As she climbs the stairs, she yells, “Thanks for lunch, Mom.”
And I’m left in the kitchen looking at a refrigerator still full of outdated coupons and flyers.
Chapter 15
“Really think it looks good on me.” I giggle at what Jackson says back to me through the phone. “I’ll let you get back to work. Just thought I’d give you a quick call.” Sitting at the mall, surrounded by thick green plants, the smell of new things, an iced coffee on the table in front of me, I’m happy.
There, I said it. I’m happy.
Also, I bought a bathing suit. And I’m still happy.
When Savannah and Laney left the house and Bryan called to say he was spending the night up at Grant’s, I decided to come down to the mall. To look for a bathing suit. Almost felt like I was drunk or something. Excited about trying on bathing suits? And you’re figuring I’m going to now say something about having lost forty pounds, and I have no idea how it happened! Well, I’m not. I might’ve even gained a pound or two recently.
It’s been so long since I’ve looked at bathing suits, I had no idea there were so many to choose from. And so many ways to make me look okay. No, look good. My new suit is dark red and drapes or something, lifts or something, tightens or something which adds up to me looking good. There’s an adorable cover up with bright green leaves and dark red flowers that matches it and looks like a dress I would wear anywhere. Of course, I then got some sandals to match.
I know I said I looked good, but did I say I’m happy? And it’s not just about the bathing suit. Jackson and I are giggling on the phone again. The traffic here where I used to drive all the time is crazy. The thought actually crossed my mind that I’m glad it’s not like this at home. Home! Chancey is my home. Pulling my purse up over my shoulder and picking up my bags and iced coffee, there’s a lightness in my chest. I’m guessing it’s happiness, at least that’s what I’m calling it.
That blue time of a summer day, when the sky just won’t go dark, is my favorite time of day. As a kid these late days felt magic, like the dark never would take over. Especially if there was full, or near full moon, like there is tonight. As I left the mall area and suburban Atlanta behind me, the cars got fewer and fewer, the buildings, too. Leaving the interstate, I drove past the neon sign of Applebee’s and the bright-lit parking lot of the big Wal-Mart shopping center. Not so long ago seeing those lights in my rearview mirror caused a bit of panic to rise in my chest. Driving into the darkness of the hills and the big trees, which seemed to suck me in, was claustrophobic. Now there’s a comfort, a familiarity. With my window rolled down, the warm air flows in bringing the sound of bugs and the smell of honeysuckle, and it brings back my childhood.
Didn’t realize I missed it.
Didn’t realize it could bring tears to my eyes.
On the last curve into Chancey, my phone rings. Probably the kids looking for me. “Hello.”
“Carolina, its Beau. Beau Bennett. You got a minute?” Beau Bennett runs a hair salon out by the state route. She’s also Brittani with an I’s aunt.
“Sure.”
“Listen, this stuff with Bryan has to stop. We’re friends, and, well, honestly, you don’t want to have my sister, Angel, calling you. She gets a little out of control when it comes to her kids.”
“What are you talking about? Bryan? My Bryan?”
“See, I didn’t figure you knew. Angel and Momma keep saying that of course you know. But I didn’t think so. Boys can be so sneaky, like men. Stalkers are almost exclusively men, you know.”
“Stalkers?” I pull over into the high school parking lot and shove the car into park. “Beau, what’s going on?”
“Bryan is harassing Brittani. He keeps calling her, following her around at the Lake Park, leaving notes in their mailbox. I understand first love and all that, but he’s obsessed.”
“She did dump him, you know? No, wait, she didn’t even dump him. She just started going out with some high school jock.”
“Oh, Carolina, of course that’s what he says, but they’ve been broken up for weeks.”
“But she was at our house playing video games with him just last weekend. They were alone in the basement.”
“Well, see, you’ve given them too much leeway. Guys become obsessed when they’re allowed to get physical.”
Happy feelings are leaking out of me like a sieve. “Me? Her mother practically had them married. You and her both talked about them being family. I kept a close eye on them in the basement. Besides, watching her at the lake on the blanket with her new boyfriend, it’s easy to see who wants to get ‘physical.’”
