by Karen White
“Good for her,” Merilee said, meaning it. She remembered how Bailey and the other girls had ignored Jenna at the lake house party before school had started.
“Heather asked me where she goes for gymnastics, and I’m pretty sure she thought I was lying when I told her the Y. They have great classes there for kids—and they’re cheap. I have a feeling Heather was prepared to hire a personal coach for Bailey.”
Merilee said, “She hired a tennis coach for Bailey and asked if Lily would also like to be coached. When I told her I couldn’t afford it, she said she was paying the coach for the hour anyway, and it would help Bailey to have a strong partner during the lesson. So I agreed.”
Lindi nodded. “She can be generous. And she’s always so put together. If she weren’t always so nice, it would be easy to hate her.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, it must be hard to stay gorgeous and perfect at all times. But she probably does wake up like that.” Merilee grimaced. “Actually, I know she does. She’s forced me to be on Facebook and she’s my only friend on there, so I get to see all her selfies—of which there are a lot. There are several of her waking up in her various houses, and she looks better in all of them than I probably will the night of the gala after having actually spent lots of time and effort on my face and hair.”
Lindi held up her hand for a high five. “Amen, sister. And here I was thinking it was just me. And you didn’t tell me you were on Facebook. I’ll look for you.”
“Don’t expect to see much. I honestly don’t see the point of Facebook.”
“Well, one good thing is that friends from way back can find you and reconnect. At least that’s been the case with me.”
Merilee pretended to study the field.
“Don’t you think?” Lindi persisted. “I mean, my best friend from third grade found me and we now do a girls’ retreat at her beach house every spring. We actually have even more in common now than we did back then.”
“That’s nice.” Merilee forced a noncommittal shrug. “Although I can’t really think of anybody I’d like to be in touch with that I’m not already. Sometimes you just need to move on and meet new people. Besides, I don’t use my maiden name on Facebook, so they wouldn’t be able to track me down anyway.”
Merilee felt Lindi looking at her but didn’t turn her head. Changing the subject, she said, “How’s it going on the food and alcohol procurement for the gala? I’m not even going to pretend not to be curious how you snagged that gig. I have the enviable job of begging people to donate stuff for the auction. I even bullied my boss into donating a really nice diamond tennis bracelet.”
“Good for you. I’ll ask around to see if anybody I know might have a Rembrandt or something hanging on the wall they might want to donate for a good cause.” Lindi grinned. “As for how I landed my gig, one of the owners of a local distillery—Old Fourth Distillery—is a family friend and I happened to mention that in passing to Heather when I first met her. Remember that—the woman’s mind is a steel trap. She never forgets a thing. That’s why she thought I might be able to wrangle a good discount for their Southern Dry Gin. She especially liked it because it goes with the Gone with the Wind theme she’s planning—the juniper berries in the gin are cultivated at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.”
“What’s that got to do with the gala’s theme?”
“Oakland is where Margaret Mitchell is buried. You really need to get out more, Merilee.”
Jackie Tyson, the cheerleading coach and biking enthusiast Merilee remembered meeting at Heather’s lake house, cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Okay, team—take a quick water and bathroom break and come right back so we can go over the halftime routine one last time before I let you go.”
She spotted Lindi and Merilee and waved before approaching and sitting down on the seat in front of them. “Hello, ladies. Your girls are doing great—they’re both real assets to the team.”
Merilee smiled, wondering if she said that to all the moms.
“That Jenna,” Jackie continued. “She’s a little powerhouse. She’s quiet, but she pays attention. Even the other girls know that when Jenna speaks, they should listen. It’s like she’s already weighed all the pros and cons in her head, studied the facts, and has prepared her case before she opens her mouth.”
Lindi nodded. “She’s been like that since birth, so I can’t take any credit.”
“And your Lily,” Jackie said. “She’s the peacemaker. I know she’s the oldest child, but she really acts more like a middle child, always wanting everyone to be happy. I actually wanted Lily and Jenna to be cocaptains, but they both told me they’d rather have Bailey as captain. Probably because Bailey’s been asking for it since the first day of practice and they didn’t want to deal with any flak if she didn’t make it. I think that says a lot about your girls and the way you’ve raised them. Good job.”
“Thanks,” Merilee said. “Although I think a lot of that is by accident.”
“Ditto,” agreed Lindi.
“True, environment is important,” continued Jackie. “But a mother’s influence is huge. For instance, I know Heather tries so hard to get Bailey interested in the shyer and quieter girls—and to invite them to sit with Bailey and her friends in the lunchroom. And I commend her for trying. But on that class trip to spend the night at the aquarium last week, I actually heard Heather tell Bailey to be nice to the ugly girls. I appreciate the sentiment, but . . .” She shrugged. “I’m sorry. We’re all Heather’s friends and I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just after a day of dealing with schoolgirls and all their drama, I needed to let off some steam.”
Lindi leaned forward and patted her shoulder. “No apologies needed. I only spend a fraction of the amount of time you do with my girl, and you have all my sympathies.”
Jackie turned to Merilee. “How’s the carpooling situation going?”
