Lilacs for Laura Read online

  Cover Art by Kim Mendoza

  The Wild Rose Press

  PO Box 706

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0706

  Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

  Publishing History

  First White Rose Edition, 2008

  Print ISBN 1-60154-333-6

  Published in the United States of America

  Lilacs For Laura

  Chapter 9—Heat Wave

  Laura’s stomach clenched. No! This couldn’t be happening...

  “Grandma! I’ll be right there. Hold on!” She covered the phone and called, “Mama! Something’s wrong with Grandma!”

  Emily bolted from the back room and snatched the phone Laura held out to her. “Kate, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m going out there,” Laura announced. “Call 911!” she yelled as she raced out the back door.

  She’d never driven so fast through Crystal Falls. Her heart hammered as she shot down a back alley and cut through the cemetery to avoid traffic on the square.

  Steam rose from the asphalt on Route 3 and she pressed her foot to the floor. The Camaro bogged in the heat. “Come on, you old piece of crap!” she yelled at the hood. Finally it thunked into overdrive. She roared up the road until Rose Hill Drive was in sight. Slamming on the brakes, she fishtailed around the corner, flew up the road, and slid into her grandmother’s driveway, spitting gravel.

  She jumped from the car and ran into the house. Her grandmother lay panting on the kitchen floor. Horrified, Laura rushed to her side. Grandma couldn’t die. The family’s pillar of strength, she was lying in a crumbled heap.

  “Gram, what’s wrong?” Laura bent over her.

  “Water,” she whispered hoarsely.

  Frantic, Laura hurried to fill a glass with water. She gently helped her grandmother lean against the wall so she could sit up to drink. Kate balanced herself with one hand on the floor while Laura helped hold the glass.

  “You’ll be fine, Gram. Just get this water down.” Laura tried to be reassuring, but panic hovered beneath the surface.

  Her grandmother shook so badly, she spilled more water down her blouse than she got in her mouth.

  “More,” she demanded.

  Laura nervously fetched more water as sirens wailed in the distance. She breathed a sigh of relief. Kate took the glass and guzzled it down, swallowing most of it this time.

  “Grandma, what happened?” Her voice squeaked as she refilled the glass again.

  “Fell. Couldn’t get up.” Sweat streamed down Kate’s forehead and soaked the bandana wrapped around her white hair. She wore dirty clothing and muddy boots.

  “Have you been gardening in this heat?” Laura was appalled.

  Somewhat revived, her grandma answered testily, “Just a little weeding.”

  “How long were you out there?” Laura couldn’t believe this.

  “Since lunch.” She scowled as sirens screeched closer.

  “It’s almost five o’clock!” Grandma was a tough old bird, but surely she realized the danger of heat stroke at her age.

  Kate snatched her third glass of water, sloshing some across her lap. She drank it down as the squealing sirens cut off and gravel crunched in the driveway.

  “She’s in here!” Laura flung the door open for paramedics carrying large metal boxes and pointed to her grandmother sprawled on the floor.

  “Hello, ladies.” The two men rushed into the house and unloaded their gear.

  Wiping a dirty hand across her mouth, Kate sputtered, “Who called them?”

  Laura squeezed her eyes shut and wrung her hands.

  The paramedics circled Grandma, bent on their haunches.

  “What happened ma’am?” the handsome one asked.

  “I fell down is all,” she answered with disgust.

  “What were you doing when you fell?” the other asked politely as he wet a cloth and handed it to his coworker.

  Kate looked away and refused to answer.

  Laura piped up, “She’s been gardening since lunch.” Her eyes begged them to talk some sense into her grandmother.

  “Mrs. James,” the first man spoke gently as he dabbed her forehead with the cool cloth. “In this heat, it’s not safe to work in the sun for more than an hour or so at any age.”

  “And I’m an old fart, is that what you’re saying?” The elderly woman narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

  Embarrassment heated Laura’s face.

  “No, ma’am.” He refrained from smiling, but color brightened his cheeks. “Heat like this does a number on anybody. That’s what I’m saying.”

  “Hmpf.” She crossed her arms.

  “We need to take your blood pressure, ma’am.”

