Chapter Six

All three women appeared to be waiting for Alice’s entrance when she stepped into the kitchen. She could tell by their troubled expressions that something was wrong. She set her small bag on the counter and asked if there was a problem.

Louise cleared her throat and then announced, “Aunt Ethel has just informed us that Father left the family home to the three of us.”

Aunt Ethel smiled somewhat nervously. It was clear that she was going nowhere just now, when she had a front row seat for what might prove an interesting show.

Alice took in a deep breath. “Aunt Ethel, I told you that I planned to tell them. Why couldn’t you just wait until—”

“Well, it just slipped out, Alice,” her aunt explained quickly. “I simply mentioned to Jane that Lloyd was telling me about a new realtor in the area who’d probably be interested in listing it—”

“Why didn’t you tell us, Alice?” asked Jane. “Were you worried that we’d want to sell it?”

“Not really, I just—”

“Is there anything else we need to know?” asked Louise.

“No, of course—”

Aunt Ethel adjusted her pink cardigan sweater. “You know, I’ve read that dividing up a family’s wealth can create some nasty feuds.” She nodded her head so vigorously that both sets of chins bobbed at once.

“Father didn’t have any wealth,” said Alice in a firmer than usual voice. “He stopped taking a salary ages ago and his retirement pension was barely enough to pay for the utilities and taxes, let alone food. He had absolutely no savings whatsoever. During his final years he decided that it was wrong for him to store up riches as long as there were people going hungry in the world.”

“So there’s not a lawyer or a will?” asked Louise with slightly raised brows.

“No, Louise, Father asked me to handle it for him.”

“Then why didn’t you tell us—”

“Jane, Louise,” Alice tried to keep her voice level. “It’s not as if I was trying to hide something from you. I was just waiting for—”

“No one is accusing you of hiding anything, Alice,” said Louise. “But it would have made things clearer if Father had written down his wishes. Are you absolutely certain that he didn’t?”

“He told me what his wishes were—”

“But have you checked in his study, Alice, or in his desk or journal?”

Alice shrugged. “Feel free to look around.” Suddenly she felt like sobbing, but instead turned around and slowly filled the old copper teakettle with cold water, then set it on the stove and clicked on the flame. She could hear her aunt talking about things like Grandmother Howard’s oak dresser and her mother’s sterling silver coffee set, but it wasn’t long before the sentence fragments simply floated over her like a stream of white noise. She stood and silently watched the blue flame of the stove, waiting for the teakettle to whistle and break this spell.

The three other women were in her father’s study where Alice suspected they were now going through his personal papers. Fine, she thought as she carefully poured the steaming water into the rosebud covered porcelain teapot, let them. For all she cared they could discover some hidden document stating that every single piece of their family’s possessions was meant to go to—to China! That would be perfectly fine with her. What did it really matter anyway?

She took her favorite cup and saucer, the one with dainty little violets, and set them on a tray with the teapot, then quietly tiptoed up to her room before she closed her door. She decided she wasn’t really hungry, and Louise and Jane could easily fix their own dinner from all the leftovers tonight. She was bone tired right now, and who knew what tomorrow would bring? She suspected that she was overreacting. Perhaps they were all overreacting. After all, they had just lost their father, and there were numerous matters to be sorted out. Certainly it all could wait until morning.

After a night of fitful sleep, Alice got up before the sun. She pulled on her gray hooded sweatshirt, comfortable jeans and walking shoes, then slipped out of the house and started along the route that she and Vera usually took. She hoped that the exercise might help to clarify her thoughts. Then, almost done but still feeling a bit frustrated, she decided to stop by her old walking buddy’s house. Since it was Saturday, she suspected that Vera might not be up yet, but Alice hoped that she’d forgive this early intrusion. She knocked on the door, reassuring herself that Fred was probably awake.

“Alice.” Fred looked slightly surprised when he opened the door wide. “Come on in, I just put on a pot of coffee.” Then he smiled. “Of course, I forgot. You don’t drink coffee, do you?”

“Perhaps it’s time for a change,” she said decisively as she stepped in the door with her chin held firmly.

His brows rose slightly. “Oh boy, something must really be wrong.”

“Who’s that?” called Vera.

“Alice is here, honey,” answered Fred.

“Oh dear.” Vera appeared in the kitchen wearing sponge rollers and a pink bathrobe. “Were we supposed to walk this morning?”

Alice shook her head. “No, I’m sorry to wake you up so early, Vera, but I really need to talk.”

Vera smiled. “Oh, good. I thought maybe I’d forgotten.”

Fred set three mugs of coffee on the kitchen table. “You take anything in yours, Alice?”

“Alice doesn’t drink coffee, Fred.”

“I do now,” said Alice.

“Good grief,” exclaimed Vera. “What on earth’s the matter, Alice?”

Alice poured out her story to her two good friends. Somehow hearing the words out loud made it all seem a little less disturbing. Before long the three of them were actually laughing at the idea of Louise scouring through Daniel’s study in search of some secret papers or clandestine will.

“Sounds like Louise is a bit out of touch,” said Vera.

“Well, I’m sure it seems odd to her that Father didn’t have a lawyer or do something more official,” Alice defended.