Merilee gritted her teeth. “It’s been . . . interesting. I can only carpool in the mornings because afternoon sports have sort of blown carpooling out of the water. And when it works, it’s fabulous. But when it doesn’t—like when Sharlene takes her kids to the dentist first thing and forgets to tell me so that I’m sitting in her driveway for fifteen minutes wondering what’s going on . . . My kids think she’s funny—probably because she brushes her teeth in the car and uses a cup to spit in—but they’re not crazy about rainy mornings when she’s driving, because she makes them walk all the way to the end of the driveway instead of picking them up at my front door.”
“Seriously?” Lindi asked. “Why?”
“Because I think she might be afraid of Sugar. She said Sugar just sits on her porch and gives her the stink eye every time she drives past.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Jackie said. “For your kids, anyway. But I know what she means about Sugar. She once tried to run me off the road when I was on my bike. She’s got that enormous car and she pretended not to see me on Birmingham Highway. I had to run off the shoulder of the road and ditch my bike. I swear she meant to run me over. Didn’t even look back to make sure I was okay.”
Lindi and Merilee shared a glance, knowing without a doubt that Sugar had been fully aware of what had happened.
Merilee’s phone rang. She’d left it faceup on the bench next to her, so all three of them looked at it when the generic tone sounded. Daniel Blackford’s name popped up on the screen, confusing her for a moment because she couldn’t remember programming his name and number into her phone. Nor could she imagine what he was calling her for, but then she remembered Heather’s ring and wondered if he’d changed his mind.
“Excuse me a second,” she said, ignoring Jackie’s raised eyebrows. Lindi, thankfully, had been diverted by the ringing of her own phone. When Merilee was out of hearing distance, she answered it and said, “Hello?”
“Hi, Merilee. It’s Heather. I’m so sorry to have confused you—Dan
iel and I accidentally switched phones again. I really need to get one of us a different case, don’t I? Although mine’s brand-new and Daniel loves his, so I guess we’ll have to draw straws and the loser gets a new case.” She laughed, something oddly familiar to Merilee. She’d had the thought before, but this was the first time she really paid attention to it. “But I wanted to call you to see if Lily wanted a ride to tennis practice. It’s silly for you and Claire both to be driving, especially when I know you have your son to collect, too.”
“That’s so kind of you, Heather, but I’m already here—”
“And don’t worry about feeding Lily. I took the liberty of packing a nice dinner for her, too—grilled chicken with roasted tomatoes and whole wheat pasta. Lots of protein and good carbs for practice! I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? Not only are you offering to save me from the torture of driving through rush-hour traffic, but you’re also planning on feeding my child a much more nutritious dinner than I could have put together. You’re really too kind, and I have no way to repay you.”
Heather laughed her little tinkling laugh again. “Merilee, we’re friends. And there’s no keeping score in friendship. I know how hard you work, and how unsettled you must be with the divorce and trying to figure everything out. I’m excited that I have the means to help you; that’s the biggest thanks I could ever get—knowing I’ve helped a friend. So don’t say anything more about it—just say yes. I’ve already texted Claire, so she knows, and she’ll bring Lily home after tennis. Sound good?”
“Sounds wonderful.”
“Great. So I’ll see you at the next committee meeting—tomorrow at Cups, right after drop-off.”
“I’ll be there. Thanks again.”
She was about to hang up when Heather spoke. “Oh, one more thing. Your boss called me to let me know about the diamond tennis bracelet he’s donating for the auction. Good job, Merilee! And I was thinking—to thank you for all your hard work and to give you the break I know you need, I thought I’d let you use our house on Tybee for the Columbus Day weekend. You can have four days of R & R all to yourself. How does that sound?”
Merilee could hardly breathe for a moment.
Heather continued. “If you don’t feel like you can accept, I could say that I’m going down for a needed break, and I don’t want to be lonely so you should come with me. Would that make it easier for you to say yes?”
“I . . . wow. Can you let me think about it? I need to check with Michael and the kids first, and I’ll let you know. Does that sound all right?”
“Of course. See you tomorrow.”
When Merilee returned to her seat, practice had just ended, and Jackie and Lindi were gone, leaving her without the chance to explain to Jackie that it hadn’t been Daniel Blackford calling her. As she stood waiting for Lily to gather her things, her mind was drawn back to her conversation with Heather, and a niggling thought about something Heather had said.
She frowned, trying to think of what it was. It wasn’t until much later when she was lying in bed tossing and turning and trying to find sleep in a bed made for two people that she remembered what it was. It had been Heather’s laugh. And how it had reminded her of something from a long time ago. Something that she thought she’d forgotten. And wished that she had.
Twenty-one
SUGAR
Sugar stood on Merilee’s front porch with her arms akimbo, frowning at Wade. He was pointing at two ancient metal hooks on the porch’s ceiling, and he was trying to tell her that a swing had once hung there, and how the porch really needed one and he would be happy to make one.
She stared up at the hooks, vaguely remembering a swing but not remembering when it had gone away. Ever since she’d told Merilee about the night of the full moon and Jimmy’s death, her memories had become fuzzier, a kindly survival mechanism, she supposed.
