The Secrets of Pimsim Cove - 6. Chapter 6

My mind was still a numb mush of goo when I opened my eyes and realized that I was being attacked by some sort of cold wet monster that had wrapped itself around my face. With a strangled cry, I ripped it off and flung it across the room hoping that it hit something hard enough to kill it.

Where the heck was I? I rubbed at my blurry eyes and saw the tiny window in the little bedroom was propped open and the soft sounds of the ocean filled the air.

I pushed myself up to my elbows, to see if the creature was dead yet and snorted when I saw that my attacker was actually a damp washcloth that was now crumpled into a ball in the corner.

Swinging my feet to the floor caused a thick wave of nausea to crash over me. Whoa...nice and easy...breathe…just take it slow. I sat there like that for a few minutes while trying to remember what had happened.

They were arguing. Rosy, Rook, and Sean were arguing and that must have been when I passed out.

I glanced out the window and tried to spot the sun to gauge what time it was, but it wasn’t in view of the little window, so I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. In today’s age of modern electronic gadgetry, I don’t know why anyone would still wear a watch. That was so 1986! You know, like when dinosaurs still roamed the earth…hehehe!

Oh my goodness, it was just past three thirty in the afternoon! Had I really been out of it that long?

The room was smaller than my bedroom back home, but it was much cleaner than my girly teenage mess. It was definitely a boy’s room. Besides the bed, the only other furniture in the room was a small nightstand, a desk with a chair, and a wide dresser-like chest of drawers.

I let out a squeal of delight when I noticed my red, white and blue track & field bag sitting on top of the dresser.

I cautiously got up to my feet and when my stomach didn’t revolt, nor my head go all swimmy, I quickly grabbed for my bag. That’s when I noticed the handwritten note laying on top: ‘Sorry, Rook.’

Wow, he wasn’t a man of many words, but I didn’t care since I had my stuff back. All I wanted to do now was to find the nearest bathroom and hit the shower.

The two small upstairs bedrooms shared a single bathroom at the top of the stairs, but I did not want to worry Rosy any longer than I already had, and decided to go find her and let her know that I was awake and alright, before taking a desperately needed shower. I swear I could almost make out stink-swivels floating over my head.

The McLoughlin’s might be my grandparents, but I was still a stranger and I didn’t have their permission to even stay in their home yet, let alone, jump into their shower, which by most people’s standards was a very personal space.

That’s why everyone always gets so skivvied-out when someone peaks inside their medicine cabinet or checks out what’s behind their shower curtain. It’s just private, even though we’ve all done it!

Walking through their quiet house was eerie. The downstairs was much larger than the upstairs, but all in all, the house was an adorable country cottage-like home. When I rounded the corner to the kitchen, I ran into a wall of the most wonderful smell...food. I don’t know what Rosy was cooking, but it sure smelled yummy!

The back porch was ginormous compared to the rinky-dinky stoop that served as their front porch. Out here, four deep comfy rockers were flanked by perfect little side tables and rows and rows of colorful flowerpots that completed the space, but the ocean was the main attraction.

It was glorious! Waves softly caressed the shoreline in the most beautiful hypnotic motion, it was lulling and relaxing...it was absolutely magical!

I found Rosy in her vegetable garden. She gave a hard tug on a long green stalk, pulled something up from the dark muddy earth, tossed it into a basket, and then stood up. She shielded her eyes from the sun with her dirty hands as her worried face broke into a warm smile when she saw me standing by the house watching her.

“You look much better now.” She called out. Her thick Irish accent was so familiar as it washed over me like a soothing warm blanket. “That little catnap of yours must have done you some good.” She said as she picked up her little basket of veggies and walked towards me and the house.

I repressed a snort of laughter. Catnap? Really?

It wasn’t as if I had decided to curl up in a nice sunny spot for a little nap…I had hit the floor in a total blackout! It wasn’t so bad that I fainted in front of my grandmother and uncle, but I was suddenly embarrassed because I had fainted in front of Sean.

He must really think that I’m a total idiot. When Rosy reached the back porch, she frowned when she saw my deep scowl. “Don’t worry my child, we will figure out what to do.” She said as she patted my shoulder then ushered me towards the backdoor to precede her inside.

***

Rosy laughed at me when I asked her if it was okay to use their bathroom. “Of course, child!” She said between giggles. “I want you to think of this as your home. The upstairs bathroom is stocked with towels and toiletries, but if you need anything else, anything at all, just let me know.”

She pulled me into another hug and kissed my forehead, before letting me dash upstairs, and I mean dashed. I took the steps two at a time, which was nearly impossible with such short legs.

The door to the other bedroom was propped open with a heavy cast-iron fish. Hesitating for only a fraction of a second, I glanced inside. It was a mirror image of the room that I’d woken up in. Same bed, same nightstand, even the same dresser was all in the exact same spots, only in reverse. It must have been Rook’s bedroom, but he’d obviously had moved out a long time ago, because the room looked like it hadn’t been used in years.

