Something Molly Can't See

by Carol Maloney Scott

  “Ray Rizzo, where you hidin’?”

  Dominic Rizzo, Ray’s cousin, silences the room, both with his booming voice and his ridiculous appearance. I don’t think most people in Applebarrow have seen guys who look like mafia cartoon characters in person.

  Ray jumps up and sees Dom and Rocco, Dom’s brother, standing in the doorway of the conference room. They both look angry, and I can’t wait to find out what Ray has done this time.

  I nervously glance at Beth and she runs out of the room, presumably to find a security guard or two. It’s not likely that the Rizzo cousins are here all the way from Atlantic City to offer get well or new baby wishes.

  These two fools are Angie’s brothers, and every time I see them, I am again reminded of why she left New Jersey and settled in Virginia as soon as she was legal.

  Dawson is scratching his chin as he watches the Rizzos, probably more like they are a circus act, than out of any fear.

  I’m not saying they are dangerous, but I’m also not saying that everything they are involved in is legal.

  Ray puffs up his chest, approaches his cousins and says, “What are you two bozos doin’ here?”

  Rocco opens his fat mouth and chimes in. “You’re the bozo. Where’s Molly at?”

  I show myself because I figure the sooner they say what they came to say, the sooner I can get them out of here.

  “Hi guys. Um…in case you didn’t know, my Daddy was in a bad accident. He’s in a coma. So, if you could take this conversation outside…”

  Both Dom and Rocco bless themselves and now they’re mumbling the Hail Mary prayer that the Catholics love.

  Ken has joined Dawson, and if they weren’t a little afraid these two were armed, I think they’d be snapping photos of this to show their friends.

  “And may the Lord bless this family in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

  Dom concludes his prayer and Rocco says, “Now where’s our fucking money, Ray?”

  I wince as I see my brothers’ mother-in-laws look faint, and the men are whispering amongst themselves.

  It’s not that they’ve never heard that word, but we southerners are a bit more delicate with our bad language.

  “Ray, what is he talking about?” I turn to him and mouth the words, “Get them out of here.”

  “Molly, we mean no disrespect. This cute little chubby chick over here just told us that you also have two new nephews. Congrats.”

  Dawson realizes that Dom is referring to Emma and now he’s hopping mad.

  “Did you just call my woman chubby, you big stupid tub o’ lard?”

  Ken and Melissa’s dad hold Dawson back and Ray says, “We need to take this outside.”

  “Oh, we’ll take it outside Ray. But first I want to address your lovely bride.” Dom clears his throat and with his hands gesturing wildly, he says, “Do you realize that this paison you married stiffed an old lady out of all her cash, got her to make him her sole heir and sign over the deed to her fucking…excuse me…her freaking house!”

  Ray looks like a cat who just ate the family gerbil.

  “Raymond Anthony Rizzo, is this true? What is he talking about? Oh my fucking…you took Aunt Ida’s money!”

  I smack him on the arm and add, “And now you’re makin’ me cuss in a hospital with my daddy up in a sick bed! And shit on a stick—that parrot was sayin’ ‘Give Ray all your money’. You taught the fucking parrot—”

  I’ve smacked him numerous times and now Dawson has pulled me off him just in time.

  The girls are back and I’d rather they not see their mama going mental on their daddy.

  Olivia takes one look at the scene and says, “Girls, I think I just saw one of the members of One Direction signing autographs in the lobby!”

  I roll my eyes but then smile. It was a nice try, but Olivia has a lot to learn about kids. Nowadays, you can’t trick them like that past kindergarten.

  “Daddy, what’s going on?” Zinnia looks like she’s already got it figured out and Magnolia looks like she’s pretending not to care.

  So, their usual behavior.

  “Girls, I’m so sorry. I am just very upset about Granddaddy and now Daddy’s cousins are here from New Jersey, and they are behaving inappropriately.”

  I grit my teeth as I look at them like I want to choke them with their Italian horn necklaces.

  Rocco says, “Yeah, yeah kid. Your mother is right. We just have some family business with your old man.”

