The Quilt Before the Storm (27 page)

“Let’s go, then,” Tom said. “We need to go by the church and check on Ronald. We can see if he’s recovered enough to be of any use, and we can also see if Kate and Owen are available to help.”

“Kate might, since it doesn’t involve being at the camp.”

Joyce and Brandy got into the second row of seats as Harriet again handed the keys to Tom.

“The trail repair you all did yesterday really helped,” Joyce said when they had their seatbelts buckled and were underway.

“I’m glad,” Harriet said. “I’m sure that mud is a real problem.”

“We’re used to it,” Joyce said. “It’s like this every winter.”

“I’ll have to find out what the park has to say about it,” Tom said, “but if they don’t object, I’ll come back when it dries out a little and see what can be done about putting a proper drain under that first section.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Joyce said.

“Duane could pay to have a paved highway put in,” Brandy said.

“Duane is dead, dear,” Joyce reminded her in a soothing tone and patted her hand.

“His money isn’t dead,” Brandy slurred and pulled her hand away. “It’s sure buried, though. I just need to find out where.”

“What are you talking about?” Harriet asked.

“I need a drink,” Brandy slurred, “that’s what I’m talking about.”

The women stayed in the car while Tom went into the church to check on Ronald. He was apparently feeling better—his color was improved and Harriet thought she detected a spring in his step as he followed Tom back to the car.

“You’re looking well,” she said when he was settled.

“I hate to seem like a wimp, but living indoors does seem to agree with me,” he said with a smile.

Carla was waiting in the store when they arrived. As promised, she’d brought shovels, buckets, rubber gloves, two mops and a new package of sponges.

“As I see it, there are two main tasks,” Harriet said. “First, scooping up mud and carrying it out, and then washing all the surfaces the first group removes mud from.”

She and Tom said they’d haul buckets, Ronald and Joyce took the shovels and Carla said she would wash floors. When Brandy didn’t volunteer for anything, Carla got in her face.

“Come on, Brandy,” she said, “look at me. You’re helping my daughter and me. Take a mop.”

To Harriet’s surprise, Brandy followed Carla’s orders without comment.

“I brought some bottled water,” Carla said nearly two hours later. “Anyone need a break?”

She didn’t have to ask twice. They hiked upstairs to the kitchen, and she brought out her bag of doughnuts. Harriet and Tom pulled chairs down from the tables in the classroom and, after a moment, were joined by Ronald. The older man took off his foul weather jacket and set it on the back of his chair. He wiped his brow.

“Whew, it’s hot working down there.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Harriet asked, searching his face for signs of illness.

“I’m fine,” he said, “just a little out of shape.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you making yourself sick helping us.”

“No, no, don’t worry, I know my limits and…” He patted his shirt pocket. “I have my medicine at hand if I need it. I never go anywhere without it.”

Tom had brought a plastic container of Mrs. R’s cookies with him. He opened it and set it on the table.

“I heard we may have power back today,” Ronald said as he sat down. “Have you two heard anything about when the slide might be cleared?”

“No,” Harriet answered. “All I heard about was the power. Why? Are you planning on leaving?”

He took a bite of cookie, chewing slowly.

“I’m afraid I am,” he said finally. “I’d hoped to live close enough to my daughter to be able to visit and maintain some sort of relationship, but I’m afraid my constitution isn’t up to outdoor living conditions. The young people who were here when I arrived encouraged me to join them in southern California. They said there’s a camp there that’s an easy walk to a soup kitchen, and the weather is mild year-round.”

“I’m sorry you don’t have better options here,” Harriet said.

“I had hopes it would have worked out differently. I put an application in to be a greeter at Wal-Mart, but it seems even they don’t want me.”

“Did you know Duane very well?” Harriet asked him.

“Not really. It was natural, us both being men of a certain age, that we would spend time together talking, but he wasn’t very forthcoming about his past. I could understand that. I didn’t want to relive my failures. Why would he?”

When Joyce didn’t come upstairs, Harriet excused herself and went down to see if everything was okay. She was halfway to the basement when she heard voices.

“Tell me the truth,” Joyce said. “Did you see Duane with money?”

“He had lots of money,” Brandy said, slurring the S.

“Why was he living with us in the camp if he had money?” Joyce persisted in a gentle tone. “That makes no sense. Remember what I told you about telling the truth?”

“He gave me money, but now he’s gone and I need more brandy. If I could just find the bag…”

Harriet went a few steps farther down, until she could see Brandy sitting on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest and her head resting on them.

“Don’t you go to sleep on me, Brandy,” Joyce commanded. She pinched her until the younger woman looked up, pulling her arm free in the process.

“Leave me alone.”

“I will when you tell me about Duane’s money.”

“Duane gave me money,” Brandy said. “Now he’s dead. Leave me alone.”

“Is everything okay here?” Harriet asked as she came down the last few steps.

