At least four dark sedans were crisscrossing the road around the bend, ahead of where she’d pulled the truck off. Two of them she recognized as county vehicles. One of them was probably Boyd Cotton. The other two looked like the paneled cars she’d seen the federal boys drive. She hunkered down behind an old stump just as Wade’s headlights crested the small rise and illuminated the blockade in front of him.
Royal’s heart thundered in her chest at the thought that this trap had also almost caught her. She had a front row seat to what happened next.
Wade stopped the truck twenty or thirty feet before reaching the roadblock. He stepped out of the truck but stayed behind the open door. The engine was still running, and the headlights lit the gathering in front of him.
“We don’t want no trouble, Wade,” Boyd Cotton yelled from behind one of the large forward sedans. “Throw out that shotgun and nobody will get hurt.”
“Fuck you, Boyd!” The shotgun discharged and sparks flew across the hood of the car near where Boyd was standing.
Royal could see that Wade was ready to shoot again from behind the door. The shotgun was doing him no good at this distance. The barrels were too short; his alteration of the firearm for intimidation and short-range use were his undoing.
Boyd returned fire and Wade recoiled as the round caught him in the shoulder. He tried to raise the shotgun with his other hand, but before he could pull it off, two of Boyd’s deputies were on him, wrestling him to the ground.
Royal couldn’t believe what she’d just witnessed and how close she’d been to throwing her chance with Lovey away. She was shaken up and too afraid to walk along the road, so she skirted the ridge above the roadway all the way back to the house. It was late when she arrived.
She figured Lovey had probably gotten angry and left, and it would serve her right. She was berating herself as she approached the dark house when she heard Lovey call her name.
“Royal?” Lovey ran to her and jumped into her arms, kissing her all over her face. “Oh, Royal! You’re safe!”
“Lovey, I’m so sorry I had to leave you. My uncle has lost his damn mind.”
“Oh, Royal. If anything had happened to you I wouldn’t have survived.”
Royal realized her shirt was soiled and she had scratches on her arms from briars she’d encountered in the dark woods. “You waited for me?”
“Royal Duval, I would have waited on you forever. Did you forget the part where I said I was madly in love with you?”
Royal grinned. “I guess I was afraid I’d heard that part wrong.”
They walked arm in arm toward the house, where it looked like only one light was still on.
“What are you wearing?” Royal looked sideways at Lovey.
“I took a bath after dinner and borrowed one of your shirts. Your mother said you wouldn’t mind.” Lovey pulled at the front of the oversized shirt. She also had on a pair of Royal’s trousers, which didn’t fit her any better than the shirt. “I left some clothes at your other place. Maybe we can get them tomorrow.”
“You’re just making yourself at home, aren’t you?” Royal put an arm around Lovey’s shoulder and pulled her close, kissing her on the forehead.
“I hope I am home.” Lovey leaned into Royal’s shoulder as they walked toward the porch steps.
Royal stopped and turned toward Lovey, pulling her into a tender kiss.
They walked arm in arm into the house and up to Royal’s room. She excused herself to wash up from her nighttime trek and then returned to find Lovey curled on her side, wearing Royal’s shirt and nothing else.
Royal pulled the door closed and dropped her robe before climbing in next to Lovey.
“I feel like I’m in a dream,” she said.
“Me too.” Lovey caressed her face and then leaned closer and kissed her.
After they kissed for a moment, Lovey rolled on top of Royal, straddling her at the waist, the loose-fitting shirt falling open to reveal pale, perfect flesh underneath.
“Don’t ever leave me again, okay?” Royal let her hands drift down Lovey’s satin ribs under the shirt.
“I won’t, baby.” Lovey leaned over her and kissed her again. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Royal pulled Lovey close so that she was lying full on top of her, bare skin touching bare skin. “I like the sound of that.”
Chapter Thirty-five
The morning after Royal’s late night hike through the woods, the Duval family received word from local authorities that after a short visit to the hospital in Gainesville, Wade had been taken into custody for the transport and sale of illegal liquor. Wade would be held at the county jail until his trial. His state-appointed attorney said, based on the sheer volume of physical evidence found at the scene and the fact that he’d fired on an officer of the law, that he expected Wade to be sentenced to some length of time, probably years, at the Georgia State Penitentiary.
Royal’s grandfather had taken the news stoically and considered it a sign that it was time to retire from moonshining. Besides, Royal, his best driver, had announced she was leaving town to follow a different career path.
