Cara Mia Delgatto and the Protector, Part 5

Author's Note: Okay, I'm seriously hooked on writing and sharing serialized short stories, but I depend on YOU to give me feedback. So, please comment! To read Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4, scroll down to OLDER POSTS and click on that.

On Sunday mornings, I pick up Poppy, and we go to breakfast. Often he chooses Cracker Barrel, but this particular Sunday, he wanted to see what I'd done to the house, so we found a space at Harry and the Natives.

"This here place has been around since I can remember," said my grandfather. "I remember it when they opened, back in 1941. It was a motel. They cut the tidewater pecky cypress locally. The kids pumped gas, the wife served food, and then the turnpike opened, diverting traffic away from US 1. I remember the impact it had on all the local businesses. This one included."

We took a table in the back. I love looking over the Old Florida memorabilia. Signs are hung all over the place, featuring such witticisms as, "If we're closed, just shove the money under the door."

After we placed our orders, I told Poppy about Jodi's visit. It's the type of information that usually causes my grandfather to have a temper tantrum, but I knew he was too hungry to get up and stomp out without eating. Still, he did a lot of grumbling at this coffee mug. "Dag-nabbit. She got no right pestering you. I done already give her money."

"You did?" The words spilled out before I could stop myself. "It's none of my business, Poppy. I told her I was renting, which is true. I just figured I'd give you a heads up, in case she drops by your house to complain."

"She already did."

I gasped so loudly the man at the next table asked, "Are you all right?" I assured our neighbor that I was. "I guess I should have called you sooner."

"Don't matter. I gave her an earful. She don't have no reason to pout. We done our best for her. Your mama was too young. Your daddy wasn't sure he wanted to settle down. I've kept tabs on Jodi since she was given up for adoption. I knew the Wirekas. They were God-fearing, lovely people. They done their best by her. I don't know why or how she got so all-fired grabby. Wanting everything and being jealous of you. But she don't have no call to give me lip. Or you. If she comes back by, report her to the Jupiter Island Department of Public Safety. They'll escort her off the island. And if you want to, you can tell them to have her arrested the minute she sets foot on that property. Or I will. I don't mind doing it one bit. I'm tired of being bullied by that little gal."

Our food arrived. I had ordered the Surfer Girl. Poppy had waffles. We dug in, and I considered the matter closed. I didn't want him to call the police and have Jodi arrested. The more I ate, the more I decided that would be a very, very bad idea. Anything I did to inflame the situation could harm the people I love. Jodi doesn't seem to care who she hurts. That's a big difference between us.

The next week rolled by. We were busy getting the store ready for Mother's Day. Of course, it made me sad because it would be my second Mother's Day without my mother, and my first with Tommy away at school. But I concentrated on getting the shelves of The Treasure Chest full of fun items that any mother would like. One particularly cute gift idea was a wreath made of flip-flops. Skye had seen one on Pinterest. We're always picking up stray flip-flops from the beach, so we added a few cheap pairs to the ones we'd collected, glued on silk flowers, added ribbon, false gems and wow. Totally cute!

I was pretty excited about Mother's Day. I figured we'd do a ton of business, and we did. I was on my feet for eight hours. By the time I parked my Camry in my garage at home, I was nearly dead on my feet. I had a ton of paperwork to finish up before I knew whether we'd hit our sales targets or not. First I carried Jack into the house, then I fed Luna, and I was heading back to my car for the tote bag full of receipts and the detail tape when I heard the gravel crunch in my driveway.

And then I saw Jodi.

~ To Be Continued ~ 

Cara Mia Delgatto and the Protector, Part 4

Author's Note: Okay, I'm seriously hooked on writing and sharing serialized short stories, but I depend on YOU to give me feedback. So, please comment! To read Parts 1, 2, and 3, scroll down to OLDER POSTS and click on that.

"You have to be kidding! What is that woman's problem?" He dipped a coconut shrimp into one of the two sauces. "This is the apricot preserves sauce. The other is a sweet red chili sauce."

"I'm her problem. She can't seem to get over the fact our parents married, had me, and went on to live happy lives. Now she's decided that Poppy is giving me this property, and that she deserves a portion of it. Or money. I think she'd take the money if it was on offer."

Jay chuckled. "But it's not. She's forgetting this is your grandfather's place. He can do what he wants with it. She can stomp around all she wants, but she has no right to it. Neither do you. It's Dick's to do with as he sees fit."

