Gloria’s Secret

by Robin Alexander

  “I’m sorry, Jeff.”

  He looked at me then, his face blank. “Me too. I should have been mad at Dad, not you.”

  “We’ve both wanted his approval for so long I don’t think it’ll ever happen. Maybe it’s time we stopped begging for it and just be happy with who we are.”

  My brother scrubbed at his teary eyes with the back of his hand. “It’s just not that easy for me. I’m not like you.”

  “Jeff…”

  “Don’t try to make it any better, Hay. I’ll get over it.”

  That was the first time he’d called me by my childhood nickname in years.

  “I’m always available if you wanna talk.”

  “I may take you up on that, but it’ll take a while.”

  Mom and Wanda came back into the room with loaded dessert trays, just as Adrienne returned. All three looked like they’d been crying.

  “Margaret, I’m so sorry,” Adrienne began.

  “Please…don’t be,” Mom said as she set her tray down. “It needed to happen. We’ve tiptoed around it all for a long time. Besides, honey, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Mom went over and took Adrienne into her arms and I lost it. Jeff reached over and rubbed my back, and it made me cry all the more. The whole room was a cacophony of snorts and sniffs.

  This time when the Tate women retired to the porch with our spiked coffees, Jeff joined us. We talked and laughed into the late hours of the night. There were no barbs or jabs exchanged between Jeff and me, and when midnight rolled around, we toasted Christmas together.

  Dad returned home around three a.m. I knew this because the fight between him and Mom woke me up, and I looked at the clock. I was sure that it woke Jeff and Wanda, as well, since their room was next to our parents. The voices were too muffled to hear what was being said, but Mom seemed to be the one doing all the yelling.

  When things calmed down, I thought about the book that Aggie had given me. I’d been emotionally drained when we went to bed and tucked it away in my suitcase unopened. Now curiosity was getting the better of me, but I was too tired to do anything about it.

  Adrienne and I met Jeff and Wanda in the hall the next morning. They were standing at the top of the stairs, debating something.

  “What’s up?” I asked as we joined them.

  “We’re afraid to go down,” Wanda said.

  “We’re not afraid,” Jeff said. “We just don’t know what the mood is downstairs, and Wanda won’t go and do a recon.”

  “Okay, we’ll all go down together.” I nudged Jeff. “You go first.”

  “Ladies should go first,” he argued.

  “Okay, girls, let’s go. The chicken can bring up the rear.”

  Jeff thumped me in the back of the head like he did when we were kids, making me laugh.

  When we got to the kitchen, I was surprised to see Mom and Dad sitting together at the table. Mom jumped up and started making breakfast. “It’s about time y’all got up. I thought we might be eating breakfast at lunch.”

  Dad folded the newspaper, set in on the table, and stood. He walked over to Adrienne and I felt the hair on my spine rise.

  “I need to apologize to you,” he said. “About Richard and my accusation at dinner last night. Please forgive me.”

  “Thank you,” Adrienne said with a meek smile.

  He turned to the rest of us who stood slack jawed. “I must apologize to you all, as well.”

  “O…kay, Dad,” I stammered in shock.

  “Jeff, may I speak to you alone, son?”

  Jeff nodded and followed Dad from the kitchen, leaving the rest of us dumbfounded. “What did you do to him?” Wanda asked.

  Mom turned from the stove and smiled. “The soon-to-be new year is bringing some changes with it.”

  “So you’re saying there’s a new sheriff in town, and it’s Margaret Tate,” I teased to lighten the moment.

  “Damn skippy. Now sit down, I’m serving up breakfast.”

  None of us was willing to go up against the self-appointed sheriff who wielded a spatula. Wanda and I dropped into our chairs, but Adrienne the brave heart went to the coffeepot first.

  “Hayden, it’s going to take him a while before he’s ready to talk to you, just be patient,” Mom said as she set a pan of piping hot biscuits on the table. “You’ll probably get a phone call when you get back to the inn, so please accept it.”

  My shoulders sagged with relief. I didn’t think I could handle any more drama. A phone call suited me just fine.

