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Last Chance for Justice: A Bloomfield Novel

By Kathi Macias

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I can’t wait to get old enough
that I no longer have to deal with peer pressure!

Chapter 1
Though it was the middle of June and summer was almost officially upon them, the day itself seemed as drab and colorless as Lynn Myers’ shoulder-length hair before her Clairol touch-up, and she had no reason to believe that tomorrow would be any different,which for the most part suited her just fine. Sameness represented security to Lynn, and she thrived on it―even pursued it with passion. But opposites attract, as they say, and life with Daniel had contained little, if any, sameness from day to day.
However, Daniel was gone now, and Lynn instinctively had resorted to routine to carry her through. So far, it appeared to anyone who didn’t look too closely that her efforts had succeeded—until the day she returned from grocery shopping and spotted the official-looking letter protruding from the white metal mailbox on the outside wall next to her front door.
She snagged the envelope, along with three nondescript occupant offerings, on the way inside. Smiling, she offered a brief hello to her ten-year-old cocker spaniel, Beasley, who lay in his customary spot on the braided rug next to Lynn’s favorite chair. Beasley opened one eye and wagged his stub of a tail in greeting, and Lynn proceeded to the kitchen and set her groceries on the table. Still holding the envelope, she flipped it from front to back twice and even held it up to the light, as if she could determine its contents in the process. Why didn’t she just open it? She started to, several times, but instead decided to put her groceries away first. No sense deviating from her usual method of doing everything “decently and in order,” as the Bible dictated. But what was it about that envelope that jacked up her heart rate and dampened the palms of her hands?
Lynn’s aversion to change was nothing new. Born and raised in a small town where the annual Spring Fling Festival was the biggest event on the calendar, Lynn grew up believing she would always live in Bloomfield, surrounded by the same familiar friends and walking the same familiar streets. Then she met Daniel, a man too handsome for his own good—and hers, too, she’d been warned—but her heart hadn’t listened. And because Daniel was only in Bloomfield to visit relatives for the summer before returning to his home a few hundred miles away, eighteen-year-old Lynn had a decision to make.
Admittedly, she’d been torn. Her avoidance of change, combined with her loyalty to family and friends in Bloomfield, beckoned her to do the sensible thing and say good-bye to the good-looking young man who had blown in and out of town, capturing her heart in the process. But the letters and phone calls he sent her way once he returned home drew her in a way she’d been helpless to resist. She’d prayed, she’d worried, she’d even argued with herself. Why leave a perfectly good little town with nice people and comfortable surroundings to live in a sprawling metropolis of nearly 100,000 residents, none of whom she’d ever met? She wouldn’t even know which grocery store had the best bargains or the freshest meat, or which stoplights were pre-programmed and which could be tripped by the weight of a car idling in just the right spot. Why not continue to live at home and attend the nearby junior college, as she’d originally planned, and hope that one of the few sensible and eligible bachelors in town would one day notice her and pop the question so she wouldn’t have to make so many adjustments?
But ultimately she acted in a way many in Bloomfield had described as “completely out of character,” and she accepted Daniel’s romantic and urgent proposal of marriage, following him “to the ends of the earth.” When people asked her why—and many did—she simply told them she was in love. She’d known the moment her best friend introduced her to Daniel Myers on that bright June day less than a week after her high school graduation that her heart would never again be her own. And for some unimaginable reason, he felt the same about her. They met in the gentle heat of early summer and were married less than six months later, while the cold, harsh wind of winter blew outside the little church where their friends and family had gathered to wish them well and to place silent wagers on how long they would last.
Thirty-five years, Lynn thought as she reached to slide the new box of baking soda onto its proper place on the spice shelf. We lasted thirty-five years—and then you took him home, Lord. She sighed. I know You have a right, and I know You never make mistakes, and I’m grateful for the time we had together; truly I am. But, oh, Father, You know my heart. You know how much I miss him and wish we’d had just a few more years together.
