Pumpkin Season (October-November) Part 5

 "My brother and Marlene Carrillo."

 "Adrianna. Please focus here," Lisa sighed.

 "I'm sorry -- it's just so gross to think about. Why?"

 "You'd need to ask Fabian that, and I don't think he wants to talk about it any more."

 "In my case, though, it wasn't someone else telling me something. It was something I saw and can't un-see."

 "He was with someone else?"

 "No, just proof that he had been."

 "Did you ask him how long ago it was?"

 Adrianna looked at her sharply again. Lisa raised an eyebrow.

 "So you don't know if whatever you saw was something from a week ago or ten years ago. Or possibly not even him -- maybe a brother or cousin."

 "Lisa...."

 Lisa smiled.

 "When I broke up with Fabian, my brother-in-law, the Rector of St. Mark's, took me to task with some tough love to think about. I'm just passing that along. I'm not on anyone's side. I haven't talked to Pablo since he's been back, so I'm not advocating for him. But I will tell you this. He hurts. It was on his face and I could see it at the funeral. He looks at you the way Fabian looked at me. I'm not telling you what to do, Adrianna, except to the extent that it needs to be resolved."

 "So what did Moreno do to you?" Lisa laughed.

 "Oh, you're good! Trying to come up with a list of things he's done to other people to bolster your grudge." Adrianna stared at her, mouth open. "It's not important and not relevant to your situation at all. He asked me for a favor that made me uncomfortable. He didn't get what he wanted and the fallout was interesting. It was almost four years ago, and that's a long time."

This is almost perfect! The carnival was great all summer, but somehow it has a different mood in the fall! More like a country fair.

 Lisa went up the vardo steps and knocked on the doorjamb. Fatima told her to come in, and she did. The vardo was still a riot of color and smelled of patchiouli. The odd minor music box was playing. This time, though, there was obviouly a fire in the Aga stove. Lisa noticed the traditional mirrors and traditional plates on the mantel before taking a seat across from Madame.

 "Was anyone in line behind you?" Fatima asked, laying out a line of cards.

 "No -- not that I noticed," Lisa said.

 "Good. And no ticket from you -- you are family." She frowned at the cards and gave a snort of disgust as though they were defying her. Lisa felt suddenly apprehensive. Fatima gathered up the cards in a fit of pique, then laid down a different line. She sighed and looked at Lisa.

 "Dear, I was hoping for different," she said. "You have difficulties coming."

 "What do you mean?"

 "I don't have details. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Knowing too much makes these matters worse. Sometimes things have to happen and if there is interference they can get worse." She laid out more cards. "You have very strong resources within you and without you. Use them. Remember your friends -- you have many. Trust them. Even when you cannot see them, they are helping you. I so wanted to give you a good fortune, Lisa. I'm sorry that this time I cannot."

 "It's all right," she said. "I had a good one last time. I know that when I ask questions about life I might not like the answers."

 "I just wish I could do better for you." Fatima patted her hand. "Remember that Larry and I are your friends and family, too. Come to us for anything. You make my son happier than he's ever been and we love you."

 "I won't forget. Thank you, Madame. I love you too." 

Most of the things that people need are within walking distance, and most people walk whenever they need to go around town. Some people don't drive or own a car.

 Lisa was sorting through some of her grandmother's things when she heard someone pull into the driveway. Buster started to bark, sometimes with a juvenile growl. She heard car doors open and close, but nobody came to the door. Buster was working himself into a state of puppy outrage.

 "Shush, Buster. I'll go check it out." She looked out the kitchen window and saw orange vests. "What the ...?" She went to the back door and out. She overheard the men as she approached. They were complaining about being run off of a property by a flock of geese. She figured they'd just been to the Mowery property.

 "Excuse me," she said, approaching the two men who were beginning to unload equipment from their truck. "Can I help you? What's going on?"

 "We're surveyors, Miss," one of them told her.

 "Yes, I see. Why are you here?"

 "Well, we were supposed to do the other property first," the other told her.

 "Yes. What for? Both properties were already surveyed and assessed for the Estate."

 "Oh, this is for the subdivision, Miss."

 "The what?" Lisa gaped at him.

 "These two properties -- they're to be subdivided and sold as lots. What's the name, Frank?"

 "The Vista at Orchard School," the one named Frank replied. "Nice homes."

 "In case you hadn't noticed," Lisa said, "there are already homes here."

 "Oh, they're to be knocked down. Come on, Jason."

 "No, I don't think so." Adrianna appeared from out of the pie kitchen. To Lisa's surprise, she had a shotgun. "I think you two are leaving. Right now."

 "You know how to use that thing?" Jason tilted his head to the side skeptically. Adrianna didn't answer; she just stood fiercely and matter-of-factly cocked the rifle. That was enough for Frank and Jason -- they threw their equipment back into the truck, jumped inside, and pulled out. Adrianna propped the rifle against the garage wall and went over to Lisa.

 "You okay?" she asked, giving Lisa a warm hug. Lisa burst into tears.

 "Would you have shot them?" Lisa wanted to know.

 "It wouldn't have hurt him. It's one of the air rifles from the shooting gallery. I keep it for just that purpose. Sounds evil when you cock it, but it won't hurt anyone."