Brenda Novak

by Home to Whiskey Creek

  “The mayor’s here,” she murmured, trying to get them to calm down.

  Her words had no impact. Stiff and unyielding, her mother and the manager continued to glare at each other.

  “You need to understand something,” Helen was saying. “If my mother has to choose between you and Addy, she’ll choose Addy.”

  “I doubt it. She knows she can’t count on either one of you to stick around.”

  Addy forgot about who might or might not overhear. “That’s out of line!”

  Her mother pointed at the door. “Get out before I throw you out!”

  Red-faced, eyes sparking, Darlene ran to collect her coat and left.

  Adelaide exchanged a look with her mother, but they couldn’t discuss what had happened. The hostess was on break. Addy had to seat the Rackhams.

  Pasting a courteous smile on her face, she approached them. “Welcome to Just Like Mom’s. Would you like a booth or a table?”

  “Is it true?” Noah’s dad asked.

  Addy was reaching for their menus but paused. She’d thought they might express some surprise about Darlene’s getting fired right in front of them, but... “Is what true?”

  “That you’ll be leaving again in the near future?”

  She remembered the many times she’d warned Noah that she’d take off at the first opportunity. “I’m not...I’m not sure of my plans.”

  “Does our son know that?” Mrs. Rackham asked.

  “Of course, but...Noah and I are just friends,” she mumbled, and waved at the closest booth. “Is this okay?”

  “It’s fine.” Mayor Rackham took his wife’s coat and draped it over a nearby chair as they settled in. Addy handed them their menus and hurried to the kitchen, where she notified the waitress in charge of the corner section that she’d seated another table.

  Her mother scooped her keys off the desk and tossed them to her. “You’d better get home. I bet Darlene’s gone to Mom’s. I’ll watch the restaurant.”

  “I don’t want to put Gran in the middle of this,” she said.

  Helen motioned to the door. “You no longer have a choice.”

  * * *

  Sure enough, Darlene’s Toyota was in front of Gran’s house. Parking on the street so she wouldn’t block Darlene in the drive, Addy marched inside.

  Gran and Darlene were sitting in the living room. Darlene’s face was streaked with tears, leaving trails of mascara, but she held a cup of coffee, which suggested Gran had made an attempt to mollify her. Seeing that, Addy was afraid of what Darlene had said. She’d done her best to be kind. It wouldn’t be fair if she’d been represented in any other way, but she knew the nature of this type of dispute. Darlene’s perspective was probably far different, and in her distress she’d no doubt exaggerated.

  “I’m sorry, Gran,” Addy said. “I didn’t want you to have to deal with this.”

  “I know.” She gestured at a seat. “Why don’t you join us?”

  “What’s been said so far?”

  “Darlene claims Helen fired her. Is that true?”

  Technically Helen had done the firing, but Darlene deserved it. “She might’ve said the words, but I’ve had to threaten Darlene with her job before. I believe Mom had the right of it.”

  Darlene’s eyes jerked to her. “You’ve been looking for any excuse to get rid of me! You want the restaurant all to yourself.”

  Addy sat back and crossed her legs. “I appreciate what you’ve done for Gran. I just don’t appreciate how difficult you’ve been since my return.”

  Gran didn’t comment. She waited for Darlene’s response.

  “You’re the one who’s been making things difficult!” Darlene cried.

  “How?” Addy countered.

  The manager set her coffee aside. She was too wound up to even hold the cup. “You came in and took over as if I haven’t done anything right in twenty years.”

  “And what did I change?” Addy asked.

  There was a brief pause as Darlene searched for an answer. Finally, she said, “You haven’t changed anything yet, but...you’ve talked about it.”

  “So that’s enough to make you belligerent? Unfriendly?”

  “I’m not unfriendly!”

  “That’s exactly what you’ve been. The hostility I’ve felt coming from you has made this transition much harder than it had to be.”

