Wildflower (21 page)

“I am dreadfully sorry good people,” she
smiled warmly, “but I must head for home. It is a long drive and my
Hubby needs his rest.” They all smiled at that and Hazel rose to
walk her back to her car.

They walked down the stairs and out to Abby’s
car hand in hand. Abby put Hubby into the back seat then turned and
stepped into Hazel’s arms and hugged her fiercely. “I can never
thank you enough for tracking me down,” whispered Hazel.

“I just couldn’t let it go that way Hazel,”
sighed Abby, her face buried against Hazel’s shoulder. “Once I
understood what had happened I just had to find you again and
explain. Lord, what you must have thought.”

“That’s the whole problem Abby, I didn’t
think, I just reacted. Had I any sense I would have asked you
plainly right on the spot what was up with that, and we could have
saved ourselves a lot of anguish.”

“You may never know just how much. You are
never allowed to run away from me again. Agreed?”

“I promise, my little wildflower,” replied
Hazel as she lightly kissed the top of Abby’s head. “I
promise.”

“That’s so sweet,” sighed Abby. “I like that.
I’d love to stay like this all night, but we are entertaining the
neighbors and they didn’t even pay us a quarter. Promise you will
come visit me next days off?”

“I promise Abby,” whispered Hazel as she
reluctantly released her golden one from her embrace. She so
desperately wanted to kiss the goddess, but was afraid to push so
hard so soon after the reunion.

“Say it like you mean it,” laughed Abby, her
smiling face lighting up Hazel’s world.

“I promise,” laughed Hazel. “Now that I have
your phone number I’ll call you too.”

“Every night?”

“Yes, every night if you want.”

“I do want, Hazel my sweet,” smiled Abby as
she got into her car. “I do want that very much. I have far too
much work that has been neglected lately, so I am not likely to be
back in town for a few days. You will have to call each night or
I’ll get lonely.”

“I will call Abby, I promise,” whispered
Hazel as she closed Abby’s door. “Take good care of her Hubby.” She
stood waving until the car was out of sight, then she turned back
toward the apartment building.

“Abby on her way?” asked Tommy as she
returned. He and Charlie were sitting together on the couch
inspecting Hazel’s book.

“On her way. Tommy, I’m going to have you
killed.”

“What did I do now?”

“Oh hell Hazel, I know you’re madly in love
with the woman, but..,” Hazel said in a mocking voice, “and the
girl is standing right there.”

“Blew your cover, did I?”

“Abby is a very perceptive woman,” smiled
Charlie. “I’m quite sure she was already aware of your feelings
Hazel.”

“That easy to read am I?” she sighed as she
flopped on the chair facing them.

“Afraid so, one glance and anyone who was
interested could tell how you two feel about each other.”

“So you’re saying I have a chance here?”
asked Hazel, a smile at the corners of her mouth.

“That movie star woman went to a lot of
trouble to find you Hazel Fillmore,” grinned Tommy. “I doubt she
would have bothered if she didn’t care.”

“I agree,” smiled Charlie. “If there is one
thing I am good at it is reading people. Abby MacKai shares your
feelings Hazel. This is all new to her, and she has been hurt badly
in the past I can tell, but she is definitely interested. She will
need you to be patient.”

“How do you know she’s been hurt?” asked
Hazel softly, very intent now.

“There’s a defensive wall around her. It is
her nature to be open and loving, but there is a wounded part of
her that holds back a bit, fearing to trust.”

“I have sensed that too,” sighed Hazel as she
shifted in her chair. “She seems to be the more assertive of the
two of us, but I think that’s because she needs to feel like she is
the one controlling the speed of unfolding events.”

“Exactly.”

“So what should I do?”

“Exactly what you promised to do when you
found your wildflower,” Tommy put in softly.

“Yes, and you blabbed about that too didn’t
you,” she said as she threw a cushion at him.

“Oops!”

“You’re darn right Oops,” she growled with
mock anger. Suddenly tears filled her eyes for a moment. “Tommy,
she came back to me. She actually hunted me down and made me
listen. God, I felt like such a fool. She was staring into my eyes,
saying something she needed me to hear, but all I could do was cry.
Finally it began to seep into my brain what she was saying.

“Why the hell should I care what your dog’s
name is?’ I thought, and then I began to realize what she meant.
She just held me with those eyes until I understood what had
happened. Dear gods, what I almost threw away.”