“It’s fine,” Joyce said. “I was just trying to coax Brandy into coming upstairs to have some water.”

“I don’t want to go upstairs,” Brandy complained. “Just leave me alone.”

“Could you please bring some water bottles down here?”

Harriet went up and got two bottles of water, wrapped a half-dozen cookies in a napkin and brought it all downstairs. Neither Joyce nor Brandy was speaking, and neither thanked her when she delivered the snack.

“That was weird,” she said when she was at the classroom table again.

“What?” Tom asked.

“When I was going down the stairs, I heard Brandy and Joyce arguing about Duane’s money.”

“Duane didn’t have any money,” Ronald said. “Why on earth would he be sleeping in the forest during a storm if he had the resources to be somewhere safer?”

“I don’t know,” Harriet said. “But that’s what they were arguing about.”

“Come on,” Tom said. “Let’s get this finished.”

“Would you like us to take you anywhere else while we’re in town?” Harriet asked Joyce as everyone helped load the tools back into Carla’s vehicle.

The group had removed the mud from the basement and washed the floor and walls with bleach. They decided to wait for Marjory’s input before bringing the inventory down from the attic.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could we stop by the post office?” Joyce asked.

“Sure,” Harriet said. “Anyone else?”

“The liquor store?” Brandy said, slurring the S on
store
.

“Got any money?” Ronald asked her.

She didn’t respond.

“Just the post office, then,” Ronald said. “I’ll go to the church shelter to get my things, but then I’ll be moving back to the park. If the power comes on, they’ll be closing the shelter in any case.”

“When the power comes back on, I’d like to have you all over for dinner at my house to thank you for all the work you’ve done,” Harriet said.

“That would be real nice,” Joyce said.

“I’m never one to turn down a meal,” Ronald agreed. “I’m sure Brandy would be happy to come, too.”

“I’ll come back for you in…let’s say…two hours after the power comes back on.”

“Our schedules are pretty flexible,” Joyce joked as Tom pulled away from the curb.

“You want to go back by Jorge’s on the way home?” Tom asked when they had dropped their passengers at the church and the homeless camp.

“No, let’s let them have their space. What I’d really like to do is go see Scooter.”

Tom was silent for a few minutes.

“I take it Aiden will be there, too,” he said.

“It’s his place of work,” Harriet said. “But that’s not why I’m going there.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself? And be honest.”

“My relationship with Aiden is not at a good place,” Harriet began. “And it has nothing to do with my relationship with you. His sister is trying to con him out of his money.”

“And it’s up to you to solve that problem?” Tom asked.

“I’m his friend.”

“I suspect he and his sister have been dancing to this particular tune for a lot longer than the less than a year that you’ve known him.”

“But he’s more vulnerable since his mother died. His sister is playing on his grief.”

“So you’re going to take his mother’s place?” Tom asked.

“We’re through talking about my relationship with Aiden,” Harriet said, her face turning red with anger.

They made the rest of the drive back to Harriet’s in silence.

He parked in her driveway next to his car.

“I guess I’ll see you around, then,” he said and started to get out.

“Wait, Please.”

He sat back.

“I know I’m not explaining this right, but Aiden is in trouble. He’s angry with me, and I’m not the kind of person who can walk away mad. I need to have some sort of resolution. You knew I was in a relationship with him when you came back to town. I never kept that a secret.”

She started to go on, but he put a finger to her lips.

“You’re right, I’m pushing you, and I said I wouldn’t do that. I just hate to see you so torn up over Aiden—again. Can’t you see? Love doesn’t have to be hard. And I’m not trying to scare you with the L-word, and I’m not saying we’re there now or ever will be, but I like you and I think you like me, and I’d like to see where things might go. No stress, no drama.” When he finished talking, he moved his finger from her lips and kissed her gently.

“Go see your dog and his doctor. Resolve what you need to, and if the offer is still open, I’ll come back here for dinner when the power comes back on.”

With that, he got out of her car and into his own.

Harriet pounded her fist on the dashboard once he was out of sight.

“I do
not
need this,” she said to no one.

Unwilling to face Lauren, who had stayed home to keep an eye on things, much less Pat and Lisa, she got into the driver’s seat and headed down the driveway and on to the veterinary clinic. The hum of the generator greeted her as she got out.

No one was in evidence in either the waiting room or the adjoining office area.

“Anyone here?” she called. She let herself into the interior hallway and headed toward the socialization room. “Aiden?” she called out again, this time louder.

“Be there in a minute,” he called back.

Harriet went in and turned the heater on. True to his word, Aiden appeared with Scooter and his furry pad a few minutes later.

Aiden looked tired.

He sat down across the small room from her and held his hands out, warming them at the heater.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked when she could no longer stand the strained silence. “I want to talk without you saying anything until I’m finished. If you don’t like what I’m saying, when I’m done, you can get up and leave.”