THE SANCTUARY (9 page)

Julia was speechless. She was smiling broadly as she spun around to show off the results.

“Mamma mia!” Sonya said.

“Wow!” Lydia said.

“She looks amazing, doesn’t she?” Liz said.

“I’ll never be able to do this myself,” Julia said. “You know I’ve never bothered with makeup, except lipstick and a little blush on special occasions. I wouldn’t know where to begin with all these brushes and compacts.”

“It’s easy. Let me just show you a few things.” Liz spent a few minutes explaining how to apply everything and demonstrating brush strokes. “The eyes are what you have to be careful with. Go too light and you look washed out, but go too heavy, and you look like a hooker. I know this is more color than you’re used to but you really do look good.”

“Oh, I agree. I would never have thought so, but I like how you combined these three different colors to emphasize my eyes.”

They continued to admire Julia’s new hair and makeup as they put everything back in the RV. It had been a long day, and the women were going to bed early so that they could get an early start. Tomorrow was a big day. They would reach their final destination by early evening.

Lydia tried to push all the troubling thoughts out of her mind as she enjoyed the spectacular scenery and felt pleasantly warmed by the sun smiling on her through the big, front window of the camper.

“And now, I’m going to model my new outfits for you all,” Julia said.

Liz didn’t completely trust Julia to get the ensembles properly assembled, so she and Grace went to help her.

“You’ve been pretty quiet this morning,” Sonya said to Lydia after Liz and Jules went to prepare for their little fashion show.

“I’m scared. I made this trip to solve this mystery, but now that I’m—hopefully—about to get my answers, I’m not sure I want them.”

“I know what you’re saying, but you’re not here because you want to know, but because you
need
to know. Julia is a perfect example of why you have to do this. You don’t want to be haunted by ghosts of relatives past,” Sonya said.

“But can I live with what I find out?” Lydia asked.

“As Julia just pointed out, knowing the truth is always better than not knowing. Our imagination works overtime if we don’t quash it. You’ll get through this. You’re the strongest person I know.”

“I don’t feel very strong.”

“It’s okay to be scared or sad. It’s even okay to accept help,” Sonya said, placing a hand on Lydia’s shoulder.

Before she could respond, Liz and Julia returned.

“
Ta-da!
” Liz said, introducing Julia in her first ensemble. It was a pair of camel slacks with a matching sweater that had animal-print sleeve caps and collar. An animal-print handbag, large gold earrings, an exquisite, gold link loose belt, and suede boots completed the outfit.

“I wish I had bought that. You look gorgeous,” Lydia said.

“You really do,” Sonya agreed.

“It’s funny. This is something I would never have picked out for myself, but I love it. I feel good. I feel confident,” Julia said. She spun around for them to get a good look before disappearing for the next wardrobe change.

“I have to warn you that this is a risqué thing for Julia, and I had to practically have a fit before she agreed to buy it. I’m not sure she’ll ever wear it in public, but just the fact that she sees it hanging in her closet may empower her. And she could wear it for John. I know he’d love it. So please be sure to tell her how fabulous she looks,” Liz whispered as she disappeared into the back of the RV when she heard Julia emerge from the bathroom.

The others were not prepared, despite the warning Liz had given them. When Jules appeared, wearing a bright red evening dress that clung so tightly that a piece of tissue paper couldn’t have been inserted between skin and fabric, Lydia nearly wrecked the camper and Sonya almost fell out of her seat. The dress was strapless on one side and was cut very low in the front and back. Julia’s breasts were appropriately covered but were heavily accentuated by both the cut of the dress and the thin silk. The wide belt made of matching material with a big silver buckle helped hide her tummy. She wore no other jewelry nor did she need it. Silver stilettos completed the stunning outfit.

Before they could comment, the RV wheezed loudly, sputtered fiercely, and finally grumbled an undignified and indescribable sound before conking out on Route 59. With great effort, Lydia managed to maneuver the enormous motor vehicle off the highway.

Lydia tried repeatedly to start the Beast, as Sonya had so aptly dubbed the oversized camper. Each time she turned the ignition key and nothing happened, she cursed Derek Duane. He’d been an idiot at Georgetown High, and he was still one. And she was an even bigger idiot for listening to him. What was she thinking leasing a reconditioned camper to drive cross country? She stomped outside and watched helplessly as black smoke escaped menacingly from under the hood of the vehicle. The others joined her, and the foursome stood huddled around the smoldering RV, unsure what to do next.

“Oh my God. This is a disaster. What are we going to do?” Julia said dramatically.

“Panic much?” Liz said sarcastically.

“Calm down, Jules. It’ll be all right. I just have to go get help,” Lydia said.

“Look around. We’re in the middle of friggin’
nowhere
! Where do you think you’re going to find help?” Liz shouted.

“Now who’s being melodramatic?” Sonya said.

“We passed a service station a few miles ago,” Grace said.

“Yes, we did. I’ll go and be back with help before Julia finishes one of her legendary ghost tales,” Lydia promised.

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” Sonya said, shaking her head.

“No way,” Julia echoed.

“Look, let’s face facts. This monstrosity ain’t going nowhere. There’s no cell phone reception, even if we did know where we are and whom to call. As my Aunt Annabel used to say, when your ox is in the ditch, you have to resort to extreme measures. I’ve got to get help. I’ll be back before you know it,” Lydia said with false bravado.

