One Day in Apple Grove (7 page)

The warmth of the spring sun radiated through the diner’s front window as Cait slid onto the red vinyl stool.

Peggy set a mug of coffee in front of her friend. “How are things this morning?”

Cait smiled. “Good.”

“Your dad isn’t mad?”

“He was upset, going over the what-ifs.”

Peggy wiped the counter on both sides of where Cait was sitting before motioning for Cait to lift up her elbows and mug. When she did, Peggy cleaned the spot and motioned for her to set her coffee back down.

“So.” Peggy’s gaze locked with Cait’s. “Want to hear the latest?”

Cait nodded and her friend looked to the left and then the right, satisfied that the other two patrons were too far away to hear what she was about to share with Caitlin. Leaning close, she whispered, “Honey B. is expecting again!”

Caitlin shrugged. “I know.”

Peggy’s mouth fell open. “How? I just found out this morning.”

“I knew last night.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

When Cait remained silent, Peggy relented and said, “Well, I guess you didn’t really have time, what with being over at Doc’s and all.”

Caitlin’s mind returned to the night before when Jack had called and suddenly her world had been right again. Everything had been back in perspective and the things that she’d done wrong didn’t seem quite so bad.

“You OK?” Peggy asked when Cait remained silent.

“What? Yeah, just thinking.” She’d never felt quite like this before. It was scary, it was exhilarating…and she just wanted to hold the feeling close to her heart for a little while longer. She’d hate to jump the gun and have been wrong about how Jack felt about her.

When she looked back up, Peggy had a speculative look in her eyes. “Must be something if you’re not willing to tell me about it.”

Knowing that was just what her friend intended, Cait was smiling when she said, “We aren’t in high school anymore.”

“We used to tell each other everything,” Peggy said with a laugh. “I miss those days.”

“Hey, Miss Peggy,” one of the customers called. “Can I have a refill?”

“Absolutely,” she answered. “Be right there.” Turning back to Cait, she said, “We’ll catch up later.”

As Cait stood, Peggy added, “Keep me posted on that tall, good-looking doctor. OK?”

Cait smiled and her cell phone rang. “That’s probably Gracie. Talk to you later, Peg.”

“Bye.”

She was hitting talk as she waved and walked out the door. “Hey, Sis. What’s up?”

“We have a cancellation and two more jobs that just came in.”

“Grace, I’m only one—”

“Woman,” her sister finished for her. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Mrs. Winter canceled—she said something about waiting until Meg could come by.”

Caitlin laughed as she got into the car and found her earpiece. “Hold on…switching to hands-free.” There was a moment of silence and then Cait said, “OK, I’m back. Mrs. Winter loves chatting with Meg and probably woke up with the urge to bake another cherry pie.”

Her sister laughed softly. “You do know our customers.”

“Who else called this morning?” Putting the car in drive, she headed off to her first appointment while listening to the rhythmic tap as her sister brought up her spreadsheet for the day.

“Mr. Sweeney and Mrs. Doyle.”

“How is Mr. Sweeney feeling today?”

As she drove, her sister filled her in on the health of one of their oldest customers. “His arthritis is acting up again. It’s too bad his sons moved to opposite coasts, and neither one wants to move back to Apple Grove, but luckily his cousin still lives here—and his cousin’s wife works for Doc Gannon.”

Signaling to make the left onto Eden Church Road, Cait agreed. “I just don’t understand why anyone would want to leave a beautiful little town like this.”

Grace snorted, “Keyword: little.”

“Before you get started, let’s just agree to disagree.”

Grace laughed. “By the way, I heard from Cindy Harrington over at the sheriff’s office that you and Doc rescued a puppy last night and that Doc asked Mitch to put the word out.”

Cait’s stomach clenched. “Really?” Jack hadn’t mentioned he was going to do that this morning.
Was
Jamie
too
much
for
him
last
night?

“I think it’s wonderful that Doc is taking the time to see if the poor little thing is a stray.”

The feeling in her stomach eased. “His name is Jamie.”

“Do tell, Sis. What else happened while you were helping Doc take care of the little guy?”

