Carolyn looked like she’d been caught shoplifting at Walmart. “Why, no.”
“I hate to disappoint you, but we’re just friends. Lesbians don’t have sex on their mind all the time. And they don’t fall into bed with each other at the drop of a hat, even if that’s what most straight people think.”
Carolyn squirmed in her easy chair. “I didn’t think that. But you know how people talk.”
“At our age? We’re just getting to know each other. We were never really friends. If Bree and Ann were spending this much time together, though, people might have something to talk about.”
Carolyn raised a brow. “What do you mean? Ann’s had five husbands and is due to come home any day now with number six. She’s straighter than a stick.”
Linda squirmed, and her face felt unusually hot. “I just meant…oh, I don’t know why I even said that. I meant, they were so close once.” Someone rang the doorbell. “Just forget what I said. But remember—Bree and I are just friends.”
“I sure will,” Carolyn said as she got up and headed toward the door. “I’m coming,” she called.
Linda just sat there. Why on earth would Carolyn, or anyone, think anything special was going on between her and Bree? Why, Bree was as sophisticated as Linda was country. She’d never be interested in her. Besides, she was apparently still hung up on Ann, which depressed Linda more than it should.
*
As Bree walked in behind Sandy, Carolyn said, “It’s about time you two got here. Take a load off.”
Bree carried a big bag that contained their dessert into the kitchen, and when she reentered the den, Carolyn handed her a glass of wine. “This okay for you?”
“Perfect.”
They all looked at her expectantly, and Linda said, “Okay. We already have a bet going. I say you actually made the dessert you brought, and these other two said you bought it.”
Bree sat on the couch next to Linda and took a sip of wine. “You’re all right. I made some baked apples and brought some store-bought Blue Bell ice cream to go on them. They’re hot from baking, so I put them in Carolyn’s oven. When she heats the bread they can finish cooking and still be warm after we finish our creole.”
“Oh, shit.” Carolyn jumped up. “I forgot to fix some rice. Is instant okay with everybody?”
Sandy cradled her wineglass in her hands and gazed into it as if it were a crystal ball. “I see gummy, gooey white rice instead of the flaky, long-grained brown rice I’d envisioned slathering my creole over.”
Carolyn laughed and swatted Sandy’s arm with the evening paper she’d picked up on her way in. “All right. I’ll fix brown. But it’ll take a lot longer than instant.”
Sandy held up her glass. “How many bottles of this did you chill?”
“Two. And I have more in the wine rack.”
“I vote for brown rice,” Linda said.
Bree nodded. “And I support the majority decision.”
Carolyn hurried back into the kitchen, singing out, “I won’t be but a minute. Don’t talk about me while I’m gone.”
Bree looked around at the others. “While we wait, I want to know more about this type of witchcraft you’ve become involved in. All kinds of weird stereotypes of hags in black dresses riding broomsticks are flying around in my head.”
Sandy grinned. “I felt the same way when my friends in California introduced me to it. But it’s actually a lot simpler than you’d think.”
“Okay. I really would like to hear more.”
“Let me try to explain,” Linda said. “When you were a kid, were you ever impatient for something to happen or for someone you really liked to come visit you?”
Bree thought for a minute. “Yes. I’m going back a long way, but I remember playing in our sandbox and wondering when two of my dad’s cousins would drive in from West Texas. He was looking forward to seeing them so much, his excitement must have rubbed off on me.”
“And how did you handle the situation?” Linda asked.
“I recall thinking for a long while that I’d explode if they didn’t get there. Then, finally, I got so caught up in making some kind of sand project, I lost track of time. Before I knew it they were pulling into the driveway. It was like magic.”
“Exactly. That’s the kind of magic green witchcraft deals with.”
Sandy had scooted forward on the couch and seemed to want to say more. “I slip into that magic place when I’m driving cross-country or staring into a flame.”
“For me, soaking in a warm bath filled with good-smelling herbs will do it every time,” Linda said. “I slow down and let go of whatever’s trying to make me anxious, and not only does time disappear, but I begin to feel more centered.”
