by Joyce Magnin
"Happens every day, Charlotte, and if I know Edwina and Thomasina, they did it with reverence and compassion."
Rose thanked Jesus for the pig.
"So when is this shindig scheduled to start?" Rose asked as she lifted her head.
I picked at the salad. "Yum, it's good. I figure folks will just start showing up, you know, assembling, finding their own way." I looked out the window. Folks were already starting to mingle in the street. It kind of looked like a scene from The Night of the Living Dead. But I figured they'd perk up once the festivities and food got rolling.
"Looks like they're all heading toward Asa's. There goes Greta and her kids. I see Clara and her husband."
"Yeah, Asa's got the largest property—next to the Frost farm, that is."
"And that giant barbecue."
"Right. The one he took from the fair."
"Took? You mean he stole a giant barbecue?"
Rose nodded.
That was when I started to laugh.
"What is so funny?"
"Nothing. I think I'm happy," I said. "My heart feels light, and my brain doesn't feel nearly as muddled as it did before, Rose. I think this is what it feels like to do good. To do something really good that makes other people happy."
Rose looked out the window. "Here comes Ginger. She's pulling a red wagon filled with—what is all that?"
Rose ran outside and I followed. "Ginger," Rose called."What do you have in that wagon?"
"Necessaries," she called.
Rose stopped. "I got hamburger buns, pickle relish, ketchup, mustard, gumdrops, cream soda, and more hamburger buns."
"Where did you get it all?"
"I went to the store this morning. And oh, yeah. I got a couple of new shuttlecocks for badminton."
Rose sucked enough air for the three of us. "You? You went to the store? But you never go."
"I know. Asa does all my shopping, usually, but, I don't know, this morning I got the notion to go alone, and it—"
"Wasn't so bad?" I said.
Ginger stared up at me, dropped the wagon handle, and put her tiny fists on her tiny hips. "No. It was awful. People stared at me and pointed like I had just walked out of the circus train bound for Freakville. Saw a few people snicker when I couldn't reach the pickle relish. But I ignored them, Charlotte. I ignored them, climbed up on the shelves, and got what I wanted."
Rose smiled and then started to laugh. "You really climbed the shelves?"
"Like a ladder. But then a grocery boy came and helped me. Nice young fella. But he was freaked out, you know. I mean, how often does he see a midget in tiny blue jeans, tie-dyed shirt, and love beads?"
If I were to venture a guess, I'd say there was close to forty people gathered at the end of Mango Street. Asa's trailer was small but tidy with a lot of ground around it. He had rose bushes, pink and purple azaleas, tulips, and the greenest grass I had ever seen, besides the grass on Angel Field. But that was when I realized—that man used the leftover sod on his own property. It was fine with me.
"Asa," I said. "You have such a nice place. I've been meaning to tell you."
"Thank you. It's home."
The oversized barbecue was set off to the side on the road, which was a cul-de-sac—just perfect for entertaining.
"That pig smells delicious already," Rose said. "When can we eat it?"
"Let me check on it," Asa said as he tightened the belt on his yellow apron.
Rose, Ginger, and I followed Asa to the barbecue. It was set up alongside three small ones that were manned by Jacob Pilkey. He was flipping burgers faster than I could count them.
"Howdy, Charlotte," he said. "Burger?"
"Not just yet. I'm waiting on that roast pig."
"Yeah, me too. But the younguns like the burgers."
That was when Charlie Lundy Junior and three or four other boys popped out from behind a tree. "Eww," Charlie whined when Asa lifted the lid of the grill. "It still gots its head. No eyes but it gots a head. I ain't eating no head."
"No, not the head," Asa said. "Just its brains. In a bowl like pudding." Then he made a bugaboo noise and frightened the children off.
Asa sliced into the hog with a long, sharp knife. "Looks like another hour, hour and a half."
"Maybe you should get the sauce on it," Jacob said. "Slather that piggy down."
"You go on and do that, will you, Jake? I have to go get Mrs. Crenshaw."
"Crenshaw? You mean that crusty old bird is coming to our party?" Jake asked.
"Why not?" I said. "She lives here too."