“Shower! Shower! Shower!” I sang under my breath as I ran back into the little room that was mine for now. I didn’t even bother to get what I needed out of my bag, I just carted the whole thing into the bathroom with me. “Shower! Shower! Show--”

“Hey! Where the smurf is the shower?” I wanted to scream as I frantically looked around the sparkling clean bathroom.

Toilet, check. Sink and mirror, check and check. Great big bathtub, check. Shower…No!

Oh my goodness, what was I going to do with this huge Victorian looking tub? Yeah, I love a nice hot soak in the bathtub every now and then, I mean what girl doesn’t, but right now I need a shower...a super-duper soapy shower...a loofah scrubbing kind of shower …a scrub and scrub until my freckles almost disappear, kind of shower!

Well, since I don’t think one was going to just magically appear, I guess I was gonna have to make this work somehow.

I turned the water on and decided that I should start by standing in the tub and scrubbing my filthy skin from head to toe. Then I would wash my hair in the sink as the water filled up for a nice long soak.

You should know that I’m a genius because it was wonderful. The bubbly water felt so good, that I soaked until my fingers and toes were all pruny. The heat soaked into my aching joints until I finally felt like the old Anna again. The bath was so totally fab-u-lous!

I quickly dressed and combed my long strawberry blond hair. It would dry quickly in the warm ocean breeze, so I left it loose to hang around my shoulders. Worried that Rosy would think I was some kind of slob, I made extra-sure that the bathroom was clean, neat, and tidied up before heading back downstairs to find her.

***

Dinner smelled wonderful. It wafted through the cottage and met me at the dining room doorway. The table was already set. Rosy was placing a golden brown roast in the center of the table when I walked into the room.

A pang of guilt stabbed through my stomach at the thought that she had slaved away over dinner and I hadn’t even offered to set the table.

I could just see Mom now. Her face would be furrowed into a disapproving scowl at my uber- lack of manners. Shaking the thought from my head, I turned back to Rosy. “Everything looks so delicious...”

Uh, what do I call her? We hadn’t gotten that far into the introductions this afternoon and it was so chaotic that I never got a chance to ask her if it was okay to call her Grandma… “Mrs. McLoughlin.”

Her head shot up at my formal tone, but she smiled softly when she saw that I was still too apprehensive to be myself just yet. “Anna darling, you can call me, Grandma...or if you like, Sean calls me, Rosy. Whatever feels more comfortable for you is absolutely fine with me.”

She was so understanding, “Grandma,” I muttered under my breath trying it out loud. I liked the sound of it. Grandma Gigi didn’t like us to actually say the, ‘Grandma’ part. She just preferred that we call her Gigi. She said that ‘Grandma’ was too old fashioned, but it felt perfect with Rosy.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t help you with dinner or set the table, Grandma, but I will clear the dishes after diner. I’ll also wash and put them away for you.”

“Don’t worry about it, my child.” She looked up and saw the deep lines of concern on my freckly face. “But if you really want to, I would love the extra help. Usually, I’m surrounded by all of these men,” and just like on cue from a Broadway show, Rook and Stonebrook walked in, “and I look forward to having another woman around.”

A blush crept up my face when she called me a woman.

Stonebrook stopped in front of me and stared. It must be weird to see his child’s eyes in the face of a stranger. He was tall like Dad and Rook and his fair hair had turned silver a long time ago, but his eyes were brilliant blue and they held the faintest lace of tears. With a gentle touch from his rough, work-worn hands, he touched my chin before wrapping his strong arms around my shoulders and whispered into my ear. “I’m so glad that you’ve found your way home, little Anna!”

My heart soared. I love my family more than anything on earth and it was now growing with the acceptance of these wonderful people.

Okay, maybe not Rook. I was still on the fence about Uncle Rook, but in his defense, he had only taken my stuff to try to force me to run back home to Atlanta and he only wanted Sean to keep me away because he thought I would be safer far away from this evil Talbot guy, so maybe he wasn’t as bad as I had originally thought.

Glancing over at Rook, I noticed that he had showered and changed his dirty clothes, but he still hadn’t found the time to shave, since his face was still covered with a thick growth of strawberry beard.

Everyone took their places at the dinner table. Stonebrook glanced down at the four place settings and frowned. “Where’re Michael and Sean?”

“I told you Da, they are still down at the south shore.” Rook answered between bites of a big fluffy roll. Rosy frowned at him talking with his mouth full, so she continued when he stopped for another bite.

“They’ll stop by later, dear. I promised to save them each a big plate of leftovers.” She said and raised her eyebrows in Rook’s direction, as if to silently say to him, ‘make sure there are some leftovers for them.’

Dinner was scrumptious. I think the meat was lamb. It’s not like I’m a vegetarian or anything, but it’s really hard to think about a cute fuzzy lamb frolicking around when you’re eating him, so I just pushed those thoughts out of my head for now.

The potatoes and vegetables were all grown in Rosy’s garden and she made this amazing drink that was warm and thick...it was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. It was sort of sweet and buttery concoction with the slightest hint of mint. I loved it! Rosy called it ‘camu.’ I think it was better than soda and I really, really, really love my soda!