More
than
I’m ready to tell anyone.
Her life had changed irrevocably yesterday…and in more ways than one. Knowing her sister would keep at her until she told her something, she told her about Jamie shredding the paper towel.

They were laughing when Grace had an incoming call and had to go. “Talk to you later.”

“Bye, Gracie.”

She never had a chance to ask her about Mrs. Doyle or what Mr. Sweeney needed. She’d have to ask Grace when she stopped by the shop after lunch. Guaranteed, she’d need more supplies for those two new jobs—the car just didn’t have enough room for all of her tools and repair parts for a full day’s worth of jobs.

Focused on a new day with new expectations, she was already looking forward to lunchtime when she’d need to swing by Jack’s house to check on Jamie. She should have a few minutes then to text Grace and get her the list of parts she planned to take with her—just in case Grace was away from her desk when Cait got to the shop. Lord help her if she didn’t tell Grace before she took the parts from their inventory. Thinking of the numerous trips she’d have to make back and forth from the job sites to the shop had her sighing. But she’d have to get used to tucking stuff in the trunk and backseat of the car she’d be driving for the next little while.

Crossing over the railroad tracks, she turned right onto Route 13. Mentally going over how she’d need to replace the broken window at the back of the Apple Grove United Methodist Church, she was ready when she pulled into the parking lot.

“Good morning, Caitlin!”

She looked up and smiled. “Good morning, Reverend Smith. Am I late?” He usually wasn’t waiting outside for her when she arrived on the job.

“Not at all. It’s a glorious day, and I was communing with nature and my boss.”

She grinned at his reference, and from the way her pastor was smiling back at her, it was just the reaction he had intended. Her gaze swept the parking lot and the grouping of shade and fir trees arcing around the back of the church in a protective sweep of green. “How’s Mrs. Smith feeling today?”

His smile slipped. “Better.”

Relief filled her. “She’s nearly finished with her chemo, isn’t she?”

“One more to go, next week.”

“She has everyone in town praying for her.”

He reached out and patted her hand. “We’re both so grateful.”

“So,” she said, hooking her arm through his. “Which little rascal knocked the softball through your office window this time?”

He grinned as he launched into the tale of how little eight-year-old Danny Jones had confessed his crime. “They hadn’t meant to break my window.”

Caitlin laughed. “He’s just acting out because his dad’s overseas and his mom has her hands full.”

“Which is why I’m not going to go too hard on the boy,” Reverend Smith said. “Besides, he has his uncle, Deputy Jones, lending a hand whenever he can so I know he’ll probably have a chat with his nephew as well.”

“My dad always complained about raising three girls, but I’ve seen what Mrs. Jones goes through with those four active, little boys.” Cait shook her head. “The poor woman is always tired.”

“But doesn’t complain.”

Cait grinned. “I probably would if I were her.”

Her pastor was smiling as he opened the door to the manse—his home for as long as he was assigned to their church. “I cleaned up the glass and put up a piece of cardboard…didn’t want any wildlife taking up residence in my office.”

His reference to a similar repair she’d made a few months ago had the both of them chuckling. “The look on Beatrice Wallace’s face whenever she tells the story about that poor little raccoon is worth the tongue-lashing that usually follows for reminding her of that awful day,” Cait said.

“Why she doesn’t believe any animal should live indoors is beyond my comprehension,” he said, leading the way down the hallway to his office.

“Isn’t it funny that Mitch loves animals and his older sister doesn’t?”

“Quite a hole, isn’t it?”

Cait walked over to the window and pulled down the cardboard. “Dead center. Are you sure this was an accident?”

The good reverend nodded. “Danny and I have already had a heart-to-heart about playing ball behind the manse.”

“Especially when there’s a ball field practically in their backyard.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “His mother’s taken away his bicycle privileges for the next week. That boy is all over town on that thing.” He was smiling when he said, “I’d better let you get to work. I’m sure you have a full schedule, what with your sister cutting her hours again.”

Cait looked over her shoulder and saw him smiling. “She’s feeling better and isn’t that awful shade of green anymore.”

“Glad to hear it. I’ll be in the outdoor chapel if you need me.”

“Thanks.”

