Widow, Virgin, Whore - A Novel

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

  The doorbell rang and Katherine answered it. There stood Dr. Gary Harris, looking handsome in a navy suit.

  "Hi, Gary. I'm so happy you could come." She took his coat as he entered the house.

  "It was nice of Denise to invite me," he replied, glancing around appreciatively. "You have a beautiful home. I bet you have a great view of the Sound."

  "Thank you, and yes, we do. Too bad it gets dark early. Otherwise we could enjoy the view."

  "I didn’t know you and Denise shared a home. Are you two and your son the only ones who live here?"

  "Denise’s sister, Darla, has the apartment over the garage. Her daughter, Chelsea, has a room upstairs."

  "Quite a family you have."

  "We like it. Why don’t you join the others in the living room?"

  Gary thanked Katherine and turned to enter the room just as Denise stepped forward to greet him. He stopped, spellbound. "Denise, you look...beautiful."

  Her face flushed deep red, but it only made her look more enchanting. "Thank you, Dr. Harris. Please, come in and join us."

  "Please, call me Gary."

  Katherine watched them join the others, a satisfied smile on her face. Together, dressed in their finery, they made the perfect couple. She nearly danced with excitement for her friend all the way to the kitchen.

  ***

  "Hey, what are all the cars outside for?" Darla waltzed into the kitchen from the back entrance just as Katherine pulled a vegetable platter out of the refrigerator. Before Katherine could get her head out of the fridge, Darla stepped through the kitchen door right into the middle of the party.

  "No one told me there was a party going on here." She turned back into the kitchen as all the party guests stared in her direction. "Why didn’t anyone tell me about the party?" she asked Katherine as she opened the back door. "Hey, guys. Come on in," she hollered to the people sitting in her car, parked in the driveway.

  "No, Darla, don’t." Katherine tried to step in front of her but Darla sidestepped her and headed back into the living room. Katherine walked quickly behind her, balancing the full platter in her hands. "Darla, this is Denise’s party," Katherine began, but Darla continued ahead of her anyway.

  "So, my baby sister is having a party and I wasn’t invited," she announced to the entire room. "Whoa, look at all this great food. Do you mind?" She popped an hors d'oeuvre into her mouth and helped herself to a glass of champagne punch. All eyes were on the noisy intruder. Denise was standing by the Christmas tree, next to Gary, her face pale.

  "Darla," Katherine growled between clenched teeth, but was interrupted by two greasy men and a cheap looking woman who came noisily through the kitchen door.

  "Hey, Darla. What’s up? Aren’t we going down to The Bait House?" A skinny, blonde guy came up beside Darla and placed his hand on her butt. "Hey, look. Eats."

  "Thought we’d join this party for a while guys," Darla told her friends. "Help yourself."

  Denise’s mouth fell open at the sight of Darla’s friends. She stood, rooted to the floor, as her eyes pleaded with Katherine from across the room to do something.

  Katherine grabbed Darla’s arm and tried to pull her toward the kitchen. "This is Denise’s party. You and your friends can’t stay," she whispered fiercely.

  "Why not?" Darla protested, loud enough for all to hear. "You’re here. I can be here, too." She shrugged away from Katherine’s grasp. "This party needs some life blown into it. How about some real music?" She stepped over to the stereo where the soothing tunes of Kenny G. flowed. In seconds, the music turned from relaxing to head banging.

  "Now, this is music." Darla popped another shrimp into her mouth. She slithered her body to the beat and was soon joined by her skinny boyfriend. Dressed in purple leggings and a fuzzy purple sweater, with that black tuft of hair on her head, she looked like a wiggling caterpillar. Her friends soon joined in, their bodies vibrating in suggestive motions. Darla had taken over. Denise’s quiet get-together was ruined.

  From across the room, one of the guests cleared her throat and looked at her watch. "I think it’s time we headed to the restaurant for the party," she suggested to the others. They all mumbled in agreement. Denise flushed red with humiliation.

  Angrily, Katherine stomped over to the stereo and snapped it off.

