Audie loved days like today when her Grammaw was talkative and in a good mood. She couldn’t wait to share what she and Beth had talked about at Sumter Point. It was the first time in her life she was eager to talk with her grandmother about her personal life.
She had always shared the superficial version, the one that skipped her partying lifestyle, but there was an even bigger reason she had never talked about a romantic relationship—she had never had one. The only person who had come close to being called a girlfriend was Maxine, and the details of their unhealthy attraction—the drugs, the alcohol, the rough sex—weren’t exactly things her Grammaw would have appreciated. And there hadn’t been any deep feelings to talk about.
That’s what was different about Beth. Audie was bursting to talk about her feelings and dreams. She wanted an affirmation and a blessing for their life together from the only person whose opinion really mattered.
“Did you and Beth talk about anything today?” Audie served up a spoonful of the main course.
“She told me a little about her sister.” Violet paused to take another bite and swallow. “She’s like you. She didn’t know her mama very well either.”
It hadn’t occurred to Audie before that she and Beth had that in common. “It was harder for her, though, because she didn’t have anybody like you or Grampaw.”
“Sounds like she had to grow up fast.”
“She did.” Audie thought little details like this made Beth a special person. “I was lucky to have you and Grampaw. Now I’m lucky to have Beth too.” Audie held a sipping cup to her grandmother’s lip. “You remember yesterday at supper when I told you I was going with Beth and Buster out to Sumter Point?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Violet continued to eat as she listened.
“We talked about being together, Beth and me… staying together. We can’t get married or anything like that, but I think we would if we could.”
Audie waited nervously for what seemed like long minutes for a response. Finally, a pat from her grandmother’s frail hand vanquished her doubts. “Beth’s good for you.”
“Do you think it’s silly for us to feel like that already? We just started being friends three months ago.”
“Does it seem silly to you?”
Audie chuckled. “No. But there’s an old joke about lesbians who show up with a U-Haul on their second date because they fall in love so fast. I used to think that was funny, but now it’s hitting a little close to home.”
“Who’s to say what’s too soon? Just listen to what your heart’s telling you.”
“Is that what you did with Grampaw?” Audie scooped a spoonful of vegetables. “Here, try some of this.”
Violet swallowed and Audie wiped her mouth. “Your Grampaw didn’t waste any time, I’ll tell you that. But I guess I didn’t either.”
“How long did you know each other before you decided to get married?”
“He came with some boys from the army to one of the dances we had at Peabody.” She leaned back, motioning with her hand that she was finished with her dinner. “He was stationed at Fort Campbell. He wasn’t the handsomest fellow, but he could talk sweet.”
“Sounds just like Grampaw.” Audie enjoyed the faraway smile on her Grammaw’s face as she relived her memories. “So you met at a dance. Then what?”
“Then he came calling two weeks later to the dormitory. Said he couldn’t get me off his mind. Truth was, I’d been thinking about him too, because he wasn’t like the other soldier boys just looking to be with the women. He wanted to be with me. Your Grampaw was a good man. I knew it the first time we met.”
“And that’s when you started dating?”
“He took me out for a milkshake that night and told me he was shipping out to Korea and asked me if I would wait for him till he got back. I said no.”
“You said no?” Audie couldn’t believe she was hearing this story for the first time.
“I said I wasn’t going to wait that long for anybody but my husband, so we slipped off that weekend and got married. Didn’t tell a soul.”
“Whoa! You got married after only one date and it lasted…”
“Forever, Audie. I still love that old man like I did the day we married.”
Audie’s heart swelled with hope. If her grandparents could build a whole life on only a dance and a milkshake, then she and Beth had as good a chance as anyone to make their love last. “How did you know Grampaw was the right one to marry?”
“Like I said, I knew he was a good man. You can’t go wrong with that.”
Audie nodded, understanding clearly what her grandmother was saying, because Beth was probably the most decent person she had ever met. “Is there a secret for making love last forever?”
“Just trust each other.”
“Beth and I already do that.”
“Trust her all the time, sweetie. She won’t ever let you down.”
The way she said that made it sound more like a warning than just grandmotherly advice. Audie doubted Beth would have said anything about their fight the other day, but she knew anyway whose side her Grammaw would have taken.
“Did you and Grampaw ever have a fight about something big?”
“Your Grampaw made me real mad once, but I listened to why he did what he did and I decided he was right.” From the look in her eyes, she was remembering a time long past. “It was when your mama called from Las Vegas and he hung up on her without even letting me talk.”
“You mean back when I was in the fifth grade?”
“That’s right. He knew how bad I wanted to see your mama again, but he didn’t trust her. She told him if we sent her the money, she’d take the bus back home so we’d all be together again. He was afraid she might come and try to take you away from us.”
“I wouldn’t have gone with her, you know.”
“Dang right you wouldn’t, because I wouldn’t have let her have you. But your Grampaw wasn’t going to take a chance. He told her she could just stay out there. We were through with her.”
Audie was moved by the tears in her grandmother’s eyes. “And you never heard from her again?”
