Can you believe it? Britni must really want those dolls. The higher the bidding went, the more I hated her. It was as if the dollar amount was buying me more hate.
Ready to admit defeat, I wasn’t expecting Ruth to counter Jay’s bid, but she did.
Okay, it’s alright. What’s another $100, I told myself.
Ruth became an unstoppable force after that.
Back and forth it went, until Ruth and Jay were the only bidders left. They were going at it as if they’d lost their minds. I realize people can get swept up in the moment, but Ruth was taking my money with her.
At $1,100, I felt faint. I grabbed Ruth’s arm to put a halt to the madness, but I think she took that as a sign to keep going.
And she did.
“$1,200!” exclaimed Principal Kyser.
At this point, the entire gym was caught up in the frenzy. The Colts tickets and IU basketball hadn’t gone for this much together. I risked a glance at Jay. He looked determined, as Britni sat by his side smiling proudly.
Ruth wore an eager grin on her face. It was obvious she wasn’t going to let up. But I had to stop her. Grabbing her arm again, I said, “Ruth, stop. Really, it’s okay.” My eyes were wide with the same fear I’d felt after opening my first credit card statement.
Principal Kyser yelled, “$1300?” And almost simultaneously, Jay nodded, as if he was expecting the madness to continue.
Fine. Jay had won my dolls, but at least I’d made him pay out the wazoo for them.
Ruth was shaking and before I realized what was happening, she raised her hand, stood up and yelled, “$1,500!”
I think I might have blacked out at this point. The gym got suddenly hot and spots clouded my vision, unfortunately I could see well enough to watch in horror as Jay nodded and spoke calmly. “$1,600.”
My first car didn’t cost that much. Granted it was a piece of junk, but still?
Principal Kyser looked confused and angry that he’d lost control of the situation. “Ruth?” Looking directly at her, it was obvious no one else was bidding, but the whole town watching. Bill and Tootsie sat in stunned silence. Probably wondering if Ruth needed her meds checked.
Ruth looked at me and I shook my head back and forth with enough force that I was sure I’d have whiplash. “Come on, Lily, just a little more?” Ruth sounded like one of my students.
“No, Ruth. We’re done.” I hoped I said it loud enough for her to hear, yet soft enough that no one else did. Ruth muttered something to herself in German, before accepting defeat and sitting back down.
“$1,600, it is. Sold! To Jay Heimerschmitt.” Jay approached Mrs. Bass, who reluctantly handed him my dolls. It was if they had been touched by Midas and she wanted them now too.
I couldn’t watch anymore as Jay made his way back to his seat, where an anxious Britni sat waiting for his return, as if he was the conquering hero of dolls.
Ruth patted my knee and snorted, “I’m sorry, Lily.”
“It’s okay. It was stupid of me anyway. I shouldn’t have asked you to do that.” But she’d had fun almost spending my money.
I didn’t bother staying for the rest of the auction.
Who cares how my class basket did or if I got the spa treatment?
Britni had my dolls and my man.
Chapter 13
“Why does he always look at us with a frown on his face?” The people who came to visit always smiled, but this man never did. He just stood and stared at them. And he never took their picture.
“I’m sure he’s just trying to figure out how to start storing us, flower.” Dutch hated lying to Tulip, but didn’t want to see her upset. Dutch didn’t like the man either. He came almost every day now and stood watching his Tulip. What if this man wanted her for himself? What if he gave her flowers first? Tulip might kiss him instead.
“Tulip?”
“Yes, dear.” Tulip was only half listening, watching as cars passed by on the road. The headlights reminded of her of fireflies and she smiled.
“You’d never take flowers from anyone else, would you?” Dutch asked, tentatively.
“Of course not.” Tulip couldn’t imagine flowers from anyone else. “But then again, you never give me flowers.”
Dutch ignored that. “You wouldn’t let anyone kiss you? Would you?”
Tulip snorted, “In case you haven’t noticed, no one kisses me. Not even you.”
“I’ll kiss you now.”
“Do you see me holding my flowers? I didn’t think so.”