“Oh? So now you’re stalking her, too? Getting off on watching her and her boyfriend since you and Jackson have been on the outs?”
“Are you serious? Jackson and I are fine. And that’s gross, just gross. You tell Brittani to leave my son alone. She’s the skank, everyone knows it.”
I can hear the anger boiling on the other end. “You did not just call my sweet niece a skank. Now I see where Bryan gets his crazy streak. Tell him to leave us alone and go stalk someone else!”
She hangs up before I can say another word. How did our call blow up like that? After a couple of deep breaths, I put the car in drive and pull through the parking area to the stop sign. Pulling out, I head up the hill toward home.
Wow, I sure hope Bryan hasn’t been stalking Brittani. I mean, sure, it would make me look bad after what I said to Beau. I don’t think he’d do that, but, honestly first rule of parenting should be, Never put it past your kid to completely and totally screw things up.
Susan’s car is in the driveway when I get home. It’s too dark for her to be out in the garden. She does often wait for the sun to go behind the mountain to come get some weeding and harvesting done. As I park, I realize she’s sitting on the front porch.
“Hi,” I call as I get out of the car.
She hollers “hi” back at me. She’s slowly rocking and says as I get closer, “What a beautiful night. Came down to do a little weeding and was just sitting here watching the moon come up. Where’ve you been?”
“Don’t be shocked. I went to the mall. Bought a bathing suit, believe it or not.” I sit down in the rocking chair beside hers. “The boys still up at your house?”
“Yeah. Griffin finally got home, and they were all in the pool.”
“Your mom said he’s working a lot more with the new job,” I say as I rock my chair into motion.
She sighs. “I’m beginning to think I took it for granted when he was around so much. Didn’t think about him being gone such long hours, when I took on my new job at the same time.”
“How are y’all liking everything? The jobs, the house, living in Laurel Cove?”
“Feels like someone else’s life. Now Grant is talking about going to Darien Academy.”
My shock is evident in how squeaky my voice gets. “You’d take him out of Chancey High? But you and Griffin both went to Chancey High.”
She shrugs. “Think he just wants to fit in with the other kids in Laurel Cove. I need to have Bryan up more often.”
“And Grant is welcome here any time. I’d really hate for him and Bryan to not be in school together.”
“Me too. And I can’t see it happening. I’m sure it’s just a phase,” she says as she stands up. “I left you some squash and tomatoes on the back deck. Gertie was out there and said she’d take them in.” She walks down the steps, then turns back. I can barely make her out in the dark. “Gertie’s right pleased with how Andy’s place turned out.”
“Yeah, that’s what folks in town said. And I guess it kind of grew on me throughout the day,” I admit.
Her voice coming from the darkness, Susan adds, “Hard to believe, but living in a place like Laurel Cove where the lamp posts have to appear to be made from sapling trees and the signs can only be dirt- brown or forest ranger green, a little neon orange and purple is a welcome sight.” She sighs again.
I say, “True
.” Then add, “Laurel Cove will start feeling more like home soon, I’m sure.”
She only answers with another sigh before turning to walk to her car.
Just as she opens her door and the interior light shines out, I stand up and yell, “Hey.”
Susan stops and looks at me. “Hey what?”
As I yell to her, my accent gets thicker. “Guess you can educate us, sell us subscriptions to Southern Living, hook us on watching Downton Abbey on PBS, and shame us into not putting ice in our wine, but all in all—we’re just a couple big ol’ hillbillies that can’t resist a place slicked up with shiny purple paint selling junk. We can appreciate Biltmore Gardens, but we’re Rock City at heart!”
“You goofball!” she yells back at me and then bursts out laughing. Her parting shot she says out her car window before she backs out. “Wait’ll Laurel Cove finds out they’ve let the Clampetts move in!”
