Deep Dixie (48 page)

Riley nodded slowly. He understood now. Dixie could see it in his eyes.
“
So that
’
s why Miss Lettie never allowed Wallace Summers in the house again.
”

“
Actually, Granny Lett turned us away before that, when my father came to ask for money. He had stopped drinking and wanted to make a fresh start someplace new.
”
Fulton looked down at his grandmother, his face obscured by the angle of his head, his voice unreadable.
“
When John Frederick Fulton-Leigh found out, he offered my father a job at the Cartage, driving a truck.
”

Dixie let out a long sigh.
“
My father bore the guilt over that decision all the rest of his life. He did not blame Wallace for the accident. He knew that was what it was, but he never forgave himself for the role he played in putting those events in action.
”

The room fell silent except for the ticking of the antique mantle clock and the ceaseless creaking of Miss Lettie
’
s rocker.

“
Daddy never forgave himself. Miss Lettie never forgave Wallace. Fulton can
’
t seem to forgive Miss Lettie...
”
Dixie felt her lips trembling and her cheeks were wet with tears.
“
What an awful, awful legacy to ascribe to these people we loved so much.
”

Dixie sank into Riley
’
s embrace.

“
It
’
s not too late to fix this.
”
Riley kissed Dixie
’
s temple then turned his head toward the others.

Miss Lettie set her jaw. Fulton
’
s return had gone a long way toward breaking through. Seeing him again must have been powerful medicine for the years of wasted suffering.

Fulton seemed hesitant, but not resistant.

“
He never meant to hurt them. It was an accident.
”
Fulton
’
s whispered words were full of sorrow.

“
I know, baby I know.
”
Lettie held one tiny, trembling hand out to her grandson.

In no longer than a heartbeat, he was on his knees in front of her, his arms around her, gingerly at first then holding her close.

“
I am so sorry, baby,
”
she murmured into his neck.
“
So sorry
”

“
I should have come to see you sooner.
”
He lifted the hankie from her hand and used it to wipe away the dampness beneath her deep-set eyes.
“
I was wrong to hold it against you for so long, not to come to see you. Not to let you get to know my family.
”

“
Family?
”
Lettie caressed her grandson
’
s face.
“
What family?
”

“
I have a little girl, Granny Lett. We lost her mother about a year ago, so she
’
s all I have...besides you, now.
”

Dixie cleared her throat and took a sidestep toward the table where the Bible lay hidden under Lettie
’
s birthday journal.
“
Actually, I think you might be surprised at just how much family you have, Fulton.
”

“
Dixie Belle is right, baby.
”

In two quick strides, Dixie stood at Fulton
’
s side, the Bible in her hands open to the family register.
“
I think you ought to have this.
”

Fulton took the Bible from her, gave her a wary, confused look, then re-settled his glasses on the bridge of his nose and began to read. His eyes widened.
“
Is this...true?
”
He looked to Lettie for an answer.

She nodded.

Dixie clutched her hands together.
“
Your mother was supposed to tell you this when you turned twenty-one. Sadly, she never got that chance.
”

Fulton stammered for a moment, apparently unable to speak.

Dixie gently touched his shoulder, then spoke quietly enough that Miss Lettie could not hear her.
“
While you take a minute to absorb all this, do you mind if I call the girls downstairs? Miss Lettie is beginning to wear out, and I know she
’
d love to meet her great-granddaughter before she
’
s too tired.
”

Fulton glanced up from the Bible to Dixie.
“
How long have you known this?
”

“
Only a few days. May I call Sarah down?
”

“
I...I don
’
t know. I
’
m not sure I
’
m ready to deal with any of this, especially not in front of my child. My mother always deferred any question about her father, and I always assumed... well, I never assumed
this
.
”
He splayed his fingers over the open pages.
“
I have to confess I am stunned by this information.
”

“
Not an altogether inappropriate response to finding out you are related to this family...Cousin.
”
She patted his back.
“
Now, may I call the girls?
”

“
Do it now or do it later,
”
Riley hastened to remind Fulton.

Dixie offered her most dazzling smile, and Fulton nodded.

“
I
’
ll go get them. I
’
ve been looking forward to this.
”
Riley hit the stairs at an upbeat stride.

