Set free, Jennalee set out to find Harley, but where? His room was the obvious place to start, but Garth might be there. Could she handle that? She considered this as she started along the winding path, figuring she’d have an answer by the time she reached Building Eight. How relieved she was when, passing the pool, she saw Harley lying on a chaise that sat over in the shade beside Building Two.
She stopped to look because seeing him near Sutherlands was a shock, as was what he appeared to be wearing: baggy blue knee length shorts and a faded oversized orange tank top. His pale skin all but glowed.
No other chaises were free so she dragged over a chair and plunked down beside him. “Missed you,” she said so he’d open his eyes.
“Hey,” he said, grinning when he saw her. “Sorry, but breakfast in the room won out. Mom is a master of the microwave and we always bring supplies, plus I wasn’t ready for Sutherlands.”
“That’s okay.” She kept looking at his white shoulders and what she could see of his legs. “Don’t you get tan?”
“Nope. Family curse. Mom and I burn, Dad and Garth go almost crispy.”
“I like your outfit,” she said.
“I like yours.”
A Sutherland woman vacated her chaise just then and Jennalee ran to seize it and pull it over beside Harley, pushing aside the chair. She thus lay beside him and he took her hand in his. “Nice,” he said.
“You should have heard me play,” she said. “I woke ‘em up.”
“I did hear.”
“No.”
“Yeah. I was just outside. After breakfast I decided to sort of circle around, see what you were up to, and then I heard this wonderful music and I knew. That was one fine performance. I could tell the fun you were having.”
She squeezed his hand. “See, you get that. Nobody else does. They all think piano is some kind of drudge, all that practice, when it’s the opposite.”
“If it doesn’t come natural,” Harley said, “which for them it doesn’t, they consider it a chore and put that off onto you. It’s like this great secret we have.”
Pool noise escalated as more boys jumped in, Kendall among them. He appeared friendly with Noel’s older sons. “What are Noel’s boys names?” she asked Harley.
“Robert, the oldest, eleven, then Daniel, ten. The youngest is Clifford, five. If you speak to them in front of Noel, don’t call them Bobby or Danny or Cliffy because it’ll set him off. Robert must be Robert at all times, Daniel must be Daniel, Clifford Clifford. Noel’s said it more than once, real issue with him. That man is so tight-assed, I don’t see how he can shit.”
This set Jennalee laughing, which got Harley going. “Sutherlands are entertaining in a weird way,” she said.
“For sure.”
As if beckoned, Vaughn came along pushing Haskel in his wheelchair. The old man started waving his arms and Jennalee saw it was to direct him her way. When Vaughn resisted, Haskel reached back to slap his son’s arm until he got his way. Soon Haskel Southerland was beside Jennalee. “Hello, children,” he said. “May I join you?”
“Sure,” said Harley.
“Of course,” added Jennalee.
Vaughn, clad in royal blue swim trunks that accented a good build for a man in his sixties, relented. “Okay, Dad. I’ll be at the pool if you need me. Kids, don’t hesitate to give me a shout if he’s too much.” He then headed to the pool.
“How are you, Mr. Southerland?” Jennalee asked.
“Never ask an old man that question, young lady. Alive is all I can tell you.”
“But that’s good,” said Harley.
“Damned straight,” returned Haskel.
After a bit of silence, Haskel spoke. “I appreciate you kids’ company. Had about enough of Vaughn and Anita and their squabbles. Same damned thing every year. Right, Harley?”
“Right.”
“You see, Miss Preece, if you haven’t already taken note, the family is not a settled one. Vaughn has his faults, but some of that is my doing because I played around on his mother, dear Virginia, gone twelve years now. It becomes a kind of habit, screwing around. Rough on the wives, but at least my Virginia didn’t turn to drink. Anita just makes things worse and will you look at that, there, the deep end, that Lorene giving Vaughn the eye. Oh, Lordy.”
Jennalee raised up to view the scene and there was Vaughn swimming Lorene’s way. Taking her his penis, Jennalee decided. She kept her gaze fixed on Lorene and, sure enough, once they’d greeted each other like family and splashed a bit, looking all innocent, Lorene got up close and her right hand disappeared beneath the water. “What’s she doing?” Jennalee inquired.
