Again, Alabama

by Susan Sands

  *

  Cammie righted herself after the kitchen discovery and the unexpected encounter with Samantha. Instead of heading out of the kitchen, she decided the best course would be to continue her assessment of exactly what she had come home to.

  Calling her sisters in the middle of their work day or while their kids were around likely wouldn’t be a good time to get to the bottom of things. And she had a meeting with a potential client on the books any minute. She’d have to postpone ripping someone apart until later. Instead, she muttered about stupid sisters, stupid broken ovens, and other stupid things and people while continuing on with her newly imposed role.

  Part of that role included meeting with more stupid people, apparently. It seemed the entire town had been made aware of her reentry to their culture. Cammie pasted on a smile as she answered the door and wished immediately she hadn’t done either.

  “You are here! I told you she was back, Judith. Oh, honey, let me look at you. She’s still pretty as a picture, isn’t she, Judith?” Judith nodded, but Jamie, eyeing the top she wore, had more to say, “Wow, who’d have thought you’d have gone designer on us?”

  “Uh—” Cammie started to reply to the awkward bombardment, but Jamie wasn’t finished with her assessment of Cammie.

  “You do look a little tired, though, what with all that Jessica Greene business, I wouldn’t get a wink either. But we don’t believe a word of it, do we, Judith?” Both women were shaking their very blonde and well-coiffed heads like misinformed bobbleheads.

  “Hello, Jamie and Judith. How long has it been? Ten years?” Not long enough.

  “Cammie, where are our manners? We haven’t even given you a hug yet.” Cammie fought the urge to run away screaming.

  “Oh—that’s okay—” But it wasn’t okay with Jamie and Judith. Cammie was enveloped by clouds of what she thought might be Calvin Klein’s newest scent. Jamie and Judith were from some of the oldest money in Ministry. They were a year apart in school and had married brothers from Greenville. It was nearly incestuous in Cammie’s book.

  After she’d managed to get her breath back, and step away from the heavily scented sisters, Cammie suggested they have tea on the back veranda. Mom often met with clients out here, surrounded by the garden. It was better than being cooped up with these two within four walls and little ventilation.

  After gathering the tea tray and cookies she’d prepared from the remains of the kitchen supplies before they’d arrived, Cammie got down to business. But there really wasn’t any business. This was a gossip-gathering expedition thinly-disguised as a business meeting. Both women were former schoolmates of Cammie’s and Grey’s. They were here to get the scoop.

  “So, Cammie, we would looove to hear your side of what happened with Jessica Greene.” Jamie was nearly sparking with curiosity.

  “Sorry, ladies. I’m not at liberty to discuss any of it with you. There’s a clause in my contract with the network.” Then, “Would you like to discuss options and possible dates for your parent’s anniversary party?”

  Blank stares. Then, Judith, the quieter sister admitted, “We aren’t quite sure when we want to have the party, or if we want to do it indoors or outdoors. We really are just starting to think about it.” Jamie elbowed her in the ribs.

  “We’re keeping our options open. Your place seems nice,” Jamie said, all drippy and drawly.

  “It’s been around awhile and we do know how to throw a nice party here.” Cammie handed Jamie a folder with glossy brochures. “Feel free to give my mother a call if you decide you’re interested in scheduling here at Evangeline House. We’re more than capable of accommodating a celebration of any size or budget.”

  Just then, as if on cue, Grey sauntered around the back of the house, wearing tight, faded jeans, boots, and a t-shirt that stretched across his toned torso in a way that elicited a breathy, “Oh…my,” from the bee stung lips of either Jamie or Judith, Cammie couldn’t be certain, as she wasn’t looking at them.

  “Afternoon, ladies.” He shot them a killer grin.

  “Hey there, Grey,” they returned in unison, sweeter than iced tea with real sugar.

  As soon as he’d lifted a hand and waved at the Sugarbakers, his gaze locked on Cammie, and he approached. Her stomach did not just do that. She was hungry; that was all. “Do you know if there’s any Mexican tile left over from when your mom renovated the sunroom?” Grey asked.

