Out of the Picture Read online

  “Of course! I guess I just assumed… I thought she came every day to help out.”

  “She has her own affairs to manage, too. I don’t want her to get too frazzled. I told her I would be fine for the weekend.” Savanna remembered Lauren’s fatigued attitude the evening Eleanor died. The woman probably did need a break.

  Harlan had finished his cup of coffee and sat back. “Thanks for that, Caroline. We’d love to have you for dinner sometime. It’s been too long. Charlotte’s going to call you.”

  Savanna’s dad had left with an overloaded plate of muffins, leaning down to plant a kiss on Caroline’s cheek. He’d called back over his shoulder, “Watch yourself on that platform, little girl. No more superhero leaps.”

  She’d rolled her eyes. “Dad, I’m not six anymore. I can handle it.”

  Her family would never let her forget her Wonder Woman obsession, and the time she’d jumped out of her tree house, fresh off watching a Saturday morning Justice League marathon. She’d been convinced she could do it; she’d even had a pinned-on cape for good measure. The broken arm she’d sustained hadn’t been nearly as bad as the two decades of razzing.

  Fonzie was again curled up, half in and half out of Savanna’s huge canvas art supply tote, near the base of the scaffolding. She could hear him snoring while she worked on the skyline near the ceiling. She thought of her music and earbuds, way down in the bag, but the windows were open, bringing in a nice breeze and the distant sound of waves…a different kind of music.

  Time always ran away from Savanna when she was painting. She was jolted back to reality by voices coming from outside: a woman’s high-pitched, shrill voice, undercut with lower tones. An argument, from the sound of it. Curious, Savanna moved to the other side of the platform where she could see through the windows to the lower deck at the back of the house. She recognized Bill, the handyman she’d met the other day, standing at the railing with his back to her. She was too high up to spot the woman he was talking with.

  Bill jerked his cap off and slapped it against his leg. “I took care of it! What do you want from me, Maggie?”

  Savanna wiped her hands on her faded, paint-splattered jeans and climbed down the scaffolding, looking around for Caroline. She’d started out in her usual spot, her wingback chair, observing Savanna’s work, but she was gone. Duke and Princess had migrated to the sun spot on the floor in front of the windows, where Savanna now stood. She saw Maggie Lyle, Bill’s wife and Caroline’s neighbor, at the far side of the wide property. She only barely recognized Maggie; it had been so many years.

  Savanna stood sideways, half behind the curtain, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. The couple’s voices carried as they argued.

  “You know what I want! You just can’t do anything right, as usual!”

  Bill threw his hands up, putting his cap back on. “That’s it. I’m trying to work here. Quit badgering me! Go home!”

  “I am home,” she shouted back at him, and Savanna saw her take a few steps back, onto the easement that separated their lot from Caroline’s.

  Bill whipped around in a huff, his face in a scowl as he stormed toward the house. The kitchen entrance sat just off the parlor—he’d see that Savanna was spying. She scurried over to her painter’s bag, disturbing Fonzie, and pulled out a new palette, three pint-sized paint cans, and a small box of paintbrushes. She set to work mixing colors as she heard Bill come in the kitchen door and head through to the front of the house.

  She straightened up, about to climb back up on the scaffolding, as the doorbell rang. Savanna waited, thinking Caroline would get it. When it rang again, she moved through the hallway and past the stairway. Bill was around the other side of the wall, kneeling on the floor and removing the molding one nail at a time. Painstaking work.

  “Should I get it?” she stopped to ask him.

  “Oh! Sure, I guess. Where’s Lauren?”

  Savanna shrugged. “Not here today.” She continued on to the front entrance and was surprised to find Sydney, with a large brown paper bag and a bottle of lemonade.

  “I thought you might be hungry.” She smiled. “Where’s Caroline?”

  “I have no idea. Come on in.” Savanna led her toward the kitchen, Sydney stopping at the staircase.

  “Oh, hey Bill,” Sydney said. “Would you like some?” She held up the lemonade. “Or some salad? I’ve got plenty.”

  “How about just the lemonade? Maggie’ll kill me if I ruin my dinner.”

