Stardust A Novel (16 page)
“I see you got some shopping in while you were gone. Beautiful dress.”
“I had to do something to pass the time. I simply couldn’t hang around the respiratory ward with the kids. I wouldn’t dream of putting them in danger. And I made sure Hud took a shower the minute he came back to the hotel. And kiss him? Forget it. I was terrified he’d picked up the germs from breathing the same air.”
“How’s his cousin?”
“Not good. Apparently there are different types of infantile paralysis, which I didn’t know. Lolly has the worst kind, which attacked her throat and chest muscles. If not for the iron lung, she would’ve died within hours.” She shuddered. “It’s too gruesome to even think about. Nina Beth, her daughter, has the other type, which affects the muscles in the arms and legs. She’s improving slowly, but with a paralyzed right arm and leg, she’ll probably have permanent damage, maybe even a shrunken leg. Poor thing won’t ever get to play basketball or be in a beauty pageant.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I needed therapy of some type, so I took Hud’s checkbook and left Houston in a better financial state than I found it. But I didn’t come to talk about that. I want to see what the Magnolias did while I was gone. And I must say, you’ve never looked better.”
“I’m a fright, Sally. Look at me.” I held out my arms so she could get a good look at O’Dell’s shirt and the rolled-up Levi’s that had become my work attire.
“No, it’s not your clothes. You have a glow about you. Is that a new shade of eye shadow you’re wearing? And your hair, pulled up on top of your head. It’s darling.”
“Thanks, but no new makeup, and my hair is easier to manage with it up.”
“Must be that cute fella you had working here when I left. Anything going on with him?”
“Peter? Good heavens, no. He’s the handyman. Roofer, painter, plumber, whatever comes up. At least he was. He left a few days ago.”
“So the cottages are all done?”
“Nearly. Mr. Miller from the lumberyard is sending someone out tomorrow to finish up. And on Wednesday, I have an electrician and welders coming to fix the neon sign out front. Can you believe it? This place is almost done!” Until that moment I didn’t realize how much I’d missed Sally and having someone to talk to, to share my excitement with. I opened my arms, and like the best friends we were, we hugged until we both burst into a fit of the giggles.
Sally got control first. “I’ve missed you. Now, c’mon and show me what the Magnolias did.”
We strolled arm in arm even though the heat and humidity took our breath away. Here and there we stopped to admire the junipers and Indian hawthorne the Magnolias planted alongside the gravel parking spaces, yellow rosebushes at the corners of the cottages. The window boxes, freshly painted, were ready to be filled with flowers.
Sally stood back and admired it all. “What do you think for the boxes? Geraniums? Petunias?”
“Something easy. Maybe a few bachelor buttons and some asparagus fern.” As we circled back toward the office, we passed Mary Frances in her outdoor lounge chair, a cigarette in one hand and a magazine in the other. Beside her, Sebastian stretched out like a sentry.
“Sally? My goodness gracious, aren’t you a vision on this hot day!”
“Thank you, Mrs. Peyton. You’re looking well, too.” Sebastian rose and came to lick Sally’s hand. “I didn’t know you had a dog.”
Mary Frances smiled. “Georgia’s handyman had to leave, so he left Sebastian with me. It reminds me of the mutt O’Dell had as a child.”
Sally gave me a questioning look but patted Mary Frances on the knee. “I think it’s splendid you’ve taken the dog. He’ll be great company for you.”
“Hmmph.” She went back to reading her magazine, and we ambled off.
Later in the office, I plugged in the electric fan and propped open the front door to let the air circulate. Sally sipped a glass of sweet tea. “You’ve got more courage than I would, taking on Mary Frances. It’s nothing short of amazing how much difference a couple of weeks has made.”
“Thanks, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. So far, so good.”
“What’s up with the dog? You said Peter left, but if I’m not mistaken, a man doesn’t up and leave his dog behind.”
