Sumter Point

by K. G. MacGregor

  “You should go home and feed Buster. You’ve been here all day,” Violet said.

  It was clear to Beth that Violet was tired from her ordeal, and Audie looked as though she needed a break too.

  “I think that’s a good idea, Audie. And it looks to me like your Grammaw could use some rest too. Is that right, Miss Violet?”

  Violet nodded, her eyes closing for a couple of seconds.

  “I guess we should go then.” Audie leaned down and kissed her Grammaw’s forehead, a gesture so sweet it almost moved Beth to tears. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning, okay?”

  “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

  “Goodnight, Grammaw.”

  “Bye, Miss Violet.”

  “Thank you, Beth.”

  Audie shoved her hands in her hip pockets as they walked out into the hall. “I appreciate you coming by. That was nice.”

  “Your Grammaw’s my favorite patient. I had to make sure she was okay.”

  “I think she likes imagining that you’re taking care of me.”

  “What do you mean imagining? I just made her a bunch of promises. Now I have to follow you around at mealtimes and be at your house to tuck you in at ten thirty.”

  “I should warn you, there’s only one thing that will get me in bed by ten thirty.”

  Beth was tempted to fan herself. “A half a bottle of tequila?”

  “Okay, two things,” Audie said, nudging Beth with her elbow.

  “I’m coming up empty on the other.”

  Audie grinned. “Then my reputation isn’t as bad as I thought.”

  “Well… I wouldn’t say that.”

  “Oh yeah? What have you heard?”

  Beth almost laughed at Audie’s suspicious look. “Who says I heard anything? I’ve seen those eyes of yours after a night out. It takes more than tequila to do that.”

  “Like what?”

  “Let’s just say the tequila might have gotten you to bed by ten thirty, but it certainly didn’t put you to sleep.”

  Audie smiled gently at the jibe. “So how many days do I have to show up with clear eyes to get you to forget the one time I didn’t?”

  Beth was taken aback by the sudden serious tone. It was almost as if Audie was hurt she had brought up that morning again.

  “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Audie shrugged. “It’s all right. I haven’t been a saint or anything, but I’m trying not to worry Grammaw, like you said.”

  “And you’ve done a great job. I really am sorry I brought that up again.”

  “It’s okay. I needed somebody to tell me that back then.”

  “We all need to hear good things too. You should be very proud that your Grammaw has adjusted so well. I’ve told you before that I think it’s because you’re so faithful about coming every day, and because you don’t worry her too much with how you’re doing.”

  They walked out the front door of the hospital and turned toward the parking lot. Beth had intentionally parked near the familiar Xterra, thinking she might stay until Audie left and they could walk out together.

  “Did you get something to eat?”

  “I went for the Caesar salad with grilled chicken. It’s in the car.”

  “Why don’t you bring it over to the house? I’ll show you a couple of ideas I got for fixing the place up.”

  “It’s been a long day for you, Audie. Wouldn’t you rather just go home and crash?”

  Audie shrugged, a gesture that came off as almost shy. “I’m okay. I just… I thought we might hang out for a while… maybe talk.”

  Realization dawned suddenly for Beth, accompanied by a wave of compassion. Audie didn’t want to be alone tonight after the day’s emotional roller coaster. “I’d love to come over if you’re sure. Does this mean you’ve decided to keep the house?”

  “I think so, at least for now. My friend Dennis has a new boyfriend who’s an architect.” She clicked her key fob to unlock the SUV. “I talked with him the other night at the Gallery and he was telling me that a few renovations might make it worth a whole lot more if I do sell it, and nicer to live in if I don’t.”

  “I love that kind of stuff. I can’t wait to hear what he said. Lead the way.” She climbed into her car and waited for Audie to back out. Then she followed her through the back streets to the quaint neighborhood two blocks off Sumter’s downtown.

  Beth was glad to get the invitation, and not just because she wanted to see the old house. It pleased her more that Audie was reaching out to her, and tonight didn’t really have anything to do with Miss Violet or BD.

  She followed Audie into the driveway and took a good look at the house, which was lit only by the streetlight. Buster appeared in the front window, barking his greeting. She had been here once or twice several years ago to drop Kelly off so she could practice basketball in the driveway with Audie and the other girls. The backboard still hung above the garage, but its net was gone and the rusted rim sagged.

  “I take it you don’t play anymore,” she said, gesturing at the dilapidated basket as she got out of her car.

  “Not in years. I guess that’s the first thing that should go.”

  Buster barked his welcome from inside the house. “I need to let him out. Watch out.”

  “I’ll be okay.” Beth was still wearing her light green nurse’s uniform, which would go into the laundry basket as soon as she got home. She held her salad high as Buster greeted them with enthusiasm before running into the backyard.

  “Come on in.”

  Beth walked into the kitchen from the side door and waited for Audie to turn on the lights.

  “I should warn you there may be a few dishes in the sink.”

  From the hesitation in Audie’s voice, Beth had expected to see pots and pans piled to the ceiling. Instead, the lights came on to reveal a few small plates, some silverware and several glasses sitting on the counter. That’s when she remembered Audie didn’t cook.