  “If there is, it would be in the storage shed out back.” She managed, her tone crisp and businesslike.

  “Okay, thanks.” He turned and dipped his head toward the two gossip-mongers. “Have a nice day, ladies.” As he retreated, Cammie dared a glance to judge J & J’s reactions. They were staring at vees on the back pockets of Grey’s jeans. The ones that covered his rear so nicely.

  Cammie cleared her throat.

  “Cammie Laroux, what in the world were you thinkin,’ letting that man get away?” Judith muttered, fanning herself with a napkin.

  “Sister!” Jamie chastised Judith for her speaking her mind, then turned and gave Cammie a conspiratorial grin and said, “You didn’t hear it from me, but he’s entirely too hot to stay single in this town, if you know what I mean.”

  Cammie couldn’t begin to guess, but decided that no matter how she replied, it would only open her up for more speculation and conjecture. And the smaller her gossip footprint while she was back here, the better.

  Cammie ushered the sisters toward the front door with as much haste as courtesy allowed. “Do let us know when you decide about the party.”

  “Will he be working here every day?” Judith blurted.

  “Not sure. I hardly see him. I’m busy in the office and will be helping with my mother’s care. So nice to see you again, ladies.” Cammie thought her face might crack if she had to continue smiling another second.

  She slammed the door and hoped she didn’t hit anybody in the butt on their way out.

  Barely a moment later, the door burst open again, and she was bombarded by excited girls begging for ice cream. “Please, Aunt Cammie, we won’t be late and my mom isn’t home yet—please, can we go? We’ve finished our homework.” Lucy’s voice carried the loudest.

  “Let me get this straight, you want to go to the ice cream parlor in town on a school night? I’m not sure about this.” She hoped this was how her sister, Maeve, would handle things.

  Sammie piped up. “My dad is waiting for us right outside and he said it was fine, if it’s all right with you.”

  Her dad.

  “Lucy, call your mom on her cell phone and check with her.” She would do almost anything to avoid going out there. Hopefully, Maeve would answer, and that would be the end of it. She would make the decision, and Cammie’s involvement here would be over.

  The doorbell sounded. He’d just seen her moments ago, so he knew she was inside. At least he’d bothered to ring the bell.

  No! I don’t want to talk to you!

  It rang again. “I’ll get it!” Lucy tore off toward front door. “Aunt Cammie, it’s Sammie’s dad. Could you please talk to him? He’s waiting outside.”

  I don’t want to!

  What was wrong with her? She’d already seen and spoken with him today. The memories were returning. And she’d rather avoid dealing with him whenever possible.

  “I’ll be right there, Lucy.” She was a sucker for her nieces and nephews. That was the only reason she could give to explain why she didn’t go tearing upstairs like the hounds of hell were at her feet.

  She turned back to the huge, carved mahogany front door where the late-day sun streamed every direction through the mullioned panes of inset glass.

  Sending up silent thanks that she’d taken a moment to freshen up after the bullfrog incident earlier, thereby entering into this less than a total mess—at least it was something. She opened the heavy door to face Grey Harrison again. He turned as she did, and greeted her with the sideways grin she’d tried for nearly ten years to erase from her memory.r />
  The old clock chimed on the wall, like in a horror movie.

  Damn him.

  *

  “Hi,” he said, feeling a bit foolish standing here as if they’d not spoken to one another and broken the ice yesterday or he hadn’t seen her and had a short conversation barely ten minutes ago in plain view of the Doublemint Twins.

  “Hi.” She answered, her expression completely neutral.

  “The girls were hoping to go out for ice cream. I offered to take them if you think it’s all right.”

  She nodded coolly and asked, “What time do you anticipate having Lucy home? It is a school night—” Her gorgeous eyes revealed nothing, like they hadn’t already done this. What had happened?

  So this was how she was playing it, huh? He would see about that. Smiling, he turned to Lucy, “Lucy, do you think we could persuade your lovely aunt to join us for ice cream?”

