It's Bliss (26 page)

“
I guess that’s a description you young women might use. Yes.”

“
No.”

He was visibly relieved. “Then who?”

“
You and Billie Bliss,” she stated triumphantly.

He stood up abruptly. “You couldn’t have!”

“
But I did. I saw you hugging her twice last Saturday night.”

“
You were out in the bushes
that
night?”

“
Yes, I was, and I had a new set of ant bites on Monday morning to prove it.”

“
Good grief, girl, you are, uh . . . a peeping Tom, or something like that.” Sheldon paced around the small room, scowling and muttering under his breath. He stopped abruptly. “Wait a minute here,” he said, suspicion clouding his face, “what does all this have to do with Billie Bliss dropping out of school and moving away?”

Lora began to wail again. Frustrated, Sheldon sat down and once more waited her out.

Pulling out another tissue, Lora blew her nose and confessed. “I kind of blackmailed her. I asked her what Dean Atwood would do if I told him what I saw.”

Sheldon was stunned. “Good grief!” Thoughts were swirling around in his mind as he tried to piece it all together, then he realized that Bliss had quit school and Project Success to—protect him!

Lora, who had been watching her professor’s face intently, was surprised to see an expression of total relief replace the one of shock. She waited, curious, then his gaze turned on her.

“
Miss Lemmon, your confession has just saved me from a life of misery.”

“
It has?” she asked with wide-eyed astonishment. “If I have, I’m very happy about that, and Dr. Ackerman, if there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know. I would like to make it up to you.”

“
Yes, yes,” he muttered, her remark only penetrating the surface of his mind, which was now at 303 Maple Avenue. Suddenly, her offer got through and it precipitated an idea. He jumped up, excited. “Miss Lemmon, I just might take you up on your offer. I may be contacting you soon.”

He was out the door so fast, Lora couldn’t reply. She watched him get in his car and drive out.

Sheldon screeched to a stop as he came to the end of the driveway. What was he thinking about? Miss Lora Lemmon, like all females, had so confused him, he had forgotten to ask her a very important question. He returned his car to its former position and got out.

Lora, surprised to see him come back, opened the door before he even had time to ring the bell. “What is it, Dr. Ackerman?”

“
May I come in, Miss Lemmon? I forgot to ask you something.”

“
Of course, come in. What is it you want to ask me?”

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, “You’re wearing Billie Bliss’ clothes, living in her apartment. Is this because you are blackmailing her?”

“
Oh no, Dr. Ackerman. I talked to her Sunday night about maybe telling Dean Atwood what I saw. But I felt bad when I got home. I could hardly sleep all night. And the next day I could hardly concentrate in school and at work. I went to see Billie that night and apologized and asked her to forgive me.”

Sheldon was puzzled. “Then why did she give you her clothes and let you live here?”

“
I don’t know, Dr. Ackerman. She just asked if I could meet her here this morning and I said yes. I was shocked at her kindness. I told her that I didn’t deserve it all, but she insisted that I stay here.”

Sheldon frowned and shook his head. “Well, I just don’t know what to say. Good day, Miss Lemmon.” He turned on his heel and left.

On the way home, Sheldon tried to sort it all out. What were Bliss’ plans now that his being disgraced was no longer an issue? His mind, however, soon turned to the idea that came to him when Miss Lemmon offered her help.

Trying not to let his excitement carry him away, he knew what he needed to do before he could pursue it any further. And it had to be done tonight.

All during the meal, Nettie and Don Newman, Sharon and Hal Ozog, and Molly and Robert Bittle had watched Sheldon seesaw between excitement and nervousness. They were more than curious—they were on the edge of their seats. When Sheldon called this afternoon and invited them to dinner at the country club because he had to have their help on something, they knew it was serious. Sheldon’s social habits were usually predictable, so asking them to get together on a Tuesday night was very much out of the ordinary.

They were finishing up their dessert and small talk, when Nettie asked, “Sheldon, when are you going to tell us the reason for inviting us here tonight?”

“
It’s very private. Let’s have coffee in the lounge and I’ll tell you.”

As they all settled themselves in the private room, Nettie, Sharon, and Molly gave each other knowing, yet questioning glances. The waiter came in with the coffee, placing the cups, sugar, and cream on the table between them, and left.

Everyone, but Sheldon, proceeded to add sugar and cream to a cup. He fidgeted, feeling more than a little foolish, and very nervous.

Finally, Robert blurted out, “Come on, Sheldon, out with it.”

“
I . . . uh . . .” He cleared his throat, “I find that I’m,” he cleared his throat again, “I’m in love.”

Molly Bittle squealed. “I knew it! I just knew it.”

“
You did?” asked a surprised Sheldon.

“
We all did,” Nettie said, beaming with delight.

Sheldon looked around at each of them. They were all smiling. “How did you know?”

Hal chuckled. “It was obvious, Sheldon. At the meetings lately you’ve been broadcasting it every time you looked at the lovely Miss Billie Bliss.”

“
You must have realized it before I did then. I’m afraid it snuck up on me.

I need your advice and counsel. As you well know, I’m ten years older than Bliss, and I want each of you to tell me how you feel about this. Can it work with that many years between us?”

“
How does she feel about you, Sheldon?” Robert asked.

“
I don’t know,” he answered, his dark brows furrowing in concern. “But she did do something just recently which showed me that she cares for me in some way. Whether or not it’s in the way I would like, I don’t know. I can’t even begin to find out, unless all of you give me your feelings about the discrepancy in our ages.”

“
As for me,” Robert said, “I can’t say. With some couples, it definitely wouldn’t work—with others it wouldn’t matter.”

“
It does seem, Sheldon,” Hal began, “that Billie Bliss is a very mature young woman.”