  "What’s the big idea?" Darla protested. "We were just having fun." She began coughing, that deep, thick cough that hadn’t left her since she’d been sick. Katherine glared at Darla as she headed for the hall closet to help the guests find their coats.

  Denise stood by the door, apologizing to each guest in turn. "I'm so sorry," she told her friends in a small, pitiful voice.

  Katherine’s heart ached for her.

  "We have to go anyway," one of the ladies told her.

  "Don’t worry about it," another said. They were all trying to ease her embarrassment.

  "We’ll see you over at Anthony’s HomePort," an older woman who worked with Denise said. She patted her shoulder. "It really was a nice party. Thanks."

  Denise looked ready to burst into tears.

  Gary was the last to accept his coat from Katherine. "Denise, why don’t we ride over together?" he suggested.

  From behind, they heard Darla cough again. She was leaning against the wall in the entryway. "Well, well. And who is this handsome guy?" She looked directly at Denise. "Aren’t you going to introduce me to your boyfriend?"

  Denise wanted to dissolve right into the floor.

  "I’m Dr. Gary Harris," Gary offered, extending his hand. "You must be Denise’s sister."

  "In the flesh. I’m Darla." She shook his hand, holding it a bit longer than necessary, then withdrawing it in time to cough into it. "So, you’re the hunk doctor my sister has been drooling over."

  Gary’s brows rose, but he had the grace not to reply.

  Denise wanted to crawl off into a corner and die.

  "That’s some cough you have there," Gary said, changing the subject. "Have you seen a doctor about it?"

  "Why, doctor, do you want to give me a physical?" Darla asked provocatively.

  Gary chuckled. "Actually, my line of practice is pediatrics. But I could recommend a good doctor."

  Darla didn't answer. She merely winked at him, then turned back to her friends.

  Throughout the exchange, Denise stood uneasily beside Gary. Wanting to get them both out of there before anything else happened, Katherine quickly handed him his coat. "Here, Gary. You two should be off now."

  Gary glanced at his watch. "Yes. We don't want to miss dinner." He turned and smiled warmly at Denise. "Ready to go, Denise?"

  "Hey, Doc," Darla yelled from where she stood by the table. "You behave yourself around my baby sister. She's still a virgin, you know."

  Denise's eyes grew huge, her face burning with embarrassment. She ran up the stairs in tears. Within seconds, Katherine followed her, taking the steps two at a time. Gary stared, dumbfounded, watching the two exit the room.

  "Guess the party's over, gang," Darla announced to her friends. "Let's head over to The Bait House and have some real fun."

  ***

  "I hate her!" Denise said, sobbing, her head in her hands. "She ruins everything. I wish she was dead!"

  Katherine sat down on the bed beside Denise and folded her arms around her. "I know," she said softly, rubbing her back, trying to calm her. Once again Darla had ruined a special moment for her sister. Denise was right, she ruined everything.

  Katherine grabbed the box of tissues off the nightstand and pulled a few out. "Here, your mascara's running all over your face." She wiped at the smudges under her eyes.

  "I don't care," Denise insisted, tears still flowing.

  "Yes, you do. You want to look nice for the party, don't you?"

  Denise looked horrified. "I can't go to the party now. I'll never be able to face those people after what Darla did."

  "Denise," Katherine said firmly. "Don't let her ruin the entire evening. Don't let her win. Go to the
party with Gary."

  "How can I? After what she just said? I can't face him."

  Katherine sighed. She'd never seen her friend so distraught. As she tried to think of the right words to entice her to go, there was a soft knock at the door. Gary tentatively poked his head in. Both women looked up, startled.

  "I'm sorry. I don't mean to intrude, but I would like to speak with Denise a moment."

  Denise covered her face with her hands. She wanted to die.

  "Come on in, Gary. I'll leave you two alone." Katherine stood to leave but Denise grabbed her hand and shook her head no, begging her with her eyes to stay.

  "It's okay, Denise," she whispered reassuringly, then quietly left the room.

