Hammer

by James, Nicole

  “I’m in here, dear.”

  Tink followed the sound of her voice and found her mother in the formal dining room fluffing some flowers in a vase until they were just right. The table was set for just four with them all at one end of the ten-foot table.

  Small dishes of strawberry salad, her father’s favorite, were already set on top of the dinner plates. Tink snatched one of the cut red berries and popped it into her mouth.

  “Alexandra,” her mother admonished, slapping her hand away when she tried to swipe another. “Wait for dinner. I swear.”

  “Where’s Queen Bee?”

  Her mother glared at her. “Raven is upstairs on the phone.” She leaned in close. “I think William is breaking it off with her.”

  Oh, crap. If her sister wasn’t hard enough to deal with on a regular day, she was a full-on bitch the days when this happened. And not surprisingly, it occurred quite often. “Another one bites the dust.”

  “Alexandra! You hush. And don’t you dare bring it up during dinner. I want a nice meal. Your father has been very tired lately, and I don’t want anything to upset him.”

  “Yes, Mama.” Tink wouldn’t start anything, but she couldn’t believe Raven wouldn’t. She lived for confrontation.

  Ada swept in with a big white soup tureen complete with lid and ladle. It had been in her father’s family almost as long as the house had been.

  Their family may not be millionaires, but they definitely made up for it with exquisite, expensive hand-me-downs. Some years when things were tight, Tink had often wondered why her father never sold off any of the pieces. Such a thing would have been blasphemous to even suggest, and she was glad it had never come to that.

  “Oh, my God, Ada, that smells delicious.”

  Ada winked at her. “When I heard you were coming for dinner, I knew I had to make She-crab soup. Been your favorite since you were old enough to help in the kitchen.”

  “Well, she won’t be doing any of that tonight, Ada,” her mother decreed.

  “Yes, ma’am. Of course not.”

  “Could you tell Dr. DuPont that dinner is served?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ada paused by Tink to whisper, “Might be an extra pecan pie in the kitchen for you to take home.”

  Tink’s eyes got big, and she mouthed, “I love you!”

  Ada chuckled and hustled out of the room.

  “Could you go up and tell Raven to come down?” her mother asked.

  “Mother!” Her objection only earned her one of her mother’s classic responses. She got ‘the look’, the look that had been keeping Tink in line since she was a child.

  “Fine.” Heading out of the dining room, she almost bumped into her father. He was a brusque man who’d never had much to do with the raising of his children. He was starting to thicken around his waist, and he was going bald, but he still had those sharp blue eyes that missed little.

  “Alexandra.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Daddy.”

  “Where are you off to? Ada is about to serve.”

  “I sent her to fetch Raven, darling,” her mother added.

  “Hmph,” was all he said to that. He moved to take his seat. “We eat at seven. She knows that. She shouldn’t have to be fetched.”

  Tink couldn’t help but smile at her father’s words. He’d always seen through Raven’s ploys. He’d never coddled her the way mother had. He just didn’t bother to get involved, unfortunately. Perhaps he’d given up on her long ago.

  Tink moved to the staircase. She had no intention of going up to get Raven, so she stopped at the foot and yelled up. “Raven, dinner!”

  Returning to the dining room, she took her seat, laid her napkin on her lap, and lifted the Waterford crystal goblet of water to her lips. Her eyes shifted to her father. He folded his hands, his elbows on the table, and waited. He didn’t like to begin until they all were seated.

  His gaze flicked to her mother with the silent message, ‘this again?’

  To which her mother huffed as she snapped her linen napkin out and settled it across her lap. “I’m sure she’ll be right down.”

  As if waiting off stage for her cue, Raven swept in the room, her chin in the air as if she were royalty and all should wait for her to show up. Tink’s eyes swept over her from head to toe, taking in the designer outfit that had to have cost a small fortune. As fast as their father made money, Raven spent it. Mother’s high-end department store charge cards were always to the limit, mostly due to Raven’s latest outfit. Her long dark hair was wavy like their mother’s, and her skin was like porcelain. She also had about three inches in height on Tink, and it was all leg.