  Kate stared him down, arms still crossed.

  “Grandma, let them help you,” Laura pleaded.

  He gently touched Kate’s arm, almost a caress. “Just to prove you’re all right,” he said with a wink.

  This cutie knew what he was doing. She begrudgingly gave him her arm. As he touched her, Kate’s demeanor relaxed. Soon, she fully cooperated with the tests, almost seeming to enjoy the handsome fella’s attention. She even had a hint of smile when he turned to gather supplies. Was Grandma checking out his butt? What would she do next?

  “Mrs. James, you’ve had a heat stroke and you’re severely dehydrated,” the paramedic informed her. “You’ll need an IV to get back in shape.”

  Kate’s mouth dropped open.

  “You may need to stay in the hospital for a few days.”

  “Oh, no,” she balked, pulling away and trying to stand. Dizziness overtook her and she crumpled into his arms.

  Even his cajoling didn’t work now. Grandma fought him, but with the help of his partner, the paramedic carefully laid her on a stretcher and strapped her down.

  Kate finally resigned to the inevitable. With her grandma’s look of defeat, Laura’s assurance turned to drivel.

  ****

  By mid-July, the flower shop was swamped with funeral and hospital arrangements for heat stroke victims. With high temperatures rarely above the low eighties in this part of Ohio, most people didn’t have air conditioning. The elderly especially were unprepared for this kind of heat.

  Along with the hot and heavy weather, Laura’s relationship with Brett took on a fire of its own. She didn’t know whether to be thrilled or scared to death.

  In Riverside, the closest big city to Crystal Falls, waves of heat rose from the asphalt parking lot of the indoor amusement park. Laura held Brett’s hand, happy to be a couple, but still hoping to keep things light and fun. Yet her attachment was growing into much more than friendship. She was falling for him. Hard. And she didn’t know how to stop.

  Even though she didn’t fully trust him, and couldn’t trust her heart, she didn’t really want this feeling to stop.

  They trudged through the heat behind an elderly couple. The man held his wife’s arm as she shuffled along with a cane. Laura delighted at the man’s sweet devotion. How wonderful to grow old with someone who loved you like that.

  At the entrance, Brett stepped ahead of them to open the heavy green door of the expo center. Cool air gushed out as he ushered the couple and Laura inside.

  “Thank you, young man.” The woman smiled at Brett and her husband gave a nod.

  Laura stared over the mass of people and rides. In the center of the cavernous building, skylights curved into the sky to accommodate a giant Ferris wheel. The thought of being that far off the ground gave her a chill.

  “How’s your grandmother?” Brett asked as the elderly couple wandered off. “Chad said she’s home from the hospital.”

  “She’s still not feeling well. I’m worried about her.” She shrugged. “But it sounds like you and Chad get along well.”

  “Chad’s an ace compared to working with my father.” Brett rolled his eyes. He stopped at a ticket booth in front of the Tilt-a-Whirl and put his arm around her. “How about a ride?”

  “Sure.” She smil
ed at him as he purchased tickets.

  “The view up there is awesome,” he said eagerly, pointing two tickets toward the Ferris wheel.

  “Up...there?” Laura said weakly, looking up.

  “Yeah, have you been on it before?”

  “Uh, no.” She put on a brave face, but shivered.

  “They could turn down the air conditioning a notch.” Still holding her, Brett rubbed her arm as they took a place in line. She didn’t respond as the line moved ahead, nudging them toward the menacing contraption.

  “You don’t know what you’ve been missing. You can see for miles through the skylights. A bird’s eye view of the whole city and surrounding countryside. Heck, you can see Crystal Falls.”

  He continued rubbing her arm, comforting her. And he made the ride sound so enticing. Trying to be brave, she molded to his side. They moved along, closer and closer to the gate. Like sheep entering the slaughterhouse.

  A knot of fear tightened in her stomach as Brett helped her into a seat. After he sat beside her, a big burly man banged the bar shut like the clamp of a steel trap.

  “Fine visibility today,” he said with a smile. “Good view all the way to Route 3.” He slapped the metal car, apparently giving a signal, because they jerked backward and up.