  Sydney laughed. “Okay, don’t want to get you in trouble!”

  Savanna found a note from Caroline on the kitchen counter. She held it up for Sydney. “This says she’s out looking at new rugs for the foyer, for her party. And that there’s a Happy Family delivery coming today. Bill will be in and out, and Felix’s assistant might stop by for a painting.”

  “Who?”

  “Her art dealer. But I think it’s just been Bill so far.” Savanna had been absorbed in her work for a good four hours; it was past two now. She’d only heard Bill and Maggie because they’d been shouting at each other.

  “Caroline’s unbelievable. She never slows down!” Sydney moved around the kitchen, obviously just as comfortable in Caroline’s house now as she was when they were kids. She pulled three glasses from the cupboard, her bracelets jangling as she poured and handed one to Savanna. “Here, can you give this to Bill, and I’ll set up our salads?”

  The handyman was at the entrance to the front room now, still on the floor, a collection of tiny nails in a small cup beside him. Caroline was apparently having him replace the chipped and time-worn molding. Savanna set the lemonade on the floor next to him. The wide grand staircase was now completed, Savanna had noticed this morning, the long, curved handrail back on and gleaming.

  “The stairway looks beautiful,” she told him.

  “Thanks,” he said. “Just finished it last night.”

  Savanna joined Sydney at the kitchen counter. “I want to hear about your date. The firefighter? How did it go?”

  Sydney tipped her head to one side and then the other. “Great! Brad is super fun. He’s taking me out on his boat tomorrow. Oh, hey, want me to see if he has a friend? I could set you up?”

  Savanna laughed. “That’s okay, I’m good.”

  Sydney groaned at her sister. “You can’t mourn Rob forever, you know.”

  “I’m not mourning anything! I just think I need a little time. I’m not sad we broke up. I know now that there was something missing.”

  “Chemistry,” Sydney said, swallowing a bite of her salad. “He was a snoozefest.”

  Savanna laughed. “You only met him once. But okay.”

  Syd set her fork down and stared at Savanna. “Come on. You’re telling me you were happy? Rob set your soul on fire?”

  “Rob was controlling and unreliable. Our issues had nothing to do with chemistry.”

  “Because there was none.”

  “Syd, chemistry is overrated. It wears off. It’s not what matters.”

  “Okay, I have to respectfully disagree. Chemistry is the spark that keeps the flame burning in the long run. Even after kids and bills and years together. Look at Mom and Dad. You think they don’t have chemistry?”

  “Ew. Do we have to go there?”

  “I’m just saying. I’m glad he called it off. You deserve better.” She reached across the counter and squeezed Savanna’s arm. “Like, ‘cute firefighter’ better.”

  Savanna rolled her eyes at Sydney.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll drop it. But when you’re ready, let me know. I have connections.”

  “I know you do.” Savanna chuckled, taking one last bite of her salad and then going to the sink to rinse the plate.

  If she were honest, she’d admit that Sydney was right. The more time that passed since leaving Chicago, the more Savanna could see how wrong she and Rob had been f
or each other. Why had she believed they were a good match?

  “Where’s Lauren today?” Sydney asked.

  “Right? So it’s not just me? She’s always here. Caroline said she sent her home for the weekend. She’s worried about overworking her.”

  “Huh.”

  Bill Lyle walked through the kitchen, weighted-down tool bag slung over one shoulder. “All set for today. Could you tell Mrs. Carson I’ll be back on Monday with the new molding?”

  “Sure.” Savanna said, thinking he didn’t look too thrilled to be heading home, but it could just be her imagination.

  Caroline appeared at the back door off the kitchen, arms loaded with packages. Sydney jumped up to let her in.

  “I’m so excited.” Caroline dropped her car keys and three large bags on the counter, her cane hooked over her forearm. “I found new curtains for the front room and the most gorgeous decorations for my party! Mmm, Michigan cherry salad?” Caroline lifted the plastic lid on the salad container.

  “Yes, I’ll make you a plate,” Savanna said. “I hope you don’t mind us using your kitchen.”

