Catered Catastrophe

A Willow Crossing Mystery Series

Book 3

Leona Fox

Copyright © 2015 Leona Fox

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher

Chapter 1

Ru Delgado was excited about catering the alumni event to be held at the high school over the weekend. Since she was a teacher there, it was fun for her to see parents of her students, who were once students themselves, at the same school. After what seemed like the longest Friday in history, Ru finally left work and headed for home.

When she pulled into the driveway, she decided she would check on their catering equipment before going inside. She opened the garage door and looked inside. It always was satisfying to see new equipment. She smiled as she looked at two shiny new carts, a box of new utensils, and a fancy new blender made specifically for making smoothies. Satisfied with what she saw, she went inside for dinner. Esteban was in the kitchen putting his final touches on a beautiful pot roast dinner. Even though they are known for Mexican/Italian cuisine, they both enjoy having home-style, American meals when not catering. They see it as comfort food and, with the weather being so cool, it seemed like the perfect time for a comfortable meal.

“The roast smells great, Papi,” Ru sang as she walked through the door.

“I can smell it all the way outside on the driveway!”

“You’re just in time, Mama, dinner is ready.” Esteban went to his wife and kissed her lightly on the lips while pulling her into his arms.

“You smell better than the dinner,” he whispered as he kissed his wife’s neck.

“Oh, Papi, nothing smells better than your roast. Come on, let’s eat; I’m starving!”

“You seem to be hungry a lot lately, I just don’t know where you put it all,” Esteban said, looking at his wife’s slender figure.

“If I ate as much as you do, I’d be 1,000 pounds by now!”

“I didn’t eat lunch today, so I’m extra hungry. And I have gained weight, so I better be careful!”

“I don’t see it.”

“Well, my pants feel it!” They both laughed and sat down at the kitchen table to eat dinner.

After a few minutes of small talk about Ru’s day at school, she changed the subject, “I can’t wait to use our new equipment. It’s so pretty!”

“I saw you checking on it before coming inside. Is everything ready for tomorrow?”

“It looks like it. Now, if all the kids show up on time to help set up, I will be amazed. I hear there is a party tonight.”

“Who is working the event again?” Esteban asked.

“Naturally Griffin and Julie, but this time Dante and Beck will be doing the heavier lifting.”

