gallery, a Gemini, Lord help me.”
Ella shook her head from side to side in a knowing way since she had found out through her limited foray into astrology that Gemini’s were the sign most likely to cheat.
“After two years of sheer bliss he dropped me like a hot potato for a new artist in town…..a glass blower.” Roz put her chin down and raised her eyebrows.
“Ew,” grimaced Ella.
Roz continued, “So I packed my cat, two dogs, and a cactus in my MINI Cooper and started driving, kind of like Forrest Gump when he took off running. I just drove aimlessly until I couldn’t go any farther, and that’s how I ended up here.”
Ella stood perfectly still, her only thought, “My God you must really be attached to that cactus.” But then Ella realized that the cactus was Roz’s “Old Finnegan.” Roz had uprooted herself from her home, her business, and all that she knew, and the cactus was her connection to all that she knew before, just as Old Finnegan was the tie that Ella had to her old life, her parents, and her time at Saint Stanislaus, ties to Ella’s grandparents and family whom she had never met. She now understood why Roz traversed the country with a cat, two dogs, and a cactus in a vehicle the size of a matchbox.
Ella smiled and took out the small sheet of paper from her jean pocket. “Could you tell me where Cemetery Road is?”
“Sure,” replied Roz. “It’s two streets due west and runs parallel to the street you’re on which is Waterfront Street. You going to make a visit to a deceased family member?” Roz asked, curious about this attractive girl, clearly traveling alone.
“Unfortunately that’s where the cottage is I’m renting. I’m afraid it’s going to be too close for comfort to the cemetery by the sound of the address,” Ella said with a frown.
“No, no,” Roz said in a comforting tone. “You’ll have the perfect neighbors. It’s the living you need to worry about.”
Roz was of course more right than she knew. “It was nice to meet you Roz,” Ella said with a genuine smile. “Thanks for the directions.”
“Call me Raz, everyone else does.”
“O.K. Raz. I’ll see you around,” said Ella.
“See you around, Belle,” answered Roz.
Ella let the door shut behind her. She was actually getting used to the name Belle, as if she’d had it her whole life.
“Go with it, Hon. Especially if it’s going to help save your life,” BeBe would have said.
“You’re right Momma,” Ella said under her breath as she freed Old Finnegan from her Huffy Roadster. She mounted the bike and flung Old Finnegan across the basket. She went down the next cross street and arrived at Cemetery Road which was only about a hundred yards long and was indeed bordered by an old cemetery down the entire length on the west side. The opposite side of the road was less foreboding with cutesy, one story coastal cottages with porches across the front, some screened, some not. The cottages were all painted bright, beachy colors with contrasting trim. There was a salmon bungalow with blue trim, a yellow one with periwinkle trim, and others with various happy colors. The next to the last house was painted beige with brown trim. Ella aimed her bike down Cemetery Road and headed for the tan bungalow without looking at the street numbers. She pedaled her bike up the little slope into the driveway and immediate saw the black, metal numbers 2-0 on the column closest to the front door.
“Bingo,” Ella said aloud. She had always been given drab houses to live in while she was hiding out. She assumed The Bureau thought the less attention the better. What they really didn’t understand was that this dreary looking cottage actually did stand out because it was neutral and bleak unlike every other cheery house that lined the street.
Ella did like the fact that her little house had a screened porch off the side. This would allow
Ella shook her head from side to side in a knowing way since she had found out through her limited foray into astrology that Gemini’s were the sign most likely to cheat.
“After two years of sheer bliss he dropped me like a hot potato for a new artist in town…..a glass blower.” Roz put her chin down and raised her eyebrows.
“Ew,” grimaced Ella.
Roz continued, “So I packed my cat, two dogs, and a cactus in my MINI Cooper and started driving, kind of like Forrest Gump when he took off running. I just drove aimlessly until I couldn’t go any farther, and that’s how I ended up here.”
Ella stood perfectly still, her only thought, “My God you must really be attached to that cactus.” But then Ella realized that the cactus was Roz’s “Old Finnegan.” Roz had uprooted herself from her home, her business, and all that she knew, and the cactus was her connection to all that she knew before, just as Old Finnegan was the tie that Ella had to her old life, her parents, and her time at Saint Stanislaus, ties to Ella’s grandparents and family whom she had never met. She now understood why Roz traversed the country with a cat, two dogs, and a cactus in a vehicle the size of a matchbox.
Ella smiled and took out the small sheet of paper from her jean pocket. “Could you tell me where Cemetery Road is?”
“Sure,” replied Roz. “It’s two streets due west and runs parallel to the street you’re on which is Waterfront Street. You going to make a visit to a deceased family member?” Roz asked, curious about this attractive girl, clearly traveling alone.
“Unfortunately that’s where the cottage is I’m renting. I’m afraid it’s going to be too close for comfort to the cemetery by the sound of the address,” Ella said with a frown.
“No, no,” Roz said in a comforting tone. “You’ll have the perfect neighbors. It’s the living you need to worry about.”
Roz was of course more right than she knew. “It was nice to meet you Roz,” Ella said with a genuine smile. “Thanks for the directions.”
“Call me Raz, everyone else does.”
“O.K. Raz. I’ll see you around,” said Ella.
“See you around, Belle,” answered Roz.
Ella let the door shut behind her. She was actually getting used to the name Belle, as if she’d had it her whole life.
“Go with it, Hon. Especially if it’s going to help save your life,” BeBe would have said.
“You’re right Momma,” Ella said under her breath as she freed Old Finnegan from her Huffy Roadster. She mounted the bike and flung Old Finnegan across the basket. She went down the next cross street and arrived at Cemetery Road which was only about a hundred yards long and was indeed bordered by an old cemetery down the entire length on the west side. The opposite side of the road was less foreboding with cutesy, one story coastal cottages with porches across the front, some screened, some not. The cottages were all painted bright, beachy colors with contrasting trim. There was a salmon bungalow with blue trim, a yellow one with periwinkle trim, and others with various happy colors. The next to the last house was painted beige with brown trim. Ella aimed her bike down Cemetery Road and headed for the tan bungalow without looking at the street numbers. She pedaled her bike up the little slope into the driveway and immediate saw the black, metal numbers 2-0 on the column closest to the front door.
“Bingo,” Ella said aloud. She had always been given drab houses to live in while she was hiding out. She assumed The Bureau thought the less attention the better. What they really didn’t understand was that this dreary looking cottage actually did stand out because it was neutral and bleak unlike every other cheery house that lined the street.
Ella did like the fact that her little house had a screened porch off the side. This would allow
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