“And that’s all there is to it?” Bree asked. It was such a simple concept she wasn’t sure it even deserved a name, especially such a loaded one as witchcraft.
Carolyn, who’d come back and was standing in the doorway listening to their conversation, said, “One of the things I like best about our brand of witchcraft is visualizing both a goddess and a god.”
“Why’s that? I don’t relate well to deities, regardless of their gender.”
Sandy jumped into the discussion. “I have a Catholic background, so the concept of revering both a female and a male deity isn’t so foreign to me as it would be to a Protestant. It helps keep me balanced spiritually and emotionally.”
“If I haven’t been involved in any type of religion in forever, would it work for me to visualize a strong butch and a strong femme figure?” Bree was half serious and half joking.
Linda sat still for a minute. “I don’t see why not. I’ve told you we’re not a formal group. We meet when we feel like it, but we never try to impose our beliefs and practices on each other. We’re kind of a spiritual support group.”
Bree looked at her friends. They were apparently serious, and their premise intrigued her. “So how do you join?”
Carolyn smiled. “You have to undergo a rigorous background check.”
“And have references from several influential members of the group,” Sandy added.
“Don’t forget the grueling initiation.” Linda’s eyes twinkled. “What do you think, girls? Does she qualify?”
Sandy and Carolyn looked at Linda, who inclined her head a fraction, then stared at her for a long minute.
“Will you be true to yourself and try to be the best and most authentic person you can be?” Sandy said in a deep, solemn voice.
Bree’s throat tightened unexpectedly as she considered Sandy’s question. “I’ll do my best.”
Bree’s friends exchanged glances and then each nodded. “I’m happy to say you’re now a novice green witch. Welcome to the Greenies. If you have any questions, just ask one of us and we’ll do our best to answer them. And if we can’t, we’ll make something up.” Sandy grinned.
Carolyn held up her wineglass. “To Bree. Welcome home.”
“It’s great to be back,” Bree said. And she meant it. She finally was beginning to feel like she belonged somewhere.
*
“The homegrown vegetables in the creole make a world of difference.” Bree took another fork full and examined the mixture. “Canned can’t rival these tomatoes.”
“Bree’s right. This creole’s the best I’ve ever eaten, Carolyn,” Linda said as she spread a ladle full of it over some rice for a second time.
Bree stirred her fork through the salad in her bowl. “And your salad’s so full of interesting things, Sandy. Did you stick some magic herbs in it?”
“You’d think the poor woman never got anything to eat after she left home.” Carolyn winked at her.
Bree chewed, content as the familiar flavors flooded her. “You know, I’ve eaten exotic food all over the world, from Peking duck in Beijing to fūl in Egypt, plus a lot of things whose names I can’t even remember. But I never found anything I preferred to my mother’s cooking. Until now.”
“I’m truly flattered. That’s
quite an endorsement,” Carolyn said. “Next time I visit Sarah I’ll make a list of everything she used to cook for you. That way, maybe we can entice you to stick around. Why go back to Chicago when you can have food and friends like us down here?”
Bree hesitated. “I left this town because I was a misfit. Don’t you really think I’d fit in even less after all this time?” She wanted to be wrong, but now that she thought about it, she wasn’t sure small towns had changed all that much, even in the fifty years she’d been away.
Sandy shook her head. “Just look at me. I’m like a triangle stuck in a circle here, but I do touch the circle at a few points. I love living on my acreage with Zoe and Cowboy and getting together with my friends like this. Nothing fancy, nothing exciting, just everyday life with a little magic thrown in to keep me content. I don’t have to prove anything to myself or anybody else, so I can just relax and enjoy whatever comes along. ”
Bree put down her fork and scratched her cheek. “Yes, but you’re so much older than the rest of us, Sandy.”
Sandy tossed a crust of bread at Bree, which hit her on the arm.
