Page 97 of Sweet T
Twenty
When they arrived that Thursday morning, Barb buzzed them in.
Evan had only been to the Hawthorne House that first Sunday he and Tucker had driven by, greeting Barb and Cassie on the porch. Now, entering the gorgeous house, Evan was even more impressed with its magnitude and design. Barb had modernized the place for functionality, but she was careful to keep the feel of antiquity with modern replications of furniture, fabric patterns, and accessories. The house felt much newer on the inside than you’d expect, with only hints of an era long gone.
“It’s something else, isn’t it?” said Tucker.
“I’ll say. Beautiful, like a movie set.”
“Welcome,” Barb said. She greeted them in the foyer, drying her hands with a kitchen towel, and tucking a loose strand of blond hair behind her ear with curled fingers. “Sorry, I wasn’t there to let you in. I was helping Cassie in the kitchen. So good to see you again, Evan. Cassie tells me you two are in the play together.”
Evan accepted Barb’s soft hand and shook it. “Yes, ma’am. She’s Goneril, one of the bad guys. Whoops. Sorry if I just laid a four hundred-year-old spoiler on you.”
Barb laughed warmly, kind. “Oh, I’m very familiar with the play. No worries there. I encouraged her to go for Cordelia because that’s more her demeanor. But Sebastian cast her against type, which is insane or inspired.”
“It’s inspired, I assure you. She’s amazing. When are you coming?”
“Tomorrow night. Front row center.”
“Tucker is going tonight.”
“I am,” Tucker said. “Sure you don’t want to go with me, Barb? Maybe help explain things to me.”
Barb gave Tucker a big hug. “Sweetie, just go with the flow and enjoy. Don’t concentrate on the words. Absorb it all visually and understanding will come. Kind of like opera.”
“Well, that makes me feel a helluva lot better. Seeing as how I’m always watching opera.”
She pushed at Tucker playfully, looking much younger than her age. “You’ll see what I mean. It’s like one of those puzzles that you can’t solve when you look too hard. Just relax your focus and enjoy the ride. It’s a great story.”
“From the horse’s mouth?”
“You know it.”
The front door opened and Titus walked in.
“Speaking of horses,” said Barb.
Titus shut the door behind him. “You’ve called me a bear, a bull, and even a jackass, but I don’t think you’ve ever referred to me as a horse.”
Barb embraced him. “That’s because, Titus, my love, you’re my favorite animal.”
From the kitchen doorway someone said, “Hello, everyone. Lunch is ready.” It was Cassie, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. She gestured for them to follow.
* * *
The dining room was every bit as grand as the rest of the house. Fourteen foot floor-to-ceiling floral draperies, a mahogany buffet with a silver serving set, and a table that could easily seat twelve people without a leaf.
They had gathered at one end of the large table and ate a wonderful brunch consisting of ham and asparagus frittata, French toast, hash browns, cheese grits, and plenty of bacon.
“That was an incredible meal, Cassie.” Titus said, holding a strip of bacon in one hand while tipping a cup of coffee to her in the other. “I could eat that whole plate of French toast.”
Barb gave Titus a comical and knowing arched eyebrow, confirming her endearment from earlier.
“Barb did the grits. I never get them right. There’s plenty more in the kitchen,” Cassie said, standing.
“No, no, no. Sit. I’m good. Doc Helton already has me doing daily laps around the square. That’s enough cardio for me, thank you. Let’s talk about Project Haven.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” asked Barb.