  He taps Dom on the shoulder, and he says, “Ray, you’ll be hearing from our lawyer. Remember Sammy the Snake?”

  Beth arrives with an out of shape, terrified security guard and Rocco says, “Pshhht…look at this guy? And they call me a bozo!”

  The Rizzo cousins laugh their way out and Ray slumps on the sofa with his head in his hands.

  I have the urge to smack him again, but instead I get close to his ear and say, “Ray, I swear on my Meemaw’s grave, you better go talk to your daughters right now and tell them somethin’ that makes you look like less of an asshole than you are, or so help me—”

  He pops up and says, “Girls. Let’s talk. We should go check on Penny at Sassy’s house any way, and Marvin.”

  He looks at me with panic, but I am not going to be the one to bring up his feathered extortion accomplice in front of our children.

  Imagine taking care of a dying old lady and teaching her parrot to help steal her money!

  Olivia says, “I’ll take them to Sassy’s. I think Ray isn’t looking so good.”

  Why has Olivia decided to pick now to become a compassionate human being? I just want Ray out of here.

  Since the scene is close to being diffused and Mama missed it (there’s something to bless yourself over), I agree and kiss the girls goodbye, promising that their daddy will have a talk with them tonight, and stay with them so they’ll be ready for school to start up again in the morning.

  They look tired and overwhelmed from all the heavy adult emotion, and I’m grateful they get to leave.

  I turn to Ray and he’s got his hands folded in a prayer pose. Apparently, he has no pride, since he’s still here. Everyone else in the room is still watching us but looking around as if they’re trying to pretend they don’t notice anything.

  They look like a bunch of aimless goldfish waiting for someone to drop some fish food on their heads.

  “Ray, I do not want to hear it.”

  I put my hand up and he says, “You believe those two over me?”

  I cock my head to the side, rubbing my chin. “Hmm…well they may not be the brightest bulbs or the most well-mannered, but they never cheated on me and ran away with all my money. Nor did they come home unannounced and lie to my face in an effort to get back in my pants!”

  I’m shouting again and I have to say my manners are completely out the window now. Both sets of my brothers’ in-laws look green and they are talking about how late it’s getting.

  They should just go say goodbye to their kids and grandbabies and get the hell out. I need some peace and quiet.

  Speaking of which, where the heck did Meemaw float off to? She was here during most of the Rizzos’ accusations, but now she’s gone.

  I hope she’s not visiting Daddy because if she shows herself to Mama I will never find out about my long-lost aunt, and I’ll have two parents in hospital beds.

  Ray sighs and tries to soften his approach, as if I am ever falling for his sweet talk again.

  “Molly, I took care of Aunt Ida. None of those idiots even realized how sick she was. I did it for you, babe.”

  He puts his arm around my shoulder, and I try to wiggle free without creating a huge scene, but he holds me tighter.

  Oh, hell no!! Far too many women are afraid to stir up trouble when a man is harassing them, and I’ve had about enough.

  I elbow Ray in the ribs and I’m ready to knee him in the bean bags when I hear, “Jesus, Molly, you look like a maniac.”

  My favori
te person, Ashley, has joined us. Along with (maybe) Aunt Jenny.

  I suppose Tucker really isn’t showing his face and that’s just as well.

  Holy crap…

  Tucker is suddenly beside me and he’s got Ray’s arm behind his back.

  “Ray Rizzo, I swear to God if you harm one hair on Molly’s head, I will kick your ass all the way back to New Jersey. Now get out and go home.”

  And with that, the doctor is in the doorway.

  “Ms. Jenkins, we have an update on your father.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Granddaddy is awake! But we can’t see him right now, he has to rest. And the doctors still need to run more tests, but I think he’s gonna be okay.”

  I call the girls and share the good news with them. When the doctor came in the room, I was so afraid he had bad news. I could feel my legs starting to wobble.

  Of course, I was also as embarrassed as all get out that I’d beaten up my very soon-to-be ex in a hospital waiting room, in front of various family members and friends.

