Woodlands (5 page)

“So that explains your experience with snack lines.”

“Exactly. We would take them through a three-week course: backpacking, kayaking, sometimes orienteering. We would give them a couple of matches and a bag of granola, and they would have three days to find their way out of the rain forest.”

“Are you serious?”

“Maybe it wasn’t exactly that severe, but you get the idea. The program was designed to develop leadership skills. The most interesting groups were the management teams sent to us by big corporations. We would have four days to build them into what the brochure called ‘a harmonious team’ before sending them back to the concrete jungle. Those groups were always the biggest challenge.”

Leah could believe that. She could also believe that Seth had enough leadership skills to take on any group of students or corporate managers and handily shape them into a team.

So why is he delivering packages in this insignificant corner of the planet?

“Why did you leave?”

Seth glanced at her and looked surprised. It took him a moment before he said, “I turned twenty-nine last month.”

Leah wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, although it gave her a small sense of comfort to realize he was older than she was.

The grand, two-story Victorian mansion came into full view, and Seth stopped the car to take it all in before continuing up the driveway. “Wow! They sure fixed that place up. I
only saw it once, when I was in eighth grade. We came to Glenbrooke for my great-aunt’s funeral.”

Leah hadn’t gone to that funeral, but she remembered when Franklin’s wife, Naomi, had passed away. She also remembered how creepy the old Madison Estate used to look when she was a child. It had been vacant since the ’50s, and when Kyle and Jessica bought it almost seven years ago, it had taken months of extensive renovations before they could move in.

The gem of Madison Hill now glistened, creamy white and inviting. New life had been breathed into the old masterpiece of a house. A wide porch wrapped around the front, complete with a porch swing on the right and a set of wicker furniture on the left. Large, moss-lined baskets of Martha Washington geraniums hung at intervals across the porch’s overhang. A rounded turret ran up the side of the house and was topped by a pointed spiral and a rooster weathervane. The gingerbread trim along the roofline had been repainted recently and made the house look fresh in the glow of another gorgeous spring evening.

“These Buchanans must have some money,” Seth observed. “What does Kyle do when he’s not coaching Little League teams?”

Leah didn’t know how much to tell Seth. The truth was, the money came from Jessica. When Jessica married Kyle, she was a millionaire. However, Jessica didn’t like people to know that, and she and Kyle had done a commendable job of settling in and living a fairly normal life in Glenbrooke. The initial shock and novelty of her wealth had worn off, and over the years it had become less and less of an issue to the townspeople.

“Kyle does a lot of things,” Leah said. “They have some money.”

Then, in an effort to redirect the conversation, she said, “I
wonder why your great-uncle never moved into this mansion. You know it was built by his grandfather, Cameron Madison.”

“Funny you should mention that. I asked Franklin just a few days ago.” Seth slowed down as he neared the top of the driveway. “Cameron was bankrupt when he died. He put all his fortune into building this house and was so in debt by the time he died that the place was no longer his to will to anyone. I’ll be honest,” Seth said, parking the car. “I’m really curious to see inside.”

“It’s beautiful,” Leah said.

The golden retriever that had been barking at them from the front porch now bounded down the steps to greet them. Travis, the Buchanans’ oldest son, held open the screen door and called out, “Hi, Auntie Leah. Did you bring the eggs?”

“No, I haven’t finished them yet. Are you looking forward to the big party on Saturday?”

Travis nodded and looked shyly at Seth.

“Travis, this is Seth Edwards. He’s come to look at your puppies.”

Travis’s cherub face lit up. “I’ll show them to you. They’re in the laundry room.”

Seth trailed behind Leah as they followed Travis into the house. Seth seemed to be taking in the hardwood floors, the spectacular staircase, and the evening sunlight coming in through the door’s beveled glass. Travis led them down the hallway into the kitchen where Jessica was clearing the dinner table.

