Hannah Rae's Blog, page 22

Running Through the Words, 14

Fourteen.

There was a time when the house smelled always of baked goods. If the kitchen was a canvas, then the Italian woman, with her long hair tucked up under a bandana and her forehead streaked with flour, was the artist who created masterpieces within its walls. The house remembers the pleased exhalation of air each time a pie, baked to perfection, was pulled from the oven; it remembers the soft chuckle that escaped her each time a sample of soup had just the right amount of spice. It remembers, too, the rush of footsteps on the stairs whenever a fresh batch of cookies was relocated to the cooling rack. The sweet aroma of chocolate seemed to waft through the whole house, infiltrating rooms the family wasn’t even aware of.

The house had been surprised when a child arrived. In the past, the new life had been expected, but this time, the baby appeared without warning. The belly of the sugar-scented woman hadn’t grown big and round. Instead, the infant had been delivered by a pretty lady with sad eyes. She’d handed the cooing bundle to the man—a kind fellow who often smoked a pipe in the evenings—and, crying, had then walked away. The house, unable to discern words and dialogue, knew only the emotions being felt in that moment: overwhelming sadness, shame, and regret.

The sugar-scented woman raised the child as if she were her own. And the man… Well, it was obvious that the child was his. They shared the same quizzical expressions when contemplating a problem, and when they laughed, they both placed a hand on their belly as if to feel the joy. And when the second child arrived, decades later, she and the man had a lot of similarities too. But it was the sugar-scented woman the house observed the most. It was the sugar-scented woman who fed both children with love and comfort and warmth.

---

Isabella Crocetti Lane

I no a-grow up in Lake Caywood; I come a-here when I just a young girl, after meeting my Jasper. He visit California after the war—probably nineteen forty-six, I think—and come into my papa’s bar. It called Babbo’s, because that’s a-what I call my papa. He order a beer, and then another, and I not a-sure how many drinks he and my papa share! It a lot, though, because Babbo, he bring-a him home for dinner that night and I make-a a pizza. I think that’s a-why Jasper like-a me so much: my cooking, it a-tempt him.

We not together very long before we marry. My Jasper, he stay in California for a lot of months. Three, maybe. And then we drive-a back to this small town together. But in California? That’s when he propose. He get down on a knee right there in the kitchen one night. I in the middle of making a-gnocchi, you know, with my hair a-frizzed and flour all over! And Jasper, he a-walk over to me and kiss-a my cheek, and then he pull a ring from his pocket. “Bella,” he say to me, and go down on his knee. “Bella, I would want to call you my wife. Will you say yes please?” And I do say it to him; I tell him yes right-a then and there.

Our wedding, it not big. No one from Jasper’s side of the family come to it; he not have many relative, you know, and so we get a-married in front of my mamma and Babbo and my brother Antonio. My cousin, Maria, she come-a too with her husband and baby girl. We have a big meal with many pasta and gelato for dessert.

For our honeymoon, we drive east. Jasper, he show me all the pretty places along the way, like the mountain and the sunset and the big geyser at Yellowstone National Park. And when we get to the town he love, Lake Caywood, we find this farmhouse and buy it. You see, my papa—my Babbo—he a very wealthy man and he like-a my Jasper very much, so he give us the money we use to start a home.

My Jasper, he hire a lot of men to work the land. Sometime he help them with the planting and the picking, but he mostly like-a to grow his hops. Like my Babbo, Jasper like a-brewing the beer. He make a lot of good things in his barn, always mixing flavors and making things to try. “Come here, Bella,” he always be saying. “Try this stout!” Or “Taste this lager!” My Jasper, he something like a-me that way… only I make a lot of good things in the kitchen, not the barn! Ha!

We married not long—few months a-living in the farmhouse, no more—when we get our baby. Fiona, her name. Dark ringlets and chubby, chubby legs! She so cute, but she so wild and have such a strong will, you know? She take-a after her papa that way, always a-doing what she want to do. But she a good child. She grow up to be a good woman, too, even though she give me grey hair when she a young adult! My Jasper and me, we send her to school and she earn a degree, but it don’t keep her from trouble. Fiona, she always into something. For a while, she travel with a band, I remember. They go all over the place, up and down the coast, camping and singing and probably a-doing the drugs, even though I tell her that-a not so smart… But she wise up when she get pregnant. That’s a-when she come home to us. Not to the house, no, but to Pennsylvania, and she have a baby girl she name Charlotte. Charley.

They live not too far from us, and my Jasper and me, we see them a lot. Fiona, she never tell us who the papa of her baby is. I think-a maybe she don’t know… Ha! Like I say, she wild when she young.

Fiona not too old when she die. It a-happen in the snow one night. She a-driving when she skid on some ice. My Jasper and me, we take Charley after that. We raise her like she our own. I teach her to make a lot of things: sour cream peach pie, strawberry shortcake, blueberry cobbler… She learn all my secrets in the kitchen, but she don’t really love-a to bake like her Noni. The one who like to bake is the little boy she used to babysit. Addy. He a-come around a lot, and he still use a lot of the recipes I show him all-a those years ago. Charley, she make-a him get a degree in culinary, she did. She love that boy.

Charley also love-a the beer, just like her Gramps. They sit in the barn together all the time, and when my Jasper plant his hops, Charley a-right there with him, asking all a-kind of question about things I know not much about. She have a sweet tooth, yes, but she have a beer tooth even more!