Violet shook her head sadly. “No, that was the last time. And I was so mad at him, but after I had time to think about it, I knew he was right. We couldn’t take a chance that she would come back to Sumter and tear us all apart. Your mama didn’t love people, Audie. She just used them for her own good.”
“I never have understood why she didn’t like living here as much as I did.”
“It wasn’t just living in Sumter. It embarrassed her that your Grampaw and I were so much older than her friends’ mamas and daddies. She never wanted us to come to school for anything and she wouldn’t bring anyone over to the house. She got so she would stay out all night. We couldn’t control her. She just couldn’t wait to get away from us, and she went with the first man to take her.”
Audie had never been curious about her mother. From the time she first understood that she had been left behind to be raised by her grandparents, she wrote it off. She always told herself she didn’t want to know her mother at all. What she didn’t like was that her mother had hurt the two people she loved most, her Grammaw and Grampaw.
“We got the best of your mama when she brought you to live with us. Your Grampaw and I were so worried you’d grow up to hate us like she did.”
“No way. I always loved you and Grampaw.”
“I know, sweetie. Watching you grow up into such a fine young lady made us so proud.”
If her grandmother knew about her partying ways, she probably wouldn’t feel that way. But with each day, Audie vowed to try harder to be the good person Beth and her grandparents believed her to be. “I always knew I was lucky to be with you and Grampaw and not with my mama. I never had to worry about somebody loving me, no matter how much I screwed up.”
“You never messed up, Audie. You did some little things, but you never gave us more trouble than we could handle. We couldn’t have asked for a
better granddaughter.”
“You’re going to make me cry.” Audie sniffed and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “I love you, and I loved Grampaw too.”
“And now you’re all grown up and you love Beth.”
“I sure do.”
“You take care of her, you hear me?”
“I will.” On that note, their conversation had come full circle.
“We’re going out dancing tonight at the Gallery. Did she tell you that?”
“How did you talk her into it?”
“It was her idea, believe it or not. We had so much fun there on our first date that she wanted to go try it again.”
“I hope it’s fun for you girls again.”
Audie noticed a lilt in her voice, and her eyes closed briefly. “I guess I’ll go home and start to get ready. I love you, Grammaw.”
“I love you too, sweetie.”
“Sleep well tonight, and I’ll see you at breakfast.”
As she walked back to her car, Audie couldn’t help but feel lighter than she had in days. Her Grammaw seemed to be doing better, and more important, she was happy again. And after their talk today, Audie felt closer to her than she ever had since her Grampaw died.
Beth smiled as the headlights from passing cars illuminated Audie in the driver’s seat. Audie was her usual sexy self tonight, dressed in soft denim jeans that hugged her butt, and a tailored white shirt unbuttoned to expose part of a black bra.
“Damn, you look hot!”
Audie grinned at her lasciviously. “Good enough to eat?”
Beth groaned. “If that’s what you were going for, you might as well turn this car around.”
“No way. I want to dance.”
“Okay, but if you start grinding on me out there, don’t be surprised if I throw you down on the floor.”
“Yeah, baby.” Audie leaned over and slid her hand between Beth’s legs. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Laundry. Why?”
“I want you to go shopping with me. I have to buy some new work clothes. Oscar has me down to do a talk at Sumter Creek Elementary School on Monday morning.”
“I think that’s great you’re starting the new job. I’m so proud of you.” Even in the dim light, Beth could see by the look on Audie’s face that she was proud of herself too. “What kind of clothes are you looking for?”
“Something besides jeans that covers my tattoo… maybe something loose enough that I could actually put my hands in my pockets while I’m talking.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Not so much with the third graders. But I might be when I have to talk at the Kiwanis Club or something like that.”
“You’re going to do great, Audie. You’ll have them eating out of your hand.”
They pulled into the parking lot next to the Gallery and Audie shut off the engine. “Thanks for coming with me tonight.”
“It was my idea, remember?” Beth got out and met Audie at the back of the vehicle. “But if that Regan chick lays one finger on you, I’m going to bite it off.”
“Don’t worry about Regan. Yours are the only fingers I want.”
They entered the club, where Beth immediately spotted Ginger and Mallory at a table with several women. “Where do you want to sit?”
“With the girls is fine. I’ll say hi to the guys after while.”
As they moved through the crowd, Beth felt Audie’s hand slide into her back pocket and caress her rear. She liked the feel of it there, and she didn’t care who saw it.
Ginger leapt from her chair and held out her arms. “I didn’t know you were coming out.”
“Surprise,” Beth said, pulling Audie with her as she leaned forward for a hug.
“Is this going to be a regular thing now that you’re off on the weekends?”
“Maybe. Audie has weekends off now too.”
Audie pulled her hand from Beth’s pocket and extended it to Ginger. “We’ll be here whenever she wants.”
“Good. Come dance with me.”
Beth watched slack-jawed as Ginger pulled Audie out to the dance floor. Clearly, she was up to something.
