Stardust A Novel (32 page)

“The funny thing is, he remembered Mr. Sweeney. Said they both stayed there years ago.”

“You sure know a lot about your customers.”

“Yep, we’re one big happy family. And get this, Malcolm is sweet on Mary Frances. She’s started fixing herself up, putting color on her cheeks. She even painted her toenails and started wearing stylish clothes.”

“Get out of here. Your Mary Frances?”

“Yep. The change in her has been miraculous.”

“You’ve changed, too. I like your hair. Did Twila Flynn cut it for you?”

“No. Ludi did.”

“Your colored woman? You let her cut your hair?”

When I nodded, Aunt Cora shook her head. “I can’t believe you trusted a colored woman.”

“She’s my friend and has more talents in her little finger than I’ll ever have. I wish I’d cut it ages ago.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“O’Dell liked it long. Not that it kept him home, but I’m getting past that. As a matter of fact, I’ve decided facing the truth of our relationship is for the best.”

Aunt Cora picked at the polish on her fingernail. “There’s still a place for being discreet.”

“Maybe so, but when it affects others, it’s senseless to keep up the charade. It wasn’t Bonnie’s fault her mother had an affair with O’Dell. I saw how haunted the poor thing was, not knowing if her mother had abandoned her, or if she was even alive. That’s why I took her to Tyler when I went to get Willie. I wanted her to see her mother, even if it wasn’t under the best of conditions.”

“She’s awfully young to be taken onto a polio ward.”

“The people at the hospital didn’t think so, and I was shocked at her resilience. She saw her mother in the iron lung and didn’t even flinch. Climbed up on a stool and caressed her mother’s face. It was precious.”

“I hope she’s not scarred for life.”

“I think not knowing would have left a bigger scar.”

“I don’t know where you’ve gotten all these ideas, Georgia. I’ve simply never understood you.”

“You tried. I know you did. I do wish you’d told me my parents had problems and weren’t coming back. It would’ve saved us both a lot of grief.”

“You were too young to handle the information.”

“You might have been surprised.”

She drew her lips tight, her body rigid beside me. Funny, but I no longer felt anger toward her as I had in the past. A bit sad and melancholy, but perhaps I was simply unable to wring out any other emotion after the stress of the past two days.

She turned to me. “Why does the name Malcolm Overstreet sound so familiar?”

Either she hadn’t heard a word I said or she was ignoring me. “Perhaps he was one of the men who sneaked in the back door to entertain you.”

My skin prickled with a million tiny needles. The words had just slipped out. The moment I said it, I wished I hadn’t. No matter what my beef with Aunt Cora, I had never accused her in such a way. And she’d been a pillar for me with Avril.

She laughed. “Whatever are you talking about? Men at the back door? I swan, Georgia, I think you’re the one with a fever.” Her voice was tinny, hollow.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You’re right, you shouldn’t have. But I’m flabbergasted, absolutely stymied by where you came up with such a statement.” Her voice had returned to normal, and like truth massaged over time, I believed she did think she was innocent. That my child’s eye hadn’t seen the men who came and went. That my young imagination wasn’t capable of figuring out Aunt Cora was nothing more than a courtesan in her own home.

Avril touched me on the shoulder. “Mommy, I’m hungry.”

“Oh, sweetie, you must be feeling better.” I touched her forehead. As cool as a spring breeze.

Aunt Cora rose and scooped Avril up. “So tell me. Are you really, really hungry? Hungry enough to eat a bear? Or only hungry enough for some of Auntie’s special tomato soup?”

She giggled. “I want a Popsicle. My throat hurts.”

Avril had two Popsicles while Aunt Cora fixed tomato soup for herself and me. In her usual fashion, she didn’t mention our earlier conversation until I was ready to tuck Avril into bed.

“I remember Malcolm Overstreet. You know, maybe it’s time we had the talk you’ve been pestering me about for twenty years.” She patted me on the cheek. “Someday soon.”

Either Aunt Cora, too, had decided to quit striving or her iron will had finally cracked. And something about that made my own foundation feel it was about to shatter.

[ CHAPTER 38 ]

A
vril woke up with a stuffy nose, a low-grade fever, and enough energy to power a fishing boat through the bayou. Aunt Cora agreed to drop us off at the Stardust before she headed to church. She refused my invitation to come in but promised she’d call later to check on us.

Mary Frances met us with open arms. “You’ve no idea how glad I am to see you. I am worn plumb down to the nubs. I haven’t slept a wink in two nights, the girls had to fix their own breakfast, and I have blisters on my feet from these blasted high heels.”

“Whoa. Let’s start from the top, okay? First of all, why don’t you get some comfortable shoes? And Rosey’s old enough to help out, so that’s no problem. How was Willie?”

“Oh, he’s been an angel. You know, O’Dell was the same way. The best baby on earth.”

“I’m sure he was. Why don’t you take a break and put your feet up for a while? And take Avril with you.”

The two of them were gone before I could snap my fingers. The office was a mess. Cookie crumbs and crayons scattered on the floor. Stray coffee cups. But it was good to be home, and I hummed as I went to work.

After clearing most of the mess, I turned my attention to a stack of mail. Bills. And more bills. I set them aside and picked up the next envelope. A letter with an Oklahoma postmark and Doreen Palmer’s return address.

