An Inheritance

Chapter 19

Lauren spent the entire morning measuring and planning how to raise the garden beds to allow for better drainage.  She used her grandmother’s ledger as the basis for what she’d plant, but jotted down some vegetables that she would need to check if they would grow well here.  Lauren didn’t mind sharing some of her produce with the neighboring animals, but she didn’t want to work hard and have nothing to show for it, so she incorporated some flowers and plants that she knew would deter rabbits and deer.    

Stretching to get the kinks out of her back and legs from crouching and bending, Lauren glanced at the large cypress tree at the edge of the bayou and wiped her hands on her pants.  Abby had long ago given up on playing with some of the bugs she had found and was napping on a bench near the green house.  Lauren called to her and they headed toward the house where they cleaned up and had some lunch. 

Pacing around the kitchen, she knew she needed something new to divert her attention away from those letters.  Lauren picked up a 3-ring binder that was crammed full of recipes and leafed through it.  “Abby, this looks exactly like the oatmeal-chocolate-chip-walnut cookies Mom used to make.  I wonder if I have all of the ingredients.”  Searching through what she had left from her grandmother’s cupboards and what Lauren had bought, she found just about everything she needed.  “I’m only missing the chocolate chips, but I do have raisins.  These will be great.” 

Abby was now on the counter trying to swat at the few drips coming from the faucet.  She glanced toward Lauren, but continued on with what she was doing.  If it wasn’t meat or cheese, she really had no interest.

Lauren was almost enjoying herself, whenever her mother’s letters crept into her mind, she concentrated harder on her baking.  Maybe it was the way the whole house smelled very welcoming and homey, but she started to feel more relaxed and calm. 

While the cookies were baking, she made a new pitcher of lemonade and then arranged the first batches of cookies in a platter.  She saw Abby head out to the living room and sit at the door, rocking back and forth with her purring.  “Abby, we’re not going out for a while, so you might as well come on back here.  The last of the cookies will be done in a few minutes and I’ll give you a treat so we both can indulge.” 

But Abby just sat by the door, purring.  Lauren shook her head, whenever Abby got something in her mind that she wanted to do, she seldom gave up very easily.  

At last the final batch of cookies was ready, and as Lauren placed the last one on a cooling rack, she heard a car come up the drive, and a door slam.

Sam?  Lauren thought immediately, but then realized it was a car she heard, not his truck. I know I’m in the country now, but doesn’t anybody ever call before showing up?  Wiping her hands on a dish towel, she walked towards the door.

Stepping out onto the porch, Lauren saw a woman in work-out clothes, slender, maybe in her late forties, walking up the driveway.  She saw Lauren and gave her a big smile.

“Hi, I’m Odilia Granger; I left a message for you a little while back.  I was a good friend of your grandmother’s.”  She was now at the top of the stairs and extended her hand, and Lauren shook it.  “I waited a while to make sure you were settled and comfortable.  I heard you’re now living here.”

 “Yeah, there are just so many things to go through; I found it easier to stay here instead of traipsing back and forth from the hotel.  I understand we’re having a cooler September than normal, so the cottage is really quite comfortable now.  I have no idea what it would be like in the summer.” 

“Hot and muggy!  You can’t get away from that, although I had tried to get your grandmother to put in some air conditioning, at least one or two window units.  But she refused, saying she felt closer to nature that way.  If it was good enough for her parents, it was good enough for her.”