“Well, last time there was a party, they still showed up on time. I don’t see why tomorrow will be any different. Besides, they don’t have to be to the school until 11:00. Last time they had to meet us at 7:00. It will be fine, Mama. They will all show up on time and we will put on another great dinner.” Esteban smiled at his wife and they finished their dinner.

~~~

The next morning, after a fitful night of sleep, Ru woke up feeling nauseated. After a breakfast of herbal tea and a few slices of toast, she was feeling a little better and dressed for the day’s events. Once Ru was ready, she dressed Opal in a simple pink dress and brought her to the car. Esteban was already outside loading the van with everything they would need for the dinner they were catering.

“I’ll meet you at the school, Papi,” Ru said, kissing Esteban lightly on the cheek.

“Are you okay, Mama? You don’t look so good.”

“My stomach is a little queasy, but I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, well make sure the kids do most of the work.”

“I always do,” Ru said with a sly smile.

“Yeah, but then you go behind them and re-do it.”

“This time I won’t. I’m sure I’m fine.”

“I’ll be there soon. I only have a few more things to load.”

“You need my help?” Ru asked, secretly hoping he would say no.

“No, I’ve got this. You go ahead and get to the school. I’ll be right behind you.”

They kissed briefly and then Ru got in her car and headed toward the school. She hoped she wasn’t getting sick; it had been years since she last had the flu, and she really wanted to keep the good health train moving forward. Figuring it was just something she ate, she turned her mind to the event they were catering. She already knew many of the guests, since they are the parents of her students, so she wasn’t nervous about the dinner. Almost everyone who would be present had enjoyed an event the Delgados had catered in the past. She smiled, knowing this would be one of the easiest events, and knowing it would go smoothly. Just in case, she crossed her fingers and then laughed to herself.

When she pulled into the school parking lot, Ru was happy to see Griffin, Julie, Beck and Dante standing outside the doors that led to the cafeteria.

She pulled up to the curb and rolled down her window, “Griff, can you please take Opal inside? Here are the keys to the cafeteria.”

Ru handed Griffin the keys and he gladly opened the door to get Opal. He and the dog had grown quite fond of one another, so Opal was excited to see him.

“We’ll be inside,” Julie chimed and Ru pulled away to park her car.

By the time Ru made it from her parking spot, Esteban was pulling into the lot. He parked the van at the curb and walked into the cafeteria with his wife.

“Good morning, Mr. Delgado,” Julie sang.

“Good morning, Julie. Hey guys.”

“What’s up, Mr. D?” Griffin said with a smile.

“We’d better get started; we have a lot to do. Griffin, you and Julie are going to be with Mrs. Delgado setting up the tables and buffet. Beck and Dante, you’re with me. We need to get the van unloaded.”

“Sure thing,” Dante said, Beck nodding his head in agreement.

Beck and Dante hurried back to the van with Esteban and began unloading the carts and other catering equipment. In the meantime, Ru stood in the center of the cafeteria and said, “Griffin, Mr. Delgado will be helping you and Julie set up the tables and chairs.”

Ru paused and looked at Julie, “Once the tables are in place, it would be great if you put all of the tablecloths on and began folding the napkins.”

“Okay,” Julie softly said.

“Griff, I will need you to start putting out all of the place settings and silverware.”

“No problem, Mrs. Delgado.” He looked at Ru with concern and said, “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine. Just a little tired. Let’s get to work now.”

Within minutes, Esteban and Dante were in the cafeteria helping to set up, while Beck continued unloading the remaining equipment and some food items they had brought in the van. Being the new guy, he was aware he would get the work nobody else wanted, and he didn’t mind at all. He liked being alone. Once everything had been unloaded, Beck joined the rest of the crew and together they transformed the high school cafeteria into an unexpectedly beautiful dinner hall. It took all day, but it was worth it when they got to watch the alumni walk in to their old cafeteria. All of the guests were amazed at how great everything looked, and soon people were raving about how great the food smelled.

Naturally, Rosa Garcia Gomez was one of the first guests to arrive. Ru spotted her from across the room and they exchanged tense smiles. Rosa was Esteban’s ex-fiancé. They had grown up together, and her family and Esteban’s family attended church together. Because their parents were so close, Rosa and Esteban had been promised to each other. The only problem was Esteban wasn’t in love with Rosa. In fact, he couldn’t stand her. He didn’t like the fact she would say things and not care who it affected. He also didn’t like the fact she was known as being very promiscuous. He tried seeing past her brashness, and even tried pretending her flirtatious past didn’t bother him. However, it finally came to a point where he couldn’t even be in the same room as her, so he broke off the engagement.

Ru could tell by the look on Rosa’s face she still hadn’t forgiven Esteban for ending their engagement, and it was obvious she still resented Ru. As she continued filling water glasses for those guests who were arriving, Ru watched as Rosa scanned the room. Ru knew she was looking for Esteban. As soon as Rosa found him, she glared at him as if she were shooting daggers from her eyes and then disappeared. Ru hoped she was leaving the event, but had a feeling she was just going to use the bathroom.

Excited about catering an event that was both beautiful and still casual, Ru couldn’t wait to use their new smoothie maker. Once it was set up, she added raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries, a dollop of vanilla yogurt and a handful of ice to the pitcher and placed the lid on top. Having read the instructions the night before, she felt like a pro as she smiled and pressed the button to make her very first smoothie of the night. Instantly, sparks were flying, and when Ru let go, startled and shaken, the top burst off allowing the fruit to fly everywhere. Even though it was traumatic and shocking for Ru, the guests who already had arrived stood there laughing, including Rosa.

Embarrassed, Ru began cleaning up the mess, cursing silently that Rosa had made it back from the bathroom in time to see the fiasco.

“What happened, Mama?” Esteban asked as he helped Ru wipe up the floor.

“I don’t know. I did everything exactly as the directions said.”

“It worked last night when you tested it. Did you do anything differently?”

“No. I don’t know what happened. I pressed the button and the thing just started sparking everywhere. Then the lid popped off and the fruit went flying.”

Esteban could tell his wife was near tears, but he couldn’t help but laugh slightly. “It’s okay, Mama, don’t worry about it. We’ll get it cleaned up and everything will be fine.”

“But she saw it happen. She laughed at me. She thinks I’m a joke.”

“Who thinks that, Mama?”

With a pout, Ru replied, “Rosa.”

“I don’t know why you stress about her. She’s nobody.”

“Well, she sure thinks she’s somebody.”

“Well, she’s not. Come on, let’s go get some air.”

Esteban instructed Griffin to finish cleaning the mess, “And when you’re done, please get that thing out of here. Go ahead and put it in the van.”

“Will do, Mr. Delgado.”

Ru then said, “It’s time to turn on the burners, Julie can take care of that. The rest of you go ahead and bring the carts out. Ask people what they’d like to drink and offer hors d’oeuvres.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Is everything alright?”

“Mrs. Delgado just needs a little air. Everything is fine.”

“This is silly, I don’t need to go outside for air. I just need to work,” Ru paused and then finished, “And stop stressing out over Rosa.”

After convincing Esteban that she was just fine, Ru went back to work preparing for the next stage of the evening. Figuring nothing else would go wrong, her attitude shifted and she began to smile; she really did love catering, almost as much as teaching. Julie and Ru prepared the dinner buffet while Griffin, Beck and Dante wheeled the drink carts around. They were excited about the new carts because, while they carried drinks down below, the tops were covered with a variety of hors d’oeuvres. It made their jobs easier and allowed for a bigger selection for the guests.

As Griffin made his way around the room, he realized that for the first time in his life, he really felt he belonged. He loved Willow Crossing, he loved working for Del Mejor Catering, and he loved feeling like part of the Delgado clan. He put a little pep in his step as he moved from one end of the room to the other. About half way across the large cafeteria, Griffin saw Mr. Delgado waving him over. Griffin quickened his pace, being careful not to run the cart into any of the guests. All of a sudden, one of the wheels completely fell off and the cart tilted, causing one of the full trays to slide forward. Griffin tried to catch it, but the tray got away from him and sent food spilling down the front of one of the guests.

“Oh, my gosh, I am so sorry!” Griffin said, face red with embarrassment. Realizing he had just spilled food all over Mr. Willis, the counselor of the school.

“You should be more careful. Look at my pants!” Mr. Willis said, tamale sauce dripping down both legs of his khakis.

“I really am sorry. I don’t know how that happened.”

Realizing it was just an accident, Mr. Willis then said, “Don’t worry about it. But I would check the other carts. It looks like the wheel fell off. Maybe it’s time to get new carts.”

“This is a new cart,” Griffin said, then bent down to pick up the hors d’oeuvres and check the cart.

He saw that the wheel had sheered clean off the cart. The metal looked to have been cut with something. He looked at the other three wheels and noticed the other front wheel also had been tampered with, but it hadn’t been cut through far enough to cause the wheel to break.

Griffin looked at Mr. Willis and said, “Again, I’m very sorry. I will pay for the dry-cleaning.”

“Nonsense. It was an accident, and these aren’t expensive pants. Don’t worry about it.”

Griffin went to Esteban and Ru and said, “I think someone messed with the cart.” He then showed Esteban the legs of the cart just above the wheels.

“Who would do such a thing?” Esteban asked.

“I don’t know, but we probably should check the other carts.”

Esteban and Griffin checked the other carts while Ru and Julie finished preparing the main courses. Ru was worried and wondered what else would go wrong that night. She didn’t like working worried. To ensure the guests were happy, Ru made it a point to walk around the room multiple times during the event, and was relieved to hear the guests were very happy.

“Ru, you and Esteban have outdone yourselves! The tamales are incredible!” said Mr. Willis.

Ru was thankful to hear that even though he had tamale sauce all over his pants, he still enjoyed eating them. She smiled and said, “Thank you so much. I’m so sorry about what happened earlier. Please let me know if you need anything.”

“Everything is great and please don’t worry about the pants. I don’t really like them anyway.” He winked at Ru and turned back to his table to enjoy the rest of the evening.

As Ru was walking back toward the buffet table, Griffin motioned for her to look behind her. She turned and saw Mr. Carlin, Griffin’s father.

“Hank, I’m so happy you came!”

“I didn’t want to, but Griffin insisted.”

“Well, it’s great to see you! I hope you enjoy your evening.”

“Oh, I’m not much for reminiscing, but I must say, you and your husband put on one terrific meal! It’s no wonder Griffin loves working for you! It’s also no wonder he’s finally putting on some much needed weight! Your ravioli is amazing.”

“I’d love to take credit for the ravioli, Hank, but the credit is all for your boss.”

“Wait a second, are you telling me Esteban makes Italian food?”

Ru laughed and said, “It’s his specialty.”

Looking at Ru’s beautifully Italian face, Hank responded, “Let me guess, your specialty is Mexican food?”

“You got it.”

“Well, the tamales are great, too.”

“Thank you, Hank. I don’t mean to be rude, but I really need to get back to the buffet. Please, have a great evening, and stop by the buffet before you go. I’ll send some food home with you. I think we made way too much!”

“I just may take you up on that offer, Mrs. Delgado.”

“Please, Hank, call me Ru.”

“Okay, Ru, I’ll see you later.”

Luckily, bad things didn’t happen in threes that night and they were able to finish out the event on a high note; the food was a hit and the guests went home full and happy. Hank stopped by the buffet before leaving and Ru had four containers of food waiting for him to take home. All in all, Ru was pleased with how the night ended.

Chapter 2

“Hey, guys, can you all come here for a minute? Mrs. Delgado and I need to talk to you,” Esteban said at the end of the night. The group had been cleaning up since the last of the alumni left about an hour before.

“What’s up, Mr. D?” Griffin asked. “Tonight was some kind of crazy, huh?”

“That’s what we want to talk to you about,” Esteban started.

When all four of the teenagers made it over to them, he continued, “We need to know what happened.”

“I don’t know, Mr. Delgado, Mrs. Delgado. All I know is I set up the tables like you asked and was working the buffet. Then the smoothie maker went nuts and a cart broke,” Julie said.

“The cart didn’t just break, and that shouldn’t have happened with the smoothie machine.” Esteban looked into the eyes of each teen as he spoke.

“Somebody did this.”

There was a long pause, much like the pause you would hear when a child does something wrong but doesn’t want to admit it, and the parents are asking them who did it … even the looks on the teens’ faces were similar to that. Julie looked as though she was about to cry, Dante looked completely clueless, Beck looked very indifferent, and Griffin was glaring at Beck. Ru noticed Griffin’s expression and knew she would have to talk to him away from the others. She was so tired she decided it would have to wait.

“I got nothin’ Mr. Delgado. I gotta go,” Beck announced, turning around to walk out.

As he walked he asked, “We’re done here, right?” He didn’t wait for a reply, though, and left the building.

Esteban and Ru looked at each other and back at the teens. Ru spoke softly, “You guys can go home. Thank you for all your help today. We really appreciate it.”

Esteban nodded his head and then the teens left to go home. He was worried about Ru; she looked so tired and defeated.

“Come on Mama, let’s go home.” Ru smiled and they walked out together holding hands.

She went to her car and he got in the van. Ru followed her husband out of the parking lot and stayed close behind him the whole way home. When they pulled up the driveway, Ru smiled when she watched Esteban get out of the van and lock it. She really loved that man.

“We can unload the van tomorrow. It’s really late and you look exhausted,” he said.

“I am tired. It’s cold, let’s get inside,” Ru said, shaking.

“You got it, Mama. Why don’t you change into your pajamas and I’ll make you some tea.”

“No tea. Can you make me some hot chocolate?”

“Whipped cream and a cherry?”

“Of course!”

They went inside and while Ru changed clothes, Esteban made her his magic hot chocolate. It always seemed to make her feel better, and she hoped that it would help now. She had been tired and queasy for almost a week. As she put on her pajama pants, she couldn’t help but notice that she had gained a few pounds; they just weren’t as comfortable as they used to be. It hadn’t dawned on her before, but all of a sudden it became clear to her. She ran into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, Ru went down to the kitchen for her hot chocolate.

“There you are! Your hot chocolate is ready.”

“Thank you, Papi.” Ru was smiling ear to ear.

“What? Why are you smiling like that?” Esteban asked.

Ru didn’t say a word; she simply slid the pregnancy test across the table to where he was sitting. He looked at it, but didn’t pick it up. Then he looked at her and, just by the look on her face, he knew what the result was. He picked up the test and looked at the word ‘positive’ that went across the little screen. He looked back at Ru.

“Really, Mama?”

“Really, Papi!”

Esteban got up and walked over to his wife. Ru stood and they held each other; tears falling from both of their eyes. They had been trying to get pregnant for a few months, knowing that it may be their last chance. Realizing neither one of them were getting any younger, and they wanted to have a baby while it was still safe for Ru and for the baby. Esteban stepped away from Ru and looked at her, holding both of her hands out to the side.

“You are beautiful, Mama.”

Blushing, Ru said almost teasingly, “Stop, Papi, I’m getting fat. Look, my pants are already getting tight!”

“Monday you need to go to the doctor. Then we need to get the baby’s room ready. We need to go shopping!” Esteban could barely contain himself.

“Esteban,” Ru started, “we have time. There’s no rush.”

“I know, I know. I’m just so happy!”

“Me, too, Papi. Me too! I can’t believe it happened so fast!”

“It’s all the hard work we put in!” Esteban said, grinning.

Blushing, Ru replied, “You are definitely right! We did put forth great effort!”

After they finished their hot chocolate, Ru and Esteban went up to bed. They slept all night, his hand on her belly, both with soft smiles on their faces. It was the first time they both slept through the night, and they both had sweet dreams of their new addition to the family.

