The Beach House

by Vicky Jones

  “I ain’t gonna lie to you both, it ain’t gonna be easy,” Dorothy began, tapping her tea glass with her fingernail. “But if anyone can do this then you two can.” She looked between them both and smiled. “You two are strong. The love you have for each other? Well, that ain’t something that can be underestimated. Folks are gonna talk about where your men are, but you stay solid and there ain’t nothing you can’t overcome.”

  Shona squeezed Chloe’s hand and, instinctively, Chloe knew what to ask. “Will you stay with us, Dorothy? At least until the birth?”

  Dorothy looked at Shona, then nodded to Chloe. “Why, of course I will. Ain’t nothing back home to keep me there. As far as I’m concerned, my family is here, in this room.”

  “Alright, then that’s settled,” Shona announced. “I’ll go make up the spare room.”

  Chloe and Dorothy watched Shona leave, then Dorothy leaned forward in her armchair. “Do you know how happy you’ve made that lil’ girl? Why, I ain’t never seen her so full of life and hope. I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long. She’s got a family of her very own now to take care of. Seeing her like this has kept me going. Chloe, you’ve given her something she thought she’d never have.”

  “What?” Chloe replied.

  “A future. One worth living for.”

  Chapter 15

  “Say, did you hear about the plane crash in Iowa?” Chloe announced over the breakfast table. “All four passengers, including Buddy Holly, confirmed dead.” She lowered the paper. “That’s so terrible. They were all so young.”

  “Well, that’s even more reason to grab life and live it while we can,” Shona chimed in, grabbing a piece of toast from the plate in the middle of the table. “I gotta go to work. Will you be OK today?”

  “Yeah, me and Dorothy are gonna go down to the beach. The sea air will do her cough good. Did you hear her last night?”

  “I’ll go ask Doctor Thomas for some more cough drops for her,” Shona replied. She leaned over to kiss Chloe’s cheek. “See you later, baby.” She lowered her head and kissed Chloe’s large bump. “See you later, baby.”

  “Get outta here, silly,” Chloe said, swatting her away.

  As the front door closed behind Shona, Dorothy appeared and shuffled over to the breakfast table. “Did I miss Shona?” she asked, looking over to the door.

  “Yeah, just this minute. But she’ll get you some more cough drops on the way home,” Chloe said, pouring Dorothy a cup of coffee.

  “She’s such a good girl. I’ve loved these last two weeks being here with you both. And I’m so happy she’s found someone to look after her as well as she looks after me,” Dorothy replied.

  “Believe me, she does more than her fair share of fussing over me too.” Chloe giggled.

  “I can tell that too. God, it makes me so angry thinking back to how she was treated in the past. By her father, and by that wretched Lucy girl back in Mississippi. I’ll never get over the sight of Shona lying on my floor after what those thugs did to her. That Lucy led her on, making her think she liked her.” Dorothy slurped her coffee as Chloe’s keen eyes fixed on her.

  “I remember you telling me the story, back when I visited you there,” Chloe began. “It must have been terrible for you. When I saw the mess Kyle and those Bullen boys had left Shona in, it broke my heart.”

  “Yeah, our girl’s certainly been through the mill more than once. But she’s got us here now, together. Those people are ghosts now.” Dorothy drained her coffee cup and smacked her lips. “Now, I want to feel the sea between my toes.”

  Later that evening, Chloe found Shona kneeling on their bedroom floor surrounded by strips of clean, whitewashed wood and a small bag of nails.

  “What are you making there?” she asked, leaning against the door frame.

  “Well, we’re gonna need a place for the baby to sleep in a few months so I thought I’d put together a little crib. I found a place that cuts the best pine wood and bought some brand new nails. It’ll be perfect,” Shona replied, rocking back to sit on her heels. “How big would you say they are?” Shona held her palms apart as if she were gauging the length of a marrow.

  “Well, I’d say about as long as that piece you got over there,” Chloe replied, pointing down at the bits by Shona’s feet.

  “I thought I’d make a little mobile too, and a changing table that can go over in the corner there,” Shona said, excitement in her voice.