  She clung to Brett. He was warm and sturdy. His strong arms wrapped around her, making her feel safer.

  “Are you okay?” He pushed the hair from her face. “You’re white as a sheet!”

  The ascent stopped abruptly as another seat filled.

  “Sir!” Brett called to the burly man. “Sir! Let us off!” He waved one arm wildly as he held Laura with the other.

  The dreaded steel bar clamped shut again, and the wheel ascended rapidly without stopping. They soared above ant-sized people and she buried her face in Brett’s chest.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were afraid?”

  “You said it was awesome,” she said, muffled against him.

  Sunlight shone on his shirt. She peeked out at the skylights. The city of Riverside lay below. A twisted green ribbon of river ran through the center of town, and threads of gleaming streets boxed in Monopoly-sized buildings. The drawbridge opened to let a toy boat pass beneath it.

  “Amazing!” she breathed.

  Brett gave her an I-told-you-so grin. “Having fun yet?”

  With a sidelong glance, she kissed his cheek. He’d been right, but that didn’t mean she could trust him with her heart.

  His adventurous, slightly dangerous side terrified her as much as it gave her a naughty thrill. Just last night he’d driven 85 miles an hour up Route 3, and then French-kissed her on her parents’ front porch. She hoped for an encore tonight. And missed the privacy of her apartment more than ever.

  But right now, her legs dangled and her hair whipped in the breeze. Freedom from gravity both frightened and exhilarated her. Below the skylight, throngs of people grew bigger and closer as she approached the ground.

  At a shooting gallery, she spotted the folks they’d followed in. Inexplicably drawn to them, she watched the old man lower his gun and choose a large teddy bear for his wife. Her heart warmed. That was the kind of love she wanted.

  Her seat whooshed past the floor. The clueless attendant waved at them.

  “Oh, now you pay attention,” Brett muttered.

  She laughed, still clinging to him and slightly dazed, but awestruck at the view around them. With each swipe across the sky, she saw more details in the city below, picking out the courthouse and mall. Beyond the countryside, she truly could see all the way to Route 3. Crystal Falls was hidden in a valley. Only the steeples of Church Street jutted above the trees.

  She realized how she loved that town, and how she was falling in love with the man beside her. Needing them both, she desperately hoped she’d never have to choose between them.

  ****

  August arrived with soaring temperatures. Mercury topped one hundred degrees for a week straight, breaking records all over Ohio. Under the broiling sun, Brett pushed a two-by-four toward a buzzing saw blade. Sawdust clung to his sweat-soaked clothes and skin, but the board cut clean. He tossed the wood onto a pile and flipped a switch beneath the table saw. The jagged blade whirred to a stop.

  Hoisting the heavy lumber onto his shoulder, he carried it up a makeshift plank, and dropped it to the plywood floor.

  “Thanks, bro,” Chad called from the far side of the stifling, stud-walled house. “Lucky for you,” he teased, “we get a record heat wave while you’re stuck doing this blasted job.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Brett yelled over their resumed hammering, glad his boss understood. For months, he’d looked for an engineering job. Now desperate to stay near Laura, he’d even looked for a less-than-perfect job in Riverside, not minding the twenty-five mile commute. But he’d still turned up nothing. Even on the internet, decent jobs required a year of experience. How could he get experience when no one would hire him?

  In frustration, he pounded a nail crooked, ripped it out, and reached angrily for a fresh nail. He hated this job! He was grateful Chad hired him, but he should be designing cars, not doing grunt work. Pounding the hammer fiercely, he drove in a nail until the wood bruised.

  He wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his arm, smearing sawdust across his face and into his hair. Disgusted with the heat, the job, and getting sawdust in his hair, he threw down the hammer and walked to the water jug. He splashed his face clean and took a few cool sips. Then he shook sawdust from his head, pulled the comb from his back pocket, and combed his hair to its usual perfection.

  Dread hovered over him. He couldn’t imagine a future doing a job he hated, and chances were slim to none that he’d find his dream job near Crystal Falls. But he couldn’t imagine a happy future without Laura.

