Hometown Series Box Set

by Kirsten Fullmer

  Tara closed the fridge and returned to her stool. “Were you two involved on campus? I mean, you know, with all that— ‘60s stuff?”

  Winnie chuckled and put the cookie pan in the oven, then set the timer. “I suppose so. It was just life back then, you know, not some big historical thing. However—”

  Trying to be patient, Tara waited.

  Winnie gave herself a shake and returned to the kitchen island where she settled back on a stool. “Things were a little wild, I’ll give you that.”

  “Wild how?” Tara asked, dying of curiosity.

  The old woman’s eyes wandered toward the ceiling, her thoughts far away. “The Beatles' Magical Mystery Bus was touring England, and nuclear tests were being done in Nevada. PBS stations were just starting up. The civil rights movement was underway. It seemed as if everything was new and exciting.” Her gaze came back to the kitchen and she frowned. “We had no idea what was good and what was bad.”

  “Good or bad?”

  “Folks used to go out to watch the nuclear bomb tests,” Winnie huffed, rising from her stool. “They had no idea they’d die of cancer later.”

  “I heard something about that.”

  “So many things were that way,” Winnie said, heading to the sink to wash the dishes.

  Tara watched as the old woman scrubbed cookie cutters and mixing bowls. What all had Winnie seen? What had she been like?

  Chapter Five

  As Winnie scrubbed and clattered dishes in the sink, her mind wandered back to Pittsburgh, to Claudia, and to the university. Oh Claudia, what a wild, lovely girl she’d been.

  The day she’d met Thomas for coffee was still on her mind as well. They’d talked for hours, and she’d completely missed her afternoon classes. It was worth it too. When she got back to her room, Claudia had been nearly frantic.

  “Where have you been?” her friend had demanded. Then she’d noticed Winnie’s expression, and her tack changed. “What happened?”

  “Nothing happened.” Winnie shrugged, dropping her purse and books on her bed.

  Claudia circled her, suspiciously inspecting her friend’s face. “Liar!” she cried. “I know you, Wynona, you can’t fool me.”

  Unwilling to talk about Thomas, Winnie ignored her roommate, but there wasn’t much to do in the small dorm room. Once she’d arranged her books on the desk and hung up her purse, she was left to straightening her bed.

  “Come on,” Claudia begged. “Tell me!”

  “I need to go to the ladies’ room,” Winnie said, hurrying toward the door. Maybe she could come up with something to tell Claudia when she came back.

  Claudia followed her to the door, watching her best friend hurry down the hall. “Someday, there will be a way to track where you’ve been, and I’m going to use it!” she hollered after her friend.

  Winnie just scoffed at the ridiculous idea and kept going. Once she was in the quiet of the bathroom, she leaned on the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. She didn’t look any different than she had that morning, but somehow everything had changed. Thomas was so unusual, so smart and disarming. He knew about things she’d never dreamed of. He challenged her, made her think. He made her want to be smarter, more informed, and better spoken. And his eyes! Her stomach did a flip-flop just thinking of the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.

  He was so intense. And it was obvious he knew all about sex too, which made her feel strange in the pit of her stomach. His touch … caressing the tender skin of her hand that way. What could he do with the rest of her body? She blushed at the thought.

  He probably heard her pulse beating like crazy. He obviously knew how to touch a woman, and he knew he was good at it too.

  She had the general idea of sex -- she’d made out in the backseat of a car on lookout hill more than a few times -- and she could see how things would work. But back in Smithville, nice girls didn’t know anything about sex. Your reputation was important.

  Here, she felt free to decide for herself about things. Thanks to the women’s movement, she was no longer hampered by silly Victorian traditions, like women being clueless about their own bodies. Here, sex was something everyone did, not something bad or forbidden. Free love was everywhere. It wasn’t a matter of being good or bad, it was a matter of how she felt about being intimate and what she wanted.

  Her skin prickled just thinking about Thomas in that way, since she hardly knew him. The whole thing was so liberating! So strange and wonderful, and yet frightening.