And with that said, Dutch knew he was in for another long night of not kissing.
~~~~~
I felt terrible when Ruth called later that evening, apologizing again for not winning my dolls. She was upset Jay had out bid her and felt she’d let me down. But it wasn’t Ruth who’d let me down.
It was me and my ridiculous Jay fixation.
Having stayed for the remainder of the auction, Ruth was filling me in on who got what and how much they paid, but at this point I simply didn’t care that the Movie Night basket failed miserably.
Snuggled in bed with my Dutch and Tulip dolls, I assured Ruth it was fine and turned my thoughts to my daughter Lucy. She was the prettiest and brightest little girl. Lucy had her father’s eyes. So blue, one would think of the ocean when she looked at you. And you would be swept away by her beauty. Jay was a doting father and I could see them walking, hand in hand, Lucy hugging her Dutch and Tulip, a smile on her precious face.
These were the sweet musings that carried me to sleep, but the sound that woke me was anything but.
It was just after midnight when I heard a crash and the sound of broken glass. Then the sound of a vehicle peeling off in the street in front of my house. The sound had come from inside my house. Alarmed, I didn’t know what to do. Had someone broken in? Surely not. That kind of thing doesn’t happen here.
“Hello?” Okay, that was probably stupid, but I’d never experienced anything like this before. Throwing on my robe, I got out of bed, turning on the light.
The sound seemed to have come from the living room. Wait. Should I call someone? I considered calling Jonas, but for what? I didn’t have any kind of weapon. Looking around, I couldn’t even find something to use as a weapon.
Oh, this is ridiculous. It was nothing. A bottle of shampoo probably fell in the shower. That happens all the time. Sure of my logic, I left the safety of my bedroom and walked into the living room.
The smell got me first.
It was overwhelming and I started gagging. There was milk, obviously spoiled, splashed all over the room. The wind was blowing the curtains at the window that had been broken. Chunks of milk were dripping from the ceiling, I realized after a dollop dropped on my head.
What the…?! An empty gallon jug was lying on the floor with a rock duct taped to the molded handle. Dialing 911, I didn’t want to disturb anything, even though it appeared as if no one had been in my home. Walking away from the crime scene, I settled into a kitchen chair.
“911. What’s you’re emergency?” An older, female voice asked in a professional, distanced tone.
What was my emergency? No one was hurt. Is this the sort of thing I should even be calling 911 about? “Um, someone broke a window in my house.” I stuttered, then started shaking. Someone had thrown a gallon of spoiled milk through my window? Really?
“Is anyone in the house now?” She asked concerned.
“I don’t think so.” I looked wildly around the room, waiting for someone or something to jump out at me. “They just threw a gallon of milk through the window and drove off.”
“You are at 701 Krieg Street, correct? In Holland?” She asked.
“Yes.” I answered shaking even more.
“We’re sending someone now. If you feel unsafe, you should leave the house or I can stay on the line with you.” I hadn’t felt unsafe until she mentioned it. The more she talked like that, the more scared I felt.
The thought of actually leaving the house s
uddenly sounded terrifying. Anyone could be out there waiting to ambush me. “Thank you. I’ll stay here if you don’t mind.”
The operator asked if I had carpet. When I answered yes, she went into great detail telling me all about the time her son had thrown up milk in their car. She actually gave me some tips on how to remove the smell.
Good advice. I just wish I didn’t need it.
Minutes later, I heard sirens. I blew out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding and thanked the operator.
“You’re welcome, ma’am. Have a good night.” That struck me as funny and I started laughing hysterically.
The town’s one and only cop was pounding on my door, which brought an abrupt end to my laughter. Holland doesn’t need a full-time police force. We didn’t really even need Junior, but right now I was glad we had him.
“Lily? Are you all right? Open the door.” Junior commanded, in I’m sure what was supposed to be a reassuring tone. Letting Junior in was weird. I’d known him all my life, but it felt odd having him here in an official capacity.
