CC Chapter 4
HAHAH okay, sorry but ya, you'll see in the end of this.. I just cant help it!!!! So I'm modeling Sam after my PA Bill, he always called my Grannie WOMAN and it cracked me up whenever I heard it. Again, I'm not sure where this story is going, but its before Frank comes home, RIGHT before, I think that's coming up soon. Mr. Harley man just kind of shows up and apparently this is going to tie into my other story about Denise… ENJOY!!!
The following morning Denise woke to a sharp pain in her back, throbbing head, aching bones and puffy red eyes. She turned over slowing to her back while grabbing at her head with both hands. The light through the window was blinding as it shown through the cracks in the blinds. Realization hit hard when she sat up quickly.
"The floor is not my bed." She looked around and blinked a few times trying to remember why she was on the floor in front of her door. She closed her eyes and said quietly, "Tequila, Betty's, Dancing; Take me on the floor, Getty. OH …" She patted herself to make sure she still had her clothes on. "Thank God." She opened her eyes slowly, as if she were expecting someone to be standing there. She let out a sigh of relief when she found herself alone. "Coffee, shower, bike. Good idea Denise."
As she peeled herself off the floor and walked slowly to the kitchen she glanced at the blinking light on the answering machine. She hit the button and cringed at the woman's annoying voice stating she had seven missed calls.
"Seven, lucky number seven. Not eight, not six. SEVEN.. and all from…. Frank." She moaned at each one and promised to play the I don't know what your talking about sweetheart role when he called again.
"Denise. Come on. Answer the phone, I know your there." Getty's voice sounded as she cringed.
"Hurry up coffee machine. No I'm not here, go away." She yelled at the answering machine.
She flipped the ringer off the phone and grabbed her cell phone off the floor on the way up the stairs. She would get coffee after her shower she decided. When her cell phone rang in her hand she glanced at the caller id. She smiled as she saw Roxy's number and punched the answer button.
"Hi sweetie, how ya feelin' this morning?" Roxy asked
"Well for some reason I ended up sleeping on the floor in front of the door. I don't feel too good." She answered and smiled as she heard a laugh from her friend.
"Well then, no more dancing to that song again girlfriend."
"Ya think? I'm going for a ride today, I need to get out of here for a few days, figure some stuff out." Denise stared at herself in the bathroom mirror.
"Call me tonight so I know you're safe." Roxy said.
"I will. Keep the tequila locked away for a while okay?" Denise laughed as she said goodbye to her friend.
One hour later Denise opened the front door and frowned. There on the step was a bouquet of flowers. Beautiful red roses and greenery, tied with a pink bow. She shook her head and stepped over them, leaving them behind as she walked down the pathway to the drive where her bike was parked. Twenty minutes later she was on her bike headed south out of town. She wasn't sure where she was going, just somewhere far far away.
As she watched the sky growing orange with the setting sun, she pulled off the road at the Bed and Breakfast quietly calling for her to stop. She parked her bike and took her helmet of just as the front door opened and an elderly woman walked out onto the porch.
"Hi honey, come and get cleaned up, suppers on the table." She yelled from the large wrap around porch.
"Thank you, I was hoping you had a vacancy." Denise followed her into the house glancing quickly at the pristine condition the old home was in.
"I always have a room sweetheart. Now your room is at the top of the stairs, first door on your left. You can watch the sunrise from your window in that room. Hurry along dear, we have fried chicken and mashed potatoes on the table and the gravy is nasty if it gets cold."
"On my way." Denise laughed and headed up the stairs to her room.
When she entered her room she found a beautiful old fashioned style room with yellow flowered wallpaper, white lace curtains, a beautiful antique full size bed complete with a gorgeous handmade wedding band quilt. She stripped off her bike jacket and entered the bathroom to clean up. As she washed her hands and pulled her hair up in a pony tail she smiled at herself. She could stay here and figure it all out. This was where she was meant to be right now.
She followed the sounds down the stairs and into the dining room to find four people sitting at the table.
"Finally, let's eat." An older man sat at the head of the table and nodded for Denise to sit beside him.
