71 #MacaronsAndMadness

 

“Are you sure you can’t find a leak?” Teddi asked, frustrated beyond belief.  Just yesterday, there had been a definite drip from the base of her kitchen faucet.  There had even been water under the sink, which is why she’d turned it off until Stef could come out and take a look at it. 

 

The gray sprinkles in her cousin’s hair caught the light as he eased out of the cabinet, shaking his head. “I got bupkis, Ted.  It’s dry as a bone under there.”

 

“I’m not crazy,” she asserted, before amending the statement.  “Not to the point of delusions, anyway.”

 

“Hey.  Sometimes things happen.  You turn the spout one way, it loosens.  Turn it the other way, it tightens back up.  I went ahead and made sure all the fittings were solid, so you should be good,” he assured, closing the doors.  “Besides, it’s nice seeing you outside a family intervention.”

 

“It’s nice not being on the receiving end of one.  Thank you for spending your Sunday evening doing a house call.  I panicked a bit, and you were the only one I could think of who might help me on a weekend.” 

 

Golden eyes took in the used bowls, cookie trays, and measuring cups on the countertops.  “Would’ve been hard to wash all those dishes with no water in the kitchen sink.  What were you making?”

 

With bits of pink stuck to the bowls and beaters, it probably looked like she was preparing for a bridal or baby shower.  Her experiment of the day had nothing to do with either, as Jon’s son was far from a baby.  The young man requested cookies, and she thought that it might be nice to do something that featured his wine.  The results were pretty, but she hadn’t yet tasted one, so Stef might as well get the privilege. 

 

“I’ve taken up baking lately,” she explained, turning to reach for the container that held the pink confections.  “Would you like to try one?  I could use a taste tester.”

 

“Yeah, sure.  What kind you got?”

 

“Strawberry rosé macarons.”

 

“It looks… girly,” he noted, giving his cookie a hesitant once-over.  “What are they for?”

 

“Just a friend who likes wine.”

 

“A friend with three famous initials?  I heard he’s been sleeping over.”  Stef’s free hand came up in a gesture for silence before she could remark.  “Before you ask, Tori told Maggie who told Cat who told me.  Everybody’s excited for you.”

 

Teddi took her time fastening the lid back onto the bowl, not terribly surprised to find the inter-family grapevine in good working order.  What she did find interesting, however, was that nobody had contacted her for more details.  That seemed out of character for all her cousins, except Stef. 

 

“While I’m delighted for the support, it doesn’t thrill me to be the subject of family gossip.  And I’m surprised that no one has called to try and get more.”

 

“I think Tori swore Maggie to secrecy.  They’re afraid you’ll get spooked and break things off if they start bugging you about it too soon.  Mmm, that’s good,” he hummed around a nibble of cookie before taking a larger bite and mumbling around it.  “Sweet, but not so sweet that you can’t eat two.  And there’s a nice balance between strawberry and wine.  Good work.”

 

“Thank you.”  She would try one for herself later.  “I’m not as fragile as everyone believes me to be, you know.”

 

“Says the woman who fainted at having too many people in the house.”

 

Since Stef didn’t mention the word “gigolo”, it seemed that Tori had at least kept that bit of information to herself.  Teddi took that to heart and forgave her cousin’s loose lips.  Perhaps one day she would host all four cousins and tell them the real story, along with the details behind her newfound wealth – after she received it.  Pierce was supposed to bring wire transfer documents over tomorrow evening for her signature, with the funds scheduled to arrive in her bank account by the end of the week. 

 

“I’ll have you know I’m going to the Hamptons next weekend.”  Saying the words made her stomach somersault uncomfortably, but she said them with enough confidence that Stef choked on what was left of the cookie.

 

“You mean physically leaving the house?” he sputtered after drinking the water she pushed at him.  “Not just one of those virtual tour things?”

 

“Jon is scheduled to pick me up a week from today.  He’s taking me to his vacation home, where I will meet his children.  Feel free to share that with your nosy sisters and Tori.”

 

Saying it out loud to another person solidified the decision into a solid lump behind her sternum.  It would be harder to change her mind when the circle of cousins found out, because they would hold her accountable for the decision.  She’d never hear the end of it if she got cold feet and canceled.

 

So don’t.  Go and enjoy.