When my Jasper and me first a-come to the house, we do a little work outside. He take care of the orchard and the barn; I take care of the garden. It a funny thing, that garden: everything in A-B-C order. Basil, carrot, celery, cucumber, eggplant… I no understand why, but it make-a me laugh so I keep it that-a way. Charley, she help me sometime, but she never like to pull-a the weeds. She a-like it when it time to pick the tomato, though! We make a lot of sauce, Charley and me. I teach her that a peach give the flavor a better sweetness than sugar. I teach Addy that too.

Charley leave home when she go to college. She not come back much after that, just for holidays sometime, and my Jasper and me, we learn to get along without her. I know it very hard for him; he miss talking about beer and sharing what he make with her. He a-miss showing her off at the big party we host every year. It a New Year’s Eve party and we invite the whole town. I bake and bake and bake! The kitchen get a-steamy with heat and it smell-a so good it make your mouth water! The whole town invited… and every year, just about the whole town show up! I make-a my gnocchi because Charley love it so much; I make it even when she stop coming home to eat it.

That New Year’s Eve party when the house really show-a its personality. Lake Caywood not a big town, but it big enough to not fit in one house! And yet… the town, it always fit because the house make-a room for all the people. It become a thing we always do. Every year, we do it. Every year, Dorothy Kirkland show up with her chocolate cupcake topped with peanut butter frosting and Ruby Gallagher, she bring a-fancy cookie with the lavender she a-grow in her garden. Mr. Doc, he bring a big plate of sweet potato fries. He make a-them very, very salty. They always a big hit!

Kirby, Jasper’s brother, he come too, and around that time of a-year he bring along a big bottle of bubble bath that smell-a like roses. “For you,” he say to me each a-year. “Because you been on your feet for days and need to rest. You need to soak your bones,” he tell-a me all the time. Kirby, he a really thoughtful man. He always giving me little gifts like that.

Jasper stop doing the big party when I gone. He lose his way a bit, I think, with Charley gone a lot and then me gone forever. The house, it get dim around that time. It don’t shine again, really, until Charley come home.

---

Every now and again, even when no one was around to bake, a very faint scent of cinnamon might waft through the abandoned rooms of the house. And every now and again, despite the home being uninhabited, there was a warmth that resonated from the unused oven. Because every now and again, even though the old farmhouse was technically empty, there were several spirits still haunting it.

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Published on March 12, 2023 12:52

Trivia Recap: 3/9

For the record, I tried to recruit Mary to write this blog because I really didn't feel like doing it... but she said she was too busy... so I'm writing it... against my will.

The Players: Hannah (English teacher), Mary (English teacher), Darren (math professor), Phil (something with Adobe)

Hint of the Day: Barbie

Opening Category: "American Pie," the song

Round One:

Mary here. Hannah did end up recruiting me to write up a portion of this week's blog. So here we go...

Of course we got our opening question right. Did you know that Madonna covered "American Pie"? The next category was Toys and Games and our hint of the day was used here, the answer was Barbie and ,I ,knew that Margot Robbie was playing Barbie in the upcoming film. I don't think I should brag about knowing this information but I always feel accomplished when I know an answer. We did well in the Musical Blackjack Category. We knew two of the artists (Twenty-one Pilots and Adele) but we missed the rapper, 21 Savage. (For the record, I'd never even heard of 21 Savage...) Phil knew the answer to the Hotel Chain Category, La Quinta, and Hannah knew Robert and John Kennedy's middle names for the final question of round one (Francis and Fitzgerald). That's all from me for now, back to Hannah.

Round Two:

Hi. It's Hannah. I'm back.

Weirdly, A Little Alliteration was the opening category of Round Two both this week and last week. I love love LOVED this week's alliteration, though, because everything was a show and I (sort of) knew all of them. I recognized Sesame Street right away and OF COURSE I got Gilmore Girls! (So did Mary; we loooooooooove that show. Phil hates it and thought the answer was Sister, Sister, which is absurd because his wife looooooooooooooves Gilmore Girls as well.) Oh, and the third answer was Mad Men. The rest of the round went fine. We missed a question about NHL Teams because why would we know that? And we missed a question about State Capitals because we just did. Phil knew that an airbag relies on some sort of Common Chemistry equation, so that earned us some points, and while we could not remember that Peter Falk played the grandfather in The Princess Bride, Darren did know that Fred Savage played the grandson. Therefore, we got seven points. I also knew and recited in a pretty impressive accent, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die," but that didn't earn us any points because it wasn't part of the question. It was just a thing that occurred.

Halftime:

We did pretty well. Phil and I even did some coloring, devoting most of our efforts to Alice Cooper. Here's what this week's halftime sheet looked like:

Round Three:

Hello, it's Mary again.

Round three started with the Diseases and Meds category. We were unsure what long-term autoimmune disorder was treated by DMARDs so we waited for the multiple choice options. Once given the options, we went with Rheumatoid Arthritis and we were correct! Phil and Darren remembered the Apple and Mac commercial from the early 2000s to get the correct answer for the Commercials and Their Brands category. The third category for the round was Backing Bands. We knew Tom Petty's backing band was the Heart Breakers. We did not know that George Strait had a backing band called Ace in the Hole, but I knew that Selena Gomez had a backup band called The Scene. I was also the only one who knew this out of all of the teams present! Children's Authors was our bonus category for this round. Phil and Hannah knew this right away; the answer was Richard Scarry. The final category was From Page to 1980's Screen. The question asked about a baseball movie. Darren knew the answer was ,The Natural ,because when he was in elementary school, he went on a field trip to see it! And he had to walk, like half a mile to the theatre or something. My understanding is, the entire school went.

