Autumn Leaves

  Autumn Leaves

  By

  Barbara Winkes

  Eternal Press

  A division of Damnation Books, LLC.

  P.O. Box 3931

  Santa Rosa, CA 95402-9998

  www.eternalpress.biz

  Autumn Leaves

  by Barbara Winkes

  Digital ISBN: 978-1-61572-796-4

  Print ISBN: 978-1-61572-797-1

  Cover art by: Amanda Kelsey

  Edited by: Carolyn Crow

  Copyright 2012 Barbara Winkes

  Printed in the United States of America

  Worldwide Electronic & Digital Rights

  1st North American, Australian and UK Print Rights

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any form, including digital and electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the Publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  For Dominique, more than words can say, and my parents who’d be so thrilled.

  I’d like to thank Carrie Kimbrough for her input in the early stages of the story; Wolfe, Erin Lale, Carolyn Crow, Amanda Kelsey, Kim Richards and everyone at Eternal Press for making this happen; the many fellow writers who have encouraged me towards this step.

  Chapter One

  The scream tore through the peaceful early morning ambience, startling her so badly the mug slid from her fingers and shattered on the tiled floor.

  Rebecca Lowman sighed and bent to quickly clean the pieces of blue ceramic off the floor before her loudly arguing daughters would make it into the kitchen. She wondered how it was possible that time went by so quickly. It seemed only a few months ago that Dina brushed her hand over the baby’s head, whispering her name reverently. The baby, Maggie, currently banged her fists against the bathroom door, threatening her older sister with bodily harm in case she didn’t open the door within the next minute. Dina took her sweet time and called Maggie names.

  “Maggie! Dina! Stop it!”

  There was a moment of silence, but now Rebecca was on alert as she poured herself her first cup of coffee. The girls’ breakfast was ready. She had a few moments to herself before the argument would continue at the breakfast table. She would chide them for it, but David convinced her it was an age thing that would run its course. “If you fight the current, it will pull you under.” Rebecca wasn’t sure if that image was accurate, but he put a smile on her face. One of the many reasons for which she loved him.

  She sipped her coffee, mentally going through her day, calls to make, appointments to keep, lunch ready at 2:00 p.m. today. David had left last night on a business trip and wouldn’t be back until Monday. Maybe she could even get some work done on the weekend.

  “Mom, Maggie is impossible!” Dina complained as she slumped on the chair.

  “She’s eight. Cut her some slack.”

  “How long am I supposed to do that?” Dina asked back, exasperated. “Besides, she doesn’t need to style her hair like that and wear mascara to school. It’s all that stupid reality TV her and her friends watch.”

  “She’s what? Really? Damn.” The words were out of Rebecca’s mouth before she could think of a better answer. “I’ll talk to her.” She agreed wholeheartedly with Dina, chagrined at another proof of how soon childhood came and went. If the law had allowed her to lock up the girls until they were eighteen, she might have considered it. Then again, she wanted them to be self-confident, and lead a life of their choice. That would mean letting go at some point, but now was definitely not the moment. Rebecca sighed again. It was too early in the morning for these thoughts.

  When Maggie joined them at the table, Rebecca was momentarily relieved. The girl’s “style” looked more like a bad imitation of the 80’s than an honest attempt at makeup. The child beneath was still easily visible. Trying to convince her and make her presentable again would put more pressure on the already tight schedule, but they’d manage.

  Rebecca loved her girls, so much that she could hardly imagine what life was like before them. If anything ever happened to them, she knew she’d simply close her eyes and die, like a person whose life support was cut off. If anyone had asked her years ago how she’d wanted her life to turn out, it was exactly that vision which became reality. If there was just one more thing she could have wished for, Rebecca would have gone for just a little more sleep.

  The sound of a truck parking across the street interrupted her train of thought as Rebecca sat in front of her laptop. She didn’t really need to work, but whenever she could carve out some time, she accepted small commissions from the neighborhood to create websites.

  Rebecca graduated at the top of her graphic design class, but she hadn’t worked in the field for long. Technology had changed with light speed since then, so Rebecca had tried her best to keep herself up-to-date with the newest developments, enough to do some freelance work. She was told that she was talented. Several small businesses in town had hired her before, and currently she gave the community’s website a do-over. Almost obscene, Rebecca sometimes thought, to take money for something that gave her this much pleasure.

  The truck and animated voices outside distracted her for the second time this morning, so Rebecca got up to observe the scenery. There was a group of young people, two men, three women, carrying boxes and furniture. Rebecca frowned. She hadn’t known that someone moved into the house across the street. It had been empty for months, and at yesterday’s lunch with her friends, no one had said a thing. They were usually well informed about what was happening in Autumn Leaves.

  “What the hell is in there?” the tall, dark-haired woman with the ponytail yelled after trying to lift a particular box. “This weighs a fucking ton.”