  Tucker was right beside me when I got the news, and I wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms and make everyone else go away, but…I still needed to talk to Meemaw. Hopefully she was still eating her ghostly Easter supper waiting for me in one of the chapel pews.

  And I also hoped that none of the other people waiting for loved ones were very religious because I am tired of talking to Meemaw without talking.

  It’s amazing how hard it is to come by some privacy in this town.

  That made me think of me and Tucker in the old car at his shop—and to think, just that short time ago I thought not being able to find a place to have sex with my new boyfriend was my biggest problem.

  Tucker looked sad when I ran out of the room without explanation, but he had the good sense not to follow me.

  He came here and defended me, and I know he still cares. And there is plenty of time to get the story about Ashley and where we stand, after I get the scoop from Meemaw.

  I sneak into the chapel and breathe a sigh of relief when I don’t see anyone.

  I scurry to a corner of the room and whisper, “Meemaw…”

  I keep forgetting that she can hear my thoughts if she’s around. I don’t see her anywhere. She better not have done something stupid to get punished again before I get to talk to her.

  I walk around the pews, looking all over, and what do you know?

  “Meemaw, are you sleeping?”

  She’s flat out in one of the pews and I swear she’s snoring.

  “What? Oh my goodness. Where am I? Oh Molly, good you’re here.” She sits up and touches her hair. “Yes, I was sleeping. Well, not like living people sleep but we ghosts get tired, too. All this travelin’ back and forth is exhaustin’—I ain’t as young as I used to be.”

  There are so many holes in that explanation, I just let it slide.

  “I’ve been dying to know—was that you in the photo at Jenny’s house?”

  “What?” She laughs.

  “How is this funny? My whole life…okay well my whole love life hinges on this question and you’re laughin’?”

  “Molly Mae, did you see how thin that girl was? I was never that tiny in my life. I came out of my mama with legs bigger than the ones on that little lady. I’ve eaten chicken legs with more meat…”

  “I get it, she was skinny.” I rub my temples and wish I had brought my headache pills. “So, are you sure that isn’t you? You are forgetful sometimes.”

  “No, sugar that was not me. I did not give my baby’s new mama a picture of me. So that means that some other young lady got herself in the family way around the same time and was sent to the home in Maine, and that baby ended up living here in Applebarrow. Yes, I agree it seems coincidental, but now that I think of it, there was another girl in my class who got herself…oh my word…I think Jenny’s mama is that little hussy, Peggy Sue Miller!”

  I want to ask why Peggy Sue is a hussy if she got herself in the same predicament as Meemaw, but she seems to be on to something with this revelation, and I want her to blurt it all out, once and for all.

  “Yes, and she was a skinny little thing. I don’t even know how she got a boy’s attention long enough to make a baby—when that girl turned sideways you could barely see her.”

  She pumps up her ample bosom and I shake my head.

  “So, you don’t think Tucker and I are related?”

  “No, darlin’, I do not. Now, that boy is here, isn’t he? I felt his presence while I was takin’ my nap…oh wait, no, he’s actually here now. In this room. Stop lookin’ at me like a loony bird—the boy ain’t gonna want a woman who’s crazier than a bed bug. Bye, sweetie.”

  “But…” I wanted to ask her if she knows my aunt’s real identity, but she’s gone, and I need to stop talking to myself.

  “Hey Moll, did you say something?”

  I turn around and lean back against the hard wood. “Yes, I said this seat is makin’ my butt hurt.”

  He sits next to me and exaggerates the discomfort by wiggling around and wincing.

  “Yeah, I could think of much more comfortable places.”

  He leans in, and apparently he’s going to kiss me as if nothing has happened.

  Before he can do that, I remember that there is one other unresolved issue.

  “Tucker, what is going on with you and Ashley?”

  “Nothin’, why?”

  I am deflated to think that I have fallen for another liar. Obviously, there is something going on with them.

  “I’ve seen you together numerous times, and everybody knows you’ve been away on the same weekends. That’s a coincidence?”

