Page 33 of Autumn at the Cat Cafe

Everyone chuckled, knowing the feeling was mutual. Via relaxed. This time when she looked at Dora, they exchanged a smile. All was good between them.

“We have five people this year participating in their own bucket lists,” Via said. Being around her family always made her feel better. It also helped that Dora hadn’t said anything about the situation with Earl and Leo. The last thing she needed was her parents asking questions.

“So we’re not going to talk about the guy living across the hall from you?” Fergus looked at her, an idiot grin on his face.

“What?” her dad asked.

“I didn’t tell him.” Dora looked surprised and shot her brother a questioning look.

“Octavia, what’s going on?” Mom pressed.

“Word is that Earl has a rich nephew who’s inherited the bookstore.” Fergus scraped the bottom of his bowl. He usually had seconds and sometimes thirds of whatever was put in front of him.

“I thought his estate was still in probate.” Mom sipped on her glass of tea.

Dad set down his spoon. “I noticed a Gran Turismo parked in front of Second Chapter yesterday when I stopped by the diner. Is that his?”

“Yep. Smalls and I were checking it out Saturday night after work. She’s a beaut.”

“It’s just a car,” Via muttered. She didn’t care what Fergus and his best friend thought about it.

“Just a car?” He shook his head. “That’s like saying the Statue of Liberty is just a statue.”

“Or theMona Lisais just a painting.” Dad’s two cents.

“How did you find out about Leo, Fergus?” Dora asked.

“Zander said he was in his store that morning. They talked for a little bit. He was asking for some music recs.”

Apparently Leo had gotten a head start on meeting the Pecan Corner business owners.

“When did he move into Earl’s place?” Dad asked Via.

“A few days ago.”

“How long is he going to be here?” Mom queried.

“Until the end of the month.” She stirred her soup, tampingdown her aggravation, although she didn’t blame her parents for being curious.

Thankfully, the subject changed, and for the rest of the meal no one mentioned Leo, Second Chapter, or his three-hundred-thousand-dollar car. If she had that kind of money, she could pay off the rest of her business loan and the money she owed her parents, freeing her up to buy Second Chapter. But there was no point in wishing for something she couldn’t have. The best she could do was make sure Leo kept his promise not to sell to Percival and hopefully convince him not to throw away Earl’s collection. So far he hadn’t said he would do that, but she couldn’t assume that he wouldn’t.

When they were finished eating, Via began to clean the kitchen while the rest of the family went to the living room to watch the pro football game and play dominoes. But her mother stayed behind.

“I’ve got it, Mom,” Via said, taking a stack of bowls to the sink. “It’s my turn, remember?”

“The soup didn’t take much effort.” She picked up a kitchen towel. “You wash, I’ll dry.”

Her mother was the only person she knew who had never owned a dishwasher. Even Via had one at the café, although she found washing mugs in the sink to be more convenient sometimes.

They worked in silence for a few moments. “How are you handling all this?” Mom suddenly said.

And now Via knew why her mother had wanted to help. She rinsed the suds out of the Crock-Pot. “Fine. I always knew Earl’s estate wouldn’t be in probate forever.”

“And his nephew? That had to come as a surprise.”

A fork slipped from her hand underneath the soapy water. Shefished around for it. “Like Birdie said, everyone’s entitled to their secrets.”

“Do you know what Leo has planned for it?”