  Chloe couldn’t help but feel overcome with emotion. The tears began to roll down her cheeks. Shona shot to her feet and rushed over.

  “Honey, what’s the matter? You don’t like that idea?” Shona stroked her hair and held her in her arms. “It’s fine, we’ll go over to the store first thing and buy something brand new, already made. I’m sorry.”

  Chloe peeled her damp face away from Shona’s denim shirt and looked up at her, the smile in her eyes incongruous with the tears that filled them. “Do you know how much I love you? I wouldn’t want a crib for our baby that was made by anyone other than you,” she said, sniffing.

  “You sure?” Shona asked, wiping the tears away from Chloe’s flushed cheeks.

  “Positive. I don’t know why I’m crying. My emotions are all over the place.” Chloe laughed, her eyes still damp.

  “Well, there’s only a few weeks to go, no wonder. It’s probably a mixture of nerves and stuff.”

  “As long as I’ve got you, there’s nothing I can’t face,” Chloe said, nuzzling into Shona’s neck.

  “Well, that’s one thing you don’t have to worry about. I’m yours. Forever,” Shona whispered. “Now, do I paint this thing pink or blue?” Shona grinned, tapping a piece of whitewashed wood with her boot.

  Over in the center of town, two police officers stood in the alleyway adjacent to Bertie’s. They were taking note of who went in and came out.

  “You really think Lawrence can run this town while Everett’s away?” Barnes asked Gibson, who smoothed down his moustache.

  “Has to, don’t he? It’s been months now and there’s no sign of the boss coming back. I can’t lose my job. I got no choice but to follow orders. Even if those come from that snot-nosed runt.”

  “Me too,” Barnes nodded. “Looks like we got some action.”

  Both officers hushed and trained their eyes over to where two casually dressed men walked towards the side door to Bertie’s. The door opened and the short, stocky figure holding it open smiled and allowed the men to pass into the bar.

  “You recognize those guys?”

  Gibson nodded, then took out his notebook and wrote down their names.

  “Another two for Lawrence’s list,” Barnes remarked.

  Friday morning was colder than it had been in a few weeks, but still sunny and bright. Shona tapped on Dorothy’s door as she did every morning to wake her for breakfast. Not receiving the usual acknowledgement, Shona opened the door a crack and peeked inside. The blankets were heaped over Dorothy’s head and only her shape could be made out.

  “Dorothy? You awake?” Shona whispered.

  The blood in Shona’s veins turned to ice. Clenching her teeth together, she took in a deep breath to settle herself, then moved quickly over to the bed. Peeling back the blanket, she saw Dorothy’s pale face and, fearing the worst, began shaking her.

  “Dorothy? Please no.”

  The old lady burst into life and began flailing her arms. “What the hell’s… What’s up with you, girl? I ain’t dead.”

  Shona fell backwards and landed in a heap at the end of the bed.

  “I thought…” she gasped.

  “I ain’t got time to be dead,” Dorothy exclaimed. “Believe me, I’ll know when I’m ready to go.”

  Within seconds of staring at each other in shock, Shona and Dorothy were laughing, with relief on Shona’s part.

  “Yeah, well, you just make sure it stays that way,” Shona said. “Breakfast’s on the table. I’ll see you after work.”

  “If I make it to the end of the
day, you mean?” Dorothy countered.

  “Mostly walking in the hills up there, and just good living really,” Minnie Barker replied after Shona had asked her how she kept in such good shape at sixty-six years old. “And I have a little vegetable patch I tend, which keeps the knee joints moving nicely,” she added. “Here, I wanted you to have this. I know the price of vegetables has gone up these last few months and I got more than I need so here.” Minnie held out a basket of carrots, potatoes and collard greens to Shona, who took it from her.

  “For me?” Shona replied, stunned.

  Minnie nodded. “As a thank you for all you do for me with the truck. You won’t take money, so I brought you these. And I heard your sister’s having a baby and you two are coping alone with her husband out of town.” Minnie paused.

  Shona gave her a knowing look. “Marion?”

