The Caledonian Inheritance (The Athena Effect) (5 page)

She headed up
the stairs to get dressed, passing Layla’s brother on his way down. “Good morning,” Michael said, going over to the counter to help himself to a cup of coffee. “Hey Cal… Wanna go check out some dirt-bike trails today?” He turned back towards the table, “Whoa! What happened to your face?”

“Michael!” Layla scolded him.

Calvin groaned, “Poison oak. I think I’m gonna be taking it easy today.”

Layla looked up hopefully, “Hey Michael… How about you come with me to town?”

“What for?” he asked, pulling up a chair.

“I’m having lunch with Millie and–”

“That old bat?” Michael interrupted. His guilty conscience had its limitations. “No thanks.”

Layla sighed, conceding defeat
and following her cousin up the stairs to get dressed. She sat in front of her vanity for a long time, brushing her fiery red hair absentmindedly and pushing back the images of Ramon that kept invading her thoughts.

She applied her makeup carefully and got up to dress, laying one outfit after another across her pink bedspread. She finally settled on a wrap dress in a muted floral print, choosing a pair of neutral pumps to go with it. S
itting cross-legged on her bed, she took her time sorting through her jewelry box for the perfect earrings and necklace.

Before she knew it she was running late, and she hurried to get out the door. When she
arrived in town she parked in front of the courthouse and looked around nervously, relieved to see no police car in sight. She stepped out onto the sidewalk gingerly, flushing blue with shame when she imagined how she must have looked when she toppled over.

She stepped inside the door to see two pairs of eyes looking up expectantly. Millie did a quick appraisal of her outfit and went
lavender blue with approval. Layla focused on the man seated by Millie’s desk, surprised to find him younger than she’d imagined, and much
much
better looking. He was green with irritation, leaning forward in his chair, squirming in a cloud of uneasiness.

Mill
ie stood to gesture towards her, “Conrad, here’s the young lady I was telling you about.”

All at once he looked pleasantly surprised, rising to his feet and holding out a polite hand for a shake. “Miss Mackenzie? Conrad Smithson. Pleased to meet you,” he said with enthusiasm.

“You can call me Layla,” she replied, taking his proffered hand. It was cool and smooth, and clamped onto hers with a firm grip.

“I understand you’re looking to rebuild the old Redcastle House.”

“Redcastle?” Layla looked to Millie, confused.

Millie nodded, “
Oh yes! Joan was going through her grandfather’s things… Remember, the bricklayer? And look what she found!” She went to her desktop and picked up a yellowing photo, holding it up. Layla came closer to peer at an image of three workmen dressed in overalls, posing in front of the house that she knew only from her dreams. Faded handwriting on the border of the photo read “Redcastle House”.

“Why would he call it that?” Layla asked.

“Maybe it was because of all the brickwork,” Conrad suggested. Layla looked up to see him studying her with unabashed interest. 

“I suppose that makes sense,” she agreed.

“Aunt Millie was just showing me some other pictures of the place… It’s a classic example of Plantation-style architecture… Did your family come from the south?”

“I have no idea,” Layla said.

“Her mother was orphaned in the fire that destroyed the house,” Millie interjected.

“Didn’t she tell you anything about her family?” Conrad pressed, curious.

“No,” Layla said quietly. “She died when I was little.”

“What about your father?” he asked, honestly curious.

Layla shook her head no, uncertain of what to say.

“I’m sorry,” he said.  Looking into his blue eyes, she could see that he was sincere.

There was an awkward silence and Millie broke it by announcing, “I’m afraid I can’t get away from the office right now… Why don’t you two go along to lunch without me?”

Layla
looked to see Millie’s eager anticipation, and suddenly realized that she’d planned this all along. She took a step back. “I– I… I don’t know…” she stammered.

“You can tell Conrad all about your
ideas for the building,” Millie urged. Layla stood wavering, shifting from foot to foot.

“Why not?”
Conrad interjected, “I’d love to hear all about your plans.”

Layla scrutinized him for a moment before answering. He seemed safe and polite, and truth be told, he
was
really good looking. There was nothing about him that set off any alarm bells. Cali was right, she thought; she was going to have to take a chance sometime.

“I guess so,” she nodded. “Where?”

Conrad shrugged, looking towards Millie. “Is there anyplace decent around here?”

“Of course there is!” Millie scolded. “Betty’s diner right across from the post office!”

Conrad smiled at Layla, “What do you say?”

“Okay.”

Conrad held the door for her, and they decided to walk the two blocks to the restaurant. Conversation flowed easily, and they kept it light, talking about the beautiful weather and the history of the town. He seemed sincerely interested in her plans to recreate the old house, and asked her about the location. It was refreshing to spend time with someone who didn’t question her motives– as a matter of fact, he respected tradition, and applauded her decision.

When they reached the restaurant they were led to a padded booth
alongside the window and handed laminated plastic menus with pictures of the food. Conrad looked at the seat like he thought it might be dirty, finally sliding in gingerly.

“Have you eaten here before?” he asked, watching her studying the menu with a confused look on her face.

“No,” Layla replied, looking up. “Never.”

“This place is kind of a dive,” Conrad said, looking askance at the surroundings.

“Dive,” Layla repeated, looking down to study the menu. She had no idea what he meant. Professor Reed and Max both had expensive tastes, and she’d only ever been to places like this with Cali.

He sighed with resignation. “I guess it’s the best we can do in this town.”