  After taking a moment to regroup, she headed back to her room. Roy stood in the doorway talking to Claudia. “Hi Wynona,” he said with his usual country drawl. “Do you girls want to go get a soda?”

  An unexpected pang of homesickness washed across Winnie’s heart. Roy reminded her of everything Smithville -- her parents, the old house. Her heart swelled at the sight of a friendly, familiar face. Yet, she couldn’t help but compare Roy to Thomas. It was like comparing your big brother to a movie star. Roy was athletic, but lanky, tall, and thin with a crew cut. He was an ROTC Cadet, and as soon as he finished his degree, he’d be off to the Army. Sometimes, he wore a uniform, but usually he dressed in simple slacks and short sleeved button-up shirts, like all the other boys. Compared to Thomas’s wavy hair and snappy styles, poor Roy didn’t stand a chance. He was sweet though, and cute with those deep dimples in each cheek. His offer was genuine. The thought of spending an hour with an old friend, no need to worry about how she looked or what she said, felt good.

  “I’ve got things to do,” Claudia flounced, leaving her brother to stand in the doorway.

  “I’ll go with you,” Winnie offered.

  Roy tossed his sister a look, then smiled at Winnie with his usual easy manner. They headed down the hall.

  “Wait, you’ve got things to tell me!” Claudia leaned out the door and hollered as they walked away.

  Winnie ignored her and kept going.

  “What’s that all about?” Roy motioned back toward his sister.

  “Nothing.”

  They walked in silence, and he held the outside door open for her. “How are your classes?”

  She waited as he held the door for three more girls, then he fell into step beside her. “My classes are going okay, I suppose, more work than I imagined they’d be.”

  They walked on in comfortable silence, and Winnie wondered what was on his mind. “How are your classes going?” she asked. He’d already been at the university for three years, yet he seemed to be the same Roy she’d always known. How could he be here, in this wild environment and not be touched by all the enthusiasm of everything around him? Surely, he must feel it, wonder about things? One couldn’t miss the music that pumped nonstop from dorm rooms, or the posters plastered everywhere denouncing all the rules they’d lived by back home. How did he stay so unaffected?

  “They’re fine,” he muttered. But his words held an edge she hadn’t noticed before. Was he more changed than she realized? He was a brother figure, solid and true, so had she been seeing what she expected to see from him, not his reality? “What classes are you taking?” she asked, hoping for more information about his state of mind.

  He shrugged. “Nothing major. It’s just that— well, everything is piling up, I guess.”

  Winnie stopped, concerned.

  He took another step then halted and looked back in question.

  “What’s going on, Roy? I’ve known you my whole life, you can’t fool me.”

  He sighed and kicked at nothing on the sidewalk. “It’s— oh, my mom’s been after me about Claudia.”

  “Claudia?” She asked taking a step closer.

  “Yeah, she hasn’t been calling home, and mom’s worried that she’s gone wild.”

  To be honest, Winnie was a little concerned about her friend as well. Claudia was definitely caught up in the freedom of being away from home. And even worse, she didn’t seem particularly interested in her classwork either. It was like she was going through the
motions for school, but her heart was elsewhere.

  Her silence was telling, because Roy sighed. “You think so too, then?”

  “I don’t—” she started, then hesitated. “I’ve noticed that she’s trying her wings, but I figure that’s normal. She’s never been away from home before.”

  “Neither have you, but you’re going to classes and behaving yourself.”

  Her earlier thoughts of Thomas and her willingness to do as she pleased, no matter what anyone back home thought, made her blush. “Well, I wouldn’t say I haven’t been influenced by things here, but I—”

  He shook his head. “No, Wynona, you’re a good girl.”

  Her chin came up. “Why do you put it that way? I’m sick of that good girl bit. It’s so— so demeaning and small town. Yes, I go to class and I take care of my business, but— just what do you think being a good girl means?”

  He stood silent and she realized she’d shocked him. He hadn’t done anything, and she shouldn’t have lashed out at him.

