Bart looked toward the B&B, where the fire was still visible behind it. “I wonder what happened there.”
“It’ll probably be in the paper tomorrow,” said Zeus.
Joyce looked at Carrie. “You look exhausted, like you need some hot cocoa, a nice bubble bath, and a warm bed.”
Carrie laughed. “I think that sounds perfect,” she agreed.
Joyce headed for the kitchen, and put the kettle of water on to boil. Carrie always kept a canister of instant hot chocolate next to the coffee and tea, and Joyce knew where it was. Carrie went to her bedroom, changed her clothes, and started the bath water running in her Jacuzzi, a house gift from Suzanna. She came out in a soft pink fleece robe, and joined Joyce in the kitchen.
“Feels better already,” she said, sitting down at the table. “God, what a night.”
Justin and Paul returned and found them in the kitchen.
“We’ll be able to fix those pretty soon,” said Paul. “I’ll order the glass tomorrow and as soon as I can get it, we’ll put them in.”
“Or here’s another idea for you,” Justin added, leaning against the counter. “Those windows are single-pane, and fairly old. It’s my guess they’ve been in since you’ve had the building.”
“They have,” Carrie nodded.
“Replace them with double-pane thermal ones. We’ll install them for you, and those will be stronger and tighter. You won’t lose so much heat and air conditioning with those, and in the long run, they might save you some money in electric bills,” he finished.
Carrie thought about it as Joyce placed a mug in front of her and went back to check Carrie’s bath. She looked at Paul.
“I probably should have done that after the break-in when you replaced the door,” she said. A ten-year-old runaway from an abusive foster home had broken into the shop one winter night, not intending to steal anything but looking for a warm place to sleep. Paul had replaced the door for her then.
“Well, it’s not too late,” Paul smiled.
Carrie nodded. “I think I’ll do that tomorrow. I’ll probably have to order those since they are so big. I doubt Brennan’s Hardware carries anything that large in stock.”
“Probably not,” said Justin.
Joyce came out. “Your bath is about ready, Carrie.”
“Thanks,” she smiled tiredly.
Justin looked at the clock on Carrie’s stove. “I’ll get going now, let you relax and get some rest. Call me when you need to get Suzanna tomorrow,” he said.
“Me too, Justin. Let us know how Suzanna is doing and if you need anything, let me know,” Paul said, getting up from the table. “Need a ride, Joyce?”
“I’d love it,” Joyce smiled.
“I’ll be more than happy to give you a ride to the hospital to get Suzanna tomorrow too, if Justin’s tied up,” said Paul.
“Thanks you guys, but I’ll use Suzanna’s truck to get her. It’s not far,” Carrie replied. “But as soon as I get her home, I’ll call you both.”
Suzanna had a four-wheel-drive Toyota truck, and she and Carrie often swapped vehicles. Carrie had a red Subaru station wagon which Suzanna loved and had helped her pick out.
Paul collected Zeus, Pook, Saav, and Ruffie, and petted the cats good-night. Joyce thanked the men for being there, and they filed out the door; Justin going out the front, Paul heading for the alley door. When they closed the doors, Joyce reset the locks and returned to Carrie in the kitchen.
“Your bath is probably ready. Why don’t you get a refill there and I’ll go check it,” she suggested.
“Okay,” Carrie said, getting up. Joyce headed down the hall again, and Carrie went to the counter for another cup of cocoa. Joyce checked her bath. It was ready, and with a quick hug, Joyce went out to climb into Paul’s SUV to return home.
Zeus was quiet on the way home, and so was Paul, both lost in their own thoughts. When they entered the kitchen from the garage, Paul looked at his cat.
“Are you hungry, buddy?”
Zeus jumped up on the table and looked at the human. “No, thanks, Paul. I’m just…I don’t know.”
“Worried? Scared?” asked Paul, sitting down with him.
The big tailless tabby sighed. “I’m not sure. You know, regular felines like Sunshine and Isis don’t have these…feelings that sentient beings deal with. I’m almost envious.”
Paul reached over and scratched his cat’s chin. “But they know something’s wrong. Especially Sunshine. He was probably scared to death when the blast happened and all of a sudden he’s snatched away and shuttled over to Carrie’s without Suzanna. There’s no
“It’ll probably be in the paper tomorrow,” said Zeus.