  “Not too bad. If I leave anything out at my house, the ants take over.”

  “I drowned them all with bug spray already.” She reached into the drawer and pulled out a fork. “Here you go. You can eat in the front room.”

  “Thanks. This is nice. I love the high ceilings.”

  “This is the first room David said to remodel.”

  “That’s what I’ve always heard.”

  The kitchen was plain by modern standards, with solid green Formica countertops and worn white appliances. The floral wallpaper was starting to peel in a few places, and the linoleum floor was scratched and stained.

  “I always try to clean on Mondays, but Buster brings in a lot of dirt.”

  “It looks fine, Audie. I promise not to do a white-glove inspection, okay? I appreciate you showing me around.”

  Audie clapped her hands together. “Let’s do the tour then. We call this the kitchen.”

  “Good thinking.”

  Audie grabbed two cans of soda and led the way, turning on lights as she went. The dining room was exactly as Beth had expected, with a dusty crystal chandelier above a mahogany dining suite that seated eight. The table was draped in a lace tablecloth that looked handmade.

  “And through here is the living room, though no one ever lives in here.”

  It was decorated with modest antiques, including a beautiful Queen Anne davenport and wingback chair. Decorative ceramic lamps sat on tatted doilies around the room.

  “This is where you were supposed to entertain all the men who came courting.”

  “Now you understand why we don’t use it.” Audie continued across the hall to what was obviously the family room. “This is where we actually live.”

  A well-worn sofa and recliner were positioned behind a coffee table. Both faced a gas log fireplace, and a large entertainment center sat in the corner.

  “This looks comfortable.”

  “It is. I think I’ve spent half my life in this room.”

  “Look!” Beth was delighted by the
collection of pictures on the mantle. “It’s Audie Pippin when she was an innocent little girl.”

  Audie snorted. “I was never innocent.”

  Beth got closer and studied each one. “Where were your front teeth?”

  “The tooth fairy got them.”

  “I remember you like this.” She picked up a framed photo of Audie in her high school basketball uniform, kneeling with her hand on a ball. “I have this same picture of Kelly.”

  “There’s a team photo here somewhere.” She leaned over her grandmother’s recliner and retrieved the picture from the lower shelf of the bookcase. “There’s your little sister right there.”

  “Gosh, she’s changed so much since then and you look exactly the same.”

  “Are you saying I still look like a kid?”

  “With that ball cap and ponytail, yes. But not the way you looked when you stopped by my place the other night. That person was definitely not a kid.”

  “Speaking of going out, I’m going to hold you to what you said about coming out to the Gallery after your board exam. I think you’ll have a good time.” Audie cleared a space on the sofa and gestured for her to sit down.

  “Is it okay to eat in here?”

  “Of course. I told you, this is where we live.”

  “I’ve never really gotten into the bar scene.”

  “How come?”

  Beth shrugged and opened her salad. “I didn’t go out much back when I was your age because Kelly lived with me. I had to be home to cook and take care of the house. And I had to keep an eye on all the kids she hung out with too.”

  “You mean like me?”

  “I didn’t worry about you because I knew your Grammaw from the library.”

  Audie smirked. “Yeah, that got me a free pass with a lot of people. So why didn’t you live with your parents?”

  “My mom left us when I was fourteen and my dad married Helen, the woman they named hell after. I didn’t get along with her, but it was even worse for Kelly because she was little and she still missed our mom. When I moved out, she begged me not to leave her. So I got a two-bedroom apartment and our dad made me her legal guardian.”

  “How old were you?”

  “I was nineteen. Kelly was ten.”

  “That means you practically raised her.”

  “Pretty much.” Beth picked up a chicken strip to eat with her fingers.

  “I had no idea. I always wondered why I never saw her parents, but I didn’t know she was living with you.”

  “She didn’t tell many people. She wanted them to think she was like everyone else. You remember how important that was in high school.”

  “Not really. Being queer kind of burst that bubble.”

  “You knew back then?”

  “I think I’ve always known. I told Grammaw when I was twelve that I didn’t want a husband. I wanted a wife.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She humored me, but she would ask me every now and then if I had changed my mind. I was still telling her no when I turned sixteen, so we had a serious talk about it. She told me that I had to be who I was, and that she’d love me no matter what.”

  “Wow. What a wonderful gift she gave you.”

  “I take it things weren’t that easy for you.”

  “Not even close. I never talked to anybody when I was growing up. I just tried to muddle through. I figured one of these days I’d meet some guy and it wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable. It wasn’t until I got to Sumter Vo-Tech and hooked up with a women’s group that I realized why everything was so out of whack.”

  “And Beth the Lesbian was born!”

  “Yeah, but her growth was stunted by having to be home every night to take care of her sister.”

  “You never got to party at all, did you?”

  “Not really. I went out a few times, but once Kelly was old enough to figure out the score, she got embarrassed about it.”

  “Is she cool now?”

  “She’s better. She didn’t like Shelby much, but she swore that didn’t have anything to do with her being a woman.”

  “And everything to do with her being an asshole?”

