Finding Libbie

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

  During the evening, Jack noticed that Libbie was unsteady on her feet several times and yawned constantly. He asked her if she was feeling okay.

  “I’m fine, worrywart,” she said. “I’m just tired. Dealing with Gwen and my mother, not to mention the wedding, has worn me out.”

  Jack nodded, but he thought her eyes look more glassy than tired. He hoped she was fine and not coming down with something. It was only a week before the wedding, and he wanted her to enjoy her special day.

  After the celebration, Jack, Libbie, Carol, and Larry went to Carol’s house to sit in the screened-in gazebo by the lake. Carol’s parents were away for the weekend, and since she was the last of their children who lived at home, they had the place to themselves. They lit a candle in a big hurricane lamp on the table in the center and sat in the dim light, listening to the lake water gently splash against the shore. It was chilly out, and Carol had brought along two large blankets they could wrap around them.

  “I brought something to keep us warm, too,” Larry said, pulling out a bottle of vodka from his jacket pocket.

  “Ooh! I’ll get some 7 Up and glasses from the house,” Carol said, dragging Libbie along to help. They were back in a flash and soon everyone had a drink in their hand. Carol had also brought out maraschino cherries to put in their drinks.

  “Now we’re having a party,” Larry said, laughing.

  “Who’d you swipe the booze from this time?” Jack asked. He only took a few sips from his drink. He didn’t want to have too much and then drive back to the farm. The last thing he needed was to be picked up for underage drinking before he started his new job.

  “Carol’s parents, of course,” Larry said. “They have a ton of booze in their bar. I think they buy it in bulk.” Larry and Carol laughed. They both drank down their first one quickly and made a fresh drink.

  “This tastes good together,” Libbie said, finishing hers off. “I’ll have another one.”

  “Don’t drink too fast,” Jack said. “I don’t want to take you home drunk. Your parents will kill me.”

  Libbie turned glassy eyes on Jack. “Hey, I’m nineteen and I’m going to be married in a week. My parents can’t tell me what to do anymore. I can do whatever I want.” She emptied half the glass in one long drink.

  Jack held his tongue, but when Libbie asked Larry to make her a third, Jack interceded. “We should head out,” he said.

  “Don’t be such a drag,” Larry said. “I love you, man, but you need to relax and have some fun.”

  Jack glared at Larry. He and Carol were on their way to getting drunk. They were just students. They had no responsibilities. He had a lot more to lose.

  “Yeah, stop telling me what to do,” Libbie slurred. “You’re marrying me, but you don’t own me. Fill it up, Larry.” She raised her glass toward Larry.

  “No. You’ve had enough, Libs,” Jack said. He took the glass away from her and placed it on the table.

  Libbie stared at him with wild eyes. She stood, swaying, and shot out her hand, connecting with the side of Jack’s face. She hit him so hard that he reeled back and almost fell off the bench. He regained his balance and looked at her, stunned.

  “Don’t tell me what to do! I don’t have to listen to you.” Libbie turned and ran out of the gazebo, but she stumbled on the steps and fell to the ground.

  Jack was up in an instant and by her side, but as he tried to help her up, she started swinging at him again and yelling, “Let me go! Let me go!”

  The situation sobered up Larry and Carol pretty quickly and they came to Jack’s aid. Jack let go of Libbie, and even as drunk as she was, she got away from him and headed into the dark, toward the lake.

  “Get one of the blankets,” Jack told Carol. She did and they all ran to Libbie. She already had her feet in the freezing water. Her shoes were soaked. Jack put the blanket around her quickly and bundled her up tightly so she couldn’t fight him. Then, amidst her screaming, he lifted her up and carried her out of the water.

  “Let me go! Let me go!” Libbie screamed. She wriggled and kicked, but Jack held on tight.

  “Take her inside the house,” Carol said, rushing ahead of him to open the door. Larry followed behind.

  Jack carried her inside and set her on the sofa. Libbie was struggling so hard that he had to straddle her to keep her from falling off.

