Discovering Pride (Pride Series) (18 page)

The night of the school Christmas play had been creeping up. She had promised her friend, Becca Linden, a grade school teacher, that she would assist with the backdrops. She dragged Aaron along to help with the designs. Because the organizational and artistic talent ran in her family for generations, everyone in town always called on a Jordan to help out.

The school play this year was the classic Scrooge and was less then a week away. Lacey was in charge of drawing and painting three backdrops that included; a bedroom, a snowy hilltop cemetery, and the inside of a small house completed with a fireplace.

Lacey had outlined all three backdrops while Aaron chatted comfortably with several kids who were eagerly waiting to help paint.

She liked that he looked relaxed around the small kids. Of course, it helped that most of them had visited his offices and actually knew him. He was a lot like his grandfather when it came to interacting with his patients.

She could tell that most of the kids actually looked up to him. They would tug on his shirt until he gave them his full attention. He would always bend down and look them directly in the eyes when he spoke to them.

Smiling, she turned to the excited group. “I’m done.” When every eye turned in her direction there was a choir of “ooh, aah and wows”

“
I’ve marked what each section should be colored so it should be easy.” she showed them the little color marks. “Everyone can grab a brush and some paint. Remember, try to stay in the lines and no eating the paint.” she said just as a William, a small but sinister little boy, held out a brush full of midnight blue to Reagan. William, Lacey knew, always dared Reagan to do things. And, of course, Reagan always took to the bait.

Two hours and a large headache later, Lacey and Aaron sat in the front row of the auditorium alone and looked at the final product. The kids rushed off with the promise of milk and cookies. Most of them covered with paint, all of them with smiles on their faces.

The backdrops stood hanging on stands so the paint would dry. To the close eye, they appeared to be painted by a bunch of fourth graders. Well, they had been painted by a bunch of fourth graders. But, when Aaron and Lacey took seats in the front row, they decided they looked better, a little.

Over the next few weeks, Lacey found herself even busier than normal. With Christmas just around the corner, she found it harder and harder to divide her time between the restaurant, her house, swim lessons, and Aaron’s place.

This week, in particular, was a very busy week because she was attempting to help her very good friend Allison, close her family business, Adams Antiques. Lacey had baby sat Allison and her sister, Abby when they were younger. Abby had died years ago with Leukemia, just after their father had died, leaving Allison and her mother alone. Allison had then taken over her family’s business at a young age.

Allison was moving to Los Angeles, to better start her art career.  A career that Megan had helped kick off by taking some of Allison’s art to Ric Derby, a friend who owned The Blue Spot, a large chain of art galleries. 

Currently, Lacey and Megan were helping Allison pack up some remaining items in the store for shipment to California.

“
I can’t thank you enough for coming and helping me out.  I’ve never dreamed I would be leaving Pride to pursue my dreams.” Allison sat in the middle of the shop floor with boxes and tissue paper surrounding her. “Did you know Ric called me this morning and said that he sold twelve of my pieces? Twelve!” she stared at her two friends.  All three of the women were sitting around the middle of the floor packing various trinkets and nick-knacks into the boxes.

Megan was currently in the last trimester of her pregnancy and sat happily on a large cushion but her feet were still tucked Indian style.

“I knew it. The minute I saw your art I just knew it would be a big hit.” Megan smiled. “I just wish you were staying in town a little longer, at least until I give birth.” she rubbed her growing stomach.

“Me too, but I’ll be back this summer to visit. It’s only a days drive up and it’s not like I’m moving across the country like you did.
” she looked around the almost empty room and sighed.

“But, it’s still scary. I’ve never lived anywhere but here.”
This had been her whole life. She could still close her eyes and see her and Abby sitting in the corner around a small antique table playing tea. Or look across the room and see her father and mother kissing behind the old wood counter top.

“You know, I guess it helped closing shop the week before Christmas.”
Looking around the room again, she noticed how empty it was and her eyes started to mist. “There are only these boxes and some other furniture in the back room now. Everything else sold on Black Friday.”

“The antique baby crib and changing table I bought from you last week go perfect in the baby’s room. Todd just loved the cherry wood; he is going to look at getting me a rocking chair to match.”
Megan said reaching over and patting Allison’s arm. 

