Finding Jessie: A Mystery Romance by Paludan Eve

Author:Paludan, Eve [Paludan, Eve]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2013-01-19T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“Hello, Nora,” Sam greeted his father’s wife when they arrived at her doorstep in rural Ohio.

“Sam!” exclaimed the pretty woman in her mid-fifties, her short gray hair in a spiky hairdo, almost a pixie cut. Jessie thought she looked like a very sexy Jamie Lee Curtis.

Nora looked happy and relaxed as she gave him smacking kisses on both of his cheeks. She did not look like she had been crying much. Of course, Sam’s dad had been sick for a long time in the nursing home.

“Oh, you look so much like your father when he was that age!”

“Thank you,” he said softly, feeling grief-stricken and looking like hell.

“You must be Jessie!” Nora said, taking Jessie’s hands. “I wanted to thank you so much for everything you said to me the day that Sam, Senior, died. You were such a comfort to me, and I see by looking at the two of you together that Sam Junior is completely taken with you.”

“That’s right. I am,” Sam said firmly. He made no move to hug her, but Jessie hugged Nora and the awkward moment passed.

“It’s so wonderful that you came. Please come in and make yourself at home.”

Nora ushered them inside to the warmth of the big farmhouse where she had laid out table after table of nonperishable foodstuffs that she had prepared and also some things from friends and neighbors.

“What a spread!” Jessie said.

“My neighbors are wonderful. I tell you, nothing brings out the recipe books like the death of a beloved farmer.”

Jessie squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you are not all alone, dealing with this.”

“I’m glad you two made it. The funeral is in two hours! Why don’t you two make a quick pit stop and get changed and we’ll go in my car? Then after the service, all of our friends and family are coming back here for some eats.”

Sam nodded. “It’ll be strange to see everyone.”

“It’ll be fine. You are Sam’s son, and so that goes a long way with people you haven’t seen in a long time.”

Sam nodded.

“I’m sure you are sick of driving,” Nora added.

“We are,” Jessie and Sam said, both at the same time.

“My old room at the top of the stairs and to the right?” Sam asked, picking up their two suitcases.

“That’s the one,” Nora called after Sam, as he thundered up the wooden stairs with their luggage.

Jessie squeezed Nora’s hands in her own. “Is there anything Sam or I can do to help?”

Nora kissed her on the cheek. “Just be here with me for a day or two. That’s all I ask.”

“Let me know, whatever you need, Nora.”

“I will, dear,” she told Jessie. “You’re so sweet. I am happy that you and Sam found each other.”

“Me, too,” Jessie replied. “You can’t imagine.”

Nora went back into the kitchen and Jessie went up the stairs. She found Sam unpacking their things and hanging them in the closet of the bedroom with childish wallpaper.

He saw her start to say something about the décor of the

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