“Now, girls,” Carolyn intervened, “Sandy’s just six years older than you, Bree. Don’t forget I’m almost eighty, and I can still cut the mustard. The older you get, the more life speeds up, if you let it. You need to start looking around and realizing what’s most precious to you and how you want to spend what time you have left.”
Linda jumped up. “That’s enough talk about getting old. What I want to know right now is how well Bree can actually cook. Didn’t we say those baked apples are part of our decision about whether to let her into the Greenies?”
“You said nothing of the sort. You’ve already let me in.” Bree put on a panicked expression.
“Rules can change, if the majority agrees. Can’t they, girls?” Linda looked around at Carolyn and Sandy.
“Absolutely. Especially if the candidate makes disparaging remarks about a member’s age,” Sandy said.
Carolyn nodded. “I concur. Bring out the baked apples.”
Bree slowly rose from the table and cleared the others’ plates from it, then trudged into the kitchen as if she were about to present her doctoral dissertation to a committee of demanding professors.
Linda came in carrying the dirty bowls and silverware and whispered, “Want some help?”
Bree sighed like a martyr. “I better do this all by myself. Don’t want to be disqualified.”
She removed the apples from the warm oven and carefully spooned one into each of the four brightly colored bowls Carolyn had set out. Then she scooped a large dip of vanilla ice cream onto each apple and carried two of the bowls into the dining room.
“For the seniors,” she said as she defiantly set the bowls in front of Carolyn and Sandy. When she returned with the other two desserts, she served Linda first and then herself.
“You better start eating before your ice cream melts, Bree,” Sandy said.
Carolyn took a big bite of apple. “Hmm. Soft yet still a bit of crunch. Though maybe a little too much cinnamon.”
“Not too much brown sugar and butter,” Linda added.
“And exactly the right flavor of ice cream to complement the apple.” Sandy scraped her empty bowl. “What do you girls think? Shall we admit Bree unconditionally?”
Linda wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I vote yes.”
“But she didn’t call you old,” Sandy said. “What do you think, Carolyn? After all, you said she added too much spice.”
Carolyn wiped the side of her mouth with her finger. “I can do with a little more spice in my life. I’ve known Bree all her life and think highly of her mother, so I’ll have to go along with Linda’s endorsement.”
“I guess it’s up to me then,” Sandy said and assumed a stern expression. “We can’t let just anyone into the Greenies.”
“Hey, what about majority rules?” Bree asked.
“Sorry, but this isn’t a democracy.” Sandy looked even sterner, then broke into a big smile. “And I declare this one of the best baked apples I’ve ever eaten. If you can put up with our teasing, we’d love for you to be part of our group.”
Bree puffed out a big breath. “You actually had me worried there for a minute. I can’t promise how long I’ll be in town, but as long as I am, it looks like I’ll enjoy myself.” She gazed around at her friends and wondered again why she’d always avoided visiting home.
Chapter Fifteen
“Hey, good-looking,” a woman’s voice said over the telephone. Bree sat in the back-porch swing, enjoying the cloudless sky.
“Hey, yourself. Who’s this?” Bree couldn’t quite place her.
“Who’d you expect? Linda?”
The tinge of jealousy clued Bree in. “Ann. Are you calling from Hawaii?”
“No, silly. I decided to come home early so I could see you.”
Yes, this was definitely Ann in her jealous-flirtatious mode. How could Bree ever forget it? The few times she’d tried to break it off with Ann in high school, her possessiveness had surfaced immediately and pulled Bree back in every time.
“I thought you’d be happily married by now and have decided to stay even longer.” Bree tried not to sound bitter but couldn’t stop herself.
“No. Things didn’t work out the way I expected. Can you imagine being bored in Hawaii?”
“No.” Bree watched a large leaf float to the ground.
“Well, imagine it. Same old beach every day. Same old food. Same old man. I decided if he bored me in Hawaii, I’d never enjoy being married to him, especially living in this dull town.”