~~~

In the morning, Esteban made a big breakfast, and even though she wasn’t feeling that great, Ru ate the eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to keep it down, and just hoped she wouldn’t get sick in front of Esteban.

“I’m gonna get going, I have inventory today,” Esteban said after washing the dishes.

“So it’ll be a late one for you?”

“I shouldn’t be too late. Hopefully it will go smoothly.”

“I think I’m going to get dressed and take Opal for a walk.”

“Just take it easy. Don’t work yourself too hard.”

“Papi, it’s just a walk. Besides, I want to go talk to Griffin. He looked like he had something to say last night about what happened with the equipment.”

“You saw that, too? Okay. Just be careful and let me know when you get home.”

The couple kissed and Ru walked Esteban to his car. She waved as he backed down the driveway, and then she went inside to get dressed. It was October, and the weather was cool, so she put on a pair of stretchy yoga pants and one of Esteban’s old sweatshirts. It was big and comfy, and it smelled like his cologne. She smiled as she rubbed her tummy. Thankful that she didn’t get sick, she went downstairs and put Opal’s little pink jacket on her and put her in her wagon.

“I’m sure you heard us talking last night, Opal, but just to make sure you know, Mommy is having a baby.”

Opal let out a slight snort and Ru replied, “Don’t worry; we will still love you just as much.” Ru couldn’t help but laugh as the dog looked at her, head cocked to one side.

Even though they had lived in Willow Crossing for years, it never ceased to amaze her how beautiful the streets were at this time of year. The leaves on the trees had all changed to the most brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red. Lawns were sprinkled with the same colors, and she couldn’t wait to get to the park, where the entire area had been transformed in much the same manner.

A year ago, Ru would dread going to Griffin’s camper at the park. Mr. Carlin, at that time, was a mean and cranky drunk who always loved an argument. But, after working at the grocery store with Esteban, he had cleaned up his act. Mr. Carlin no longer drank, and his demeanor was friendly and approachable. Ru pulled Opal’s wagon down the path that led to the camping area of the park. She reached the camper and knocked on the door.

“Mrs. Delgado, what’s up?” Griffin said when he opened the door.

“Can we talk for a few minutes?”

“Sure, come on in,” he said, holding the little door for her.

“Actually, Opal needs to get some exercise. Why don’t we go sit in one of the pavilions?”

“Sure, I’ll meet you over there. I gotta get my shoes on.”

Ru took Opal over to one of the covered picnic areas and let her out of her wagon. Naturally, the only way to get the dog to do any kind of running, or moving for that matter, was to toss little doggie treats for her to chase after. Ru laughed when she thought about how counterproductive that really was. Within minutes, Griffin joined them.

“Sorry, I couldn’t find one of my shoes.”

“I’ll never understand how kids can lose their shoes in their own home. You all are nuts.”

Laughing, Griffin replied, “I know. I know.”

“Listen, I don’t want to keep you too long. I just wanted to see if maybe there was something you wanted to say last night that you didn’t want to say in front of the others.”

“I don’t know.”

“Come on, Griff, you know you can talk to me. You were looking at Beck kind of oddly. Did he have anything to do with the equipment messing up?”

“Well, he is a bully. He could have done something to it.”

“He’s a bully? He always seems so nice to me.”

“Yeah, Mrs. Delgado, he’s nice to all the teachers. That’s the thing. He’s nice to you, but he’s always giving me and Julie and even Dante crap.”

“I had no idea,” Ru said caringly. “Do you think he could have done that to the cart?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him. He knew that was the one I’d be pushing around, and he was out there in the van alone for a little while.”

“Do you remember seeing anyone else out by the van?”

“I wasn’t out there; I was helping you in the cafeteria. But,” he paused briefly, “there was one guy hovering around outside. I saw him through the window. I guess I just thought he was one of the guests who got there early.”

“Do you remember what he looked like?”

“Not really. I was busy, and I just glanced up for a second to look out the window. I didn’t really pay attention to his face because, like I said, I thought he was just a guest.”

“Do you remember what he was wearing?”

“Yeah, he was a big guy, and he was wearing an aviator jacket.”

“Did you see him come inside?”

“Now that I think about it, no, I didn’t.”

“Can you remember anything else about him?”

“He had dark hair. That’s all I know.”

“Okay, don’t worry about it. That helps a lot.” Griffin smiled and then petted Opal.

Ru said, “I’m gonna get her home. It’s chilly and I don’t want her to catch a cold. Thanks for talking to me.”

“No problem, Mrs. D. I wish I could have helped more.”

“You were a big help. Thanks. Now, go do something fun and I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“Okay, see ya!” Griffin jogged back to his camper and ducked inside.

Ru took Opal home and then grabbed her purse and jumped into her car. She wanted to run to the grocery store and talk to Esteban about what Griffin told her. She knew her husband was out by the van, unloading it for the event, so she hoped he would know who the big guy in the aviator jacket was.

Chapter 3

Ru wandered the grocery store aisles for a while, waiting for Esteban’s break. While she did so, she picked up a few things and put them in her cart. She decided she would make taco salad for dinner, that way Esteban would be able to eat it when he got home. It was easy, and they both loved it, so that was a bonus. When she had everything she needed, she went and sat in the employee break room while one of the employees brought out her purchase and put it in her car trunk. She loved the perks that came with being the wife of the store manager.

“Hey! I didn’t expect to see you here! How do you feel?” Esteban asked and kissed his wife.

“I feel good, actually. I’m a little tired, but my stomach feels better.”

“Good, I’m glad. I don’t like to see you feeling bad.”

Smiling at his caring statement, Ru said, “I went to talk to Griffin.”

“How’d that go? Did he know anything?”

“Did you know that Beck was a bully?”

“No, did he tell you that?” Esteban looked just as surprised as Ru did when Griffin told her.

“Yeah. He said he wouldn’t put it past Beck to wreck the cart and make him look bad.”

“Wow, he always seems so nice.”

“Griffin said he is like that with the teachers at school, but then he gives the kids crap.”

“Hmmm,” Esteban thought for a second. “Did he say anything else?”

“Yeah, he said he noticed a big guy with dark hair and an aviator jacket just standing around outside the school yesterday while we were setting up. He said he figured it was just a guest who got there early.”

Esteban’s face instantly changed and he said, “That’s Moe Cranston. I saw him walking down the street yesterday, right outside the school.”

“Who is Moe Cranston?”

“Oh, only the one man who may put this store out of business.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s a businessman, Mama. He is planning on opening up a grocery store twice the size of this one. He just moved here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and get this, he is planning on his store offering catering services.”

Frowning, Ru said, “Well, we both know that won’t happen. This town is known for its small, family-owned businesses. Nobody is going to want some big chain-type store here.”

“Well, I hope you’re right. This store won’t survive for very long if he wins.”

Ru thought for a minute and then said, “I know you’re busy. I’m going to take a walk and clear my head. Then I’ll drive home and take it easy.” She threw in the last part knowing that it was what her husband wanted to hear.

“Don’t be out in the chilly air too long. We don’t want you getting sick.”

“I know, Papi. I’ll be careful.” She kissed her husband and then left the break room.

Ru knew that if a big chain store came to town, it likely would put more than just the grocery store out of business. She decided to stop in at a few local shops to talk to the management about Moe, hoping to stir the pot a little bit. She knew if she got some of the shop owners worried, they definitely would vote against a big retail store opening up within the town limits.

After stopping at a couple of places, she realized this Moe character basically had everyone believing the same story. They told Ru he was researching the town’s needs and discussing with the shop owners all of the opportunities that could come from a large chain opening in town. He was trying to convince them it was a good thing. The third shop she went to she heard the same thing.

“Mr. Cranston seems to think his store would be beneficial,” Samantha Wilson said. She was the owner of the local ice cream shop.

“You do know that he plans on having his store offer catering, right?”

“He didn’t say that.”

“If he offers catering, then what stops him from also having an ice cream shop in his store?”