Two weeks had passed since Lovey had shown up on Royal’s doorstep. It had felt like a dream, like a honeymoon. Well, as much of a honeymoon as anyone could have staying in the same house with your mother and a younger brother. Royal had moved her things out of the rented room right after Wade was arrested with the plan to pool all her cash for a place that she and Lovey would find together. And today was the day they were setting out to do just that.
They’d made an attempt to talk with Lovey’s father, but he wouldn’t even see them. Lovey left word with Cal as to where she’d be in Charlotte if her father ever decided to seek her out. She hoped he would, but she wasn’t going to put her life on hold any longer just to please him.
Lovey carried out the last bag, and Royal added it to the things that were already in the trunk. She slammed the lid and turned toward her mother.
“Now you girls be careful and you write to me as soon as you’re settled at your friend Dottie’s, okay?” They’d made plans to stay with Lovey’s friend from college, Dottie, and her husband, Richard, until they found a place of their own in Charlotte.
“We will, Momma.” Royal’s mother pulled her into a hug. Then Royal gave her brother an awkward, sisterly hug. Her grandfather was last. She clung to him for a few minutes longer than necessary.
He walked her to the driver’s side of the car while Lovey said her good-byes.
“Royal, you’re kin and I love you. I don’t pretend to understand everything about your life, and maybe that’s just as well.” His voice broke a little with emotion. “I suppose I raised you to be more of a boy. And maybe that’s because I missed your father so much.”
“I think you raised me to be who I was meant to be.”
“Now listen, I’d like to think I had a hand in who you turned out to be.” He smiled and patted her shoulder. “Don’t forget that I also raised you to think for yourself, stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, and to take care of those you love.” He looked in Lovey’s direction when he said the last part.
For a minute, Royal thought he might actually start to cry, but he sniffed, wiped at his eyes roughly with the palm of his hand, and held the door open for Royal to climb in.
“I’m sure you’ve got better places to be than standing out here talking to an old man.” He pushed the door closed after she climbed in, but the window was down. Royal leaned with her elbow through the opening.
“I’ve always got time for you.”
Lovey climbed into the seat beside her. They waved back at those gathered on the porch as they pulled away from the house. It was early and sunlight bounced off the tall, dew-laden grass of the front lawn as they drove past.
“I’m sure Dottie can help me get placed in the school system in Charlotte. She said they’re always in need of good teachers.” Lovey plac
ed her hand on Royal’s thigh. “We’ll be able to get our own place in no time.”
They pulled onto the gravel road, and Royal shifted into high gear as the sedan gained speed.
“It just so happens there’s a motor speedway near Charlotte where they do this thing that they call stock car races.” Royal gave Lovey a sideways glance.
“You don’t say. Funny you’re just now mentioning this.”
“I only just discovered it. And get this, they pay you to drive fast and you don’t even have to carry moonshine.”
Lovey laughed. “Well, I guess we both have a bright future waiting for us in Charlotte then, don’t we?”
“I think you just might be right about that, Lovey Porter.”
“That’s another thing I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.” Lovey shifted on the seat beside her so that she was partly facing Royal, her voice sounded serious. “If we’re going to set up housekeeping together then I think you should start calling me Lovey Duval.”
Royal grinned. “Yes, ma’am. I mean, yes, Miz Duval.”
“Mrs. Duval,” Lovey corrected her as she slid across the seat and leaned her head against Royal’s shoulder.
“Who’d have thought? The daredevil poet and the bee charmer, riding off into the sunset together, living happily ever after.”
Royal glanced sideways at Lovey. “Don’t you mean sunrise? We are heading east, you know.”
Lovey laughed. “Okay, into the sunrise then.”
Royal put her arm around Lovey and pulled her close.
“I love you.”
“And I love you.” Lovey leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
Royal turned the large dark sedan with the broken headlight and the dented fender northeast onto the main paved highway. The sun flamed brightly against the cloudless blue sky as it crested the ridge in front of them. It was the beginning of a glorious day, the first day of their new life, together.
About the Author
Missouri Vaun (MissouriVaun.com) spent most of her childhood in rural southern Mississippi, where she spent lazy summers conjuring characters and imagining the worlds they might inhabit. Missouri spent twelve years finding her voice as a working journalist in places as disparate as Chicago and Jackson, Mississippi. Her stories are heartfelt, earthy, and speak of loyalty and our responsibility to others. She and her wife currently live in northern California. Missouri can be reached via email at: [email protected].
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