“It’s a shame I hadn’t thought of introducing you to Clara before now. It didn’t really dawn on me until she told me about the job.”

  “Hmm, interesting.” Mike seemed curious to know more but didn’t press the subject.

  “Ms. Covington, I just have one more paper for you to sign and then I’ll get the keys for you. If you have any further questions, I’m usually here every day from nine to five,” the clerk said as she passed a clipboard to Clara.

  “Actually, before I start making phone calls, I was wondering if you could recommend a company to rent a moving truck from?” she asked.

  “I have plenty of recommendations to choose from. The guys always leave a ton of business cards behind. Here, call this company. They’ve always been able to help my clients whenever they needed someone in a pinch.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Sure, no problem. I think you’re all set. Here’s your keys and the remote control for the front gate. If you’d like, you can leave your car here and take a stroll across the grounds to check out where everything is located. Your apartment is move-in ready if you’d like to go and take a look.”

  “Thank you so much for everything. I think I will take a peek, just so I can envision how I want to set up everything.”

  “Perfect. All the best to you, and again, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

  “Will do.”

  Clara walked across the quad to the area where her apartment was located. It was a beautiful spring day with a gentle breeze that flowed from the Patuxent, just a few miles beyond a nearby forest. The one perk about her new apartment was the small balcony that would allow her to see the river from a distance. Clara was going to miss the beach, but the balcony would be a wonderful place to start a new ritual of morning meditation.

  When she arrived at the third-floor apartment, she turned the key and was greeted by the bright sunshine. The aroma of fresh paint nearly took her breath away, but she knew with the help of some fresh air and maybe a few candles, the odor wouldn’t last long. She passed the kitchen to her left and a bedroom on the opposite end of the hall to head straight for the balcony. The apartment was a total of eight hundred square feet, exactly half the size of Joan’s basement. It was the only place within her budget that had additional storage space, so she was determined to make it work. She stopped to inhale the fresh air and take in the views. Next, she would need to secure a truck to rent in the morning and call Mike to confirm her start date.

  On the drive to the truck rental place, Clara activated her Bluetooth and dialed the number to Lighthouse Tours.

  “Lighthouse Tours, how may I help you?” Mike answered.

  “Hi, Mike. It’s Clara, your new assistant.”

  “Clara, what a pleasant surprise. I was just talking to Mackenzie about you.”

  “Really? In that case, I’m sure you know my whole life story by now.” Clara laughed.

  “Ha, not quite. She had nothing but great things to say about you.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so early. Is everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yes, actually everything is moving along better than expected. I’m making plans to move in the morning, and I figured this might be a good time to call and confirm a start date.”

  “So soon? I thought you wanted to give yourself at least a week to get unpacked and settled in,” Mike said.

  “Originally, I was thinking the same. But to be honest, the longer I wait to start means the longer I wait to get paid. I can always unpack over the weekend.”

  “Well, if that’s the case you won’t get any arguments out of me. I need all the help I can get. How does eight o’clock on Monday morning sound?”

  “It sounds like music to my ears. Thank you for the opportunity, Mike. I appreciate it.”

  “Don’t thank me too fast. You might have regrets on Monday when you see how busy we are.”

  “The best way to learn is to dive right in, right? Don’t worry, I’m pretty tough. I can handle it.”

  “Good, then I look forward to seeing you on Monday.”

  “All right, see you then.”

  She pressed the button on her steering wheel to disconnect the call. Clara breathed a sigh of relief. Given the way the week began, things were finally beginning to take shape. Now, if she could just figure out how to get her things boxed up and in a truck by the a.m., she knew everything would be all right.

  CHAPTER 6

  “Mack, can you toss me a roll of packing tape? I have one last box over here in the corner that needs some extra tape, and then we can get out of here.”

  “Think fast,” Mackenzie said as she pitched the tape across the room.

  “Thanks. Hey, maybe we can grab a sandwich on the way to the apartment. It will be noon by the time we pull out of here. I’m sure you’ll be hungry by then.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I normally take my lunch break by twelve, anyway.”

  “I appreciate you taking time off to help me today. I couldn’t have done this without you,” Clara said.

  “I know you would do the same for me.”

  Just then the women were interrupted by the sound of footsteps descending into the basement. Olivia appeared and surveyed the stacks of boxes around the room.

  Olivia had the appearance of a businesswoman who worked on Wall Street. She always dressed in a pantsuit with high end shoes and accessories with nowhere to go. Clara briefly recalled the stories Joan told about this imaginary life that Olivia lived in her head, where everybody believed she was rich and famous. Rumor had it she was a former mortgage broker, one of the best in her field. She gave it all up when she fell in love with one of the top brokers in her division. He offered her the lifestyle she always wanted. A fancy car and a big house, minus children, because that would be too much work. “If she was really rich, she wouldn’t have to flaunt it so much,” she recalled Joan saying.

  Famous for what? Pampering herself and being the most self-centered individual on the face of this earth? Clara thought.

  Mackenzie waited for Clara to speak up, but it was clear she was in a daze.

  “Can I help you?” Mackenzie asked.