The toddler of the family, Emma, squealed with delight when she saw Leah and hopped down from her chair to run into Leah’s open arms. Leah kissed her soundly on the cheek and then proceeded to tickle her madly. As Emma tossed her curls and burst into giggles, Leah tried to introduce Seth to Jessica. Fortunately, Kyle stepped in from the back room and finished the introductions.

The Buchanans’ youngest, Sara, sat in her highchair and pounded her spoon on the high chair tray, demanding some attention, too.

“I wasn’t ignoring you, Sara Bunny,” Leah said, going over to the high chair while Emma clung to her like a baby koala bear. Leah managed to release Sara from the high chair and scooped her up, holding a happy little girl on each hip. “Do you two want to show Seth your puppies?”

“I was going to show him,” Travis said, standing in the doorway of the laundry room with his hands behind his back.

“I can hear them,” Seth said. “Why don’t you all show me?”

Kyle, a tall, good-looking man in his mid-thirties, stayed in the kitchen and slipped his arm around his wife, Jessica. She was a gentle-spirited woman and more of a big sister to Leah than any of her own sisters had been.

Jessica rested her fair-skinned cheek against Kyle’s chest. “Let us know if you guys need any help, although I doubt you will. Travis is our resident expert on the puppies.”

Leah followed Travis into the large laundry room. A separate area had been sectioned off by a board that was low enough for Lady, the young mother golden retriever, to step over. Lady lay comfortably curled up on top of what looked like a flat beanbag pillow. Leah had one, too, for her dog, Hula. The pillow was filled with cedar chips and was supposed to ward off fleas.

As Seth bent down, the three beautiful bundles of vanilla fluff yelped and tumbled over each other in an effort to climb out of their box and play with the visitors.

“They’re silly puppies,” little Emma said.

Sara patted Leah’s cheek with a sticky hand.

“They have gotten so big since I was here last!” Leah said. “Look at that one.”

The largest of the three fur balls romped toward them with
a strip of bed sheet tangled around his hind leg. He took a flying leap in an effort to jump over the board barricade. He would have made it, too, if one of his siblings hadn’t been sitting on the other end of the sheet, halting his escape in midair. The confused pup hung halfway over the board with the sheet still holding him by the leg.

Seth reached for the daredevil and released his hind leg from the sheet. Lifting him up for a closer look, Seth said, “You’re quite a little Bungee jumper, aren’t you?”

“They never could jump that far before,” Travis said with concern. “Daddy, come here.”

Kyle entered, and Travis told the story of the flying puppy.

“Sounds like we better find a taller board,” Kyle said.

“Or send this one home with me,” Seth suggested. Then, in a tender gesture that made Leah smile, Seth squatted down to eye level with Travis and said, “What do you think? Is this puppy looking for a new home?” The pup licked Seth’s chin as if right on cue.

“He likes you,” Travis surmised.

“I like him,” Seth said.

“They’re all boys,” Travis said. “The two girls already got sold.”

“Do you think I should buy this one?” Seth asked.

Travis seemed to ponder the question deeply but only for a moment before saying, “I think you two are good for each other.”

Leah pressed her lips together so she wouldn’t break into too big of a smile. She loved all three of the Buchanan children. Whenever any of them did or said something especially endearing, Leah allowed herself to get all choked up. If she couldn’t have her own children, she would funnel her motherly emotions into these three pixies every chance she had.

“It’s a deal,” Seth said, putting out his hand for Travis to
shake. They shook vigorously, and the puppy yapped his approval.

Emma covered her ears. “Stop barking,” she ordered.

Leah adjusted her precious cargo and realized how heavy Emma was getting. “I have to put you down, sweetie. Auntie Leah is getting to be an old lady, and she can’t hold you as long as she used to.”

As Leah bent at the knees, Emma got down and went right to her daddy, who effortlessly picked her up and slipped her around to his back so that her arms were around his neck and her legs around his middle.

“What are you going to name him?” Travis asked.

