Charmed Life (27 page)

“How!” Lou blasted. “Goddamn witnesses to the murder of Sam Jenkins. Witnesses, Alfonzo! How the hell do you think? Two factors played into our indictment. The witnesses placing both of us there. Bruno has already been arrested for triggering him.”

“Who were the witnesses?”

Lou walked over and smacked his son in the back of the head. “Moron. Who do you think? You’re little girlfriend and her gay friend.”

“Did they tell you?”

“No, they didn’t confirm it. Who else was on the video? Who else could finger us being there?”

“But she’s on vacation.”

“And you’re an asshole for believing that. I’m putting the hit back on …”

“No!” Al stood up. “No. I love her. If … If I can get her to not testify. If I can get to do that…”

“How?”

“A wife can not testify against her husband,” Al said. “And if she doesn’t testify, Freddy won’t. I know he won’t.”

“Fine. Try.” Lou tossed up his hands. “Looks like the hearing will be after Christmas. You got till then. But they’re more then likely in the witness protection program.”

Al nodded.

“And you have to find them before the trial or you’ll spend the rest of your life, loving her from behind bars.”

Al nodded again. His father stormed out. He just had to come up with another game plan to find his Cara Mia.

+++

Grace could see it. The next day’s headlines in the Medina County Post: Eight Year old defends self with cob and still goes on to win her division.

It was intense. The competition was down to two people. The others folded or vomited, constituting elimination.

Rhoda and Larson.

When would it stop?

Grace actually started feeling sick watching it.

Rhoda sawed through the cobs of corn.

Toward the end, when the fresh corn was flying, Larson saw he was losing, and dove for Rhoda’s plate. After hitting him a few times with the kernel absent cob, Rhoda went on to victory.

Rhoda’s face, plastered with corn bits shined with happiness.

The first thing she did when she won was leap from the stage and run right to... Grace.

“Thank you, Thank you for saying I should do this.” Rhoda gushed.

Bobby watched.

“What a great feeling huh?” Grace said. “I am so proud of you.”

“Oh.” Rhoda grabbed her chest. “I don’t know how much I ate, but I kept going and going. I might vomit now, but that’s OK, right?”

“That’s OK.”

“Ok, I’m gonna go get sick.”
 
Rhoda moved back, stopped ran back to Grace and gave her one more hug before running to the bathroom.

Bobby barely got to congratulate his daughter, she whisked by him holding her mouth. His fingers trailed across her hair as she ran by.

Damian stood with hands on hips. “I wanna do it next year. Can I?”

Grace shrugged. “You got a practice. Maybe we’ll have a fake contest in a few weeks.”

“A few weeks?” Damian asked. “How come not tomorrow.”

“Because I have a feeling Rhoda won’t want to see corn for a while.”

“She’s probably gonna see it now when it comes out of her mouth.”

Bobby winced. “Ok. Ok. Go see Grandma; I want to talk to Grace.”

Regan’s tiny arm extended out of the stroller, and Grace bent down for her. “Baby’s all sweaty.”

“It’s hot.”

Grace adjusted Regan on her hip. “You think Rhoda’s OK?”

“She’ fine. She’ll get it out of her system and be back to normal. I did …” He paused to snicker. “I did pie eating contest at her age and after I threw up I was fine.”

Grace nodded, and brushed her nose against Regan’s. “You won’t some corn?” she asked Regan in a high pitched voice.

“Grace,” Bobby said. “I just …” He froze.

Bobby couldn’t move when he saw it.

Regan’s tiny hands reached out, cupped Grace’s face and she planted her lips to Grace’s nose.

Grace giggled and kissed Regan.

“Oh my God, she didn’t lick you.” Bobby said.

Nonchalantly, Grace shook her head. “No. She doesn’t. She hasn’t for a while. She kisses me.” She changed her voice. “Huh? Reg? Give me loves.”

Regan kissed her again.

“She doesn’t kiss me,” Bobby said.

“Well, have you asked her?”

“Yeah, no. I don’t know.”

“Ask her.”

“Hey, Reg, can I have a kiss?” Bobby asked.

Regan kissed her father on the nose.

Bobby squealed in delight. “Oh my God, this is so great. Now if we can just get her to stop barking and talk.”

“You’re funny, Bobby.” Grace said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, she talks.”

Bobby shook his head. “No, Grace. She doesn’t.”

“Yes, Bobby, she does. Watch. Hey, Reg, who is that?”

“Dud.”

Bobby’s eyes widened.

“How old are you?” Grace asked.

Regan shot out her arm and held up all her fingers. “Free!”

Grace laughed.

Regan barked

“But she still likes to bark when she doesn’t know what to say.”

“When did all this start to happen?’

“About a week or so ago. Bobby, you know, kids sometimes don’t start talking until they’re three.”

Bobby shook his head and lifted Regan from Grace’s arm. “I honestly didn’t know.”

“Your mom and dad didn’t tell you?”