  Late in the afternoon, we dined on turkey with all the trimmings, then gathered around the tree to exchange gifts. Adrienne and I decided to exchange ours when we got back to the island and had time alone. Piles of gifts were stacked in front of each of us, and we waited until all had been delivered before ripping in all at once.

  Adrienne gasped after opening the first present. “Margaret,” she said as she lifted the sweater that we’d all argued about.

  “Wanda sneaked out and picked it up for me,” Mom said. “I hope it fits. And if you’ll dig a little deeper, you’ll find the pants you were ogling. At least you can wear them when you get home.”

  They exchanged hugs as the rest of us tore into our gifts. Wanda was thrilled with the earrings from Jeff and the clothes from Mom and Dad. She shrieked with delight at the print we’d given her—a proud rooster strutting across a barnyard.

  “Oh, God, more roosters,” Jeff said with a moan. “Our kitchen looks like Old MacDonald’s farm already.”

  Wanda and Jeff gave Adrienne and I matching silver necklaces that we’d taken an interest in while shopping. Mom gave me clothes, as well, and I noted happily that they were something I’d have picked out myself.

  I’d purchased Jeff’s gift on the Internet before we left the island because I knew it would be something he’d enjoy. Tickets to an Atlanta Braves game with a collector’s cap. He beamed at Adrienne and me when he opened it.

  The last to open their gifts were Mom and Dad. Mom’s eyes glistened with tears when she opened our gift. Photographers took random pictures of Pat O’Brien customers and I’d purchased the one taken of us that day unbeknownst to the rest of the group. All four of us were laughing and holding up our glasses. Adrienne had picked out a frame that matched the rest of the décor.

  “I’ll treasure this,” Mom said as she clutched it to her chest. “That was a special day.”

  In years past, Dad had always given Mom the lamest gifts. One year, it was a vacuum cleaner, another was a serving set. This year, he handed her a slim box. Her jaw sagged when she opened it and saw the tennis bracelet she’d been hinting at for years.

  Something was different between them. I watched as my dad caressed my mom’s cheek before kissing her. They looked into each other’s eyes adoringly. It was weird but sweet at the same time. I had no idea what went on during their fight the night before, but it was obvious Mom had won. There really was a new sheriff in town and she got her man. To top it off, it looked as though she’d tamed him.

  The next morning came too soon. Adrienne and I packed up our stuff and loaded it into the car. The entire family gathered around us and gave us tearful hugs. It broke my heart to hug my mom goodbye. “I’ll come to see you soon,” she whispered in my ear and squeezed me tighter.

  When it was my turn to hug Dad, we stared at each other awkwardly until he pulled me to him. “I love you,” he whispered into my ear. I hadn’t heard him say that in years. Mom had always done it for him.

  “I love you, too,” I managed to blurt out before climbing into the car, crutches and all. I held it together until Adrienne backed us out onto the road and steered us toward the airport.

  Chapter Fifteen

  We hugged Iris like we’d been apart for years. She laughed as we latched onto her and squeezed the breath out of her. “Get off of me, girlies,” she said with a broad grin. “Let me look at you.”

  She held Adrienne at arm’s length, and when she seemed pleased that Adrienne
was healthy and intact, she turned her attention to me.

  “How did dis happen?” She pointed at my leg.

  “Me and Adrienne were getting freaky one night and I caught it in the footboard of the bed.”

  Iris rolled her eyes and looked at Adrienne, who shrugged. When she realized that I was serious, she laughed heartily.

  “Come on, I want to hear all about your visit, but you can leave out the bedroom acrobatics,” she said with a shake of her head and helped me into the Jeep.

  Tropical heat plus a cast equals itching. I was rolling all over the backseat trying to find something to stuff into the cast while Iris drove us across the island.

  “I can’t take this,” I whined. “I’m having Shelby cut me out of this thing.”

  “She won’t do it,” Adrienne said, looking over her shoulder. “It’s not time for it to come off. We’re just going to have to find something for you to scratch with.”

  “This is sure going to put a damper on Teddy’s swimming lessons,” I complained.