  “I’ll make coffee,” Carol said, running to the kitchen.

  “Libbie! Stop! You’re going to hurt yourself.” Jack leaned down close to her face, trying to get her to focus on him. “Libbie!” he yelled. “Look at me. Look at me!”

  Libbie thrashed around as much as she could, still bound in the blanket and with Jack on top of her. Finally, exhaustion fell over her, and she stopped moving. Her eyes met Jack’s.

  “Libbie. Sweetheart.” Jack’s eyes pooled with tears as he stared down into her flushed face. She’d looked like a wild animal only seconds before, and now she stared at him with dead eyes. “Libbie. Say something. Are you okay?”

  Libbie gazed at him until, finally, recognition appeared in her eyes. Her face softened and tears filled her eyes. “Jack? Oh, Jack. I’m so sorry,” Libbie said, sobbing uncontrollably.

  Jack sat up and pulled her to him, holding her close. “Shh, sweetie, shh. It’s okay. You’re okay,” he said quietly as he rocked her gently.

  “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” Libbie kept saying pitifully as her tears fell.

  Carol came over with a cup of coffee, but Jack waved her away. Libbie was fading fast. As Jack rocked her in his arms, she fell into a deep sleep.

  “She’s going to have to stay here tonight,” Jack said softly to Carol.

  Larry and Carol were both sitting on the opposite sofa, looking dazed. Carol nodded. “I’ll call Mr. Wilkens and tell him she’s staying here tonight so he doesn’t worry.”

  “Is there somewhere I can lay her down?” Jack asked.

  He lifted Libbie in his arms, and Carol led him upstairs to her bedroom. Carol pulled down the blankets on one of the twin beds, and Jack carefully laid Libbie down. Her face and hands were dirty from falling in the mud, and her shoes were soaking wet. Jack gently took off her shoes and socks and then pulled the blankets up over her.

  “Can you get me a wet washcloth?” he asked Carol.

  She did, and he gently wiped the dirt from her face and lovingly brushed her hair back with his fingers. He wiped her hands and arms clean, also. Her breathing was shallow but steady. He wished he could stay with her and make sure she was okay, but he knew he shouldn’t. He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Goodnight, Libbie. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

  Larry and Carol had gone into the hall to give him privacy. He walked out there and turned to Carol. “Will you sleep in there with her tonight and make sure she’s okay?”

  Carol nodded. “Of course I will. You go home and get some rest. Libbie will be fine.”

  Jack turned and walked down the hall and downstairs with Larry at his heels.

  “Hey, man, I’m so sorry,” Larry told him once they were both in the kitchen. Carol had stayed up in the bedroom with Libbie. “I’ve never seen anyone react that way to alcohol before. I’m sorry.”

  Jack sighed. “It’s not your fault. But let’s keep the booze away from Libbie from now on, okay?”

  Larry nodded. “That’s a nasty bump on the side of your face. We should get you some ice.”

  Jack raised his hand to where Libbie had hit him. He felt it swelling between his cheek and temple. “I’ll be okay. I’m heading home. You want a ride?”

  “No, I’m staying here tonight. But don’t worry, Carol will stay with Libbie. I’ll sleep down here on the couch. We’ll make sure she’s okay.”

  Jack’s brows furrowed. He hated leaving Libbie when he wasn’t sure if she was okay. But she was sleeping soundly, and Carol had promised to watch her.

  “Hey, Jack,” Larry said, placing a hand on his arm. “I promise she’ll be okay. If there is even the slight
est sign of a problem, we’ll call you and get her to the hospital as fast as possible.”

  Jack looked into his best friend’s eyes. Larry was serious, he could tell. Finally, he nodded and left the house.

  No one was awake when Jack got home, and he walked quietly through the house and up to his room. Ray was sound asleep, and Jack undressed in the dark and slipped into bed. But sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the wild look in Libbie’s eyes as she flailed her arms and yelled at him. He wondered how his sweet Libbie could be so furious after a couple of drinks. She’d been so calm and content the past few months, despite being so agitated by the draft lottery in December. In all the years they’d known each other, he couldn’t remember her ever having any kind of mood swings.

