Black Beans & Vice
Page 27
Lucy shook her head. “You’ll never believe this, but Tia was in a commercial for a fast-food restaurant when she was a teenager. I’ve seen the footage. Tia takes three bites of a cheeseburger and then smiles at the camera.”
“Where did Lennon see the commercial? It’s gotta be older than my shower curtain.” Bennett frowned in confusion.
“On the Internet. Apparently, one of the other kids on the commercial went on to become a famous singer in a Grateful Dead cover band, so the clip was posted on a bunch of sites,” Lucy answered. “The second Lennon found out Tia was one of the rich Royale kids, he started digging around and he stumbled across the commercial.”
“Poor girl,” Gillian sympathized. “She was probably afraid that no one would support her animal rights’ campaign if they knew about that silly ad, but she was wrong. She was still a child when that was filmed!”
“She was still a child when she was murdered,” Lucy added with an undercurrent of anger. “Roslyn went to Tia’s place to warn her to get out of town, but Lennon followed Mommy Dearest. Inside, Roslyn accidentally dropped Ned’s fir tree charm and because she’d had it in her skirt pocket, where she was also keeping a small wedge of cheese, Snickers swallowed it. Lennon snuck in when the two women were talking and hid in Tia’s closet. He tried to get more money out of her and when she didn’t produce any right then and there, he grew enraged. They struggled and when she was weakened by strangulation, he zapped her with the paddles.”
James felt his mouth go dry. “What a monster.”
“Yeah, he’s messed up. And he and Roslyn have never had a healthy relationship. She said that throughout Lennon’s childhood, she went without so he could have nice things. She gave him too much power and spoiled him rotten, thinking that was how a loving parent acted.”
“I feel a little sorry for her,” Lindy admitted. “She has to live with the weight of so many regrets.”
Lucy nodded. “At least she feels remorse. Lennon is just ticked off that he got caught.”
“Well, that boy is in for a rude awakenin’ when he gets to prison,” Bennett concluded with satisfaction in his voice. “Not too much peace, love, and harmony in the ole slammer. Maybe he’ll learn a little bit about the value of freedom when he only gets to see the sky through a barred window. Maybe he’ll learn what he stole from Ned and Tia when the life he took for granted comes to a screechin’ halt.”
There wasn’t much more to say after that and the supper club meeting broke up shortly afterward. The friends were tired. Each of them felt glad to be welcoming the new season, as though the heat of the summer sun could burn away the damp, dirty residue left behind by a spring marred by stalking, blackmail, and murder. By mutual agreement, they all signed up for more sessions with Harmony. This time, however, no one was interested in treating sugar addictions. Instead, they wanted help in letting go of their repressed guilt for not discovering Lennon’s foul deeds earlier. They also had another shared goal: they wanted to kick off the summer feeling in control of their bodies, their minds, and their futures.
“And a sense of calm,” James added when he made the appointment with Harmony’s new assistant. Skye was long gone and though James didn’t know where the young woman went, he wished her a quick recovery from what was no doubt a deeply wounded heart.
_____
A few weeks into the month of June, James was reading emails on his home computer when Jane entered the tiny third bedroom he used as an office. The walls were lined with bookshelves and books filled every available nook and cranny. There were books piled on his desk, on the side tables, and in boxes and chest-high towers within the closet.
Jane walked into the room wearing a smile. “I forwarded you the email I received from Fay Sunray. Did I ever mention that I’d written her complaining about how she’d upset Eliot during the Nashville show?”
“No, you didn’t, but I thought about writing her myself.” He scrolled down his list of emails. “Here it is.”
“Dear Mrs. Henry,” the email began. “I definitely owe you, your son, and everyone at that concert an apology. That was not the time, the place, or the means to deliver my message to people about converting to a vegetarian lifestyle. In fact, my behavior may have done a cause near and dear to my heart more harm than good. We’ve had the offending song cut from the DVD version of the show and I’ve mailed you a free copy of the edited work along with a signed photograph and a selection of Fay Sunray Friends puppets. I know these items don’t make up for my poor judgment, but it is still, and always will be, my hope to bring a smile to your son’s face. Yours, Fay Sunray.”
“She sounds very sincere,” James said when he’d finished reading the email. “You know, she and Tia Royale would have gotten along well. But Fay seems to have realized something that Tia didn’t. You don’t have to be vulgar or crass to get your point across. A few farm puppets and a gentle manner can go a long way.”