 

“You’re going to meet his kids?  Jesus, Ted, that’s a big step.  Is this more serious than sleepovers?  I just assumed you were sowing some repressed wild oats, not planning weddings and shit.”

 

Damnation.  “Weddings and shit” were nowhere on her radar, but did his children share Stef’s view?  She’d thought they were just curious about who their father was spending time with, not that they were passing approval for something more.

 

“We’re seeing each other.  Dating.  And whatever other words two adults use when enjoying the pleasure of one another’s company without the benefit of rings or holy matrimony.” 

 

“But his kids?”

 

“Stop saying it that way,” she ordered uncomfortably as a text message chimed from her phone on the countertop.  Scooping it up revealed that the message was from Jon.  “I’m just one guest in a schedule of many while they’re at the beach.  There are two there right now.”

 

Teddi swiped the screen so that the message appeared.

 

[6:35 PM]JON: You recognize the ladies in this picture?

 

The mentioned picture took longer to arrive than the words, but it popped up as soon as Teddi had finished reading.  There was a lineup of four people at poolside, with tall, lush hedges in the background. Photos from previous summers allowed her to identify it as his Hamptons house.  Jesse was on the far left of the group with a younger woman was tucked between him and Jon, and on Jon’s other side was…

 

“This has to be some kind of joke.”

 

Her focus snapped to the younger woman again, this time taking closer note of her facial features. 

 

“What’s the matter, Ted?”

 

Teddi’s mouth puckered in displeasure, flipping the phone around so that Stef could see the screen.  “Jon’s current guests are Deidre and her daughter, Jacqueline.”

 

“Whoa.  How the hell did that happen?”

 

“Excellent question.”

 

[6:37PM]JON: If they’re who I think, then you and I need to talk.

[6:38PM]TEDDI:  It’s my sister and niece.  What in God’s name are they doing there?

[6:39PM]JON: Meet my blind date.

[6:40 PM]TEDDI: 😳😳😳😳

[6:41 PM]JON: Oh, it gets better.  Call you about 8?

[6:42PM]TEDDI:  Please!

[6:43 PM]JON: Might wanna have a drink in the meantime…

 

Teddi gingerly dropped her phone to the counter and turned to face Stef’s inquisitive eyes.  “Deidre is evidently the blind date Jon’s daughter planned for him before she knew he was already seeing someone.  It appears as though Stephanie and Jacqueline are friends.”

 

“That’s freakily convenient.  Do you think the bitch is up to something?”

 

“I can’t imagine what it would be.  She has no idea that Jon and I know one another personally, or that Jon is buying a portion of Peabody’s.  And from what I understand, this was Stephanie’s idea.”

 

It was awfully coincidental, though, with the Peabody’s purchases that were in progress.  Teddi was going to drive herself quietly insane until her phone rang in just over an hour. 

 

The man suggested a drink.  Take the suggestion.

 

She would, and she might have one of those cookies, too.  Or half a dozen since she’d allowed her anxiety prescription to remain unfilled.  Coping without the help of pharmaceuticals was so much harder when her Boston family still roamed in the wild. 

###

 Jon sighed loudly when stretching out on the bed with his phone, and he followed it up with a groan.  This was going to be an interesting week with the Davenport women.  Jacey was enamored with Jesse, and Deidre evidently hadn’t received the memo that Jon was already attached.  The divorcee had made every possible attempt to charm him this evening, with some being subtle and others blatantly obvious. 

 

He was doing his best to be polite yet aloof, with the hope that she’d catch the drift before he was forced to go into asshole mode.  It wasn’t looking good so far, but he’d worry about it tomorrow.  Right now, he had an important date with his girl.

 

“You’re late,” was her impatient greeting.

 

Was he?  Jon checked the bedside clock.  “Only by fifteen minutes.  Relax.”

 

“Relaxation was off the table the minute I got that photo, and you know it.  I will be much more civilized and patient once I find out what God’s name is going on out there.”

 

Rather than being pissed about her snippiness, Jon laughed.  “My, my Dr. Montgomery.  Where are your manners?  I gotta say, meeting your inner bitch is almost as much of a turn on as the Gypsy.  It’s seeing you naked in a different way.”