  “You’re going to have to take it easy for a while, love. The more you take care of it, the quicker you’ll be out of the cast.”

  I felt like I had fleas. I just knew that the hair on my leg was growing at an exaggerated rate. I’d look like Chewbacca when the cast came off.

  We spent the drive back to the inn telling all about our time in New Orleans and the changes that were taking place within the Tate family. I watched Iris’s facial expressions in the rearview mirror and how her eyes grew wide at each revelation. Iris knew better than anybody how my parents had treated Gloria, and she was shocked at how the tide had begun to change. It was when I mentioned Aggie Spivic and the book that the Jeep came to an abrupt stop.

  Iris pivoted in her seat and looked at me. “Have you read it yet?”

  “I was going to while we were on the plane, but Adrienne and I slept on all three flights. Do you know what it says?”

  Iris shook her head. “Gloria was always writing. It was very personal to her.”

  “Then why are you so surprised that I have the book?”

  Iris looked at Adrienne, who surely knew what was going through her mind, and sighed. “She mailed it to someone far away. Why didn’t she trust me to give it to you?”

  “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I’m guessing that the answer may be contained in the book itself, and if I find it, I’ll share it with you.”

  Iris nodded and turned back to the road, but not before I saw the hurt in her eyes.

  Adrienne gave me a sad look and draped her arm over Iris’s shoulder as we continued on to the inn.

  You know the old saying “Home is where the heart is”? I’d heard it all my life but never paid it much attention. That old saying passed through my mind as we pulled up in front of the bar. Our little haven was simple and needed a lot of care, but for me, it was home. Some of the people I held closest to my heart resided there, and it was the one place in this world that I could be just me and still be loved. My family and I had made great strides in mending our relationships, but New Orleans would never be home to me again.

  Iris started dinner while Adrienne and I unpacked our things. I crutched around our cottage helping as much as I could. Two kittens mistook the cast for a new scratching post and latched on, taking advantage of a free ride around the room.

  “Oh, my God, I love these little things,” Adrienne said as she scooped one up and kissed its tiny face. “I’ve missed our babies.”

  Since her declaration on the plane, there was no more talk about having children of our own. I hoped it was just a moment of insanity. “These babies are perfect. They wash themselves, they’re already clothed, and we don’t have to send them to college.”

  “And babies don’t lick their butts or scratch up the furniture.” Adrienne cuddled the kitten to her chest; I could hear it purring from where I stood. “Kittens don’t say ‘momma,’ and they won’t be around to take over the inn when we’re gone.”

  “You have a point there, but who’s to say that our child will even want to keep the inn? He or she might pack up and leave as soon as they’re old enough.”

  “Is that what you’re afraid of? Your baby might up and leave you one day?”

  I shrugged. “That could be one reason. I’m also afraid of around-the-clock feedings, diapers that look like a bomb went off in them, and I hate it when they spit up.”

  Adrienne put her kitten down and took me into her arms instead. “My love, they don’t stay babies forever.”

  “I’m well aware of that, and I assure you I have a list of negatives for every growing stage.”

  “I’m sure you do,” Adrienne said before dropping a kiss on my lips. “Iris is probably ready for us to eat. We can debate this later.”

  “There will be many debates.” I followed her out the door. “I can produce evidence, too. We can ride into town and ask women what it’s like to raise children. The mothers will be easy to spot. We’ll just look for a woman with bald spots and a twitching eye.”

  Adrienne and I continued our discussion until we arrived at the bar, and the smell of Iris’s cooking caught my nostrils. Iris had just put dinner on the table. Pork chops smothered in pineapple sauce and wild rice. I could have done without the broccoli, but I’d lost that fight a long time ago.

  “Where’s Colie?” I asked as I fell into a chair.

  “He won’t be joining us for dinner,” Iris said as she took her seat. “It’s just us girls, but he’ll be here later.”

  Adrienne grinned down at her plate, refusing to look at us.

  “You know,” Iris said with a smile and a roll of her eyes.

  “Hayden doesn’t, though, and I want to hear you say it.”

