More Than a Song

by Chris Paynter

  “So, how was your day, boy? Did you guard the house? Chase any squirrels?”

  Frodo cocked his head as if trying to understand what Dani said. Dani had a friend once who, after she observed Dani converse with Frodo, said, “You realize what he hears is ‘blah, blah, blah,’ right?”

  “But he knows it’s directed at him,” she answered.

  Dani gave Frodo some treats. After changing the water in his bowl, she dropped a cup of food in his dish.

  “You know this is poker night, right, bud?”

  At those words, he lowered his tail and flattened his ears against his head. He gave her a mournful look.

  “Sure, you can’t understand me,” Dani mumbled as she went upstairs to the bathroom and started the shower. She stripped down and stepped into the warm water. Washing her hair, she thought of the women who’d be at the poker party tonight. They were either business owners or worked in the shops around town.

  Poker night was one night that she allowed herself to let loose a little and hang out with the “clan.” Since she’d drink a few bottles of beer, she always walked over.

  Dani stepped out of the shower and toweled off. She pulled out some jeans and a denim shirt from her closet and quickly dressed. She trounced back downstairs, slipped on her jacket, and gave Frodo one more ear scratch before leaving.

  * * *

  Cars filled Tina’s drive, and a couple more were parked in front of her house. Great, Dani thought, a full house for poker. She chuckled at the play on words and tapped on the door.

  “Get your ass in here!” Tina shouted from her kitchen at the back of the house.

  Everyone called out a greeting when Dani entered. Betty got up from her chair in the living room to give her a hug. She was about Dani’s height with blonde, curly hair, a pug nose, and a bright smile.

  Monica waved at Dani from the couch where she sat next to Estelle. Monica was beautiful. Tall, with a model’s features—light-brown, shoulder-length hair, and expressive blue eyes—she was the only lesbian Dani knew who looked like any of those actresses on The L Word. Estelle, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She was about five-two with mousy brown hair that seemed to take on a life of its own, usually tangled looking. Dani was never sure whether that was on purpose.

  Dani greeted Monica and Estelle and headed into the kitchen to see if Tina needed any assistance with preparing the table.

  “Hey, Dani. Come help me with the goodies.” Tina had her back to Dani while she dumped potato chips and pretzels into two separate bowls.

  Dani yanked off Tina’s Braves hat and smacked her over the head with it.

  “Ow!” Tina yelled in mock protest.

  Dani put the hat back on her but turned it around backwards. “Sometimes, T, you’re such a baby. I know that didn’t hurt. I’ll help with the goodies, all right.” Dani grabbed a potato chip and munched down on it. “There. I helped.”

  “Gee thanks.”

  Shelly entered the kitchen from the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard. In her late forties, she was the oldest of the clan.

  “Hey, I thought I heard Ms. Dani come in.” Shelly slid her arm around Dani’s waist and gave her a peck on the cheek.

  “Hi, Shelly.” Dani returned the kiss. “When I saw you earlier today, I spaced about tonight until I got back in the store.”

  “Me, too. Must be a Tuesday thing.”

  “Okay! Let’s get this show on the road!” Barb’s booming, husky voice summoned everyone to the dining room table where the cards and chips were waiting for the poker game to begin. She handed out beer from the refrigerator. Barb styled her dark hair into a crew cut. A tattoo of the U.S. Marine emblem on her right biceps peeked out from her T-shirt. A few years before and, as she liked to say, about twenty pounds lighter, Barb was honorably discharged from the Marines after an investigation of “homosexual conduct,” back in the days before the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was revoked. She rarely talked about the incident. Now, she worked as a bartender at Carl’s Cavern.

  The women took their seats around the large, dining room table. Tina put a CD in the stereo. The opening notes of the Indigo Girls’ latest release drifted into the dining room. Dani sat down next to Betty.

  “How was work today?” Betty asked her.

  “It was good. We had some nice sales.”