“
You have my go-ahead, Shel,” Nettie said, smiling. “I think it might work with you two. I’ve watched you both closely. I think you should at least pursue it and find out for yourself if she minds the difference in your ages.”

Nettie’s husband, Don, grinned. “I go along with Nettie. I trust her feelings.”

Molly and Sharon both enthusiastically agreed with Nettie. Robert, the psychologist and counselor, was the only hold-out, refusing to commit himself either way.

Sheldon beamed with happiness. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of your input. At least, I can now go ahead and pursue it with more confidence.

Thank you. But I do need to tell you that Bliss has dropped out of school, and therefore out of Project Success.”

Everyone registered shock. Nettie spoke up. “Why, for goodness sake, when she was doing so well?”

“
For now, I can’t reveal that until I talk to Bliss and maybe not even then.”

“
How do you know she’s dropped out, Sheldon, if you haven’t talked to her?” asked Hal.

“
She wrote me a note and shoved it under my office door.”

“
Why didn’t she tell you in person?” Robert asked.

“
I think because she knew I would try to talk her out of it.”

“
Well, then,” Robert said, echoing Sheldon’s own thoughts, “you’re free to date each other, now that you’re no longer teacher and student.”

-

Twenty-seven year old Officer Arly Bates had graduated from the Police Academy only two years before and was the youngest officer on the Claytonville Police force. He was still considered a “greenie” by the guys down at the station and they found any excuse to tease him. The latest razzing came over the two episodes he’d had with that silly girl who sat on the anthill.

Since he had just finished taking care of a police call in the vicinity of the Lemmon home and was due for a break, he decided to check on Miss Lemmon and see how she was feeling.

It was 8:00 p.m. and the first time he had seen the Lemmon house while it was still light. He frowned at the sight, wondering if the man of the house were lazy or, on second thought, if there were a man of the house at all.

He got out of the car, walked slowly up to the porch, and rang the bell.

Ella Lemmon peeked out between the blinds, wondering what kind of trouble Lora was in now! She muttered to herself, “All of a sudden it seems everyone wants to see Lora. Can’t have any peace at all.” She padded to the door and opened it.

“
Hello, Officer Bates. Anything wrong?”

“
Hello, Mrs. Lemmon. No, nothing’s wrong. I was in the area and decided to check on your daughter. How is she after that second round of ant bites?”

Ella Lemmon looked relieved. “She seems to be fine, thank you.”

“
Is she here, Mrs. Lemmon?”

“
No, she isn’t. She’s visiting a friend at her apartment, but I can give you the address. Just a minute.” Ella disappeared into the dark interior. After a few minutes, she returned and handed him a piece of paper.

“
Thank you, Mrs. Lemmon, I think I’ll run over there and check on her.”

While driving to the address on the paper, Officer Bates acknowledged to himself that this trip was beyond the call of duty.

Entering the driveway, he saw Lora Lemmon’s blue Volkswagen. He parked a few yards behind the Volks, deciding that the apartment must be at the back of the house. Approaching the porch of the apartment, he noted that it was the correct number. He rang the bell.

A pretty, young woman answered it. She looked familiar and as he stared at her, she turned pale, revealing a few red bumps on her face.

“
Miss Lemmon?”

“
Y-yes, Officer Bates,” she answered fearfully, barely audible.

“
I hardly recognized you.”

“
I hardly recognize myself.” Impulsively she added, “I had a makeover.”

“
You did?” he questioned, smiling at her candor.

“
You’re here to arrest me, aren’t you?” Lora asked, on the verge of tears.

“
But how did you know? Who told you?”

Officer Bates was confused.”Who lives here, Miss Lemmon?”

“
I do.”

“
I thought you lived with your mother.”

“
I do. I haven’t told her yet that I’m going to be living here soon.”

“
May I come in, Miss Lemmon.”

“
Oh, yes, excuse me, come in,” she said, her face crumpling into tears.

“
Miss Lemmon, what is it? Why did you think I came to arrest you?”

“
Because—I’m, uh . . . a Peeping Tom and a blackmailer.” She folded up onto the couch, covered her face, and sobbed—a ululation that threatened to go on forever.

Officer Bates could only stare at her in disbelief. Now what had he gotten himself into? Surely he hadn’t heard right. “Miss Lemmon, will you please stop crying? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She looked up, her cheeks wet with tears. “You don’t? No one sent you here to arrest me?”

“
No. I just dropped by your house to see how you were doing after the last set of ant bites. Your mother gave me this address.”

“
Then, you don’t know?” she asked, about to cry again.

“
I don’t know anything,” he reassured her.

“
Then I’ll . . . I’ll have to . . .to confess,” she stuttered. “It’s true what I said.”

“
I don’t believe you, Miss Lemmon. You’re just a little hysterical. Please get hold of yourself.”

Lora stood up abruptly and held out her wrists. “Go ahead. Handcuff me and take me to the station. I want to get it over with.”

“
Stop this, Miss Lemmon! I think the ant bites have affected your mind.”

“
Come with me if you don’t believe it and I’ll show you.” She led the way outside and over to the bushes. “Just look in there, Officer Bates, and you’ll see an anthill.”

Arly Bates stuck his head inside the bushes and sure enough, he saw an anthill. Pulling his head out, he looked at Lora. “So what does this prove?”

“
That’s where I sat twice. A girl named Billie Bliss lived here and I was spying on her and Dr. Ackerman. Then I came back and told Billie Bliss that I might tell Dean Atwood what I saw, if . . .” Her voice trailed off.

“
This is clear as mud. If what?”

“
If nothing.”

“
Then you didn’t blackmail this Billie Bliss?”

“
Officer Bates, Dr. Ackerman is our professor, and I saw them hugging and I threatened to go tell Dean Atwood that I saw them, if . . .” Again, she stopped.