  Darlene turned beseeching eyes on Gran. “Milly, I’ve done a good job for two decades.”

  Gran lifted a hand. “No one’s questioning that. But is what Addy says true?”

  “No! I haven’t done anything wrong!”

  “Then why would Helen fire you?”

  “Because she...she...flew off the handle!”

  “For no reason? And Addy supports her in that?”

  Darlene didn’t seem to have an answer.

  “Maybe if it was just Helen...but I can’t believe my granddaughter is different from the person I’ve known her to be all these years. I trust her opinion.”

  Darlene came to her feet. “So you’re taking her side? You weren’t even there. I think you owe me more than that.”

  “I don’t owe you anything,” Gran said. “I’ve employed you for twenty years, as you say. And I’ve treated you well and paid you as much as I can. I’d continue if only you’d be a bit more flexible. But you’re mistreating my granddaughter, and I’m afraid I can’t live with that.”

  A vein popped out in her neck. “So you’re letting me go?”

  “Unfortunately, I am. Consider this your two weeks’ notice.”

  “I’m not coming in again at all.” Darlene pointed a finger at Addy. “You have no right to get involved after so long and ruin everything!” she said and, after purposely knocking her coffee cup off the table, stormed out.

  The china broke as it hit the wooden floor. Addy winced at the clatter but she didn’t get up right away to retrieve the pieces and neither did Gran. They sat in silence until Darlene had peeled out of the drive.

  “That’s...too bad,” Gran said. “I was hoping for better.”

  “I’m sorry,” Addy murmured. “I wish I could’ve come back over the years, Gran. I wish—”

  “Addy.”

  She stopped talking.

  “I came to you instead because I sometimes get the feeling that...something chased you away. And what’s happened since you’ve come home seems to confirm it.”

  Addy’s heart was beating hard and fast. For the first time, she was tempted to tell Gran about that graduation party. She might have done it, might have blurted out the truth right then so her grandmother would understand why she hadn’t been able to return.

  Except she knew that Gran would insist on telling Chief Stacy, and she couldn’t abide that. Regardless of the statute of limitations, reporting the crime would come too late to do her any good. And she couldn’t bear the thought of Noah finding out she was the reason his brother had died.

  “I’m here now,” she said. “That’s all that matters.”

  * * *

  It was one of the longest and loneliest Sundays Noah had ever spent. He’d been holed up in his house, going back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. He wanted to visit Baxter in the hospital, but doubted he’d be welcome. Would Baxter recover more quickly without him? Or should he try to fix what was broken between them?

  He collected his keys half a dozen times, determined to try. But he always set those keys down again.

  Eventually, he allowed himself to call. Eve was at the hospital. Ted, too. They asked Baxter to talk to him, but Baxter refused.

  “What’s going on with you two?” Eve whispered when she called him back a few seconds later.

  From her question, Noah knew Baxter hadn’t admitted the truth. Not to anyone. That was when the reality of the situation hit him. Baxter was obviously planning to go on pretending. But he couldn’t pretend anymore. Noah firmly believed that was what had driven him to attempt suicide.

  “Nothing’s going on,” he told Eve
, and hung up before she could put any more pressure on him. No one would understand until Baxter explained. They looked to Noah for answers, but it wasn’t his place to give them.

  Or was it? What would happen if he did the unthinkable? Maybe keeping his mouth shut only enabled Baxter to continue the behavior that was so damaging to him. What if Baxter got out of the hospital but, later, tried to take his own life again?

  The prospect of that made Noah’s heart pound, because it was possible that he’d succeed. He’d almost succeeded this time.

  Baxter needed help, but he couldn’t get the right kind of help as long as he went on lying.

  Noah stood immobile in the middle of his living room. He didn’t want to ruin Baxter’s relationship with his family, but if he kept Baxter’s secret and Baxter died, he’d never forgive himself. And how much could a relationship be worth if it was based on a lie to begin with?

