Welcome to Last Chance (22 page)

Ray came home early Friday afternoon. Lainie saw him drive in across the road, take his duffle bag from the cab, and walk behind
the building toward his trailer. They had talked a few times on the phone, but Lainie was either too busy or too tired to do more than exchange a few words. She did know, and had been able to pass along to others, that Matthew was expected to recover fully, although it would take a while.

A few minutes later, Ray came out the front door of the tavern and crossed the road to the Dip 'n' Dine. Lainie just stopped and watched him come. When she looked around and saw everyone looking at her and grinning, she retreated to the kitchen where she could blame her warm cheeks on the hot stove.

“Hey stranger, welcome home. How's our boy doing?” Brother Parker had come in with Les just after 1:00 to work the afternoon shift, and his booming voice filled the diner.

“Pretty good, I guess, but it's going to be a long haul.” Ray took off his hat and hung it on a hook by the door. “I stopped by the hospital on my way out of town this morning, and I got a smile out of him. It was good to see.”

“How's Fayette holding up?”

“Like always. I don't know how she does it. Your old church, by the way, has been great. They've really taken those two under their wing. They sure think the world of you. Wanted to make sure we were treating you right down here.”

“They're good people.”

Lainie grabbed a tray of clean cups and pushed the door to the dining room open. Ray clapped Les on the shoulder and shook his hand. “How's it going with you?”

Les hadn't said much since he'd followed Brother Parker into the diner, and he didn't return Ray's warm smile. “I'm doing a lot better than that boy laid up in the hospital up there, and I'm sure as shootin' doing better than that other boy. You hear about that?”

Ray nodded. “Yeah, I heard.”

“You know I'd give my right arm to do things different, don't you?”

Ray nodded again. “I know, Les.”

“You think Fayette can ever forgive me?”

“She's got a good heart. Just give her some time.”

“Well, I tell you one thing I done. I told the sheriff where them boys got that booze and I give a description of the old boy who bought it for 'em. So they was able to figure out who done it. They're talking about charging him with manslaughter. And I'll tell you something else. I'm done with booze. Not another drop, so help me.”

Brother Parker came up behind him. “Take it a day at a time, Les. I think the order for table four is ready, you want to take that over?”

Brother Parker went to bus a table and Ray climbed on a stool at the counter. His eyes looked tired, but his slow smile was warm and spoke of all he couldn't say in the crowded and very attentive diner. Lainie tried to look detached and businesslike when she came to take his order.

“Welcome home. Glad you made it back okay. What can I get you?”

Ray slapped the menu shut. “The special, I guess. Can't go wrong with that.” He grinned up at her. “So how are you holding up? Looks like everything is under control.”

Lainie shrugged. “So far, so good. Honestly, though, I don't know what I would've done if the church hadn't stepped in to help out, and I sure don't know how Fayette has done what she's done all these years. I had no idea how much work goes into running this place.”

“She's a remarkable woman, one of those folks who just does what needs doing, no excuses, no complaints.”

He had swiveled his stool around and was watching Les serve tables when Lainie brought him his plate. “So how's Les working out? I have to say I was a little surprised to see him in here.”

“You're not the only one. The word that he saw the boys get the
liquor and didn't stop it got around really fast. A lot of people, Les included, think he was to blame for the accident. I wasn't sure his being here was a good idea, but he wanted to do something to help, even if he took a lot of grief over it. I don't know what would happen if Brother Parker weren't here to run interference. I've seen him step in more than once this afternoon when things started to heat up.”

“Well, Les has a lot of flaws, but I've never known him to lie to himself or anyone else. He'll take his medicine like a man. And he's got a good ally in Brother Parker.” He turned to his plate. “I guess I'd better eat. Steven left me a big mess to clean up before I open.”

“Where's Steven?”

“He didn't say. I called to tell him I was on the way home, and when I got here, there was a note saying he had to take off for a few days and he'd see me early next week.”

“You seem to be taking it all right.”

Ray mopped a bit of red chile sauce off his plate with a folded tortilla and stuffed it in his mouth. “Oh, yeah, I was bugged when I saw it, but then I thought about how I was nearly done with that place. I can clean it up this time. Pretty soon it will be Steven's to clean or let rot, and it won't matter to me one way or the other.”

He finished eating and stood to pay his tab. “If you're not too tired, come on by when you close up. I'll give you a cup of cocoa or something.”

Ray took his hat from the hook by the front door and with a wave to Lainie that included the rest of the diners, crossed the road and entered the High Lonesome. All the diners returned to their meals, but Lainie and Les watched until the neon beer sign flickered to life in the window, and Lainie noticed Les's hands had picked up a slight tremor when he began piling dirty dishes in a plastic busing bin.