“Pull up a chair, Beth.” Mallory reached for the pitcher in the center of the table and an empty mug. “Have a beer.”
“I can’t. I’m driving us home tonight.” She took the seat vacated by Ginger. “I figure since Ginger took my girlfriend, I can at least take her chair.”
She watched as the song continued. Ginger and Audie were talking about something, but it didn’t seem to be serious, since both were laughing. When the music ended, they shared a hug and returned to the table. Mallory slid a brimming mug to Audie, who caught it just before it reached the end of the table.
“That was close, Audie.”
“She’s very good with her hands,” Beth offered, immediately slapping a hand to her own mouth. Everyone laughed and she joined in. “What I meant was—”
“They know what you meant, honey,” Audie said as she leaned over and planted a kiss on Beth’s temple. “It’s our turn to dance. Are you ready?”
Beth held on to Audie’s belt loop as they wound through the crowd to the center of the dance floor. The beat of the music was neither fast nor slow, and Audie chose to lead with an embrace.
“What was all that about with you and Ginger?”
“She just had a couple of things she wanted to talk about.”
Audie’s hands slid down her back, sparking a surge of arousal as their hips came together. “What kind of things?”
“She asked me if you were happy and I said yes.”
She could tell from Audie’s smirk there was more to it than that.
“And what else?”
“That I’d better keep it that way or she’d break both my kneecaps.”
Beth snorted with laughter, causing both of them to temporarily lose the beat of the music. “Did you believe her?”
“Totally. But I told her I had all the motivation I needed to keep you happy.”
“And what’s that?”
“Now you know I’d never give our secrets away.”
“That’s probably a good thing… a very good thing.”
“Because then people would get jealous and I’d probably have to crack some heads.”
The music changed to a techno beat and Audie gently disentangled to dance at arm’s length. Beth focused on the belly button ring that peeked out below the last button of Audie’s shirt. “We didn’t last very long the last time we tried this,” she shouted.
Audie grinned. “Because you got me hot.”
“I think it was the other way around.”
“Does it matter?” When the song ended, Audie took her elbow and led her back to the table, where Regan now sat drinking her beer.
“Come sit with me, Audie. Let’s talk,” Regan said playfully.
Beth stiffened at the proprietary way Regan draped her arm across the back of the chair next to her. Then she felt her whole body shift as Audie sat and scooped her onto her lap in one move.
“Looks like the rumors are true.” Regan pushed the half-empty mug toward Audie and refilled it from the pitcher. “You’re Beth, right?”
“Right, and you’re Regan.” She swiveled so they were all facing each other, and hooked both arms possessively around Audie’s neck.
“I am. I hear you’ve taken Audie out of commission.”
“She has,” Audie answered.
“That’s a pity.” Regan looked at Audie, not Beth. “I guess if I were a good sport, I’d say best wishes or something.”
“You could always get us a housewarming present,” Audie suggested, batting her eyes innocently.
Beth couldn’t believe her ears. Not that she hadn’t been thinking that one of these days she would move into Audie’s house and they would make it their home. She just couldn’t believe Audie was talking about it so casually.
Regan leaned over and gave Audie a quick kiss on the cheek.
“It’s cheaper to
give you best wishes. You too, Beth. Now, if you’ll let me out of here, I think Deanna just got here.”
She scooted out from behind the table and disappeared in the crowd that gathered near the door.
“So you think we’re ready for housewarming presents?” Beth asked, tightening her grip around Audie’s neck.
“Probably not just yet.”
Beth wasn’t quite ready yet either, but she found herself disappointed by Audie’s quick reply until she went on to clarify.
“Maybe after I clean out the garage and get all the dirty dishes out of the sink.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely in charge of your own dirty dishes.”
The chair beside them was now empty, but Beth was content to stay right where she was—in Audie’s lap. “Hey, isn’t that Dennis out there dancing?”
Audie craned her neck to see. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“Who’s that guy he’s with? He’s cute.”
“His name’s David.”
Chapter 23
“… and the other great thing about owning a pet is that you’re always going to have a best friend, no matter what. If you have a hard day at school, they’ll be right there when you get home to lick your face or sit in your lap. They don’t care if you don’t eat your vegetables or don’t clean your room.” The boys and girls giggled.
“The only thing they care about is getting their ears scratched and hearing you say ‘good boy’ or ‘good girl’.”
Audie leaned with both hands on the back of the chair Mrs. Newman had provided at the front of her classroom. She was moments away from surviving her first outreach assignment. It had been relatively painless, once she got over the initial butterflies.
A boy’s hand went up in the back of the room.
“Do you have a question?” she asked.
“Our dog got stuck to the neighbor’s dog once. Daddy had to turn the hose on ’em to get ’em apart. Mama said they were making puppies.”
Audie looked immediately at Mrs. Newman for a clue on how she should handle the remark. The teacher was blushing furiously, apparently mortified. Audie looked back at the boy, whose face was a mask of total innocence. “I’m glad you brought that up about puppies. One of the most important things we do is try to keep dogs and cats from having too many puppies or kittens.”
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