A Year on Ladybug Farm - Donna Ball [30]
Kevin said seriously, “I’ve consulted with a couple of my colleagues here, and I think we have cause to challenge your agreement with Lindsay and Cici. In fact, I’m not at all sure your purchase contract was bulletproof, so it’s entirely possible that you all could get your money back if you want to.”
Bridget actually moved the receiver away from her ear and looked at it for a moment as though she did not recognize the voice on the other end. “Why would we want to do that?” she said.
“Obviously, you didn’t know what you were getting into when you offered on the house. I doubt if parts of it are even up to code, and—”
“Oh, Kevin, really, stop it. I love this place! How could anyone not love it? There’s enough here to keep me busy for the next decade at least! Why would I want to leave?”
On the other end of the line, Kevin sighed. “Well, Mom, all I can say is I hope you appreciate what good friends you have.”
She laughed. “Of course I do! I love them.” And then she frowned a little. “Why? What do you mean?”
“Just that there aren’t a lot of people in this world who would do what they did for someone who isn’t even related. I mean, they both had great jobs, friends, and lives back in Maryland. But they gave that all up.”
Bridget caught her underlip between her teeth and glanced around uneasily. “That was what they wanted to do. What we all wanted to do.”
The silence that followed made Bridget realize how chilly the spring morning was, and she shivered. “Sure, Mom,” Kevin said gently. “Whatever you say. Listen, I’ve got to be in court in half an hour. You let me know if you change your mind about that place, okay? I really think we can make a case.”
“Kevin, you don’t really think—”
“Seriously, Mom, I’ve got to go.”
“Okay, honey, sure. You take care now, you hear?”
“Bye, Mom.”
Bridget hung up the phone, but it was a long time before she felt as cheerful as she had been before she dialed his number.
Lindsay dialed two of her friends from school before she realized they were still working. She had used her accumulated leave to depart six weeks early, but her colleagues would be frantically readying their classes for the year-end placement tests this week. For a moment she felt a stab of nostalgia. The mountains of paperwork, the parent–teacher conferences, the unutterable smells coming from the cafeteria . . . no sane person would miss them. She supposed it had something to do with the way zoo animals would return to their cages even when the gates were left open, and prisoners would re-offend in order to return to the familiarity of their cells. For good or bad, the smell of chalk dust was all she had ever known.
She called her sister in Fort Lauderdale instead, which was a predictable mistake.
“So how is everything in rural wherever?” Edith wanted to know, sounding busy.
“I wish you could see it. This has got to be the most beautiful place in the world. Everything is so green, and in the morning, the way the fog settles just above the treetops . . . I can’t even describe it, it’s so pretty. We have raspberry bushes and blueberry bushes and strawberries already getting ripe. The rose garden is unbelievable, and—”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Edith interrupted. “Do you have Mother’s onyx brooch?”
Lindsay blinked. “What?”
“You know, the brooch she used to wear on her winter coat. It had diamond chips all around it. I know I saw it after the funeral, but I never did find it among her things.”
Lindsay said, “Mother died three years ago. Why are you asking me about this now?”
“I just thought in the move you might have found it.”
“How could I find it? I never had it.”
“Well, you know she always wanted me to have it. She must have said so a dozen times.”
“I never wanted it. If you can’t find it, it’s probably still on her winter coat.”
“Well, I can’t stay on the phone all day. I’ve got a bridge game, and Harold’s going to be home from golf any minute wanting