When She Comes

Chapter 61 - Herod's Secret

No doubt there is a battle between good and evil within all of us. For Cleo, most of it was self imposed and conjured by dabbling in the occult. Messing with the devil is understandably soul sucking, and the further she isolated herself, the more it drained her good sense.

In the five plus months that passed, Valeria and Cleo never spoke; however, Valeria continued to reach out to Cleo in different ways.

She'd bake, braving the arch of bats to drop it off at her door. Only to later see it outside on Cleo's portion of the beach with seagulls devouring it.

Even with hurt feelings, Valeria would try again. Framing a picture of Prince and Sabine with her growing belly, she hoped it would pull her in as the date grew near. While it wasn't returned, it was never acknowledged.

Determined to not give up, she'd lay awake at night in the comfort of the beach's white noise and Herod's sleep sound machine, she tried to conjure up ideas to break their silence.

"Where you going?" Herod asked seeing Valeria put her dustpan and broom away to then grab her pocketbook and make her way to the wooden screen door.

"Oooh you caught me. Into town now...I need some material." 

"What are you making now?" He whined and followed, grabbing his cash off the counter. "You've made blankets, crib and bassinet bedding, clothes...hell I'm beginning to think we need to start up a business with every cute 'must have' item you are making."

"I want to make Sabine a few new dresses. In case you haven't noticed, she's grown again."

"Hmmm...yes...the plight of the pregnant. Shouldn't Sabine be going with you?"

Just as he finished asking, he could hear Prince's chuckle and enter from the hall. "I'm taking her. Sabine is sleeping on the deck and I assume she'll be out for awhile, baby was up all night kicking."

"What? She can't get through one more month with these clothes?" Herod testiness had both Prince and Valeria turn to him astonished that he would think that their girl would need to, have to, or be stricken with not having the very best.

Arms waved in the air attesting to his ignorance; Herod backed off knowing better than to second guess the dynamic duo's intentions.

Patronizing Cleo's family's store was one way Valeria hoped to bump into her while purchasing material for another bump up in Sabine's bump. No matter if it was for a baby blanket or a dress for Sabine the store had the best material one could buy imported from Turkey, India, Italy and the United States.

"Aye...Senea! Good to see you!" Valeria quipped to one of June's daughters with a wave as she strolled one aisle of material.

"Ahhhh Valeria!! You back again! What are you making this time?" Hands on her hips she teased.

"Mmmm...because of this one…" Valeria thumbed in Prince's direction. "Dresses for Sabine. She's grown again and things are snug!"

"Awwww. I've got a few I held back for her. Come!" Motioning for them to follow her behind a drape and into the area designated for employees only.

Plopping a few bolts of fabric onto a large measuring counter Prince immediately noticed a couple of patterns he loved.

"Sabine is written all over these two." Announcing with confidence, Prince tapped the bolts that were his favorites.

"This one I thought would make lovely pajamas or loungewear after the baby is born. Feel this fabric, it's so soft." Senea explained proudly.

Searching under the cutting table, Valeria was on her tiptoes excited to see what else Senea was going to share.