The Typewriter

Chapter 15 or Day 15 of NaNoWriMo 2012 (1,699 words)

Chapter 15: Miles and Sally visit Miss Lydia

Miles, with Sally sitting on the passenger, drove his Uncle Jake's bright red and newly washed station wagon east of on Main Street. At the corner of of Wizard Lane and Main Street he turned north. In her lap, Sally held a box of chocolate chip dragon cookies, which in the back seat lay a bouquet of rainbow colored roses. After about five minutes, they turned east onto Applewhite Avenue.

"Interesting," said Sally, as they drove past orchards of apple, pear, and peach trees. "There aren't very many houses in this section of town."

"Uncle Jake told me," Miles smiled, "that the only house on this street is the Applewhite house." He brought the car to a stop in front of a white ranch style house surrounded by a picket fence. "Apparently, my grandfather refused to allow construction within nine miles of his home. The only buildings within the city limits on the east side of Dragonview is the cemetery on Main Street, the Applewhite house on the northeast side, and the Baldwin house on the southeast side of town."

Getting out of the car, Miles walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for Sally. She handed him the box of cookies while she got out of the car. After Sally, shut the car door he handed the cookies back to her and opened the backdoor. He reached under the seat and removed a small lavender book with a matching pen attached, which he placed in his right jacket pocket and then he picked up the bouquet of roses before closing the door.

"What's in the book," Sally ask as Miles opened the gate.

"I don't know," they walked slowly toward the front door. "Uncle Jake said I should take it with me when we went into the house."

At the door, Miles used the bronze doorknocker to announce their arrival. After a few minutes, a gray haired woman wearing a black and white maids uniform opened the door. "Good afternoon," she said, "Please come in." Guided them into the setting room, "Who may I say is calling?"

"Please inform Miss Lydia, that Miles Nolan Dragonslayer and his fiancee Sally Winters Jenkins are calling." The maid left the room as they sit down on the couch.

"Mr. Dragonslayer," said Miss Lydia coming into the setting room followed by the maid, "it's nice to see you again."

"For you, Miss Lydia," he handed her the bouquet of roses, "this is my fiancee Sally Jenkins."

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Jenkins," she shook Sally's hand.

"Like wise, Miss Applewhite," Sally hand her the box of cookies.

"Please, call me Miss Lydia," she handed the roses and the cookies to the maid. "Why don't we go out into the garden?" She lead the way through the house to the backdoor. Once outside, she guided them through the verdant garden to the gazebo. "Please have a seat." A few minutes later the maid arrived pushing a serving cart containing a pitcher of sweetened ice tea, a selection of sliced fruits and vegetables, dishes and desert forks. The maid poured everyone a glass of sweetened tea which each individual put fruit on a desert dish.

"Mr. Dragonslayer," said Lydia after the maid had left. "Are you related to Jake Nolan?"

"Yes, Miss Lydia," he smiled, "my mother was his sister, Cora Nolan. "So, under the circumstances, why don't you call me Miles."

"Well," she took a sip of tea. "I guess that explains the family resemblance. Is your Cora still alive?"

"No, unfortunately she passed on eight moths ago."

"I'm sorry," Lydia paused for a moment unable to ask the question that was forming in her mind. "Uh,..."

"Mom suffered from Sorcerers' Syndrome the last two years of her life.".

"I see," Lydia frowned, "Doctor Ashland thinks that's what caused my Father's death. He said there was a genetic component, but he also said there was no way to test for the gene."

"My doctor said the same thing, but since Mom didn't talk much about her family; he said it could just as easily be a mutation in her genes."

"This is a beautiful garden," said Sally as she helped herself to another serving of honeyed beets.

"Thank you," Lydia looked relieved to have the subject changed. "I can't take credit for it though," she poured more tea into her glass. "Jose Fastrunner is the genius who keeps it looking so beautiful. Before he began taking care of it, this part of the estate was on the verge of dying."

"Jose Fastrunner," Miles removed the lavender book from his jacket pocket, opened it to the first page and wrote the name down. "I believe I notice his file when I was cleaning up the office."

"So, Miles, you're Cora's oldest child," Lydia smiled. "Please, both of you, call me Aunt Lydia."

"Yes, but..."

