The Caine Plantation: The Next Quilt is Red
Page 20
He shrugged again, and continued to smile. "I told you, we just found out this morning. Anything else…"
“Yeah, I heard you…Lucky gossip.”
"How far along are you?" Perry asked, pulling out a chair for Kathy at the dining room table.
She couldn't stop smiling, "I am not sure. We haven't been to the doctor yet. It can't be that far, two and a half weeks at the most. Probably just enough for the test to work."
"Come on, sit and have some tea and pound cake, while we discuss the wedding," Janet said, setting some plates down in front of them.
Kathy noticed a beautifully made scrap quilt hanging on the wall. "That is a beautiful quilt," She said, leaning over to look closer. She had to smile at herself as her eyes automatically searched for the white patch with red rose buds. Of course it won’t be here.
"That's all my babies' clothes. That black piece right in front of you is from Mike's graduation gown. The dark blue above it is from Jason's first photo outfit. It was the cutest little sailor suit. And this is Madeline's pre-school jumper." She pointed at the pieces as she named them.
Kathy smiled.
"Way to make me feel like a five-year-old, Mom." Jason folded his arms and sat down next to Kathy. “Cute sailor suit,” he swore under his breath.
“Keep it up, and I cut a swatch out of that uniform.”
"Have you studied any quilt history?" Kathy asked.
"Oh, don't get her started," Jason said rolling his eyes. "And I will leave that comment to each of you to decide who it is in reference to." He pointed at both of them.
Perry smiled at Jason, "Well they say sons marry women like their mothers."
"You hush," Janet said, swiping toward Jason on her way into the kitchen. She immediately returned with some cake and a pitcher of tea.
Jason smiled, and unfolded his arms, "Her favorite books are ones that focus on quilts of the Underground Railroad. There is one she has bought four copies of, because she has worn it out." He sounded exasperated. "Mom has much in common with Lauren, when it comes to remembering history, as in making it more pleasant than it should be. For example, if she was asked about Hurricane Katrina, it was a really fun time with her family as they grilled outside. Never mind the hideous snake and gator infestations, or being without electricity for a month in 95 degrees."
"Don't compare me to that lunatic. Katrina was a decent time for a family barbecue. You take the moments you have, not the ones you wish you had." She frowned at him as she set a piece of cake on his plate. "And the quilt book was a good story. I needed to copy some of the patterns. The copy machine sort of flattened the binding, after fifty or sixty times." She picked up the pitcher and poured some tea in Kathy's glass. "I have made, and sold mind you, eight historical replica quilts for various organizations."
"Caffeine?" Jason said.
"Over protective?" his mother shot back. She turned back to Kathy. "Don't worry, It's decaf for Perry."
Kathy smiled and sipped her tea. Jason might look like his dad on the outside, but he was his mother on the inside. "What about this one?" She pointed to a flannel piece with teddy bears on the quilt.
"Jason's sister, Madeline...Maddy. He did at least tell you he had a family? Her husband was recently promoted and transferred to Chicago," Janet said, pouring a tea for Perry, who was still smiling. Apparently Mother/Son banter was the norm because he seemed unperturbed it.
Kathy nodded, "I met Mike first."
Janet nodded in return, "He texted me when you moved in that he found a girl for Jason, but Jason was being difficult. Then he texted me that Jason stayed the night with you."
Kathy smiled and blushed. "Well, Mike is rather involved isn't he?"
Jason folded his arms. "He's a nosy..."
Perry stood and pointed to a flannel piece with cowboys and horses, "That is the one from Jason's pajamas from Kindergarten. You'll have to ignore the brother banter. They have always been that way. Too far apart I think. Maddy's in between them. She was always the peacekeeper."
Kathy smiled at the flannel piece. "Cowboys? I would have figured you more for dinosaurs, or the teddy bears."
"Yeah, yeah," he said smiling. "The white one with the green stripe is from baseball. The purple and gold one is from high school football. Mom, aren't you collecting for a grandchildren one? At least I'll finally have something to contribute to that one."
