Bring on the Rain (26 page)

“
Ah, hell.” He laid his head
back rubbing his eyes with his palms.

Smiling, she did the repairs and zipped
his pants, and sat back on the bench, which was close by. “You’d
best go, before they get back.” She hated to, but she had to remind
him that she still had a dozen things to do tonight.

Mitch sat up, nodded almost absently.
They both stood. He watched her unlock the door, turn on a lamp.
Madeline walked to the steps with him. He leaned down and gave her
a silky kiss. It was a loose and relaxed one. He looked into her
eyes, shook his head as if in astonishment.

His legs weren‘t quite so steady as he
left. He had to hold onto the truck door a moment before he opened
it. Madeline laughed knowing that mind spinning feeling, the warm
fog of pleasure.

He had pulled out, so she walked over
and fetched the towel to put in the wash. Who knew, that leaving it
out here after she had pulled it off her wet hair would serve a
purpose. The whole thing had been exciting. Her body was still
ready for lovemaking.

She would feel entirely different come
morning.

Chapter 14

Madeline had been up half the night
after a long shower. She made chili and ironed Brook’s uniform,
counted packs of chips, and got everything ready so Brook could get
some sleep.

She was still crashed when Coy came and
picked up Brook early and all the things she needed to take for
sell.

Madeline awoke and read the note Brook
left, brewed coffee, and then stumbled to the porch with a mug of
it—blinking at a super-bright sun and white sky.

The cup was at her mouth, a sip of
coffee going down, when she saw the new jeep sitting there. Shiny,
black, with temporary tags. She took one more drink, and walked
barefoot down the steps, not caring if the neighbors saw her hair
sticking up and chili spotted T-shirt and boxers with lips on them.
She walked all around the bad little vehicle, opened the door, and
got the note off the seat.

It read, Madeline, You’d better like
this jeep, because yours is shot to hell. If you do, the info is in
the glove box, payment book, and what not. A distant cousin has a
dealership and he put in a call. Need your info, but he is cool
till Monday. Drive it around, see how you like it? I got a feeling
you will. If the payments are a problem, let me know; we’ll work
out something for you. See you later today. Hope you got more sleep
than I did. We’re playing at the gazebo this evening,
Mitch.

“
Like it?” Madeline snorted
touching the shiny paint job and new interior. “Like it
hell.”

She crawled in, bare feet and all and
started it up. She looked at the features, 4-wheel drive, a CD
player, and hers didn’t even have a tape player. She looked up at
the removable top, smiling, picturing herself, and Ruby cruising in
it, music loud, and summer sun high. Madeline could feel the wind
in her hair.

She rushed to get dressed had ran
around in a towel after her shower, picking up the mess from last
night. She dashed back to the bedroom, put on scented lotion and a
sundress— straight, cream colored, with violets on it and a round
neckline, the hem landed mid-thigh. She put on her watch, her
locket, and slid her feet into flip-flops before she combed her
hair, slid sunglasses on her head, got a small purse and took a
couple of C.D.s out to the jeep.

Madeline started it, figured where
everything was, then slid the C.D. in and headed down the road with
Diamond Rio blasting aloud.

She turned it down when she ran into
town traffic. Everyone was vying for parking space. The echo of the
marching bands in the distance. For the first time in her life,
Madeline was careful where she parked, not wanting a scratch on her
new jeep. She decided she could walk a bit rather than try and
squeeze in some alley.

Madeline parked on the grass slope near
a half-finished building that was going to sell electronics. She
got out and put her keys in her purse, the strap over her shoulder,
and headed toward the crowds.

The streets on all sides were dense
with people. The Center Park was colorful with booths, balloons,
and flags. She heard the sounds of marching bands, and edged her
way to the corner so she could see the parade.

It came with a resounding cheer from
the crowd, a dozen noises, whistling, yelling, and shouting. The
VFW and other local military were represented first, some marching,
carrying flags, and wearing their uniforms, others riding in
antique cars. The school band was playing; It’s a Grand Old Flag
when the cheerleaders came along in red, white, and
blue.

Brook was with the co-captain and two
other girls in a blue convertible. She waved a flag, winked at her.
Madeline smiled and waved back.

It went on by and others came, horses,
children, motorcycles with military men, flags on the sissy bars.
The crowd was excited, the atmosphere fun and patriotic. Madeline
knew Brook had to exit the car somewhere and get on the
float.

She did come by again, near the end,
wearing another uniform and tossing candy out along with paper
flowers. She had been elected Miss Spring Fest, but had really
wanted to ride with and represent her cheerleading team. The
organizers had agreed she could forgo a formal gown; after all,
Brook told them, she was selling hot dogs later too.

The parade over, there was a shifting
of people, booths were visited, kids had their faces painted.
Madeline moved along the park looking around, smelled popcorn,
pretzels, and candy apples. Elders were smiling and talking, many
wearing ribbons on their breast taking up benches, some wearing
T-shirts with pictures of the people they lost in the wars on
them.

She was talking to neighbors when she
spied Brook again and was motioned over.

Madeline made her way to the tables,
set up in a V with the high school banner hanging on them. “Did you
get everything here okay?” she asked Brook as she reached
her.

“
Yes.” Brook poured her a
coke and handed it to her. She spoke to the other cheerleaders then
explained “Coy helped me set it up. They’re playing tonight at the
Gazebo. I saw Ruby down there at her booth, she’s got awesome
stuff, and Karla and Jenna are here with jerk Tony. Somewhere down
the street.”

“
You need anything
here?”

“
Not yet. “ People were
crowding around. “We’ll probably sell out fast though. I have to
help load the stuff back. Do you want me to meet you somewhere or
what?”

“
You’ll want to hook up with
Karla, and watch Coy play. I’ll see you at the Gazebo.” Madeline
shrugged.

