younger woman. “You’ve made it come alive.”
She glanced at the blue gingham curtains and polished wooden floors with their multi-colored blue oval
scatter rugs. Her hand trailed over the freshly laundered slipcovers. “Did you make these yourself?” At
Lauren’s shy nod, her guest’s smile deepened. “I would not have thought it possible to make this old
place shine, but you have.” She sat down on the loveseat. “I am very pleased with how you have taken
care of it.”
Lauren smiled. “I have enjoyed living here, Mrs. Hellstrom.” A shaft of fear went through her. “Have you
sold it?”
“Oh, no. No!” Angeline laughed. “Who would buy a one bedroom cottage this day and age?” She ran
her finger on the end table next to her and wasn’t surprised to not feel any dust. “I am most content to
have you rent the place, Lauren.”
The smile disappeared from Lauren’s face. “I hope I can continue to make the rent payments, Mrs.
Hellstrom. I suppose you heard about what happened at the store.”
Angeline Hellstrom’s face turned hard. “Yes, I did, and that is why I am here.” She sat back on the
loveseat and looked up at Lauren. “Sit down, dear. We must talk.”
Wanting to forestall the moment, Lauren gasped. “Where are my manners? May I offer you something?
Tea, coffee, a glass of lemonade?”
“Nothing for me, dear,” Angeline said, patting the loveseat. “Do come and sit down, Lauren.” Her smile
was gentle. “I promise I won’t bite.”
Lauren’s smile wavered and she sat down nervously on the edge of the loveseat, folding her hands
together in her lap.
“First of all,” Angeline began, reaching out to place her cool hand over Lauren’s. “There is nothing for
you to worry about in regards to this cottage. If, after our little talk, you find it difficult to come up with
next month’s rent, we can arrange something, I’m sure. But I don’t think that will be a problem.”
“Jobs are scarce here, Mrs. Hellstrom,” Lauren said in a small voice. “I don’t even know where to
start looking. Since I don’t drive—”
“Lauren,” Angeline whispered, “I don’t believe you’ll have to look anywhere.” As the young woman
glanced up at her with confusion, Angeline smiled. “I want you to go back to the store. As a matter of
fact, I am thinking of promoting you to sales clerk since both Inez and Karla won’t be coming back.”
“They won’t?”
Angeline shook her head sadly. “Inez just hasn’t been herself since her...accident. And Karla has been
committed to The Chancel over in Louisiana.” She clucked her tongue. “Such a terrible thing, don’t you
agree? At any rate, her family is quite well off and poor Karla is just not herself since that horrible man
brutalized her.”
“I’m sorry,” Lauren said.
Angeline looked closely at Lauren. “I know you are, dear. That’s the kind of sweet person you are.”
Lauren ducked her head beneath the compliment. “But even with Inez and Karla gone, Mrs. Hellstrom,
Mrs. Yelverton won’t want me back. She made that very plain to me Saturday.”
“You leave Louvenia Yelverton to me!” Angeline snapped. “I’ve been thinking of retiring her for quite
some time now. I’ve even thought of dabbling in the store, myself, for something to keep me occupied.”
She bent toward Lauren. “Until that next filthy rich old man comes along!”
Lauren laughed despite herself.
“See? You can laugh!” Angeline patted her hand. “Don’t worry, dear. Things are going to be just as
you’d like them. You’ve got a guardian angel looking out for you, now.”
The smile slowly left Lauren’s face. “Beth isn’t going to be happy to see me back there, either.”
“Oh, yes. The little Janacek girl.” Angeline tapped her lip with her finger. “The two of you had words as
I recall.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lauren admitted. “I’m afraid I wasn’t very nice to her.”
“You probably said no
She glanced at the blue gingham curtains and polished wooden floors with their multi-colored blue oval
scatter rugs. Her hand trailed over the freshly laundered slipcovers. “Did you make these yourself?” At
Lauren’s shy nod, her guest’s smile deepened. “I would not have thought it possible to make this old
place shine, but you have.” She sat down on the loveseat. “I am very pleased with how you have taken
care of it.”
Lauren smiled. “I have enjoyed living here, Mrs. Hellstrom.” A shaft of fear went through her. “Have you
sold it?”
“Oh, no. No!” Angeline laughed. “Who would buy a one bedroom cottage this day and age?” She ran
her finger on the end table next to her and wasn’t surprised to not feel any dust. “I am most content to
have you rent the place, Lauren.”
The smile disappeared from Lauren’s face. “I hope I can continue to make the rent payments, Mrs.
Hellstrom. I suppose you heard about what happened at the store.”
Angeline Hellstrom’s face turned hard. “Yes, I did, and that is why I am here.” She sat back on the
loveseat and looked up at Lauren. “Sit down, dear. We must talk.”
Wanting to forestall the moment, Lauren gasped. “Where are my manners? May I offer you something?
Tea, coffee, a glass of lemonade?”
“Nothing for me, dear,” Angeline said, patting the loveseat. “Do come and sit down, Lauren.” Her smile
was gentle. “I promise I won’t bite.”
Lauren’s smile wavered and she sat down nervously on the edge of the loveseat, folding her hands
together in her lap.
“First of all,” Angeline began, reaching out to place her cool hand over Lauren’s. “There is nothing for
you to worry about in regards to this cottage. If, after our little talk, you find it difficult to come up with
next month’s rent, we can arrange something, I’m sure. But I don’t think that will be a problem.”
“Jobs are scarce here, Mrs. Hellstrom,” Lauren said in a small voice. “I don’t even know where to
start looking. Since I don’t drive—”
“Lauren,” Angeline whispered, “I don’t believe you’ll have to look anywhere.” As the young woman
glanced up at her with confusion, Angeline smiled. “I want you to go back to the store. As a matter of
fact, I am thinking of promoting you to sales clerk since both Inez and Karla won’t be coming back.”
“They won’t?”
Angeline shook her head sadly. “Inez just hasn’t been herself since her...accident. And Karla has been
committed to The Chancel over in Louisiana.” She clucked her tongue. “Such a terrible thing, don’t you
agree? At any rate, her family is quite well off and poor Karla is just not herself since that horrible man
brutalized her.”
“I’m sorry,” Lauren said.
Angeline looked closely at Lauren. “I know you are, dear. That’s the kind of sweet person you are.”
Lauren ducked her head beneath the compliment. “But even with Inez and Karla gone, Mrs. Hellstrom,
Mrs. Yelverton won’t want me back. She made that very plain to me Saturday.”
“You leave Louvenia Yelverton to me!” Angeline snapped. “I’ve been thinking of retiring her for quite
some time now. I’ve even thought of dabbling in the store, myself, for something to keep me occupied.”
She bent toward Lauren. “Until that next filthy rich old man comes along!”
Lauren laughed despite herself.
“See? You can laugh!” Angeline patted her hand. “Don’t worry, dear. Things are going to be just as
you’d like them. You’ve got a guardian angel looking out for you, now.”
The smile slowly left Lauren’s face. “Beth isn’t going to be happy to see me back there, either.”
“Oh, yes. The little Janacek girl.” Angeline tapped her lip with her finger. “The two of you had words as
I recall.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lauren admitted. “I’m afraid I wasn’t very nice to her.”
“You probably said no
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