  “You can start by telling me your name. I haven’t seen you around here before,” Olivia snarled.

  Clara spoke up.

  “This is my friend, Mackenzie. She’s here to help me move my things. Is there something you need, Olivia?”

  Olivia gave Mackenzie the once over before proceeding.

  “Yes, I’d like to speak to you upstairs, if you have a minute.”

  “There isn’t anything that can’t be said in front of Mackenzie. I’m all ears. What’s up?”

  “All right, then. I have a few legal documents I’d like you to sign.”

  “Ma’am?” Clara couldn’t imagine what she could be referring to.

  “It’s important that we terminate your position the proper way. You know, just to be certain we don’t have any legal matters that surface down the line,” Olivia said.

  “What kind of legal matters?”

  “It’s just a simple form that states you decided to leave early, denied your bonus pay, and you won’t try to return to the property or pursue any legal action against the family estate.” Olivia placed a pen and the papers on the box in front of her.

  “Eh em.” Mackenzie cleared her throat while giving Clara a look.

  “Olivia, I have to say, you never cease to amaze me. I thought maybe there would be a chance that we could end on a peaceful note.”

  “I’m coming to you in peace, but who’s to say down the line you won’t decide to turn on the family? I would think for the sake of Joan’s memory, you wouldn’t do such a thing, but one can ever be too sure.”

  While Clara looked at Olivia in utter disbelief, Mackenzie stepped forward and spoke up for her.

  “Olivia, I know this is none of my business,” she began.

  “Then stay out of it.” Olivia snapped.

  “As her friend, I’m not going to do that. Clara is exhausted. The last forty-eight hours have been filled with very little sleep and a lot of stress and worry. Perhaps she can take your papers, have them reviewed by her lawyer, and get back to you.”

  All three women stood quietly, waiting for the other to respond. Finally, Clara asked Olivia to leave the papers for her to review.

  “I’m sure you can give me a few days to get settled. I’ll make it a priority to look things over next week and get back to you,” Clara said in a monotone voice.

  “Fine. Be sure to leave your copy of the keys in the foyer before you go.” Olivia stormed off in her Louis Vuitton heels, never to be seen for the remainder of the day.

  Clara mashed the brakes of the smelly U-Haul truck while backing into a space. Her brunette friend pulled in the next parking spot, driving old Bessy, with her cool sunglasses on. Clara considered how thankful she was for her friend’s support and positive outlook. Mackenzie always saw the good in life and in others. The glass was always half full in her opinion and according to her, this situation would be no different.

  “I don’t know about you, but I say we take a break to eat these sandwiches and then get started. Maybe we’ll get lucky and catch a couple of guys who wouldn’t mind lending a helping hand,” Mackenzie said.

  “Sounds good. If you grab the sandwich bags, I’ll grab the soda cases, and we can spread out on the living room floor and have ourselves a picnic.”

  “You have fun with that. I’m going to check out the balcony breeze you’ve been raving about,” Mackenzie said while heading upstairs.

  “What was I thinking? The balcony is a perfect place for lunch. Just don’t let me get too comfortable. We still have a lot to do, and I can easily see myself taking an afternoon nap.”

  “You and me both, girl,” Mackenzie agreed.

  The girls spread out on the balcony to eat and continue their conversation.

  “So, how does it feel to have your own place now?” Mackenzie asked.

  “I don’t know, to be honest with you. For starters, it’s empty, and I know that will change, but it feels like a strange place to me. It just makes me think of Joan and how much life has changed in such a quick period of time,” Clara responded.

  “She became more like a mother figure to you, didn’t she?”

  “A mother figure, a friend. You name it. Right before I moved to Maryland, losing my parents was the worst thing that could’ve ever happened to me. I’ll never forget the sound in the officer’s voice when he shared the news of their accident. To this day if I could get a hold of the drunk driver who took them away from me, I don’t know what I’d do to him.”

  Clara wiped her eyes.

  “My self-centered sister wasn’t making things any better. You would think she would’ve been there to help with all the arrangements. But no, not Agnes. She barely spoke two words. That was a time when we needed each other most,” Clara said.

  “I guess everybody deals with grief differently.”

  “Yeah, I guess. She managed to speak up when she thought there would be something to collect from their insurance policies. What a fool! They had enough to cover the cost of their funeral and that was it. Our parents weren’t wealthy. They were hard working and provided us with the most valuable gift of all, their love. Clearly, that wasn’t enough for her. I’ll bet momma would be so disappointed to see the person she has become. And Olivia is no different. She and my sister are like twins from another mother.”

  “Ahh, I get it,” Mack said while setting her soda down.

  “What do you get?” Clara asked.

  “That explains why you have so much venom toward Olivia. She reminds you of your sister.”

  “I’d like to think that I know how to separate the two. My relationship with Olivia isn’t nearly as personal. They just remind me of one another, that’s all. Joan and I used to swap stories for hours. Now, I see first-hand what she was talking about. When I responded to Joan’s ad for a housekeeper, I was looking for an escape. I’ll be forever grateful for the way she took me in. I didn’t even have housekeeping experience when she hired me.” Clara laughed.