T
he church was full, even this first Sunday after Christmas, and the Christmas greenery, looking a little tired now, still looped down the walls and across the front of the church. The choir had the next two Sundays off, and Lainie followed Elizabeth to her spot on the third row on the left. A low buzz moved through the sanctuary in the moments before the service started, and when the room suddenly fell silent, Lainie looked up expecting to see Brother Parker about to open the service. Instead, everyone was looking toward the back. Lainie followed their gaze and saw Les, followed by a downcast Evelyn, slip into the back pew. Evelyn never lifted her head and huddled in the pew as far away from her husband as she could. Les looked uncomfortable, determined, and . . . clean. That was the best word Lainie could come up with to describe Les. His grey hair, still damp, slicked back from his forehead and tucked behind his ears, showed the marks of his comb. His suit, one of the few being worn that morning, was dark gray and somewhat shiny. Lainie hadn't seen many suits, but this one had such wide lapels and broad shoulders.

She felt a gentle nudge in her ribs and turned to look at Elizabeth, whose eyes were directed toward the front of the church. Lainie got the message.

When Brother Parker welcomed everyone, Lainie saw his smile
widen as his gaze swept the back of the church, but by the end of the service Les and Evelyn were gone. Rita, who was sitting just in front of them, had seen the whole thing.

“You know, I was absolutely in shock when Les came in with Evelyn. I don't think I've seen him so much as darken the door since his kids got baptized, and that must have been thirty years ago. I shouldn't say anything, I guess. If anyone needs to do some repenting, it's Les Watson. But when they got up when the altar call started, I just about fell out of my pew. I thought, ‘If Les Watson goes forward this morning, I'm just going to drop my teeth.' But it was just Evelyn making a break for the door before the service was over, and Les following her out.”

Juanita came up behind her. “Did you see what I saw? Was that Les Watson in that old suit? I don't know which was stronger, the smell of mothballs or that aftershave he had on.”

Elizabeth pulled herself to her full five foot two and turned to face Juanita.

“Juanita, that is about the tackiest thing I have ever heard you say, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Right here in the Lord's house on the Lord's Day too.”

Juanita fell back as if Elizabeth had slapped her. “Well, I'm sorry if I stepped on any toes, but I happen to think he's got some nerve coming in here this morning. Everyone in this church is torn up by that Christmas Eve car wreck. All of us have known Matthew since he was a baby, and some know the families of the other boys too. Les as good as caused that wreck, and if you won't say so, I'm not afraid to.”

“The thing that caused that wreck was boys drinking and getting behind the wheel. How and where they got the liquor and whose fault it is, is for the sheriff to work out, not you.” Elizabeth's voice never rose, but the tone sharpened considerably. “And if Les wants
to get his life right, well, I can't think of a better place for him to start than right here.”

Juanita's eyes blazed and she opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, her husband, Russ, came up.

“Good night, you two sound like a couple'a cats on a fence. What's going on?”

Juanita put her hands on her hips and turned to answer, but Elizabeth beat her to it. Both hands flew to her cheeks. “Oh my lands, I do, don't I? And after having the gall to take Juanita to task for the very same thing.” She put her hand on Juanita's arm. “Juanita, I am so sorry for being so presumptuous. Would you forgive me?”

Juanita looked as if she had a lot more to say, but she shut her mouth and glared at Elizabeth before turning and walking out the front door. Russ shook his head and followed her down the steps and across the parking lot.

Left in the vestibule, Lainie turned to Elizabeth. “Why did you ask her to forgive you? She was the one acting like a jerk, not you.”

Elizabeth tucked her Bible a little more securely under her arm, slung her purse over her shoulder, and led the way to her truck. “Because I was in the wrong, that's why. I was angry and judgmental, and instead of trying to set things right, I just jumped into the fight. I shouldn't have done that.”

“But Juanita started it!”

Elizabeth smiled at her. “You sound like one of my great-grandkids. It doesn't matter who started it. I'm only responsible for what I say and do. And I needed to ask for forgiveness.”

Ray stopped by Elizabeth's that evening and was still there eating ham sandwiches and coconut cake when Steven came in a little later.

“Well, look who blew back into town. Have a good time?”

If Ray's greeting sounded lukewarm, Steven didn't appear to notice. He tossed his duffel bag in the corner behind the door and filled the room, as he always did, with his personality.

“Hey, bro, glad you got back okay. How's Matthew?” Before Ray could respond, Steven leaned down and squeezed his grandmother's shoulders in a one-armed hug. “Hey, beautiful, you think I could score some sandwiches and cake too? I'm starving.”

Elizabeth looked up from her recliner and adjusted the afghan she was crocheting. “I'm sorry, Steven, but as far as I'm concerned, that kitchen is closed. You can go help yourself if you want to.”

Steven looked pointedly at Ray's plate. “I guess you have to rate around here to get any service.” He dropped onto the arm of the sofa. “What's going on? Why's everybody mad at me?”

“I'm not mad, sweetheart, just tired. I haven't budged from this spot since this afternoon.” Elizabeth crossed her ankles on the footrest and leaned the recliner back even further. “Lainie fixed a little something for Ray when he got here.”

Steven turned his award-winning smile on Lainie. “If I asked you real nice, would you make me a sandwich too?”

“Dream on. Your arms don't look broken.”

Steven's eyebrows rose. He slapped Ray on the shoulder as he headed toward the kitchen. “You've got to let me in on your secret, bro.”