Samantha thought for a moment and then said, “Nothing. I guess I hadn’t thought about that.”

“He could put a lot of us out of business. I would think long and hard about it before you decide to back him.”

“Well, I definitely will think about it, but I like our town the way it is. I’ll tell you this, he has been spending time with Joanna Murphy,” she paused for emphasis and then continued, “I mean, a lot of time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She met him here for ice cream a couple of times, and others have seen them having dinner together. He even went to church with her.”

“Hmmm, isn’t that something? Well, I won’t keep you. I really do need to get home. Thanks for talking with me.”

“It’s always a pleasure, Ru. You and your husband need to stop in soon. We’ve got all kinds of new flavors! We even have something special for Opal.”

“We definitely will stop by soon!”

Ru walked back to the grocery store where she had left her car and then headed home. She tried to do the lazy thing, and sat in the recliner, but after about an hour she felt like she was going crazy, so she got up and started cleaning. Once the kitchen and bathrooms were clean, she threw in a load of laundry and then did all the prep work for dinner. She cut the tomatoes and lettuce, placing them into their own separate containers. Then she cooked the meat, added the seasoning, and put it in a container as well. When she was done, she tucked everything neatly into the refrigerator and set the table. She knew Esteban still would be a while, so she made herself a snack and went back in the family room to watch a movie. While she watched the movie, she began thinking about baby names.

As she went through names, one after the other, Ru realized a baby really would change their lives. Now, instead of one wagon with Opal in it, they would have two little ones to tote around. She closed her eyes and imagined coming home from work and seeing Esteban on the porch, a little Delgado in his arms, pointing to a bird and teaching the little one what it was called. Then she pictured herself, dressing her little baby girl in pink lacy dresses, and then matching Opal’s dresses to the baby’s. That thought made her laugh out loud and she felt silly.

The more Ru thought about the baby, the happier she became. She figured Esteban wanted the baby to be a boy and, as much as she would love a little girl, she, too, hoped there would be a little Esteban, Jr. running around the house. She knew Esteban would be a wonderful father; he was so patient and inviting. She only hoped that she would be as good a parent as her parents were.

At around midnight Esteban came home and found Ru sleeping on the couch. Not wanting to wake her, he quietly went to the kitchen and warmed the meat in the microwave. Just as he was about to sit down to eat, Ru came in.

“When did you get home?”

“Just a few minutes ago. I didn’t want to wake you. Are you hungry?”

“I’m famished.”

As they ate their dinner, Esteban asked, “So, what did you find out on your walk?”

“What do you mean?” Ru asked, trying to sound like she didn’t know what he really meant.

“You know what I mean,” he said, looking at her slyly. “What did you find out when you went talking to people?”

Realizing just how well Esteban knew her, she said, “Well, I found out that this Moe guy has been trying to convince small business owners in town that it would benefit them to have a large corporation move in.”

“That’s ridiculous. Were they buying it?”

“Kind of, but I think I put a stop to that. Oh, I also found out Moe has been spending a lot of time with Joanna Murphy lately.”

“Eww, Joanna?” Esteban said, crinkling his nose.

“Oh, stop, there’s nothing wrong with Joanna. She just likes to talk a lot.”

“A lot? She’s like a walking gossip magazine.”

“Well, maybe he’s using her to spread the word about what he wants to do here.”

Esteban replied, “I think most people in town don’t really pay any attention to her, so I’m not going to stress over Joanna Murphy. Let’s change the subject.”

“Okay, I was thinking about baby names.”

Eyes wide, Esteban said, “Oh, yeah? What names do you like?”

“Well, I like Maribel for a girl and Esteban for a boy.”

“Oh, wow, I love those names. Especially the boy’s name!”

Laughing, Ru said, “I figured you would. Anyway, we have plenty of time to come up with a girl’s name, but I really think if it’s a boy it should be Esteban, Jr.”

“I think that sounds great. It would be nice to have a junior around here. You know, kind of even up the battle of the sexes in this house.”

“Don’t let Opal hear you say that!”

They both laughed and finished their dinner. It was late, so when they were done they went right to bed. Normally they don’t like to go to sleep so soon after eating, but Ru was exhausted and they both had work in the morning. Ru fell asleep thinking about the prospect of having a little Esteban running around the house. She didn’t know it, but Esteban fell asleep thinking about having a little Maribel running around the house.

Chapter 4

The following morning was rough for Ru; she was up early with a queasy stomach, and really didn’t feel like getting dressed and going to work. Esteban tried convincing her she should just stay home and rest, but, Ru being Ru, she insisted she needed to be there for her students. After a breakfast of toast and tea, she felt just good enough to throw on some clothes and drive to the school. She was a bit earlier than usual, so she decided to go to the teacher’s lounge and see if she could find a couple of Beck’s teachers. She hoped maybe she would be able to learn a little bit more about the guy who is sweet to the teachers and a bully to her students.

There was a small group of teachers sitting at a table near the coffee pot, so Ru went over and pulled up a chair.

“Do any of you have Beck Halburton in your class?”

“As a matter of fact, three of us do,” an older woman replied.

“He’s in my calculus class, why? Did he do something wrong?” a sweet, first year teacher asked.

Ru replied, “Well, no, not exactly. He has been working for us for the past few months and I realized I don’t really know much about him. He seems like a great kid, but I’ve been informed that he tends to be a bully when it comes to his peers.”

The older woman spoke up, “Well, he’s been in my gym class for three of his four years here, and I’ve been his Sunday School teacher since he moved here about seven years ago. He was always such a nice boy, but about two years ago his parents got divorced, and it kind of went downhill from there. He lost a lot of his friends, his grades started falling, and he started getting into trouble.”

“Trouble? What kind of trouble?” Ru asked.

“Oh, I don’t know if I should be talking about him like this.”

“He’s my employee. If he has been in trouble in the past, I should know about it. Besides, his attitude has been affecting my other employees.”

“He hasn’t been in any big trouble, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s more subtle than that. He likes to say things that are shocking or false, just to get attention, and, yes, sometimes he likes to pick on the other kids. I’m definitely not condoning his behavior, but even with his troubles, I just heard he still was able to get into a good college just out of state. From what I understand, he planned on going there to play baseball and major in sports management.”

“Wow,” Ru said. “That’s great for him.”

“Yes, it is.” the gray haired teacher replied.

The first bell of the day rang, and all of the women stood and scattered as if they would be the ones sent to the attendance office if they were tardy. As Ru walked to her classroom, she saw Beck across the hall picking on a much smaller boy. She shot him a look that told him to stop his behavior and he said, “Good morning Mrs. Delgado. You look lovely today. I enjoyed working this weekend.” He had a smile on his face that at one time would have registered as genuine but, after hearing what she had about him in the past couple of days, it registered more as the smile worn by Eddie Haskell on ‘Leave It to Beaver’.

