“Is that your son and Claire’s grandfather?”
“That was taken two years ago at the Belkin Holiday display. Kevin was so sick – pneumonia on top of a fractured tibia - we didn’t think he could go. The pediatric nurses helped Clem and Claire clean the whole place for a special ‘germ free’ night. He still talks about it, and about his friend, also named Kevin, who died a few months after that photo. Childrens’ probably won’t be able to make the trip this year. Claire can’t figure out a way to accommodate the wheelchairs in her shop.” She turned away, but he noticed she bit her lip. “I don’t know why I told you all that. It was personal, not business, but sometimes the lines blur. Now leave.”
He stepped out into a cold drizzle. The raindrops rolled down his coat, but the gray dampness chilled him to the bone. “I hate this place.”
TRAFFIC PICKED UP AT her shop midafternoon. George caught her between customers.
“I won’t be in later. Dinah’s cousin’s anniversary party is tonight, but I wanted to give you a heads up.”
“Why? Am I invited?”
“No and consider yourself lucky for that. We still have to get some approvals run through, but I think we can move events at the Methodist basement to either the school or the library. Abby Chisolm heard about the trains and called the library to see if they could accommodate her wedding reception – turns out she wants to go into library science. The reception might be interesting – but she said it’s a buffet and people could eat standing up with a few tables and chairs for the elderly. That would make the church available for the Belkin Holiday train display.”
“Traffic flow could be an issue, both inside and out, but we’ll make it work.”
“Peggy has one event left to reschedule, and the library board can’t officially meet and approve a variance until Tuesday, but if you stop by my office Monday afternoon, I should be able to get you keys to the church and a floor plan. It will simplify all those drawings you’ve been making.”
“I might even be able to get a final vision drafted for Wednesday’s open forum.”
“I was hoping you would. I’ll give you the new playground pieces then too.”
She bit her inner lip in concentration. “Could you hold on to those for a few more days? I don’t have much storage space right now. Actually, I have a lot of stuff in storage at Adena. Can we put transportation on the agenda? That ass—I mean jerk—better not give me flack about retrieving the display from storage.”
“Thinking of which, what was he doing here earlier?”
Enough time passed between James’ departure and George’s arrival she was surprised he knew about the former’s visit. Of course, in Belkin, the speed of gossip was faster than the speed of light.
She didn’t want to reveal the personal nature of his visit. She wasn’t sure if it was to protect him or out of self-preservation.
“He wanted to know if I was behind the flaming dog poop someone left on his door.”
George laughed, his gut shaking heartily. “That’s not your style. As I recall, you mostly moved garden gnomes and geese around.”
“They were installation pieces thank you very much.”
“All I know is some of them made mothers cover their children’s eyes before complaining to the police.” He gave her hair an affectionate ruffle. “You never stole anything – just relocated things and you always put everything back right or better. Dinah still has the note you left after the flock of birds’ episode when you returned everything but switched the place of two of her geese for ‘aesthetic reasons.’ You convinced her. She’s kept ’em the way you left ’em ever since.”
She smiled sheepishly, not sure whether to be pleased or embarrassed by her legacy.
“Gotta run, kiddo. But Dinah wants you to come over for dinner. Is Thursday okay?”
“I’ll see you both then.”
As the door closed behind him, she understood why she couldn’t do as Walter suggested and give up on Belkin. She needed this town. The people here knew her. Their long memories and huge hearts served as a sort of embrace. They recognized her need for companionship even before she did. And even though she’d always live in Clem’s shadow, the people of Belkin didn’t hold her mother’s transgressions against her. Moving to the city, any city, would be akin to abandoning her family, and not only the ones in the cemetery.
Chapter 15
Business owner after business owner announced the total money received so far in their train fund jars. Two dollars here, five dollars there. The secretary took notes and the city controller, Anna Klein, worked the calculator. Leading the open council meeting, the Mayor George announced that the city received fast track approval to create a non-profit for Belkin Train display. The crowd cheered. “Don’t get your hopes too high. It has to go through the state and the feds.”
“Sir, citizens.” Anna stood to get everyone’s attention. George waved her to the microphone. “We have six hundred thirteen dollars and twelve cents.”
Claire tried hard not to let her disappointment show, but keeping a neutral face required so much effort, her muscles twitched anyway. So many people used credit cards at her store that she only managed to collect seven dollars and change. That sad number included the ‘starter money’ she dumped in herself.
George swallowed hard as he retook his spot at the podium. “Well, it’s a start people.”
Without overtime and customers, no one would be able to come up with enough money quick enough, but her credit cards had a decent limit, even if she had to be careful how much