Blinking away tears, she turned back to let her eyes settle on the old butcher block table in the middle of the room. That table had hosted so many family meals and discussions over the years, but it now appeared as lonely as Lynn felt. The envelope lay where she’d left it, right next to the final bag of groceries. Should she give in and open it? No, she’d finish her task and put away the last of her small purchases first.
She ignored the temptation to sit down and rest, something she never grappled with before Daniel died. Was this nagging sense of exhaustion part of her grief process? She’d heard somewhere that it could be, and since she was only in her mid-fifties and relatively healthy, why else would she feel this ongoing need to crawl into bed, pull the covers over her head, and just sleep?
She reached inside the bag, emptying the items one by one and placing them in a neat row before transporting them to a more permanent, predetermined spot where they would wait, neatly and quietly, until she needed them.
One loaf of whole wheat bread, which will last for a month if I keep it in the refrigerator. It wouldn’t have lasted a week if Daniel were still around and Rachel lived at home. She shook her head. They’re gone now, she reminded herself. Both of them. So finish what you’re doing and stop daydreaming. You’ll just end up crying again.
With everything put away at last, she had no more excuses. She sat down and picked up the envelope, shaking it one more time before tearing an opening at the end and slipping out the neatly folded letter. She was surprised when a small key slid out of the envelope and rattled onto the table. Puzzled, she swallowed and spread the letter out in front of her.
“Dear Ms. Myers.”
Lynn hated that form of address.
Ms. indeed! Why do I have to be a “Ms.” just because my “Mr.” died? I was a “Mrs.” then, and I’m a “Mrs.” now. Must I suddenly change my entire identity just because Daniel moved on ahead of me?
She knew she was overreacting, but she didn’t care. The fact that the letter opened with what she considered an offensive salutation did not bode well for the remainder of its contents. She could smell the word “surprise” lurking in every line.
She read on, her grip tightening on the paper in an unconscious effort to keep her hands from shaking. Her heart raced as a lump formed in her throat.
Myron? Dead? If she hadn’t already been sitting, she would have fallen smack-dab into her chair—or possibly even onto the floor. She would never have imagined this in a million years.
Well, all right. Maybe by then. After all, no one lived that long. But now? Already? This soon, when her only brother wasn’t even seventy yet? Wasn’t it enough that she’d lost her beloved Daniel in what she considered the prime of his life, even though AARP had been sending him membership invitations for several years? Did she have to lose her only sibling as well? And why hadn’t she been told sooner? Why now, several weeks after the fact? As the next of kin, shouldn’t she have been notified immediately so she could plan the funeral?
As she read on, she got her answer. Though Myron had not felt well in awhile, he had kept that fact to himself. Even his doctor, lawyer, and pastor didn’t realize the gravity of his situation until the last few days. In addition, the terms of Myron’s will included the stipulation that Lynn not be told until at least a couple of weeks after his death, as he didn’t want a “big to-do,” just a quiet burial in the cemetery next to his home. Apparently, the town of Bloomfield had honored the request, but the time had come for Lynn to claim her inheritance.
Inheritance?
How could she even think of such a thing while still reeling at the news of Myron’s death? So far as she knew, Myron had always been healthy. But then, so had Daniel, and he was gone, wasn’t he? Besides, who knew Myron well enough to make a call on his health? He’d been quiet and relatively non-communicative, even as a child, and a virtual recluse since his one true love left him at the altar decades earlier. Even their parents, who had lived less than three miles away from their only son, had seldom seen him during his adult years.
Moving into that big old house next to the cemetery certainly didn’t help any. Myron, what were you thinking? But then, that was the problem, wasn’t it? You never let anyone know what you were thinking.
Grabbing a tissue from her pocket, she dabbed at the tears that threatened to run down her cheeks and forced herself to read on.
“…has left his entire estate, including his house, to you…”
Lynn reread the statement several times. So that was her inheritance, that monstrosity that looked like something from a horror film. Myron had left it to her? And what was she supposed to do with it? Certainly not live there! Why, she hadn’t even been back to Bloomfield since...since…
Her mother’s funeral. Had it really been nearly nine years, not only since her mother died but also since she’d set foot in the town where she’d been born and raised and thought surely she would die and be buried as well? The realization that once both her parents were gone she had ceased to visit Bloomfield—including her only sibling, now deceased—made her cheeks grow hot with shame.