"Welcome dear, my name is Harriet, this is Sam, grouchy old man, don't mind him. This here is Kara, and this is Matt. They aren't staying, they are just here to fill their stomachs with good homemade food, and then back to school they go."
Denise smiled and sat down. "I'm Denise, just passing through." She accepted the plate of chicken being passed around.
"No ones passing through when they come here. You'll find the answers you need. Stay as long as you like." Sam said as he patted her hand.
"HAHA, okay you caught me. I had to escape. I …" She paused and took a deep breath.
"Seriously Denise. Relax and you'll find the answers." Kara said from across the table.
"No explanation needed. You are here. Chill out." Matt said as everyone laughed, causing Denise to relax more and enjoy her supper.
After the meal was cleared away and the kitchen cleaned, Matt and Kara said their goodbyes and headed back to town. Sam sat down in one of the rocking chairs on the porch and motioned with his cane for Denise to sit. Harriet joined them shortly with hot tea.
The smell of lavender and honeysuckle was thick in the air as the lightening bugs made their presence known around the yard. Denise took a deep breath and sipped her tea as the three of them sat in silence. Too many thoughts were running through her head and she knew she had to let them all go before she could totally relax.
"You need to go fishin" Sam spoke out.
"Fishing?" Denise laughed.
"Yup the cure all for what ales ya. Tomorrow morning, meet me at the dock at six am." He stood and nodded his goodnight and headed into the house. "Woman, coming to bed?"
"Ill be right there old man. Just lock the door when you come in Denise. Stay out here as long as you need. Finish off this tea. It will help you sleep. Good lord knows you need your strength to go fishing with that old man." Harriet surprised Denise when she stood and leaned over to kiss Denise on the head.
Denise called Roxy quickly and let her know she was safe then leaned back in the rocking chair and closed her eyes. She didn't hear the man walking up the path and stepping onto the porch till he spoke, causing her to jump in surprise.
"If you fall asleep, I'll have to carry you inside and then someone might get the wrong idea." He smiled when she frowned at him.
"Uh, I think they already went to bed." She tried to think of something fast then shook her head at what she came up with.
"I know. Night." He picked up the tea tray and carried it inside leaving Denise to watch the closed screen door.
As she made her way through the door, locking it behind her, she glanced again out the window and saw the Harley sitting beside her bike. She turned and walked up the stairs to her room, and came face to face with the man at the top of the stairs.
"Are you following me?" She asked as he smiled.
"I was thinking you were following me." He answered and turned the knob on her door, pushing it open for her.
She glanced to her room, then back to the man standing beside her. "No, no, I'm not following you." She took a step to her room and turned to look at him one last time.
"That's good, because I was starting to think you might like me." He winked at her.
"Night." She shook her head and closed her door, placing her head on the door and silently cursing herself as she heard his door close as well.
The following morning Denise woke to loud banging from below in the kitchen, doors slamming, a man yelling where was his tobacco and pipe and a woman yelling back that it was where he had put it last night. She laughed as she realized she wasn't in Kansas anymore. Or at home that was, in that quiet empty house. She rose quietly, showered and dressed quickly for her fishing trip. As she made her way downstairs to the kitchen, she found Harriet standing at the door holding a fried egg and cheese sandwich and a travel mug of coffee for her.
"Get going, fish are waitin'." She smiled as Denise accepted the quick to go breakfast and headed out the back door.
She followed the trail down to the dock and came to a sudden stop at the start of the wooden planks, staring at the man inside the small boat.
"Denise, this is my nephew Jack. He's taking you out today, I'm not going. Come on, fish are waitin'." Sam held his hand out as Denise walked slowly toward him, never taking her eyes off Jack. He chuckled to himself.
"Ready?" Jack asked as he held his hand out to help her into the boat.
"I don't think.." She started.
"Good, don't think. Get in the boat." Jack smiled as she finally stepped down into the boat and sat down on the seat across from him.
"Now, let's go fishin'." He pushed the boat away from the dock and smiled.