  “Shelby had that effect on everybody.” Beth ran her fork through the last piece of lettuce and swabbed it around to soak up the dressing.

  “Except you?”

  “No, she was always pretty selfish. I thought I could change her. I learned a big lesson on that one.”

  “My friend Joel’s a pediatrician and he says people’s personalities are formed when they are babies. You can teach them and train them, but underneath it all, they never really change.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  Audie shrugged. “Maybe at some sort of basic level, like how we approach new things, or whether we’re shy or outgoing.”

  “Have you always been quiet and reserved, reluctant to voice how you really feel?” The bewildered expression on Audie’s face was priceless.

  “I can’t believe you said that with a straight face.” Audie took the empty dish from Beth’s lap. “Let me show you the rest of the house while I deliberate on a witty retort.”

  “Deliberate? Another big word for Audie.”

  Beth followed her back into the kitchen, where Audie opened the back door to let Buster in. The usual commotion followed before Audie firmly commanded him to settle down.

  “You’re good with animals. I’m sure you’ll be great at the outreach job, but I bet the dogs and cats are going to miss you.”

  “Speaking of animals, how’s BD treating you?”

  “He hasn’t drawn blood in a couple of days.”

  “You’re home free, then.” Audie pushed open a door off the kitchen. “This is Grammaw’s room. She has her own bathroom.”

  The room was small but neat. Obviously, Buster wasn’t allowed in here. They walked through another door back into the hallway.

  “My room’s upstairs.” Buster led the way. “It’s a little messy.”

  That was a serious understatement. The double bed was wrecked and clothes were scattered everywhere. Telltale sandwich wrappers were wadded up near a trashcan, obviously errant shots.

  “Now whatever you do, don’t go telling Grammaw about seeing my bedroom this way. We don’t want her to have another stroke.” She turned and started back down the stairs.

  Beth chuckled. “What do you think your Grammaw would say if she knew you were showing me your bedroom?”

  “She’d probably think my standards have improved.”

  Beth stopped abruptly. Now that they were away from the hospital, Audie had let down her guard. But she wasn’t being serious about anything this evening, so Beth knew better than to take a remark like that at face value. Still, it was interesting to hear how she compared to Audie’s usual companions. “Was that actually a compliment?”

  “Why yes, I believe it was. It must have slipped out.”

  “I knew it had to be an accident.”

  Beth was astounded when they reached the bottom of the stairs and Audie draped an arm around her shoulder. She couldn’t resist wrapping her own around the trim waist. “Not only that, but you’ve just made history, Nurse Hester.”

  “Is that the first time you’ve complimented anyone?”

  Audie chucked her with a hip. “No, but it’s the first time I’ve ever shown a woman my bedroom.”

  “You’re kidding!”

  “Nope. It’s kind of hard to bring women home with your Grammaw sleeping right below you.”

  “Ah, yes. I’m familiar with that principle. Having a little sister in the next room also has a deleterious effect on one’s social life.”

  “You used my big word!”

  “I know.” Beth looked down and scuffed her foot as though embarrassed. “Your Grammaw would be so proud.”

  “See what I mean about raising my standards?”

  Beth was pretty sure Audie was only teasing. But she liked having that arm around her, and she definitely liked the context of th
eir playful banter. More and more, it seemed, she wasn’t just Miss Violet’s nurse.

  Chapter 13

  The sun was brilliant, its beams aglow in angular columns where they burst through the trees to slice the wooded trail.

  Ending the day at Sumter Point had become their circadian ritual, a chance to celebrate another glorious day at nature’s theatre.

  Audie reached out and took Beth’s soft, warm hand as they strolled down the path. Never before had she known a magic like this, a tingling in her fingers where their hands touched.

  Buster licked her hand again, imploring her to wake up and answer her cell phone.

  Audie couldn’t remember a time when she was this—

  “Wha—?” She opened one eye and tugged her crumpled jacket closer, finding the phone in the front pocket. “Hello?”

  “Audie, it’s Beth. Nothing’s wrong.”

  “What?” Audie swung her legs out from under the covers and sat up, getting her first clear look at the clock. Six-fucking-thirty on Monday morning! “What is it?”

  “My car won’t start.”

  “You need a ride to work or something?”

  “No, I need a ride all the way to Tennessee State. Today’s my test. If I’m late, they won’t even let me take it. They don’t offer it again until the spring and that means I won’t be able to take the new job in December like Hazel wants me to and I’ll have to go through all this cramming again and—”

  “Whoa! I’ll come get you. Just let me grab a quick shower.”

  “There’s no time. I have to be there at eight and it’ll be rush hour by the time we get into Nashville. That’s why I was going so early.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right over. Let me find a clean shirt at least.”

  “I really appreciate this.” Beth knew she had said that already about six times, but she couldn’t control her nervous energy. Racing to get there under the wire was the worst possible scenario for staying calm enough to take this stupid test.

  But at least she had someone to call, someone she was certain would come to her rescue. Ginger would probably have taken her too, but Ginger was staying with Mallory most nights and Beth wasn’t even sure she could find a number to reach her. Besides, if Mallory was the jealous type, she might not like her girlfriend doing a favor of this magnitude.