Chapter 16
“Hey, it’s Carolina. I forgot to ask you something last night. Call me when you get a chance.” I click the red button on my phone to disconnect from Susan’s voicemail. Completely forgot to ask her about Bryan possibly stalking Brittani. Maybe I can see if Grant has said anything. Tucking my phone into the pocket of my shorts, I step to the front window and open the curtains. Another sunny summer morning. Only three more days in the month of June. Summer just goes so fast. I have to pay attention or the kids will be back in school before I know it.
Savannah comes in the back door just as I enter the kitchen from the living room. “Good morning. You going in to work early today?”
She nods as she pours coffee into the cup she carried in from the back deck. “I’m helping Alex figure out the menu and then taking him up to the driving range at the golf course in Laurel Cove.” She squats down to look at the cereal boxes in the lower cabinet. “We don’t have any good cereal.”
“That’s because you quit eating it. I had to throw out two boxes that you opened and let get stale.”
“You didn’t tell me it was here. I can’t look all the time.” She pulls out a box of Cheerios and sets it on the table.
I’m not answering her accusation. She’s happy, chipper even, and I’m not messing with that. “I’ll get the bowls. Grab me a spoon, please.” I sit the bowls on the table, across from each other, and she brings the milk along with the spoons.
When she sits down, I ask, “So how do you think Bryan is handling his break up with Brittani?”
She shrugs one tanned shoulder at me as she spoons sugar on her cereal. “Okay, I guess. Why?”
I pour milk into my bowl. “I heard he might not be over her. May be kind of chasing her. Calling her, leaving notes for her. That kind of thing.”
She shudders. “Oh god, I hope not. It was bad enough he dated her. But to stalk her, too?” She puts a spoonful of cereal in her mouth, but talks anyway. “She’s a skank. Those are the kinds guys have trouble getting over, you know.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. And don’t say ‘god.’”
She holds a hand up as she exaggerates chewing and then swallowing. “Where does he leave notes for her now that school’s out?”
“Yeah, exactly. He can’t drive. Beau said he left notes in their mailbox. You haven’t taken him by there?” I lift up a spoonful of cereal, but look at her.
She stares at me, then rolls her eyes. “So you think Miss Beau is lying?”
“No, that doesn’t make sense does it? But if it’s not Bryan, who could it be?”
She shrugs again, and while she reads the back of the box she starts smiling.
We eat in silence, then I realize she’s humming. “So you really like Alex?”
That causes her head to lift and her eyebrows to straighten. “Why?”
“The smiling, the humming. You’ve not been very fun to live with lately.”
“Whatever.” She goes back to eating, but then lifting her bowl with only milk left in it, she adds, “He does make me happy.” She tilts the bowl to her mouth and drains it. Then stands up and puts the bowl in the sink.
“I saw how you made him happy yesterday. In the back room at the bistro? He was wearing most of your lipstick.”
She grins and cocks a hip at me. “Just marking my territory. Lipstick is awfully hard to get off, you know. I’ve got to get ready for work.” She darts out of the kitchen, humming louder now. Well, that’s one out of three kids that is happier. Thirty-three percent success rate is about all a mother can hope for. Now, if I can just get Bryan more interested in golf than Brittani.
Sure, golf is expensive. But so is stalking.
Savannah is back downstairs and getting ready to leave for work when the doorbell rings. She opens the door, as I step into the living room from the kitchen and hear, “I’m Zoe. I’m supposed to meet Miss Laney here.”
“Oh, hi Zoe,” I say. “This is my daughter Savannah. Zoe’s family bought Susan’s old house.”
Savannah waves and nods. “Oh, yeah. Don’t you have a bunch of little brothers and sisters?”
“Yep. Well, only three. They’re all half-siblings. Miss Kimmy’s not my mom.”
I lean against the back of the couch and inquire, “But she’s your teacher for home school? Or does your mom do that?” Maybe she’s just with her dad for the summer.
Zoe laughs and comes on in the door. “Not hardly. I pretty much teach myself. Mom and Kimmy don’t like books or school, but they do like having me around to take care of things. So…” She shrugs and sets her backpack down. She looks around the room. “This is nice. I’d stay here. I mean, the bed and breakfast thing.” Then she turns toward the door, where Savannah still stands. “Savannah, isn’t this your senior year? Where are you going for college?”