  “Of course not!” Caroline went around the counter, pouring herself a half glass of lemonade. “I just want to change. The waistband is pinching on these pants. Too many muffins, I think.” She set her glass down and headed out of the kitchen, now smartly using the cane.

  “We want to see what you bought!” Sydney called after her.

  “Back in a jiffy,” Caroline called over her shoulder. The sisters watched her go.

  Savanna said it first. “I can’t believe her energy.”

  “For real. I hope I still want to run around shopping for new rugs and curtains when I’m her age!”

  After Sydney fixed Caroline’s salad on a plate, she asked to see the mural. The two stood staring up at the work in progress behind the scaffolding.

  “She wants it to mirror her view”—Savanna gestured out the panels of windows at Lake Michigan—“at sunset.”

  “I can see that already,” Sydney said. “You’ve still got it, Savvy.”

  The praise warmed her inside. “I hope I do. I have a long way to go. It’s a little scary, painting something this big, and especially for Caroline. But she seems happy with the concept.”

  Sydney bent to scratch Fonzie behind the ears. “How long do you think—”

  A loud crash came from the entryway. Savanna looked at Sydney, wide-eyed, and they ran toward the sound.

  Fonzie, Princess, and Duke made it there first. Sydney rounded the corner into the foyer, Savanna right behind her, and gasped.

  Caroline was sprawled near the top of the staircase, hanging on to the hand railing, which had come away from the wall. Both sisters raced up the stairs. When they reached Caroline, the dogs were milling around her, whining and helpless.

  Savanna sat down on the step and helped Caroline to an upright position, being careful not to jostle her too much. “Are you okay? What in the world happened?” She glanced at the hand rail, which Sydney was now inspecting. One long screw still hung from the fixture on the railing, and she saw a couple more in small piles of debris and drywall dust on the steps below them.

  Caroline was clearly shaken up. “I—I’m not sure.” She gingerly cupped her elbow, and then placed a hand on her right knee. “I don’t know what happened. I hit my arm as I fell, and my leg got caught underneath me. My ankle…” Her right ankle was already puffing up. Her hand trembled as she reached out, but stopped, not wanting to touch it. “Oh, it hurts.”

  Sydney’s phone was already out. “I’m calling 911.”

  “No, no, I’m fine. I’m fine, girls! There’s no need.”

  “Caroline. Look how swollen it is already. Even if it is only sprained, he’ll still want you to get an X-ray. Let us call an ambulance,” Sydney pleaded.

  “No!” Caroline sat up straighter, looking at each of them in turn, expression stern. She pointed at Sydney with her good hand that was cradling her sore elbow. “You are not to call an ambulance. Call Dr. Gallager. You can find his number in the Google thing.”

  Savanna and Sydney exchanged exasperated glances. “Does anything else hurt?”

  Caroline shook her head, stretching out her right arm and moving it around, turning it this way and that. “No. I think I’m okay. Except for this.” She waved a shaking hand at her ankle.

  “You’re lucky, Caroline,” Savanna murmured, looking at the handrail. “This could have been much worse. You could have landed at the bottom.”

  Chapter Seven

  Aidan Gallager arrived at Caroline’s within minutes of Sydney’s call. Savanna heard his car door shut and left Sydney sitting on the stairs with Caroline to go let him in. She met him in the driveway.

  “Why didn’t you call an ambulance?” His tone wasn’t accusatory, just curious.

  Savanna shook her head as they walked up the front steps. “Have you met Caroline Carson? She is the most stubborn woman alive. We tried.”

  “You and your sister couldn’t overrule an injured eighty-nine-year-old woman?”

  “She seriously would not let us. She insisted we only call you.”

  “Sounds like Caroline. I’m glad you called.”

  On the stairway, Aidan set his black doctor’s bag on a step and carefully examined her right ankle. He questioned her, using his own foot to show her the different motions. “Can you move it like this? How about like this? Can you point your toes toward the ceiling?”

  Caroline nearly left the step, her body tense, as a short, high-pitched cry left her lips.