  “Say what, damn it?” I asked, irritated that I was the only one at the table in the dark.

  “Watch that mouth, girlie,” Iris said with a scowl that she couldn’t hold for long. “Colie and me are gettin’ married.”

  My mouth fell open. I was at a loss for words for a moment. “You’re not leaving the inn, are you?” I asked when I got over the surprise.

  “No, Colie will move in with me, his place is too small. Besides, I couldn’t leave my girls,” she reassured with a pat on my arm.

  “Congratulations,” Adrienne said with a giggle and threw her arms around Iris’s neck.

  “Oh, that’s just great. Now he’ll really be hanging around all the time. Getting his testosterone all over everything.”

  “You hush,” Iris said with a chuckle.

  “Have you set a date yet?” I asked.

  “September, that’s when the gang will be here.”

  The gang was a rowdy bunch of lesbians who came to the inn every year. They spent most of their nights drinking, dancing, and skinny-dipping. The inn became something all together different when they were around.

  Adrienne seemed thrilled with the idea, but I was a wee bit apprehensive. “Iris, are you sure? The gang is a…well, a hedonistic pack of wild animals when they’re here.”

  “She’s right, they do get a bit wild,” Adrienne said.

  “I know,” Iris said with a grin. “But they’re like family, and I think they should be invited.”

  The rest of the evening was spent with Adrienne and Iris discussing wedding plans and me yawning. I was happy for Iris and Colie, but I didn’t care much for ceremonies, nor did I like being in on the planning. Colie saved me two hours into the discussion when he dropped in for coffee. He and his men had begun their nightly patrol.

  Adrienne and I greeted him with warm hugs and congratulations. And then we exchanged Christmas gifts. We gave Colie a portable satellite radio so he could listen to ball games even when duty called. He was thrilled; Iris not so much.

  “Iris, our gift to you cannot be returned,” Adrienne said as she passed her the envelope. “So please do not dare argue with us.”

  Iris’s eyes narrowed as she opened the envelope, then teared when she read what was inside.

>   “You’re a partner now,” I said with a smile. “You now own a portion of this inn with me and Adrienne.”

  Iris opened her mouth to speak, but Adrienne cut her off, knowing what she was going to say.

  “You have no argument that will make us change our minds, so the only thing you can do at this point is agree.”

  “I have nothing to invest,” Iris said with a sniff.

  “It’s a gift, there’s no need for you to invest anything. We want you as our partner. You’ve earned it,” I said. “And we have this for you, too.” I handed her a box and grinned. “This will be really special come September.”

  Iris dabbed at her eyes and opened the gift. She spied what was inside and slapped the lid closed. “Dis was your idea, wasn’t it?”

  Adrienne chuckled, “Actually, it was my idea and you don’t have to wait until September to enjoy it.”

  “What is it?” Colie asked.

  “Let’s just say that you’ll both enjoy it,” Adrienne teased.

  Iris’s dark complexion hid her blush, but Adrienne and I knew it was there and we laughed mercilessly.

  “Ever heard of Victoria’s Secret?” I asked Colie.

  “I agree, no reason to wait until September,” he said with a laugh.

  Adrienne and I retired to our cottage with a bottle of wine and a roll of plastic wrap for my cast so I could take a shower. After we were bathed and the wine had relaxed us, we exchanged our gifts.

  There was really no place to shop on the island, so we’d sneaked off while in New Orleans and had done our own shopping. I gave Adrienne my gift first. The box was large and her eyes sparkled as she ripped at the wrapping paper. When she opened it, another wrapped box was inside.

  “You are such a shit,” she said with a chuckle. “How many of these will I have to open?”

  “I will have probably had another glass of wine by the time you get down to the real present,” I said with a sly grin.

  Wrapping paper and boxes flew, and the kittens played in the debris. When she finally found the bracelet, she sat in silence while reading the inscription, my love, my life. It was a simple silver band that fit her wrist perfectly. I’d seen her looking at it one day and heard her telling Wanda how much she liked it. I had Wanda distract her so I could go back and get it.