“I got the feeling he needed to get to San Antonio as soon as possible. It was a woman who called, and I’m nearly sure she was giving Peter an ultimatum.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Who knows? He could have a wife and six kids for all I know. He never discusses his personal life. Cecil’s having trouble getting the part for Peter’s car, so I took him to the bus station. Not to change the subject or anything, but how does next Monday sound for having the crawfish boil? That would give the Magnolias time to finish here and let me get the million and one last-minute things done before I open on the twenty-ninth. It depends on if you and Hud can come that night.”
“Hud will be down in Houston. He always spends the last week of the month there. But I’ll be here, wouldn’t miss it for all the oil in Texas. Have you thought about what you’re wearing?”
“Gracious, no. I’ll find something. Maybe the peasant outfit I wore in the talent show last summer.”
Sally clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder about you. This is a big event in Mayhaw, and I assure you, the newspaper will be here taking pictures. Even if your handsome handyman’s not around, you need to get dolled up once in a while. You never know who might see your picture in the paper.”
“I do want people to take me seriously as a businesswoman, but as far as impressing suitors—forget it. I’m still a grieving widow.”
“Get out of here. You don’t need to pretend with me. We both know O’Dell cheated on you even before you were married…” She looked at me to see if she’d said too much.
I lifted my chin, giving her a steady, tight-lipped glare as she continued.
“Heaven knows, every time you turned around, there was some rumor. I hate to say it, sugar, but it’s time you gave up that hunt for the O’Dell you’ve created in your mind.”
“Sally!” My chest tightened. A sprinkle of gasoline and a match and I would be set to go off like a bottle rocket, but I’d rather swallow glass than lose control of the moment.
Hands up, palms out, I said, “Sally, we both know O’Dell had a rambling spirit. I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt since he has two little girls who love him. And he adored them. There is no point in bringing all this up. All it’s doing is getting me riled up for no good reason.”
“Something needs to get you riled. You’re a beautiful woman, in the prime of your life.”
“If that’s true, and I have serious doubts, then why on earth did O’Dell choose this time to up and leave me for another woman?” The words flew out scalding and bitter. My face flamed when I looked beyond Sally at the figure that stepped across the threshold.
Mary Frances.
Her eyes flashed, and I didn’t know whether it was confusion or anger or shock. Or the sudden realization her world had just been shattered.
Her jaw dropped to her chest. Fish-mouthed, she tried to speak, but no words formed.
Mustering a smile, I spoke with a feigned cheerfulness. “Hi, sweetie. What can I do for you?”
Wary, her eyes darted from me to Sally. “The phone. I came to use the phone.” Her voice was rusty.
“Of course. Do you want me to get the operator on the line? Do you have the number?”
“No. I need to call the insurance man about the settlement on the fire.”
“I thought he said a couple of weeks.”
She spoke through tight lips. “A week or two, he said.”
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to check then.”
“Some other time. I’m not feeling well.”
Sally offered her arm. “Here. I’ll help you sit down.”
Mary Frances flinched. “Stop. You both know I heard what you said.” Her icy stare was aimed at me. “How could you?”
“How could I what?”
“Say something so terrible about O’Dell.”
Decision time. Deny it and keep on with the charade. Or tell her the truth.
I should’ve lied.
Instead, I went to her and put my arm around her shoulder. “I didn’t want to tell you. I knew it would be a shock, and I hoped he would tell you himself.”
“Any problems in your marriage were no doubt from the tight leash you kept on O’Dell. It’s no wonder my sweet boy took to being a traveling salesman to get away from you.”
“Tight leash? Wherever did you get that impression? I was devastated. More than once, I might add.”
Her body coiled under my grasp, and she pulled away. “You never spent a minute grieving for him. Flirting with that disgusting Applegate boy at the Sweet Shoppe. Trying to get me to tell you how much insurance O’Dell left you. What did you think? Were you planning to get you a big, fancy house like your friend here?” Her dark eyes darted to Sally, who, bless her heart, swooshed across the office and took Mary Frances’s hands in hers.