  Aidan carefully set her foot back down. “Well. You need an X-ray. There’s no other way to know if it’s broken. There are twenty-eight bones between your lower leg and foot. Any one of them, or more than one, could be fractured and possibly displaced. So, I’m calling an ambulance and they’ll come stabilize your leg to take you in.”

  Caroline heaved a sigh, her shoulders drooping. “Fine,” she said quietly, defeated.

  Savanna felt terrible for her. “We can go with you,” she said, her arm around Caroline’s shoulders. “I can call Lauren. Or your kids, or Jack, or whoever you want.”

  Aidan descended the stairs, moving away from them to give the dispatcher the information.

  Caroline didn’t answer. She pulled at a new tear in her burgundy slacks, winding the loose threads around one finger.

  Savanna looked at Sydney.

  “Caroline? You’re going to be okay,” Sydney told her. “This is just a little blip on the radar. It was an accident. It could have happened to anyone.”

  “I should have kept my cane with me,” she said. “I’ve never fallen before. Old ladies fall.” She looked up at Sydney and then Savanna.

  “You didn’t fall,” Savanna said. “The handrail gave away, Caroline. It would just as easily have happened to Lauren or anyone else coming down the stairs. It has nothing to do with your age,” she said firmly.

  Caroline looked somewhat bolstered by that. “You’re right.”

  “We need to get Bill back over here. He needs to see this,” Savanna said, unable to conceal the anger and frustration in her voice. For goodness’ sake, she hoped all of his workmanship wasn’t this shoddy. Caroline should have hired her dad instead…but Savanna knew he was up to his ears in much larger projects at the moment.

  “Could you call Lauren, please?” Caroline nodded at Sydney, her phone still in hand. “And Savanna, would you run up and grab my sweater? It’s on the back of the chair by my bed. Oh, and I’ll need my purse. Be careful on those stairs!”

  By the time they heard the sirens, too reminiscent of two weeks ago when Eleanor had passed, Caroline was sitting on the step, now put together with her pearl-detailed cardigan and floral scarf, purse beside her and one shoe on her good foot. Savanna and Sydney flanked her, and Dr. Gallager stood at the foot of the stairs, waitin
g. Lauren was on her way. Having dressed Caroline for her trip to the hospital, Savanna became suddenly aware of her own appearance: faded, paint-stained jeans with holes worn in the knees, a decade old, too-small Harry Potter shirt bearing the words I solemnly swear that I am up to no good across the front, her hair piled up in crazy waves on top of her head, several pieces hanging loose from a day spent painting and climbing on scaffolding.

  Caroline was on the phone with her son, Lauren’s dad. Sydney leaned back and tapped Savanna’s arm behind Caroline’s back. “Are we going to the hospital with her?” Syd whispered.

  Savanna groaned. “Yes, of course we’re going. But look at me—I hope I don’t embarrass anyone! I look awful!”

  “You do not! You look like a brunette Brigitte Bardot. I’m loving that tee. You and Skylar got all the curves.” She pouted.

  Savanna’s eyes widened, and she glanced down the steps to make sure Aidan hadn’t overheard that comment.

  “Ooohhhhh,” Sydney said, understanding suddenly dawning. “Okay, I get it. Here.” She reached into her pocket and handed Savanna a pink, bubble-gum-scented lip gloss. “You might want to use this.”

  Savanna scowled at Syd but ducked behind Caroline to apply the lip gloss. She passed it back on the step.

  Sydney smirked at her, silent.

  “Shut. Up. I mean it,” Savanna warned.

  “What, dear?” Caroline turned to Savanna.

  “Oh, I was just saying, I think I heard Lauren’s car,” Savanna lied, ignoring her sister on the other side of Caroline. She could see Sydney’s smug expression in her peripheral vision. And for what? Nothing. Nobody wanted to be caught looking like a drowned rat for a trip to the hospital.

  The front door opened and Lauren burst in, making a beeline up the steps to Caroline. “Grandmother, what the heck happened?” She embraced Caroline tightly.

  Caroline patted her back. “I’m all right, Lauren. This is so much fuss over nothing.”

  Lauren stood back and stared at Caroline’s swollen ankle. “It doesn’t look like nothing!”