  He didn’t have an answer, so after a moment of foot shuffling, they continued in silence. Evidently, she had changed more than she realized in just the few short weeks she’d been on campus. Yes, she was more open minded, but she was still herself, with her own convictions and a sense of right and wrong. Maybe she was just less influenced by the opinions of folks back home when it came to deciding on her beliefs. Or she wanted to be, anyway.

  A crowd had gathered in front of the student union building, and as they neared, Winnie realized it was an anti-war rally, with students picketing, pumping signs, and yelling chants. Some of the crowd was definitely hippies, with long hair and bright-colored clothing.

  “Look at them, will you?” Roy sneered, pointing toward the students. “Unpatriotic idiots.”

  They paused on the sidewalk to watch as the students yelled, thrusting their signs up and down, pacing back and forth. She turned to Roy. “I don’t understand you sometimes.”

  “What? Why?”

  “You’re about to go into that horrible war, and you aren’t scared?”

  Well, yeah,” he scoffed. “Sure, I’m worried about it, but I’m not a traitor.”

  “As citizens, we have a right to protest things we think aren’t fair.” She motioned toward the protestors. “That’s not being a traitor.”

  He tugged her elbow. “Come on, let’s go.”

  She complied, knowing Roy was being honest about how he felt. Still, she couldn’t let it drop completely. “Can’t you see the other side of things too?”

  He stopped and scowled down at her, his face serious. “Wynona, nobody wants to be drafted into a war, but it’s a man’s duty to fight for his country, to protect his family and his way of life.”

  “I know that,” she argued. “But this isn’t like World War I or World War II, Roy. Things have changed. This war isn’t about protecting your home or your family. It’s about a whole other country and people who haven’t done anything to us. I don’t think we have any business going over there and telling them what to do.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t get to pick and choose. You serve when you’re called.”

  “Winnie, Winnie!” Tara said, giving Winnie’s arm a shake. “Are you okay?”

  Tara came into focus and Winnie realized she’d drifted off. The timer on the stove buzzed and hot water ran in the sink, nearly overflowing. She cranked off the tap, flustered and upset over the long-lost memory of Roy.

  * * *

  Tara sat on the edge of the bed looking down at her phone. Winnie had given her the number for Blanche, Marge’s sister, and she’d put it into her contact list. But now that calling the woman was a reality, she couldn’t imagine actually placing the call. The number stared up at her next to the blank contact face. What would the woman be like? Would she be as opinionated as Marge?

  Justin puffed out a long sigh as he came into the room. “She’s asleep. I tell you, that kid could listen to a hundred stories in a row.”

  Tara plugged in her phone and put it on the night stand but didn’t reply. Silently, she watched Justin unbutton his shirt as he headed toward the bathroom. Seconds later, his shirt was tossed out the door and landed on the floor two feet from the laundry hamper, just like it did every night. A moment later his pants followed. Maybe she should move the hamper closer to the bathroom. It seemed like a better option than hoping that Justin would ever actually get his clothes inside the thing. She heard him retrieve his toothbrush and the water in the sink come on. Still, she didn’t move. Every night was the same thing. Put the baby to bed, brush teeth, mutter the same old endearments, then fall asleep. Did Justin even think about making love to her anymore? Did she ever think about it as an option rather than a memory?

  The ringtone on Justin’s phone rang out from his pants on the floor, and she heaved herself off the bed to get it. The screen display said the name Ashley, so she headed toward the bathroom.

  Justin straightened from wiping his hands on a towel and glanced from the phone to Tara. A flush crossed his face and he took the phone, pushing the silent button. “Oh, thanks. I’ll call her back tomorrow.” He said as he turned sideways to squeeze past her.

  “Who’s Ashley?”

  “Oh, just a client,” he answered over his shoulder.

  “Calling you at 9:00 at night?”

  He shrugged. “I guess so.” He sat on the edge of the bed to peel off his socks.

  In a thoughtful haze, Tara brushed her teeth and washed her face, then returned to the bedroom where Justin had already settled into bed. She turned off the light, then lifted the covers and climbed in beside him.

