A Week From Sunday (11 page)

“Come in and have a seat,” he said warmly.

I guess he does have some manners after all,
Adrianna thought.

Before seating herself, Adrianna hesitated. Glancing up from her end of the table, Lola looked anything but happy to see her. Adrianna raised her head and looked directly at the woman. “Am I intruding?”

“Certainly not,” Quinn answered before Lola could open her mouth. “I wanted to talk to you about Jesse before I left for work.”

“You work days
and
nights?” Adrianna asked with surprise.

“I leave the tavern around midnight,” he answered with a wave of a half-eaten piece of toast. “Gabe does most of the work anyhow. After I leave, he shuts everything down.”

“That doesn’t give you much time to sleep, does it?”

“A fella can’t get much done if he spends his time sleeping.” He chuckled. “Besides, my job at the mill pays the bills. If they cut back hours, I’ll have more time to spend at the tavern.”

“But Quinn,” Lola said through lips puckered into a pout, “I was hoping that if they cut back at the mill you’d have more time to spend here at home with your family.”

Quinn looked at Lola strangely, the corners of his mouth turned down in a slight frown, before glancing in Adrianna’s direction. She looked from him to Lola with questioning eyes.

“Did you see if Jesse was awake?” Quinn asked, breaking the silence.

“He was still asleep.” Lola frowned. “I wish you would do something about that dog he keeps in his room. Every time I go in there, he growls at me.”

“Cowboy wouldn’t growl at you if you tried to be friends with him. Jesse told me you kicked him,” Quinn chastised the housekeeper. “Thing is, dogs have memories like your old grandmother . . . they don’t forget anything.”

Stifling a laugh, Adrianna nonetheless beamed broadly. “The dog’s name is ‘Cowboy’? That’s sort of unusual, isn’t it? Most dogs are named ‘Rover,’ ‘Blackie,’ or ‘Spot.’”

“Cowboy fits the pup,” Quinn explained, his gray eyes fastened to her face. “He’s the sort that likes to roughhouse and run about on his own. What about you? Do you have a dog at home?”

“I like dogs, but I’m afraid we couldn’t have one. They made my father sneeze.”

Lola, resenting the sudden attention Quinn was giving to Adrianna, got up from the table in a huff and went to pour more coffee for herself and Quinn, completely ignoring the other woman. “That dog is far more trouble than it’s worth. He eats everything in sight. Right now he’s sick and threw up all over this morning. He should stay outside,” she said.

“Cowboy is sick?” Quinn asked.

“It’s what I said. He threw up this morning.”

Like a cloud passing over a clear sky, Quinn’s face suddenly turned from mirth to seriousness when he added, “That dog means the world to Jesse. What’s the matter with him? Did he eat something spoiled? As soon as he quits throwing up, he stays where Jesse wants him to stay.”

“I don’t know what’s the matter with him,” Lola said defensively. “He probably got out and ate someone’s garbage.”

“Well, keep an eye on him. Jesse would be heartbroken if something happened to that dog.” Turning from Lola, he asked, “Would you like some coffee, Annie?”

“Are you talking to me?” she responded, turning to face him.

“It’s your name, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not. My name is Adrianna.”

“I like Annie better.” He shrugged. “Now, how about coffee?”

“I can get it myself,” she answered, rising from the table and going to fetch her own cup. “I don’t want to cause more work for Lola.”

Quinn caught the barb of sarcasm in her words. It was as obvious as the stars in a clear night sky that Adrianna knew Lola resented her being there. He’d given Lola strict orders to be civil to the new boarder. Apparently, he hadn’t made himself clear enough.

Draining the last of his cup, Quinn stood up. “Now if you’ll both excuse me, I’m going to check on Jesse.”

Lola’s eyes followed him as he left the room. After she’d heard the sound of the door to Jesse’s room closing, she sat her cup down on the table with a bang. As she stared at Adrianna, her eyes were full of malice. It wasn’t until that very moment that Adrianna fully realized the extent of the woman’s hatred.
Is she afraid that I’m going to try to steal Quinn away from her?
She certainly didn’t need to worry about that. They came from two different worlds.

