Berried in teaberry, p.1
Berried in Teaberry, page 1
part #31 of Teaberry Farm Bed & Breakfast Series
Berried in Teaberry
A Teaberry Farm Bed & Breakfast Cozy Mystery
R. A. Wallace
2020
Book 31
Author’s Note
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, dialogue, places, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Material in this book is not intended as a substitute for legal or medical advice from qualified professionals. The author has no connection to any software or website mentioned.
© 2020 R. A. Wallace. All rights reserved.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Megan’s Recipe
Books by R. A. Wallace
Chapter One
After taking one final look around her kitchen to ensure everything from her morning meal was cleaned up, she wondered what the day would bring. It was a Saturday. That always increased the activity she should expect to see.
Kerri stepped outside onto her back deck. As she leaned against the railing, she admired the view. She knew it was a view she would never tire of enjoying. It was partly because of the memories. The farm had been in her family for three generations. That was the only part that gave her sadness. She was the last in her line.
She pushed away from the railing, went down the steps, and walked through the yard toward the driveway. She had no plans of leaving Berry Farm any time soon and there was plenty of work to keep her busy.
She went out to the coop to feed and water the chickens. From there, she moved to the paddock to check on the animals in the field. She then crossed over to another entrance to her land for the other part of the Berry Farm business. She knew that a team of people would be arriving the following morning to erect a tent.
There was a wedding scheduled but her part of the process was complete. She only took the reservations for those who wished to have an event on her property. It was up to the people who made the reservation to handle the rest. Kerry would make herself scarce, as she always did, during the event. The guests would stroll around and enjoy the beauty around them as they made some memorable moments with others.
The sound of a vehicle made a corner of her mouth turn up. She began moving back toward the other side of her farm. It didn’t surprise her to hear someone in her driveway. At this time of the year, it was completely common. As she drew near the waiting vehicle, the window rolled down.
“Kerry, I’m not too early, am I?” Carol Jiblonski shamelessly pressed her hands together as though pleading and gave her most winsome smile.
Kerry laughed. “You’re thinking all the strawberries in the field will be gone if you wait an extra fifteen minutes?”
Carol made a show of looking toward the field. “Promise you’ll always save me some. You know how much I look forward to strawberry time every year.”
“I can’t remember you ever missing a year,” Kerry agreed with a wave. “Go on ahead and park. I’ll get the flags and be right with you.”
As Carol pulled forward into the large parking lot near the strawberry field, Kerry went to the outbuilding near the front of the house that she used for her storefront. In addition to her data connection to ring up sales, she had other necessities for running her business. There were also items for sale in her little shop such as cookbooks, preserves, and crafts that she made during the off season. It was where she checked her berry-picking customers out after they had been in the field.
She grabbed a few more flags that she used as row markers before meeting Carol. Carol already had her baskets out and was waiting by her car.
As Kerry led the way into the field, it occurred to her that Carol was her favorite kind of berry picker. She didn’t go out into the field until Kerry told her where to pick. She didn’t eat her way down a row. And she often bought other items that Kerry sold in her shop.
Kerry stopped when she reached a certain point in a row and looked around. “I was pretty sure this is where I left the end row marker from yesterday.”
“What’s that?” Carol caught up with her.
Kerry shook her head. “Nothing. I guess I remembered wrong.”
“You’re too young to have that problem,” Carol said with a smile. “Wait till you’re my age.”
Kerry moved down the row a little farther and put a flag next to the row. “Looks like this is good. I’ll start you here.”
“You want me to move the flag down to where I quit?” Carol was already bent down to her task.
“If you would, thanks.”
Kerry began the return trip toward the driveway as another vehicle pulled in. It was a process that she would repeat for the next ten hours. She wasn’t surprised that she recognized the next customer as well. She initially started working on Berry Farm as a very young girl. Like Carol, most of her customers returned year after year.
“Hey, Megan. I wasn’t sure if you’d be here this year.” Kerry waited by Megan’s SUV as the other woman reached in for her baskets.
“I still need berries to make my own jam,” Megan said. “I’m hoping to put some of my own plants in but I’m not sure where I’m going to do that just yet.”
Kerry eyed the number of quart-sized containers in Megan’s hands.
Megan laughed. “I was also hoping you’d let me pick some extra to sell at my own stand this weekend. I figured I would add an upcharge since I’m doing the work.”
“It’s not a bad idea. You’re still paying me for what you pick, so I’m okay with it.” Kerry began leading the way to the field. “How are things going with selling your produce from home?”
“With having a little one, it definitely makes it easier.” Megan checked out the rows of strawberries they passed.
“Where is that little guy?” Kerry turned and headed down another row.
“Home with his dad.”
