by KG MacGregor
"Honey, can you get up and take me in to the store? I guess your daddy didn’t realize how late it was when you got home, and he went on without me about an hour ago."
Carly suppressed a groan. "What he doesn’t realize is that I’m old now and it takes me days to recover from being out half the night."
"You can come home and go back to bed if you want to. We don’t have many deliveries today."
"What time is it?" Carly sat up and swung her legs out from under the heavy blankets.
Her parents kept the heat turned down at night, so the house was always cold in the morning.
"It’s almost eight."
The blonde rubbed her hands vigorously through her hair, pushing it every which way.
"Can you wait for me to take a shower?"
"You’re not gonna go back to bed?"
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"Nah, I’ll go down to Daniel’s and get a shot of jet fuel. Do you guys need any help today?"
"I don’t think so. But if you want to, we could go to Lexington to the mall this afternoon.
I need to get your daddy some socks and a few shirts he can wear when he retires."
"That’s right. All his shirts have ‘Griffin Home Furnishings’ on the pocket."
Carly stood and grabbed her robe. "Give me fifteen minutes. Okay?"
"You want breakfast?"
"I’ll grab something at the coffee house."
Twenty minutes later, Carly was dressed in jeans and ready to go, her hair still damp from the shower. They parked behind the store and the blonde woman headed up the street to Daniel’s. Her friend worked frantically behind the counter to serve the weekend crowd, apparently by himself today. She hurried to the front to see how she could help.
"Carly! I need your help."
She scooted behind the counter and waited for instructions. "Where’s Nolene?"
"Her doctor put her to bed for the rest of her pregnancy. I need a new helper. You interested?" As he talked, he started to work on the espressos and lattes.
"Hey, I’m on vacation!" Nonetheless, Carly washed her hands and turned back to the counter. "Anyone here want just regular coffee?"
"That’s my girl!" Daniel grinned from ear to ear. "There’s a button on the cash register that says coffee…then you touch size…and total."
"Okay, but if you’re short at the end of the day, it’s not my fault." She turned to face her first customer before adding, "And if you’re over, I get half."
Patiently, he walked her through the amount tendered process and in no time, the pair was clearing out orders in tandem.
"What can I get for you?" At the counter was a man dressed in khakis and a long sleeved polo shirt. He looked fleetingly familiar.
"Aren’t you Carly Griffin?"
"I sure am."
"Adam Nixon. We went to high school together."
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"Oh, yeah! Adam…we had physics together…and trig…and–"
"And Mr. Bailey’s homeroom. Where have you been? I didn’t know you were still around here."
"I’m just visiting for a little while. I work for a company in Louisville."
"You’ve been in Louisville all this time? I get up there for work every now and then.
How do you like it?"
"I don’t actually live there. They send me overseas to work on projects."
"No kidding…Oh, I just want a large coffee. Leave some room for cream, please. Are you coming to the reunion?"
"I think so." Carly handed Adam the coffee and took his money. He stood to the side to allow the next person to step up.
"So what kind of work do you do overseas?"
"I’m a labor coordinator. I help companies that want to set up operations in other countries. I recruit and train their workforce."
"That sounds cool. So have you lived…like, everywhere?"
"Pretty much. South America, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia. I’m headed to Spain in about a month."
"Spain? Wow, that’s something. Listen, I gotta run. I’m supposed to be getting a Christmas tree today. But I want to hear all about those places the next time I see you.
Are you working here while you’re in town?"
Carly looked over at the harried owner and smiled. "That depends on whether or not poor Daniel can find someone to work for him. I guess I’ll help him out until he gets somebody else."
"I come in here every day, so I’ll see you on Monday. So long."
Carly plugged away at the counter, trying to remember any interactions she’d had with Adam Nixon back in high school. He played sports, so that meant he was probably considered popular. He dated one of those girls that ran around with Justine and Sara, but she couldn’t remember the name.
Adam was really nice today. And despite Sara McCurry’s usual air-headed manner, even she had been nice to Carly last week at the movies. Maybe the brats from high school really had grown up in the twenty-five years she’d been gone.
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**********
Justine swung into the coffee house, her eyes immediately drawn to the murals on the walls. The lunch crowd was gone, and the store’s proprietor was busy cleaning the fireplace.
"Good afternoon. What can I get you?"
"Hi, there. You’re not closing, are you? I’m supposed to meet somebody here in a few minutes."
"No, I’ll be open for a couple more hours."
"That’s great. I guess I’ll have…a latte…decaf…with skim milk."
"Coming up. Go ahead and have a seat."
Instead, Justine walked along the wall studying the mural. "This is very good. Was it done by somebody local?"
"Yes, in fact it was. Rich Cortner."
"Richie? I didn’t know Richie was still around Leland." Justine turned to study this shopkeeper. He wasn’t from around here. He had an accent and he wasn’t wearing camouflage pants. The latter was a dead giveaway.
"You’re the second person this week who’s called him Richie. You must have gone to school with him."