Jacob grabbed a pail of barbecue sauce with a paintbrush in it. "I ain't saying she ain't welcome, Charlotte. I'm just saying it's weird, is all."
Asa went off to get Hazel, and I watched Jacob paint the hog down with sauce like he was painting the side of a barn. The sauce sizzled as it hit the hot grill and charbroiled smoke wafted into the air.
"I can't wait to try it," Ginger said.
"Me neither," I said. "I never saw a whole hog cooked before."
"Well, we can thank the Frost sisters," said Rose.
"I heard," Jacob said. "Imagine them killing Beatrice for us. She was like their dog."
I swallowed. "Wait a minute. Hold on a second. You mean they slaughtered their pet? We can't eat their pet."
Jacob laughed. "No. I'm just yanking your chain. They raise pigs for market over there. I'm sure you must have smelled them when the wind blows west."
My nose wrinkled instinctively. "That's what that smell is. I was afraid to ask, thought something was wrong with the septic system."
Fortunately, the pigs were kept downwind of the ball field.
Ginger decided to go play badminton with the children, and Rose said she needed to head back to her trailer for a few minutes, so I settled down with Lucky under a large, sprawling oak tree and admired the Rockwellian picnic scene.
"I haven't seen Suzy or Fergus yet," I said. "I guess he changed his mind."
But then out the corner of my eye I spotted Suzy down the road, standing all alone. Fergus was nowhere in my line of vision. I even stood and looked, but didn't see him.
"I'm gonna go talk to her, Lucky. You better stay—" but before I could finish my thought, Lucky bounded off toward the woods.
I ventured closer to Suzy, and when I got within a few yards, Fergus popped out from behind a car.
He grabbed my elbow and led me away between two trailers where no one could see. My heart pounded like a trip hammer. "What are you doing? Take your hands off me."
I shook my way free. But he grabbed onto me again. "You listen to me," he said. "You say one word to Hazel or anyone, and I'll kill Suzy, I swear I will. Do you understand? I'll kill her sure as I'm standing here."
He let me go. I stepped back and wanted to run. But where? To who? Instead I rushed to Suzy. "You all right?"
"Do as he says, Charlotte, please?"
"Suzy, you got to do something. Go to the police."
Fergus grabbed my elbow. His eyes grew wild. "Just keep your mouth shut. You got no right telling my wife what to do."
Then he draped his arm around Suzy's shoulders. "Do we have an understanding?"
"Please," Suzy whispered.
My knees shook like two twigs in a Nor'easter. "Okay. Okay. I won't say a word."
"Just see to it that you don't," Fergus said. "And don't ever talk to my wife again." He spoke through clenched teeth.
"I won't say a word." I mustered up my courage and moved closer to Suzy. He pulled a long knife from his boot. Showed it to me and then stuffed it back inside.
I took a breath and stuck my finger in his face. "But you promise. You promise right now you will never lay another hand on Suzy."
He didn't say anything. He just glared at me.
"He . . . he already promised, Charlotte," Suzy said. "Just this morning. Said he'd never hit me again."
25
Fergus took Suzy's hand, and I watched them walk off toward the party. I had to sta
y right there for a minute and catch my breath. But then I headed home. I dashed into the trailer. Lucky bounded over to me. He jumped up and licked my face. It was like he knew how rattled I felt. "It's okay, boy. It's okay. I think."
I flopped onto the couch. Lucky climbed up near me. I patted his side and head. His wiry whiskers tickled my arm and let me know I was still alive. "Oh, Lucky, you won't believe what just happened. That nasty Fergus threatened me. Well, he threatened Suzy, boy. Said he'd kill her if I told Hazel. If I didn't leave Suzy alone."
Lucky whimpered. He raised his bushy eyebrows and looked at me.
"He told me to never talk to Suzy again," I said.
I pushed Lucky's paws off my lap. "I better change my clothes. I peed a little during the whole experience."