  It must be the stress of the wedding that’s getting to her, he thought. And her mother being sick more often. Plus, they still hadn’t found a place to live. Of course, that’s what’s wrong. She had to blow off steam somehow.

  Jack finally fell into a restless sleep. First thing in the morning, he was going to check on Libbie and make sure she was all right.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Libbie awoke the next morning with a splitting headache and feeling disorientated. She gazed around the room, wondering for a moment where she was until she finally recognized Carol’s bedroom. Why am I here?

  She sat up slowly and glanced around. The other bed had been slept in, but Carol was gone. Looking down, she realized she was still wearing her clothes from the night before. Libbie grimaced. Her head hurt so badly she had to lie back against the pillows again.

  She tried to remember the previous night. She knew she’d gone out to the farm to celebrate Jack’s graduation. Then they’d come to Carol’s house to sit in the gazebo. As she wondered what could have made her feel so terrible, she slowly recalled the vodka that Larry brought and then it hit her. She’d drunk a few vodka and 7 Ups. How many? She couldn’t remember. She must have been completely drunk if she had to stay here.

  “Great! You’re up. How are you feeling?” Carol came into the room with a tray. She walked over to Libbie’s bed and set the tray down beside her. It had toast, orange juice, and coffee on it.

  “I’ve got a headache, but otherwise I’m fine,” Libbie said groggily. She pointed to the toast. “Is that for me?”

  “It sure is. I’ll go get you an aspirin for your headache. Eat some of the toast. It might help you feel better.”

  Libbie sat up in the bed as Carol left the room. She picked up a piece of toast. Her stomach rolled and she set it down again. Libbie looked around the room. She’d been in Carol’s room dozens of times and had even spent many nights here when they were younger. The room hadn’t changed much, except for the posters on the walls. Over the years, kitten and puppy posters had been changed to rock bands. The bedspreads were pink and fluffy, the furniture was white-and-gold French provincial, and the carpet was a cream shag. Pink flowered curtains crisscrossed over blinds on the one big window in the room. Sunlight peeked through the closed blinds, making Libbie wonder what time it was. She saw the round alarm clock on the nightstand between the two beds and turned it around. It was a little after noon.

  Did I sleep that late?

  “Here you go,” Carol said, bringing in the bottle of aspirin.

  Libbie swung her legs over the side of the bed and immediately felt woozy. “It’s already past noon. My mother will kill me! I need to get home and help her set up for the bridal shower tonight.” She slipped her foot into one of her shoes, grimaced, and looked up at Carol. “Why are my shoes wet?”

  Carol sat down beside Libbie, a worried frown on her face. “Don’t you remember what happened last night?”

  Libbie looked at her friend. “I remember being in the gazebo and having a couple of drinks, but after that I don’t remember anything.”

  As Carol told her what had happened the night before, tears filled Libbie’s eyes. Why had she acted so crazy? And how could she have been so cruel to Jack—the person she loved the most?

  “Don’t cry, Libbie,” Carol said, getting her a box of tissues. “It wasn’t your fault. Larry probably made your drinks too strong, and you’re not used to drinking.”

  Libbie grabbed a handful of tissues and wiped her eyes. “But I reacted terribly. Poor Jack. He must hate me!”

  Carol smiled and shook her head. “Not at all. He loves you more than anyone could love another human being. He held you until you fell asleep, and he washed away the dirt on your face and hands so lovingly, it melted my heart. You’re so lucky to have him, Libbie. If I thought Larry loved me even half as much as Jack loves you, I’d marry him in an instant.”

  Libbie sat there, letting Carol’s words wash over her. She wondered if it was the alcohol that had affected her so strongly, or if it had been a combination of the alcohol and the pills she had been taking. She silently vowed to never again drink so much that it made her behave that way.

  “I’d better leave,” Libbie said. “My mother will be worrying about the bridal shower.”