“
Fine.” Brook smiled, her
attention drawn by a man requesting eight hot-dog.

“
Later.” Madeline left her
to the customers and went in search of Ruby.

Ruby’s booth was colorful. She was
selling a bit of everything from jewelry to wood sculptures, though
it looked like the schoolgirls were doing the selling. Ruby was
sitting in a fold up chair, drinking diet soda.

“
Like the outfit.” Madeline
told her, standing beside the chair and checking out her friend’s
shorts and top. The shorts had a blue background with white stars,
the top a red background and white strips. Shoes were blue clogs
and she wore a hat with a flag on the brim. It sort of hurt the
eyes at first, but was so Ruby.

“
Thanks, you look
pretty.”

“
Comfortable at least.”
Madeline wiggled her toes in the flip-flops.

“
Heard about your
car.”

“
You did? From
who?”

“
Eula Mae. Heard the Copper
Creek cavalry came to your rescue.”

Madeline laughed. “Well it was
something. I’ll have to relay it in better detail for you
later.”

Ruby looked at her grin. “Oh, yes, you
will. That look on your face is very…interesting.”

Madeline said, “You listening to the
music later?”

“
Yep, I’ll see you
there.”

“
Hey, did you see Jenna
yet?”

“
Sure did, she’s probably
looking for you.”

She said bye and found Jenna. Madeline
called out to her.

Tony singleton turned his
sunglass-hidden eyes toward her. He stepped toward a booth selling
sweets, apparently, so the women could talk.

Madeline, through her own shaded
glasses, tried to see Jenna’s expression. “Hey, girl, how you
doing?”

“
Fine, real good.” Jenna
grinned sliding her glasses up. She was in a linen short outfit,
very flattering, and wearing star earrings.

“
Are you? I see you and Tony
are still dating.”

“
Yep. I was meaning to ask
you, could Karla stay at your house awhile? I know you have a lot
going on, but I’ve got tickets to Dollywood that expire soon. I
haven’t had a vacation in years. Seems like a good time to use
them.”

“
Sure, she can stay. Y’all
got the Prom and Graduation stuff all done?”

“
Got her dress and
everything, Tony took us shopping last weekend. She’s picked a
gorgeous dress. He bought it for her. She’s in at the community
college, no problem with the classes or anything. Tony knew someone
there and rushed all of her stuff through. He’s helping her trade
her car in for a better one. I was burned on it, you know. Anyway,
I can’t believe how much time I have to think, now that he’s in my
life.” She smiled looking at the man. “He’s taken care of so many
little things, and big ones. It’s nice not to have to do it
all.”

“
I see.” Madeline looked at
Tony too. He was in khaki slacks and a white linen shirt, his
shaved head shining in the sun, his glasses very expensive, his
watch catching the light as he drank from his cup. She did not like
the fast, blithe way her friend was chattering. It was not like her
at all.

“
Brook looked pretty
today.”

“
Yes, she did.” Madeline
smiled and looked at her, and saw tension around her eyes. “Is
everything all right?”

Her smile wavered. “Yes. You’ve been
talking to Ruby?”

“
It’s not that. You know
what I said that first day, have you noticed anything you’re not
comfortable with?”

The glasses were put down again to hide
her eyes. “All men have their little...quirks.” Jenna shrugged
looking away as if watching the crowds. “Everyone has something
people have to overlook, even me. I’m tired and grouchy all the
time, stressed from work, not the easiest person to live
with.”

“
What kinds of
quirks?”

Jenna’s lips tensed as she turned to
Madeline again, sliding her glasses up on her head. “Look, I know
y’all don't like him. I’m sorry about that. I am not like you two.
You’re looking for some perfect guy who doesn’t exist. My husband
wasn’t perfect. I loved him. But we had our problems. Since he’s
been gone, there has been a lot shit for me to handle. I’m tired of
doing it all, I’m ready for someone to step in and ease the
load.”

“
I understand,” Madeline
said softly. “But settling on someone is… It’s not the answer.
Jenna.”

Jenna’s eyes were wet. “Y’all are not
going to let up, are you? Between you and Ruby, I can’t run my own
damn life.” She slid her glasses down and stepped off the
sidewalk.

“
Jenna.” Madeline caught up
with her, touching her arm to stop her pace. “I’ll watch Karla,
and—hell, I’m sorry, I just worry about you.”

Jenna held stiffly but nodded.
“Thanks.” Her voice still held tears. “I just want to be happy too,
Madeline.” She shot her a small smile, and then walked toward
Tony.

Madeline stood there and watched as
Tony leaned down and asked her something. Jenna seemed to shrug. He
touched her arm leading her forward, but looked back at Madeline,
and from the set of his lips, she knew he was glaring
coldly.

Madeline went back to Ruby, unfolded a
chair fetched from the van, and spoke in a low tone, telling her
about the conversation.

Ruby looked around and shook her head.
“I could see it, if he was a warm person. We all like guys who will
do those little, and big things for us. However, he’s manipulative,
I think. Like, he’s trying to feel her out and see what she wants,
doing it to check off the list. Not because he wants to, or feels
anything for her. I’ve never seen anyone so fake and detached in my
life.”

“
Karla can’t stand him, and
it’s not because he wants her mother. She can’t stand him. I get
the feeling she and Jenna fight over it. Usually, I don't mind
Karla staying, but this feels wrong, like a high-tension thing I’m
getting in the middle of.”

“
Maybe you can find out
something about him from Karla.”

Madeline nodded. “I will.”

One of the students came over and
talked to them a moment. An elderly man bought several things. He
had them laughing as he flirted and winked at Ruby.

Ruby and Madeline were both standing
when Jason came over. He had on dark blue slacks and a white polo
shirt.