  “Hmm, well isn’t that funny. Here you are ten years later starting over with a new job opportunity, in a new field with no experience. You always manage to find triumph out of tragedy.” Mackenzie leaned closer.

  “You’re blessed, Clara. Never forget that,” she said.

  “I can’t disagree with you. I was on the verge of calling my sister, and now I’m sitting here on my new balcony with a job waiting for me on Monday morning.” Clara smiled.

  “Speaking of your new job, I saw Mike this week. He seems really excited to have you on board at Lighthouse Tours.”

  “Thanks for putting in a good word for me,” Clara said.

  “Oh, I told him how much of a hot mess you can be, but I guess he decided to hire you anyway,” she teased.

  “Mack! Come on, I know better. You didn’t say that to him.”

  “Of course, I didn’t. I told him he won’t regret the decision. You should’ve seen the way his eyes lit up when I told him how much the two of you were alike.”

  Clara swatted at Mackenzie’s arm and threatened to pour a small drop of soda on her head.

  “Don’t you dare, Clara. I promise, you’ll regret it,” Mackenzie said.

  “I won’t pour it if you promise to stop trying to play matchmaker once and for all. Mike and I will never be an item, the same way Josh and I will never be an item. You got it?” she said with a smirk.

  “Okay, okay. You don’t have to be so hostile.” Mackenzie surrendered.

  “Now, let’s see if we can get this truck unpacked before five o’clock. I have to pick up my baby girl from daycare by five at the latest.”

  As they were helping each other up off the floor of the balcony, Clara turned toward Mackenzie.

  “Mack, thanks for being such a good friend,” she said.

  “You don’t have to thank me. Just take it easy when we’re lugging that mattress up the flight of stairs.”

  “Ha! I will.”

  Later, that evening Clara made a final trip to the house to give it the once over, pick up Holly, and drop off the keys. She didn’t run into Olivia anymore, nor did she care to.

  Back at the apartment, the boxes and bags were stacked a mile high. She had to establish a pathway just to get from one end of the place to the other. She sat on the floor in pure exhaustion with a box of pizza and Holly by her side.

  “Poor Holly. This place is ten times smaller than what you’re used to, isn’t it, girl?”

  Holly wagged her tail and settled down next to Clara.

  “Now, if I could just figure out where I put my clothes for the funeral tomorrow,” Clara said to herself.

  Thankfully her bed was set up and her furniture was in place, but she was a long way off from creating an oasis that she could call home.

  While searching around for her clothing box, Clara mashed the buttons to dial her voicemail.

  “You have five missed messages,” the automated voice said.

  “Hello, Clara. This is Mrs. Walker. We met earlier this week about the housekeeping position. I had a chance to review your references, and I’d like to offer you the position. Please call me back as soon as possible. I have other candidates waiting to hear back if you’re not interested.”

  Clara immediately hit the delete button.

  “Sorry, lady, no can do. You weren’t exactly warm and welcoming,” she said aloud.

  The next message was from an unfamiliar man with a stern voice.

  “Mrs. Covington. This is Dale from Davidson and Associates. Please call me back at your earliest convenience. Your presence is requested for a very important matter regarding the Russell estate.” He abruptly hung up.

  This time she hit the save button.

  That little witch. Was it really going to kill Olivia to wait a week before she started calling her lawyer! Clara thought to herself.

  The last couple of messages were more opportunities to interview for housekeeping positions, but Clara breezed right past them. If nothing else had come out of this, it was becoming more obvious by the minute that it was time for a major change.

  Clara watched as Holly curled up and nodded off to sleep near the couch. She then surveyed the room looking for the boxes labeled clothing. She may not find the outfit she was planning to wear, but as long as she looked presentable, it would have to do.

  After plunging into several clothing boxes, Clara came across a navy floral printed dress with a narrow belt to hug her waistline. It was a birthday gift from Joan. She always tried to encourage Clara to spruce herself up and go out and meet someone. Sadly, Clara never had the opportunity to wear it until now, which was all the more reason to wear it in Joan’s honor. It would be her tribute to the wonderful woman who gave her a fresh start.

  Clara fluffed the dress and placed in on a hanger to let it air out.

  “Joan, you always did have good taste. I’ll wear it tomorrow in honor of you,” she said aloud while standing back and admiring the dress.

  Her next priority would be to nibble on the rest of her pizza and bathe, but not before stretching across her mattress and staring at the popcorn ceiling.

  “Cheers to new beginnings,” she whispered before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

  CHAPTER 7

  “Ladies and gentlemen, if Aunt Joan were here, I know she wouldn’t stand for a somber gathering of mourners. She would encourage us to celebrate her life and celebrate the lives of those who are still here with us. I could always count on Aunt Joan to be there when I needed her. We were so close, and I’m going to miss her terribly. Today, I beg you to be there for each other. Hold your loved ones near and dear to your heart and tell them you love them.” Olivia bowed her head toward the end of her emotional speech.

  Clara subtly glanced around to see if anyone was buying what Olivia was saying. She agreed with a good portion of it, but the part about them being close was a far cry from what Joan used to say.

 

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