  Tina scooted in her chair and started shuffling the cards. “Okay, let’s play us some poker. I’m ready to kick y’all’s asses like I do every poker night.”

  Everyone laughed as Tina dealt the cards. Everyone except for Estelle, of course. God forbid she should actually look like she was having fun. They only played with the chips—money wasn’t involved. The winner claimed bragging rights and went home with a trophy that was passed on to the next poker night’s winner.

  No one said anything for the first few hands, each focusing on the game. Dani had won the first two hands and was holding three sevens. She took two cards and picked up a pair of tens. A nice full house. She threw in five more $100 chips.

  “Jeesh, Dani, it’s only the third frigging hand.” Tina sported her “dealer” hat with the green plastic bill.

  “Hey, you worry about your money, and I’ll worry about mine.”

  “That’s too rich for me.” Monica threw her cards on the table. The other women did the same. It was down to Dani and Tina.

  “All right. For that, I’ll see you and raise you $300.” Tina tossed in her chips.

  “Be ready to lose, sister,” Dani said as she matched the $300. She slapped down her full house with confidence. “Beat that.” She gave Tina a smug smile.

  Tina frowned. “Damn.” Dani started to reel in the chips. “Not so fast, my friend.” Tina slowly laid down her royal flush.

  “Well, fuck you.”

  “Bwaa haa haa.” Tina made a big show of raking in the chips.

  Barb shook her head. “Now, girls. Tsk tsk.”

  Laughter rang out again—except for Estelle, who merely rolled her eyes.

  “Anybody know anything about this C.J. James coming in next week for the ‘Women in Music’ series?” Tina asked. “I hear she’s really good. Saw her pic, too, and whoa.” She let out a low whistle. “If she can’t sing, she sure as shit will look good sitting there.”

  Barb stared at her across the table.

  “Now, darling,” Tina told her, “you know you’re the only one for me.”

  Barb snorted.

  “I’ve heard she has a hell of a voice,” Tina said. “Any of you going to hear her?”

  The name startled Dani. “I heard one of her songs last year.” She didn’t bring up exactly when she heard the song. She didn’t want to think about that infamous day of her life. “You’re right. She’s good. I’d like to see her perform.”

  Monica spoke up, too. “Estelle and I are up for it.”

  Estelle swung her head around and glared at Monica.

  “Do you think it’d be a good idea for me to contact this C.J. and get some of her CDs for the shop?” Dani asked as she arranged her next hand.

  Tina nodded. “I really do from what others have told me. I’ve yet to go to her website to check her out.”

  “I’ll do that when I get home. Maybe we can do a display highlighting her music and get a jump on the others.”

  The pizza arrived, and the rest of the night passed quickly. Tina managed to keep her title as “World’s Greatest Poker Player” for two more weeks. She barely beat out Dani on the last hand. After they added up their chips, Tina came out on top with $100 more than Dani’s total.

  Everyone grabbed their jackets and shared hugs while saying their goodbyes. Dani noticed that Estelle had already stepped outside to light up a cigarette. As they were walking to the door, Tina took down the trophy that sat on top of the mantel. She dramatically polished it with the tail of her shirt and then set it back on the mantel. “Looks good up there, doesn’t it?” she asked.

  “Oh, shut up!” everyone yelled in unis
on.

  “Hey, see you tomorrow, boss,” Tina said as Dani headed out the door.

  “See you in the morning.”

  Dani slipped on her jacket on and started her walk home. She stared up at the starlit Georgia sky. With the lack of city lights, the stars were very visible. It was a gorgeous night. Dani took a deep breath of fresh air. This was when she loved the seasons here. She still missed the snow on occasion—that was until she heard of ten inches of it falling in her hometown of Peabody, Indiana.

  It didn’t take her long to make it to her house. She unlocked the door. Frodo greeted her as if she’d been gone for weeks.

  “Hey, boy, how was your night?”

  Frodo jumped on her leg until Dani scratched his head and patted his side.

  “Come on, time to go out.” She pushed open the back screen door.