“Handjob,” Haskel said, rattling his chair as he attempted a better view. “Underwater handjob.”
There had to be thirty people in the pool, maybe more, though no Anita. Jennalee looked them over, but none seemed to notice anything going on beyond their own antics. Little waves started circling out from the couple while Vaughn displayed open-mouthed rapture.
“There,” Haskel said. “Look there. He’s coming, bet your bottom dollar.”
Sure enough, Vaughn was arched back, the waves more substantial, not to mention Lorene’s arm visibly frantic. Then Vaughn quieted and slumped against the pool’s side while Lorene stroked his back.
Jennalee couldn’t believe the old man was narrating his son’s debauchery, even as she found it a total hoot. She glanced at Harley, who shrugged, apparently used to such things.
“The trick now,” Haskel went on, “is to see what he does to her.”
Harley shut his eyes while Jennalee sat up. “Don’t make looking too obvious,” counseled Haskel. “Make like we’re talking and watch from the corner of your eye.”
After several minutes, Jennalee said she thought they were done. “Men don’t always see to a woman’s needs,” she offered.
“You’re wrong there, young lady. A good man will always pleasure the woman and, what’s more, he’ll enjoy the hell out of it. I love to see a woman come.”
“Jeez,” Harley said, eyes still closed.
Jennalee did as Haskel said, viewing the scene while looking at him. Once Vaughn had recovered, he made no overt above-water advances, paddling a bit, splashing some, though he did work his way around behind Lorene. That’s when his arm slipped around her waist, then slid further down. Soon Lorene was wriggling, no doubt on some well-placed fingers, while Vaughn looked around like he didn’t even have a hand on her, let alone in her.
Lorene wasn’t good at hiding the attention. As she rode Vaughn’s hand, she flapped the water and Jennalee was fascinated to see what a woman looked like in climax. Same as a guy, she thought, those incredible moments. Did she look like that? She turned to Harley, who appeared asleep. Then Haskel was clapping hands, gleeful at his son’s sex show.
“It doesn’t bother you, them doing stuff in public?” Jennalee asked.
“My dear, I’m an old man. All I have these days is Vaughn’s rampant pecker.”
Vaughn and Lorene were now paddling to the shallow end, where they climbed the steps to get out. They appeared pleased with themselves and Jennalee decided they’d earned it, what with managing to do each other in a pool full of relatives.
The couple huddled in conversation, then she departed and Vaughn came over to his father. “You kids had enough of the lost generation?” he asked, again displaying that self-satisfied look.
Before Jennalee could reply, Haskel spoke. “Had enough of you diddling that woman in the pool.”
“Dad!”
“You think nobody looks?” Haskel said. “Ha! Everybody looks. This young woman here saw you get your handjob and return the favor.”
Jennalee felt her face redden. “Jeez,” Harley said again.
“Okay, Dad, that’s enough,” Vaughn declared, whirling the chair around. “I apologize for my father,” he said to Jennalee. “An old man’s ramblings.”
“She knows what she saw!” Haskel yelled as he was taken away.
&
nbsp; Jennalee lay back on her chaise to consider what had just taken place. After a bit, she asked Harley why Vaughn didn’t divorce Anita so he could be with Lorene.
“Because he doesn’t want her that way. Haskel nailed it. Have to admire the guy, admitting screwing around is the family legacy. Divorce would be costly for Vaughn and a Sutherland, especially an O Sutherland, considers money superior to sex. Vaughn would rather drive his wife crazy than give her a settlement.”
“How awful.”
“Bingo.”
Jennalee took Harley’s hand. “It’s peaceful here in our little corner,” she said. “I was surprised to find you out among the hordes.”
“I’m tired of the room and didn’t feel like practicing and there’s not much else so I thought I’d just chill.”
“Good idea.”
Jennalee tried to just chill, but Harley stirred her to where she couldn’t lie quiet. It wasn’t the familiar stir, not like what Garth brought on. It was quieter, almost mysterious, and it brought on curiosity.