  “Love you babe, sweet dreams…” he muttered, groping blindly over to pat her shoulder. Then he was asleep, his breath deep and even.

  How tired must he be to drift off so quickly? He was so immersed in his work that it was a wonder he had time for the baby, let alone her. Poor guy. So why did she feel abandoned somehow? Like she’d been left behind?

  Turning onto her side, she pulled the covers up over her shoulder and closed her eyes, but her mind buzzed with the million details involved with hiring a manager for the Inn. Tomorrow was the day. She’d make the call.

  Chapter Six

  Winnie lay in bed, staring blindly into the darkness. That unexpected letter had catapulted her into the past, like it or not, and now she was awash in neglected memories. It felt as if she were 22 again, and Claudia, so vibrant and passionate, was in the room with her, whispering of things past. Winnie could nearly hear her voice, her laughter, and feel her energy.

  Drifting, she went back to the dorm room, where Claudia chattered excitedly about an upcoming party. Her friend had been a classic beauty, with long dark straight hair, parted in the middle. Oh, how she’d loved her hip hugger bell bottom jeans. The patched and worn things were so ratty on the bottom that several inches of the hem dragged behind her as she walked. She’d had the figure that was flattered by the low-cut jeans too. The girl could go braless, as was the trend, and still feel confident, whereas Winnie, lacking her friend’s brash certainty, would always run back at the last minute and tug on a bra. Claudia had had perfect skin too, Winnie recalled with a smile, remembering her occasional jealousy. Claudia had been an effortless beauty, where Winnie had considered herself more of a girl-next-door type.

  “You should come to the party,” Claudia had said that night before the party, holding up a dress and examining her reflection in the mirror. “You need to get out more, you’re getting stuffy.”

  Winnie sat on her bed flipping pages in her fashion magazine. “I’ve always been stuffy,” she replied, unperturbed.

  Claudia tossed the dress onto her bed and pulled another from the closet. “That’s true, but I was hoping you’d eventually lighten up.”

  Winnie gave her a dirty look, and Claudia ignored it.

  Holding the hem of the dress against her thigh, Claudia turned to her friend. “Do I need to shorten this?”

  Winnie’s
nose scrunched in thought. “I don’t think so.”

  Claudia snorted. “You wouldn’t say so if it did.”

  “Probably not.”

  The dress lowered and Claudia frowned. “How can you be so dispassionate and square? Surely, you’re interested in what’s going on.”

  The magazine lowered. “Dispassionate? Wow.”

  “Don’t you want to meet people, try new things, experience life? The stuff I’m into would blow your mind.” Winnie ignored her, so she continued. “I wish I could show you what it’s like, how it feels.” Her gaze drifted off. “What if I could keep a camera in my pocket and show you how it is.”

  Winnie scoffed and flipped the page. “Right, just take a truckload of flash bulbs with you.”

  “No, I mean like a movie camera.” Claudia continued. “You know, I could film what everyone is doing.”

  Winnie disregarded her friend’s silly ranting, used to Claudia’s outrageous ideas.

  Claudia realized Winnie wasn’t paying attention and she frowned. “Come to think of it, filming stuff probably isn’t a good idea anyway. It would just be proof of what we were doing. Things get pretty outrageous sometimes. I’d have to shut it off when things get really groovy.” She laughed. “You probably wouldn’t appreciate a bunch of drunk or stoned film footage, would you? And if it got into the dean’s hands…”

  Tired of Claudia’s prodding and nonsense, Winnie had to comment. “There’s more to life than getting blitzed, you know.”

  Claudia tossed her hair. “How would you know?”

  Winnie’s magazine lowered to her lap. “You have no idea about me and what I think. We can’t even have a decent conversation anymore.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Claudia huffed.

  “Nothing,” Winnie mumbled, lifting her magazine to turn another page.

  Claudia tossed her dress onto her bed and sighed, then dug through her makeup bag, and leaned into the mirror to apply black eyeliner, creating the pointy Cleopatra-style eyes that were the craze. She stepped back and blinked, evidently happy with her reflection.