  Lucy’s smile positively lit her face. She turned to Cammie and all but threw herself into her aunt’s arms. “Oh, Aunt Cammie, pleeeaaassee—please, please, come with us. I never get to spend any time with you, and it’s a special occasion!”

  The glare of frustrated, black angst Grey received might have struck down a lesser man. In truth, he nearly staggered backward under the intensity. It was quick, and almost instantly concealed and replaced by a polite smile, but it filled him with childish and inordinate satisfaction to realize she wasn’t as unmoved by his presence as she pretended.

  This might be the perfect opportunity to spend a little time with Cammie and clear the air regarding Samantha. Kid pressure was an impressive influence on people to do things they might decide not to otherwise. Judging by her expression, she hadn’t appreciated his underhanded tactics.

  *

  Oh-no-he-did-not! How dared he? Using Lucy as emotional blackmail to drag her to the local ice cream parlor where half the town would see them together after all these years was low. Stiffening her spine, Cammie stood taller. Soon enough, she would be back in Virginia Beach with dreamy Jason—not here. Not with Grey.

  Cammie shot Grey another quick, nasty look before she could stop herself. She barely managed to keep bitter, scathing words from streaming forth. He’d named his daughter Sammie. Instead, she tightly accepted his mal-intentioned invitation. “That would be lovely, thank you.” The syrup from her tone might cause cavities.

  Lucy whooped her delight, grabbed Samantha by the shoulders, and spun her around. Samantha, clearly not exhibiting the same gusto as Lucy, smiled wanly and turned toward the truck with Lucy bringing up the rear, completely oblivious to her friend’s lack of enthusiasm.

  Grey must have noticed his daughter’s cooling off, because he turned his attention from tormenting Cammie to trailing Samantha with a worried stare. In fact, he turned his back on Cammie and followed Samantha to the truck, leaving Cammie standing and watching.

  “Come on, Aunt Cammie!” Lucy called her to follow. Oh, boy. What next? She hoped he stepped in dog poop. Too bad Mom didn’t have a dog.

  The girls piled inside the truck’s rear cab, enabling them to all fit comfortably. Scoops was the only ice cream parlor in the county. It was the very same establishment they’d repeatedly visited as young children up through their teens. Back then, they’d ridden bikes from Cammie’s house most months of the year, before they were old enough to drive or weren’t able to catch rides with her older siblings.

  As it was only mid-October, the weather was still mild in this part of the country. Early December through late February typically became too chilly for outdoor ice cream eating. The children here usually outgrew winter coats long before wearing them out. Today was a lovely fall day.

  Scoops appeared largely unchanged. The red and white striped awning matched the umbrellas out front, casting shade onto the tables to shield those preferring not to have their cones melt before eating them during warmer weather. Several locals milled about, a few noticed Cammie and whispered to one another. A slight murmur went around. Cammie tried to ignore their overt curiosity. She saw faces that were vaguely familiar, though she refused to make eye contact.

  While the four of them stood in line, the girls took their sweet time deciding on a flavor, taste-testing, discussing and mulling over the choices. Fortunately, there was no one behind them to annoy with this tasting frenzy. Cammie could remember doing the exact same thing as a kid, though with many fewer flavors to choose from. She glanced behind her at Grey and saw the reminiscent smile playing around the corners of his lips. Apparently he remembered, too.

  Ice cream was a common denominator, kind of like bowling, knowing no age, color, weight, or class discrimination. Cammie found it very hard to remain pissy while plowing through a double scoop of rocky road.

  She sat with Grey, at the same table, but as far from him as possible, enjoying her cone, and ignoring him. The locals she hardly remembered continued to cast openly speculative glances. No problem. She really did love ice cream.

  “Are you okay with Samantha hanging out with Lucy some at Evangeline House while you’re here?”

  Oh boy, there it was. She wasn’t ready to have this conversation. Not here, not now.

  She started. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” Her pitch was high and brittle, though she tried to simmer down.

  “This is awkward for us all, you know? She looks so much like Deb.” He said, carefully approaching the large white elephant that was his lovely black-haired, green eyed child.