  Gary sat beside Denise. She kept her head down.

  "I'm sorry about tonight," she said, her voice cracking.

  "There's nothing to be sorry about. You didn't do anything wrong," he said, his voice kind.

  "But my sister ruined everything."

  "That's not your fault."

  Denise raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his, a surprised expression on her face. She had always apologized for her sister's actions. It had never occurred to her that it wasn't her fault.

  "Your sister is quite a handful, I take it," Gary said, smiling warmly. His smile was soothing, his brown eyes warm and caring. Denise couldn't help but find comfort in them.

  "She's always been that way. It's so embarrassing."

  "Don't feel bad. There's one in every family. I have a brother just like her."

  Denise couldn't imagine anyone related to this sophisticated man sitting beside her being like Darla.

  "We don't talk about him much," Gary continued. "He has piercing all over his face and long, stringy greasy hair. I don't think he ever takes a shower. And he changes jobs as often as he adds a new piercing, which is quite often."

  "Gee, he sounds like one of Darla's boyfriends."

  They both laughed at this, the tension in the room drifting away. Gary pulled a starched, linen handkerchief from his breast pocket and gently dabbed at the tears still resting on Denise's cheeks. This simple gesture made her spine tingle.

  "Feeling better?"

  She nodded.

  "Now will you let me escort you to the party?"

  She nodded again. "I'm sure I look awful. Would you mind waiting a minute while I fix up a bit?"

  "You look beautiful," Gary said, his voice rich and warm. For a moment, their eyes locked, and Denise thought for sure she was dreaming. But she wasn't, he was really here. "But I suppose you'd like to get rid of those raccoon eyes," he teased, making them both laugh again. "I'll give you a few moments alone."

  As he left the room, Denise felt for the first time in her life that no one, not even Darla, could ruin this moment for her.

  Fifteen minutes later, both were bundled in their coats and out the door, exchanging smiles of appreciation for each other, hardly noticing Katherine as she bid them goodnight. As Katherine watched them go, she was warmed by the fact that this time Denise won, and Darla lost.

  Chapter Six

  Katherine was all set to pounce on Darla the next day for her behavior, but Darla never came downstairs. Chelsea said she was sick again, coughing and vomiting. This time, Katherine didn't offer to help.

  Denise slept late and came down in such good spirits from her evening with Gary that she forgot all about being angry at her sister. She floated through the house humming Christmas Carols, and baked dozens of cookies for the kids to frost. When Katherine asked if she'd be seeing Gary again, she smiled and nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Katherine wanted to shout out a giant "Yes!" but held it in as the four became immersed in cookie decorating, not one of them worrying about the person upstairs.

  For two days, Darla stayed closeted in her room with Chelsea being her only link to the outside world. The kids attended their last days of school before Christmas vacation started. Denise went to work more enthusiastically than before, because of Gary. And Katherine spent her time writing in her office. By the third evening, when Darla finally emerged from her cocoon, she looked like death warmed over.

  "What's that awful smell?" Darla asked, wrapping her afghan tightly around her. Katherine stood by the stove, stirring liquid in a pan.

  "It's chicken and rice. Are you eating with us tonight?" She glanced over at Darla and was startled by what she saw. Darla's face was gaunt and deathly white, her black hair was sticking straight up, and her eyes looked glassy. "God, you look terrible!"

  Darla either didn't hear her or ignored her. "Do we have any soup?" she asked, her voice weak. Coughing overtook her as if the mere act of talking was too much of a strain. The cough rasped through her lungs, non-productively, a heavy thunderous sound, deep and tight. All the anger Katherine felt toward her earlier evaporated.

  "I'm sure we do. I'll make you some right now."

  Darla nodded, too weak from coughing to speak, and shuffled out of the kitchen to rest on the sofa by the fire.

  That's where Darla spent most of the week until Christmas. She complained her room was too cold, and the only warm spot in the house was by the fire. She laid there, a silent figure on the sofa, catching snippets of conversations as it passed by her, watching family members come and go, but showing little interest in what happened around her.