After I changed into blue jeans and a sweatshirt, I headed back to the party, even though I didn't really want to. Lucky stayed right by my side as we made our way back. The air had turned a little cooler now that the sun was nearly down. Suzy and Fergus sat next to Hazel on bright yellow lawn chairs with clamshell backs. Hazel was in her perpetual state of hunch from the hump she had covered up with a green and blue shawl. She wore an orange knit hat with a plastic daisy sticking out of the top. Fergus and Suzy laughed like there was absolutely nothing wrong. And I knew Hazel felt good because she slapped her knee two times. Fergus told Hazel how Suzy had tripped over a pair of his clodhoppers, as he called them, and went sailing down the trailer steps.
"Of course I rushed her straight to the hospital," Fergus lied. "They x-rayed it. Just a tiny fracture, but she still needs that cast."
"Hazel," I said without looking at her or Fergus or Suzy."I'm so glad you came. Is anyone getting you some food?"
"Sit down, child. Rose already went to get me a plate."
I sat near her. "Having a good time, Suzy?" I asked.
Suzy nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I am." She put up a good front.
Fergus held Suzy's hand like they were the happiest married couple in Paradise. It made my skin crawl to see her smile and gush over Fergus like he was Prince Charming. Fergus stood up and Suzy followed. He smiled at me, and I knew immediately what that smile meant.
"Come on, Suzy honey," Fergus said. "Let's you and me mingle a bit. I want some of that hog I been hearing so much about."
He never let go of her hand as they walked off toward the end of the road. But I could see he tightened his grip a little.
Rose brought Hazel a plate piled high with food.
"Great jumpin' lizards, girl," Hazel said. "You don't expect me to eat all that?"
"Just eat what you can, Hazel."
Paradise folks kept wandering by for the next few minutes, talking to Hazel, introducing themselves and saying how glad they were to finally meet her. But it was clear that none of them knew any more about her than that she was an old woman who didn't come out much and wore silly hats. Just Rose and Fergus and I knew that she owned the land they stood on, that she paid their salaries that bought their groceries that fed their babies. I wanted to scream it from the top of my lungs. And I wanted to scream the truth about Fergus.
Maybe in the crowd he couldn't do anything. Maybe I could snatch Suzy away from him. Maybe the other men would do to him what he had been doing to her. But I couldn't. Fergus acted so kind and considerate. Suzy appeared so happy and normal; I was afraid they'd all take me for the nutcase.
Hazel grabbed hold of my sleeve and pulled me toward her."Aren't they just the sweetest couple, Charlotte?" She nodded toward the Wrinkels. "One of the happiest couples I have ever seen. They remind me of Birdy and me years ago, always holding hands, smooching in public."
I adjusted my feet as I fought the urge to blather out the truth.
She pulled a piece of something from her mouth and tossed it on the ground. "You know something, Charlotte. I'm glad I came out today."
I nodded and my heart broke into a million pieces. I had to fight back tears.
I turned my attention to Rose, "Can I speak with you, Rose?"
She nodded but looked confused. "Sure, I'm right here."
"No, let's go get some of that pork. I'm a bit hungry."
"Go on, you two," Hazel said. "I'll just sit here a while until I'm ready to go home."
Lucky trotted off down the road to join two other dogs chasing squirrels.
Once we were out of sight of Hazel, I pulled Rose behind the large oak. "I got to tell you something."
"What? You look like you just witnessed a murder."
"Almost." And then I told her.
She leaned against the tree. "Are you okay?"
"I think my knees will wobble for days, and I might have added a million gray hairs to my head. He showed me a big knife."
Rose raised her arms. "Oh, dear Lord. What do we do now?"
"What about Asa? Should we tell him?"
Rose shook her head. "I'm afraid of what he would do. What if he went off half-cocked and did something stupid? Took the law into his own hands—or hand, so to speak. You know how he feels about her."
I only had time to shake my head before Ginger came by. She had hold of Lucky's collar. He was pretty much dragging her along. "Charlotte," she said, "you better speak with your pooch. He's been stealing burgers and buns right off the tables. Even got his snout in a bowl of that roast pork."
"Lucky," I said, "have you been stealing food?"
He sat back on his haunches and looked about as guilty as any criminal caught red-handed—or I should say red-snouted. He had barbecue sauce all over his face.