“Tell me about the pawnshop,” she said.
“Man, that’s out of left field.”
“Just curious. I’ve never been in one.”
“You and most people,” Harley said. “You’re not missing much. Large storefront in a mini-mall between a pizza place and dry cleaner. People need cash, they pawn valuables, get a claim ticket. Stuff never claimed is sold. We attract a mixed clientele: people down on their luck and forced to pawn their stuff to get by, junkies trying to pawn stolen goods, people who think Aunt Edna’s brooch is worth thousands and can’t believe it’s not. The shop is filled with all kinds of stuff, even musical instruments.”
“Really? I can’t imagine pawning an instrument.”
“Most are either desperate or failed musicians. My current violin is a sad case. Guy couldn’t hack competitions, had a breakdown. When I saw it, I knew it a good instrument so I told him if he didn’t claim it, it would go to a good home, and it did.”
“So do you work there all the time, like a regular job?”
“Part time,” Harley said. “Four hours a day, four days a week, which leaves time for practicing and oh yeah, maybe a life.”
“Are you happy?” Jennalee asked.
“Guess so. Music does that.”
She puzzled a bit, then asked if he ever got bored working in the pawn shop.
“All the time,” he said, “but every now and then it gets lively, like when somebody tries to rob us.”
“You’ve been robbed?”
“No, just attempts. Two guns are kept below the counter in easy reach and both Mom and I can shoot. There’s a pistol range in town and we stay sharp going there once a month. Anyway, you can usually spot the thieves when they come in, always at least two. All it takes is a nod and Mom and I separate, which throws them off. It’s a kind of standoff then, Mom in one corner, me the other, hands on the guns. We’ve never had to shoot, but we’ve pointed the guns and chased guys away. We then call cops and leave the rest to them.”
“Wow,” Jennalee said. “City living. You never get that kind of excitement out here in the sticks.”
“Until the Sutherlands arrive.”
They shared a laugh, then Harley continued. “Dad talks about selling the place and buying a motorcycle shop, but Mom won’t have it so they get into these arguments—actually it’s one argument over and over—but nothing changes. Mom says she has enough motorcycles in her life.
“I like your mom,” Jennalee said. “She’s really cool.”
“You want to come to the fireworks with us tonight?” Harley asked. “Mom said I could ask you along.”
“Really? I’d love to. Yes, absolutely. Wait, how do you get there?”
“The bikes. I’ll ride behind Dad, you behind Mom.”
“What about Garth?”
“He does his own thing and we leave him to it.”
Jennalee thought for just a second before she took a leap. “I saw him with Andrea,” she said.
“No surprise.”
“I mean I saw them doing it. Over behind the manzanita.”
When Harley offered no further comment, Jennalee froze. Shit, she thought. I said too much. Big mouth. How to fix it? She lay still while her insides thrashed around. Finally she asked, “What time tonight? To go to the fireworks, I mean.”
“Come to our rooms at seven. We always pick up burgers on the way, get there, lay out blankets, do a picnic, then lounge around until dark. Nice and mellow before the big bang, or bangs.”
“Super,” Jennalee said, calming again. Lesson learned. No Garth at no time. She closed her eyes and enjoyed Harley’s silence until a Sutherland child began to shriek. A woman jumped into the pool, but instead of rescuing the distressed child, she slapped an older one. Only then did she grab the wailing little one and climb from the pool. Jennalee, who’d raised up at the noise, started to lie back but another woman confronted the first one, apparently the slappee’s mother, and soon these two had to be separated by others. Jennalee turned to Harley, who anticipated her. “Sutherland shit,” he said.
Once the incident had passed and pool noise returned to a reasonable level, Harley asked Jennalee what her plans were for college.
She sighed. “Well, I kinda blew it. Plans were for me to go to Cal Berkeley, but when we moved here, I let my grades go to hell, so now I’m nowhere, I guess. My folks are talking about community college for a year, but I’m fighting that.”
“Why?”
