Part 10 (1/2)
Denis is immediately at her side, helping her with the numerous bags shes carrying and her coat. Maggie pours another gla.s.s of wine and puts it on the table for when Clem is ready.
”How was the afternoon at work?” Maggie asks when things settle down. Drew remains on the outskirts, happily drinking his beer.
Clem takes a sip of her wine first and then sits at the table before answering. ”Busy. And that slimy reporter Karl Jacobs came in. I wanted to kick him out after the article he wrote about Clara.”
”What did he want?” Maggie asks, disappointed that he was willing to show his face in their store.
Clem shakes her head. ”Not to buy anything, that was clear from the moment he walked in. He just walked around, touching everything. I must have spent half an hour just getting everything back in place after he left.” Clem is a little compulsive about keeping everything in its exact spot.
”Did you talk to him?” Maggie asks.
”Of course not. I knew I wouldnt be able to remain civil. What a vile human being. He gives Silver Springs a bad reputation,” Clem fumes.
The oven beeps and Maggie takes the fish out of the oven. She checks the rice and is happily surprised that its ready. She places everything on the table, Drew getting plates and silverware and another bottle of wine.
”I think you girls need this,” he jokes, filling their gla.s.ses. Neither Maggie nor Clem object.
”But how was your day?” Clem asks, turning to Maggie. ”Hows Ginger Rae?”
Maggie launches into an overview of her day once again, ending with running into Stewart at the grocery store. She doesnt mention Denis arriving early.
Denis remains quiet throughout much of the meal but Clem doesnt seem to notice. There are enough topics to touch on, including tomorrow nights Bingo game.
”Youre going again?” Clem asks. Maggie has been roped into more Tuesday night Bingo games than shed care to admit.
”Of course she is,” Drew says, smiling. ”That was one of the first places we spent time together.”
”Yeah, back before I knew what a catch you were.” Maggie gently pushes his shoulder. ”Seconds anyone?” she asks, holding up the salad and rice. The fish has been picked clean.
Everyone shakes their heads and the men stand without being asked and start clearing the table. Maggie and Clem dont protest and lean back in their chairs with recently refilled wine gla.s.ses.
”I could get used to this,” Clem says, much calmer than when the meal started. ”Coming home to a delicious meal, someone cleaning up afterward. It cant really get better than this.”
”Well, theres dessert. That always makes it better.” Maggie smiles, unable to keep the excitement of whats to come off her face. Luckily Clem has had enough wine that she doesnt notice.
When the dishes are all in the dishwasher and Drew and Denis have returned to the table, more beer in their hands, Maggie pulls the cheesecake from the fridge. ”I didnt whip any cream, but I meant to. Sorry,” she says. ”There are strawberries though.” Everyone murmurs their approval.
She keeps her back to the table and listens closely as conversation resumes, no one paying her any attention. Each of four plates receives a slice of cheesecake and plenty of sliced strawberries. The season is past, so they wont be as delicious as in the middle of the summer, but theyll do.
The last addition is the engagement ring on Clems cake. Then Maggie starts serving, saving Clems for last.
”That looks delicious,” Clem says, trying to take Denis when Maggie hands him one.
He looks surprised and unable to come up with an excuse to not let Clem have it. She digs in before Maggie can bring her a new one-the one with the engagement ring.
”Its as good as it looks. Did you get it from the bakery on Main Street?” she asks, her mouth full.
Maggie carries the last two pieces to the table, one for herself and the one reserved for Clem. ”Umm, yeah,” she answers, not quite sure what to do with Clems cheesecake. She hands it to Denis.
Clem is so lost in her dessert that she doesnt even notice everyone staring at her until shes almost finished. ”What?” she asks, wiping her face with her napkin. ”Did I get it on my face?”
Denis looks down at the plate in front of him, speechless. Clem follows his gaze and drops her fork. ”Was . . . was that for me?” she asks quietly.
Denis nods.
Clem bursts out laughing.
”That wasnt really how Id planned for it to go,” Denis says, smiling shyly. He trades plates with Clem, taking her finished cheesecake and giving her a new piece, the ring sticking out of the middle. Clems hand covers her heart and Denis asks, ”Clementine Boothe, will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?”
Clem cant answer. Tears well up in her eyes and she nods, a smile contradicting the tears that threaten to spill over. Maggie and Drew look on, all smiles as well.
CHAPTER 23.
The energy of the house on Tuesday morning is completely changed. Maggie feels it as soon as she wakes up to Opals scratching at the bathroom window to get outside. Maggie opens one eye and sees that the bedroom door is closed so the cats independent escape is blocked off. She drags herself out of bed and lets Opal outside.
Rather than bundling herself up in the warmth of the covers, Maggie rubs her eyes and shuffles to the kitchen where Clem is sitting at the table. ”Morning,” Maggie mumbles, her eyes not quite open all the way.
”Good morning,” Clem replies, looking up from her magazine, all smiles.
”Denis didnt spend the night?”
”No. We like our own beds.”
Maggie sits across from her sister, wis.h.i.+ng Clem was a coffee drinker and already had a pot going. ”That will be a tough transition then when youre married. I a.s.sume youll live together.”
Clem smiles. ”I a.s.sume so too. But we can still have our own beds.”
Maggie agrees and walks slowly to the counter where she starts a pot of coffee.
”Im off to work.” The smile never leaves Clems face and Maggie can hear it through her words even though she doesnt turn around to face her. ”Youll stop in sometime?”
”Yeah,” Maggie agrees offhandedly. Shes focused on getting caffeine into her bloodstream as soon as possible. ”I dont have anything set in stone for today as far as times, so Ill stop in between talking to people about Claras murder.”
”Good luck.” The door to the garage closes a moment later and Maggie is left alone with silence, the dogs nowhere to be seen.
The oven clock reminds Maggie that shes up early-its not even seven yet and she could happily sleep until ten if she didnt have things to do. She makes her coffee extra strong and brings it with her back to her bedroom. A shower will do the trick to wake her up a little bit faster.
When she steps out of the warm water ten minutes later, her phone is ringing on the bed. She quickly wraps a towel around herself and fumbles for her gla.s.ses. Theyre fogged up from the steam and essentially useless.
By the time she reaches the bed, her phone has stopped ringing but she sees that she missed a call from Trista. She dries off, slips on some jeans and a s.h.i.+rt and calls her back.
”I thought maybe your phone was off if you hadnt gotten up yet,” Trista says when she answers. Its a good a.s.sumption.