“You know Georgia wanted nothing more than to be O’Dell’s wife, forever and ever. You know Southern women are bred to forgive and look the other way. It’s hard, sweetie, to overhear truths like that, but honestly, Georgia has been in agony for months. She’s done everything to protect you and those darling girls of hers. Not to mention O’Dell’s reputation.”
“O’Dell would’ve told me if he was thinking about leaving you, Georgia. I never heard one peep from him.” The venom in her voice came from deep resentment of being alone and the belief that a child always puts his mother first.
My own bitterness swelled. “I’m sure he would’ve told you eventually. I even hoped he would change his mind and come back. I know this upsets you, but I’ve been carrying this around far too long. Perhaps it’s good you found out.”
“For what reason? To break my already weary heart?” Her veiny hand rested on her chest.
“No. It clears the air, that’s all.”
“If, in fact, you’re telling the truth.”
“I have no reason to make up lies. Would you like the details? Her name? How much insurance money he left her?”
Her eyes grew round, her body shrinking away from Sally and toward the front door. She gave me a final glare and turned, her arms pumping as she stomped back to her cottage.
I steadied myself on the counter and took a deep breath. “That didn’t go so well.”
Sally now came to me with hugs, pats of reassurance. “She had to know sometime.”
“No, she didn’t. It was my own burden to bear. It had nothing to do with her and the love she had for her only child.”
“O’Dell sure didn’t seem to mind whose heart he broke.”
“O’Dell is dead. He can’t hurt me anymore. But here’s the thing: he’s the girls’ daddy, and that counts for something. Inside, my loyalty to them and the hurt he inflicted on me are twisted together. They’re the strangest bedfellows you can imagine.” My attempt at a laugh was pathetic.
Sally looked at her watch. “Sweetie, if you think that way, O’Dell will have a hold on you forever. I know I’d be spitting mad, wanting some sort of revenge. Since you can’t do anything to get back at him, you’re just going to have to make your peace with it.”
“It’s not like I can run out to the cemetery and have a heart-to-heart talk with him.”
“Of course not.” She tapped her foot and looked at her watch again. “Look, I need to go. I’ll call you later to see how Mary Frances is holding up. And you—I know you don’t want to hear it—but things
will
get better. Your life isn’t over. Not even close.” She took a wad of bills from her handbag and shoved them at me. “A new dress. My treat. I want you to be stunning at the crawfish boil, you hear?”
She didn’t wait for the answer and swooshed out the door.
I held the cash to my chest. Dear, sweet Sally. It would take more than new clothes to make me feel stunning. Too bad a new heart wasn’t as easy to buy as a party dress.
I
knew I needed to go to Mary Frances, to apologize for O’Dell. Yet it wasn’t me who had been unfaithful; I’d only inherited the aftermath. So instead I went to check on Catfish.
When I’d first mentioned the crawfish boil to Ludi, she’d said, “You be leaving that to Ludi, Miz Georgie. First off, you got no proper place to cook a mess of crawdads. They got to be cooked while they’s still wiggling, and an outdoor fire be the way to go.” She then volunteered Catfish to gather the stones and make an outdoor fireplace in the clearing behind the cottages. He and his friend Stick—a boy half a head taller than Catfish and aptly named—had been working steadily and now sat with their backs against a pair of sycamores. Sunlight filtered through half-grown leaves the color of green apples, dappled patches like confetti dancing around them.
Catfish jumped up when he saw me. “We’s just taking a rest.” He hurried over to a massive structure in the clearing. It stood waist high, a three-sided oven of sorts made of stones expertly stacked and mortared together. Flat stones fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to form an apron in front.
He cocked his head, eyes shining. “What do you think?”
“Goodness gracious, when your momma said you could build a barbecue, I had no idea it would be something so huge… and wow. This is something.”