  Raven sat without looking at either of their parents.

  Father said grace, and they all bowed their heads. Tink couldn’t remember a meal eaten at this table without grace being said. She caught Raven studying her and knew she was waiting to lob the first volley in her habitual verbal attack. They usually started with Raven baiting her with some snide comment. Raven didn’t fail her tonight.

  “I see you’re still wearing your hair in that ridiculous pixie cut.”

  “Raven,” Father cut her off.

  “Oh, Daddy, honestly, you can’t tell me you like it. You always loved Alexandra’s long curls.” Raven gave her a cunning look as if she’d just set her up.

  Trying to turn one or both of their parents against her was one of Raven’s favorite tactics.

  Tink glanced at her father. He was eyeing her hair as he jabbed at his salad. “I always did like it longer.”

  Raven grinned like the Cheshire cat, and Tink stabbed at her own salad.

  “Raven,” her mother reprimanded. “Alexandra’s hair is lovely. It brings out her delicate bone structure.

  That just had Raven seeing red. “Mama, you always defend her. It’s like she can do no wrong. Honest to God, it’s nauseating.”

  Tink was grateful when her father changed the subject.

  “Where’s William? Why didn’t he join us?” He looked pointedly at Raven.

  Tink watched her sister push the lettuce around her plate.

  “I broke it off with him. He was boring anyway.”

  Tink would bet her tuition that William had dumped Raven. Most men found her difficult, and it was usually only a matter of months before the bitchy personality overshadowed her sister’s beauty. Besides, by then they’d all gotten what they’d been after—namely sleeping with her—and had no intentions of strapping on the ball and chain for this woman.

  Tink blew out a breath. Whenever Raven got dumped, she turned her anger on her sister. Tink had no intention of dealing with that tonight.

  As expected, Raven pounced, giving her a glare.

  “So, how are your little classes coming? Getting straight A’s, or is your dyslexia rearing its ugly head again?”

  Raven knew how touchy that subject was for Tink. Oh, yes, she knew just what buttons to push.

  Ada came in with their plated dinners and served them. As she set Tink’s down in front of her she glared at Raven, who ignored her. Raven never had time for ‘the help’ as she liked to call Ada.

  “Thank you, Ada,” Tink whispered, giving her a smile.

  “Enjoy, sweetie.” She patted Tink’s shoulder, a bit of sympathetic encouragement.

  Her father picked up his goblet. “So, what are your plans, Raven? Now that your summer in Europe is over and, apparently, so is your engagement to William.”

  Tink tried to hide her smile, but Raven saw it, her eyes narrowing.

  “Why must I have plans? I swear, Daddy, it’s like you can’t wait to be rid of me.”

  “It’s time you made some decisions about your life, Raven.”

  “I plan to marry a rich man, so I can leave this town and travel the world.”

  “Sounds like a great plan. You should get right on that,” Tink taunted, stabbing at her salad, the metal tines of her fork clinking against the bone china.

  “You shut up!” Raven snapped. “What have y
ou done? Studying to be a nurse, for God’s sake? You couldn’t even get into Vanderbilt, like Daddy wanted. And now you’re what? Taking classes at Samford University for God’s sake.”

  “Raven!” their mother snapped. “Samford is a fine school, and Nursing is a noble career.”

  “Right, Mother. The only reason you became one was to catch a doctor for a husband.”

  “Raven, that’s enough!” their father’s voice boomed.

  “I don’t know why I even bothered to come home. I should have stayed in Paris.”

  “Yes, you should have. Why don’t you go back?” Tink added.

  “No one cares what you think. What’s your big life plan? Have you gotten the nerve up to tell mother you don’t want to be a nurse like her?”

  Her mother looked at Tink. “Is this true?”

  “No, Mama. Raven is just doing what she always does—driving a wedge between us anyway she can.”

