Page 19 of Dear Henry, Love Edith
“Why, look who it is!” She dropped her umbrella and clasped her hands together in front of her heart. “What a wonderful surprise. And we were just talking about you too.”
“You were?”
“We were?” Henry and his brother, Nick, both spoke at the same time.
“Yes.” Mrs. Newberry grabbed Henry’s brother by the hand. “Oh, Nicky, whyever did you have to retire? Things just aren’t the same without you. Not that you aren’t doing a wonderful job, Henry. That’s not... I didn’t mean... I just meant—”
“I know what you meant.” Henry rose from his seat with a grimace as Mrs. Newberry continued gushing accolades over his big brother. After pouring some coffee, Henry gripped the pot in one hand and held out the mug in his other. “Still take it black,Nicky?”
Nick had always favored their mother in looks and personality. Which was why Henry knew his brother would never be so rude as to admit in front of Mrs. Newberry one of the things he despised most in the world, second only to black coffee, was being called Nicky.
“No thanks,” Nick answered. “Cardiologist says I need to cut back on my caffeine.”
“Cardiologist?” Mrs. Newberry’s mouth gaped open. She swung a petrified look from Nick to Henry, then back to Nick. “I didn’t know you were having heart troubles.”
“Nothing serious. My heart just gets a little too excitedwhen I have caffeine. Nothing to be concerned about. I promise.”
“Well, I am concerned. I’m very concerned. Is this what forced you into early retirement? I knew there had to be more to the story. Why a pillar of this community would just up and move away, I never understood. But now I see. Yes, I see.”
Henry rolled his eyes as he plunked the coffeepot back on the burner. He kept the mug of black coffee for himself and limped back to his desk. Mrs. Newberry sure hadn’t shown any concern during his five surgeries or countless hours of physical rehab, but goodness, the great Nicky Hobbes has one irregular heartbeat and let’s add him to the prayer chain.
“Nothing more to the story, I assure you.” Nick retrieved Mrs. Newberry’s umbrella from the floor. “Marybeth’s parents are getting up there in years and requiring a little more help to get around. The timing just seemed right to give up the company so we could move to be closer to them.”
“Oh, but that must have been so tough. What with this company being in your family for so many years.”
Nick handed her the umbrella. “It still is in the family.”
“It is? Oh yes. Henry.” Mrs. Newberry wrinkled her nose and laughed like Nick had made up a joke. “Oh, Nicky. It was so good to see you again. Tell Marybeth I said hi. And you know...” She opened her umbrella while standing in the doorway, the steady pitter-patter of rain falling from a gray sky behind her. “It’s never too late to come back. This town will always keep a light on for you.” Her laughter faded with the closing of the door.
Nick turned back to face Henry with the type of stare down that should only belong in a spaghetti Western at high noon when a rustling from the corner broke the sudden tension. “Is she gone?”
Both Henry and Nick spun to find Peg sliding out from behind a fake miniature tree propped in the corner of the office.
So that’s where she’d gone. “How long have you been hiding?” Henry demanded.
Peg pushed one of the leafy branches aside. “For about as long as Alice has been here plus twenty seconds. Thank goodness she still uses that ridiculous purple polka-dot umbrella or I never would have seen her through the window in time. Thank you,” Peg added as Nick offered her a hand.
“Can’t believe how dusty that tree’s already gotten,” she said once she’d maneuvered past the large pot, dropping his hand to swipe off her pants.
“It’s an interesting touch,” Nick said.
“It adds ambience. Didn’t I tell you for years this place needed ambience? Next thing I think we need is a couch. Don’t you think that would look nice along the wall there?”
Nick shrugged and Peg tossed up her hands. “Should have known better than to ask one of the Hobbes boys. Never could convince a single one of you to even put a decent sign out front. I swear, you’re more alike than you want to admit.” She moved over to her desk chair and sat with an ungraceful plop.
“So what brings you back, Nick? Or should I say Nicky?” She tossed a wink at Henry.
“You shouldn’t. Ever.” Nick perched on the edge ofHenry’s desk, arms folded. “Talked to Kat the other night. She mentioned the leak and the mold. I thought I’d swing by and check in on the place. Help put her mind at ease.” He shrugged, no big deal.
Henry finished swallowing his sip of coffee. Yeah, he didn’t believe that for one second. And judging by the angled brow on Peg’s face, she didn’t either. “Kat should have asked me if she was worried. I could have saved you the drive.”
Nick shifted his shoulders nonchalantly. “Kat knows you’re busy. I’m sure she didn’t want to bother you.”
Uh-huh. Because that really sounded like Kat. Not wanting to inconvenience her uncle in any way. “You’re checking up on me, aren’t you?”
“Here we go,” Peg mumbled.
“What makes you think I’d be checking up on you?” Nick stood and faced him.