  The home was perfect for Dani. It was a four-bedroom brick with an open front porch. Two bedrooms were on the main floor. Dani had turned one of the first-floor bedrooms into her den where she kept her bookcase and desk with a computer, while she kept the other as a spare bedroom. The master bedroom and another spare bedroom were upstairs. There was one full bath on the main floor and one on the second. Hardwood floors ran throughout the home. Large throw rugs added to the warm feel of the house.

  Frodo barked loudly out back like he’d spotted a critter. Dani sighed. She’d better get him in. She didn’t want to piss off the neighbors around her who tended to go to bed earlier than she did.

  “Man, Frodo, did you get him?” Dani asked when Frodo flew into the house. He stood by his bowl and waited for his nighttime food. She dropped a half a cup into his dish. She really did keep an eye on his weight. Beagles were notorious for overeating. After he finished gobbling down his food, he lapped up his water, exaggerating as if he’d gone without water all day and was just now getting his first taste.

  Dani climbed the stairs, and he followed on her heels. After changing into boxer shorts and a tank top, she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. He was right behind her and sat in the doorway, watching her every move. This was his way of letting her know he was ready for bed, but she wanted to check out this C.J. James before she called it a night.

  She bounced back downstairs with Frodo hot on her heels. She flipped on the computer and logged onto the Internet. On a whim, she typed in “cjjames.com” to see if it was that easy.

  The screen turned black, and “C.J. James” was spelled out in turquoise blue script. Then the screen dissolved into a photo of the singer, and her music drifted out from the speakers. It was similar in sound to the first song Dani had heard James sing.

  Dani sat back in her chair when she saw the photo. Wow. She could definitely see what everyone was talking about. C.J. James had short, light-blonde hair, cut so the strands feathered away from her face. With her hypnotic, light-blue eyes and a smile that dazzled, she was gorgeous. Her music had a folk-blues sound to it, sung with a husky, sultry voice.

  Dani quickly decided she’d call the number listed on her website tomorrow and inquire about purchasing some of her CDs for the store in time for her arrival the next week. Dani happened to look down to see Frodo beside her. He cocked his head as he listened to James’s voice.

  “Yeah, pretty good, huh, boy?” She stroked his head for a while. The song playing now was about losing a lover to a best friend. It was the song Dani couldn’t get out of her head for weeks after her breakup:

  You kissed me, then said goodbye. I thought you were mine.

  Now all I have left are your lies.

  Yeah, all I have left are your lies.

  C.J. then started the mournful guitar solo.

  Dani waited until the songs began to repeat before logging off. She double-checked the locks, turned off the lights, and headed back upstairs. Frodo raced up the stairs before her, made it to the bedroom, and hopped effortlessly onto the bed.

  Dani swore she’d never let him sleep in bed with her, but he’d learned since he was a puppy to stay at the foot of the bed. Her ex had helped train him to do this. He dutifully kept to his territory. Of course, when she and her ex made love, Frodo found himself on the other side of a closed door.

  The only thing he insisted on was one good-night lick on the side of Dani’s face, a few pets of his head, and then he’d wander to the end of the bed. He’d “fluff up” his area, scratch at the comforter with his front paws, do his three or four circles, and finally curl up in a ball, letting out a big sigh.

  Dani stared up at the shadows that the tree branches cast on the ceiling. As she started to drift off to sleep, C.J. James’s sultry voice floated into the deep recesses of her brain.

  You kissed me, then said goodbye...

  Chapter 3

  The next day, Dani stood at the window, anxiously awaiting the UPS delivery. She hadn’t told Tina about her special package arriving that day, mainly because she didn’t want to be teased incessantly. When Dani spotted the UPS truck rounding the corner, she practically jumped the driver as he entered the store. She signed off on the delivery and barely refrained from kissing him on the cheek as he left.

  She carried the box to the counter and caressed it like a lover. She was almost afraid to open it. She felt like a kid on Christmas day, anticipating a present she’d longed for, but perhaps finding disappointment once she tore off the wrapping.