I ripped it open and read through her news. A new great-nephew. A niece’s wedding. And she’d found a house to buy one block off Main Street. She asked how we were doing and how business was.

On the third page, I read a long paragraph. Then read it again. My heart hammered at the cryptic words.

By now, I’m sure you’ve settled into a routine. I wasn’t completely honest with you about the reason Paddy wanted you to have the Stardust. It is true you’ve always been dear to us, but you don’t look like Paddy’s grandmother or any of the Palmer and Tickle clan we know of. You used to sit on the steps of the Stardust and watch the cars that went by, always looking for the one that would bring your folks. Of course, they never came. It nearly broke our hearts watching you. We wanted to tell you the truth about your parents, but Paddy had given his word and then spent every day of his life wishing he hadn’t.

Paddy and Doreen knew and they didn’t tell me? I bit my lip and turned the page over.

The answer is at the Stardust.

One other thing. Give Malcolm Overstreet my regards. He has a few secrets of his own and might shed some light on your situation.

Give my love to the girls.

Doreen Palmer

My head swam with thoughts. First, Aunt Cora told me it was time I learned the truth. Well, almost time. Whenever
she
deemed it time. But Paddy and Doreen knew? Who else? And the answer was at the Stardust? Where? There were ten cottages, an office with quarters, a washhouse, and five acres of land. I would be old and gray before I found the answer.

A part of me no longer wanted to know. I’d made new friends, seen my mother-in-law transformed before my eyes, and come face-to-face with O’Dell’s mistress. I’d had enough drama to last a lifetime. Not to mention having to still decide what to do with Fiona’s children.

Why had Doreen written now? Had she been giving me enough time to get acquainted with Malcolm Overstreet in hopes he would tell me? It seemed chancy at best. What if we hadn’t hit it off? Or what if this was the year he found another fishing hole? His secret, of course, was the aid he rendered to Zion. She knew he’d come to doctor the folks who had no other means of medical support. It all seemed far-fetched that I would connect the dots. It had to be something else.

Willie’s cries brought me back to the present. I put Doreen’s letter in the ledger that I hadn’t gotten to and put it and the unpaid bills in the drawer. There was too much to do to worry over my own personal demons.

As tired as I was, I didn’t sleep well. When Willie woke up for his feeding, I went over Doreen’s letter again, trying to read between the lines.
The answer is at the Stardust.
A challenge. Was that Doreen’s intent—to spur me into action?

When morning came and I heard Ludi singing across the meadow, I met her and Merciful in the washhouse.

“Morning, Miz Georgie. How’s Miss Avril?”

I handed her a cup of coffee, strong the way she liked it. “Avril couldn’t be better. How are you?”

“Can’t complain about a thing.”

Merciful asked if she could see the girls, and I told her they’d saved her a biscuit. She skipped off as Ludi gathered the cleaning supplies.

“You gon’ spoil my child.”

“That’s the plan.”

She sipped the coffee. “You didn’t need to come prancin’ out here the minute I showed up to bring me no coffee. I say you must got somethin’ else on your mind.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Hmmm?”

“I got a letter from Doreen Palmer yesterday, but something she wrote puzzles me.”

“How is Do-reen?”

“She sounded fine. Going to a wedding. Someone had a new baby.”

“She comin’ back for a visit?”

“Not that she said. But she did mention there was something she thought I should have found by now. It was mysterious almost, and she didn’t say exactly what it was. I thought you might know if she had a special box or hidey-hole I haven’t discovered.”

Ludi held the coffee cup in both hands, brought it to her face, and inhaled like the scent might jiggle her memory. But the only thing that jiggled was her double chin when she swallowed. “No, ma’am. Can’t say as I recall any such place out here in the washhouse. I wouldn’t be knowing about over yonder, though.” She nodded toward the quarters. “I guess you been over it by now.”

“Not yet. I thought you might know of someplace.”

“What you be looking for?”

“I’m not sure. A letter maybe. A photo. Could even be something from a newspaper.”

Ludi drained her coffee cup and held it out to me. “Thank you, Miz Georgie. Let me know if you happen on it.”

While Merciful played with the girls, I searched the office. One cabinet had paperwork I’d been through before, but not thoroughly. I dug in and went through it piece by piece. Nothing but old receipts, a few recipes. I shoved the box back under the counter and went through the three drawers where I kept the ledger and money tray, extra brochures, and miscellaneous items. Still nothing.

Frustrated, I gave up and had just started on the pile of bills when the office bell jangled.

“Hey, Bobby Carl. What can I do for you today?”

“What’s going on, Georgia?” I wondered if something had blown in his eyes the way he kept squinting.

“What do you mean?”

“Your hair. Something’s different.”

“I got it cut, but it’s been awhile. Guess you didn’t notice when you brought Mr. Sweeney to register.”

“Guess not. I liked it better long.”

Another
good reason to cut it, but I just shrugged. “Matter of taste, I guess. It’s definitely cooler. Anything in particular you wanted?”

“Oh, yeah. I came to ask what’s going on with your aunt Cora?”

“Nothing that I know of. Why do you ask?”

“Rumor has it she and Van Sweeney are having creative differences. Man, I hope this isn’t going to put a damper on the charity concert.” He leaned on the desk, close enough that I could smell the Brylcreem on his hair.

“I was with her yesterday. She didn’t say anything.”