6 - 4 - 2:

This state has the southern most point of the Rocky Mountains and we knew it was New Mexico but we weren't ,super, confident, so we waited for the second hint and then earned four points.

Round Four:

Darren knew the answer for the People of Politics category and I knew ,Thirteen Reasons Why, for I Am On Netflix. (As an aside, I do feel that I was more of an asset than I usually am at trivia... I knew some worthwhile things last night.) NBA History was a wash, Common Bonds was gotten by Darren straight away (Bubble Boy!), and 3 Clues, 1 Restaurant was immediately known by Phillip, who apparently aspires to someday own and operate his own Dairy Queen. Who knew the man loved Blizzards as much as he does? As Phil likes to say, "If you turn a DQ Blizzard upside down, the ice cream holds strong, and ,that, is the sign of a delicious dessert. Straws?!" he'll scoff. "No way! Real ice cream is eaten with a spoon." Here's a little-known fact: Phil once ate seven Blizzards in one sitting. And then he had a tremendous stomach ache that lasted two days.

Final:

World Geography was the category and the answer ,wasn't, "Germany." The answer ,was, "Ethiopia." Nevertheless, we won... and next week's opening category is American Pies.

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Published on March 10, 2023 12:07

Saying "So Long" to Mr. Sidders

Today was a hard day.

I've known for a while that it would soon be time to say goodbye to my fuzzer baby Sid. He was nineteen years old and in kidney failure, but he was also still eating and drinking and getting around okay. Every night, he'd jump up on my bed, sit right beside my shoulder, and stick his face into mine, sometimes offering a kiss or two, until I could convince him to settle in for some sleeping. And then he'd stay there all night, often times purring.

I've been waiting for Sid to give me a sign that let me know he was ready to go, and he did that last night.

I said goodbye to him this morning and it was incredibly difficult... but it was also the right thing to do. He's at peace now. I met him at the Confederate Woods Veterinary Hospital on my first day of work as a vet tech, so it seemed somehow fitting to say goodbye to him at the Confederate Woods Veterinary Hospital sixteen years later.

Sid was three when I got him. He'd been abandoned by his former owners (they didn't want to pay the bill after he'd been hit by a car) and then adopted by me... after much persuading. I was pretty fresh out of college and still living with my parents, and we already had six cats and two dogs under that roof. That last thing my mom felt we needed was another animal, but I knew with every bit of my heart that Sid and I were supposed to be together. And I was right.

He spent a good chunk of his first year in the basement at my parents' house, hiding from the dogs and keeping my little brother company while he played computer games. At night, when my dad got home from work and heated up his dinner to eat at the kitchen counter while watching NCIS, Sid would sneak upstairs and alternate between untying my dad's shoes and hopping onto the counter to spill his water. When he was young, Sid absolutely loved to overturn water glasses; they fascinated him.

Siddy McPhee was the most loving pet I've ever had. He never hissed when a new cat came into the home and he never really did anything wrong. Sid didn't get hairballs or throw up. He didn't mark his territory and get annoyed with the other pets. He maybe clawed the furniture a bit, but it wasn't much. His only illnesses (beyond that initial HBC) were an ear infection and an abscess that required a dental. He was just... incredibly loving. And I will miss him so much.

I told him today before he left, "I'm pretty sure Heaven has a basement, and I'm pretty sure Pip is down there playing computer games. Say 'hey' for me, wouldja?"

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Published on March 08, 2023 14:53

Life With Arlo: Runaway Edition

I was talking to my friend Annie on the phone this afternoon when I (half) jokingly asked if she had any interest in buying my dogs because they were driving me crazy. "I'll sell 'em for cheap," I offered. Despite the fact that the weather was beautiful, Arlo kept ringing the bell at the backdoor until would I let him out, and then he'd promptly turn around and bark to be allowed back inside. Augusta, having zero interest in going outside, wanted to sit in the hallway and bark at cats. The girl is obsessed with cats, and if there's one thing the cats are not deserving of, it's being barked at. My felines are purrfect; when compared to my terrible terriers, they are beyond perfect.

I decided to take the dogs for a walk, and when this occurs, I like to take them one at a time. My intent was to take Augusta first. Arlo, on the other hand, had a different plan, and when Augusta and I stepped outside, he followed. The problem? He wasn't on a leash.

Taking it upon himself to do whatever the hell he wanted to do, Arlo pranced across the street, urinated on a tree, ran in the opposite direction when I called to him, crossed the street again, and then headed down the block. Fortunately, there was little to no traffic on my road and no other pedestrians at that point in time.

Knowing that my dog is an absolute asshole and generally does the opposite of what I want him to do, I walked in the other direction. Arlo (because he's not actually as smart as he thinks he is) followed. He wouldn't let me get close enough to put a leash on him, though, so I veered right and steered us deeper into the neighborhood, away from the main roads. Being the idiot that he is, Arlo trotted along behind me and then raced ahead, believing that he was leading me. What a jerk.

He became even more of a jerk when he then took it upon himself to poop in one of my neighbor's yards while peeing on a bush at the same time. Talented? Maybe... Impressive? Not at all.

Thank goodness my parents live in my neighborhood because it is their house that he ultimately wanted to reach. Having been guided in that direction, he raced around to the back of their house and found that the fence was closed. So I opened the side garage door and invited him inside... and then trapped him and called him a lot of names that are both hateful and well-deserved.