"Yeah, we were in high school together. I hope he’s coming to the reunion."
"He’s thinking about it."
The bell on the door rang as JT burst through, huddled in his overcoat. "Sorry I’m late."
At forty-nine years old, JT’s face was lined handsomely and his brown hair was sprinkled with gray.
"It’s okay. I just got here."
Daniel deposited the latte on the table where Justine had draped her coat. "Can I get you something?"
"Sure. Double espresso…five sugars."
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"You getting ready for a pole vault or something?" She’d always been amazed to see her husband dump so much sugar into his coffee.
"Coffee’s just a sugar-delivery system." He removed his coat and folded it over a chair. "I talked with Trey. I see what you mean about his attitude. Something’s going on, all right, but he didn’t say anything."
"Did he tell you about seeing me at the movies last week?"
"You mean about getting caught trying to sneak in? Yeah, he mentioned that. He said it was Brock’s idea, though. He just went along with it so the other guys wouldn’t get caught."
"Is that all he said?"
"Pretty much."
Daniel interrupted them for a second to place the drink in front of JT and pick up a ten dollar bill from the table.
"Keep it."
"Thanks. If you guys need anything else, give a yell."
Justine dug in her purse and pulled out a five. "Here you go."
"I’ll get it, Justine. It’s just a coffee."
"I’d rather pay for mine, JT," she insisted sternly. They’d had this conversation before, and she was determined to assert her independence from this man.
"So is there more about the movie?"
Justine went on to tell him how their son behave
d. "I was just very surprised. I’ve never known him to treat other people like that. If he’s just doing that because of his friends, I’d rather he got some new friends."
"Did you see who the other boys were?"
"There was Josh Roberts…and Daryl Farlowe…and one other boy besides Brock."
"That was probably Dickie Underwood. Those guys are over at the house nearly every day playing video games. Maybe it’s time to start putting some limits on that."
"Won’t Trey just go over to one of their houses?"
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"I’ve been trying to give him more to do at home. But he’s a senior. This is a big time for him. He’s got track and the Key Club. And Melissa." JT grimaced. He liked the girl almost as much as Justine did, and that was just barely.
"But he’s also about to turn eighteen, and he’ll be off on his own next year. I’d like to think when he leaves for college, he’ll be ready to be his own man." Justine couldn’t help but remember how she floundered in college without her friends around. She knew from experience how bad it was to let your peer group rule your life.
"I’m more concerned about his grades. Did he tell you that he’s getting a D in physics and C’s in English and calculus?"
Justine was aghast. "JT! Doesn’t he know that UK can rescind his acceptance if his GPA falls?"
"He told me not to sweat it; he said all the kids were getting bad grades and the principal would do something about it after everybody complained."
Two young women entered the store, obviously fresh from their workout. Both were dressed in exercise tights with heavy fleece tops and cross trainers.
"Well, I can see where that might be the case if it was just one teacher, but three? I find that pretty hard to–" Her ex-husband had twisted in his chair to gaze at the ladies’ shapely behinds as they walked by. "JT Sharpe, shame on you! I hope your son hasn’t inherited your carousing gene."
"I don’t mess around anymore, Justine. I just look." He said it almost wistfully.
Justine wasn’t sure if JT had straightened up on his own or if he’d been read the riot act by his law partners or his wife. In any case, after Alex was diagnosed as autistic, JT gave up his wandering ways. She was pretty sure that he only flirted with her because he knew there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d ever say yes; but she wasn’t going to test that theory by calling his bluff.
"How about wiping the drool off your chin and finishing this conversation?"
JT obediently turned back around, folding his hands and giving her an indulgent look.
"The last time Trey got bad grades was…back when he was having trouble with the boys teasing him. You don’t think that’s happening again, do you?"
"No, Justine." JT’s tone was reassuring, and he added to its sincerity by placing his hand on top of hers. More than anyone, he knew the anguish his ex-wife had endured. Despite their divorce, he loved her as the mother of his children, and he hated how badly she had been hurt. When she finally told him a couple of years ago that she was pretty sure she was a lesbian, he hadn’t been surprised. They were close–physically close–during the first few years of their marriage, but when it slipped away, it seemed she never really 148
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missed it. He’d often wondered if the weight gain had been her way of ending their intimacy. "Trey’s proud of you. Every time he walks by me, he pokes me in the stomach and says I need to come running with you guys on the weekends."
The redhead blushed, enormously pleased to hear that her son admired her efforts at being fit. Dropping the weight and taking up running had turned her life around. And of course, there was the therapy.
"So there must be something else going on. I tell you, we need to keep an eye on him, and if he’s going to bring home bad grades…well, maybe it’s time we reminded him that his little green VW’s in my name."
"I’m with you on this, Justine."
"Good." That was all of the unpleasant business. Now for the good stuff. "Is Emmy doing okay now?"
"Yeah. We got a helper for Alex…She starts on Monday. We really had no idea Emmy was feeling so much pressure about her sister."