“You’d better get to class, Beck.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He turned and hurried down the hall.

~~~

After work, Ru hurried home, got herself comfortable and opened her laptop. She knew Esteban didn’t like her meddling in other people’s business, so she was happy he would be working late again. It gave her time to do what she needed to do to get to the bottom of the equipment fiasco. First she searched Moe Cranston online and found the address to his office. His business website was very basic and didn’t really offer any helpful information that she could arm herself with.

Next, Ru did a search for Joanna Murphy. There weren’t many links to her name, so Ru clicked on the first link, which was to a major social media website. She was shocked when she found out Joanna Murphy once was married to Owen Halburton, Beck’s father. Never having been Beck’s teacher, she really didn’t know him, and definitely didn’t know that Joanna Murphy was his mother. Some things finally were starting to make a little sense to her … at least when it came to Beck and his attitude. Ru continued looking, but again, seemed to hit a dead-end.

Esteban sent Ru a text letting her know he would be home around 9 p.m., so at around 7:00 she began preparing dinner so she could put it in the oven and it would be ready for her husband when he walked through the door. After making the potatoes au gratin from scratch, and putting the pork roast in the oven, she went upstairs and hopped in the shower. When she was done, she wrote herself a note to call the doctor to make an appointment. She totally forgot to do that during the day, and she knew Esteban would hound her until she did so. His love for her made her smile and she went downstairs to check on the roast. She was just in time to put the potatoes in the second of the two side-by-side ovens.

As planned, Ru was placing dinner on the table just as Esteban walked through the door. “Amazing how you do that!”

“Do what?” Ru asked.

“Not only did you make something I actually was craving, but it was ready just as I got home.”

“I learned from the best, Papi.”

“Yeah? And, just who is the best?” he asked, knowing by the silly grin on her face what her answer would be.

“You!” she said like a little girl and then went to her husband and hugged him tight.

As they began eating their delicious dinner, Ru said, “Did you know that Joanna Murphy is Beck’s mom?”

“No, I didn’t know that,” he answered, seeming a bit preoccupied. He dropped his fork a couple of times and almost spilled his glass of milk.

“What’s wrong, Papi? You seem anxious. Did something happen?”

“I really didn’t want to bother you with this, but I guess you’ll hear about it anyway, so it might as well be from me.”

“What is it? You’re making me nervous,” Ru said.

“Well, Rosa came into the store today. She just walked in, went right to the new display of that new applesauce we have on sale, and knocked the whole thing to the floor. The jars broke and applesauce went everywhere.”

“That’s nuts!” Ru couldn’t believe that woman.

“Then, without apologizing or paying for anything, she just glared at me, turned around, and left the store.”

“That psycho little …” Ru stopped herself, took a breath and then said, “You know, it was probably her who messed with the cart and the smoothie maker.”

“I don’t know, Mama.”

“If she can come into a place of business, destroy an entire display, and then walk out like nothing happened, then I wouldn’t put it past her to mess with our equipment. She was there early and then slipped out for a while.”

“Even so, I just don’t get the feeling it was her. She never has been mechanically inclined, so I don’t think she’d be able to rig the smoothie machine to do what it did.”

“Well, I wouldn’t count that nut out just yet. I can’t believe she did that!”

“Mama, please, don’t get so upset. Sure, it was crazy, but it isn’t the end of the world. I don’t want you stressing out. It’s fine. Let’s just enjoy the rest of the evening.”

Smiling, Ru replied, “Okay, Papi.”

Chapter 5

Before school started the next morning, Ru found Beck in the hallway and said, “I’d like for you to come to my classroom after school.”

“What for, Mrs. Delgado?” Beck didn’t smile.

“I just have a couple of things I’d like to talk to you about.”

“Can we do it some other time? I’ve got plans after school.”

“I need to talk to you, Beck. It won’t take long, I promise.”

“Fine, but I can’t stay long.” His attitude was very different from his usual smiley, fake attitude.

“That’s fine, Beck.”

Beck turned and walked away without saying another word. Ru could tell he was annoyed to have to stay after school. During the day, she carefully planned out the questions she would ask him, making sure to sound curious and not accusatory. She figured the premise for the conversation would be her wondering if he would stop working for her to go to college, or if he would be sticking around town.

About five minutes after the day’s final bell, Beck walked into Ru’s classroom. He hung his head, and his arms hung limp at his sides.

Ru laughed and said, “Is coming to see me that much of a drag?”

“Sorry, Mrs. Delgado, I just would rather be home playing video games than staying after school. You know how it is.”

“Well, I promise I won’t keep you long.” Ru motioned for Beck to sit, and then she sat on the front edge of her desk.

“Since this is your last year here, I was wondering what your plans were. We don’t really get that much time catering to really chat. Do you plan to go to college, or will you stay here and work?”

Instantly his demeanor changed, and his eyes brightened. “I got accepted to a college about seven hours from here. It’s awesome. I’m gonna be playing college ball!”

“That’s great, Beck! Your parents must be excited for you!”

“Well, my mom doesn’t really want me going that far from home, but she’s gonna have to get over it. I am so happy to be getting out of this town. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s okay here, but it’s so small.”

“That makes sense. What about your father? What does he think about it?”

Without much thought about it, Beck’s face instantly turned dark and he said, “He doesn’t give a crap one way or the other. He doesn’t care where I wind up.”

“Beck, I doubt that’s true. He’s your father. I’m sure he’s proud.”

“To be honest, Mrs. Delgado, my mom’s boyfriend cares more about me than my father does.”

Trying not to sound like she’s prying, Ru asks, “Oh, yeah? Wow, who’s that? It’s great that he is showing an interest. It doesn’t always work out that way.”

“I know. I was surprised, too, but Mr. Cranston … Moe … is so great.”

His attitude perked up again and Beck continued, “Originally I was going to study sports management, but Moe is so business savvy. He told me that if I major in business management, when I come back I can work for him.”

“That sounds great, Beck. It seems like you really have your life planned.”

“Why are you asking all of this, Mrs. Delgado?” Beck asked, curiosity washing over his face.

“Well, if you are going away to school that means you won’t be able to work for us anymore. I just wanted to see what your plans were so we also could plan.”

“I gotcha. Well, I still want to work for you and Mr. Delgado until school is over. Is that cool?”

Ru chuckled and said, “Yes, Beck, that’s cool. Go ahead, get out of here.” Ru motioned for Beck to go.

“Okay, thanks. See ya in the halls!”

“Bye.”

Ru sat back down at her desk and pulled her purse out of the larger bottom drawer. Inside the front pocket was the note card she had written Moe Cranston’s office address down on. She debated whether it would be a good idea to go over there. On one hand, she really wanted to find out who sabotaged their equipment, but on the other hand, she really had no desire to sit and talk to someone as pushy and willing to embellish the truth as Moe. Finally, she decided that if she wanted to get a feeling for whether he was the saboteur, she needed to go to his office. She locked her classroom and went to her car.

On the way over to Moe’s office, she thought about what she would say. She knew she couldn’t give her last name, or he would be able to connect her to Esteban, and then he wouldn’t want to talk about anything. Instead, she decided to mention a business opportunity. Feeling confident in her ability to talk to just about anyone, she parked her car and went into the office building. After locating Moe Cranston’s office in the directory, she took the stairs up to the second floor.

“Can I help you?” the young woman at the reception desk asked.

“I’m here to see Mr. Cranston.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Actually, no, but if you could tell him I have a lead on a business opportunity, that would be great.”

“Your name?” The receptionist asked, exuding almost no personality.

“Ruby.”

“No last name?”

“No, Ruby is fine.”

The receptionist picked up the phone and said, “Mr. Cranston, there is a Ruby here to see you.”

She then looked at Ru and said, “Have a seat. He’ll be right with you.”

“Thank you,” Ru replied.

She was slightly amused there was a receptionist desk for an office space consisting of only one office. She hid her amusement and waited patiently. Within five minutes, the only office door opened.

“Ruby?” Moe asked.

“Yes, thank you for seeing me, Mr. Cranston.”

“Please, call me Moe.”

“Okay, Moe it is.”

“Come on in,” Moe said, waving his arm as if it were a grand gesture, and standing in the doorway as Ru walked into his office.

The space was beautiful. It was a large office with an impressive antique, intricately hand-carved desk. Behind the desk was a large window, and the walls on either side of the desk were floor to ceiling book shelves. Moe motioned for Ru to have a seat in one of the two wing-backed chairs in front of his desk and then he, too, sat down.

“What can I do for you, Ruby, was it?”

“Yes, Ruby.”

Looking at the man, she could see why Beck liked him. He was tall, athletic, rugged, and much younger than she had expected.

“It recently came to my attention that you were here in town looking for business opportunities in Willow Crossing.”

“Yes, I am. I think it’s very important for there to be a balance of large and small business in any town.”

“Well, I have a friend who may be interested in working with you.”

Moe’s eyes lit up, “Go on.”

“Have you met Kirk Enders?”

“No, I can’t say that I have, but I have only been in town for about a month, and have not yet met all of the people of this fine town.”

Ru thought he sounded a little pretentious, but continued, “He is an antique dealer down the street at the antique mall. He actually owns the mall and has two booths of his own. The rest of the mall consists of booths rented out by other dealers. His business is really suffering, and could use someone to come in and take charge.”

“Well, thank you for letting me know. I haven’t quite made my way to that half of town yet, but I will definitely look into it. You said his name was Kirk?”

“Yes, Kirk Enders. I should warn you, though. He is not the most personable man in town. Not many people can get along with him.”

Moe wrote his name down on a piece of paper, jotted down a few other notes that Ru couldn’t make out and then looked up, “How did you hear about me again?”

Knowing she hadn’t yet told him how she had heard of him, Ru replied, “One of my students, Beck Halburton, referred to you as his future stepfather.”

She knew Beck wasn’t really one of her students, but she said she was anyway. She figured by the embarrassed look on his face, he would be mentioning to Beck that he talked to someone who mentioned him. Ru thought it would be better to say she was one of Beck’s teachers so Beck wouldn’t instantly think it was her.

“He’s a great kid. He’s got a lot of promise in the business world,” Moe added.

“He is a good kid.” Ru stood and then said, “Well, I’d better be going.”

“Please, stay and tell me more about this antique mall.”

Thinking quickly, she slyly said, “I’d love to, but I really need to get to the grocery store to pick up my husband from work.”

Instantly, Moe’s expression turned worried. “Oh, okay. Well, thank you for stopping in. It was a pleasure talking to you.” He stood and held out his hand for Ru to shake.

After shaking his now sweaty hand, Ru said, “Thank you for seeing me. You have a great evening.”

Almost in a stutter, Moe said, “You too, Ruby.”

Ru hurried to her car, and once inside and on the road again, she couldn’t help but giggle at the reaction she got from Moe. He certainly looked as though he would faint when she said she was picking her husband up at the grocery store. She hadn’t picked Esteban up from the store since his own car broke down two years ago, and this day was no different. She headed home and began preparing dinner.