  Rebecca cringed slightly and had to smile at her own reaction. Maybe she just had to get out more often. She stood by the window, watching the new neighbors, wondering if they were some college students sharing the house. She just hoped they wouldn’t bring loud parties and drugs to the neighborhood. It was peaceful ever since they’d moved here over fifteen years ago, and Rebecca liked it that way. She didn’t like change very much. However, watching the group, she felt wistful. Grad school had come and gone too soon, and before you knew it, you were referring to the best time of your life in the past.

  “Will you stop it already?” she told herself aloud, amused. It was only the lack of sleep that was making her a little weird. Rebecca knew her privileges and when to check them. She had absolutely nothing to complain about.

  The sound of laughter drew her gaze to another woman, small, curvy, wearing a white shirt and jeans. A white scarf tamed back her flaming red hair.

  “Don’t be such a baby,” she told her friend. “Knowledge needs to have a weight. An impact.”

  “It has an impact on my back,” the brunette shot back. “Ever heard of e-books?”

  They continued teasing each other. Smiling to herself, Rebecca wondered if they’d get any work done at all, until she caught a glimpse at the clock and realized she had about half an hour to get Maggie from school. She might as well stop judging other people’s time management.

  * * * *

  After picking her up, Rebecca took her younger daughter grocery shopping with her. The trip lasted longer than planned when they ran into Betty LaRue and her son Mike who shared shy smiles with Maggie. Betty also had news to share about the new neighbor.

  “I hear she’s lived in Holly
wood or something. Never heard of the name, though, so she can’t be very famous.”

  “Really? I thought she moved in with a bunch of friends,” Rebecca said while keeping an eye on Maggie and Mikey who were whispering and giggling half-hidden behind a pyramid of ravioli cans.

  “No, she’s all on her own. Hold on tight to that husband of yours,” Betty advised helpfully.

  Rebecca laughed. “Right. If he starts trolling for single women, he’ll get custody of the girls. I’d like to see how he’ll deal once they’re starting to date, all on his own.” Betty didn’t join in on the joke.

  “Come on, you’re not serious, are you? If someone’s moving from Hollywood to Autumn Leaves, I’d think they want peace and quiet in the first place.”

  “You must know.”

  “Believe me, I do.”

  Rebecca shook her head as she watched Betty and Mike walk away. Betty was a good friend, one she could always come to for advice, or just talk. On the subject of the new neighbor, though, she was possibly overreacting. It was better to be safe than sorry, so Rebecca bought a loaf of fresh bread, a nicely shaped salt shaker and a small basket to fit both inside.

  In Autumn Leaves, people always gave the new neighbor a warm welcome.

  * * * *

  Dina refused to play alibi. She thought of the custom as silly. Maggie was absent at soccer practice, so Rebecca gave her neatly arranged welcome present a doubtful look. She had added a bottle of wine from their own cellar. She didn’t want to come across as the worst cliché of a small-town soccer mom...Then again, she was curious about the woman next door, and there was only one way to satisfy that curiosity. Only seconds after the first ring of the bell, the door was opened by the red-headed woman. Her hair was arranged in a ponytail, and she was wearing a white shirt over a long red-and-white flowered skirt. Her greeting wasn’t quite as amiable.

  “Well, that took you long enough—” The woman stopped, looking embarrassed, her gaze dropping to her bare feet. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been waiting for the plumber all day.”

  “It’s fine,” Rebecca assured her, holding out her right hand, lifting the basket with the left. “I’m Rebecca Lowman. My family and I live across the street. Welcome to Autumn Leaves.”

  “Oh. Wow.” The woman accepted the greeting and the basket with a brilliant smile. “That’s great. Thank you, Rebecca. I’m Callie. Would you like to come in for a moment? I’m afraid I can’t offer you much, but if tea or coffee is okay...I couldn’t go out since I had to wait for the damn plumber. Obviously, I’m still waiting for him. Sheesh.”

  Rebecca followed the chatty woman from the nicely lit hallway into a kitchen that was smaller than hers but would be quite comfortable when it was all cleaned up. The wallpaper was a sunny yellow, with white cabinets, a granite countertop, and a round white table with two chairs. Rebecca smiled to herself, thinking it didn’t look like there would be much cooking in this kitchen.

  “Coffee would be nice,” she said.

  Callie took two cups out of the cabinet and put them on the table, one green, one yellow. “I’ve seen you with the girls outside.”

  “Yeah, Maggie and Dina. They’re eight and fourteen. We moved here when—sorry, you probably don’t want to know all of this.” What was she doing here anyway, testing Betty’s theory?

  “Of course I do.” Callie smiled winningly. “I’m new in town. I can use all the information I can get about my neighborhood.”

  “How did you decide to come here then?” Rebecca sipped the coffee. It tasted heavenly, reminding her that quite some time had passed since breakfast.

  Callie shrugged. “I didn’t, really. I had to get away from everyone and everything, and I inherited this house from my aunt some time ago. I was going to sell it—but things happened, and here I am.”

  “You lived in Hollywood?”

  “What? No.” Callie gave her a puzzled look. “I lived on the West Coast until a few years ago, yes, but the only time I’ve been to Hollywood was on a vacation. What made you think that?”

  Rebecca chuckled self-consciously. “I’m really mortified now. Somebody heard something...You know how it is in a small town. I should have known better.”