“At least you had that revelation before you tied the knot, again.” Bree sniffed and finally recognized a familiar acrid odor. She hadn’t just sat and enjoyed the smell of burning leaves in forever. Retirement might not be such a bad idea.
“Live and learn. Though I probably sacrificed a healthy divorce settlement.” Bree could picture Ann’s shrug. “But even that couldn’t entice me. Enough about me though—what have you and Linda been up to?” Her seductive tone was impossible to miss.
“Linda and I? Let’s see. We went to a couple of museums in Kilgore and to the syrup festival here. And we’ve bumped into each other several times at Silverado, the retirement home.” Now that Bree thought about it, those experiences had been the highlight of her visit so far.
“Sounds like a laugh a minute. So admit it. Aren’t you glad I’m back?” Ann shifted into full flirtation mode, her husky voice promising illusions she’d too rarely fulfilled. “Maybe you and I can have some real fun before you desert us for Chicago again.”
“Just what do you mean by real fun?” Bree couldn’t believe she was still attracted to Ann, but she felt a familiar quicksilver streak dart up her inner thighs, followed by the crazy idea that maybe Ann would finally publicly admit her desire for her. To make things worse, after only a few minutes, Bree was already flirting back.
Ann gave a soft laugh. “Oh, you know. Just hanging out. I have this entire house to myself now.” She sounded like a secret agent delivering confidential information. “We don’t have to worry about anybody overhearing us, especially a sneaky little sister like Linda.” Bree couldn’t believe she was listening to this stuff. “What do you say? Want to come over tomorrow night, after I’ve unpacked and recovered from my jet lag?”
Bree struggled to ignore her soaring imagination and throbbing clit. “Where’s Mr. Right going to be? Or did you give him his final walking papers?”
“Oh, he’s tired from the trip.” Ann blew out an impatient breath. “He won’t be able to function for several days. In Hawaii he couldn’t keep up with me.”
Bree tried to keep the sudden disenchantment out of her voice. “So I’m a temporary distraction. Is that it?”
“Oh, honey. You’re the best distraction I’ve ever come across.” Ann practically purred. “If you weren’t a woman, you’d be a permanent fixture in my life. In fact, if you intend to stick around he
re, maybe we could make that happen.” Bree pictured Ann’s smug expression. “I bet Carl wouldn’t mind an arrangement like that. It’d give him an occasional breather.”
How blatant. As a teenager Ann had been so subtle Bree had never been sure what she’d wanted from her. Had she become desperate or so used to getting her way she’d lost any type of guile?
Bree took a deep breath. “I have plans for tomorrow afternoon, Ann, and they might extend into the evening.”
Ann drew in a sharp breath. “Plans you can’t break or postpone? What? A bingo game at Silverado?”
“It’s really none of your business, but Linda’s invited me to go to tea in Tyler tomorrow.”
“Tea?” Her laugh sounded more like a cackle. “Does she plan to introduce you to some Junior Leaguers over there?”
“Hardly.” Leave it to Ann to think of a high-society event. “It’s a weekly gathering of some freethinkers in the area. They discuss politics and religion and anything else that interests them.”
“Sounds as boring as a sermon. Well, try to enjoy yourself with my little sister. But if you decide to indulge in some real fun, you know where to find me.”
Bree wanted this conversation to end. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Too much water’s flowed under that bridge for me to want to get wet again.”
“Ah, honey.” Ann’s wheedling tone resurfaced. “And to think I came home from a paradise like Hawaii just to be with you.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Not at all.” Ann actually sounded serious. “I started worrying you might have already left town, but when I called Linda on Sunday, she said you and she and Sandy had been to a party at Carolyn’s.” She paused and took a deep breath. “That’s how I knew you were still around. She seemed to have had a great time, and for a minute I wondered if you and she had—you know—gotten together after the party.”
Did Ann really care who she spent time with?
Ann kept talking. “So I decided I better come stake my claim before she raised her hopes too high.” Staking a claim? How objectifying could Ann get? “You wouldn’t want to hurt her too badly, would you?”
Autumn Spring Page 15