Once confined to the garage, I was able to put a leash on him, and then I alerted my mom to the fact that we were there. She greeted Arlo affectionately and offered to treat him with an empty peanut butter jar (he loves those), but I wouldn't allow any sort of reward for his terrible, horrible, atrocious behavior. Instead, I walked him home and locked him in the backyard, then took Augusta for an enjoyable walk.

The nice thing about Arlo escaping and causing mayhem is this: My friend Nina called because she was walking her dogs, Leo and Brisket, when she spotted my idiotic Airedale unleashed on the sidewalk. She wanted to make sure he was okay, and then told me that the woman from the laundromat had seen Arlo out and about and was apparently knocking on my front door. Nina explained that she was pretty sure I was aware of the problem. (We hadn't yet spoken on the phone at that point). That's pretty nice though, isn't it? That people care about my dog, I mean. And care for him.

Although Arlo and I aren't yet on speaking terms, I imagine we will be by later this evening. Because he's so cute, he's hard to stay angry with for long stretches of time, but he annoys me more than just about any pet or person I've ever met before...

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Published on March 07, 2023 15:13

Running Through the Words, 13

Thirteen.

“Is the vegetable garden still arranged alphabetically?” Nol asks, coming to stand beside Juli. The sun, hot on her back, feels good. She’s spent the past two hours inside, camped out at the tall oak table in the chilly kitchen while Addy and another staff member peel potatoes and debate how many chicken skewers to prepare. They’d been speaking quietly, making the conversation difficult to catch, but Nol hadn’t been especially interested in their words since the house was sharing a story of its own. Or maybe the narrator had been Noni herself, with her lilting accent and extra syllables added to the beginnings of words.

She’d arrived at the Brewhaha before eight, wanting to spend time in the heart of the farmhouse before it opened its doors to the public. Addy had invited her to join him on his side of the bar and she’d sat for a long time at the oak table, running her fingertips over its marred surface and wondering about all of the meals that had been served there. And then a strangely cadenced voice had whispered in her ear, “Far a-too many to count.”

After that, the tale of Isabella Crocetti and her relocation from California to Pennsylvania came in a rush. It was all Nol could do to keep her hands from cramping and her wrists from tingling. She’d pause periodically to shake out her arms, but it felt like such a foolish risk to break contact with her laptop for even a minute; she didn’t want to miss a single word of the house’s story.

Now, lingering at the edge of the garden, Nol watches as Juli squats to examine a leafy plant, plucking ripe strawberries from viney stems and placing them in a wicker basket. He’s wearing his standard Converse, their soles scuffed and dotted with splatters of paint, and a pair of faded jeans. His cotton tee appears equally well-worn, its hem frayed and a hole the size of a quarter residing in the vicinity of his left armpit. When he turns to face her, Nol can see the all-in-capitals words printed across his chest: I HATE REEL BIG FISH. “Everything on the property’s in alphabetical order,” Juli says, his eyes squinty because of the sun. “The orchards, the gardens, the hops.”

“How long’ve you had that shirt?” Nol counters, momentarily losing her focus and spontaneously redirecting the conversation.

Juli glances down at his chest in order to read the upside-down band name. When he realizes why she’s asking, his mouth forms a skewed grin. “A good fifteen years at least, maybe longer. Are they still your favorite band?”

“Of course! You don’t really hate ‘em, do you?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t be wearing this shirt.”

“Reel Big Fish was my first concert, you know. Bas and Bert took me to see ‘em in New York.”

“Oh, I remember. You told me all about it that day I stopped by to install a ceiling fan for your mom. Aaron Barrett signed your ticket stub and the only thing you could think to say was ‘Thank you.’”

“‘Thank you so much,’” Nol corrects, a flush coloring her cheeks. “At least I was polite.”

“True. So why’re you wondering about the gardens? Did something happen?”

“It did, but it wasn’t anything to do with Charley,” she answers before he can ask the question. “It was about Charley’s grandmother, Isabella… or Noni, I guess, since that’s probably what Charley called her. I have another question for you, though.”

“Shoot.”

“Do you have any idea where Isabella died?”

Juli thinks for a minute, tugging on his lip ring while he searches his memory for an answer. Eventually he shakes his head apologetically and admits he has no idea. “If Charley ever mentioned it, I’ve forgotten. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I think I’m going to head into town and drop by the library. I wanna do a little research before heading home.”

“Wait. You’re calling it a day already? Is it even noon yet?”

“It’s eleven-thirty.” Magnolia can’t help but notice the disappointment in his tone. At least, she thinks it’s disappointment. Maybe it isn’t; maybe she’s merely hearing what she would like to hear.

“Are you coming back after the library?”

“I doubt it.” She leans over to scratch a bug bite on her leg and explains, “Bas and I are gonna grab dinner later. I don’t know… maybe we’ll end up here? I was going to let him choose the place, though, and he’s partial to the Tavern.”

Juli adds another couple of strawberries to the basket, popping one into his mouth and rocking back on his haunches. His narrow eyes twinkle as he looks up at her. “So you’ll be here tomorrow morning?”

“I won’t have time. I need to get back to the city.”

“Damn… Short visit this time, huh? When do you think you’ll be back?”

Nol shrugs and tries to mask the smile threatening to reveal itself. She’s never been great at reading men, but the prospect of disappointment in Juli’s words is seeming more and more likely. “I’m not sure. July, possibly? It kinda sucks driving down here just to spend a night or two, so I might try to schedule a longer visit for sometime next month. It’s not like I don’t have the vacation time… I just don’t want to overstay my welcome with Bas and Lucy, you know?”