  “I don’t really know how it is,” Callie said, “but if everyone’s as nice as you are, I don’t see a problem.” She winked, making Rebecca blush for some reason she couldn’t quite fathom.

  “Thank you. What do you need the plumber for anyway?” she asked, to steer the topic into safer, small-talk waters.

  “Right.” Callie rolled her eyes. “The faucet keeps dripping like mad. It’s driving me crazy. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep through the night with that sound.”

  “Want me to take a look?”

  The doubtful look Callie shot her spoke volumes. Rebecca had to admit that her cardigan and slacks probably didn’t give her the look of somebody you’d trust with your plumbing problems.

  “David, my husband, is on business trips a great deal of the time. That means I had to develop some skills along the way or live with the consequences.”

  Callie laughed happily. “Let’s see, you bring me food and booze. You’ve known me for five minutes and still haven’t said I talk too much, and you’re fixing my faucet? You’re already my favorite neighbor.”

  You could be mine, Rebecca thought, pleased. She set down her cup and got up.

  “All right, I need to get Maggie from practice in a little while, so I better get started.”

  She discarded the cardigan and hung it over a chair, stepped out of her pumps and put them underneath. The black T-shirt she wore and the slacks were fine for this kind of work. She could come up with a verdict quickly.

  “I think it’s just the mounting nut under the sink that needs to be tightened.”

  “Um…” Callie didn’t seem to know what to make of that piece of information. “Whatever you say.”

  “Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. Cole’s prices are outrageous anyway. So what do you do?” Rebecca asked, still half-buried under the sink.

  “I write,” Callie said.

  “What kind of things?”

  “Lesbian erotica.”

  “Ow!”

  Getting upright, Rebecca promptly hit her head. Callie had some kind of humor. A good thing Betty wasn’t here or the story would have easily topped the no-name-Hollywood-actress one.

  “You want me to work on your pipes and not mess up the job, don’t say things like that.”

  “Why? It’s true.”

  Rebecca came out from under her temporary workplace to look at her neighbor skeptically. “There’s a market for that? Really?”

  “I can afford to keep this house, if that’s what you meant.” Callie’s tone was somewhat guarded now.

  “Sure. Whatever.” There was an indiscreet question on the tip of her tongue, and Rebecca thought she’d better finish here before it slipped out.

  “I write all kinds of things.” Callie sighed. “This is just one section, you know. If you want to ask, just ask me already.”

  “None of my business. The faucet should be okay now.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Rebecca let the water run for a moment, then turned it off, satisfied that there was no more noisy dripping. “I’m sorry,” she said after a moment of hesitation. “It’s your life. I didn’t mean to judge.”

  “Well,” Callie said somberly, “sometimes, when people say I talk too much, I suppose they’re right.”

  “No, they’re not. I asked. If you want some advice, though, don’t tell everybody. News travels fast in a small community.” Realizing what she’d just said Rebecca shook her head. “Now listen to me. You’ve been here for a day and I’m already scaring you off. I’m sorry.”

  “No harm done. I appreciate the warning. Besides, I write children’s books too. Oh, and, Rebecca…?”

  Her hand already on the door handle, Rebecca turned around.

  “Feel free to come over whenever y
ou like. I’ll be here most of the time, writing, and I love distractions.”

  Rebecca felt ridiculously relieved that Callie didn’t begrudge her the earlier misunderstanding. “I’ll remember that,” she said. “Don’t forget to call off the plumber.”

  * * * *

  It was Rebecca’s turn to host the weekly brunch she with her friends on Saturdays. Once again browsing the aisles at the supermarket, she wondered if she should invite Callie. The young woman seemed pretty open-minded, but she wasn’t sure about adding her to the group without warning to the others. Maybe next time? She was still somewhat rattled about the question that remained unanswered. Rebecca couldn’t even explain to herself why it mattered. Even with her friends around, her attention was drifting to her encounter with the new neighbor.

  “So, you met the actress?” Maria asked. She was married to Sheriff Craig Lowman, David’s brother. Of course they would want to know.

  “She’s not an actress. She’s…” Rebecca stopped herself just short of telling Betty that Callie was unlikely to be interested in anybody’s husband. It was none of their business, and none of hers. “Nice, actually,” she finished the sentence.

  “That means you introduced yourself already.” Betty winked.

  “Well, yeah. She’s our neighbor now. I just wanted to be polite.”

  “The plumbing job was part of being polite too?” Roz wanted to know, and everyone laughed, making Rebecca self-conscious. Where had she heard that?

  “It was just the faucet,” she defended herself. “I would’ve felt bad leaving her with Cole. He’s a creep, and he charges you double too.”

  Roz and Maria exchanged a meaningful look.

  “He does! I won’t ever let him into the house again unless David’s around.”

  “Speaking of which...”

  Rebecca had tuned out the chatter for a moment, so when Betty spoke to her, she had missed that part of the conversation.

  “Oh well,” Betty said. “You with us again, or still dreaming of kitchen sinks?”

  Rebecca had the childish impulse to stick her tongue out at her friend.