  “Oh, like you care? You’re never around anyway,” Raven snipped. “Mother says so.”

  After two bites of her delicious main dish, Tink pushed her plate away. “May I be excused?”

  “We just sat down,” her mother protested.

  “You’re excused,” her father overruled.

  “Thank you, Daddy,” Tink murmured as she pushed her chair back, tossed her napkin on her plate, and left the room.

  “See, Mama. You and Daddy both coddle her.”

  “Raven, that’s enough,” her father’s voice carried down the hall.

  Tink headed to the one place she’d always found solace—the kitchen, hanging out with Ada. She pushed through the swinging door.

  Ada turned and put her hand on her hip. “Honey, I haven’t even served dessert yet.”

  “I couldn’t last that long.”

  “Your sister at it again?”

  “When isn’t she?”

  “Uhm, uhm, uhm. That girl is trouble. You want some bread pudding with warm bourbon sauce? That’ll make you forget about her. Or maybe some pecan pie?”

  “Bread pudding.”

  “Coming right up, child. There’s coffee if you want. I’ll be right back after I serve your father dessert.”

  “I’m sure he can’t wait. It’s his favorite.”

  “That it is, baby girl. Be right back.” She hustled out with a tray of plates. Tink moved to make a cup of coffee. There were no mugs in the house, only delicate fine china cups and saucers. There was something about drinking coffee out of them that just made it taste richer.

  She sat at the island, perched on a barstool, and sipped her coffee. The evening had gone about as she’d expected. Now she just needed to wait out dinner, say goodbye to her parents and leave… hopefully with a pecan pie to take home.

  Ada hustled in. “Owee, they was arguing but shut up quick enough when that bread pudding was put in front of them.”

  Tink smiled. “Why, Ada, you’re a peacemaker.”

  “Well, it won’t last long around here.” She fixed a plate for Tink and set it before her.

  “Oh, my God. That smells delicious.”

  “Why don’t you sneak out on the back veranda and eat in peace. I won’t tell anyone.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Tink carried her coffee and dessert like precious crystal, pushing the screen door open with her hip. She moved to a white wicker rocking chair and sat, setting her cup and saucer down on a small side table. She dug into the bread pudding, scooping out a big bite. She moaned around the mouthful. Heaven, pure heaven.

  She’d barely had time to swallow before the screen door creaked open. Raven stood, hands on hips, scowling down at her.

  “I don’t need you trying to turn Daddy against me.”

  “Look whose talking. You’re the one making all the snide comments, sister.”

  Raven sneered at her. “I better not hear you say one word about William.”

  “Oh, the beau you couldn’t keep?”

  Raven leaned into her. “And how many boyfriends have you had, Alexandra? Oh, right, zero.”

  “Because you stole them all!”

  “And it was so easy, too.”

  “Go to hell, Raven. Go back inside and see if you can talk Daddy into sending you back to France.”

  “You better be careful, Alexandra. You get in my way while I’m home and you’ll regret it.” Raven’s voice was deceptively quiet.

  “Ooo, I’m shaking in my boots.”

  Raven’s eyes swept down her outfit. She had on overall shorts with a tube top under them and her favorite lace up boots. “Who wears combat boots for Gods’ sake? Only you, you little freak.” With that she huffed back into the house.

  Damage done. Once again in the space of an hour she’d destroyed Tink’s self-esteem, from her dyslexia to her looks, to her relationship with her parents; she’d hit the target with every jab.

  Tink looked down at her dessert. She took another spoonful, but suddenly it didn’t taste as sweet anymore.

  Tink knew one thing: she couldn’t put up with Raven being in the same town. She didn’t want to live in dread of running into her at the gym or the grocery store or a local bar. She couldn’t do it. She wouldn’t do it. And from the sound of it, Raven had nowhere to go. Unless Daddy got sick of her and sent her on another trip, she’d be sticking around for a long while.