  That was the question that got him. That was what made him head out into the cold. He was terrified that he might regret what he was about to do. But he’d kept his mouth shut for Cody. And Cody was dead.

  27

  Noah’s palms were sweating when he showed up at the Norths’. He’d spent a lot of time at their house when he was a kid, but he hadn’t been back that often since college. After San Diego State, he and Baxter had rented an apartment above the mercantile in town until Noah had launched his cycling career and earned enough to open the store and buy a house. He’d moved out of the apartment after a couple of years, but Baxter had chosen to stay there until he could afford his own place.

  Although the Norths’ middle-class rambler was both familiar and comfortable to Noah—his own parents still lived next door—Noah was feeling anything but comfortable right now. What he was about to do went against everything he’d always believed about letting people work out their own problems.

  But he’d thought it through carefully, and he was committed. Maybe Baxter wouldn’t thank him, but the truth needed to be told—and if he had to be the one to take the fall, so be it.

  The porch light went on before the door opened. “Noah!” Baxter’s mother smiled. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  Noah glanced at his watch. It was 9:45 p.m., a bit late to be visiting, but he’d needed some time to work up the nerve.

  “Sorry to bother you. Is Mr. North around?”

  “He is. We got back from the hospital an hour ago. He’s watching the Niners. He recorded the game on the DVR while we were out.”

  Noah already knew the Niners had won, but he didn’t say anything about that. “I’d like to talk to both of you, if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not. Come in.” She held the door and he stepped past a couple of jack-o’-lanterns that were starting to soften and cave in.

  “Sam, it’s Noah,” she called.

  “Noah?”

  As Noah entered the room, the TV went silent and Baxter’s dad leaned forward, bringing his recliner to a sitting position.

  “Don’t get up,” Noah said.

  “What brings you over?” Mr. North asked. “Were you next door visiting your parents?”

  “No, I made a special trip.”

  At Noah’s somber tone, his eyes narrowed slightly. “What for?”

  “I’d like to talk to you.”

  Mrs. North smoothed her blouse. “Of course. Have a seat. Can I...can I get you a drink or—”

  “No, thanks. I’m fine.”

  “What’s this about?” Mr. North asked.

  “It’s about Baxter.”

  “I figured as much. But...he’s going to be okay, Noah. He’s through the worst of it. And we’re getting him the help he needs. I’ve been calling around, looking for a reputable psychologist. He’s agreed to get some counseling.”

  “That’s a good idea. But...I think it’s going to take more than that.”

  After a moment of silence, his father said, “What do you mean?”

  “I think it’s going to take the truth.”

  Mr. North frowned at his wife before returning his attention to Noah. “And what is the truth?”

  “Your son is gay, Mr. North.”

  His jaw hardened. “Excuse me?”

  “I believe he’s struggling with self-esteem issues, and I highly doubt he can overcome them until he feels he’s accepted by you, just as he is.”

  “Baxter’s no filthy homosexual! What gives you the right to come here and tell me this, anyway?”

  Noah’s stomach churned. “He’s my best friend. That’s what gives me the right. Although, after this, he probably won’t be my friend anymore. Regardless of that, I’m hoping the truth will...will finally let him feel comfortable in his own skin.”

  Mr. North got to his feet. “Are you his lover? Is that what you’re saying? You know he’s gay because you’ve been having sex with my son?”

  The mental image that evoked made Noah squirm. “No!”

  “Then he admitted it?”

  No way was Noah going to tell anyone besides Addy about The Kiss. “It wasn’t easy for him, but, yes.”

  “You’re lying!” Those two words seemed to thunder through the whole house. “There would’ve been some sign. He...he wouldn’t make that choice. He knows I hate homos. Even God hates homos!”

  “I think it’s that sentiment that’s at the root of the problem,” Noah said.