“You can stay with me,” Juli volunteers. “I’ve got an entire upstairs apartment that’s not being used. If you wanna borrow it for a week or whatever, just say the word.”

Nol isn’t sure how to interpret this offer. On the one hand, an invitation to stay at Juli Singer’s house sounds promising. On the other, an invitation to utilize the upstairs apartment screams friend-zone status. The enthusiasm she’d felt only moments ago quickly dissipates as she forces an appreciative grin. “Thanks. I’ll let you know next month, okay?”

She turns and heads back in the direction of the farmhouse, wanting to retrieve her laptop and other belongings before today’s lunch crowd infiltrates the Brewhaha, but pauses when Juli calls after her.

“Nol!”

She glances over her shoulder but doesn’t spin the whole way around to face him.

“I mean it,” he reiterates, hoisting himself to his feet and standing there with a basket of berries looped over his arm. He looks absolutely adorable… and equally unattainable. A crooked little smile flits across his lips before he says flatly, “The apartment is yours if you want it. You can stay there as long as you need. All summer if that’s what’ll help. Just… let me know, okay?”

“Yeah, I will.”

Tears prick at the backs of her eyes as she walks away, but she won’t let them fall.

“You probably think I’m completely crazy at this point in time. Am I right?”

Nol drags a sweet potato fry through a puddle of ketchup—a combination she very much appreciates and one Sebastian adamantly disputes—and glances sheepishly up at him, waiting for confirmation. She’s just finished sharing the details of her time spent at the Brewhaha, covering everything from the mysteriously whispered stories to the vanished room with its stained glass window, and is nervous to witness her almost-brother’s reaction. It seems probable that he will laugh, but she couldn’t continue to avoid the question; Bas has asked her about her visits to the old farmhouse on at least ten different occasions. He’d wanted an answer.

“Nol,” he says now, piercing her with his ice-blue gaze, “if you hadn’t written that story about my parents and Doc all the years ago…? The one with the princess and the minstrel and the—”

“I know which one you mean.”

“Yeah. If you hadn’t written that? If I hadn’t read for myself the story you continue to insist my mama shared with you? Then yeah: I’d probably think you were crazy. But you did write it, and I don’t think you’re crazy, and… I mean, the house showed one of its rooms to you.” He dunks a buffalo wing in a small dish of blue cheese and dons a smug grin. “Let me remind you that you were the one who thought I was crazy when I originally mentioned those disappearing rooms. Remember that?”

“I do.”

“But I was telling the truth.”

“You were.”

He gnaws off a big bite of chicken, chews thoughtfully, and eventually reaches for his beer. “So what’d you learn at the library? It sounds like you were there for a while. Anything interesting?”

“Well, I was mostly checking obituaries. Morbid, huh?”

Bas lifts his shoulders in a maybe-maybe-not type of gesture.

“The first one I looked at was Spencer Henry’s. He died on his land, right there in the orchard. His son found him. And then, somewhere along the way, someone sold the property to Jasper Lane.”

“Alright…”

“Get this, though: both Isabella and Jasper also died at home. It sounds like Isabella had been sick, and was in the hospital for a while, but when it became clear she was going to die, Jasper took her home. From what I can tell, she passed away while surrounded by family.”

“What about Jasper? He was a friend of Doc’s, you know.”

“I did know that actually! It was mentioned in the obituary!”

“I’m betting he could tell you some stories about Jasper and that old house if you wanted to ask him. He’s kinda tottery these days, but his mind’s still sharp as a tack. If you ever wanna visit him, I’ll tag along.” Bas smothers another wing in blue cheese, preparing it for consumption. Before embarking on the mission, he prompts yet again, “So what’d you learn about Jasper?”

“He died on the property too. In the barn. He was brewing beer at the time. That was his favorite pastime, it seems.”

“Hence the Brewhaha. ‘Good beer and good times.’” Bas wipes his fingers on his napkin, smearing wing sauce all over the polyester-blend cloth. Then he tosses it aside, plucks a final piece of celery from his plate, and crunches it in half. “Charley established the Brewhaha in order to keep her grandfather’s memory alive. I do know that. She was a cool person.”

“So you knew her?”

“Not well. I just met her a few times in passing.”

Nol stares at her plate, wondering if she has room in her stomach for the remaining handful of fries. Deciding she’s full enough, she lays her utensils across the dish. “Charley died at the farmhouse too. That’s what her obituary said.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sebastian lifts his beer, tilting it so the golden liquid seems to lean to one side. “She was out there among the hops,” he says softly, “and it was snowing. That’s what I heard, anyway. But, you know, maybe that was just a rumor.”

“Were she and Juli…” Nol wants to ask the question, but something prevents her from speaking the final word. Maybe it’s because she’s afraid to hear the answer.

Sensing this, Bas quirks his mouth in the subtlest of smiles. “Together?” he prompts, his voice barely more than a whisper. “They were, yeah.” He’s quiet for a few beats, measuring his thoughts and formulating how he’d like to verbalize them, and when he settles on the best possible wording, he says, “I think, Nol—and I doubt that you’re gonna wanna hear this—but I think she was probably the love of his life.” He gives her a sympathetic look and reaches across the booth to grip her hand. “And I think he’s still really hurting from the loss of her.”