I agreed with him there. Since Jay owns a string of assisted living facilities, he's seen first-hand how families can come apart over inheritances. I've seen that, too, because at The Treasure Chest, we buy up estates. "Only last week I had a woman come in and scream at me, because her sister had sold off part of their mother's belongings. Turns out the screamer lives in Maine. The sister lives here and takes care of their mother. As you might imagine, it's expensive to care for their mom. She needs a walk-in bath unit, so the Florida daughter sold stray pieces of silver and furniture to pay for the renovation. Maine daughter thought she was getting swindled."

"Welcome to Florida," said Jay. "Home of the aged, the infirm, and the shuttled aside. I bet you five bucks that if Maine daughter had to live with Mom for a week, she'd be singing a different tune."

"I'm sure of it."

"But let's go back to the subject at hand, Cara. You need protection. Jodi is one card short of a full deck. I've never met her, but I observed her at the gathering at Martin Gardens. That's a very troubled young woman. I don't like the idea of you being at her mercy."

I chewed my shrimp carefully. Was he suggesting that he move in? Our relationship wasn't there. Not yet. I hadn't even promised to date Jay exclusively. He glanced over and read my thoughts. "You need a big dog, Cara. What's wrong, don't you like big mutts?"

I thought about Sven, the golden retriever I'd put to sleep before coming to Florida. "I love all animals. You should have figured that out by now. But I'm not sure I can stand having my heart broken again, and it about killed me to have him euthanized. Goldens get cancer easily. Rottweilers have problems with hip and elbow dysplasia, plus heart problems. Dobermans have problems with their spines. Labs have dysplasia problems as do Weimaraners. Great Danes die young from flipped stomachs. German Shepherds have a whole host of problems."

Jay shook his head. "Sounds like you've investigated almost all the large breeds."

"I have."

~ To Be Continued ~

Cara Mia Delgatto and the Protector, Part 2

Author's Note: Okay, I'm seriously hooked on writing and sharing serialized short stories, but I depend on YOU to give me feedback. So, please comment! To read Part 1, scroll down to OLDER POSTS and click on that.

"That sounds suspiciously like a threat," said my friend Skye Blue. She twisted a strand of her dishwater blond hair around a finger. Skye was dressed to go across the street and work at Pumpernickel's, a deli. The stark white blouse and black slacks seemed odd on a person who loves gauzy skirts, loose knit tops, and boots.

"It doesn't just sound like a threat," said my other pal, MJ Austin. Today MJ wore a turquoise dress that emphasized her decollete. Matching earrings picked up the color, and a bracelet of the same gave the outfit extra points for style. "It was a threat. Cara, you need to talk to the Jupiter Island police. She can't get away with this."

I shrugged. "That would only encourage her. Jodi would know she's gotten under my skin. Besides, she hasn't done anything. I didn't even let her into the house."

"But you've been working so hard on that place." Honora McAfee is my oldest employee, and a dear nurturing soul. She plucked at her seersucker dress nervously. "What if she decides to splash it with paint. Or take a can of spray paint and write graffiti on the walls. She's done as much to the windows out front."

My friends knew I'd moved in when the cottage was a mess. Our newest hire, Jillian, was working with me to We sat around the small table in the back where we take our breaks. Since I love to cook, I'd baked a batch of biscotti for us to have with our coffee and tea. Bits of almond cookie were floating in my hot drink. "I need to talk with Poppy. If he's giving the property to me, and nothing to her, she's right. It's not fair."

I could see Skye and MJ's jaws drop. Honora even sputtered and said, "That's not true. She's inherited money from her adoptive parents. And her adoptive grandparents. I know that because the Wirekas were friends of friends. From what I've heard, they were rather successful in their own right. Furthermore, they probably had life insurance and savings."

"She can't have it both ways," agreed Skye. "She can't collect whatever the Wirekas left her and also claim whatever your parents and Poppy want you to have, too."

They had a point. "I swear, she gets me so rattled that I don't think straight. Each time she shows up, I feel guilty. Logically, it makes no sense. I had nothing to do with the decisions our parents made. I would do anything I could to welcome her into my life. I've steered clear of Cooper. I've apologized. I didn't even call the police when she vandalized the store."

MJ set down her coffee mug so hard that the brown liquid sloshed over the rim. "That's the problem, Cara. As long as you feel guilty, as you roll over and bare your jugular vein, she's going to come after you. It's like two dogs when they meet. When one of them acts submissive, the other takes the dominant role. You've shown her that you won't fight. She knows she has you cowering. Honestly, what do you expect? Open arms and roses?"

