly down Maple Avenue. There had been a burglary in the area and his assignment was to be on watch tonight. His eyes caught sight of a familiar old, blue Volkswagen parked in an odd place on Maple Avenue between houses. He stopped, got out of his car, and crossed the street to look at the license plate. Sure enough, it belonged to Lora Lemmon! He looked around, shining his flashlight in several directions, but couldn’t see her anywhere. Getting back into his car, he drove very slowly down the block, looking on both sides, hoping she was all right. The foolish girl. She had a penchant for getting into scrapes.

A movement caught his eye. A dark figure was running across a lawn. He pulled over to the side, turned off his lights and watched. The figure turned right, walking rapidly up the sidewalk. Making a U-turn, he slowly followed.

The figure crossed the street and stopped at Lora Lemmon’s car. Driving past and making another U-turn he parked behind the Volks and turned on his headlights startling the person. It was Miss Lemmon! He got out and walked toward her, glowering.

“
So, why are you sneaking across someone’s lawn, Miss Lemmon?” he growled.

Her hand covered the gasp and her eyes stared wide with shock.

“
O-Officer Bates?”

“
Yes ma’am., it’s me. What have you got to say for yourself?”

“
Ohoo,” she wailed. “I can’t tell you.”

Arly Bate’s heart sank. Surely, this girl, foolhardy as she was, couldn’t be the burglar.

“
Miss Lemmon, there have been burglaries in this neighborhood and you were acting mighty suspicious, so it’s very important that you tell me what you were doing.”

“
I can’t. Not until I talk to Dr. Ackerman.”

“
Dr. Ackerman? The Dr. Ackerman who you saw hugging Billie Bliss?”

“
Yes.”

“
Why, for Pete’s sake?”

She whimpered. “I told you I have to talk to Dr. Ackerman. Can you follow me to my apartment and I’ll call him?”

Arly looked at his watch and saw that it was only ten minutes before he was off duty, so agreed to follow her.

“
I promise I won’t make a break for it.”

Arly chuckled. “You do overwork the drama, Miss Lemmon.”

On the way, Arly found himself shaking his head, wondering why he seemed destined to get tangled up with this emotional and melodramatic girl!

Arriving at the apartment, they got out of their respective vehicles, and Lora waved him inside as she ran ahead into the apartment. She suggested that he have a seat while she dialed Dr. Ackerman’s number.

“
Hello, Dr. Ackerman? This is Lora Lemmon. I need you to come down to my apartment immediately. I’m in trouble.”

Officer Bates rolled his eyes.

“
No, I didn’t get caught, but the grumpiest man came out and picked it up . . . He’s Billie’s uncle? . . . I don’t know what kind of trouble I’m in.

Officer Bates didn’t tell me. He wants me to tell him . . .Yes, he’s right here waiting for you to come down . . . All right, thank you, Dr. Ackerman.”

Officer Bates couldn’t help chuckling at the swivet this Dr. Ackerman must in at the moment. Miss Lora Lemmon was a master at putting a guy in a bewildering situation.

“
Can I get you a cold glass of juice, Officer Bates?”

“
No. Thank you.”

Lora’s voice quivered slightly as she said, “I was almost scared out of my wits twice tonight.”

“
Oh? By whom?”

“
By you, for one.”

“
You scared me Miss Lemmon.”

“
I did? How?”

“
I saw your car parked in a strange place between houses, and you were nowhere in sight. For all I knew, someone with harmful intent might have grabbed you.”

“
You were worried about me?” she asked, a wistful smile on her face.

“
I was, Miss Lemmon, and I’m wondering why I always have to be the one to pull you out of your scrapes or be around when you are about to get into one.”

Lora thought about this. “I don’t know, either. It does seem rather unusual, doesn’t it?”

“
Yeah! Wait till the guys down at the station hear about this latest escapade.”

“
Oh dear!”

A few minutes passed in uneasy silence before a loud knock startled Lora.

“
That must be Dr. Ackerman.” Opening the door, she invited him in.

Sheldon, worried and frowning, turned to the policeman. “What is it, officer?”

“
That’s what I would like to know. I was on duty this evening watching a neighborhood where a burglary had taken place. I was driving down Maple Avenue and saw this figure sneaking across a lawn. I followed, and it turned out to be Miss Lemmon, here. When I asked her what she was doing sneaking around, she said she couldn’t tell me without talking to you first.”

Sheldon blew out a breath of relief, then turned to Lora. “Being that loyal is beyond the call of duty, Miss Lemmon. You should have told the officer.”

“
My name is Officer Bates,” he said, standing up. You’re Dr. Ackerman, right?” Sheldon nodded.

“
Well, Dr. Ackerman, maybe you’d better tell me what Miss Lemmon was doing.”