“I imagine having a husband makes it a lot easier.” Kerry stopped and looked around for a marker. “If he’s a good guy, that is. I was happy to get rid of mine.”
“I don’t really remember what happened to your husband,” Megan said.
Kerry laughed. “I always tell people he’s buried out in the back forty.”
Megan shifted the baskets in her hands. “You want me here?”
Kerry turned around and looked in the other direction then lifted both hands in the air. “I think we want to move you up a bit. I swear this is where the last marker was left yesterday but that can’t be. It looks like it’s already been picked.” Kerry moved further down the row then put a marker into the ground. “You can start here. I must be going batty. Sometimes I swear I’m missing berries.”
Megan looked around the field and lifted her brows. “How could you tell? You have acres and acres of berry plants. I’m sure people are coming and going all day.”
“That’s what the markers are for,” Kerry said as she began moving away. “The trick is remembering where you left them. It was never a problem before.”
***
Megan took a pitcher of tea from the fridge and held it up as she turned around. “LeAnn?”
LeAnn wrinkled her nose. “Do you happen to have any teaberry tea? I don’t know why but I’ve been craving it lately.”
“Sure.” Megan crossed over to the sink area. “Mom, you want some iced tea?”
“I can get that while you’re making LeAnn’s tea,” Sharon said as she took two glasses from the cupboard. “What about the others?”
“I put a jug out there with cups.” Megan peered through the window over the sink. From her angle, she could barely see the men working near the chicken coop. She added some water to the tea kettle and put it on the stove before turning around to lean against the counter. “How has the job hunting been going?”
LeAnn shifted her eyes to Sharon before answering. “I think I’ve given up on the idea of finding a job.”
“I thought you didn’t want to work turns at the hospital anymore?” Megan said.
“I don’t.” LeAnn held her hand out toward Aaron when he grabbed onto her leg to pull himself up. “I was thinking I might start a daycare.”
“Wow. That sounds like a big step.” Megan lifted her brows at her mom.
Sharon shrugged. “I was thinking it sounded like a good idea.”
“Well, yeah. If that’s what LeAnn wants to do, I think she should go for it,” Megan said.
Sharon made a face. “I meant for me too.”
Megan shifted her eyes between them trying to gauge how serious they were. “Really? You two are thinking of working together?”
“We just started talking about it.” Sharon smiled at LeAnn. “We’ll see.”
“We haven’t made any decisions etched in stone yet,” LeAnn agreed.
After handing LeAnn her mug of tea, she suggested they check on the others. Megan lifted Aaron and carried him outside.
“Looks like they’ve made progress.” LeAnn shielded her eyes from the sun as she stepped down from the back porch. “How much bigger are you making the chicken coop?”
“We bought some new chicks,” Megan said as she led the way across the barnyard. “I needed to have more laying hens than usual because I’ve started selling eggs.”
“Makes sense. Speaking of which, remind me to buy some before I leave. Oh, and some of the berries too.” LeAnn flashed a smile. “Gabe always loved strawberries.”
They stopped in front of the chicken coop to watch. In addition to making the hen house larger, the plan was also to make the fenced-in area around it much larger. They were currently working on putting in the poles for the new perimeter.
Eric wiped his forehead as he stepped away from the others and got a drink from the jug. He used his cup to point to their progress. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a good thing you don’t have to dig fence post holes every day,” Sharon said. “It doesn’t look like fun.”
Eric nodded his agreement before taking a drink. “Putting the fence up will seem like a piece of cake in comparison.”
“Try to remember how happy the chickens will be to have the extra space,” Megan said.
“I know someone isn’t liking the activity.” Eric motioned over to the paddock. “Henry is keeping his distance.”
Megan turned to look. Her rooster was perched on the fence watching them. “He’ll get over it as soon as he has a larger roost to rule. Now we just need more customers.”
At the sound of an alarm, Sharon held her arms out to take Aaron. “Sounds like you have one now.”
Chapter Two
“You have a full house next weekend?” Sharon reached for another berry from the sink on her left.
“Every room is booked. It’s a family reunion.” Megan stirred the berries in the pan. “Harper, Kennedy, and Coomes family. I have two Harper couples, a Kennedy couple, and a Coomes couple staying with me.”
“That’s nice. I remember when I was young. Our family used to get together for a reunion every couple of years or so.” Sharon eyed the mound of cleaned berries in the strainer in the sink on her right.
“Why doesn’t the family do that anymore?”
“Ha! Because they’re way too much work, that’s why. Can you imagine trying to coordinate all of that?” Sharon transferred the berries to a bowl and began mashing them. “Everyone is so scattered nowadays. Most wouldn’t be able to make it no matter what date you picked.”
“That’s true,” Megan murmured.