  Chad’s cell phone rang, and he sprinted to the truck to answer it. After an animated conversation, he bounded back with a slap-happy expression.

  “What’s up, dude?” Brett cocked his head in question.

  “Hey, bro, guess where our next job is?”

  “From the looks of you, we got a job at the Taj Mahal.”

  “Is the Taj Mahal air conditioned?” Chad beamed.

  “What are you saying?” Brett’s eyebrows kicked up and his mouth fell open. “We got a job in air conditioning?”

  “Yes!” Chad pumped a fist in the air.

  “No way! NO WAY!”

  “Way, man!” Chad slapped his back, football style. “You know Carter Racing out on Route 4?”

  “Yeah, I applied for a job there, but they don’t build suspensions, only race engines.”

  “Too bad. Big bucks out there. Two million dollar shop...air conditioned.” Chad wagged his eyebrows. “As soon as we finish this job, probably in a week or so, we’re there.”

  “Hallelujah!” Brett hooted. “What’s the job?”

  “Remodeling. Guess the shop layout isn’t working. The trick is we’ve got to stay out of the way.”

  “Hey, cool me off and I can stay out of the way.” Brett grabbed the water jug and dumped it on Chad’s head.

  His boss leaned back in the cool water and let it spill down him. “I’d be ticked if that didn’t feel so good.” He wiped his face and grinned. “So what was that for?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this job before?”

  “I wasn’t sure until now. I didn’t want to get your hopes up.” His face got serious. “Hey, what do you know about Carter?”

  “Not much.” Brett shrugged. “I guess he’s from over in Riverside and his father’s some wealthy businessman or something. Carter seems like a nice guy. Awesome place. Remarkably clean for an engine shop. Almost makes me wish I’d gone that route instead of suspension engineering.”

  “Hmm. That’s a shame.” Chad scratched his head, making his wet hair stick up in all directions. “But you got old man Carter pegged. He owns hotels all along the southern coast. Lives down south most of the year. Max holds down the fort here. I
guess he needs space away from dad.”

  “Hey, I can relate.”

  Chad laughed. “Yeah, but this guy gave Max a trust fund for business ventures. He’s about my age—twenty-seven, twenty-eight—and he has access to millions.” He paused for effect. “Said money’s no object. Just get it done right.”

  “Maybe we can milk this job for the rest of the summer,” Brett grinned from ear to ear.

  “Hey, hey, don’t be messing with my reputation,” Chad teased. “This job ought to carry us through the season, easy.”

  “That’d be awesome.” Brett loved this guy. Too bad he built houses instead of cars. But maybe Carter would come through yet.

  ****

  Laura hit the rewind button as movie credits rolled across the screen of Rachel’s television. Nestled to Brett’s side, she glanced down the hall where her nieces slept quietly. Alone at last. Living with her parents was sure getting old.

  “Sorry I have to go,” he apologized. “Chad expects me in early tomorrow.”

  “I know.” She nodded. “I hope things work out with Max Carter. Maybe once he gets to know you, he’ll hire you after all.” She thrilled at the thought of him getting a job in Riverside. He’d talked about taking a less desirable job to stay with her, and she wanted to trust him.

  “I hope so.” He sounded like he was withholding something.

  But he’d done nothing to make her suspicious. Fear of losing her heart was transforming to fear of losing this wonderful man.

  “Thanks for helping me baby sit.” She suddenly realized how much it meant to her. “I know it’s not an exciting date.”

  He smiled. “Beats spending Friday night watching the fights with my father. We usually end up fighting with each other.”

  How did he live like that? Even though her parents sometimes drove her crazy, she knew it was love that made them overprotective. It didn’t seem that Brett’s father loved him at all. She looked into his eyes with compassion.

  His fingers touched her neck, and a chill raced down her spine. Her eyes fluttered closed as his hand tangled up in her hair. Pulling close, he kissed her. His warm mouth tasted of salty popcorn and sweet cola as his tongue teased her lips. Her every nerve electrified.

  Exhilaration mixed with fear. She hoped one of the girls didn’t wake up and find them making out on the sofa. Risk invigorated her, overriding reason. Her fingers raked through his hair as the kiss grew hungry and intense.