~~~

That evening, after a light dinner of seared chicken breasts and a salad, Esteban went into the family room to watch the football game, while Ru went upstairs to their office/study under the guise of grading homework. She actually was planning on calling Rosa, and knew that if her husband was aware of her plan, he would try talking her out of it. She was determined to make that call.

After dialing and waiting three rings, “Hello?”

“Is this Rosa?”

“Yes, this is Rosa.”

“I need you to stay away from my husband. Esteban didn’t want you then and he doesn’t want you now, so get over it and move on.”

Expecting a reaction to her words, Ru was surprised that Rosa simply hung up on her. Ru sat there for a moment and then realized that she just sounded like some of the people she has spoken to in the past while she was poking her nose in other people’s business trying to sniff out a case. Knowing she would have to make things right, and soon, she decided to go see Rosa the following day to apologize, hoping Rosa wouldn’t say anything to Esteban.

Ru went downstairs and lay on the couch, placing her head in her husband’s lap. She watched the game with him until she fell asleep. She never was much of a sports fan, though she did occasionally go to the high school’s sporting events to support the students. When the game was over, Esteban gently woke Ru and they went up to bed together.

Chapter 6

The following day at school was pretty uneventful. Ru wondered if Beck would say anything to her about her seeing Moe the day before, but all Beck did was smile and wave at her in the hallway. At the end of the school day, Ru decided to pick up some flowers and take them to Rosa’s house. It probably was pushing it, but if she had any hope of getting what could be incriminating information from the woman, Ru knew she would need to apologize for her behavior the night before.

Before knocking on Rosa’s door, Ru smoothed her shirt over her waistline and tucked her hair behind her left ear. Only seconds after knocking on the door, Rosa swung the door open. When she saw Ru standing there, her first instinct was to slam it in the woman’s face, but then she saw the flowers and decided to hear Ru out.

“Hello, Ruby.”

“Rosa. I’d like to apologize.”

Standing to the side, Rosa invited Ru in and said, “Apologize for what?”

She almost sounded like a mother talking to a child who had just done something wrong.

“The way I behaved last night when I called you was inappropriate and I’m sorry. I acted like one of my students and not like an adult. I’ve just been worried about Esteban lately.”

The expression on Rosa’s face softened and she said, “No, it’s me who should apologize. I behaved like a lunatic at the store. I shouldn’t have knocked over the display and I definitely should have paid for the damage. It’s just been hard for me to come to terms with the fact that Esteban will never love me.”

“Did you do something to our equipment at the alumni event?”

“I can’t believe you would think that. No, I most definitely did not.”

“I’m sorry I asked, I just don’t know who could have done that, and since you did what you did at the store, I thought maybe it was possible you sabotaged the equipment out of jealousy or hurt.”

“Well, I’m sorry you think that, but I did not touch your equipment. Besides, even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t have the foggiest idea of how to do it. Look around; there is nothing in this house that has more than an on/off switch…aside from the TV. I hate technology, and I definitely am not mechanically inclined.”

Ru could tell Rosa was telling the truth and felt badly. “I’m sorry for thinking you could do something like that.”

Ru thought for a moment and then said, “You know, your family and Esteban’s have been close for years. I guess there’s no harm in you and I getting to know each other. Who knows, maybe there is a way for all of us to move on and forget the past.”

Rosa smiled softly and said, “It would be nice to have a friend. It seems like lately all I do is work and come home to an empty house.”

The ladies sat and talked for a while, mostly about different people in town, but then Ru asked, “What do you know about Moe Cranston?”

“Well, I know he’s new to town. I heard someone say he was thinking about opening up some big grocery store or something.”

“Yeah, and not just a big grocery store, but one that also offers catering.”

“Wow, which will mean stiff competition with Esteban’s store and your catering business. That really stinks.”

“I know. The weird thing is he was seen lurking around the alumni event. He never came inside, but was out in the parking lot.”

“That is weird.”

“What about Beck Halburton? Do you know anything about him?”

“No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name before,” Rosa answered.

“He’s a student at the high school, and he also works for us setting up for our catering events. He always seems nice, but another one of our employees said Beck had a tendency to be a bully with the other kids. He thought that maybe Beck was the one who sabotaged the equipment. He was alone out at the van a couple of times.”

“Did you ask him if he did it?”

“Yes, and, of course, he said he had nothing to do with it. The one thing that bothers me is that Moe Cranston is dating Beck’s mother. Beck is in awe of Moe. He thinks Moe is the best thing ever and wants to be just like him. He even changed his major for college next year so he can come back after graduation and work for the man.”

“Wow,” Rosa said. “It kind of sounds like maybe Beck sabotaged the equipment for Moe. That could be why he was lurking around at the event. You know, to make sure the kid did what he was told?”

“That would make sense, if any of it made sense. I just don’t see what sabotaging our equipment would accomplish.”

“Think about it. If your company is made to look bad, then it would be easier for him to get people to use his catering service inside his grocery store. Once they are in his shiny new store, he probably will gain customers for life, taking away business from Esteban’s store.”

Ru could tell Rosa was getting upset at the prospect. “I think you’re right. Man!”

“We need to do something about this.”

“We?” Ru asked curiously.

“Yes, we. I want to help.”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

Rosa smiled and then said, “You might not want to tell Esteban that you and I are working together. I don’t know if he’d like that too much.”

“I’ll tell him when the time is right. Besides, he’d probably appreciate someone helping me. He doesn’t think I should be doing anything while I’m pregnant.”

“You’re pregnant?” Rosa asked, not sure if she was happy or sad to hear the news.

“Yes, oh, I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have dropped that on you like that.”

“No, really, it’s fine. It’s time for me to move forward in my life. I loved Esteban once, but that was a long time ago. I’m happy for the two of you. Congratulations,” she said with a genuine smile on her face.