She only wished it had kicked in before she’d opened her mouth. It had felt good to finally tell someone. Only Willa Faye knew the whole story, but she’d known Curtis and knew where the blame lay. But in telling Merilee, it had been like a forgiveness of sorts. Because Merilee had listened and not blamed or accused or sympathized. Instead she’d squeezed Sugar’s hand and told her she was the bravest and strongest woman she’d ever known.
Sugar had always wanted to be brave and strong but had convinced herself that she was a survivor not because she was either, but because she didn’t have a choice. To have Merilee say it made Sugar believe maybe it was true. And it made her feel beholden to another human being, something she was pretty sure she’d never been in her entire life and didn’t particularly like.
Wade was still speaking. “The direction the house faces would make this a perfect spot to sit in the afternoons and catch a cooling breeze. I’m just sorry I never noticed those hooks before.”
She blinked a few times, seeing Tom sitting in the swing in his uniform, his duffel bag by the steps, his hand reaching for her. She forced her gaze to Wade’s face. “I don’t care what you do. If it makes you happy, then go whole hog. Just don’t expect me to sit in it. I get vertigo. A rocking chair is about all I can handle at my age.”
Wade tried to hide a smile. “I understand. But I thought Merilee and the kids might enjoy it.”
Merilee, who kept avoiding looking at Wade and whose face flushed every time her eyes accidentally settled on him, nodded in agreement. “It would be nice. It would give me the excuse to get the kids away from the TV, and since the Wi-Fi doesn’t reach out here, it would be a win-win.”
“Can I go now?” Sugar asked, not sure why she was feeling so cranky. “I told Willa Faye that as soon as I got my car back, I’d give her a prison break and take her out to lunch.”
Wade’s eyebrows lifted. “Now, now, Sugar. You know Grandma is in a gorgeous place where they take really good care of her, and the food is so good I go there every chance I get, and if they took people my age I’d be moving in any day now. Think how much fun you two would have if you lived in the same place. Just something to think about for the future—for when you’re old.”
“If this is another way for you to get me to sell you this land, you’ve got another thought coming. I’m not selling—ever. You know that.”
“I do know that, as I discovered the first and last time I ever asked you, and I promise you I rarely make the same mistake twice. Although I do hope one day you’ll tell me why you’re so desperate to hang on to all this land. I’d say it was for sentimental reasons, but you and I both know that despite all your many virtues, sentimentality isn’t one of them.”
He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she could avoid it. And she wanted to tell him then. Tell him the full story. She let her gaze travel over to Merilee, remembered how free she’d felt to tell part of the story. You’re the bravest and strongest woman I’ve ever known. She had a brief memory of looking at Merilee’s yearbooks, and the picture of the young man, John, who’d wanted to marry her. There was definitely a story there. A story Sugar was sure she didn’t want to know. Maybe the only reason Merilee thought Sugar was so brave and strong was because she recognized a little bit of herself.
“Good-bye. I need to get Willa Faye.” She grasped the railing and stepped down from the porch onto the first step.
“Hang on,” Wade called after her. “The other reason besides the porch swing I asked to see you and Merilee this morning was about that trunk in the cellar. Did you ever find the key?”
Something fluttered in her chest. “Sorry, I forgot.”
She began walking again, hoping to make it clear that she wasn’t interested in pursuing the conversation.
“Well, I brought something to jimmy the lock, if that’s all right. Merilee and I were worried that since it’s an army footlocker there might be guns or ammunition or something that might be dangerous if kids got into it. Not just Merilee’s kids, but any future tenants.
So if you have no objections . . .”
Turning to face him, she cupped her hand over her eyes to shade them from the sun. “Remember what curiosity did to the cat.”
He laughed, that little-boy laugh that had always made her smile. “Unless you think it’s really an Egyptian sarcophagus, I think we’re safe. So is it all right if we go ahead and open it?”
She knew what happened when a person said no enough times to Wade. He eventually turned it into a yes. She wasn’t even sure why she didn’t want them to open it. She wasn’t the one who’d put the trunk in there or locked it, so it had nothing to do with her. But it did. In the same way a single drop of water was in the end responsible for the flood. You are the bravest and strongest woman I’ve ever known.
“You might as well,” she said quickly, before she could change her mind. “But I’m coming with you. Just in case there’s anything valuable inside.”
Wade frowned. “Don’t you trust me?”
“Almost as far as I can throw you.”
He winked at her, then offered her his elbow. “I hope it’s not a body. I don’t think I could carry two unconscious females back to the house by myself.”
Sugar stared straight ahead as Merilee followed behind them. “Really, Wade?” Merilee said. “I don’t think so.”
Wade hugged Sugar’s hand against his side. “I’m just speculating. Nobody could live as long as Sugar without a skeleton or two in the closet.”
Sugar pressed her lips together and allowed Wade to lead her around the corner of the house to the cellar. He let go of her arm and leaned over the padlock. “You pick a good code?” he asked Merilee.