“Forgive me, Lord,” she whispered. “How could I have neglected Myron like that? For all I know, he was sick and needed me. But here I was, miles and miles away, busy with my own life and then feeling sorry for myself when my husband died, wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my days. Oh, poor Myron! Why didn’t I at least try harder to reach out to him after Daniel died? It’s not like I didn’t have the time, or…”
The words stuck in her throat as tears spilled over her cheeks, and she didn’t even bother trying to stop them. As she wept softly—for the unexpected loss of her estranged (and yes, somewhat strange) brother and the still-fresh grief over the death of her husband, as well as the memories and confusion that swirled in her mind—she found herself wondering if God was trying to tell her something.
“I know,” she sniffled. “I’ve been on a long and disgusting pity party since Daniel died. But Lord, he was my life! You knew that, but You took him anyway. Now I have nothing—no direction, no purpose. I don’t even have my daughter anymore. Rachel’s a grown woman with a fresh degree from Bible college and a whole lifetime of choices and opportunities ahead of her. What have I got? This old house that’s in need of more repairs than I can ever afford and reeking of memories that rip my heart out fresh every morning, not to mention Rachel’s education bills looming over my head. Now I’ve got another house to worry about—and an ugly one at that! What in the world am I supposed to do with it?”
Lynn realized she was once again whining at God, but her prayer life had been reduced to little else these past months. It was a wonder He still loved and listened to her, but she knew He did. At the moment, it was all she had to cling to.
Just some direction, Lord, she prayed silently, mopping away her tears and calming her sobs. That’s all I’m asking for—really. Am I supposed to sell Myron’s house and use the money to pay my bills? That would be the logical thing, wouldn’t it? And You know I’ve always been one to appreciate logic—despite the fact that I married a man who didn’t know the meaning of the word. I know what he’d do if this happened while he was alive. He’d say it was our big chance for an unexpected adventure. Instead of selling that house, he’d sell this one, take an early retirement, and off we’d go to live in my brother’s mausoleum in Bloomfield—right next to the town’s only cemetery. That sure would have rekindled the gossip fires about Daniel and me, wouldn’t it? The very thought sounds terrifying, but Daniel’s green eyes would have lit up at the prospect. Why can’t I be just a little bit like him, Father? Just a little—
“Mom?”
The sound, as much as the name, nearly jolted Lynn from her chair. Jerking her head upward, she had to remind her heart to stop tap-dancing so close to her ribs. It hurt—and besides, it was dangerous. It was just too much for one day—first the letter about Myron, and now this. How many surprises could one woman endure?
“Rachel?”
Why did her daughter look so much taller than normal? Was it because she’d piled her long black hair on top of her head? Because she was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts that revealed her suntanned legs that seemed to stretch to forever? Or just because she was standing in the kitchen, directly in front of her mother and miles from where she was supposed to be?
Lynn frowned. “What are you doing here?”
Rachel’s expectant smile faded only slightly. “Gee, Mom, not a very warm welcome. I thought you’d be happy to see me.” Then it was Rachel’s turn to frown. “Are you crying? You are. Oh, Mom, you’re missing Dad again, aren’t you?”
Lynn waved away her daughter’s concern and ignored her question, instead lifting herself from her seat and crossing the small space that separated them. Wrapping her arms around her daughter, she let the flood of emotions that had assailed her since opening the letter melt away into the joy of realizing her daughter was home.
“I didn’t expect you for another few weeks,” Lynn said, pulling back and tilting her head slightly to gaze up into her only child’s face. “What happened?”