Rosy and Stonebrook took turns asking me questions about my life while Rook sat silently and listened.

I told them that I want to be a writer someday and that I’m one of the star runners on my high school’s track & field team.

Rook grinned when he thought about poor Sean’s face when I outran him this morning. I also told them all about Mom and Jimmy and little baby Marcus on the way… and I also told them about Dad. Not the son they knew as a child, but the amazing man he is now. They smiled as they listened to me talk about my family.

Rook was the first to interrupt when he bluntly announced, “That American accent sounds bizarre falling from Irish lips!” He spat out his words as if he were serious, but when he hastily got up from the table to carry his plate to the kitchen, he turned around and winked at me from across the dining room. Okay, Uncle Rook, nice jab, I’d have to make sure I got even with him for that one.

True to my word, I shooed Rosy and Stonebrook out to the back porch while I cleared the table.

I wrapped up two big plates with leftovers and washed up the dishes, but even with all the sleeping I did this afternoon after I fainted earlier, I was still feeling really tired, so I stepped out onto the porch to tell them goodnight.

Rosy and Stonebrook were gazing at the twinkling stars hanging over the wide open sky above the ocean. Her hand was resting inside of his, as if it were made to do so. They were so uber-cute! I stepped out into the warm night air, but hovered close to the door.

“Grandma?”

“Yes, child?”

“The kitchen is clean and everything is washed up, but I wasn’t sure where to put things away--”

“Don’t worry about that. The dishes are fine right where they are. It’s such a lovely night, why don’t you come out and join us?” Like a moron, I shook my head, as if she could see me, but I quickly pushed the sleepy fog away from my mind, for a few more minutes.

“Thanks, but no, I think I’m gonna call Mom and then go on to bed. I’m still having trouble adjusting…to the time difference.” I quickly finished.

“Okay dear, sleep tight.” She spoke softly as I slipped away, back into their charming little cottage.

***

I walked upstairs to the room that was designated as mine and grabbed my cell phone and my journal off the dresser. Staring down at both of them in my hands, I set the phone aside so I could jot down inside of the notebook: Talbot, Ring and Windsong. These three words held the key to finding Dad.

Snapping the journal closed, I held my cell phone in my trembling hands and dialed home. I hoped that Mom wouldn’t answer since I hated the thought of her sitting at home for hours, staring at the telephone, waiting for it to ring, which it now did and she answered it on the very first ring.

“Anna?” She said in a sleepy voice that matched my own.

“Hey Mom, I have some good news. The local police think that they have a real solid lead on the people who took Dad.” I heard her let out a soft sigh, so I continued before she could stop me and ask any questions.

“They said that these goons aren’t really violent, but they are thieves and they think that this whole thing goes way back to some missing jewelry from when Dad was a kid...he knew some bad kids when he was growing up here...and the police told me that they’re pretty sure that he’s gonna be fine.”

Okay, I embellished a bit, but if it helped her relax until I could get him back home, I’d tell her that the sun was purple, the sky was green and the devil wears pink spandex. Maybe I don’t need that Creative Writing Class after all. The devil in spandex...hehehe!

She heard my muffled yawn and told me that she loves me and ordered me to call her tomorrow. I barely pushed the end button on my cell phone before my eyes fluttered closed and I fell asleep on top of the sheets, wearing my clothes and still clutching my phone.

***

All of the lights were off and the house was dark as soft whispers slowly filled the night air. Rosy and Stonebrook sat at the table while Rook nervously paced around the room. “I don’t like it just as much as you, but it has to be done.” Rook growled in a hushed voice.

Stonebrook shook his silver head as he protested, “Well I’m not going to do it! I really like the girl and I’m just not doing it!”

“Well, maybe a kinder, gentle touch would make it a bit easier on her. Maybe it will go better if I tell her...you know, to soften the blow a little bit.” Rosy’s voice was weary.

Rook shook his head and rubbed his big hands across his worried face. “Ma, it doesn’t matter how gently you tell her. She’s still going to hate all of us!”

A flicker of hope crossed Stonebrook’s face. “Are you really sure that she doesn’t have any idea...Maybe she already knows!”

“I’m sure, Da.” Rook grunted. “She has no idea and whoever tells her is going to blindside this girl. That’s why I wanted to keep her as far away from here as possible, but no, she had to walk right into this whole fishy mess!”

“Let me do it, Rook. It will be better for all of us to just be honest with her.” Rosy said with a long sullen face.

“I’ll do it!” Sean announced from the doorway.

All three of them jumped when Sean spoke. Nobody noticed him quietly leaning against the doorframe, dripping wet, and only wearing a pair of calf-length black shorts.

His black hair stuck out in every direction as if he had only whipped his head around to shake some water from his wet hair and left it that way. The silvery moonlight shimmered through the windows and danced on the saltwater droplets clinging to his bare chest. “I wouldn’t want her to hate any of you...and besides, I don’t think she likes me, anyway.”