“Speaking of the baby, do you know what you are having, a boy or a girl?” Allison asked as she tapped up the last box.

“We could have found out a while back, but we want to be surprised.”

“
I know what you’re having.” Lacey said smiling. “But I’m keeping it a secret too.”

“You think you know what I’m having.” Megan laughed.
She stopped laughing and looked at Lacey.  “However, with your track record I may not want to hear your theory.”

They all laughed.

“I’m going to miss this.” Allison said taking a large breath. “Am I doing the right thing moving to California? Please tell me I’m not crazy.”

“When I decided to travel for a year after graduation, I thought the same thing. I’m here to tell you my eyes were opened during that year of traveling.
It gave me something you just can’t experience here in Pride. And you can always come back home. You will be coming home again?” The two friends sat quietly waiting for her answer.

“I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I’m going to California to experience and to help my art. I want to define it better, fine tune it some, and then try to figure out whatever else Mr. Derby has in store for me.” she wiped away a tear.

“Then, let’s have a toast.” Lacey said, holding up her juice cup and waited for her friends to do the same. “
A toast to best friends, travel, and experiencing life, but most importantly, a toast to returning to Pride.
”

He had a bottle of champagne cooling next to the wine glasses and candles on the coffee table. The smoked salmon was warming in the oven along with the green beans surrounded by sweet potatoes. Everything was in place. Turing on the radio he hunted until he found something soft and smokey for background music. The fire crackled as he walked over and dimmed the overhead lights: perfection.

Bernard snored on his doggie bed, which Aaron had pushed to the corner of the living room. The dog was beginning to think he lived here. Every time Aaron drove up his drive he was sitting at the front door, waiting for him. Usually with a ball or a stick in his mouth. He had to admit, it felt pretty good to have him there always waiting.

Tonight, however, it wasn’t the company of the dog,
 but the dog’s owner he was looking for.  And, it appeared she was running late.

Taking his cell out of his slacks he texted the man who would know where she was.

“
Where is your sister? --Aaron”

A few moments later he checked the reply.

“She left work five minutes ago. Should be heading your way now—later, Iian.”

Just as he read the last of the message, he heard her car drive up. Smiling to himself, he heard Bernard groaned and glanced over as the dog stood from his bed and rushed over to the front door.

“Yeah buddy, she’s home.” He opened the door just as Lacey reached for the handle. She had a bundle of white flowers in one hand and a large wrapped box in the other.

“Hello.” he said just looking at her. She wore her long green winter coat, the hood was up because it had been lightly snowing. Helping her out of the coat, he shook
the snow off before placing it alongside his in the front closet.

Bernard let out a quick happy bark. Setting the flowers and box down, she bent to pat him.

“Welcome to my finished home.”  He said as she stood back up. He circled her in his arms and kissed her softly, slowly.

He noticed she had changed out of her work clothes and was wearing a silver dress that clung to her curves.  The dress had long sleeves but he had felt that her back had been left exposed. As he pulled back to look at her he noticed that the front dipped down in a gentle slope.  The way the dress accented the curve of her back and her perfect breasts, distracted him from the gifts she had brought.

She enjoyed the smoky looks he was giving her she picked up the flowers and box once more. 

“
Finished, a home isn’t complete until you receive your first house warming present.” she handed him the flowers and box. “Let’s go sit by the fire so you can open your gift.” With her free hands she pulled him towards the couch.

He chuckled as he sat next to her and was glad he had planned a celebration dinner to mark the finishing of the renovations on his house. They had hung the last door along with the bedroom window blinds last night; the place was done.

Taking one last glance at her, he started opening the wrapping on the box.  She noticed that he was the type of person who unwrapped slowly, pulling each corner back and unfolding the wrapping like it was made of gold instead of paper.

“
Oh no, you’re one of
those
people.” she said. Her fingers itched to rip at the paper that she had carefully wrapped earlier that day.

“I am a Doctor.” he said, “We like to be precise.” he smiled at her. “I suppose you like to rip the paper, and no doubt, shake all the boxes beforehand.”

“Of course.” she held her breath when he opened the box.

The vase was crystal with blue flowers, it wasn’t new, it wasn’t perfect, but it was beautiful.