“Then there’s the in-fighting.” Sharon scooped up a cup of berries with a glass measuring cup and poured them into a zipper bag. “Why do we have to drive all the way over there for a reunion? Why can’t it be closer to where we live? Why does Aunt Zelda get to bring the potato salad? Why do we play baseball during the reunion?”
“If they were the ones having the reunion, it would be closer to them,” Megan pointed out.
“But then they’d be doing most of the work. Having to find a place large enough to hold it. Sending out the invitations with all the directions.” Sharon finished measuring enough mashed berries into the zipper bag for one batch of jam. “It seems like whatever activities the adults picked out to get people to interact, the kids claimed to hate it. I have such fond memories of our reunions now. I still remember that home run I hit.”
“Everyone hates them at the time but everyone loves them afterward?” Megan guessed as she reached for the bowl of sugar she’d already measured out. She began pouring it into the boiling berry mixture as she continued to stir. “We could reserve the pavilions at the park.”
Sharon turned toward her daughter with a face filled with mock horror. “You seriously would want to do a family reunion?”
Megan smiled as she kept her focus on the jam. “You love throwing parties.”
“You’re trying to talk me into having a reunion?” Sharon reached for another zipper bag and began measuring mashed berries into it.
“Aaron would get to know his relatives that way.”
“That’s what social media is for,” Sharon said. “Instead of picking a day no one can agree on, you can talk to your relatives online without ever leaving home.”
Megan stirred the jam in silence for a moment. “That’s not actually a bad idea.”
Sharon scooped up more berries. “What isn’t?”
“Creating a social media site that only your extended family can log into. Then you could keep in touch with the whole family at once.” Megan wondered which social media web site would be best.
“Have you been trapped in a conversation with your crazy uncle on my side? What about your great aunt on your father’s side? No, no, no.” Sharon gave a mock shudder. “They’d monopolize the whole thing. You’d be stuck reading about their ingrown toenail problems or their annoying neighbors or something even worse than anything I can imagine at the moment.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Megan murmured as she watched the berries start to boil again.
Sharon looked through the window over the sink. “I can barely see them from here.”
“It’s the angle. You know they’re working though. Henry is still annoyed. He sits on the fence and glares at them. He doesn’t like that they’re spending so much time over by his hens.”
“Jealous rooster,” Sharon muttered. “I hope they’re done soon. It’ll be nice to get things back to normal.”
“They probably would have gotten most of it done by tonight except for the wedding this afternoon.” Megan checked the time on the clock. “I’m glad Susan and Ross picked a Sunday to get married. I guess it makes it easier for Caitlyn and Jax to get time off from their businesses to attend their mom’s wedding.”
“I’m glad they picked Berry Farm for the site.” Sharon reached for another zipper bag.
“Your idea,” Megan said with a glance at the clock. “I’m getting close.”
“Oh, hang on.” Sharon dropped the zipper bag. “I’ll take the jars out of the hot water.”
“Tongs are over here.” Megan shifted her position to give her mom more room. “What made you suggest Berry Farm?”
“Well, it’s pretty enough. She certainly has the parking for it.” Sharon lifted another jar out of the hot water. “The wedding is on the other side of the property away from the berries. If you’ve never been over there, you won’t believe it the first time you see it. It still has a lot of the original farm to it. There’s an old barn with a stone foundation and a pond. She put an arched bridge over one side of the pond. She has portable bathrooms over there too. There’s a big space for a tent on one side of the pond.”
“Sounds nice.” Megan waited until her mom took the last jar out then shifted over and began ladling the hot jam into the jars.
“Everywhere you look there are flowers.” Sharon lifted a small pan from the stove and drained some of the hot water from it. “Magnet stick?”
“Stick?” It took Megan a moment. “Oh, the lid lifter to take the lids out of the pan. Far end drawer.”
“I hate burning my fingers,” Sharon said as she moved over to the drawer. She held up the hard plastic pencil-shaped tool with a magnet on one end. “We didn’t have this when I was little.”
“It comes in handy,” Megan agreed as she pushed a full jar over and began filling another.
“So do the lids,” Sharon said.
Megan paused. “Lids?”
Sharon wiped the rim of the first jar. “Your grandmother used to seal the top with paraffin wax after she filled the jar with jam.”
“That sounds really…” Megan made a face. “I don’t know what it sounds like.”
Sharon smiled as she used the lid lifter to transfer a lid from the pan to the first jar. “This way is easier and cleaner if you ask me.” She used the magnet to fish out a band then screwed it onto the jar.
“Didn’t she used to store her canned goods in the basement?” Megan pushed another full jar toward her mother and began filling the next empty one.
“Yeah. There were times the paraffin seal didn’t really work and the jam inside would be all moldy. You’d have to throw the whole jar out.” Sharon finished wiping the rim and fished out another lid.