She looked up from the menu, asking, “What is a patty melt?”

They both ended up ordering club sandwiches and ice tea, and while they waited for the food Conrad told her about his work with a local builder. He had designed and personally overseen the construction of everything from posh vacation retreats to live-work spaces in the newly revitalized section of a local
town. Layla thought about what Millie had said about fate and had to agree that it finally seemed to be operating in her favor.

“I’d like to show you the site and get your
opinion. I need someone who can draw up the blueprints for me, but everyone seems to think I’m a little crazy to want to build in the original location. It’s a bit remote.”

“Do you want to live there?” he asked.

Layla hadn’t thought very much beyond the re-building of her mother’s home, and she wasn’t quite sure how to explain her urge to recreate the house, so she looked into his blue eyes, sending him a light dusting of placid, compliant lilac. “Maybe. I think so.”

“It sounds like a very interesting project. I’d be glad to take a look at it for you,” he answered, easily diverted.

“Good,” she smiled. Piece of cake, she thought.

He studied her like he was looking at a painting. “I’ve never met anyone with two different colored eyes before. They’re really very beautiful.”

She looked down, self-conscious once more. “Thank you.”

He laughed, “You know, when I showed up for lunch and Aunt Millie told me she had a girl she wanted me to meet, I wasn’t too happy about it.”

Layla’s cheeks flushed as red as her hair. “I had no idea she was going to do this.”

He went on, smiling, “She said you were a good looking girl, but I was skeptical.
I almost took off before you showed up.”

She nodded. “I don’t blame you.”

“I’m glad I stayed,” he added.

Layla raised her head to see him smiling at her. He was friendly, interested, and she could see no bad intent at all. She returned his smile. “Me too.”

After lunch he walked her to her car. “Can I see you again?” he asked. “I’d like to take you to dinner sometime… Someplace nicer…”

“We don’t need to go
anywhere special to discuss business,” Layla replied.

“It’s not business… It’s personal. I’d like to get to know you better.”

“Oh,” she said. Her first impulse was to flee, but she calmed herself, smoothing her dress and reminding herself to breathe. “Alright... Okay… Sure. That sounds nice.”

Cali will be proud of me, she thought.

~

Caledonia got in from the store with a bag, rushing upstairs to find Calvin sprawled across the bed with the dog, remote control in hand. He was clearly miserable, trying to distract himself by flipping through the channels of the television mounted on the wall across the bed.

She sat down by his side to brush the hair back from his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Rotten,” he groaned, showing her the red bumpy patches of skin that had risen up on his arms and neck. “It itches like hell.”

She reached into a bag and pulled out a pink bottle. “I got you some Calamine lotion.”

“Will it make it go away?” he asked hopefully, taking it and reading the label.

“Not right away, but it’s supposed to make it itch a little less.”

“Let me,” she said, reaching for the bottle.

He drew his hand back, “No way! Don’t touch me!”

She shook her head. “You can’t catch it from the rash– Only from the plant. Now take off your shirt.”

When she saw how the rash had bubbled up on his arms she moaned, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You warned me to stay out of the brush.”

“You wouldn’t have been doing any of this if it wasn’t for me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I wanted to help,” he said, and he meant it.

Calvin had stopped getting insecure every time Caledonia started to feel guilty about something. He finally realized that she’d spent her entire life dealing with things all by herself, and if he wanted to stay with her, he was going to have to grow a thick skin and dig in his heels.

He smiled at her calmly. He was dug in deep.

Calvin liked the new life they’d begun to piece together. He got along well with Layla and Michael, and the four of them were starting to feel like a real family in an odd sort of way.  He was getting reacquainted with the charm of living in the country, remembering happier times visiting his grandparents with his mother. He liked the idea of settling there for good.

In the year he’d spent with Cali he’d never tired of her for an instant. Being around her made everything fun, and he truly enjoyed spending time hiking and
dirt biking in the woods, just the two of them. She wanted to protect the wildlife on the property, and he was determined to stay by her side and help her realize her dream. If only the looming threat of the grower’s return was gone, life would be nearly perfect.

He lay back and watched her as she poured some lotion on her palm and rubbed her hands together. She smiled sympathetically, and he sighed with relief before she even touched him. She applied the chalky lotion to his arms and chest, frowning at every little itchy patch with remorse. 

“Oh dear…” Caledonia cooed. She started feeling guilty again, taking the blame as usual. “I should have made you take a shower right away when we got home. I was so focused on my father’s journal… I wasn’t thinking…”

“Jarod called,” he said, changing the subject.

“How’s he doing? How’s the business going?”

“
Everything’s good.”

She could hear the smile in his voice, and she looked at him with narrowed eyes, “Are you going to tell me?”

He feigned innocence, “Tell you what?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “The news. What did he say?”

He chuckled, because he knew that she could see right through him. He was starting to think that surprising her might be virtually impossible, but he would never stop trying. “They got married.”

“Who, Jarod and Crystal?”

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes at her. “Who do you think?”

“Really? When?” she asked.

“Yesterday. They drove out to Reno and they decided to go for it. They want to have a party next Saturday to celebrate. Michael and Layla are invited.”

“Why so suddenly?” Caledonia wondered.

Cal shrugged, “I don’t know. They’ve been together for a while now.”

“What do you think about it?”

“Crystal’s nice… She’s good for Jarod. They’re working together at the shop and everything, so I guess they just wanted to make it official.”