"That book," she got a faraway look in her eyes. "After Father's funeral I gave that book to Cora to give to her oldest child." She sighed, "Did your mother give it to you or was it your Uncle Jake?"

"Uncle Jake."

"I suspected as much. Cora had a rough childhood and most of it was due in part to the fact that my father never married her mother. Also, most of Dragonviews citizens are afraid of Applewhites and Cora's gold flaked eyes marked her as an Applewhite."

"I see," Miles frowned.

"Something wrong, Miles?"

"Yes, Aunt Lydia, it's..."

"Sorcerer's Syndrome," Lydia placed a pickled pear on her plate. "You're worried about having children, I presume."

"Yes," this time it was Sally who answered.

"Have them," Lydia poured more tea for everyone. "My grandmother, Selma, was 97 when she died of a sever cold and she never showed any symptom of the disease. So, Miles, it's entirely possible that neither you, your children, nor I will every succumb to the disease. And..."

"It maybe one of those diseases that gene therapy will alleviate," Miles sighed.

"Now can we change the subject," Sally took a sip of her tea. "To something a little more pleasant."

"I think that's a good idea, My Dear," Lydia laughed, it had been a long time since she sit in the gazebo talking with family. "When are you two getting married?"

"At the end of the month, Aunt Lydia, it would've been Miles parents 50th wedding anniversary" She pause staring into at the apple trees in bloom. "We planned on that day before Cora passed on and I think we should keep that date."

"I gather you weren't planning a large wedding then."

"No," Miles took a sip of his tea considering how he should bring up the subject of Porter. Perhaps, he thought, that subject is better discussed in my office then in a garden. "A small wedding is preferable. My parents were married in a garden with only family members in attendance."

"As were mine," said Sally.

"Then would you accept the use of this garden," ask Lydia.

"Yes," Miles was beginning to like Lydia, she did not appear to be anything like the rumors he had heard. I knew, of course, he had not made her angry and that she could be a completely different person under other circumstances.

They heard the kitchen door slam and a few minutes later the maid came running to the gazebo. "Sorry to interrupt you, Miss Lydia, but the constable is here. He seems very upset and insists on speaking to Mr. Dragonslayer immediately."

"I suppose I'd better see what his problem is," Miles got up. "Aunt Lydia, why don't you and Sally continue discussing wedding plans." He left the gazebo and followed the maid into the house, where he found Constable Parker waiting for him.

"What's the problem, Constable," Miles ask.

"One of your parolees put another in the hospital."

"Which one is in the hospital," Miles rubbed the back of his neck. He hated doing business on his day off. "And who put him there."

"Jose Fastrunner is in the hospital, but I don't know who put him there."

"Constable Parker," Miles shook his head, "how do you know it was another parolee?"

"Because Fastrunner says he saw his assailant, but he refuses to identify him."

"Constable Parker," he sighed, "Mr. Fastrunner may be more willing to talk to me then to you, so I'll go to the hospital and interview him. As soon as I find out anything, I'll let you know."

"Very well," Parker left and Miles went back to the gazebo.

"What's the problem, Miles," ask Sally.

"Jose Fastrunner is in the hospital and Constable Parker thinks one of the other parolees put him there."

"How badly is Jose hurt?" Lydia and Sally got up at the same time.

"I don't know, Aunt Lydia," Miles could see the worry in her eyes. "Do you know if he had problems with any of the other parolees?"

"No," said Lydia as they walked toward the house. "I do know that Jose refused to let any other parolee work in this garden, but I don't see how that could have cause any problems."

"Perhaps jealousy," said Miles as they entered the house. "I'll go directly to the hospital, Aunt Lydia, and when I find out how Mr. Fastrunner is doing, I'll let you know."

"Miles,... Will his have an effect on his parole."

"I don't know, Aunt Lydia, I have to talk to Mr. Fastrunner first."

Miles and Sally drove to the hospital in silence. I hope, thought Miles as he pulled into a parking place outside the emergency room. This isn't going to be an indication of how the week will go. Handing Sally the car keys Miles rushed into the E.R. where he got in line at the reception window. As he waited to see the receptionist, Miles looked around.

There were a dozen people sitting in the patient waiting room, all of them obviously bored and in pain. Someone tapped him on the should and he turned around to find Sally standing behind him. "I'm not returning the car to your Uncle Jake without you," she squeezed his hand.