The two ladies hugged and made plans to go see Joanna Murphy the following day. Ru excused herself and drove home almost positive they had come to a conclusion about the equipment tampering that simply made sense. She had a doctor’s appointment that evening and was meeting Esteban back at the house.

~~~

“Well, Ruby, it looks like you are about three and a half months along. Baby seems to be growing fine. How do you feel?”

“I feel great, Doc. I’m a little tired, but other than that I’m okay.”

“Any morning sickness?”

“I have been a little queasy at times, but nothing major.”

“Well, then, I’d like to see you back in a month.”

“You got it, Doc.”

The doctor left the room and Esteban said, “I can’t believe we got to hear the heartbeat! I thought for sure it would be too soon.”

“It was exciting, wasn’t it?” Ru replied.

“It was amazing. Come on, let’s go celebrate.”

“How?”

“Let’s go out to eat. Maybe the diner? I know it’s not fancy, but I know you love their soup!”

“Can we get ice cream afterwards?”

“As long as you promise not to eat it with pickles,” Esteban joked.

“Gross. You can rest easy; I never will put pickles with ice cream.”

The couple laughed, made an appointment for the following month and then went to the diner. While they waited for their food, Esteban looked at his wife. He couldn’t help but feel that something else was on her mind.

“Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect,” Ru smiled as she spoke. “I couldn’t be happier.”

“It just seems like there is something on your mind.”

“Nope, just hungry!”

Ru decided she would wait to tell Esteban about her new budding friendship. She knew he would think it odd and perhaps even discourage it. She wouldn’t really blame him, though, Rosa was his ex-fiancé, after all. Ru enjoyed her BLT club sandwich and cream of chicken soup with rice, while Esteban opted for the more filling steak and eggs. When they were done with their meal, they walked hand in hand over to the ice cream shop.

“Ru! I’m so glad you decided to come in so soon after we talked!” Samantha chimed.

Esteban looked at Ru in confusion, “So soon?”

“Oh, did I forget to tell you I talked to Samantha the other day?”

“You said you talked to some people in town, but didn’t say who.”

“Yes, your beautiful wife came by here to fill me in on Moe Cranston. Don’t you worry, though; I won’t be buying the crap he’s selling.”

Esteban chuckled and Ru said, “That’s good. So, what are the new flavors you were talking about?”

“We have strawberry shortcake, cake batter, brownie batter and cherry Bordeaux.”

“Yum! I’ll take the cherry!” Ru exclaimed.

“I think I’ll try the brownie batter, Samantha. Thanks.”

While they ate their delicious ice cream and walked down the street through town, they both took in the ambiance that Willow Crossing had to offer. It was a small town much like those in the movies. There were people here and there going about their business, but stopping to say hello to those who passed them on the street. There was a short line outside of the one-screen movie theater, and a small group of elderly men gathered at a table in the center of town playing a game of chess by the light of the old-fashioned street lamps. Esteban’s hand holding hers, she rubbed her other hand across her belly and smiled. This was the perfect place to raise a child and she was so happy they lived here.

Chapter 7

The following day the school was closed due to a power outage. Ru called Rosa and asked her if she’d like to come with her to visit Joanna Murphy.

“I thought maybe we could take Opal for a walk and see what Joanna had to say.”

Rosa said, “That sounds like fun.”

“Fun?”

“Sure. I think it will be fun to do something out of the ordinary. Besides, if it means we get closer to knowing who sabotaged your equipment that will be great!”

“Want to meet me back at my house?”

“Esteban isn’t there, is he?”

“No, with the power outage, he has to stay at the store and make sure the generators keep doing their jobs.”

“Okay, then sure. I can be there in twenty minutes. Will that work for you?”

Ru replied, “That’s perfect. That gives me just enough time to get home, change and get Opal ready.”

“Okay, then, see you in twenty.”

“Okay, bye.”

Ru hurried home and changed. It was colder than normal, and the sky was dark and dreary. She hoped it wouldn’t rain until after their walk. She put Opal in one of her cute fleece outfits that included a hood. She looked adorable, and it made her think about the fact that in just over five months she’d be dressing her own child. A warmth spread through Ru as she waited for Rosa to arrive.

Ru was surprised when Rosa arrived on time. As they walked down the street, Opal in tow, the sky grew darker.

“Maybe we should have driven,” Ru commented.

“We can always go back and get a car.”

“We’re almost there. We’ll be fine.”

The two walked a few more minutes and found the house Joanna Murphy had just recently purchased. It was toward the edge of town, approximately one mile from Ru’s house. The house was old but well taken care of, and it was obvious a considerable amount of work recently had been done both to the house and the yard. It looked more lived in than the other houses on the block. The women stepped up to the door and Ru rang the doorbell. Thunder crashed and Opal jumped out of her wagon and sat at Ru’s feet. She picked up her dog and held her close.

The door opened and Joanna looked at the ladies, “Can I help you?”

“Hi, Ms. Halburton?”

“Yes,” she answered slightly quizzically.

“My name is Ruby and I’m a teacher over at the high school,” Ru then looked at Rosa and back to Joanne, “This is Rosa. We would love to talk to you about Beck.”

“Beck? Please, come in.” The ladies entered the house and Joanna asked, “Can I offer you some tea?”

“That would be great, thank you,” Rosa answered. She signaled for the ladies to follow her into the kitchen.

While Joanna made the tea, Rosa and Ru sat at the kitchen table while Opal sat on the floor at Ru’s feet. There was an awkward silence as Joanna wondered what her son had done and the other ladies wondered exactly how they would begin the conversation. They watched the woman working in the kitchen and realized that when she’s not spreading gossip, she’s rather beautiful. Joanna moved swiftly, but with grace. She was dressed stylishly but still comfortably, and even in a ponytail, her hair looked ‘done’. Her makeup was flawless and she looked much younger than her actual age of 54.

Joanna brought a tray over to the table, sat down and slid a cup to each of the ladies. “I didn’t know what you like in your tea, so I brought over a little of everything. Help yourself.”

After a slight pause, she continued, “So, you said you’re here to talk to me about Beck?”

“Yes. I’m a little concerned about him. I don’t have him in any of my classes, but he does work for my catering company…”

Interrupting, Joanna said, “Oh! You’re Mrs. Delgado!”

“Yes,” Ru said smiling.

“He hasn’t done anything bad has he?”

Ru found it odd that she would ask that question. Before she could say anything, Rosa spoke, “The whole town is talking about the fact that you are dating Moe. They think that Moe’s influence might be rubbing off on Beck.”

Ru shot Rosa a look that told her to stop talking. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. If my son is causing problems, I want to know about it.”

“Well, from what I’ve been told by other employees, he can be quite a bully. He’s always very respectful of adults, but when it comes to the other students, he isn’t as nice.”

With a look of embarrassment and worry on her face, Joanna responded, “I’m so sorry you had to come here. He has been in trouble a couple of times lately. I guess he stole some of signs from the diner, and he TPed some cars in the bank parking lot. Please tell me he didn’t do anything at your catering company.”

Feeling bad for the woman, Ru said, “Well, we aren’t sure who did it, but some of our equipment was tampered with this past weekend at the high school. We were catering an alumni event and Beck was the only one alone with the equipment. My husband and one of our other employees also saw Moe outside of the school.”

“Oh, dear. I am so sorry about this. If it was Beck, he will definitely pay for it. I will talk to both of them when they get home.”

Ru could tell she was mortified that her son would do something like that to an employer. To ease the tension in the air, Ru changed the subject to something completely neutral and not about her son or boyfriend.

“Would you look at this dog!”

The ladies looked down to the floor where Opal was passed out, lying on her back, legs up in the air. They all laughed for a moment but then the mood changed when the front door opened and Beck walked into the kitchen.

“Beck,” Joanna said. “I didn’t know you were coming over today.”

Beck looked at Rosa and then at Ru, “Mrs. Delgado, what are you doing here?”

“Beck, is that any way to speak to your boss?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just surprised to see her here.”

“I came by to talk to your mother because I am worried about you,” Ru said softly.

“Worried about what?”

“Well, I’ve heard some things that made me a bit uneasy.”

“What did you hear?” He asked. It was obvious to all present that he was worried.

“It has come to my attention that you tend to be a bully when it comes to other students and employees.”

“Who told you that?”

Rosa jumped into the conversation and said, “Don’t worry about who said it. Have you been doing bad things for Moe Cranston?”

“What? Why would you even ask that? Who are you?”

Ru held out her hand to Rosa, keeping her from talking. “Beck, you were the only one who was alone in the van at the alumni event. That same day two pieces of equipment were tampered with. Moe was there. He was seen outside of the school.”

“So you think I did it because he wanted me to? Why would he even want me to do something like that?” Beck was getting angry.

Ru tried to calm the situation, speaking softly. “Beck, I’m not here to upset you. I’m only here to find out the truth. We think you did those things because you were trying to help Moe.”

“Why?” He asked.

“Because it’s no secret he wants to open a huge grocery store that offers catering. If we look bad, people will give him their catering business. If our equipment is failing, we will look bad.”

“That is crazy,” Beck said, this time a little more on the calm side.

“Is it? It seems pretty logical to me,” Rosa said.

“First of all, I don’t even know you. You definitely don’t know me, so please stay out of this.”

“Beck!” Joanna said sternly. “You apologize for speaking like that to a lady.”

Beck looked at Rosa, and then at his mother and Ru. A look of defeat came over him and he sat in the only remaining chair. For a moment, nobody spoke. It was obvious Beck was collecting his thoughts, and the three women allowed him some time. Beck opened his mouth a couple of times to speak, but then quickly stopped himself. Ru wondered if the boy was trying to formulate a lie, or if he was just afraid to speak the truth.

“I didn’t do it for Moe. He didn’t manipulate me, he didn’t bribe me, and he didn’t even approach me about doing what I did.”

Ru spoke next, “So, you admit that you did it?”

“Yes.”

“Why, Beck?” Ru and Joanna said at the same time.

All of a sudden, Ru felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. It was startling and it doubled her over. Rosa instantly jumped up out of her seat and went to Ru’s side.

“Ru, what is it?”

“I think something is wrong. It really hurts.”

“Is it the baby?” Rosa asked, almost panicked.

“Baby? You’re pregnant?” Joanna asked worriedly.

“Yes, she is.” Rosa said.

“Call Esteban, please,” Ru said. Her voice small and frail.

“Rosa, you call Esteban, I’ll call an ambulance,” Joanna said.

“Mrs. Delgado, oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Beck said. “This is all my fault.”

“We’ll worry about you and what you’ve done later. Right now I need you to help Rosa get Ru to the living room where she will be more comfortable. I’m calling 9-1-1 right now.”

Chapter 8

After what seemed like an eternity for Rosa, Joanna and Beck, Esteban came out of the emergency room and found them in the waiting area.

“She’s going to be just fine.”

“Thank God,” Rosa said. “What about the baby?”

“The baby is fine, too. The doctor’s say that the stress of the moment was a bit much for Ru. Thank you for acting so quickly to get her help.”

“We’re just glad she’s okay. Is there anything we can do for you?” Rosa asked.

“Well, she’s asked to see Beck.”

“I don’t know, Mr. Delgado. Maybe she should rest first. I’m the reason she’s here.”

“The doctor said that as long as you keep it short and calm, you can go back,” Esteban responded.

“Can my mom come with me?”

“I don’t see why not. Maybe that’s a good idea.”

Esteban led Joanna and Beck back to Ru’s room. When they walked in, Ru greeted them with a weak smile and waved Beck over, “Come here, Beck. Don’t worry, it’s okay.”

Beck slowly moved closer to the bed and said, “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Delgado. I didn’t mean to make you sick. I’m sorry.”

Ru could see the teen was near tears and reassured him, “It’s okay, Beck. I’m fine and the baby is fine. The doctor said that it wasn’t all because I was upset. It seems that this baby doesn’t like the caffeine in the tea I was drinking. So, you see, it’s not your fault.”

“It is. I upset you because I am the one who messed with your equipment.”

Esteban asked, “It was you? Why, Beck?”

“Well, Mrs. Delgado thinks it’s because I did it for Moe, but that’s not why. I’m the kid at school who always is pulling pranks on people. It’s what everyone in Willow Crossing expects from me, and at school, if it’s a prank, it was me. I’m going away to college next year, and I wanted to be sure to leave a passing legacy…something someone else could take over. I wanted to be remembered.”

Ru spoke first, “Beck, part of growing up is not wanting to be remembered as a pest or a fool. Don’t you want to be remembered for the good things you’ve done?”

“I guess so.”

“If you wanted to pull pranks on Griffin and the others, then why do it with the equipment at work?”

“I thought that Julie would be running the smoothie machine, and I thought it would be a funny story to tell at school if she got covered in the stuff. And the cart, well, I thought it would be funny if Griffin spilled the food all over.”

“I’m sure in your mind it would have been funny, but it really just made our company look bad. Do you understand that now?” Ru asked.

“Yes, Ma’am, I do, and I’m sorry.”

Esteban stepped toward Beck and the teen flinched. “Son, I’m not going to do anything to you. I just want to talk to you.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Are you positive you didn’t do what you did to help Moe?

“Yes, sir. He had nothing to do with it.”

“Then why was he there that day?”

“I don’t know,” Beck said.

“I didn’t even see him there. I just messed with the stuff in the van and then unloaded it. The rest of the time I was inside, waiting for the … you know.” He held his head low.

“Okay. Well, since you ruined two pieces of equipment, we’re going to expect you to pay for it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Joanna said, “If you’ll allow Beck to continue working for you, he will do so for free, until he pays you for the two new pieces of equipment.”

“I think that’s fair,” Ru said, looking at her husband.

“Yes, I suppose that’s fair.”

“Thank you. I promise I won’t mess with any more of your stuff, and I will talk to Moe. Maybe I can get him off your back, Mr. Delgado. I don’t want you to lose your store.”

“Thank you. That would be great,” Esteban responded.

Joanna said, “I’ll make sure the three of us sit down and talk when we get home. I’m sure we can come up with something that will suit everyone.”

She looked at Beck and said, “Come on, let’s give Mr. and Mrs. Delgado some privacy. We have some serious talking to do.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ru, Esteban, please let me know if there is anything we can do for you.”

“We will, thank you,” Ru said smiling. “Don’t worry, Beck. It all will work out fine.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