“You’re a very lucky woman Hazel Fillmore,”
smiled Charlie. “The girl is all grace and good manners and she
will never let a misunderstanding come between you again.”

“She also has a very forgiving nature,”
grinned Tommy ruefully. “I thought for sure she was going to set
the dog on me.”

“Yes I am a lucky woman, far luckier than I
ever let myself believe. You two need a bit of privacy, I’m going
to go for a run now.”

“That’s neither safe nor sensible Hazel,”
stated Charlie as he rose to his feet. “This is your home and you
need your sleep. I will spirit Tommy away to my house for a while,
you get your rest.”

“Bless you both,” Hazel murmured through a
yawn. “Keep him Tommy, the man’s pure gold.”

“Actually, I’m planning to do just that. You
pack it in sweetie; I’ll be back before midnight.”

“See that you are or I’ll turn you both into
toads,” she grinned as she headed toward her bedroom.

“Good night Abby my love,” she whispered to
the photo beside her bed as she turned out the light, “sweet
dreams.”

More Bumps in the Road

Abby awakened with the sun streaming through
her window to find a squirming dog beside the bed. “Slept in did
I?” she asked as she quickly grabbed her sweats and ran to the
bathroom. There was no time for a long gentle awakening today,
Hubby had to go. Swift as she could, Abby did her thing then pulled
on her sweats. She threw open the kitchen door so he could take
care of his business while she tied up her sneakers and grabbed a
bottle of water from the fridge.

“Let’s go big man,” she laughed as she ran
down the grassy slope to the beach. Hubby raced past her and bore
down on a small group of gulls at top speed. With wild cries that
sounded like laughter they swept into the air and soared high above
his head while he ran about the beach, barking at them and wagging
his tail.

Abby hiked swiftly along the shoreline until
she came to her favorite boulder. With a sigh of pure delight she
sat and drained her bottle of water before she pulled the cell
phone from her bag. Smiling wickedly Abby dialed Hazel’s new
number. “Greetings weary traveler, you have reached the telephone
of Hazel Fillmore and Tommy Reid. Please leave your message at the
sound of the beep....beep...”

“Good morning sweetheart,” laughed Abby. “The
sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming,
Abby is feeling wonderful and just wanted to share that with you.
Oh yes, you’re not fooling me with that phony message voice
thing.”

Hazel’s rich laughter made Abby’s heart soar
with joy. “So what gave me away?”

“Your beep needs work. Did I wake you?”

“Not a chance, I just got back from my run.
It sounds like you are on the beach?”

“That’s right, Hubby and I walk the beach
every morning the weather is fit,” replied Abby. “Today it is such
a glorious morning out here that I just wanted to share it with
you.”

“You are so sweet, Abby MacKai,” sighed
Hazel, throwing herself on the couch. “I’m going to go book off
three days this weekend so I can come to your house and play on the
beach with you.”

“Be still my heart. That’s exactly what I
wanted to hear. Beep. Crap, my battery is dying Hazel, have a
wonderful day and think of me.”

“I will sweetie,” replied Hazel, but she
realized that she was speaking to empty air; Abby’s phone had gone
dead. “I will think of you every minute of this day Abigail
MacKai.” Hazel gently hung up the phone and headed for the shower.
She noticed that Tommy had not come home last night and she smiled
warmly.

“Charlie will make you a far better partner
than Jack ever could, Tommy my dear.”

For the next number of days Abby was like a
machine. She cleaned her entire house and did every scrap of
laundry she could find. She weeded her garden and her flower beds
as well, wanting everything to be absolutely perfect when Hazel
arrived. She also devoted several hours each day to working on
Harry’s proposal.

Each evening about nine thirty Hazel phoned.
They told each other about their respective days, its adventures
and misadventures as well as its brighter spots. Abby laughed and
said that they were worse than two school girls, hanging on the
phone so much. Hazel had to agree, but said she was on the long
distance cheap package, so she could talk as long as she liked.

Abby also took time to have Wanda and Keith
over for dinner. They laughed with delight as she waxed poetic
about the wonderful Miss Hazel Fillmore. Wanda beamed with motherly
pride at the look of delight on Keith’s face when he tasted Abby’s
cooking. “Abby, I could close my eyes and swear Bride Murphy had
prepared this meal,” he smiled. “This is absolutely devine.” Abby
beamed with pleasure.