  “Yes, she does. But she’s a child and I don’t hold it against her.” Her muscles felt so tight and rigid, she might just break in two. Cammie realized she was being childish, but her heart was pounding in her chest, and she wanted to cry.

  “I’ll make sure she doesn’t get in the way. She and Lucy often are together after school and do homework, but they can go to my dad’s house most days until Maeve gets home from work since your mom will be recovering.” Grey had obviously picked up on her weird/angry vibe and her stiff posture and sought to smooth things out.

  “I said it’s not a problem. Whatever they normally do is what they should continue to do.” Cammie’s words came out through gritted teeth. Cammie felt like the nastiest, most horrible human in the world at that moment.

  “We’ll figure it out,” Grey sighed.

  Cammie realized he’d have to be a giant doofus if he didn’t get it. He had to understand how his beloved child was a living, breathing reminder of what he’d done to her and the feelings that brought back. Cammie also realized it wasn’t Samantha’s fault, and with their back yards connected, it made sense that Samantha would be around while he worked at the house. Lucy lived two doors down, about a quarter mile, on the same side of the road as Evangeline House. The next couple of weeks would be—interesting for them all, Cammie especially if the way she felt right now was any indication.

  “It’s not like I’m staying long.”

  “Fine.” Now his tone and posture was equally stiff and rigid.

  *

  They rode in silence from the ice cream shop. The girls, full and tired from a long day at school, stared out the window, likely distracted by tomorrow’s Geography quiz and considering wardrobe choices for the next morning. If he knew his daughter, she had much more on her mind. He’d give anything for her thoughts to be so simple.

  Facing Cammie again brought back the wrenching discomfort, and yes, the guilt he experienced every time he allowed himself to think of her. She had run off immediately after hearing Deb was pregnant, and that he was the baby’s father. He couldn’t have denied the awful truth, so how could be blame her for leaving town?

  Grey hadn’t known where Cammie’d gone after she found out about Deb’s pregnancy. He was up to his eyeballs in drama with Deb, which hadn’t allowed for anything else. Only days after Deb’s pregnancy was confirmed, the miscarriage began. She’d become emotionally unstable, and even though he would have expected a strong reaction to her losing the baby, this was much different. She hadn’t believed the baby was gone�
�had threatened suicide, even then.

  Grey shook himself out of the past. It all felt so fresh again. And now, with Cammie’s obvious discomfort with Samantha, it made everything so much worse. He’d believed he could at least earn her forgiveness while she was here.

  When he pulled up in front of Cammie’s house, she thanked him politely, as she likely would any stranger, then she and Lucy were whisked away by a gaggle of sisters as they stepped out of the truck. Each one quickly acknowledged both he and Samantha. None of them were likely happy with the way his and Cammie’s relationship had ended years ago, but they weren’t overtly mean to him anymore, and they were quite lovely to his daughter.

  “Dad, can we go home now?” Samantha sounded tired and a little sad. He immediately turned his attention to his daughter, hopeful that she might end her day on a positive note. He recognized signs of the scale tipping at any moment from okay, to very not okay. It happened often enough he knew to tread carefully.

  “Sure, honey. Did you have fun with Lucy today?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Fine.”

  “You know, if you want to talk to me about something, you can.”

  “I know.” Then, “Do you like Lucy’s aunt?”

  “Which one?”

  “Dad, you know I mean her Aunt Cammie. Why won’t you answer me?”

  “Yeah, I like her fine, honey.” But it was so much more complicated than that.

  “I thought so.” Sam’s silence filled the truck.

  He wondered where that had come from.

  Chapter Four

  ‡

  Her three sisters were waiting when she arrived home from the ice cream parlor with Grey. Cammie wondered how they’d managed to free themselves up at this time in the evening. Where were their children? It was near dinnertime. Surely someone needed feeding.

  They all lived within a mile or so of Evangeline House, so their getting here quickly wasn’t an issue. Dropping everything and running put Cammie on alert, though.