  Minnie nodded. “Oh, but don’t worry. I wasn’t asking questions, she just caught me in the line at the grocery store and began gossiping. I tried not to pay any attention.”

  “That woman should be fired,” Shona said.

  Minnie watched her. “You know, I’m always willing to listen, if you ever need someone to talk to. About anything.” Her eyes twinkled as if she were reading Shona’s thoughts.

  “Why Shona, twice in one day?” Minnie greeted, finding Shona on her doorstep holding a cake box later that same afternoon.

  “Well, I brought this over for you as a thank you for the vegetables. Thought you could share it with the judge when you see him tomorrow,” Shona replied, remembering Minnie had mentioned it that morning. “It’s cherry cake.”

  “His favorite. You remembered,” Minnie said, ushering Shona inside.

  They sat at the small table and chairs in Minnie’s garden. It was just before four o’clock, the shadows lengthening as the late winter sun began to lower.

  “How’s Chloe doing? She must be fit to pop by now.” Minnie chuckled as she poured them both a glass of orange juice.

  “Almost. She’s just over six months along. Not long to go now,” Shona replied, staring down at her glass.

  “You know, not everyone in this town is as indiscrete as Marion. What’s troubling you, Shona?”

  Shona put her glass down. “I don’t know how to say it. Oh Minnie, everyone in this town wants to know the story with us. I feel eyes on me all the time. No matter how much I try and ignore it, it’s always there, waiting for me to crack. I can’t stand it.” She looked up, tears in her eyes.

  “You can confide in me, Shona. I’ve been married to a judge for the last forty years. There isn’t a secret in this town I don’t know about. What is it, sweetheart?”

  Shona took a deep breath and told Minnie everything.

  Chapter 16

  Outside the bar, Bertie and Dee were sitting in the Monday afternoon sunshine sipping from beer bottles.

  “I think you should lay offa that girl, Bert,” Dee began, nodding her bottle in the direction of the garage. “If she’s charmed Judge Barker’s old lady then she must be doing something right. Cranky ol’ goat.”

  Bertie grunted, then turned her attention to peeling the label off her bottle.

  “I mean, we don’t even know her. She may be real nice. She don’t look like trouble to me,” Dee continued, watching Shona go about her business.

  “Yeah, she’s real nice to the cops who come in here and smash up this place while the sheriff’s out of town,” Bertie grumbled. “Then she expects me to keep her cozy little family situation a secret. Well, that ain’t really playing fair now, is it, Deirdre?” Bertie swigged her beer and smacked her lips.

  “No, I guess not, Bertha,” Dee replied, folding her arms. “Guess I’m just jealous of what Shona and that Chloe have got going on. Hell, maybe you are too, Bert?”

  Bertie scoffed but didn’t reply.

  “Good luck to them is what I say. I miss being with somebody at night. And you can act tough all you like, Bert, but I know you do too. How long is it now since Sarah left?”

  “Two years, six months and 28 days. Not that I’m counting,” Bertie added with a sardonic smile.

  “Well, I’m sick of just being a one-night thing to girls around here just wanting something different from their boring housewife lives. I deserve more. We all do. And we should stick together, right? You taking out your anger on that girl over there ain’t gonna change what Sarah did to you. Shona can’t help looking like her.”

  “Well, thank you for that rousing speech. Are you finished now?” Bertie drawled, rolling her eyes as she swigged her beer.

  “You ever considered the possibility that maybe Shona’s just trying to make friends? Ain’t easy in a town like this. And helping the cops? Well, maybe she’s just trying to be nice.”

  “Nobody’s nice without an agenda,” Bertie replied. “Anyway, she owes me.” She sipped her beer slower this time, her piercing blue eyes fixed on Shona’s back. “Maybe I will pay her a little visit again.”

  Shona decided that she would go for a drink after work. It had been a few months now, since her last encounter with Bertie, but she couldn’t avoid her forever. It was a new start for Shona and the last thing she wanted was to feel as trapped as she had done in the past. A life without drama was one thing, but one without friends seemed too harsh.