“What happened?” He asked. He looked sleepy. What little hair he had was a mess and his shirt was untucked. Mere inches taller than me, I doubted Junior and his beer gut could run down a perp.
Before I could answer, more sirens sounded and vehicles pulled up outside. Did you know that, in a small town, when you call 911 everyone shows up? And I do mean everyone. The entire volunteer fire department was suddenly standing in my house, along with Bill and Tootsie.
But at the moment there was only face I wanted to see.
Walking over, Jay placed his hands on my shoulders and stooped down to look me in the eye. “My God. What happened?”
Couldn’t help it. Really I couldn’t. I started to cry.
Taking me in his arms, Jay simply held me. I heard someone say something about shock, but in the safety of Jay’s arms I felt better. If this was shock, I liked it.
After I settled down enough to tell everyone what happened, Junior instructed someone to get some wood and board up my broken window. This is Holland, not some big city where they have fancy detective equipment, but Junior did have gloves. He placed the jug into a clear plastic bag. My shocked mind thought that was odd, but it did the job I suppose.
Lumpy milk chunks, like cottage cheese, were splattered on every surface. My precious velvet couch was ruined. I think I started crying again.
The pictures on the walls hadn’t escaped the milk and I hoped they wouldn’t be ruined. My carpeting was going to need a steam cleaning and the walls wiped down. Thank God for good neighbors, because Bill and Tootsie took control and began to organize the cleanup. When the phone rang, Tootsie answered it and informed a very worried Ruth that everything was fine and that I’d call her tomorrow.
Still in my robe, I went to change into sweats. When I came back out, the cleaning process was well underway. Bill was using his shop vac to suck up as much milk as possible from the carpet. The room stunk horribly and I ducked my nose inside my hoodie to avoid the smell.
Throughout, Jay and all the volunteer firefighters stayed and helped.
Finally, when we’d done all we could at the late hour, everyone began leaving. I thanked them for coming and staying to help. Pretty sure volunteer firefighters aren’t trained for this.
“You should stay with us tonight, sweetheart. The spare rooms all made up. I bet Taco would even sleep with you.” Tootsie was holding my hand, with a very mom-like expression on her face.
“No, but thanks anyway. And thanks for all your help.” Giving Bill and Tootsie hugs, I told them I loved them and watched them leave.
“What do you think happened?” Junior was all hyped up now. A real crime had been committed and he had something official to do now.
I shrugged and didn’t want to state the obvious, but I knew what he was really asking. Who did this and why? “I don’t know. Why would someone throw spoiled milk through my window? Was there a note?” I hadn’t thought of that until just now. Didn’t the bad guys always attach a note?
“No note. No nothing. Do you think this is about Dutch and Tulip? You’re awfully close to the goal. Maybe someone who doesn’t like the idea wanted to scare you?” Junior offered.
Well, mission accomplished.
But that didn’t make any sense. The fundraising efforts included the whole town. Why threaten me? This wasn’t some big city. Things like this don’t happen here. They just don’t.
“Maybe it was a prank. Some kids out trying to cause some trouble.” Junior offered a new theory.
I hadn’t been a teacher that long, but maybe I’d made an eight year old enemy. The absurdity of the situation and the late hour hit me and I started laughing again.
Junior shook his head. “I’ll take the jug over to Jasper and see what the State Police can come up with. Did you by chance see the vehicle?” He was in full cop mode now. Glad that I could help in making him feel useful.
“Sorry, I was asleep.” I answered, trying to remember if there was anything I’d left out. Maybe some minor detail that would be important, but I was tired and not firing on all cylinders.
“Are you sure you want to stay here? Maybe you should go to Bill and Tootsie’s.” Junior had his nose covered with a handkerchief. Somehow I was used to the smell already.
“Yes. I’ll be fine. It’s not like they’re coming back.” The looks on both Junior’s and Jay’s faces didn’t make me feel better, but I wasn’t a coward. Maybe a little bit of a coward, but I wasn’t going to let someone evict me from my own home.