  He takes my hand and says, “Molly, I would not lie to you. That’s Ray’s…sorry…if we’re gonna to be together I need to stop making Ray comparisons.” He searches my eyes and says, “Are we gonna be together?”

  I’d love to just say yes and launch myself into his arms and wrap this all up in a nice bow, but…

  “Ahem, excuse me. Are you Tucker Swanson?”

  An older gentleman with white hair appears out of nowhere. Since we both can see him, I don’t think this is another ghost.

  Hey, you never know—there’s many more where Meemaw came from.

  Tucker sits up straighter and faces the man who has unknowingly interrupted a significant moment.

  “Yes, sir. Can I help you?”

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Ma’am.”

  He nods at me and I nod back. Let’s spit it out, sir.

  “I’m Robert Fletcher, Director of the Shenandoah Valley Adoption Agency.”

  Tucker’s face shows recognition and now I’m wondering if somehow Meemaw got the whole adoption thing wrong.

  The men shake hands and Mr. Fletcher says, “Tucker, I just wanted to thank you in person for your generous donation. And tying it in with the magazine article was just genius. I spoke with Miss Redfern out in the lobby.” He turns to me and says, “And you must be Miss Jenkins. I am so glad to hear your daddy is doing better. He took down three trees in my yard a few years back. Dangerous work, that is.”

  I am waiting for Tucker to say something that makes this less confusing, but all he does is tell Mr. Fletcher that it was nothing and maybe he could stop by his office during the week to talk more about it.

  “Of course, I’m so sorry. I’ve obviously interrupted a private moment here in the chapel.” He offers me his hand and says, “That’s one amazing fella you’ve got there. Prayers to the family and congrats on the new little ones. Happy Easter!”

  He walks off and Tucker keeps looking at him, as if a few extra minutes is gonna make me forget what just happened, and we’ll just return to the reconciliation make-out session that he was trying to initiate.

  “Tucker, if we are gonna be together, you need to tell me everything. I’m not sayin’ I don’t trust you, and we were broken up. If something happened between you and Ashley, well that’s my fault for doin’ such a poor job handlin’
Ray’s return.”

  He takes both of my hands and kisses me softly. “No Molly, it was my fault for expectin’ you to just turn your back on him like nothin’ ever happened. I was impulsive and hot-headed. Although you almost had Ray in a choke hold back there, so I know to be careful with you.”

  He smiles and I glare at him.

  He sighs and says, “Okay. I restore old cars, you know that, right?”

  “Yes, but what does that have to do with what Mr. Fletcher said? Or Ashley?”

  “I don’t only restore them for customers. I buy them, fix them up, and sell them. When I get to a certain amount of profit, I donate it to the adoption agency. Adoption is expensive and sometimes just gettin’ their legal fees paid is the difference between a couple bein’ able to give a baby a home, or that baby goin’ into foster care.”

  My eyes well up with tears. I’ve cried more in the last few months than in all the weeks after Ray left town.

  “So, you do that because of your mama bein’ adopted?”

  “Yeah, that’s where I got the idea. So now you know. I don’t like to tell people because I hate folks who flaunt their money. People do find out things in this town, but I only do it for the babies.”

  I hug him and say, “That’s truly amazing. But what does Ashley and a magazine have to do with this?”

  I still feel like I don’t have the whole story, and this is going to be the part where I get poop in my stew.

  “Well, you know Ashley is a great photographer?”

  I nod because she is, even though she’s also got that wavy, strawberry blond hair and the curvy young body…

  “Remember that time when you sent me over to her apartment to complain about the sign-up sheet for the community events?”

  That seems like a hundred years ago, but it was only a few short months. So now he’s gonna tell me that it was my fault he ended up in her bed. Oh my God, I think Olivia was there that night, too.

  “When we went inside because it was freezin’ cold out, I saw she had a bunch of photos of old cars on a table in the hall. She told me that her granddaddy restored them, and she took photos of them when he passed and made a memorial to him. I told her that I was in the same side business and she got an idea.”