  In that moment, Tink made her decision. If Raven was here, then she would not be. She’d leave town. But where would she go? She’d heard there was a good nursing program at a school down near the coast, but was that what she wanted to do? Nursing? If she were leaving town, why not be truthful with her parents before she left and tell them she did not want to be a nurse? She just wasn’t sure what she really did want to do, and that was the rub of it.

  She thought of Hammer. She’d always admired how he knew his path and was so sure of who he was. In comparison, Tink was floundering.

  She set her mostly uneaten dessert aside and picked up her coffee. She stared at the black liquid and wondered if Raven and Hammer would start up again now that she was back in town.

  Tink needed to leave town, but for that, she’d need money, and she was not about to ask her father for help. He’d already spent so much on her tuition.

  Tink bit her lip, considering her options.

  She had a friend from high school who lived out in LA now. Perhaps she could go out there and stay for a while, think everything through. Her bank account held just under two hundred dollars. Not enough to get her there, and not the kind of money she’d need for LA prices. The last thing she wanted was to end up waiting tables for money to eat.

  The offer Clay Ashton had made her popped into her head. He’d offered her a hundred bucks an hour—if she posed nude. Was that an option to consider? Could she do it?

  She rocked, contemplated, and sipped her coffee. She stared at the bright fuchsia azalea bushes. Her father had just paid the tuition for this semester at Samford University. Maybe she should finish out the semester. Then she could at least transfer somewhere else or pick back up if she needed to fall back on nursing.

  The screen door creaked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  Her father stepped outside, his hands going to his pockets. “Mind if I join you?”

  “Not at all.”

  He gazed up at the stars. “Nice night.”

  It was. The unbearable heat of summer was finally breaking, and the humidity had begun to lift. Soon it would turn cool. Tink loved the fall. It was her favorite time of year.

  “Your mother thinks I don’t know what’s going on around here half the time. That or she thinks I don’t care. She’s not correct on either count.”

  Tink stared up at her father, wide-eyed.

  He sat in the rocker next to hers, rocking quietly and looking at the sky. “Your sister will be around for a long time, it looks like. I know the two of you don’t get on well.”

  That was the understatement of the year, but Tink stayed quiet.

  “Don’t let what she said eat at you, Ale
xandra. None of that is true. None of it.” He shook his head. “I hate what she does to you, but she is who she is. I’ll understand if you avoid family dinners from now on, cupcake.”

  Relief flooded through her. She couldn’t believe she was hearing this.

  “I love your mother, but she isn’t always truthful with herself. I know she wants you girls to have the best. So do I, but not at the expense of your happiness.”

  He looked at Tink, and all she could do was nod. He had her completely speechless. She’d never heard her father speak so many words to her at one time.

  “Your mother looks back on her nursing career with rose-colored glasses, but she wasn’t all that happy doing it. It served its purpose, though. She met and married a doctor, and to her, and to her mother, that was a prize.” He chuckled. “I’m not saying I’m a prize. I know I’m not, but your mother thinks so, and I guess that’s all that matters.”

  “She loves you.”

  He nodded. “I know she does, and I love her, but I shouldn’t have let her press you into following in her footsteps. She couldn’t wait to quit nursing after we were married. Of course, helping patients can be rewarding, but the other side is it’s a hard, thankless profession in which you are pushed around by doctors all day, blamed for things that aren’t your fault, and worked to death. Are you sure that’s what you want, Alexandra?”

  “I—I don’t know, Daddy. I’ve actually been sitting here wondering that very thing. And with Raven home, I just don’t know if I even want to be in Birmingham right now.”

  He nodded. “I see.”

  “I’d feel like such a quitter and such a disappointment to you. You’ve spent all that money, Daddy.”

  “You could never be a disappointment, Alexandra. And as for the money, I checked into it. If you withdraw by the fifth week, I’ll still get fifty percent of the tuition back. More if you withdraw sooner.”

  Tink’s mouth dropped open. “How much more?”

  “If you withdraw after only two weeks, ninety percent.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know classes just started, and maybe you’re not sure yet. Think on it, okay, cupcake?”