Junior left shortly after, giving me his cell number just in case. “I’ll drive around town, see if anyone’s out and about.” After what I’m sure was meant to be a comforting look, he left. I hadn’t realized it, but the red and blue light on his police cruiser were still on.
Left alone with Jay, I felt nervous as he walked around my house, checking the locks on all the windows and doors. When he went downstairs, he was gone for so long that I feared something might have happened to him. Maybe the bad guy was down there and had gotten him.
“Jay!” Standing at the top of the stairs, I yelled down for him. I was relieved when I saw him turn the corner and start up the stairs.
“Your basement is damp. You need a dehumidifier,” he said as he closed the door. Jay was all business now. Not a hint of affection, but then why would there be? He’d probably been in bed with Britni when he’d gotten the 911 call.
I wished Jay would offer to stay with me, not with any funny business in mind, simply for my peace of mind. I know it’s silly, but my heart wanted him to stay, but that wish was in vain.
“Well, I better be going. You sure you’re all right? Maybe you shouldn’t stay here alone.”
I wouldn’t be alone if you’d offer to stay with me. “No. It’s late, I’ll be fine.” I lied. Fear was now clouding my every thought.
After a quick hug and instructions to call if anything else happened, Jay was gone. And I was left alone in a house that stank like rancid milk.
~~~~~
Maybe I was in shock, because somehow I managed to sleep. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out. Waking up, I figured God would give me a pass on missing church just this once. I had some serious cleanup to do today. I’d have to find a carpet cleaner, figure out what to do with my couch and see what else might be salvageable.
Coffee was in order before I could face looking at my living room again. The smell was even worse now, the furnace enhancing the sour smell. After opening every window, I dragged my sorry butt to the kitchen for that coffee.
Standing at the kitchen sink, I suddenly remembered that Mom had a carpet cleaner. How could I forget that? The woman cleaned her carpets religiously three times a year. It’s a wonder her carpet has lasted. I rarely clean mine. Instead, I never wear shoes in the house. I figure that counts for something.
Holy shit!
In my driveway sat Jay’s black truck. Through the early morning fog, I could see
Jay sitting inside. Not bothering with shoes, I walked quickly out to his truck. Peeking in the window, I saw Jay was asleep. His head leaned back against the seat. Maybe it’s creepy, but I simply stood and watched him for a few minutes. He looked like a little boy, head turned slightly toward me, mouth relaxed, hands lying limp in his lap.
I knocked on the window and Jay startled awake instantly. Looking around, he seemed momentarily confused. “What are you doing here?” I asked through the window.
Rubbing his hand over his face and through his hair, he looked guilty. Rolling down the window, he didn’t say a word. He just looked at me.
“What?” I looked behind me and back to him, but I was distracted when I saw my dolls in the seat next to him.
“Nothing. I wanted to be gone before it got light out, but I guess I was really tired.” He looked away.
“You slept in your truck? In my driveway?” I said with emphasis. “Why?”
“Not that I’m a very good lookout, but I thought if there was another vehicle here, no one would bother you.”
Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!
That did it! If I wasn’t already head over heels for his guy, I was now.
“Would you like to come in? I’ve got a fresh pot of coffee on.” What was I supposed to do? How did I thank the man I loved, who didn’t love me, for being so sweet? I’d offer him breakfast, but all I had were Pop Tarts. My house reeked, but it was the polite thing to do after he’d spent the night sleeping in his truck for me.
For me. He’d done that for me.
“No. I better get going before anyone sees me here this early.”
Yeah. I hadn’t thought of that. He was right. My house was smack dab in the middle of town. Anyone driving by would instantly know who was at my house. Holland was like that. You knew people’s vehicles, even people you didn’t know. Not to mention the fact that I was standing outside, barefoot in only my robe. It might appear that I was wishing my lover a fond farewell from the state of my dress.
As if I could be so lucky.
“You didn’t have to do that you know. But thanks.” Sometimes it felt like all I said to Jay was thanks for some kindness or service he’d performed. I’d slept sound last night, even though I shouldn’t have. Maybe subconsciously I knew he was outside protecting me.