Bobby shook his head.

Grace shrugged. “Maybe they were busy.”

“No,” Clyde interrupted. “We wanted him to see the baby do it while you had her. Because you’re the one Grace that got her doing this.”

Bobby shot a fast look at Grace.

Grace waved out her hand. “I did not. We all did. You guys were there. When she kissed me.”

“Kissed you,” Clyde said. “It was her, Bobby, don’t let her fool ya. Gotta give credit where credit is due.” Clyde laid a hand on Grace’s back as he walked off.

Grace smiled. “What do you think?”

“I think I have been waiting for you all my life.”

Grace laughed.

“Marry me, Grace.”

Suddenly Grace looked up. “What?”

“Marry me.” Baby in arms, Bobby grabbed her hand. “I don’t have a ring, not yet. I’ll get one tomorrow if it’ll make a difference …”

“Bobby …”

“It’s crazy, I know. I know. But I’m crazy about you and I have never felt anything so perfect as this feels. Right here. You and me …”

“And, hello, us.” Rhoda said.

“Feeling better?” Grace asked Rhoda.

“You wouldn’t believe the corn that came out of my mouth,” Rhoda said.

Bobby closed his eyes.

Grace laughed.

“Grace?” Bobby asked. “Are you blowing me off?”

“No. I think you’re caught up in the moment.”

“The moment? Corn eating and talk of vomit.”

“It’s more than that.”

“You bet it is,” Bobby said. “You are the most beautiful amazing woman on the face of the earth. It’s crazy, I know. It’s fast. I know. But what the hell, right. Unless it’s too much for you. But I can understand. Just know I’m not looking for a mother for my kids. I’m looking for a life’s partner to share my life and raise a family.”

“Bobby…”

“I won’t be able to give you fancy cars or a big giant fancy house. Maybe after your book becomes a best seller …” He chuckled. “But, say yes, Grace. If you have to say no, just let me know it isn’t because you don’t love me enough.”

“I love you enough. It’s really weird how good we are.”

Bobby nodded and stepped to her. “Say yes.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

It had started to snow. Not much, and for those in the East, those used to the snow, it was nothing. But to Grace it was a tragedy.

She cleared the condensation off of the kitchen window, then returned to the table where Regan sat in a high chair. “Eat.” Grace instructed, pushing the bowl of dried cereal to her.

She sighed, and then smiled.
 
First thing in the morning, as promised, the photographer dropped off the pictures. Grace stared at the one of her and Bobby. It was perfect.

It was simple. Family—Bobby’s—and friends. A whole bunch from Bargain-Mart showed up. They had the reception at the fire hall and a local DJ provided music.

Not a soul didn’t dance.

No one said a word about Freddy being her maid of honor, perhaps because he looked so good in the purple dress and Judy Garland make up. She figured half the guests didn’t even know he was a man.

All her life Grace envisioned that should she ever get married, she would have the best wedding. Finest china, drinks out of glasses instead of paper cups. Some famous band and ice sculptures. Her gown would be at least five digits in cost and she’d deliberately choose famous bridesmaids. Her childhood fantasy of her wedding day was nothing like her actual one.

Her actual wedding day to Bobby was the true fairy tale.

Her only regret was that her father couldn’t be there. They video taped it. Marybeth mailed it to her cousin in Florida, who then mailed it to a friend in Colorado. That friend mailed it to Liz the maid, she handed it to Gregory Benson.

Her father had to see. He had to. How much in love she was with Bobby.

She knew the talk of town. People even asked her.

It was fast, too fast. Perhaps Bobby was marrying Grace to give his girls a mother.

Bobby loved her and she knew it. And so be it if it was part of the reason he married her. So what? Grace loved the girls. They were her chance to be a mother. A chance she never thought would be possible in her life.

And she basked in it. Basked in the motherhood thing.

From the second she met the girls she grabbed on to them. Maybe it was because she had a kinship with them. They didn’t have a mother either and she didn’t want them to grow up, like her, with out that female influence. Without the woman who would hug you like nobody else. Teach them about their periods. Buy them their first bras.

Grace wanted it all.

The best day of her life was the day they sent her to Lodi Ohio.

She would never change it back.

She had a husband she adored, three beautiful daughters, and a perfect little house.

A cheerio danced across the table, and Regan giggled. Grace lifted it, stuck it in her mouth, chomped it with a smile, and pulled forth another ‘Thank you’ card.

Just then the phone rang.

“Bet it’s Daddy,” Grace said to Regan and lifted the phone. “Hey, you.”

“Hey you,” Bobby replied. “What are you doing?”

“Sitting here with Reg. She’s having some cereal and I’m doing thank you cards.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“I can wait for you.”

Bobby chuckled.

“Bruce dropped off the pictures this morning. The girls were barely out the door.”

“No way. How are they?” Bobby asked.

“Great. Wait until you see the one of Freddy dancing with your dad.”

“I thought you were gonna wait so we could see them both at the same time.”