  Denise spent Christmas Eve with Gary and his sister's family, and felt accepted into their fold immediately. She'd been having lunch with him every day since the party, and throughout the week, their relationship had grown closer. They found they enjoyed the same type of music, they both loved the ocean, and they both enjoyed children. He talked about his patients, and she talked about her job, Kathy, and the kids. They seemed to have an endless supply of topics of conversation to share. And to her surprise, on Christmas Eve, he presented her with a gold heart bracelet, and she loved it immediately.

  The elder Richards came to the house Christmas Eve, and again Christmas Day, for a traditional turkey dinner. With Darla subdued from her illness, it was a lovely holiday with no outrageous behavior.

  Darla dragged back to work the day after Christmas, still looking pale and tired. Katherine and Denise urged her to see a doctor, but never heard from her if she went to one. They both became engrossed in their own lives again and didn't give it another thought.

  New Year's Eve came and went with an odd twist. For the first time in her adult life, Darla didn't go out to celebrate. Denise went to a party with Gary while Darla spent the evening with Katherine and the kids, their celebration consisting of homemade cake and videos. It seemed ironic to Katherine that as Denise's night life expanded, Darla's came to a complete halt. Suddenly, Katherine found herself spending evenings with her best friend’s sister, instead of her best friend.

  Chelsea loved having her mom at home. They played cards by the hour, mostly poker and blackjack, Darla's favorites. Chelsea even talked her mom into helping make friendship bracelets for her new friends at school.

  "Where'd you learn to make those?" Katherine asked, surprised when she came upon Darla braiding colored string.

  "Hey, I was a kid once too, you know." Darla looked indignant.

  "Guess I'd forgotten," Katherine replied with a sly grin.

  Darla wasn't completely subdued, however. Her irritation over being sick got the better of her at times and she'd jump on whoever happened to be in her presence. She complained about the stupidity of the people she worked with, accused Katherine of being too cheap to turn up the heat, needled Denise about her goody-two-shoes doctor boyfriend, and even nitpicked at Chelsea's clothes, the same clothes she usually borrowed. No one was safe from her outbursts when she was in one of her moods, so everyone steered clear when Darla showed any sign of irritation.

  One crisp February evening, the entire family was home and at the kid's suggestion, they began a game of Monopoly. Katherine made popcorn, Denise poured iced tea, and they all settled in by the sofa where Darla insisted on staying.

  "Ha, ha
. I have Boardwalk," Chelsea teased. "You owe me fifty bucks."

  "I wanted Boardwalk," Darla grumbled as she paid up.

  "Your turn, Chris." Chelsea handed him the dice and he rolled a ten which landed him on Chance.

  "Pay hospital one hundred dollars," he read. "Shoot, there goes the last of my money."

  "Yeah, as if a hospital bill would be that cheap," Darla grumbled.

  "I'm winning, I'm winning," Chelsea sang. "Here, Aunt Denise. It’s your turn." As Denise rolled the dice, Chelsea reached for her drink and found it empty. She picked up Darla's pop can instead and lifted it to her lips.

  Darla looked up from the game in time to see her daughter drinking her Coke. "Don't!" She swiped at the can and it flew across the room, spilling foaming liquid all over the wooden floor.

  "Mom!" Chelsea looked up, her eyes wide with fright.

  "Don't drink out of my can again!" Darla roared at the frightened girl. "You know I've been sick. Do you want to get sick, too?"

  Chelsea's lower lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. "I hate you!" she screamed. "You ruin everything." She bolted out of the room and up the stairs.

  Everyone in the room was silent as they heard Chelsea slam her bedroom door. Denise quietly left the room to find a rag and wipe up the spilled soda.

  "Game's over," Katherine said, closing the board, her eyes sharp on Darla. "Chris, will you please go up and check on Chelsea to make sure she's all right?"

  Chris looked from his mother to Darla, nodded, and left the room. Denise came back from the kitchen, got down on her knees, and began wiping up the mess on the floor.