“I don’t want you here,” Lola hissed.

“It’s obvious,” Adrianna answered, and she set her cup down gently.

“A decent woman would be embarrassed to live with a couple about to be married.”

The shock of the woman’s words hit Adrianna square in the chest.
What on earth is she talking about?
Quinn had never mentioned anything of the sort. “I didn’t know you were engaged to him.”

“We’re keeping it a secret for the time being because of Jesse. Quinn is afraid that the boy will become agitated thinking I was taking his brother away from him. He could even end up in a home for cripples.” With a sneer, she added, “Besides, I have no idea what you could possibly do for Jesse that I haven’t.”

“I might be able to give him more time,” Adrianna answered defiantly, screwing up her courage and straightening her back. “The household chores certainly seem to take up much of yours.”

“Yes, they do. There’s a lot of work to be done around here,” Lola replied, completely failing to recognize the true meaning of Adrianna’s words.

“I can see that.”

With a wayward eye, Adrianna looked at the dust that caked the furniture and the curtains that hung at dirty windows. She’d hate to even hazard a guess as to the last time they’d been washed.

What in the world does this woman do all day?

Seeing the door slightly ajar, Quinn pushed it open and went into the room. Cowboy lay on the bed beside Jesse, who in turn sat with his back propped against the headboard. He was looking at an issue of the
Saturday Evening Post,
one of the magazines Gabe had brought him.

Quinn greeted his brother warmly. “I didn’t know you were awake.” He tried to keep his eyes from roving over the boy’s thin frame. “Why didn’t you call out?”

Jesse looked up and grunted. “I knew you’d come sooner or later.”

Quinn reached over and scratched behind Cowboy’s ears before gently tugging at the dog’s neck in order to coax him from the bed. The dog stood and stretched, then wagged his long tail happily, glad to see Quinn.

Quinn had found Cowboy when the dog was just a pup. He had been wandering along the side of the road that led from town to the mill. The dog’s long black and white hair had been full of cockleburs, his paws were cracked and sore, and he had been tired and hungry. But from the moment Quinn had brought him home, Cowboy and Jesse had been inseparable. Most anytime Jesse had ridden his bicycle into town, Cowboy could be seen trailing along behind. After a while he became protective of Jesse and had once jumped on the back of a boy who’d accidentally knocked Jesse to the ground when they’d been playing ball. Even after Jesse had found himself in the wheelchair, Cowboy had remained a loyal and steadfast companion.

“Are you ready to use the bathroom?” Quinn asked.

“I guess so.” Jesse frowned. He seemed agitated, as if something was preying on his mind. Finally he spat it out: “How am I gonna pee in the can with that strange woman in the house?”

“Tell Lola to close the door and reach under the bed for it, like you always do.”

“Aw, shit,” the boy swore. Quinn couldn’t imagine what the difference would be with Adrianna in the house, but it had been a long time since he’d been fifteen. “How long is she gonna be here, anyway?”

“I’m not sure. Dr. Bordeaux thinks she might be able to help you.”

“Help me? How the heck is she gonna do that? She isn’t no doctor.”

“Maybe she can help you in ways that don’t have anything to do with your legs,” Quinn explained as he sat down at the foot of the bed. Cowboy took it to mean that he didn’t have to move either and lay back down. “For one thing, she could help you with your schoolwork. The teachers will send books to the house. There’s no reason why you can’t graduate next year if you put your mind to it.”

“How’s all that going to help a cripple?”

“You keep calling yourself that and you’re going to start believing it,” Quinn chided his brother. “What happened to you didn’t do anything to your brains, did it?”

“Sometimes I’m not so sure.”

“Do me a favor and at least give it a try.”

“That’s the same thing you told me when Lola showed up,” Jesse explained. “You said it’d only be for a while, and she’s been here for months. Now you’re gonna have two women lazing around the house doing nothing but listening to
Ma Perkins
and
My Gal Sunday
on the radio.”

“Is that why you don’t like Lola?”