Without hesitation Seth said, “Bungee. I’m going to call him Bungee.”

Travis laughed and repeated, “Bungee.”

Leah doubted that Travis knew what a Bungee jumper was, although it was possible. He had surprised her more than once with his keen sense of observation. It was a fun word to say, and Travis repeated it. “Bungee.”

“I better take this guy home so he can get used to his new house tonight,” Seth said. Looking at Kyle he added, “Is it still okay if I write the check next week?”

“No problem,” Kyle said. “Whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“You can give the money to me,” Travis said. “It’s for me to go to college.”

“We’ll make sure it goes into your college account, son,” Kyle said. Then looking at Leah he asked, “Do you want to stay for a while? Have you had dinner yet?”

“We need to get going. My car decided to have a nervous breakdown this afternoon,” Leah said. “I have to call Martin to see if he can tow it over to his station tonight.”

“Do you need any help?” Kyle asked.

“I think I’m okay. Seth said he could drop me off back at my car.”

“That is, after we make a stop at Dairy Queen so I can repay Leah for helping me out today,” Seth said.

Kyle looked at Leah and then back at Seth. “I’ll tell you what’s even better than a fast-food dinner. You talk Leah into making you one of her spinach casseroles, and you’ll be tempted to turn into a vegetarian.”

“I am a vegetarian,” Seth said. “I’m only into Dairy Queen for their shakes. I’m making up for lost time during the past four years in Costa Rica. So far I’ve only tried three of their flavors. I’m making my way down the list.”

Leah caught Kyle’s eye, and she knew what he was thinking. Leah happened to know that Kyle was a Dairy Queen Blizzard aficionado as well.

“Have you tried the Oreo yet?” Kyle asked.

“Not yet,” Seth said.

“And did you know that Leah is a vegetarian, too?” Kyle added.

Seth smiled at Leah as the squirming puppy tried to crawl out of his arms. “No, I didn’t know that. I think Leah and I are discovering quite a few things we have in common.”

To Leah’s surprise, she didn’t blush at his comment. For some reason it didn’t embarrass her. She felt natural standing here with Kyle and Seth and hearing Seth say such a thing. It was as if the two of them were long-lost classmates, getting caught up at an impromptu reunion. Seth was connected to Glenbrooke in a unique way: He was related to the man who had built the house they were standing in.

“If you’re free on Saturday, Seth, you’re welcome to come for our Easter egg hunt,” Kyle said.

“And bring Bungee,” Travis said, patting the puppy on the head. “He might want to visit his mommy.”

“Will do,” Seth said.

“We can go out the back here,” Leah suggested, pointing to the screen door. It led to the back deck where Seth stopped to admire the sprawling backyard lawn bordered by ancient evergreens and cedars.

“You have a beautiful home,” Seth said to Kyle. “It’s really something, the way you’ve fixed it up.”

“When you come back on Saturday we’ll give you the grand tour,” Kyle said, putting down Emma and taking Sara from Leah. Neither of the little girls liked being displaced, and both put up a fuss.

“I’ll see you real soon,” Leah said, blowing the girls a kiss. She and Seth left side by side.

“What should we do first?” Seth asked. “Eat, or take care of your car?”

“Either one. You pick.” At that moment, Leah didn’t care. She felt as if her wish upon Pluto or Venus was coming true. She was in the company of a charming man, and he happened to have a puppy under his arm.

I
t does your heart good to see a real family like that, doesn’t it?” Seth said, as the two of them got back in his car. “Mom, Dad, 2.5 kids, and a couple of dogs, living the American dream. I noticed they even had a hammock in the backyard.”

“You didn’t see a lot of those in Costa Rica?” Leah asked, holding Bungee on her lap.

“What, families or hammocks?”

“Either. Both.”

“I saw very few families because of the kind of organization I was with. And I spied a few hammocks here and there. But I never had one I could call my own.”