"When are they getting married?" Skye had hopped up to grab a paper towel and sop up the mess in front of MJ. Because Skye works as a waitress, she's fast on her feet like that. "Maybe when they do, and she's Mrs. Cooper Rivers, she'll ease up on you. Right now, she's bound to feel insecure."

I shook my head. "That's part of the problem, I think. I ran into Philomena Humberger at Publix. She told me that Cooper and Jodi's wedding has been postponed again. I guess everyone in town knows he's dragging his feet."

"Oh, my. She's probably blaming you for that," said Honora.

I nodded. "I think so."

~ To Be Continued ~ 

Cara Mia Delgatto and the Protector, Part 1

Author's Note: Okay, I'm serious hooked on writing and sharing serialized short story. This one will be done by Saturday, so I hope you'll stick with me and give me feedback as I go along.

The minute I looked across the crowd and noticed my sister, Jodi, staring at me, I realized she'd make trouble for me. Not then. Not in front of all those people who'd gathered to help landscape Martin Gardens. Not while her fiance Cooper Rivers was looking on. But eventually. She'd find a way to punish me for being involved in a project that brought me in contact with Cooper. She'd make me suffer. That's how she rolls.

My heart hurts a little each time I see her. Only recently have I learned that my parents gave their first child up for adoption. All my life I've wanted a sister. While I was wishing for one, Jodi was planning her revenge on me.

I can understand her anger. Her adoptive parents told her early on that she was adopted. They explained that her biological parents loved her very much, but they were young and not married, so they did what they thought was best for her. Jodi might have accepted that explanation, but she decided to search for her biological parents, and when she did, she discovered that they were happily married, successful, and the parents of a second child, me. Next she tracked down my grandfather, Dick Potter.

Poppy has been coy about the details of his relationship with Jodi. He's provided for her in his will. They've met. But she isn't a part of his life.

I wouldn't have been a part of HER life either, except that I took a road trip and landed on Poppy's doorstep in Stuart, Florida, when my car broke down. And that's how I reconnected with Cooper Rivers, my first boyfriend and Jodi's soon-to-be-husband, only to find that he was engaged to marry--and his intended was my long lost sister.

Sure enough, five days after the big community event at Martin Gardens, I heard a car crunch gravel in my drive. Jack, my rescue Chihuahua, thinks he's a pit bull. Ever since I moved into this tiny cottage on Jupiter Island, Jack's taken on a new personality. He's my protector. When someone arrives, he barks his tiny head off, and he doesn't stop until I go and see what's up. Usually, the sound of tires on the drive signals the arrival of the public works guys, picking up my recycling or my garbage. Since I was folding clothes, I planned to ignore Jack's antics.

But he didn't quit. The vehicle didn't drive off, and soon I heard a tap-tap-tap on my door. I was watching Jack as I opened it, because he's small and has a tendency to get underfoot. Coming face-to-face with Jodi was a surprise, to put it mildly.

"First you steal my parents. Now you steal my property," she said. Her dark eyes flashed with anger. As usual, she was dressed to the nines. On her feet were gold kitten-heel sandals that picked up the highlights in her auburn hair. The dress she'd chosen was A-line embellished with stones and shells around the neck. She looked gorgeous.

By contrast, I wore a pair of my son's cut off jeans and an old tee shirt of  his. I love wearing Tommy's cast-off clothes. They make me feel close to him while he's off at college in Miami.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said. I didn't unlatch the screen door. I don't trust Jodi. She's unpredictable at the best and malicious at the worst.

"Our grandfather gave you a piece of beachfront property on Jupiter Island, and you have the nerve to act like you didn't notice that I should get half of it? How dumb are you, Cara?" She crossed her arms over her chest and drummed her perfectly painted coral nails on a tanned arm.

I sighed. "He didn't give me this house. I'm renting it from him."

"Right," she said. "You're a liar. Just like our parents were."

"Anything else?" Her accusations made me weary. "Look, Jodi, why don't stop this? We're sisters. I'm not responsible for what our parents did. We live in the same town. Can't we play nicely with each other?"

Her smirk was nasty. "Play nicely? Oh, Cara, darling, I've only begun to play with you. Wait and see. Wait and see."

~ To Be Continued ~