“Good question. The move here was really rough, you know? I had this great life in San Francisco, everything going for me and Mr. Mendel, then my father has this major heart attack, has a quadruple bypass, and suddenly decides to chuck being a lawyer and buy this place. I was halfway through my senior year when he laid this on me. Christmas vacation, actually. One shitty Christmas. So now I have no plans, none at all.”
“You do know you can’t pout forever. What’s done is done and you’re just hurting yourself by doing nothing.”
“God, you sound like my parents.”
“Maybe they have some good ideas. Whatever you do about school, you should be thinking of promoting yourself, entering competitions so you’ll get notice. You’re definitely good enough.”
Jennalee sighed. “You’re sweet, but I can’t lay all that on my dad just yet.”
“Do you ever think it might have the opposite effect? Show interest in the future, you’re seen as acting responsible, more adult?”
“I never thought of that.”
He chuckled. “I’m all for rebellion, but it can turn on you. Maybe you should check out that local teacher, ask for advice, start trolling the web for schools with good music programs. You know Mr. Mendel would want that.”
“I wish I could go see him.”
“Isn’t he on Twitter or Facebook?”
“No. He’s old school, doesn’t even have a computer.”
“Jeez.”
Jennalee blew out a long sigh, eager to change the subject. “Tell me about your grandfather Adair, the pianist.”
“Great-grandfather. He traveled all over the world, played with major orchestras, Van Karajan, Toscanini. ‘Course I only knew him as an old man, but we saw him a lot and I’d always play for him, sometimes with him. He was so cool in his big house in Pasadena, servants, you name it, blind in the last years, but he could still play like you wouldn’t believe. We did everything, especially the Spring and Kreutzer. He was ninety-two when he died.”
“When was that?”
“Eighteen months ago.”
“Oh, God, I’m sorry, really. I shouldn’t have brought him up, but I thought—”
“No, it’s okay. I like to talk about him. He was a big part of my life, paid for all my lessons. Mom and Dad couldn’t afford it and she won’t get any Sutherland money till her father dies and, with the way they feel about her, it probably won’t be much. Probably all go to her brothers. Great-Grandad left a trust to keep me going, lessons, touring expen
ses, whatever’s required as long as it’s part of the music. He really believed. Mom does, too.”
“That is so wonderful,” Jennalee said, squeezing his hand. “Sad but wonderful. I bet you miss him.”
“All the time.”
“But you know he’s up there listening.”
Harley sighed and sat up. “He may not like what he’s hearing lately. C’mon, let’s go get a Coke.”
“You’re pink!” Jennalee cried when Harley stood up. “How did you do that? We’re in the shade.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll fade in a couple hours.”
She couldn’t help but laugh and he joined her. As they skirted the pool toward a Coke machine, Jennalee observed, “If you didn’t see their shit go down, Sutherlands would seem like regular people.”
“That’s the trick,” said Harley. “It’s just not easy to miss the shit.”
Cokes in hand, they worked their way along the winding path until back at the main building, where Jennalee said she should check in with her parents, let them know her plans.
“Okay, see you at seven.”
“Can’t wait.”
When Jennalee saw her father at the lobby desk, she sidled up next to him and kissed his cheek.
“What’s that for?” he asked.
“Just felt like it. Oh, and I’ve been invited to the fireworks by the Laidlaws. Okay if I go? Me and Harley and his folks.”
Gerald considered this. “The motorcycle people?”
“Yes, Dad, the motorcycle people who are probably the sanest people here. Picnic dinner, fireworks, then home. All innocent.”
“It’s okay with me, but check with your mother.”
“Thanks. Where is she?”
“Resting, or maybe napping. She said she needed a break from the crowd. They’ve about run her ragged.”
Jennalee slipped into the living room, but Jane wasn’t napping. Stretched out on the couch, she was reading. “Hey, kiddo,” she said when her daughter came in.
“Hi, Mom. Taking a break?”
Jane nodded. “I had no idea this business could turn frantic. I mean, here we are out in the country and suddenly it’s a madhouse.”
“At least they leave tomorrow, plus their events are over. You and Dad have done great.”
Sutherland Page 15