"Oh yes, Sweetheart. I have several patches already. And soon as that one outgrows his...or her swaddling blanket." She pointed at Kathy. "I'll be needing a swatch of that too."
They spent the afternoon talking and enjoying the quiet. It all seemed so normal, until the quintessential Dodger question was asked by Jason's mother.
"What about your parents? Are they coming? Is that enough time for them to get here?"
Kathy wasn't sure what to say. She hadn't even discussed her parents at length with Jason, and now she was sorry. "They don't approve of me, so they don't bother to talk to me very often."
Both Perry and Janet looked at each other, and then to Jason.
"What don't they approve of?" Janet asked. Kathy could tell she was trying not to sigh, too obviously. Yes, Jason, was definitely his mother’s son.
"My career choice." She now desperately wished she had this conversation with Jason already. Hopefully he wouldn't get upset. She hadn’t thought about the vast wealth difference, because she had basically written them out of her life.
"Your career choice? But the title of homicide detective is an impressive accomplishment, especially in a city that big," Perry said confused. "I'll bet you had to beat out a hundred candidates to get the job."
"Not hundreds, but a lot." Kathy nodded, may as well get it over with. "My parents are what common folks would call people who live in the 1% wealth gap. I was to be one of my father's client's trophy-wife, like my mother was to him. I was to come to my senses and leave law enforcement. When I refused and went for the promotion to detective instead their stud pick for me, they basically cut me out of their lives. My father lost the client, but gained four others, so I am not sure what his problem was. I am not a bargaining chip for his business deals. For crying out loud, I felt like a useless princess being sold off to a neighboring king who was threatening war unless he sold his only daughter into the king’s bed."
All three of them stared at her.
"I guess that would explain why you made that comment about the Caine granddaughter." Jason patted her knee.
She smiled weakly. "I didn't mean to sound bitter. The good news is that I am their only child, so like it or not, I am getting everything. Or, at least most of it, in the end, probate is probate."
"Do they know about Jason, or the baby?" Perry asked.
She nodded, "Yes, I was actually hoping my mother would come down to see the house after...well, after everything has calmed down. She loves to decorate. Their penthouse is like an Ode to HGTV's Dream House. We will all have to go visit this summer. I love summer in Manhattan, Jason wants to see Central park." They have three guest bedrooms, and can be polite for a weekend.”
Janet perked up, "That would be lovely. We would love to visit."
"Well that explains your lack of reaction to all the gold," Jason said smiling.
"What gold?" Janet asked.
"Kathy found forty-seven million dollars in gold hidden in the house. She's starting a foundation with it to help crime victims."
"Forty-seven million dollars?" his parents said in unison.
Kathy explained her ideas for the foundation. "It's the perfect stay-at-home-mom job."
Both Janet and Perry smiled, "So you have your own money and direction?" they, again, said in unison.
Jason looked appalled.
Kathy laughed, "I am not Lauren, by a long shot. And, I certainly never considered going out for cheerleading, unless it involved throwing a boot at someone."
"Thank God!" Janet said, exhaling.
"Mother!"
"Sarah told me the whole stor
y," Kathy said, patting Jason's knee.
Jason frowned. "Well, she is Mike's wife. Those two nosy folks were made for each other."
The rest of the afternoon and evening passed much easier. Kathy felt welcomed in to the family.
****
The next morning Kathy walked across the street to the dress shop to meet Janet and Sarah. She tried on several white sun dresses and maxi dresses. They also had a fistful of flyers announcing the marriage, and that Kathy and Jason would have a table with cake at the next town fish fry for anyone who wanted to celebrate with them.
The shop owner, Candy, was thrilled to help Kathy pick out a dress. She was also surprised to hear Jason was getting married in less than three hours.
"No one ever thought Jason...Chief Rose, would ever get married after that horrible cheerleader woman, and then poor love-sick Lauren didn't help matters," Candy said, holding up a mostly white multi-color dress.
Kathy smiled and took it into the change room.