"Emmy keeps things inside. She worries so much about disappointing people. I just can’t understand that, JT…how she got to be so sensitive."
"Maybe we doted on her brother too much…Who knows? But she sure is a special kid.
And Alex loves her to pieces."
"We did not dote on Trey! But I think it’s really sweet that Alex and Emmy love each other so much. You know, if it’s all right with you and J2, Alex is welcome to come over with Emmy anytime." Justine thought if she could lend a hand, then that too would take some of the burden from what her daughter saw as her duty to her sister…not to mention that she also might see more of Emmy that way.
"That’s nice of you to offer, but Alex doesn’t always do so well in new places." Right away, he saw the disappointment in Justine’s face. "But I’ll talk with Justine–J2–and see what she says."
Justine nodded and smiled. "So what are ya’ll doing for Christmas?"
"Justine’s parents are coming down from Frankfort. I guess we’ll just open presents and eat ourselves half to death. How about you?"
"I’m supposed to go to my mother’s, but if I were to get an invitation from…oh, I don’t know, Ted Bundy, I’d probably consider it."
JT laughed in sympathy. The best part of being divorced from Justine Hall was that his presence was no longer required at Marian Hall’s ritual holiday dinners. The matriarch 149
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had taken a strong liking to his new wife, though, and had made it clear that they were always welcome in her home.
"You can always tell her no, you know."
"Do you have any idea how long she’d make me pay for that?"
"From beyond the grave, knowing Marian."
"Exactly. I think we’re supposed to eat at six, so I’m going to ask Trey and Emmy to come for that. Does that work all right for you?" They had a formal custody agreement that spelled out who was where for which holidays right down to the hour, but they’d never even looked at the court’s calendar. Instead, they always coordinated their plans so that the kids could take part in everything.
"Yeah, that works." JT stood up and reached for his coat. "Listen, I’ve got to run. Justine wanted me to go by the grocery and pick up something for dinner."
Justine tried not to laugh out loud. "Hot dogs or hamburgers?"
"Hey, I think I’m offended." He wasn’t really. She knew him pretty well. "I was thinking I could find a couple of frozen pizzas."
"That’s the JT Sharpe I know and love."
Her simple statement brought a soft smile to his face. "I love you, too. So keep me posted on Trey and Emmy, and I’ll do the same. And I’ll talk with Justine about letting Alex come over. You sure you want to deal with that? She can be a handful."
"JT, I’ve dealt with you. I think I can handle a five-year-old."
"I’m sure you can."
**********
Carly dug into her coat pocket and wrapped her fingers around her Dunhills. Just one…It’s not like you promised not to or anything. She was taking the familiar walk through the park over the trail atop Stony Ridge. Justine had called only an hour ago to ask her over for a casual dinner, a surprise invitation given that they’d seen each other only last night.
Carly still didn’t know what to make of Justine’s flirtatious behavior at the dance club.
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club in Louisville must have seemed like a candy store to someone like Justine, who’d been hungry to taste the lesbian nightlife. And when in Rome…well, you do as the lesbians do. Holding hands, dancing close, standing with their arms around each other were all things they shouldn’t do in Leland, especially if there were consequences for
Justine’s children. So the bottom line was probably that Justine had wanted to feel like a lesbian last night, so she’d acted like one. Obviously, the redhead had no idea of the torturous effects her behavior had on Carly.
When she crested the hill above the park, she was surprised to see a car pulling out of the driveway, a silver Mercedes, and a man was driving. Is that JT? She waited at the top of the hill until it turned the corner away from Sandstone, then made her way down and across the street to the porch.
As soon as she saw her host’s panicked face, Carly knew something was amiss. Justine held the door and motioned her inside, stepping close as she helped the blonde with her coat.
"My daughter’s here," she said in a low voice. "I wasn’t expecting her, but her friend got sick and JT just dropped her off."
"Do you…want to take a rain check or something?" That would be awkward, having to go back home and see if her mom and dad have saved any leftovers.
"No, I had the table set, so she knows I was expecting somebody."
"Okay." Carly tried to think of some way to set her friend at ease. "It’ll be okay. We can talk about high school and the reunion. I’ll be careful about what I say."
Justine visibly relaxed, a faint look of shame crossing her face. "Thank you." In a louder voice, she said, "Why don’t you come in the den and meet my daughter?"
Carly pushed her hands into her pockets shyly and followed Justine into the den. The teenager was stretched out on the couch, her long legs draped over the back. The TV was on the country music channel.
"Emmy? I want you to meet a friend of mine from high school. This is Carly Griffin.
Carly, this is my daughter, Emmy Sharpe."
Both women waited nervously as the tall teenager stood up and came around the couch.
Carly was amazed at how much Emmy looked like her mother, especially the way Justine had looked in high school. Her hair was a little lighter, but her blue eyes were perfect replicas of her mother’s, as was the shape of her face.