Watching Riley
’
s unmasked satisfaction over the outcome of this meeting, it suddenly dawned on Dixie that he had probably unloaded Grandpa on the ladies
’
club on purpose. Like it or not, Riley Walker obviously felt like he belonged in the heart of this intensely personal family matter. He clearly felt he
was
family.

Dixie could not conceal her smile at that thought.
Maybe someday
...

“
I just don
’
t know what to think, Granny Lett. I don
’
t understand why no one ever told me, why the years and years of secrecy.
”

“
It was a different time, baby.
”

“
That
’
s about as much of an answer as you
’
re going to get, Fulton,
”
Dixie whispered.
“
And if I may be perfectly blunt, it
’
s about all you need.
”

Their gazes met.

“
I won
’
t pretend I can possibly understand what it
’
s like growing up in these parts as anything but a fair-skinned woman of rank and privilege. I won
’
t insult you like that, but I have to assume that your own experiences tell you something of what Miss Lettie and your mother would have faced if the truth had been known.
”

Overhead the thunder of giggling girls made her pause and look up then rush on to finish.
“
This was the nineteen forties, fifties and sixties. Things have changed, I can see it, but not so much that you can
’
t understand the motives behind all this.
”

He nodded, his mouth grim.
“
Sometimes I
’
m not really convinced they
’
ve changed all that much at all.
”

“
Daddy, Daddy! Guess what, guess what?
”
Sarah Summers burst onto the scene her arms spread wide and her pigtails flying.
“
Wendy and I are
twins
!
”

“
You
’
re what?
”
Fulton cupped his hand to the back of his child
’
s head.

“
We
’
re twins!
”
The girls cried in unison as Wendy came skipping into the parlor, with Riley
strolling along behind her.

“
We both love chunky peanut butter, chocolate milk, and stuffed animals. We can
’
t stand it when the gravy slops onto our vegetables and we both think having our daddies pick out our clothes for us is for babies!
”
Sarah beamed.

“
I like for Miss Dixie to pick out my clothes,
”
Wendy added, her face quite serious as though she were breaking important news to her father.

“
And we
’
re both doubles!
”
Sarah announced.

“
Doubles?
”
Fulton shook his head.

“
Yes, Sarah Summers, Wendy Walker.
”
Sarah
’
s hands flew in bigger and bigger gestures as she tried to make what seemed ridiculously obvious to her clear to her befuddled dad.
“
S.S., WW! Doubles.
”

“
That makes us twins.
’“
Wendy reached for her newfound friend. Sarah reciprocated, and the two girls locked in a big bear hug.

Dixie smiled at them, then met Fulton
’
s gaze.
“
Well, maybe things haven
’
t changed all that much, but there
’
s still hope, don
’
t you think?
”

Fulton laughed his wonderful laugh and that was answer enough.

Chapter Nineteen

“
How does this affect your family, Dixie?
”
Fulton, sitting on the couch nearest Miss Lettie, took a sip of the iced tea she
’
d brought in for him on a silver platter.

“
Makes it bigger?
”
Dixie put her arms around both girls, who were seated on the floor beside the footstool, gazing up at Miss Lettie in her rocker.

Riley had gone off to gather up the arts and culture set, or at least this household
’
s contribution to it, and left Dixie and the others to talk over some of the more practical details of their new discovery.
“
But if I were you, Fulton, I
’
d be asking myself how does this affect me?
”

“
Why?
”

“
Ask me that after you
’
ve met Aunt Sis and my Grandpa. You can call him Smilin
’
Bob.
”
Dixie reached over and patted Miss Lettie
’
s hand.
“
Seems to me we
’
ve got ourselves another rowboat to help out when things get really wild around here.
”

Lettie cackled.

Fulton tugged at his collar then pushed up his glasses.

Sarah sat up straight.
“
What do you mean a rowboat, Miss Dixie?
”

“
Oh, my, you don
’
t know about the rowboats?
”
Dixie slapped her hand to her thigh.
“
Well, you have got to ask your great-granny about that, sweetheart, she will be ever-so-pleased to tell you. Isn
’
t that right, Miss Lettie? Now you
’
ve got a whole new generation of children who haven
’
t ever heard your stories and songs or benefited from your sage advice!
”

“
I
’
m happy as a hog on ice, I tell you, Dixie Belle!
”
Her hands made no sound as she patted them together, but her broad grin spoke volumes.