  “I don’t believe it!” His hands flexed and unflexed. “Martha, he’s saying he knows our son better than we do. He’s talking nonsense. He—” Mr. North fell silent when he saw his wife. She was sitting on the couch with her hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “You agree with me, don’t you?” he pressed. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

  “Sit down, Sam,” she said.

  “No, I won’t sit down. I want this bastard out of my house. Get out, Noah! We don’t need you to come around here, telling us what’s best for our son. And shame on you for spreading such nasty rumors. Baxter’s not even talking to you. There’s got to be a reason. You two had a falling out, and this is how you’re getting back at him.”

  Noah had felt like slugging Baxter’s father when he’d said God hated homos. But he wanted to hit him even more now. He felt it might knock some sense into his thick, bigoted skull. But he knew he couldn’t let his temper get involved. “I care about your son. I want to help him.”

  “He knows what he’s talking about.” Martha had spoken so quietly it took a second for what she said to sink in. When it did, Sam turned on her as if he’d tear her to pieces, and Noah got up, just in case.

  “I...I found something once.” Martha gazed up at her husband with tears in her eyes. “Some...magazines. I...put them back under the bed where he’d hidden them, and I never said a word to him or to you, but...they weren’t the typical girlie magazines a mother might expect to find under her son’s bed.”

  Sam looked as if he was trying to incinerate her with his eyes. “You don’t know they were his! Maybe he was hiding them for someone else, a...a friend. Maybe even Noah!”

  “No.” She dropped her head in her hands. “His sister and I have talked about this before. She...she’s wondered. I told her not to bring it up. But it...explains so much.”

  “Then you can both get the hell out!” Mr. North shouted.

  Mrs. North’s eyes widened in obvious hurt, and that seemed to bring him in check. At least a little.

  “Ah, shit!” he said, and stalked out of the room.

  Noah stared down at Mrs. North’s bent head. “I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you,” he said. “It...it was his place, not mine. But...”

  She wiped her cheeks. “I know why you did it.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said again.

  “I know that, too. But...it’s better if you go. I—I’ll handle Sam.”

  “You’ll be okay?”

  “Of course. He’s just upset. This is his son, his only son. I think every man wants a boy who takes after him, and...Baxter definitely doesn’t.�
�

  “Different doesn’t make him any less worthy.”

  She forced a smile. “It’s a shock, that’s all.”

  He nodded. It’d been a shock to him, too. “Good night.”

  As Noah closed the door quietly behind him, he felt sick inside, terrified that he’d made Baxter’s life worse. What would the Norths do? How would they respond?

  He was so busy cursing himself for trying to help in what was probably the wrong way that he wandered over to his parents’ house instead of going to his car. He wasn’t planning to tell anyone else about Baxter, even his folks, but he thought it might comfort him to visit his mom and dad, to feel a hint of the security they’d provided when he was a kid. This had to be one of the worst weekends of his life. He’d hoped Addy would call today, but he had to battle that disappointment along with all the rest.

  He was just edging past his mother’s Lexus when he noticed that his father’s Range Rover had been damaged. When did that happen? He and his father had taken the Range Rover to go golfing just...what? Three weeks ago?

  “Hello?” he said as he strode into the kitchen through the garage.

  “In here!” his mother called.

  He found his parents in the office/library situated off the living room, where they each had a desk. They were wearing reading glasses so when they glanced up, they both peered at him over their lenses.

  “How’d we get lucky enough to receive another visit from you so soon?” his mother teased. “I thought you might be too wrapped up in the new woman in your life to bother with us.”

  Noah didn’t respond to that comment. He was wrapped up in Adelaide. Too wrapped up to feel at ease about it. “What happened to the Rover, Dad?”

  His father rested his elbows on the arms of his chair. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s been in a crash.”

  “Oh, that.” He waved a hand. “Just a little fender bender.”

  “You never mentioned it.”

  “Dylan over at Amos Auto Body will fix it up once I have a minute to get it in.”

  His mother spoke at the same time, her voice full of exasperation. “He hit a tree. Can you believe it?”