The truth was she was worried. She couldn’t remember just how long ago they had passed that service station. How far would she have to walk? Would it even be open? Would there be a mechanic on duty? What were the odds that he had the tools and knowledge to fix this kind of vehicle? She pushed these thoughts out of her mind as she headed back to the RV to collect her pocketbook and hat.

“Oh no you don’t,” Liz admonished. “We’re sticking together. If we need to get help, we’ll
all
go.”

“Okay, let’s grab our stuff and go,” Lydia said as she grabbed the doorknob. The door didn’t budge. Lydia pulled harder with no success. “Dammit!”

“What’s wrong?” Julia asked.

“This is an automatic door lock.”

“So?” Liz asked.

“So, when I got mad, I just jumped out of the RV to cool off. I didn’t realize that y’all would hop out, too. My keys are still in the ignition,” Lydia explained.

“What about the spare keys you gave Sonya?” Julia asked.

“My purse,” Sonya said, pointing over her shoulder to the Beast.

“Well, we can’t stand here all day. When we get to the service station, I’m sure they’ll have one of those poles you use to unlock the lock,” Sonya said. Dejectedly, they started their trek down the road.

“Ninety-nine bottles of Merlot on the bar, ninety-nine bottles of Merlot. Pop the cork, pour a big glass, ninety-eight bottles of vino to go,” Liz sang brightly. Leave it to Liz to make an adventure out of being stranded in the desert.

“My feet are killing me,” Julia said as she paused to massage them. She leaned on Sonya as she took off her left shoe and rubbed her aching foot. The three-inch heels were definitely not made for walking long distances on asphalt. Any other time it would have been comical to see straight-laced Julia in a sexy dress and hooker heels, but no one was laughing.

“I can’t believe that I’m stuck wearing this outfit in public. I’m bursting out of it,” Julia wailed as she tried to shove one of her boobs back down into the dress.

“I’m sorry, Jules. But we do have bigger worries. It’s already mid-afternoon, and if we don’t get help soon, we’re going to be in one hell of a mess tonight,” Lydia said.

“This is really bad, isn’t it?” Julia said anxiously.

“Nah, I’ve been in three jams worse than this in the last five months alone. Trust me, getting lost in the medina in Marrakesh is much worse,” Liz assured her.

“Being stranded like this reminds me of the time when David and I went on vacation and our car broke down late at night on a lonely stretch of Highway 17,” Lydia said.

“I don’t recall you ever mentioning that. What happened?” Julia asked.

“We had only gotten a few miles outside of Georgetown and the car sputtered and died. We ran out of gas. Can you believe it? David was driving, and he never remembered to check the gauge. Normally I do, but I was too tired and angry over our late start because David had worked late to get some report done. This was our first vacation since we had gotten married. David could only get away for five days and the first day was already ruined,” Lydia said.

“So what did you do?” Sonya asked.

“We walked back to a gas station on the edge of Georgetown. Bob Riley, who owned the station, figured out fast that I was furious with David. Before his employee drove us back to our car, he handed David the gas can, and he came up to me clutching a paper bag. He looked around nervously and then slid the bag through the half-open car window, like he was a spy in the throes of a covert operation. When I opened the bag, I saw several packages of Nabs and Little Debbie’s,” Lydia laughed.

“I would kill for some chocolate crème Nabs,” Julia said. “Now I remember why I hate exercise. It makes me sweaty and hungry.”

“Is there ever a time you don’t think about chocolate?” Liz teased. “I tell you what I would kill for—a glass of iced tea. It’s hotter than Borneo out here. I finally get what they mean by sweat pits now,” Liz said as she inspected her underarms.

“Studies show that chocolate is good for you. It contains antioxidants,” Julia said.

“Was that study done at Yale? No wait, I bet it was Duke University that proved empirically that snack cakes and crackers are good for you,” Liz said sarcastically.

“Pay no attention to them,” Sonya said. “How does the story end?”

“I guess Bob Riley thought some southern caviar might help my disposition. He was right. I calmed down significantly after inhaling a package of peanut butter Nabs and a Little Debbie Swiss cake roll. Besides, I was too tired to be mad anymore. It had been one hell of a hike back to town. I just wanted to fall into bed and sleep for about ten hours,” Lydia said.

“How awful,” Sonya said.

“What I remember most is how eerie it was walking along that dark, deserted stretch of road. I’m telling you, it was blacker than a witch’s caldron out there. If I hadn’t kept a flashlight in the glove box, we would have been in real trouble. David just never thought about that stuff. He didn’t know the hurricane evacuation route or the last time the car had been serviced or who our insurance carrier was. He didn’t worry about tomorrow. I guess he had the right idea,” Lydia said, choking back tears.

“It’s going to be okay, Lydia,” Sonya said, patting her back.

But would it?

“You ladies need a ride?”

A dented and dirty brown pickup truck pulled up alongside them. The driver wore his stringy black hair in a ponytail tied back with a thick rubber band and tucked under a faded ball cap boasting a John Deere logo. He had substantial stubble on his jaw, and he licked his lips when he got a good look at Julia in her tight-fitting gown. He looked like one of the redneck river boys from
Deliverance
—only worse
.

“Thanks, but I don’t think we can all fit,” Sonya said politely.

“It’ll be a tight squeeze, but I’m sure we’ll survive. Might even like it,” he said, winking at Julia.

“Well, we’re not going to find out. Sorry, but my mama warned me about taking rides from strangers,” Liz said. “We’ll have to pass on your offer.”

“Ah, don’t be like that. Get in the truck, sug,” he coaxed.