Rachel’s frown deepened. “Never mind why I’m home early. I’m just glad I am. It looks like you need some cheering up.” Her frown disappeared as a grin spread across her face. “And that’s one of the reasons I’m here. I know I told you I was going to stay at the college for most of the summer before moving on to something more permanent, but the temp job I was supposed to get fell through, so I decided, what’s the point? Why not come home and hang out with Mom?”
Rachel’s green eyes sparkled, tearing at Lynn’s heart with the memory of Daniel and what she’d always called his “dancing eyes.” She blinked to rid herself of the painful reminder and tried to refocus.
“So here I am,” Rachel announced. She shook her head. “And not a minute too soon from the look of things. Come on, let’s sit down and talk. I have an idea I’d like to run past you.”
Her curiosity piqued, Lynn sat back down with Rachel across from her and waited. Why did people—particularly those closest to her—continue to insist on springing surprises on her, thinking she’d be pleased? Sometimes she wondered if they knew her at all.
“Here’s the deal,” Rachel said, a conspiratorial tone teasing her delivery. “I know we both miss Dad, and I know if we stay here in this house and do nothing but think about him every day, we’ll end up sitting here at the table crying. So I was thinking…”
She paused—for effect, Lynn knew, though she continued to wait silently for her daughter to finish.
“Why not go on an adventure together?” Rachel asked. “A vacation or short trip or…something. Anything away from this house and everything familiar that breaks our hearts every time we look at it. What do you think, Mom? I know it’s not your style to do something so spontaneous, but…would you at least consider it? Please? For me?”
Lynn’s mouth nearly dropped open. Why did she feel as if she were caught up in the midst of a conspiracy? What are You up to, God? This is just too much to be a coincidence. If Daniel were still alive, I’d think he put Rachel up to this. But You? Was this Your idea? Did You send her here? Judging by Your track record, I’d say that’s a definite possibility.
“Mom?” Rachel leaned forward and reached across the table, taking one of Lynn’s hands in her own. “Did you hear me? What do you think? Are you up for an adventure? Something new and different? You can even pick the place—anywhere you want to go. You name it; I’ll pack and have the car loaded before you know what hit you.”
I think I know what hit me, Lynn mused. It was a Mack truck with my name on it. Out loud she shocked herself by saying, “Actually, I think it’s a good idea, though I must admit it’s not one I’m completely comfortable with. But though I can’t explain it, I think God is behind the whole thing.”
Rachel’s grin nearly split her face. “Mom, that’s fantastic. Awesome! So where do you want to go? Do you have any ideas, any place special in mind?”
Lynn pressed her lips together in one last feeble attempt to regain her sanity and nix what could very well be a fiasco at best. For someone who hated surprises or change, her life seemed to be careening out of control—not to mention the fact that they didn’t exactly have a lot of extra money lying around to blow on frivolous, spur-of-the-moment activities. Thanks to wise planning on Daniel’s part, Lynn had enough to get by if she used her resources wisely. But vacations? Trips? Adventures? Not in the budget.
Still, they did have two old houses now, didn’t they? One right here where they sat, and another much larger and even older, propped up right next to a cemetery in Bloomfield. Didn’t she owe it to her late brother, her only sibling and the last remaining member of her family of origin, to at least check out the possibilities before making a decision?
She sighed. “Actually, yes, I do,” she said, watching her daughter’s face for a reaction. “I’d like to go back to Bloomfield. I know you didn’t know your Uncle Myron well and we haven’t even seen him since your grandmother died, but he passed away, and he left us his house. I think we should go and check it out.”
Rachel’s eyes widened until Lynn thought they’d pop right out of her face. At last she said, “That scary old house by the cemetery? That one? He left it to us?”
Lynn nodded.
Rachel appeared to gather herself as she swallowed and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about Uncle Myron, Mom. I know he was your only brother.”
Lynn nodded again. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
In the questioning way she’d had since she was a little girl, Rachel raised one eyebrow and offered a crooked grin. “It would definitely be an adventure, wouldn’t it?” Before Lynn could nod yet again, Rachel laughed. “Then I say, let’s go, Mom—you, me, and Beasley. What are we waiting for? Bloomfield, here we come!”

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