"I think I'll just take him on home."
"You don't have to do that," Ginger said. "Nobody's mad at him. We just don't want him eating all the food."
"Okay." I couldn't help but keep looking around, afraid that Fergus might appear out of nowhere.
"Are you all right, Charlotte?" Ginger asked. "You look about as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs."
"No, no, I'm fine. I just have a splitting headache all of a sudden. Maybe I need to lie down."
"Want me to walk you home?" Rose asked.
"No, you stay here and keep an eye on the Angels. Don't let them eat too much. We have a game in a couple of days. And would you bring my pie tins back later?"
"Sure, Charlotte," Rose said. "Maybe take an aspirin or two, or better yet, find Marlabeth and ask her for a remedy for a case of nerves. I'm sure she has something."
"I will."
But I knew no amount of aspirin or tea in the world was going to get rid of this headache. As I made my way home, I thought of Herman again. "What would you tell me?"
"A man's home is his castle and his own business," that's what he would say. "You should have left well enough alone. Don't meddle in other people's business."
That thought gave me the stomps, and I stomped all the way home.
"It's not right, Lucky," I said as I pushed the door open."How come a man can get away with this? Man's home is his castle. Pish. Then a woman's home is her castle."
Lucky went inside first, as always, to check things out. This time I was glad. Who knew what Fergus was capable of?
I sat at my kitchen table for the better part of an hour. Generally speaking, when I felt upset I would bake pies, but I had used all the ingredients and that night I felt a little too shaken up to even peel an apple.
The aroma of the roast pig and grilled burgers still drifted through my open windows. It was such a pretty night. I could see about a gazillion stars through the tree tops. I'll say this for Paradise, when it's dark, it's dark. And since most of the trailerites were still at Asa's, the usual trailer lights were still dim. I couldn't help but think again about what Rose said. "God calls each star by name, Charlotte. He puts them in their places."
That notion stuck in my throat that night. I just couldn't understand why and how a God so powerful that he commands the stars in the heavens could let a young woman suffer like that. Why in heaven's name didn't he stop Fergus?
At nine o'clock I start
ed to feel a skosh better. My stomach rumbled, and I realized I had not had any of the hog."Darn you, Fergus," I said out loud. "You ruined the barbecue for me."
Lucky scrambled from the kitchen floor. "I know, boy, you didn't either. Well, I'm sure there will be leftovers and maybe Rose will bring us some."
I put the tea kettle on. "Man's home is his castle, huh, well maybe if he's fit to be king."
I grabbed a cup and a tea bag and sat at the table and fiddled with my wedding ring. It had become extra noticeable lately. In all the years we were married I barely paid it any attention. But since Herman died, it became apparent, like the hole a missing tooth leaves.
"So, God," I said, looking at the night sky. "You really up there? You paying attention at all? If you are, tell me what to do."
The kettle whistled. I poured water into my cup and let the tea steep a couple of minutes. I didn't like strong tea. Dropped the bag in the trash and poured a small amount of half-andhalf into the tea. But before I sat down, I slipped the gold band off my finger. It came off with a little bit of a tug at the knuckle. I put it in my palm and rolled it around. Then I slipped it back on.
"Not yet, God. Not yet."
Rose came by a little before ten.
"The party is breaking up," she said. "I brought you your tins. Not a lick of pie was left. But I managed to grab you a plate of pork and beans and potato salad."
I took the tins and set them in the sink. "Thank you. Did you see Suzy after I left?"
Rose shook her head and sat at the kitchen table. "Now, don't get yourself all worked up when I say this, but, yes, I saw her. She and Fergus looked to be having a great time."
"But you know, Rose; you know the truth?" I leaned against the kitchen counter.
"I do. I do know, Charlotte. I just wanted you to know that for the time being anyway, they seemed fine."
"It was just a show for Hazel. I have half a mind to tell her anyway."
"But can you take that chance?"
I rolled the ring around my finger again. "I guess not. She's not ready yet."
Rose didn't speak immediately. "No, she's not. But she will be. Something will happen to make her ready."