Nol takes a shaky breath and holds her bottom lip between her teeth, biting it hard. She will not cry. She will not cry. She will not cry. And somehow, with eyes that are still remarkably dry, she admits, “I suspected as much.” Because she had.

Sebastian squeezes her hand before releasing it. “You know,” he says softly, considering the situation, “the person who probably knew Charley best is Addy. He and Juli are pretty tight as well. I’m not saying you should talk to him… but he might have some answers.”

“You don’t think that would be weird?”

“I mean, it would be weird if I broached the subject, yeah. But you, Nol…? You’re the person who used to bombard me with questions about menstrual cycles and the pull-out method. You’d ask me how many sexual partners I’d had and I’d actually tell you. Granted, I was basically bedridden and couldn’t get away from you… but you’ve definitely got a knack for exploring topics that aren’t normally discussed. Is it weird? Sure. But it’s also a gift.”

Magnolia can’t help but smile. It’s a watery smile, but it’s a smile.

“Thanks, Bas.”

“You’re welcome. You know I love ya, right?”

She swallows hard before nodding. “Yeah, I know.” And she does. She has never doubted Sebastian’s affection for her. She just wishes someone else, at some point in time, could appreciate her as much as he does.

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Published on March 05, 2023 07:25

Trivia Recap: 3/2

The Players: Hannah (English teacher), Mary (English teacher), Darren (math professor), Ben (not a chemist)

Hint of the Day: Beaker

Opening Category: ChatGPT

Round One:

These were the categories: ChatGPT; Comedy Stars; 3 Clues, 1 Homophone; NBA History; Muppet Miscellania. Here's a neat thing: Before being given any clues, we already knew the answer to ChatGPT would be "Generative Pre-trained Transformer," the answer to NBA History would be either "Will Chamberlain" or "Hershey," and the answer to Muppet Miscellania would be "Beaker and Bunsen Honeydew." And we were right. In addition to acing all of those things, we also knew some Adam Sandler trivia and a thing or two about homophones. It was a perfect round.

Round Two:

This was also quite good. As per usual, we made the audio round our bonus category. Alliterative Audio was fun. Ben, Darren, and I knew "Maggie May," Darren knew the title of "Barely Breathing" and Ben and I knew the words (which was not helpful), and Mary knew "Tik Tok." It's A Scandal went find, as did Geometry Class (duh! we've got Darren on our team!) and US State Word Games, which was fun. Which four states end with the letter N? I'll put the answer at the bottom so you can figure it out. The best question had to do with Autobiographies, though, and the answer was "Pamela Anderson." There was a bonus, however, if you knew the name of Pamela Anderson's character on Baywatch and Ben figured it out. At first he suggested DJ, but Darren was like, "That's Full House." Once Ben said the initial-thing, though, I was like, "Yes. Was it AJ?" And Mary thought AJ sounded right but Ben was all like, "No. That's not it." And then he went deep into that spongy brain of his (that houses more content than any normal person's brain; it's surprising he and Darren don't have heads that are a good three feet in diameter!) and came up with CJ. And Darren asked me if I could be fine with CJ and I absolutely could because it felt right and it was! And Ben said that of all the things he knew last night, that was the thing of which he was most proud because it's not like he was an avid Baywatch fan or anything. He just had that in his head and was able to come up with it and it was great. Kudos to Ben!

Halftime:

The top half consisted of stills from hyphenated movies and the bottom half was slogans that went along with sporting events. We got 16/20.

Round Three:

As it so often is, this round was a bit random and tricky. With categories like Presidential Potpourri, Asian Nations, Letting It Snow (see what I mean by random?), They Played Me In A Movie, and Alliterative Rock Bands, we did alright but didn't ace it.

6 - 4 - 2:

"Davy Crockett" was the answer and we got it for four points.

Round Four:

This round was kind of tricky too. The NFL Record Book, American Businesses (we missed this one), Actors and Their Current Roles, Creatures of Folklore (we missed this one too), and Listen to this L.P. (we missed the bonus) were the categories.

Final Round:

Plot Twists. Ben figured it out about three words into the clue. The answer was "Jurassic Park." This put us in first place and we went home winners. Next week's opening category is Don McLean's "American Pie."

Four states that end with the letter N: Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

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Published on March 03, 2023 15:05

Come & Go So Quickly

I should have written this blog on Sunday or Monday, but I didn't feel like it because I've been very busy writing a new novel and I really like it a lot so I haven't felt like writing anything but my new novel. Understand?

However, I had a lot of fun this past weekend and this is why:

On Saturday, my friends and I gathered at my mom's house to talk about a different book I wrote that's called Come and Go So Quickly. It's my favorite thing of all that I've written and I was excited to discuss it. Everyone liked it and I got some valuable feedback, but here are the highlights...

We played my favorite wine label game, which requires people to buy wine based on the label and then relate that label back to the plot, theme, or characters in the novel. Literally EVERYONE brought their A-game, but Amy took home the prize (an original piece of Hannah Rae art that will eventually be the cover of Uptempo, Down) because she tied her label back to Ruby and her flowers and Bas, Bert, and Lucy. Biz told me her favorite book so far is Come and Go So Quickly, which pretty much made my year. I am always trying to write something that will become one of my fans' new favorites, and until this past Saturday, I've failed every time. My mom and Amy both said kind things about Sebastian. Amy thinks Bas is needy (he's not) and my mom always compares him to Bert (she's a Bert girl), so therefore, Bas is criticized a lot. It's sad, you know, because I love Bas more than most people. Fictional people and real people. Theresa brought me two more cans of my favorite chickpeas. ❤️ Buddy planted an inkling of an idea in my head that might be the start of another book idea. I'm still puzzling over that one...