  Bertie’s was a world away from Chasers back in Mississippi, in more ways than one. It seemed like the sort of place she could relax in. About ten minutes after she’d ordered a Coke at the bar, a woman approached her. Shona looked up to see she was in her mid-twenties, red haired, wearing a white tee-shirt, blue jeans and a black leather jacket.

  “Say, I ain’t seen you in here before,” the redhead began. “You new in town?” Her inquisitive brown eyes glinted with mischief as she chewed slowly on a cocktail stick and placed a booted foot on the bottom rung of Shona’s bar stool.

  “Not really. Been here six months now,” Shona replied, looking back down at her bottle.

  “Oh, right.” Several moments of silence went by before the woman cleared her throat to remind Shona she was still standing there. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  “I already got one,” Shona replied, then remembered the reason why she’d gone in for a drink in the first place. “But thank you for the offer. You live around here?”

  The woman sat down on the stool next to Shona. “Yeah, my name’s Susie. You’re Shona, right?” She leaned over and took a coaster from the bar, her arm brushing against Shona’s. Be friendly, Shona thought, but the conversation just wouldn’t come. She sat next to Susie for a few more minutes of awkward silence before Susie got the hint.

  “Look, don’t think I was trying to hit on you, I was just trying to be friendly. We all know you’re with that pregnant woman,” Susie chastised. She leaned in with her parting shot, “and if we know it then you can be damn sure the cops will cotton on soon too. But maybe as you fix their cars for free they’ve turned a blind eye?” Whispering in Shona’s ear as she left, Susie added, “Just watch yourself. Sheriff Lawrence ain’t gonna leave you alone forever.”

  “Friendly, ain’t they?” Bertie said, placing another Coke in front of Shona a few minutes after Susie had departed.

  “Some are, some ain’t. I get that a lot,” Shona mused, staring at the bottle but leaving it untouched.

  Bertie watched her. “Yeah, well I come in peace this time,” she said holding her palms up. “I wanted to ask you for something.”

  “What?” Shona looked up to see Bertie’s eyes fixed on her.

  “Help.”

  “With what?”

  “You’ve got influence around this town now. You’ve only been here a few months yet you’ve got those cops wrapped around your little finger already.”

  “It’s because I pay them the respect they deserve.”

  “And because you don’t want any trouble, right?” Bertie interjected. “You don’t want them sniffing around your place.” Bertie pointed at her. “Or your home.”

  Shona clenched h
er teeth. “What goes on in my house is no one’s goddamn business, you hear me?”

  Bertie leaned back, a sly grin creeping across her broad face. “Loud and clear. But I think the reason you come in here is to make friends. We understand your situation. I can guarantee you we will have your back.” Bertie paused again. “Some people walk in and out of your life, sure. I had it all my life with my family telling me I was no good, given my…lifestyle. But us girls in here? We’re loyal to the end.”

  Shona started to feel guilty. Loyalty was a rare thing for her to receive, especially given the betrayals she’d faced in the past, and there was something about the intensity of Bertie’s stare that intrigued her. The last thing Shona needed was more trouble coming her way, but the fire burning inside Bertie was compelling. And her family history sounded all too familiar to Shona. Relaxing her shoulders, she smiled at Bertie.

  “You say you wanted help? What help?”

  “I wanna cause a little rumble in town. Nothing violent, just a protest against how the cops are treating this place. Like we’re criminals or something. I need you to stand with us, show we ain’t gonna accept being treated like this anymore. They seem to respect you, and they’ll take us seriously if you’re with us.”

  “Well, why don’t we just go down to the police station and talk it over with them. Like you say, you ain’t doing nothing criminal. Maybe the promise of a few free drinks once in a while might smooth things over?”

  “Talk to them? Are you out of your mind? They won’t listen to the likes of me. They’re animals, the way they come in here and trash the place. Since Everett left, it’s gotten so much worse.” For a split second, Bertie looked vulnerable.

  “Look, we can at least try? I won’t get involved in any trouble, Bertie, but I will come down to the police station with you. We’ll sit with Lawrence and make him see reason, how does that sound?”