 

“I’m happy to discuss both my psychological and physical nudity after I find out the reason for your ‘we need to talk’ statement.  Please put me out of my misery.”

 

Fuck.  He hadn’t considered that she’d spend the time between his text and this call making herself crazy.  He should’ve known better.  When it came to her family, she was a dry twig waiting to snap.

 

“Sorry, baby. Short story is that Stephanie and Jacqueline met on some kind of internship this spring and hit it off.  Best I can tell, it’s just a coincidence that she’s your niece.  Nobody mentioned you, or any family for that matter, other than Jacey’s dad.”

 

“That’s a can of worms in itself, but not one I feel the need to dump in your lap.  What prompted that ‘we need to talk’ comment?”

 

Making a mental note to revisit the worms, he resolutely pressed forward with the matter at hand.  “Did you happen to blow up that picture and look at any details?”

 

“Beyond your bare feet, dragon tattoo and fake smile, no.  Should I?”

 

“You’ve seen my feet and tattoo before.”

 

“And I like them enough to look again.  What else is in the photo?”

 

She was such a contradiction sometimes.  Bold and unashamed with him, yet a jittery recluse when it came to so many other things.  He had a feeling she was about to be more angry than jittery. 

 

“Deidre’s necklace.”

“Her necklace?  She’s always had a short attention span for jewelry and is constantly wearing something new.  I seldom pay attention, but just a moment while I zoom in.”

 

It was doubtful that she’d be able to get a good look from that photo.  That’s why he’d covertly snapped another one from across the table at dinner while “checking for an important message”.

 

“I can’t make it out,” Teddi confirmed when she resumed using the phone as a talking device.  “What is it?”

 

“Lemme send you a different picture.”  A couple of taps and swipes had it on its way to New Jersey, and he patiently waited for her to receive it and get a good look.

 

“That’s very similar to my mother’s locket, which you must’ve guessed, since we’re having a conversation about Deidre’s necklace.”

 

He didn’t know what he’d expected.  A gasp of outrage or indignation, maybe?  Whatever his expectation, it definitely wasn’t the calm demeanor she brought back to the call.   

 

“Well, yeah.  Does that mean you don’t think it is your mother’s locket?”

 

“The likelihood of that is astronomical, since I’ve spent a considerable amount of time searching for that necklace, or a replica.  In the process, I found out there are a fair number of lockets bearing the same face, so I assume Deidre’s penchant for acquiring jewelry has led her to one of those.  It’s an odd coincidence, but without seeing what’s inside, there’s no reason for me to believe it’s Mama’s.”

 

“So, you’d believe it was your mom’s if you saw the field of little diamonds?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How about if I saw it?”

 

Now she gasped, although dubbing it a gasp was probably overkill.  A concentrated intake of air was closer to the truth, and it was a quiet one at that.  Quieter than the terse question that followed.  “Did you?”

 

“Yeah.”  The silence that followed his confirmation was damn near deafening and extended into an eternity.  Or at least longer than he could comfortably endure.  “Talk to me Cookie.  What’s going on in that complex mind of yours?”

 

“More than I’m able to inventory and effectively communicate.  I’m… dumbfounded, I suppose.”  Dumbfounded was better than traumatized and allowed Jon to let go of his anticipatory tension.  “What possible explanation is there for Deidre having Mama’s necklace?”

 

It was the same question he’d been asking himself ever since Deidre snapped open that locket, and the answers he came up with weren’t logical – or innocent.  Instinct or too many episodes of Law & Order made him think there was another secret hiding in the leaves of the Peabody family tree.  

 

“The only ones I can think of aren’t very flattering.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You said Deidre is younger than you?”

 

“Yes, by nearly a year.”

 

“What about Endicott?”

 

“He’s two years younger than Deidre.”

 

If Teddi was five when Esmeralda died, that made the evil siblings two and four. Too young to be responsible, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone in their family was associated, even if it was loosely.  They needed an answer to one of two questions.  One, how did Deidre come to be in possession of the locket?  Two….

 

“Jon.  What are you thinking?”

 

A quiet breath seeped out his nostrils, and both eyes fell shut as his neck rolled in weary resignation.  “As much as it pains me to say this… you need to call Pierce.  If that Boston cop brother of his uncovered your sealed adoption, maybe he can tell you more about your mother’s death.”