“Bruce needed my reaction. So I had to,” Grace said.

“A-huh. So, uh Grace. Have you been out of the house?”

“No, it’s snowing Bobby. You know I’m scared of the snow.”

“So you haven’t been to the store or anything.”

“No, why? It’s ten days till Christmas. I’m avoiding the stores. What’s up?”

“Nothing. Nothing.” Bobby said smoothly. “Why don’t you just stay in? If you need anything, I can pick it up on my way home. I should be done by four.”

“Ok.” Grace shrugged, even though Bobby couldn’t see her. “I had no plans to leave.”

“All right. Well, if I get a chance, I’ll stop by at lunch.”

“I’ll make you help with Thank you cards.”

“Maybe I’ll hit McDonald’s,” Bobby chuckled. “Talk to you soon.”

“Love you.” Grace smiled and hung up the phone. “That was Daddy.” She lifted her pen and looked at thee window. “It must be getting bad out there. He didn’t want to say, but it must be bad. But we’re not going anywhere, are we. No.” Grace leaned to her. “Give me a kiss.” After receiving one, Grace retuned to the cards.

++++

“Oh, no, that wasn’t suspicious,” Polly shook her head. “You told her to stay in the house.”

Bobby set down the phone. “It’s snowing. She won’t go out in it anyhow. Now she just thinks the roads are too bad.”

“Any thoughts on how you’re gonna handle it?”

“No,” Bobby said. “This blew me over.”

“You have to do something.”

“I have to figure out to tell her, first.”

“That’s easy,” Polly replied. “Show her.” She flopped down the National Enquirer on the counter of the hardware store. Huge and Spread across the entire cover were the words, “Million Dollar Reward” Under that in smaller letters, was the word ‘lost’, which set directly above a picture of pre-Lodi Grace and Freddy.

++++

When the principal called, Grace was just settling down, getting ready to make lunch for her and Regan. She had hoped that Bobby would stop, but if she had a choice between McDonald’s and Ramen noodles, she supposed she’d pick McDonald’s.

But the principal called.

There was a problem with Rhoda and Damian.

“Can you come in and get them? We think it’s best they spend the rest of the day at home,” the principal said.

She really didn’t get into it much, just that she would speak to Grace when she arrived.

Arrived?

That meant Grace had to go out in the snow.

She dreaded that.

Clyde was home and when Grace drove by their house, she dropped off the baby.

Even though the streets looked wet, she heard about something called black ice, so she drove slow and cautiously, despite how many people beeped at her.

When she arrived at the school, the girls were in the principal’s office. Damian sat on one chair, Rhoda in another.

The principal, Mrs. Thomas, an older woman with a tightly puckered face, sat behind her desk.

Neither of the girls said anything when Grace walked in.

“We had trouble,” the principal stated. “It was in the lunch room. Actually, there was quite a bit of trouble.”

“What happened?”

“Rhoda had a disagreement with a few girls, the next thing we knew she lost it. She started throwing lunch trays; she smacked one girl with a tray. It was horrible. When we grabbed her, Damian jumped into the fight.”

“It’s my sister,” Damian said.

“We think maybe you and Mr. Dawson should see if there are some underlying issues with Rhoda. Ones that maybe a doctor can help her with.”

“Are you suggesting psychological?” Grace asked.

“See what your pediatrician says about this.”

“Why was she fighting with the girls?”

“Does it matter now?” Mrs. Thomas asked. “I’m worried about her reaction. I witnessed the whole thing. From the fight on …”

Rhoda spoke up. “They called me Orca. Some whale movie we watched in science,” she said.

Grace slowly shifted her eyes to Rhoda. “They what?”

“Were calling me Orca. They kept saying that if it rained they could ride my back, because I’m so big I’d float. They kept saying it over and over. They got around me in a circle. I couldn’t take it.”

Grace saw it, the tear rolled down Rhoda’s face.

The principal said, “But her reaction …”

“Did you … did you witness this?” Grace asked the principal.

“Yes.”

“You heard them calling her the names?”

“The girls were playing. Her reaction …”

“You wanna talk about a reaction?” Grace asked and stood up. “How’s this?” With one full sweep of her arm, in an angry rush she swept every item from the principal’s desk onto the principal.

Mrs. Thomas stood up. “Mrs. Dawson.”

“Now you know where she gets it from.” Grace nodded. “Here’s what I have to say about her reaction. Good. And I’m glad her sister jumped in. Come on girls.”

Both Rhoda and Damian hurried from the chairs to Grace.

Grace took both their hands and walked to the door. She stopped in the archway. “Oh, yeah, you have a fat ass.” She turned, stopped again, and looked back. “How does that feel?”

Girls by the hand, Grace stormed out.

+++

Freddy wasn’t as easy to find at Bargain-Mart since becoming floor manager. Bobby actually had to have him paged. He needed answers on how to handle things and since Freddy was involved, he was the best place to start.

“Everything OK?” