Миранда Джеймс - Digging Up The Dirt

After she bade Carson good-bye, An’gel ended the call and reached for the phone book to double-check the doctor’s number. Once she found it, she punched in the number and waited for an answer.

“I made a list of the things I think you’ll need.” Dickce pulled a small notepad from her purse and opened it to the page where she had jotted her notes.

“It’s awesome of you and Miss An’gel to buy me new clothes and stuff,” Benjy said, his gaze focused on the road ahead. “But I really don’t need that much, honestly.”

Dickce smiled and shook her head. He was a dear boy and always seemed to be worried about any money she and An’gel spent on him. He had fussed about the car, too, but Dickce knew how thrilled he was to have his own transportation. At nineteen, he needed to be able to come and go on his own, and he was a responsible driver.

“I swear you’ve grown an inch in the past three months,” Dickce said. “Your ankles are sticking out of your jeans, and surely your shoes must be giving you blisters by now.” She glanced down at the ragged sneakers he was wearing. They definitely had to go, plus the boy needed dress shoes and a couple of suits for formal occasions.

Benjy laughed. “That’s thanks to Clementine’s cooking. I have to admit my jeans have been getting a little tight around the waist. I’ve never eaten so much good food in my life.”

Dickce felt a momentary pang. She recalled how Benjy looked and acted when they first met him, back in August. Thin, defensive, shy, and neglected. What a difference good food and affection had made in him.

“You’re still growing,” Dickce said around the small lump in her throat. “So you eat and enjoy. Clementine has perked up considerably, I can tell you, now that she has a healthy appetite to cook for.”

When they reached town, Dickce directed Benjy to the square. Their first stop was the best men’s store in town, where Dickce intended to find the suits, dress shirts, shoes, and ties on her list. After that they would visit another store for casual wear.

By the time Dickce and Benjy finished shopping, nearly three hours later, boxes and bags filled the trunk of Benjy’s car and most of the backseat. Benjy appeared dazed at the amount of clothing and accessories he had suddenly acquired, but Dickce was determined that her ward was going to have a proper wardrobe for the first time in his life.

“Don’t forget about the fitting next week,” Dickce said as she watched Benjy load the final bag into the car. “After they do the alterations we agreed on today, you’ll need to try everything on again to make sure the fit is right. You won’t need me for that.”

“I won’t forget,” Benjy said. He brandished his cell phone. “I’ve already put the appointment in here.”

“Excellent.” Dickce smiled. “Now, I don’t know about you, but shopping always gives me an appetite. I’m ready for lunch.”

Benjy laughed. “I guess it gave me one, too, because I’m starving.”

“The Farrington Hotel is two blocks away. Let’s walk, but be sure the car is locked.” Dickce waited for Benjy to check the locks, then led the way down the sidewalk toward the hotel.

In the entrance to the dining room, Dickce greeted the hostess with a smile and inquired after the woman’s family. Once the pleasantries were finished, the hostess took them to a table in a corner that overlooked the square and left them with menus.

“Doesn’t look like An’gel is going to join us,” Dickce said as she gazed around the room. Her eyes lit on a couple seated at a table in the far corner, partially obscured by a large ficus.

“Now, isn’t that interesting,” she murmured, mostly to herself, while she stared at the man and woman. “ She certainly isn’t wasting any time making a play for Hadley.”

CHAPTER 7

While she waited to be connected to Dr. Gandy, An’gel considered her best plan of attack. Would it be better for her to talk to the doctor in person, or would he find it easier to tell her what she wanted to know over the phone? She decided he would have a harder time ducking her questions if they were face-to-face. By the time he came on the line, she was prepared.

After the doctor greeted her by name, An’gel said, “Sorry to bother you, Elmo, but I was wondering if you could work me in today. It won’t take long, I promise, but I need to discuss something with you.”

Gandy’s voice boomed in her ear when he replied, “I can always find time for you. It’s not your back again, is it?”

An’gel wondered if Elmo realized how loud he was talking these days. To her it was a sure sign of a hearing problem, but whether the doctor would ever admit it, she didn’t know. She replied, “No, not my back. What time should I come by?”

“How about a quarter of twelve?” the doctor said. “Should be done with the morning’s patients by then. I’ve been cutting back, not seeing as many patients the last few months. Thinking about retiring finally.”

Considering that Elmo Gandy was only two years younger than she, An’gel knew he could have retired years ago had he wanted to. “I don’t know what Dickce and I will do when you do retire,” An’gel said. “But if anybody deserves a chance to relax and not work, it’s you, Elmo. I’ll see you at quarter to twelve.”

An’gel replaced the handset and sat for a moment, lost in thought about Elmo Gandy. He had been a widower for the past fifteen years, and after about seven years of widowerhood he began proposing to her and Dickce in turn. Fond as they both were of Elmo, neither sister fancied getting married after decades of happy spinsterhood. Elmo never seemed to take umbrage at the refusals, but he also never seemed to be squelched by them. The proposals came at regular intervals.

“Well, I’ll deal with that when, and if, he proposes again,” An’gel said to the computer screen. She checked the clock and saw that she had about two hours before she needed to dress and head into town for her appointment. Once she was done with Elmo she could drop by the Farrington Hotel and have lunch with Dickce and Benjy if they hadn’t finished by then.

Peanut and Endora dropped by for a visit about an hour later. An’gel stopped what she was doing and gave the animals her complete attention. Though she fussed a bit about Endora and her aloofness, An’gel was actually fond of both animals. Peanut, however, was her favorite, because he was a clever dog and learned everything quickly.

Peanut gazed at her intently while she talked to him. “I hope you listened to what Benjy said about not digging in the flower beds. I really can’t have you making a mess of the yard.” She wagged a finger at the dog, and he barked as if to tell her he understood.

“Good boy.” An’gel patted him on the head before she turned to look at Endora, perched on the arm of a nearby club chair. “As for you, missy, I expect you to behave, too. You’re smart enough when you want to be, so I’d better not catch you digging things up.”

Endora yawned and then began to wash her right front paw. An’gel was not surprised at the cat’s response.

“Okay, you two, y’all go on back to Clementine, and let me finish up.”

Peanut barked and approached the cat. He nudged Endora with his nose, then turned and loped out of the room. The cat rose, stretched, then hopped down and ambled out of the room. An’gel smiled and went back to work.

By the time she was ready to leave for her appointment with the doctor, An’gel had managed to get caught up with e-mail and business matters. She had to tell Peanut and Endora that they couldn’t come with her, and she apologized to Clementine for leaving them in her care. The housekeeper laughed and assured her it was no problem.