“Did she know her father very well?” asked Fred.

Alice shook her head. “I’m not really sure.”

“So what do you think they’ll want to do with the house now?” he asked. “Surely they’ve noticed that it’s in need of some serious repairs.”

Alice shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’d hoped that we could keep it somehow, but I suppose that’s not the most practical idea.”

“It’s possible that they might want to sell it,” said Vera. “In some ways it seems the sensible thing to do.”

“Won’t be easy to sell a big place like that.” Fred refilled his coffee cup. “Don’t know anyone in town needing that much room these days.”

“Besides that, it’ll probably cost a fortune to repair it,” added Vera. “Maybe you’d be better off just getting rid of it altogether, Alice. You could always buy a smaller house.”

“Maybe.”

Fred glanced at the clock above the table. “Guess I’d better head down to the store. I’ve got an early shipment of rakes and brooms coming this morning.”

“Thanks for listening,” said Alice. “And for the coffee.”

“Looks like you’re not going to be much of a coffee drinker,” said Vera as she looked at Alice’s still nearly full cup.

Alice sighed.

“The kettle’s hot. How about some tea?”

“That’d be nice.”

“Too bad there’s not some way to make money with the old house, some kind of cottage industry or antique shop or something. My sister Wanda up in Vermont is thinking about turning her house into a tearoom to help her make ends meet.” Vera set a cup of golden tea in front of Alice. “Although I doubt there’s much money in that sort of thing.”

“You know, Vera, there is something I’ve fantasized about for years.”

Vera leaned forward with interest. “What? Is it a man?”

Alice laughed. “Well, no, although I’ve probably fantasized about that too. But sometimes I used to dream about turning the house into a bed and breakfast. Of course, I never mentioned this idea to Father. I couldn’t imagine he’d go for something like that. But now I wonder …”

“I don’t know.” Vera frowned. “Acorn Hill isn’t exactly your tourist type of town.”

“But it’s such a sweet little place, old-fashioned and quaint. Don’t you think city people would find it charming?”

“If they could even find it at all.”

“And it could help the local businesses. More visitors means more commerce.”

“Maybe, but don’t forget there are plenty of folks in this town who like things just fine the way they are.”

“I know.” Alice sipped her tea and daydreamed a bit more, imagining the interesting sorts of people she might possibly meet in her bed and breakfast. “But sometimes change is good, Vera.”

“What about your sisters and their part interest in the house? I wonder what they would think of this idea?”

Alice sighed. “Good question. For all I know they may be meeting with a realtor right now.”

“Not without your permission, they’d better not.”

Alice forced a smile. “I’m sure that they wouldn’t do that.”

“Good grief, you’d think those two would be more appreciative. After all you’ve done over the years, taking care of your father the way you have. Pastor Daniel was their dad too.”

Alice shook her head. “To be honest, there’s another thing that’s been nagging me lately, Vera. It seems sort of silly, but I keep thinking about how Father wanted to see all three of us together again. But Jane and Louise were always too busy. I realize they had their own lives and responsibilities and all, but it just bothers me.”

Vera patted her hand. “Don’t you think Pastor Daniel is looking down right now? Don’t you think he can see his three daughters together?”

Alice blinked as she set down her cup. “Goodness, that doesn’t make me feel much better … especially when I think of how frustrated all three of us have been with each other. Poor Father.”

“I have a feeling Pastor Daniel can handle it now.” Vera gave her a gentle smile. “Sometimes these family relationships just take a little time and patience to work out. It’s no secret that you three are just as different as can be. Only yesterday at the service I heard Ellen Moore comment on how she couldn’t believe you three were actually related, let alone flesh and blood sisters.”

“It is rather interesting, isn’t it?”

“Well, for some reason your father believed that leaving the house to the three of you would bring you together. Pastor Daniel was no fool, Alice. I expect it’s just a matter of time before you work this thing out.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Knowing you, I don’t know how I could be wrong. You have a gift when it comes to working things out.”

“I’m not so sure anymore, Vera. I was pretty fed up last night.”

“Did you tell your sisters how you felt?”

Alice looked down at her nearly empty cup but said nothing.

“Just as I thought.”

“I suppose I should get back now, Vera. They might be worried.”

“Might do them some good if they were worried. They should appreciate you a little more.”

“I’m sure they do, Vera.” Alice stood. “If I said anything wrong about my sisters, I hope you’ll forgive me and just take it with a grain of salt. You know that I love them.”

“I know, I know. Sometimes it’s good to vent these things, and your conversation is always safe with me. But, really, Alice, I don’t like to think of them taking advantage of you.”

“They’re my sisters, Vera. And despite everything, I know that they love me too. Besides that, remember what Jesus said: to be great in God’s kingdom, you must become a servant.”

“Servant maybe. But not a doormat.”

Alice smiled as she reached for the back door. “Thanks, Vera, for the tea and sympathy.”

“Anytime. Well, as long as it’s not a school day.” Vera patted her sponge rollers and laughed. “Good grief, I completely forgot how I look. By the way, you ready to start walking again? I think I’ve put five extra pounds onto these hips since we stopped.”

“I’m with you. How about if we get back on our old schedule starting on Monday.”