Page 21 of In the Pursuit of Haven
Talk about turning the tides of misfortune! I needed to take some tips from that resourceful lady.
Across the street from the candy store was the home that happened to be the stomping grounds of one of America’s most famous writers, Nathanial Hawthorne. This city was also the birthplace of a Supreme Court judge and the man who averted an early civil war, Joseph Story; Nathanial Bowditch, the man who invented nautical navigation as we knew it, had also grown up here.
So yeah, Salem is more than witches, people… it was also about pirates and underground tunnels. I sidestepped Davey’s tour group on my way to Bette Ann’s as they talked cheerfully of Derby’s smuggling in the early days.
“Darn that Thomas Jefferson!”
“Almost caused a civil war with those taxes… good thing for our local hero, Joseph Story, who fought to lift those sanctions.”
I gave them an uneasy smile as they talked, and stuffed the deed to Haven’s properties into my trench coat pocket. The cheery sound of bells met my ears as I pushed through the candy store’s doors.
Walking into the store owned by Haven’s best friend gave me immediate comfort as the smells of my childhood hit me in one big whoosh.
Bundles of exotic and feel-good candies packaged in cellophane wrapping, red foil, and brown paper sacks were arranged artfully around the cutest mom-and-pop shop in America. I’d spent hours watching Bette Ann make candy in the back of the Salty and Sweets Shipwreck Shoppe. Now a window from the store to the kitchen showed the patrons exactly what went on behind the scenes as candy makers formed treats of every variety behind the glass.
It was a fascinating process.
At the back, Bette Ann stood in front of a wall papered in gold-and-ivory Victorian patterns that lent the store a vintage feel.
My shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of her. As always, she was a breath of fresh air. Bette Ann had kept her luxuriously thick white hair long, though she’d pulled it back into two cute-as-a-button pony tails on either side of her face. The older lady even wore one of her signature floppy hats.
I hurried over as she finished up with another sale.
Bette Ann immediately burst into that bright smile she always reserved for me, though I noticed her eyes were touched with sadness. “Roxy!” Handing over the receipt to another happy customer, she moved around the checkout counter to get to me. “You’re a sight for sore eyes! Where have you been, kid?” She pulled me into the tight motherly embrace that I was craving.
“I’m sorry!” I cried out. “After the funeral, I was so busy at the museum; we’d worked out an exhibit transfer with the Salem branch, and supervising the ship’s figurehead was a nightmare.” But mostly I’d also been living out of my duffel bag, trying to make do at an Airbnb and doing my best to avoidanythingJessie until I got the call from my mother to move out Haven’s things.
Bette Ann pulled back to get a good look at me. “How’s it going with that husband of yours? You know,” she rushed to say before I could answer, “I always liked him. He reminds me a bit of my Bill.”
“Oh…” I was at a loss for words. Bette Ann’s late husband had always been so kind. He was a quiet and steady man, not quite like Jessie, but I was touched she’d made the comparison. “Bill was such a good man.”
Bette Ann’s eyes warmed on me. “So’s your Jessie,” she said. “I think he was growing on Haven too. You can’t blame her for being uneasy after that history between her and the Crabbs… but well, Jessie’s really proved himself.”
I gulped. “Yeah.” I didn’t want to burst her happy bubble by talking about my marital troubles. Stalling, I pointed to a bulging puff of chocolate behind the counter with red and gold sprinkles. “Is that a new recipe?”
“Oh yeah, yeah, and everyone loves it!” She hurried around the counter to show me. “It’s our latest specialty, French Vanilla Cream Bursts.” Bette Ann began filling a bag full of chocolates without me even asking. After working here for so long, she knew how to read another woman’s mind.
I tried to steady myself as I broached the subject I would’ve done anything to avoid before all this. And yet… I needed advice in a big way. “Bette Ann, what do you do if… well, everyone’s love story has a breaking point…?” Her brow rose. I was not making myself clear at all. “Well, Haven never liked the Crabbs…”
“Ah yes, are you talking about that drama between Haven and Matthew?”
I stared at her, and quite suddenly that deed was burning a hole in my pocket. My mind shot to those bundles of letters at home, and feeling like an idiot, I realized something I’d missed in the anger that was all directed at Jessie. The answer to why Matthew Crabb’s name was on that deed lay in those letters.
“What do you know about that?” I asked.
She took a deep breath. “Oh, these things are better laid to rest, don’t you think? I don’t want to disrespect Haven’s confidences, and if she never thought it best to tell you while she was alive… well, enough of that.” She gave me a bracing smile and added two chocolate caramel turtles to the bag with a firm nod. “Things have ended as they should.”
Had they? Haven’s property belonged to the Crabbs and Jessie was drifting away from me.
Wait… the two weren’t connected, were they?
Jessie was coming over with the worst trumped-up excuse in history, blowing past my resentment and suspicions with little regard to how I felt, and telling me that he’d happily send me on my way afterwards, and… did he want to get his hands on those letters for some reason? Stop me from seeing them, even?
It seemed crazy, and yet? I wasn’t putting anything past him anymore.
Bette Ann busily scooped up a good sampling of everything chocolate in her store. Yeah, she was great at reading my mind. After this new suspicion, I’d need more of an endorphin push to get me through this.
I pulled out my wallet from my pocket and tried to pay for the candy. “No, no, dear.” Bette Ann shook her head, sending those adorable ponytails of hers swishing around her shoulders. “These are on me and come back for more when you run out. Goodness knows cleaning up Haven’s things won’t be easy. I tried, but…”