  But she knew what was inside. Something she’d saved all year to buy. She’d convinced Brenda, the seller, to accept her $1,000 down payment twelve months ago. Brenda would’ve been ruthless with anyone else, but she and Dani were mutual bookstore owners and good friends.

  Dani grabbed a letter opener from the drawer under the counter and carefully slid it along the tape.

  “Jesus, Dani. Are you ever going to open the damn thing?”

  Dani started at Tina’s voice. Tina leaned against the doorway that stood between the front of the store and the office.

  “How did you know I even had anything to open?”

  “I heard the driver enter the store and saw you almost tackle him to get to the package.”

  “Funny. You have no clue what this is.” Dani put a protective arm around the box as if it were her kid brother.

  “Whatever,” Tina said over her shoulder as she walked back into the office.

  Dani pulled the paper out of the box and removed the bubble wrap from its precious contents. When she laid her hands on the dust jacket of the book, tears sprang to her eyes. She gingerly pulled the dust jacket aside and brushed her fingers over the blue writing and scroll on the gray cloth cover: Gone with the Wind. The copyright page read: “Published May, 1936.” She flipped to the back where the book ended on page 1037. These were all proof of the jewel she held in her hands, just as they were twelve months before. But the ultimate thrill was the first inside page, the fly page. She opened the book again. There, staring back at her, was the neat scrawl of Margaret Mitchell’s autograph. The book was a first printing of the first edition of Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. It had cost Dani $7,500, which, as a collector, she recognized was a major bargain—especially considering its excellent condition.

  Dani felt Tina behind her.

  “Oh, wow. I see why you’re treating this thing like it’s the Gutenberg Bible.” If anyone knew about Dani’s infatuation with Gone with the Wind, it was Tina. She laid her head on Dani’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for being so insensitive.”

  Dani playfully shoved her away. “Go back to the office and check those invoices.”

  “Seriously, I’m glad you did something for yourself. You don’t do that enough.” Tina returned to the office, took her seat behind the desk, and shuffled through some papers.

  Dani carefully rewrapped her “new” book and carried it to the office until she left for home. The only place this treasure was going was behind glass in her special bookcase. She’d collected a few rare first editions over the years, but nothing would ever top this.

  With that memorable task out
of the way, Dani concentrated on greeting customers until lunchtime, a typically slow time as shoppers and tourists made their way to the various eateries in the area. Tina had already stepped out to buy them both sandwiches at the deli down the street.

  While Tina grabbed them lunch, Dani decided to call the number from C.J. James’s website. The phone kept ringing on the other end with no answer. Dani was about to give up when a husky voice came on the line.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello. I was calling to inquire on purchasing a bulk order of C.J. James’s CDs.”

  “This is C.J.”

  “Oh, great. Hi, Ms. James, my name is Dani Roberts. I’m a bookstore owner in Francis, Georgia. I know you’ll be coming here next week for the ‘Women in Music’ series at Carl’s Cavern. I heard about your music and checked out your website. Your songs are very impressive.” Jesus. Will someone please find the Off switch to my mouth?

  “Yeah? Thanks. And it’s C.J., by the way.”

  “Oh, okay,” Dani said. For some reason, she blushed. “I’d like to order twenty copies of your newest release.”

  “Twenty? Then we’re definitely on a first-name basis, Dani.”

  “I’d like to get the jump on everyone in the area and showcase your CD in my store. We have a stereo system set up in the shop, so the customers can hear it, too.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “I’ll send you a check this afternoon. Is that okay?”

  “Sure. I can get those out to you as soon as possible, probably by the middle of the week.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’d like to meet you when I get to town. Would you like that?”

  Again, Dani felt her face get hot. “I can come over to Carl’s Cavern when you get here. I’d like to hear your music in person anyway.”

  “It’s a deal. Hey, thanks again for the order, Dani. Have a great day.”