Here's a picture of everyone in attendance:

Here's a picture of Buddy, the deeeeeeelicious blue cheese-stuffed shrimp that she made, and me:

And here's a picture of my favorite chickpeas:

(Gosh, I love those...)

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Published on March 01, 2023 17:01

Running Through the Words, 12

Twelve.

“Let me take care of dinner tonight,” Nol requests.

Despite the air conditioning, one can tell it’s a humid Saturday morning: the air is hazy and the sunshine is strong. Lucy has just loaded the coffee maker and turned it on. She busies herself with mug acquisition and the fixings for breakfast: granola, strawberries, and milk. Magnolia, dressed in lightweight sleep shorts and an overly large tee, sits at the kitchen counter and stifles yet another yawn. She didn’t get into Lake Caywood until after ten o’clock last night. It’s obvious she’s tired. Dark smudges linger under her eyes and her shoulders are slumped. Lucy wants to tell her to go back to bed for another hour or two, but that would defeat the purpose of arriving yesterday in order to get up early today, so what Lucy says instead is, “Kathryn and I are actually doing a girls’ outing—shopping and a late lunch—so how about you feed Bas? Cook for him, take him out for dinner… I don’t care. Just make sure he eats something.”

“Is he not eating? The way you say that makes me think he isn’t.”

“No, he is… He’s just not eating well.”

“Like… he’s eating unhealthy stuff?”

“Like… he picks at his meals and doesn’t eat much. He looks skinny to me.”

Nol dumps some granola into a bowl and slices two strawberries on top of it. “Are you worried about him? Should I be worried about him?”

“At this point? No. Neither one of us should be worried. But I am slightly concerned he’s taking on too much right now. Emotionally, I mean. It can’t be easy for him to watch Bert go through this. To see him this weak. And scared. And, you know, Bas doesn’t want to talk about how any of that is affecting him. He just wants to do. He wants to keep showing up and taking care of Bert and, I don’t know… I think it can’t be good for his mental health. I actually suggested he get in touch with Ria, the therapist he saw after his accident, but…”

“He refused?”

“He said he’d think about it,” Lucy amends, “which I took to mean ‘no.’”

Nol sighs and shovels a spoonful of granola into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “You know,” she muses after a substantial silence, “‘concerned’ is just a synonym for ‘worried.’ You said you’re not worried, but you are concerned, and they’re essentially the same thing.” She smiles glumly and mashes a strawberry with her spoon, turning the milk a pale shade of pink. “I’ll see if I can get him to open up. Maybe we’ll have a night of sibling bonding at the Tavern.”

“He’d probably benefit from that. Thank you, Nol.”

Bas ‘n’ Lucy ‘n’ Bert.

The childhood mantra comes back to Lucy now, running circles in her head and spiraling to the core of her thoughts. She is concerned about Sebastian, yes, but she also understands why he’s moving at a hundred miles per hour one hundred percent of the time. It’s for the same reason she’s fixated her energy on worrying about him: so she doesn’t need to focus on her own feelings regarding Bert’s health.

Bas ‘n’ Lucy ‘n’ Bert.

It’s true that she’s always been a part of the equation, but she’s not oblivious to the equations within that equation. The Bas ‘n’ Lucy piece of it, for example. What the two of them have—the physical, sexual chemistry that sizzles her senses and leaves her lips feeling as though they’ve been singed after even the softest kiss—is very different from what the boys share… but what they have together is no less powerful.

There had been those college years when Lucy was almost completely subtracted from the equation. At that point in time, the formula had consisted of Bas ‘n’ Bert, Bert ‘n’ Bas. And that’s still the ratio that takes precedence each time the members of Flannel Lobster pack their bags, board the bus, and head out on tour, dividing their time between unfamiliar stages and hotel rooms that all look alike. They’ve explored the world together, and witnessed things Lucy can only begin to imagine… and she doesn’t pretend to understand the complex brotherhood that they share, but she knows it is powerful.

She knows, too, that Sebastian feels more than he’s probably aware of right now.

And if she’s being honest, Lucy feels more than she’d like to acknowledge as well. Because that’s the final quotient. The Lucy ‘n’ Bert aspect of the equation. It may appear to lack the strength of the other dynamics, but it has its own history. Its own power. And Lucy is hurting too.

“What are you thinking about over there?” Kathryn asks now, putting on her right turn signal and claiming a parking spot not far from the entrance to Creative, Inc. It’s a glorified art supply store, carrying everything from paints and canvases to decorative homegoods, and the only place Lucy really needs to spend money today. She has a list and she’s hoping to purchase everything on it; with the proper materials, Penelope the clown will come to fruition.

She sighs and climbs out of the car, looping her purse over her shoulder. “I’m thinking about Bert and the Pink Pumpkin Plunge and how I can design a fat suit that will allow him to easily pee if he needs to. And, I mean, all the other emotions that go along with thinking about Bert these days.”

“How’s he doing?”

“As well as can be expected, I guess. On the days that he feels alright, he’s the old, boyish Bert. But on the days when he’s sick…? It’s just hard to see him like that. He’s not someone you ever really think of as being down and out, you know? He’s always so…” She shrugs, not bothering to conclude the sentence.

“Vibrant?” Kathryn prompts. “Happy-go-lucky? Perpetually childlike?”