"Yes, stupid cheerleader," Janet said. "I am still appalled at that whole situation, especially since she was allowed to walk away after destroying his life. She shot at him for Heaven's Sake, and they didn't even think that warranted a psychological evaluation. Alcoholic so and so! And, I have nothing productive to add regarding Lauren without actually resorting to swearing. She used to be so nice, so normal."
"She was never normal," Sarah shook her head in disagreement. "She only wanted Jason because he showed her a kindness in like Second grade, or something. She is a mousy, stalking, bitch, and I am sure there is more to the story of Jason terminating her than it was a private human resource issue."
Candy nodded in agreement, "I came through school a couple of years ahead of Jason and Lauren, and people thought she was a loon then. She got into the whole quilt history thing to get close to you, so you would like her, figuring..."
Janet sighed, "That if momma approved, Jason would fall in lock-step. Ha, not only is she crazy, but she is certainly lacking in intelligence if she thinks I have any influence over Jason and who he dates, or falls in love with." She motioned toward the door where Kathy was changing.
Kathy came out of the change room. "I love it!" she hugged the white sun dress around herself. It fit perfectly and the thin multicolor pinstripes complemented her figure perfectly. "I have to have it. How much is it?"
"$120, but with the wedding discount, $85 will do fine."
Janet held up a blue crystal necklace, "Something borrowed and blue."
"It's beautiful, thank you." Kathy pulled her hair back so Janet could clasp it on.
"It was mine from long ago. Perry gave it to me after Jason was born."
"I have something too. I made it, so you have something new." Sarah passed her a blue crystal bracelet that matched the necklace.
Kathy put it on. "They both look so incredible with the dress." She couldn't stop smiling. Everything was going so well. Her soon-to-be mother and sister in-law were friendly and inviting. She couldn't wait to get the rest of her life started.
****
Jason had planned to go to work for only fifteen or twenty minutes. His intention had been to get the next three days covered so he could spend some time with his new wife, and possibly drive to the coast for a couple of days if she wanted to. But, there would be no such luck.
Alan had told him that someone called doing a background check on him, a very thorough one. Alan had refused to answer questions based on the fact that the man refused to identify himself. Instead he had referred the man to the city website. Jason's Bio was there along with the other local city leaders.
He was attempting to reverse search the blocked phone number, to no avail, when Alan knocked on his door. "I really hate to interrupt you today, but I think you need to talk to these two." He motioned them into the office. It was Chuck and Nori, two of the landscapers Kathy had hired to clear the overgrowth on the fence.
"Hello, Chief. It's Nori and Chuck." Nori Lucas said, first pointing at himself, and then to Chuck Davenport. He was carrying a medium sized, soft package.
Jason had to smile. "I can see that Nori. What do you need?" He had known Nori since 7th grade when his family moved here. He always introduced himself to people he knew, as if he expected them to forget who he was.
"This package was left at the house by the Post Office. It's addressed to Mrs. Kathleen Rose. It came out of Baton Rouge." He set the package down on Jason's desk.
"I thought her name was Marconi? And, that she was a Miss." Chuck looked deflated.
Jason tried not to smile too broadly in Chuck's face. "We're getting married in about two hours. It must be from her mother." He doubted it, they only decided to get married yesterday. It had overnight stamped on it. Still, there was no way her mother could have had something sent that quickly.
Chuck's eyes got wide. He stared at Nori, who stammered a bit before stating, "I don't think so. Dark Lady says there is evil in the package." His eyes widen, really big. "And, that we should bring it to you, and not let someone called 'Mistress' touch it. Said she'd have us both whipped bloody if Mistress got the package. We don't want to end up like poor Mil!" He fidgeted with his fingers as he said the last part.
Chuck nodded his head in agreement, swatting at Nori's fidgeting to make him stop. "Do you think Miss. Marconi...Mrs. Rose will mind if we take the rest of the day off? I am afraid of Dark Lady. She's scary. I don't wanna whipping. What if she calls ole Ridely to whip us!"