“That’s only one of the reasons I don’t like her,” Jesse said with exasperation, dropping the magazine in a heap on his lap. “If she kicks my dog again, I’m gonna throw that slop she brings me to eat right back in her face! She’s only here for one thing, and that’s to get her hooks into you. She doesn’t care if I lie here all day with nothing to do.”

“You can mark one of those worries off your list,” Quinn said reassuringly, laying one hand on his brother’s leg. “I’ll never marry anyone you don’t like. That’s a promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

Quinn stood up from the bed and moved the wheelchair close to the side. He threw back the covers, lifted his brother in his arms, and set him in the chair. “Let’s get you to the bathroom, and then I’ll come back and empty your pee can. After that, I’ll tell Lola to clean up this room.”

Once Quinn had maneuvered Jesse’s chair into the hallway, he lifted the boy and took him into the bathroom, setting him on the toilet. While his brother took care of his business, he filled the lavatory with warm water and handed Jesse a wet cloth to wash his face and hands.

“You’re going to need a haircut soon, kiddo,” Quinn joked.

“Oh, boy,” Jesse groused.

“At the very least, you should have a bath. I can’t tell who smells worse, you or Cowboy.”

Even with soap on his face, Jesse shot his brother a hard look. “Very funny!” the boy said sarcastically. “With a mouth like yours, maybe you should have a comedy show on the radio!”

Dressed in shirt and pants, his hair mostly tangle free, Jesse was wheeled into the kitchen by his brother. Adrianna and Lola had been sitting quietly since shortly after Quinn had left the room, but now the cleaning woman’s demeanor changed drastically.

“Well looky who we have here!” she exclaimed excitedly, rising from her chair and rushing to the boy’s side. She tried to fuss over him, pushing his hair back from his forehead with her fingers, but he moved his head to avoid her touch. “Let’s get you some breakfast! I’ve got toast and the strawberry jam you like.”

Through it all, Jesse ignored her, his eyes locked on Adrianna. He hadn’t really looked at her the night before and now, upon closer inspection, he had to admit she was quite pretty. Compared to her, Lola looked like a floozy. Something about her reminded him of one of his teachers at school, although he noted that she looked like she hadn’t done a hard day’s work in her life. She might even be kind of snooty. He couldn’t stop a smile from curling his lips at the thought of her playing the piano at the Whipsaw.

Before Lola could continue her fussing, Quinn interjected. “I’ve got to get going. Somebody make sure Cowboy gets out a time or two during the day. Poor fella is probably chomping at the bit to get outdoors.”

“He doesn’t mind me at all,” Lola said.

“If you kicked me,” Jesse spat, “I wouldn’t mind you either.”

“I didn’t kick him, honey,” Lola explained weakly, trying to lay the sweetness on thickly. “I was just pushing him away with my foot. All I wanted was to move him out of the way.”

“Bullshit!” Jesse blurted out, stifling Lola. As soon as he swore, Jesse glanced at Adrianna. She showed no reaction to the crude language and continued eating her toast.

Quinn stepped in and moved Jesse’s wheelchair up close to the table. He then leaned down to say softly, “You better watch your language, Bucko. We’ve got a lady in the house.” Turning to Adrianna, he added, “I’ll be off now. You and Jesse can figure something out, I suppose. Maybe you could help him with his schoolwork.”

“I’d like that,” Adrianna said, flashing a wide smile. “What grade are you in, Jesse?”

“I just finished the tenth grade,” he muttered.

“Do you have any books? Have the teachers given you any assignments?”

“Yeah, I have a couple that my teacher brought me,” he said a little louder. He straightened up a bit in his wheelchair and looked directly at Adrianna. “But she’s only been here a couple of times. Like everyone else, she thinks I’m a lost cause.”

“Well, I sure don’t think that way. As long as you have your wits about you, and it certainly seems to me that you do, you can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Yeah . . . I guess so.”

Quinn stood at the door listening to the conversation. Maybe Miss High-Toned Moore had more gumption than he’d given her credit for. Smiling, he slammed his hat down on his head and went out the door.