Page 25 of Sensing Selma
“Mr.Baker has had a change of heart. He’ll no longer be turning our home into a hotel as previously planned. Instead, he’s seriously considering turning our home into a historical site. And he is willing to let us stay here if we’ll act as guides.”
“He wants us to work for our stay?”Holly said. With her hands on her hips, she tilted her head to the side and looked at me with a look of disgust. “That man is so vile, I can hardly stand it.”
“There is the possibility of a salary.”
“Oh!”she said, her eyes lighting up. “Well now, that’s a whole other matter. If he’s willing to pay us, then I’m fully on board. Having tourists come here could be a wonderful way of meeting new people and making new friends, and I can just imagine the...”
Loud shouting from downstairs put an end to our conversation. Alarmed, I looked at Holly and Mother and excused myself.
“I’ll go see what’s going on.”
I rushed to the stairs and carefully made my way down a few steps. Jeremy and Brad were right there in the front vestibule.
“You’re a scoundrel, little brother,” Jeremy shouted. “A scoundrel and a traitor. I am your brother. After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you choose to repay me.”
“I fail to see how my actions have any bearing on your project, Jeremy.”
I took another quiet step down, but it was just enough for Jeremy to spot me.
“Her! There she is!”he shouted. “There is the culprit who will do anything to ruin my plans.”
Now fully exposed, I walked down the remainder of the steps. “I don’t appreciate having you throw such accusations at me, Mr.Baker. What have I done to upset you so?”
“What have you done? What have you done!? You’ve turned my own brother against me, that’s what you’ve done. You’ve bewitched him and now he is ready to turn his back on me.”
“Stop being so melodramatic, Jeremy. I’m hardly turning my back to you. I’m just showing you an alternative to your initial plan.”
“An alternative that will advantage...”He turned to point an accusation-filled finger at me. “...her! Her and her miserable family. They’re the ones who will benefit from this plan. This plan that you tricked me into thinking was my own.”
I looked at Brad, trying to understand what had so upset his brother. Before I could question him, Jeremy came to stand in front of me, blocking my view of Brad.
“You can stop fluttering your pretty eyelashes at him, little girl. In fact, I suggest that you run right back up those stairs and pack your things, all of it. I want you, that crippled mother of yours and that bratty little sister out of here! Now!”
“But...”My heart stopped. No. How could things have turned around so quickly, so unexpectedly. “I thought... My sister and I were to...”
“You thought wrong, little girl.”
Brad came around his brother to look at me. “Jeremy saw me kissing you.”
Frowning, I looked at Mr.Baker. “Is that what all this is about? You’re upset because your brother kissed me?”
“I feel that it is quite enough, young lady. And don’t try to tell me otherwise. You two will conspire to destroy me, to ruin my vision. I have no doubt you two have plans to take back ownership of this house. Well, I’ll be damned if I’ll let that happen. No. Not under my watch.”
“Jeremy,” Brad said. “You’re being unreasonable. Susan and I have no intention of...”
“What’s going on down there?”Holly called from the top steps.
“Nothing, Holly,” I called up to her. “Please go back and stay with Mother.”
“He said that we can’t stay,” she went on, ignoring my plea. “What did you do, Susan? What did you do to ruin our chances of staying here.”
“Your sister,” Jeremy called up to her. “Your sister kissed my brother. Oh, yes. She kissed him. They are in cahoots, and they care not who they harm in the process.”
“You’re blowing this way out of proportion,” Brad said.
“No.” Jeremy turned to him and poked a hard finger into Brad’s chest. “No, Bradley.” He looked to me then up to Holly and finally back at his brother. “I’ve had enough of arguing in front of these women. I’d prefer we discuss this outside...like gentlemen.”
Brad shot me a quick look, nodded at his brother and headed out the front door.