~~~

Joanna drove in silence, Beck in the seat next to her. Beck knew his mother was angry, but couldn’t understand why she wasn’t yelling at him. He figured it was best if he didn’t question it; her not yelling was better than him not getting a word in edgewise. It was the longest fifteen minutes of his life, and he was glad when they pulled into her driveway. He was even happier to see Moe’s car in the open garage. Beck figured his mother would be just as upset with Moe for trying to make the Delgados’ store fail as she was at him for messing with their equipment.

They walked inside and found Moe sitting in the living room on the couch. “Where did everyone go? I got here and there was nobody home.”

“We were at the hospital,” Joanna said.

“The hospital? What happened?”

Beck looked at his mother and said, “Maybe you should tell him.”

“Tell me what? What in the world is going on here?” Moe obviously was concerned and a little annoyed that nobody was telling him what happened.

“Come on, let’s go in the kitchen. I can clean up the tea and start making dinner while we talk.”

The three went into the kitchen and Beck helped his mother clear the table while Moe watched them intently. He knew he wasn’t going to like what he was about to hear and with each second that passed, he became more and more impatient.

“Can someone please tell me what happened?”

“Beck, you can start,” Joanna said.

“Well, I messed with some of the equipment at work as a prank. They thought I did it to help you make them look bad. Mrs. Delgado came over to talk to me about it and while she was here she got upset and had to be taken to the hospital.”

“Oh, my God. What did you do?” Moe asked.

“I didn’t do anything. She’s pregnant and thought she might be having a miscarriage. She’s fine and the baby is fine.”

Moe then asked, “She thought you were doing it for me?”

“Yeah. She thought you wanted them to look bad so that when you built your new store with the catering service, people would want to go to you and not them to cater their events.”

Joanna spoke from the other side of the room, “Moe, Ru said you are trying to get rid of her husband’s store and their catering business.”

“Ru? Oh, my God. Is Ru also called Ruby?”

“I think so, why?”

“She came to my office trying to get me to look into a different business opportunity. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now it makes sense.”

Beck asked, “Why were you at the school on Saturday?”

“What?”

“They said they saw you over by the school the day that I messed with their stuff. Why were you there?”

“I went there to see what kind of competition I would have if I chose to start a catering service in the store I was planning.”

Beck took on a worried look and then calmly said, “You can’t build a grocery store.”

“Why not?”

“Because Mr. Delgado is the manager. If you build your store, theirs will suffer and close. And, oh my God, if you offer catering, their business will fail. They will lose everything, Moe.”

Moe sat quietly for a moment and then Joanna spoke, “What business opportunity did Ru tell you about?”

“She mentioned something about the antique mall in town. She said it was suffering and could use someone to step in and turn it around. She even gave me the owner’s name.”

“Is that something you would consider doing?” Joanna asked.

Before Moe could answer, Beck finally realized something, “Moe, this town was built on the businesses of its residents. If you come in and put up some huge chain store, the whole town will suffer. You can’t do it.”

“Son, it’s my job. That’s what I do. I build big companies. I bring services to towns that need them.”

“But Willow Crossing doesn’t need a big company. They need to continue on the way they’ve done it for years. The town isn’t failing. It isn’t in need of saving.”

Moe looked at Beck and thought for a moment. He looked at the face of a teenager who seemed to have grown up while at the hospital.

“You know what? You’re right. Everything you said makes perfect sense.”

“Do you mean it?” Beck asked with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Absolutely. It’s obvious this town means something to you. It’s also obvious that the Delgados are important to you as well. I will drop the idea of opening a large supermarket and instead will look into helping the antique mall get back on its feet.”

“That’s great! I can’t wait to tell them!” Beck said, excited and happy once again. “Can we visit them tomorrow and let them know?”

“I don’t know. We will see. I can call and check on her in a little while and see if she’ll be up for some visitors.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You need to get to your room and think about your part in what happened today,” she replied.

“Yes, ma’am.”

~~~

A few days later, Beck, Moe and Joanna paid the Delgados a visit. They explained they would not be pursuing building a business in town. Moe asked some questions about the antique mall’s owner and, because of their history, Esteban offered to help Moe convince Kirk Enders that it was time to sell to someone who could really turn the business around. Moe instead decided that he just wanted to partner with Mr. Enders so he could be a part of the small town life and small town business.

Ru remained healthy, and so did the baby. It was not long after the hospital incident that she felt the baby move for the first time, and soon her belly began to grow. The people in town all were so excited for her and her students doted on her like she was a queen. Opal began growing jealous that Ru was getting all of the attention when they went out, so Esteban made it a point to spend extra time with her.

Winter came to Willow Crossing, and with it came the holidays. All was well with Willow Crossing. March brought the birth of little Maribel Theresa Delgado, a beautiful little angel. Esteban and Ru couldn’t have been happier, and they loved being able to share her with the great people of Willow Crossing. Living there meant that their daughter had a huge extended family that would be there to watch her grow. Opal grew to be very protective of Maribel, and when the baby would cry, Opal would make sure Ru or Esteban knew it instantly. Things all came together, and finally things were going the way they should for the time being.

~~~

Find out what is discovered in book 4 of The Willow Crossing Mysteries! Coming Soon!

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