He came back a few minutes later holding a sandwich in one hand and a hunk of cake in the other. Elizabeth gave a squawk of indignation.

“For goodness' sake, Steven, get a plate and a fork!”

Lainie shook her head and handed Ray's empty plate to him. He smiled his thanks but didn't receive a smile in return.

“Okay, what'd I do this time?” Steven tossed his full plate aside.

“Where'd you go, Steven?” Ray's voice was low, but there was no mistaking the irritation in it.

“Didn't you get my note? I left it where I was sure you'd find it.”

“I found it. And the mess you left me. I got the place open in time anyway, no thanks to you. Where were you? You forgot to mention that in your note—or when you'd be back for that matter.”

Steven seemed to be trying for nonchalance. “Some buddies dropped in on their way to Juarez, so I thought I'd tag along. You were on your way home, so I didn't think there'd be any harm. Sorry I didn't have time to clean things up. It wasn't all that bad, was it?”

“Bad enough.” Ray leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. “Steven, you can't run a business that way. It's hard work, and you do it whether you want to or not. You need to make up your mind right now about the bar. I'm about done holding it for you.”

Steven was silent a moment. “Yeah, well . . .”

“What?”

“Truth, bro? I'm not sure I really want the bar.”

Ray just looked at him, waiting, but Elizabeth jumped right in.

“Don't sell it. Just close it down.”

“No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm not ready to get rid of it yet. I'm just not quite ready to take it over and put in the hours Ray puts in. Maybe I can work my way into it, sort of get used to it.”

Ray shook his head. “Nope. It's not working that way. I put my life on hold and kept the place open for you because Dad asked me to. If you don't want it, you can do what you want with it. But I'm through.”

“You mean I've got to tell you right this minute what my plans are? I didn't say I was ready to walk away, I just said I wasn't sure yet. Can't you cut me a little slack?”

Ray got up and took the Grayson and Sons Funeral Home calendar off the wall. “How much time do you need? I mean to decide
what you want and get completely up to speed. I want a date I know I can walk away.”

“Three months? That ought to do it.” For the first time, Steven looked like he was taking things seriously.

Ray stared at him. “You're kidding, right? That's not till the end of March.”

“I know it's a lot to ask, but it's been a long time. I'd just feel better knowing you were in it with me for a while.”

Ray sighed as he pulled a pen from his pocket. He flipped through the pages and circled a date with a heavy black line. “Okay, but only if you put the work in. The minute you start slacking off, I'm out of here. Got that?”

Steven's grin was back and he extended his hand. “Fair enough. And thanks, bro. I really appreciate all you've done, and I mean that.”

Ray clasped his brother's hand. “For Dad.” He stood and held his hand out to Lainie. “Walk me to my truck?” He touched Elizabeth's shoulder. “'Night, Gran. You take care.”

Ray closed the front door behind them and took Lainie's hand. “Three months is a joke and way more than he needs, but at least it's a solid date, and then that place is behind me. I can't believe I've been here all this time and he doesn't even know if he wants it.”

“What did your mom think about your dad opening a bar? Was she as set against it as your grandma was?”

Ray stepped off the porch and walked with Lainie down the sidewalk. “She was just glad to be back in Last Chance to stay. It wasn't too long after we got here that she got sick. After that, no one said much about the bar. Granddad and Gran were too busy taking care of her and riding herd on Steven and me to take on Dad and the bar too.”

“Your grandparents took care of your mom? Why not your dad?”

Ray reached the truck and leaned against the door. He shrugged. “That's just the way they were. Where their family was involved, they just took charge. And to tell the truth, Dad was okay with that. He didn't deal with Mom's illness very well at all. I don't think he could stand to see her getting sicker and weaker and not be able to do anything about it. So he took care of the bar, and they took care of us.”

Lainie grinned. “And she's still at it.”

“Well, she tries.” Ray pulled Lainie close and nestled his face in her hair. “Mmmm. You smell good. You know that?”

Lainie leaned against him. “And you smell like oil paints. What were you working on?”

“Something for you.”

Lainie leaned back and looked at him. “Really? What is it?”

He grinned down at her. “You'll just have to wait and see. It was supposed to be a Christmas present, but things got crazy after Steven came home, so I didn't get to my cabin to paint as often as I thought I would.”

“Can't I even have a hint?”

“Nope.” Ray dropped a kiss on her forehead and nose.

“Will I be able to take it with me? Most of the paintings I've seen of yours are awfully big, and I'm guessing we're talking about a painting.”

“What about ‘wait and see' don't you get? When it's done, I'll bring it to you. And just where are you planning on going, anyway? I thought you had a diner to run.”

“Well, yeah, I'm not going anywhere at least till Fayette gets back, but you know I'm not here forever.”

“Aren't you?” Ray's voice was a murmur in her hair.

Lainie pushed away and looked in his face. “No, I'm not. And from what I just heard, you aren't either. Let's get real. Whether or
not Steven wants the bar, you're out of here by the end of March. And your grandma treats me like family, but who are we kidding? I'm not. I'll stay till Fayette gets back, but when summer rolls around again, I'll be gone.”