Jane laughed. “You need to shut down that computer and start packing. We’ve got an early start tomorrow.”
“I know,” James answered without moving. “I still can’t believe we accepted a cruise from my employees. It feels so wrong and yet,” he glanced up at her with a smile, “so right.”
“We’d better have a vacation now, while we can.” She handed him a small package wrapped in white tissue paper.
“What’s this?” James asked and began to tear at the paper. Parting the tissue, he saw that Jane had bought him an ebook reader. “Jane!” He looked stunned and not just a little taken aback. “I’m a librarian. I … I can’t read books on a machine. I need to hold them, turn paper pages, leave a bookmark inside.” His eyes were anxious and Jane could see that he was concerned about hurting her feelings.
“It’s just for you to use at home or on trips,” she explained soothingly and gestured at the books. “And because we’re going to need to get rid of all these.”
James leapt from his chair. “WHAT? WHY?”
Ignoring him, Jane put her index finger on her chin and tapped. “A yellow paint would do nicely. Or maybe a calming moss-green.”
“Why do we need to paint this room? It’s fine the way it is!” James spluttered indignantly.
Jane put her arms around her husband. “Beige is a bit boring for a nursery. I think we’ll go with the green.” She drew James’ hand to her belly and smiled as his face began to glow with astonishment and joy. “Or we could just take a chance and paint it pink. I’ve got a powerful feeling that this one’s a girl.”
The End
Dolly’s Blueberry Dream Pie
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened (Dolly prefers Philadelphia-
brand cream cheese)
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
½ cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
½ cup water
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
3 cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream. Spread in a pre-baked pastry shell.
2. In a large saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice. Stir with wooden spoon until smooth, and then stir in blueberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a sprig of mint (optional).
Milla’s Chocolate Mocha Cake
Cake ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
1 cup hot
water
Ddirections:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans. (Milla likes PAM Baking spray)
2. Measure flour, sugar, cocoa, oil, eggs, buttermilk, baking powder, soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. Dissolve instant coffee in hot water. Add to mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth; batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
3. Bake 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto racks to cool completely.
4. Frost with Milla’s Coffee Icing. For garnish, sprinkle outside edges of cake with dark chocolate shavings.
Milla’s Coffee Icing
Frosting ingredients:
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Beat together sugar, butter, coffee, and vanilla until smooth. To thicken frosting, add more confectioners’ sugar.
Jane & Eliot’s Vegetarian Pizzadillas
Ingredients:
Package of flour tortillas or mini flour tortillas
Small jar of marinara sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (Jane and Eliot also enjoy
the Italian blend available in the dairy aisle)
½ cup mushrooms
½ cup black olives
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Spread 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on each tortilla. Sprinkle
½ cup shredded cheese on top of sauce.
Add sliced vegetables (mushrooms, black olives, or any veggie
you enjoy).
Place a plain tortilla on top and press down slightly.
Melt butter in skillet.
Place pizzadilla in a warmed skillet until cheese melts and
tortilla turns golden brown.
Flip pizzadilla over to evenly brown other side.
Remove from skillet and allow pizzadilla to cool slightly.
Cut each pizzadilla into quarters using pizza cutter.
gillian’s zen cocktail
Mix one part ZEN Green Tea Liqueur with two parts white cranberry juice.
Serve over ice with spring of mint as garnish.
Gillian’s Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mash black beans. Mix in onion, jalapeño pepper, crushed bread crumbs, egg, cheese, garlic, and pepper. Divide into 4 equal parts. Shape into patties.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Top with cheese slices or a splash of taco sauce.
Gillian’s Dummer Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
¼ cup honey
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup cubed seedless watermelon
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Directions:
In a blender, combine the honey, lime juice, and poppy seeds to make dressing. In a serving bowl, combine the fruit. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with the almonds.
About the Author
J. B. Stanley has a BA in English from Franklin & Marshall College, an MA in English Literature from West Chester University, and an MLIS from North Carolina Central University. She taught sixth grade language arts in Cary, North Carolina, for the majority of her eight-year teaching career. Raised an antique lover by her grandparents and parents, Stanley also worked part-time in an auction gallery. An eBay junkie and food lover, Stanley now lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, two young children, and three cats. Visit her website at www.jbstanley.com.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title_Page
Copyright
Epigraph
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Afterword
Recipes
About_the_Author