The Two Angels
Mary pulled into the drive through window at Dunkin Donuts and bought a dozen assorted and a large iced coffee. There was something comforting about the strip of chain stores and fast food restaurants that lined the main highway on the outskirts of town. As much as she loved Londonderry, with it's antique New England charm, the businesses along the highway had been familiar her whole life. McDonalds, Subway, Walgreens. They felt like old friends encountered far from home.
The only route she knew to the farm was from the wharf, so she headed back into town the way she had come. Before eight on a holiday morning, it seemed like she had the whole place to herself. There had been a shower overnight and the town gleamed, fresh and clean, in the bright morning sun. She drove back down Main Street, past her own apartment to Front Street. She turned and went by Faulkner's Wharf, looking over even though she knew Alvin was still at home.
She drove out of town by the now familiar route, munching on a chocolate frosted as the houses gave way to forest and fields. Just as she was slowing to make her last turn down Puddledock Road, something caught her eye on the left side of the road. She braked to a stop and looked in her side view mirror. A sleek red fox was trotting along the shoulder. She twisted in her seat and watched as it neared the car, completely unconcerned about her presence. As it passed, it looked over at her and for a brief moment she was gazing into its eyes.
Mary gaped in amazement as the fox sauntered away and disappeared into the brush. She sat for a minute, stopped in the middle of the road. The fox had just appeared and then vanished, as if it were a magical creature. For some reason she could not articulate, seeing it left her feeling exhilarated. She completed her turn and drove the short distance to the farmhouse.
When she arrived, she was so eager to tell everyone about the fox that she forgot to take the doughnuts from the car, and had to return to retrieve them.
Alvin and Jennifer were sitting at the kitchen table when she stepped in from the mud room. Danni was at the counter, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
Mary stepped to the table, gave Alvin a kiss and sat down. "Guess what?" she exclaimed, "I just saw a fox!"
"Uh huh," Alvin said, sipping his coffee. Jennifer said, "That's cool, what kind of doughnuts did you get?" She dug into the box and pulled out a Boston Creme.
Mary stared at them, dumbfounded. Danni sat down and smiled at her.
"You guys," Mary said, "It was a fox, right down there, walking along the side of the road."
"Might be the one got in Ted Richardson's chickens a week or two back," Alvin said to Jennifer.
"Hard tellin', not knowin', " Jennifer replied around a mouthful of doughnut.
Danni patted Mary on the hand and smiled. "They don't understand why it's a big deal."
Alvin looked at Mary and she saw an expression of awareness cross his face. "You never saw a fox before?" he asked.
"No, of course not, where would I see a fox?"
Alvin shrugged. "They don't have foxes in California?"
"I don't know. Not in the suburbs, anyway."
"Ever seen a moose?" Jennifer asked.
"No. I've seen deer."
Alvin rubbed his chin. "A bear?"
Mary shook her head.
"Fisher cat?"
"I don't even know what that is," Mary shrugged.
"You're coming up to camp, right?" Jennifer asked.
Mary looked at Alvin.
"Oh," he said, "I started to tell you about that, but we got, uh, distracted."
Jennifer snorted, but Alvin ignored her.
"End of September every year, we close up the wharf and the whole family goes up north to our camp for a big gathering."
"I remember you said something about it."
"Moose all over the place up there," Jennifer said.
Alvin drained the last of his coffee and stood up, taking a couple of doughnuts with him. "I best get going," he said. Mary rose and walked out with him.
"It means a lot to me that you are helping the girls," he told her, taking her hand.
She leaned in and kissed him. "It will be fun. And I really like them."
"They like you, too."
"Good, just need to do some more work with Charlotte."
"Yeah well, about that..."
"What?"
"She's going to be staying with me for a few days, doing some work up here later in the week. Some research at the courthouse for a case her firm is on."
"We have reservations at the new restaurant on Thursday."
"That's right, I'd forgotten."
"I can call them and change it to three. That shouldn't be a problem."
"Think you're going to charm her, do you?"
"My Faulkner charming record is pretty good so far."
Alvin laughed and gave her a kiss. Jennifer and Danni came out of the house.
"Break it up, you two," Jennifer called, "it's work time."
Alvin waved and climbed into the car, as the three women started across the field towards the new house.
"Don't think I've seen you in grubbies before," Jennifer said, looking over Mary's jeans and t-shirt, "You're always in your banker clothes."
"Maybe that's why sometimes it feels like I don't fit in around here," Mary said.
Jennifer shrugged, "You need to go get yourself some Carhartts or LL Beans."
Danni chuckled. "When I first came up here, I thought I was in paradise. I thought all the women were lesbians."
"Nope," Jennifer said, "just Maine women."
They stepped onto the wide front porch and Mary admired the view of the pond and the woods beyond. She could imagine sitting there in the evening, peaceful and serene, and made a silent wish that Jennifer and Danni would share many such evenings.