THE COTTAGE
Chapter 6
Written and illustrated by Elaine Troisi'
Caroline watched Tim a moment longer before returning to the kitchen. She reached for the little pill bottle on the shelf, then withdrew her hand.
For the first time in months, she realized she had gone nearly an entire day without thinking about Amanda.
Well, almost.
She had thought of her while working in the herb garden. But instead of hearing Amanda’s screams or seeing the twisted wreckage, she had pictured her daughter kneeling beside her, picking aromatic basil and giggling with delight.
The memory brought a smile. It was a rare gift.
She turned off the lights and checked the window once more. The rain had slowed. The road was quiet.
The cottage whispered good night as she climbed into bed. She felt safe for the first time in a long while. Was it because Tim was watching out for her?
A soft blanket of dreamless sleep covered her. Somewhere in the old cottage, a floorboard creaked as the house settled for the night.
She awoke to a lovely warm day. She was counting the hours until her dad arrived tomorrow at the Halifax Airport. “ Safe flight, Daddy,” she murmured. She frowned, wishing she could overcome her fear of flying.
While her coffee brewed, she went out to the patio to sweep away debris from the storm and dry the chair. Not a car in sight. She looked toward the barn, but she didn't see Tim about.
Coffee on the patio in the warm sun was a luxury she could get used to. The smell of pine and wet earth combined amiably with fresh coffee. She closed her eyes and soaked it in. The drip of rainwater from the gutter and the distant gulls were mesmerizing.
She thought about how the Liscomb Wilderness was so unlike the heavy smell and noise of Philly. Even though she had a lovely home in trendy Society Hill, she did not miss its modern amenities. Well, there was the food! She licked her lips.
A ladybug landed on her cheek, just as she was about to nod off.
She caught it in her palm. Good luck to you and to me. She flicked her hand and sent it on its way.
“Oh, my, I have to get groceries for the weekend. I'd better be on my way!”
Inside, she jotted down a careful list of supplies. But where to go for groceries and a fill-up, she pondered.
Market options were limited in the backwoods, Clover Farms in Sherbrooke or Foodland in Sheet Harbour. “Hmm,” she sat down, thinking. As much as she loved the quaintness of Clover Farms, she needed a butcher. “Okay then, decision made,” she said, rising.
She put the list and wallet in her backpack, along with her phone and keys.
As she was about to get in her car, a sharp crack echoed from deep in the woods.
Caroline froze.
She looked toward the barn, then toward the road. Nothing moved.
“Tim!” she shouted. No reply. She called out again, "Tim, what do you need at the store?” Still no reply.
She got into the car for the long drive to Sheet Harbour. Just as she did, her phone buzzed. “Daddy,” she whispered. She fished out her phone. Sure enough, it was a text from her dad. “Arriving in Halifax at noon. See you at around 3:00, I hope. I'm so excited!♥️♥️”
She returned with “🥰!!”
All the way to Sheet Harbour, she was singing You Are My Sunshine. It was the song he used to sing to her. She smiled all the way.
First, she filled her near- empty tank at Mika’s Esso. As Mica washed her windows, he said, “Lady, your tires lookin’ low. Mind if I fill ‘em?” She nodded, smiling broadly at this jolly fellow.
Then onto Foodland. Fortunately, this market was full service, which meant there was a butcher. He was a meaty guy himself, but he knew exactly what she wanted. So, she set about doing her grocery shopping first. She picked up a bottle of Lustau, her dad’s favorite sherry, along with Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. She did not know what Tim drank, so she added a Merlot. Then onto the produce for salad fixings, fresh garlic, and potatoes for roasting, carrots, and tiny asparagus. She moved on to fruit. Then to the dairy for a variety of fresh cheeses. On she went, overloading the cart with enough food for twenty guests! Last stop was the butcher. The lamb was perfectly dressed.
At the checkout she saw the battery rack. “I bet Tim needs batteries,” she whispered. “And we do, too.” She bought big ones and little ones for a variety of devices. She also bought two flashlights before checking out.
As she loaded the last box into the trunk, a dark sedan pulled into the far corner of the parking lot.
Two men sat inside.
Caroline glanced away, then looked back. Neither man got out.
A flutter of unease stirred in her chest.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered.
The men were probably waiting for someone. Or checking their phones. Or eating lunch.
Still, she was relieved when she finally pulled onto the road toward Sherbrooke.
She stopped at the Tim Hortons in town for a delicious lunch of corn chowdah and a fish sandwich. She scanned the parking lot as she left— nothing suspicious.
By the time she reached the cottage, it was already 4:00 pm., but she was still feeling relaxed.
As she got out of the car, she looked around to see if Tim was about. She could use a hand with the grocery laden boxes.
As she brought the heavy boxes inside, she wondered where he disappeared to during the day. “Oh, well, it's none of my business,” she said aloud.
The fridge was overloaded by the time she finished. She was so excited about her dad’s visit that she decided to get a head start.
So, she peeled the potatoes. Her mom had taught her how to submerge them in water with a splash of fresh lemon. She put the bowl in the refrigerator. Next she prepared the salad ingredients, bagging each separately for freshness.
By then, the western sky was glowing. It was still lit with tangerine and pink at the horizon. She realized with wonder that she was actually happy, like in the days before the accident.
She squeezed lemons for a jug of lemonade, and filled two glasses with ice and the fresh lemonade. Something told her Tim would show up.
Outside on the patio, she watched the colors fade away as night claimed the sky with stars. “I love this place,” she said.
“So do I,” Tim said. He sat beside her and accepted the glass she offered. “You were expecting me.” A statement, not a question.
“I was,” Caroline said.
He smiled in the darkness.
“But where were you when I lugged in all the heavy boxes … by myself!”
“I wasn't back yet,” he said, explaining.
“From where?” She turned toward him.
“Just here and there, mostly down by the Liscomb. I like to sit on the dock and watch the fishermen come in a day’s end, with their catch.”
He paused, looking at her for a moment too long, then turned away.
They sat in silence.
“I drove to Sheet Harbour today to shop at the Foodland there. Quite a nice little market, though not a Wegman’s, for sure. Have you shopped there?” She was fishing.
“Nope, can't say I've had the pleasure.” His tone was matter-of-fact.
“Where do you shop?” Letting the fishing line out a bit farther.
“Down by the river, like I said.”
Caroline was confused now. She was the one hooked on the line. She changed direction. “Dinner is at 7pm tomorrow,” she said. “You in?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On what's for dinner?” He turned toward her with a broad smile.
Headlights appeared in the distance.
Tim’s smile vanished.
Caroline followed his gaze.
Not again.
“Inside. Now.”
Instead of merely watching from the cottage, she was surprised when he pulled her into the woods where they could observe without being seen.
The car rolled slowly to a stop.
The engine died.
The two men got out.
Again, one remained by the car while the other studied the cottage through binoculars.
Caroline whispered, “Enough already, Tim. Who are they?”
“I wish I knew, Caroline.”
Then one of the men walked toward the barn.
Readers,
Let me know if you are enjoying my new mysterious novel. Watch for my new reel on Facebook today. Remember, I'm listening, so share your thoughts here:
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Thanks,
Elaine