been around since the house was built. How about some of that Jim Beam and Coke? I could use it tonight.”
She mixed the drink and he gulped it down.
“Another one?” she asked. He rarely drank, only having a couple of drinks when they went out to a nice place for diner or a cold beer after yard work.
Eric sipped his second drink. “I’ll call Mathews in the morning. Of all things to happen. New wells can run thousands of dollars and that’ll sure put a dent into our funds. If that happens, we’ll have to cut our vacation time short and head back home.”
The house suddenly became quiet. Even the crickets no longer chirped.
“Hear that?” she asked.
“What? I don’t hear anything.”
“It stopped! Maybe that’s a good sign. Maybe it won’t be so bad after all,” Lindsay said. “After all, it worked fine all of those years for your grandparents and aunts.”
“Yeah, but look how long the place has been empty. Who knows that could’ve happened in that time.” He held up his glass. “Fix me another, would you? Damn, I guess you were right about this place. Maybe I shouldn’t have jumped at it after all.”
She mixed another drink and handed him the glass. “Now that we’re in,” she said, looking around the newly scrubbed kitchen, “I’m loving the homey feel of the place.”
Although outdated, she had begun to enjoy the comfortable feel of the large room—the soft golden walls with the apples and pears wallpaper, the shelves on the walls holding old mason jars and cookbooks from the Lutheran church’s Ladies Auxiliary. Even the freshly washed ruffled curtains looked just right, something she never thought she’d tolerate for a moment. It all felt homey, somehow, and comfortable, as if she were right where she belonged.
“Ah ha! I knew thish, this ,” he repeated carefully, “old place …” His words trailed off and he grinned. “Shouldn’ta had that lash drink. Been awhile.”
“Well my goodness,” Lindsay said with a grin. “Are you a little tipsy?”
“Reckon so.”
“C’mon, big boy.” Lindsay pulled him to a standing position. “Let’s get you into bed.”
Eric grinned agreeably and arm in arm, they climbed the steps. Upstairs, he stripped off his clothes, dropped onto the bed and promptly fell asleep. Lindsay got him under the covers and within a few moments he was snoring softly. She quickly checked the house, making sure the doors were locked, then undressed and cuddled next to him, tucking the blankets around both of them.
The house seemed to sigh and the air shifted around her. The upstairs landing floorboards creaked as if someone were walking, but she wasn’t afraid. She knew from locking up that no one was in the house. It was simply the sounds of the old house settling.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, the spicy scent wafted gently to her, something familiar lying just underneath the furniture oil. A subtle aroma, yet something her senses recognized and welcomed. A kitchen spice? And perhaps something else she couldn’t quite name. But she didn’t care.
Somehow, the scent comforted her.
She slept.
Chapter Nine
A home inspector and a well-driller contractor spent the next morning testing the water system, and no irregularities were found.
After the last workman left, Eric and Lindsay sat at the kitchen table with some coffee.
“I don’t understand it,” Eric said. “Everything’s working fine.”
“Well thank goodness for that.” Lindsay stirred a sweetener into her own cup. “Maybe now we can think about remodeling the bathroom. That pull chain toilet has to go.”
“What’s the matter?” he teased. “Don’t you like roughing it? At least you don’t have to visit the privy in the woods.”
“That’ll be the day.”
Suddenly, Eric and the kitchen grew smaller and smaller until they faded completely, but she wasn’t alarmed. Instead, it seemed natural, as if she were watching a home movie and one scene faded out so the
She mixed the drink and he gulped it down.
“Another one?” she asked. He rarely drank, only having a couple of drinks when they went out to a nice place for diner or a cold beer after yard work.
Eric sipped his second drink. “I’ll call Mathews in the morning. Of all things to happen. New wells can run thousands of dollars and that’ll sure put a dent into our funds. If that happens, we’ll have to cut our vacation time short and head back home.”
The house suddenly became quiet. Even the crickets no longer chirped.
“Hear that?” she asked.
“What? I don’t hear anything.”
“It stopped! Maybe that’s a good sign. Maybe it won’t be so bad after all,” Lindsay said. “After all, it worked fine all of those years for your grandparents and aunts.”
“Yeah, but look how long the place has been empty. Who knows that could’ve happened in that time.” He held up his glass. “Fix me another, would you? Damn, I guess you were right about this place. Maybe I shouldn’t have jumped at it after all.”
She mixed another drink and handed him the glass. “Now that we’re in,” she said, looking around the newly scrubbed kitchen, “I’m loving the homey feel of the place.”
Although outdated, she had begun to enjoy the comfortable feel of the large room—the soft golden walls with the apples and pears wallpaper, the shelves on the walls holding old mason jars and cookbooks from the Lutheran church’s Ladies Auxiliary. Even the freshly washed ruffled curtains looked just right, something she never thought she’d tolerate for a moment. It all felt homey, somehow, and comfortable, as if she were right where she belonged.
“Ah ha! I knew thish, this ,” he repeated carefully, “old place …” His words trailed off and he grinned. “Shouldn’ta had that lash drink. Been awhile.”
“Well my goodness,” Lindsay said with a grin. “Are you a little tipsy?”
“Reckon so.”
“C’mon, big boy.” Lindsay pulled him to a standing position. “Let’s get you into bed.”
Eric grinned agreeably and arm in arm, they climbed the steps. Upstairs, he stripped off his clothes, dropped onto the bed and promptly fell asleep. Lindsay got him under the covers and within a few moments he was snoring softly. She quickly checked the house, making sure the doors were locked, then undressed and cuddled next to him, tucking the blankets around both of them.
The house seemed to sigh and the air shifted around her. The upstairs landing floorboards creaked as if someone were walking, but she wasn’t afraid. She knew from locking up that no one was in the house. It was simply the sounds of the old house settling.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, the spicy scent wafted gently to her, something familiar lying just underneath the furniture oil. A subtle aroma, yet something her senses recognized and welcomed. A kitchen spice? And perhaps something else she couldn’t quite name. But she didn’t care.
Somehow, the scent comforted her.
She slept.
Chapter Nine
A home inspector and a well-driller contractor spent the next morning testing the water system, and no irregularities were found.
After the last workman left, Eric and Lindsay sat at the kitchen table with some coffee.
“I don’t understand it,” Eric said. “Everything’s working fine.”
“Well thank goodness for that.” Lindsay stirred a sweetener into her own cup. “Maybe now we can think about remodeling the bathroom. That pull chain toilet has to go.”
“What’s the matter?” he teased. “Don’t you like roughing it? At least you don’t have to visit the privy in the woods.”
“That’ll be the day.”
Suddenly, Eric and the kitchen grew smaller and smaller until they faded completely, but she wasn’t alarmed. Instead, it seemed natural, as if she were watching a home movie and one scene faded out so the
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