Jason shook his head no, and sighed, "I don't think she will mind. But, if you aren't coming back to finish the job, please let her know sometime tomorrow so she can hire someone else."
Instead of turning and leaving, they backed out of his office, looking frightened, both of them nodding and fidgeting with their fingers, before Chuck realized what he was doing, and swatted at Nori again. "Stop, y'all are making me twiddle my fingers.”
If there wasn't so much going today Jason would have found the fact that Chuck called Nori, y'all, like he had a mouse in his pocket, amusing. Not today, today, he just wanted them out, so he could focus on getting married.
As soon as they left Alan came back in. "Those two are perfect examples of why people in the north think white southerners are inbred," he said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. "You gonna open it?"
"Hopefully in just a second." He took out his phone and called Kathy. In a roundabout way, he informed her that a package arrived for her, it looked like it was evidence related, and did she mind if he opened it. She didn't mind.
Alan handed Jason his pocket knife.
"Thanks."
He opened the package, to find two more packages. "Open me first," Jason read on the smaller package. He opened it, inside was a Best Wishes card and some wedding cookies. He smacked Alan's hand. "Don't eat one. Dark Lady said they were evil." He decided to leave the card closed, for now. It was probably an anthrax letter, or something equally horrible.
"Really, since when do you believe in her?" Alan folded his arms giving Jason a doubtful look.
"Since...Never mind when." Jason smiled at the memory of his first time making love with Kathy. He reached for some of the cyanide tests that the CDC doctor had ran off and left at Kathy's.
Alan frowned. "Poison? Who would poison Kathy? She's a sweetheart."
"That's what we're trying to find out. The really crazy aspect is the fact that this is tied to Milton Lawrence, somehow. I think someone is trying to kill her by making it look like a supernatural-Dark Lady thing, but where does Mil fit in?" He set the test next to the cookies, and opened the larger package. He bent over to peek in, without touching the contents of the bag. He knew what it was at once. A frigid perspiration ran up his spine as he gently backed away, motioning for Alan to move as well.
Alan backed up, "What is it?"
"Do not! Touch that!" Jason said, running to the restroom to wash his hands and hoping whatever was on there wasn't airborne. "Don't sniff it, either!" he called, just in case.
"She wouldn't, and no it isn't one of hers. Just don't touch it. Go get an evidence bag that will seal completely, and notify the sheriff's department that we need a crime scene technician trained to handle a HazMat situation, possibly cyanide."
"Right away, Chief," Alan said, snapping to attention. He did not like Jason's tone. "Jesus, I almost stole one of her cookies!" He made the phone call and went back to help Jason.
They carefully read the directions for the test, and then decided to wait for the lab technician since they didn't have the extra equipment needed to process it.
"No sense in accidentally poisoning ourselves."
"Hey Jason. Don't let this ruin the day. Go get dressed. I'll lock the door and close the blinds to your office. No one will come in. I can standby for the Sheriff's team. I will let them know what we suspect. Besides if Kathy is in danger, you need to be close to her. She doesn't need to be out there alone. It would kill me if anything happened to her or the baby."
"Trust me, Kathy can handle herself." Jason's first instinct was to say no, but Alan was right. He absolutely, could not be late for his own humble wedding. As simple as everything was, people had still up-heaved their schedules. His favorite judge had continued some cases to open the space on his calendar to marry them. He needed to go home, get dressed, and get married.
On the way home, he stopped and got three wrapped roses for Kathy to carry. One for him, one for her, and one for the baby.
Two hours later the judge pronounced them husband and wife. Mike and Sarah had acted as the official witnesses. There were a lot of congratulations, and back-patting from people passing by in the courthouse.
Kathy hadn't stopped smiling since Jason gave her the three roses. They both showed everyone their new rings. Some of the court clerks wanted her to throw the roses. She hated to part with them, but Jason nodded.
"It's good luck. Besides the girls want to know who is getting married next." He smiled, and turned her to face away from the clerks who had gathered to catch the flowers.