Joyce looked at Carrie. “You look exhausted, like you need some hot cocoa, a nice bubble bath, and a warm bed.”
Carrie laughed. “I think that sounds perfect,” she agreed.
Joyce headed for the kitchen, and put the kettle of water on to boil. Carrie always kept a canister of instant hot chocolate next to the coffee and tea, and Joyce knew where it was. Carrie went to her bedroom, changed her clothes, and started the bath water running in her Jacuzzi, a house gift from Suzanna. She came out in a soft pink fleece robe, and joined Joyce in the kitchen.
“Feels better already,” she said, sitting down at the table. “God, what a night.”
Justin and Paul returned and found them in the kitchen.
“We’ll be able to fix those pretty soon,” said Paul. “I’ll order the glass tomorrow and as soon as I can get it, we’ll put them in.”
“Or here’s another idea for you,” Justin added, leaning against the counter. “Those windows are single-pane, and fairly old. It’s my guess they’ve been in since you’ve had the building.”
“They have,” Carrie nodded.
“Replace them with double-pane thermal ones. We’ll install them for you, and those will be stronger and tighter. You won’t lose so much heat and air conditioning with those, and in the long run, they might save you some money in electric bills,” he finished.
Carrie thought about it as Joyce placed a mug in front of her and went back to check Carrie’s bath. She looked at Paul.
“I probably should have done that after the break-in when you replaced the door,” she said. A ten-year-old runaway from an abusive foster home had broken into the shop one winter night, not intending to steal anything but looking for a warm place to sleep. Paul had replaced the door for her then.
“Well, it’s not too late,” Paul smiled.
Carrie nodded. “I think I’ll do that tomorrow. I’ll probably have to order those since they are so big. I doubt Brennan’s Hardware carries anything that large in stock.”
“Probably not,” said Justin.
Joyce came out. “Your bath is about ready, Carrie.”
“Thanks,” she smiled tiredly.
Justin looked at the clock on Carrie’s stove. “I’ll get going now, let you relax and get some rest. Call me when you need to get Suzanna tomorrow,” he said.
“Me too, Justin. Let us know how Suzanna is doing and if you need anything, let me know,” Paul said, getting up from the table. “Need a ride, Joyce?”
“I’d love it,” Joyce smiled.
“I’ll be more than happy to give you a ride to the hospital to get Suzanna tomorrow too, if Justin’s tied up,” said Paul.
“Thanks you guys, but I’ll use Suzanna’s truck to get her. It’s not far,” Carrie replied. “But as soon as I get her home, I’ll call you both.”
Suzanna had a four-wheel-drive Toyota truck, and she and Carrie often swapped vehicles. Carrie had a red Subaru station wagon which Suzanna loved and had helped her pick out.
Paul collected Zeus, Pook, Saav, and Ruffie, and petted the cats good-night. Joyce thanked the men for being there, and they filed out the door; Justin going out the front, Paul heading for the alley door. When they closed the doors, Joyce reset the locks and returned to Carrie in the kitchen.
“Your bath is probably ready. Why don’t you get a refill there and I’ll go check it,” she suggested.
“Okay,” Carrie said, getting up. Joyce headed down the hall again, and Carrie went to the counter for another cup of cocoa. Joyce checked her bath. It was ready, and with a quick hug, Joyce went out to climb into Paul’s SUV to return home.
Zeus was quiet on the way home, and so was Paul, both lost in their own thoughts. When they entered the kitchen from the garage, Paul looked at his cat.
“Are you hungry, buddy?”
Zeus jumped up on the table and looked at the human. “No, thanks, Paul. I’m just…I don’t know.”
“Worried? Scared?” asked Paul, sitting down with him.
The big tailless tabby sighed. “I’m not sure. You know, regular felines like Sunshine and Isis don’t have these…feelings that sentient beings deal with. I’m almost envious.”
Paul reached over and scratched his cat’s chin. “But they know something’s wrong. Especially Sunshine. He was probably scared to death when the blast happened and all of a sudden he’s snatched away and shuttled over to Carrie’s without Suzanna. There’s no