Lucy laughs. “Yes. He is definitely all of those things. And he is also so excited about this clown costume. I want it to be perfect for him. I get the impression it’s his light at the end of the tunnel. As of right now, his last chemo treatment is scheduled for the Wednesday before Halloween, so if everything goes as planned, the Pink Pumpkin Plunge should be a celebration of sorts. Plus, I mean… Halloween is his favorite holiday.”

“Rex mentioned something about the fundraiser last week. He’s typically not a kid who plans ahead, you know? But he’s already talking about what he and his friends are going to wear when they jump in the lake. Something to do with Marvel Comics. I think he’s just excited to play a role in supporting Bert.”

“He is seriously the sweetest kid, Kathryn. I checked in on him this morning at the shop before heading over to your place. He told me not to worry and to ‘have a good time with my mom. She could really use a friend.’ What’d he mean by that?”

Kathryn exhales slowly and tucks a clump of frizzy hair behind her ear. “Oh, jeez… Did he really say that?” She directs her gaze at the ceiling and blinks several times. At first, Lucy mistakes the gesture for an eye roll, but it takes only a second to realize her friend is trying not to cry. “Hey,” she coos softly, placing a hand on Kathryn’s back. “What’s going on?”

“Well… to make a very long story incredibly short… I told Will that I want a divorce.”

“You did?”

“I did. Two weeks ago.”

Perhaps what Lucy should feel upon hearing this announcement is intense sadness for her friend—and there is some of that because Will Edwards has been a part of Kathryn’s life for more than two decades—but mostly what she feels is joy. Massive amounts of joy. Rather than cheer, however, Lucy provides a comforting hug and a sympathetic sigh. “How long have the boys known? Today was the first day Rex hinted at anything…”

“We told the kids last night.” And then she corrects, “I told the kids last night. Will sat there and pouted, playing the victim like he does, and miraculously managed to begin every single sentence with ‘Your mother.’ ‘Your mother thinks it would be best…’ ‘Your mother has decided…’ ‘Your mother told me…’ He can be such an asshole sometimes.”

Lucy would argue that Will’s actually an asshole all of the time, but she keeps this to herself.

“So I’m moving out and the boys are thinking about who’d they’d like to live with and everything is pretty much a shitshow right now. And it sucks.”

“Hold on. You’re moving out? Where are you going?”

“Do you remember my coworker Lucas? His father’s a realtor and he found a little three-bedroom, one-bathroom rancher for me to rent. It’s over near the Marina—not too far from Bert’s place, actually—and I’m able to move in as early as next weekend. If you and Bas aren’t doing anything and wouldn’t mind hauling a load or two from the house to the rental, I’d really appreciate it.”

“As far as I know, we’re both available.”

“I hate to ask Bas for more help. He’s already devoting so much time to Rex and his driving.”

“Honestly, Kathryn? I think he enjoys it.”

“I don’t see how… Riding shotgun with that boy behind the wheel is downright terrifying. I was having heart palpitations before we even got out of the driveway. And when we hit downtown traffic? Yikes. My foot was a permanent fixture on that invisible brake…”

Lucy stifles a laugh. “To hear Rex tell it, you’re not the world’s greatest passenger.”

“That little shit,” Kathryn grumbles goodnaturedly. Then she veers her cart down an aisle cluttered with mirrors and wall art, continuing, “Seriously, though… I will owe Bas if he can successfully teach my kid to parallel park. For real.”

Although the occurrence isn’t new by any means, Lucy still hasn’t grown accustomed to hearing Kathryn offer words of praise regarding Sebastian. In high school, she’d disliked him. In college, she’d despised him. The word “hate” was frequently employed when speaking about him and if she felt obliged to use his name, she spoke the three syllables as if they carried a bitter, sour taste. Like a chewed-up tablet of aspirin.

The animosity had stemmed from her loyalty to Lucy, of course:

Bas’s actions had confused Lucy, so Kathryn had developed a strong distaste for Bas. Bas had hurt Lucy, so Kathryn vehemently loathed him.

And then Bas had returned to Lake Caywood, broken and battered and spiritless after the hellacious accident that nearly claimed his life, and somehow he and Lucy had reconciled their misunderstanding. And somewhere along the way, Kathryn had allowed herself to see the side of Sebastian that had always been Lucy’s kryptonite. And amazingly, he had managed to win her over.

Although Bas had never disliked Kathryn with the same level of passion she felt for him, he had also never been a fan. To this day, he is still wary around her, admitting to Lucy that she makes him feel as if he’s walking on eggshells. “That she’s always quietly judging me, just waiting for me to fuck up again.” But he’s kind to her. Mostly because he’s kind to everyone, but also because Kathryn is largely responsible for the success of Flannel Lobster. Had she not asked them to open for The Bedsheet Ninjas all those years ago, the band’s talent would have likely remained undiscovered.

Lucy follows a step behind Kathryn, pausing to examine the price tag on a row of vertical hooks that could be used to hang mugs in her pottery shop. If it were ten dollars cheaper, she might add it to the cart, but she resists the urge and strides after her friend instead. “I know I’ve said this before,” she begins, companionably bumping her elbow against Kathryn’s, “but I’m gonna say it again: I am so happy—”

“I know, I know,” Kathryn groans, glancing away and attempting to hide her smile. “You’re so happy I’ve finally come to my senses and have an appreciation for Bas. I get it. I was wrong, you were right. Now… what sorts of supplies do we need for this clown costume? Where’s your list?”

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Published on February 26, 2023 13:09

Running Through the words, 12