“It is so good to see her like this,” sighed
Wanda as they walked slowly back to their house.

“Yes it is, my love. Do you suppose she will
bring the divine Miss Fillmore here to live or will she return to
the city permanently?”

“I think we will have a new neighbor before
Christmas,” laughed Wanda.

“Oh really? So what do you know that I
don’t?”

“Abby told me that Hazel would never dream of
trying to uproot her from this place. She says Hazel calls her the
little wildflower.”

“Young love,” he grinned, “isn’t it
grand?”

“Ye it is my dear,” smiled Wanda as she took
his hand, “and the well seasoned variety isn’t so bad either.”

Saturday morning finally arrived and Abby was
busy getting the place ready for Hazel. She was planning to drive
to town and pick her up after work. They would have three whole
days together and Abby could hardly wait. By two in the afternoon
she was as ready as she could be and once again dressed in one of
her glamorous retro outfits. She reached for her car keys just as
the phone rang. With a strong sense of impending doom Abby reached
for the receiver.

“MacKai Enterprises International, Abigail
speaking,” she said formally.

“Abby, it’s Tommy,” he blurted in a
distraught voice.

“What has happened Tommy? Is Hazel
alright?”

“It’s not Hazel, Abby. Abby, she is in no
shape to visit you this weekend.”

“Tommy Reid you have the most annoying habit
of muddying the waters and avoiding the point. Tell me clearly what
has happened.”

“Hazel’s grandmother has just died, Abby,” he
said softly. “The funeral is scheduled for Monday afternoon.”

“Oh dear god, Tommy,” whispered Abby, her
voice filled with compassion. “What time is Hazel flying out? I’ll
go see her off at the airport.”

“She’s not going home for the funeral
Abby.”

“Tommy Reid, getting a full story out of you
is like pulling chicken’s teeth, please let me talk to Hazel if
she’s there.”

“Abby, Hazel’s not in...”

“Tommy, stop this and put Hazel on the
phone,” commanded Abby.

“Hi,” came Hazel’s soft sniffle a moment
later.

“Hazel, I am so sorry,” said Abby softly.
“Are you at home now?”

“Uh huh,”

“Honey, is there some special reason you
aren’t going to go home for the funeral?”

“I don’t have enough money,” sobbed Hazel as
she burst into tears.

“Shall I buy a ticket for you?”

“Abby I can’t let you...”

“Hazel, do you want to go?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will buy you a ticket,” stated Abby
firmly. “Shall I get one for Tommy too?”

“Tommy can’t get the time off work,” sniffed
Hazel.

“Would you like me to go with you honey?”

“Oh gods, Abby, could you, would you?”

“What’s the nearest airport where we can land
sweetie?”

“Moncton. Abby, I’ll pay you back for this, I
promise.”

“Hazel honey, we can discuss that when we get
back. Right now we have to make arrangements. I’ll call as soon as
I have everything all set up. You snuggle up to Tommy and stay cozy
until I call back, Ok?”

“Ok,” sniffed Hazel. “Abby I...”

“I know sweetie, I’ll call as soon as I have
it all arranged. Bye now.” She hung up the phone and tossed aside
her purse and keys. “Hubby, I have to go away for a few days,” she
sighed as she scratched the big fellow’s ear. “Will you be alright
with a babysitter?”

It took Abby nearly an hour, but she finally
got it all under control. Actually, the babysitter for Hubby proved
to be the toughest as Keith was taking Wanda to Montreal for a few
days of shopping. She finally tracked down Billy Parsons and he
readily agreed to keep the dog for her. With cup of tea in hand she
sat and called Hazel.

“Hello?” said a brokenhearted voice.

“Hi sweetheart, it’s Abby,” she said warmly.
“I’ve got it all set. We fly out bright and early tomorrow morning,
pick up a rental car and away we go. We come back on Tuesday
afternoon. Does this work for you?”

“Oh Abby, I don’t know how to thank you for
this,” sighed Hazel. “When I realized I couldn’t go I just came
completely apart. What are you going to do with poor Hubby?”

“The man is going to stay with Aunt Edna and
Uncle Billy while mom is out of town. He’ll be spoiled rotten by
the time we get back, but he will be fine while we are gone.”