  “Don’t worry about the shower,” Carol told her. “I’ve already talked to your mom and told her I’d be there soon to help. Plus, she said Gwen had taken charge of everything so we don’t have to worry. She told me to tell you to get some rest so you feel fine for tonight.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “I told her you were exhausted from the excitement of the wedding and you needed some sleep. She believed me, or at least I think she did.”

  Libbie sighed with relief. “You’re a good friend, Carol. Thanks.”

  Carol smiled. “Hey, I’m the maid of honor. I’m supposed to do that kind of stuff.” She handed Libbie two aspirin and made her take them, then went to her closet and took out some clean clothes. “Change your clothes and shoes so you won’t go home looking dirty. Your shoes are pretty much ruined. We’ll probably have to toss them.”

  Libbie nodded. Carol was right. The leather was ruined.

  “Oh, and Jack stopped by first thing this morning to check on you. He’s so sweet. He said to let you sleep and he’d stop by your house later to see you. He was really excited about something. He said he had a surprise for you.”

  A surprise? After how she’d acted last night, Jack had a surprise for her. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

  Jack was all smiles when he drove to Libbie’s house Saturday afternoon. Earlier that morning, he’d driven over to the northeast side of the lake to help his father unload cabinets for a new house that was being built. Ray had come along to help Norm install the cabinets, and Jack had gone on to Carol’s house to check on Libbie.

  He’d awoken with an ugly bruise on the side of his head that morning, and there had been no hiding it from his mom. He’d explained it away by telling her he’d swerved to miss a deer on the road and had hit his head on the door frame. She seemed to believe him, which was a relief.

  But Jack wasn’t thinking about his bruise when he arrived at Libbie’s house. He had a surprise for Libbie—one he hoped she’d like.

  Libbie’s mother answered the door and there was a bevy of activity going on inside. The formal living room was being decorated with crepe paper and paper umbrellas by Carol and Barbara, and Gwen and Sandra were in the kitchen making appetizers for the shower that night.

  Before going upstairs to tell Libbie that Jack was there, Abigail had given Jack the once-over. “What happened to the side of your head?” she asked, one eyebrow up.

  “I almost hit a deer last night and hit my head on the door when I swerved,” Jack said.

  Abigail pursed her lips but didn’t reply. She went upstairs to get Libbie.

  Libbie came down looking tired but otherwise fine after the previous night’s ordeal. Jack grinned at her and took her hands in his. “Are you feeling better today?” he asked quietly so her mother wouldn’t overhear.

  Libbie nodded, and Jack could tell she was trying to hold back tears.

  “Can I stea
l you away for a little bit? I have a surprise for you.”

  Libbie nodded again, and Jack held her hand as they walked together toward the door. On the way past the living room, he told Carol they’d be back in a little while.

  No sooner were they in Jack’s truck than tears started streaming down Libbie’s face. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I don’t know what happened last night. I don’t remember any of it.”

  Jack drew her close. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

  “But I hit you,” Libbie said, pulling away. She reached up and gently touched the side of his face. “Look what I did. How could I hit you like that? I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m fine, Libbie. Really. Let’s just forget about last night and think about our future instead.” He smiled at her. “I have a surprise for you that will make you feel so much better.”

  Libbie brushed her tears away and nodded. They drove off down the road past Carol’s house.

  “Where are we going?” Libbie asked.

  “You’ll see. It’s just down the road.” Jack drove along the lake road and then turned into a driveway that had a sign that read Blue Water Resort. The view from the road was blocked by trees and bushes, but when they drove into the resort area, it opened up to a large expanse of water and beach. There were cottages sprinkled about the property and a larger building that was the main lodge. A long dock jutted out into the water, and small fishing boats were tied to it. Two wooden canoes sat up on the beach, glistening in the sunshine.

  “This is lovely,” Libbie said, gazing around her. “But why are we here?”

  “You’ll see,” Jack said with a grin. A middle-aged man in overalls and a flannel shirt came over as Jack and Libbie climbed out of the truck. He handed Jack a key.