LITMIR.BIZ

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Is that you?”

      “Margaret?” Why in the world would her next-door neighbor be calling her? Color drained from her face as she realized something had happened to Dakota. “Dakota? Is he okay?” Fear clutched her heart.

      “Oh, he’s fine, he’s fine—shush, sister, I’m getting to it,” the woman on the line told someone in the background.

      Margaret and Mary, twin sisters who had lived next door since Carolyne and her husband had moved in thirty-five years ago, well over eighty now, still bickered as they did when their parents were alive and living in the house with them. “Getting to what? Margaret?” Carolyne asked patiently of the one on the phone. Sometimes she had to prompt the sisters because the two would get so caught up in their own conversation they’d forget who they were actually talking to.

      “It’s not much, dear,” Margaret said now, and Carolyne didn’t believe her for a minute. She wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t much…

      “But,” Margaret continued, “we wanted you to know we’ve missed you and so has Dakota. Has he called you much?”

      Carolyne took a slow breath and held it for a moment. The two women were up to something. She could sense it. They weren’t going to tell her immediately, however. She’d just have to wait them out.

      Seating herself in the chair next to the Princess-style phone, she crossed her legs. “No, not today. It’s been about a week now since we’ve talked.”

      “I thought as much.”

      “He’s a busy man,” Carolyne defended her son.

      “Is he ever. No, sister, she said he was busy. Busy. Now just wait until I’m off the phone. Carolyne, are you still there?”

      Carolyne nodded. “Yes, Margaret. As I said, Dakota has his own life. He doesn’t need me there or calling him constantly.”

      “I’m not so sure about that.”

      Margaret dropped that last sentence and utter silence filled the phone line.

      Now they were getting somewhere. But what was this all about? “Why do you say that, Margaret?”

      “Well, I’m not one to tell tales, now. You know that, Carolyne dear, but then, when I feel something isn’t right, I’m not one to go hide, either. I’m not some fainthearted girl who simply swoons every time I see something like, well, you know…”

      No, she didn’t know.

      “So, I’m glad it was me that saw it. Yes, sister, and you, too. She always thinks I’m trying to best her, Carolyne. Anyway, we saw it. And I felt it my duty to call you.”

      Margaret took a deep breath, but before she could continue, Mary’s voice came across the line. “There’s a strange woman on his front doorstep.”

      “Mary. Get off that extension and let me handle this!”

      Carolyne held the phone away from her ear, frowning. Margaret was usually the more practical of the two. What was going on?

      “You aren’t telling her about the shenanigans, sister, so don’t you tell me to get off the phone.”

      “If you would give me a minute.”

      Carolyne sighed. Confused, but determined to wade through their chatter to find out just what was going on, she raised her voice firmly, “What woman?”

      “I don’t think she’s addled or slow, mind you,” Margaret butted in over Mary. “To be honest, I don’t recognize her at all and I’m sure that Dakota won’t either. Anyway, we’re about to go over and talk to her.”

      “We thought about reporting her to the police—” Mary added.

      “She’s drinking.” This from Margaret who attempted to cut Mary’s words off.

      “And she’s dressed, well…indecently,” Mary added, not to be outdone.

      “Black boots up to her thighs,” Margaret supplied.

      Alarmed, Carolyne sat up straight, both feet coming to rest on the floor. “Boots to her thighs?”

      “And what she’s wearing would make anyone blush,” Mary said outrageously.

      Alarmed, Carolyne tried to tell herself not to overreact. “I’m sure there’s some explanation…”

      “There sure is,” Margaret said bluntly. “Your son needs you. He’s not eating supper at home and not getting home until late at night. He’s gotten to where it’s as late as midnight or more before he makes it home and now this woman is on his doorstep. He’s ruining his reputation!”

      “Well now, sister,” Mary interrupted, “I wouldn’t say he’s ruining his reputation, but it is obvious that he needs Carolyne back home.”

      “It’s scandalous,” Margaret sounded knowing.

      “Maybe I should call him,” Carolyne’s mind whirled in a tizzy over the conversation these two women were attempting to have with her.

      “He’s not home yet. Believe me, if he was, I’m sure that woman wouldn’t be lolling out on the front porch like she is.”

      Mary added, “If you were here, everything would be fine. It seems like as soon as you left, Dakota went wild.”

      “He always was the wilder of the two,” Margaret butted in to say.

      “I have to agree with sister on that. But I think this is all some mistake. Dakota is a fine man. Still, he has no one here and I think he’s lonely.”

      “Lonely?” Margaret scoffed. “He’s so busy he doesn’t know what lonely is. Carolyne, we tried calling Pastor Cody at the church and he wasn’t there. He’s making an early day of it, which means he’ll be home soon. If you want my advice, I’d suggest you get home as soon as possible. I think your son needs you.”

      Carolyne’s mind raced.

      Dakota didn’t need her at all. He was a grown man. Just as her daughter, Susan, was a grown woman.

      But hadn’t she just been thinking about returning home?

      She missed Texas and it was getting too cold here.

      She missed her church and the familiar sounds and ease of her own house.

      Of course, Dakota didn’t really need her, but would it hurt to go ahead and return home early?

      “Carolyne, did you hear me?”

      “Yes, Margaret, I did. Let me call the airlines, talk to my daughter and see what I can get done, all right?”

      “Oh good,” Mary said breathlessly. “I’m so glad you’re coming back. We’ve missed sitting out on the porch with you in the evenings.”

      “Never you mind that, sister,” Margaret admonished. “Her son is under attack and she needs to be here to restore his reputation. Now, get off the phone so I can hang up. Carolyne needs to make plans.”

      Carolyne heard a click and then Margaret added, “We’ll be watching for you.”

      “I need to make plans first,” Carolyne argued.

      “No, Carolyne. You need to be here for your son,” Margaret’s uncharacteristically soft voice touched Carolyne. “Please, hurry home.”

      Carolyne heard a click and shook her head.

      She hung up the phone and then sat staring at it, unsure what was going on at her house. Dakota had been so busy that he rarely had time to call; and when he did, his reports were always filled with what he had to do the next day.

      She hadn’t pushed talking about how he was doing because he was just so busy.

      Maybe she should have.

      Could

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