Envy for the time her pastor would be spending in the quiet of the fir-lined chapel was quickly dismissed as she took out her putty knife and scored the glazing that held the window in place. A short while later, she was back in the parking lot, easing the sheet of glass she had wrapped in a moving blanket from her backseat.

“Good thing it was a small window.” A larger one wouldn’t have fit in her car.

She was just applying the thin layer of glaze when the Reverend returned. “Ah,” he said with a sigh. “Now that’s more like it. Hole-free glass.”

“It’ll keep unwanted visitors out. If only it worked as a softball repellent too.”

His smile faltered. “I don’t have the money set aside for the repair—” he began.

“Don’t worry about it.” She’d dug deep into her own pockets when the call first went out that Mrs. Smith had cancer and would be undergoing chemotherapy—the whole town had. The medical bills were astronomical. “Apple Grove residents take care of their own.”

He nodded, a suspicious film of moisture filling his eyes. Clearing his throat, he said, “I still intend to pay you—”

“Not going to happen, Reverend,” she told him. “Besides, Mrs. Jones already paid for the repair. Danny’s going to be working off his debt starting this Saturday by helping my dad sweep out the shop—who knows what Deputy Jones will have to say about it or whether or not he’ll add to Danny’s list of chores.”

Reverend Smith asked, “Didn’t he break the window at the library when he was Danny’s age?”

Cait shook her head. “I don’t remember. You’ll have to ask Miss Trudi. She has a mind like a steel trap.”

“I think I will. Danny is doing enough penance for one softball. See you Sunday?”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good. I need to check on my wife.”

“Please give her my best,” Caitlin told him.

He squeezed her hand and was gone. She swept up the dried out bits of glazing that had held the old window in place and was on the road ten minutes later.

Her next stop would take her to the outskirts of town. Checking her watch, she calculated the time left and the two jobs she needed to squeeze in before taking a break. If luck held, she’d finish on time and be able to stop by Jack’s house and check on Jamie as close to noon as possible.

***

The morning hadn’t gone as smoothly as Jack had planned. Jamie had fallen asleep first last night but apparently didn’t need as much sleep as Jack. And judging from the cold puddle of pee in front of the back door, the dog no longer needed to go outside.

“Damn it.” Jack shook his foot and nearly lost his balance when he leaned his weight on his bad leg. Without his persistence and daily exercise routine to strengthen his leg, it might have buckled. It was usually stiff when he first woke up and beyond tired at the end of the day. Grabbing hold of the door frame, he kept himself from going down. “I guess I’ll have to set my alarm a little earlier.”

Armed with a new roll of paper towels, he cleaned up the mess and had the coffee filling the pot by the time he noticed Jamie whining and looking for someplace to squat.

“Hold it.” He grabbed the puppy and wrenched open the door.

Jamie licked Jack’s face, distracting him until he noticed the smell…his first clue that the dog hadn’t been able to hold it. Looking down he laughed. “Guess you really had to go.”

He set the dog on the grass and sighed. Although Jack really needed that first cup of coffee, he knew his new roommate would need to eat first to keep him distracted long enough for Jack to kick-start his day with caffeine.

Jamie was lapping up water by the time Jack had scrambled three eggs and was transferring them to a plate. The sound of water gushing out had him looking over his shoulder. Sure enough, Jamie had peed by the back door again.

Jamie tilted his head to one side as if to say, “I made it to the door again!”

“Too bad the door was closed.” He’d have to rig something up if Jamie was going to be living with him; the possibility that someone was looking for the little dog wasn’t something he wanted to consider and hoped he’d never have to worry about.

“OK,” he said, picking the puppy up. “You’re coming with me while I take a shower.”

Anticipating how the hot water would ease the dull ache and stiffness in his leg, he closed his bedroom door and told the dog to sit. Mistakenly thinking the dog would obey, he left him there to get cleaned up. The muffled thud and yelp that followed had him shutting off the water, reaching for the towel, and yanking the door open.

“What’s going…” His words trailed off as his gaze swept the disaster that used to be his bedroom. The comforter was on the floor and one side had a huge tear in it. The bedside table was on its side and the bowl he kept his change in was in pieces amidst quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.