My daughter licks her bottom lip before answering. “I’m not sure yet.” Her eyes flick on mine, and we share a look of… confusion, maybe? Zoe talks like an adult. Her words, actions, and body are all solid. I’ve often read in novels the description of someone having “nut-brown skin,” and here it is. She’s only a seventh grader, but she seems to have more weight than a lot of adults I know. Not physical weight, but weight like she’s really here. Solid.
Savannah rattles her keys and says, “Gotta go to work. Nice to meet you, Zoe.”
Zoe smiles and says, “Nice to meet you, too. Have a good day at work.”
As the screen door falls shut behind Savannah, I turn to Zoe. “So, you’re meeting Laney here?”
“Yes, ma’am. Oh, looks like that’s her pulling in now,” she says, looking out the front door. “She’s pregnant, right? Not just a large lady? Although she’s a bit old to be pregnant, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she’s pregnant. It was a surprise.” I suck on my teeth to keep a smile from breaking out. Laney is used to being the straight talking one of the bunch. Zoe might give her a run for her money.
I hold open the door and say, “Hey. Zoe’s here.”
Laney stomps up the steps. “Don’t ‘hey’ me. I’m purr-tee mad.” She brushes past me, well, as much as a ‘large lady’ in a bright purple maternity dress can brush past someone.
“Goodness, Miss Laney! What’s got your panties in a wad? You come sit down.” Zoe has lifted a pillow off the couch and is directing Laney to where it used to lay. “You sit right there and let me get you a glass of ice water. Here’s a pillow for you to rest your neck on. There’s no need for you to get all upset. Not in your delicate condition.”
Zoe looks at me as she heads to the kitchen, purses her lips, and shakes her head. I go to sit in the chair near Laney. “Yeah, so what’s got your panties in a wad?”
“It’s not funny, Carolina.” Then she lowers her voice. “And did Zoe talk this grown-up when we met her? Has she ever even been in your kitchen?”
“Got me,” I say. “It is kind of odd. But whatever. What’s wrong?”
“That doctor got my numbers back from the lab, and he wants me on bed rest until the baby comes. Bed rest! Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous
? I can’t be on bed rest.”
“If it’s for the baby you can. It’s not like it’s forever. And so what in the world are you doing here?” I ask.
“Here’s your water, Miss Laney.” She sets it on the end table beside Laney and then sits on the other end of the couch. “Doctor must’ve decided your blood pressure is too high. You have to take care of your little one. A boy, I hear.”
Laney scowls and drawls, “You hear a lot seems to me.”
“Yes, ma’am, I do. I listen.”
I reach out and touch Laney’s knee. “What does he mean exactly by bed rest?”
She takes a drink of her water, sits the glass back down, and then sighs. “Well, he said if I don’t start getting off my feet, he’s going to put me on bed rest.”
I tilt my head. “Wait, so just rest more. He didn’t actually put you on bed rest?”
“Not yet. But, we all know I can’t just start resting. It’s Fourth of July weekend. And the girls have to do their school shopping. We always go down to Atlanta for shopping. And we’ve not taken our vacation. This just isn’t going to work for me. And I’m as big as a whale. This was not a good idea for me to be pregnant. Just not a good idea, at all.” Her voice cracks, and she closes her eyes and lays her head back on the pillow at her neck.
Zoe and I meet eyes again, and I see an old soul looking at me. We nod at each other, and I say, “Laney, honey, we’re going to help you. Isn’t that what you asked Zoe here for in the first place?”
The girl agrees. “I’ll help any way I can.”
Laney’s head lifts. “Oh, I’ll pay you. I’ll pay you good. You’re just so soothing. And, well, sugar, you seem so much older than you are. How old are you?”
“Twelve, but I like taking care of things and helping people out. God put lots of folks around me that need help, like my mom and Miss Kimmy and the little kids, so that I’d get lots of practice helping. I’ve never been paid for it, but sounds like a natural development, don’t you think? After all, I want to be a nurse when I grow up.”
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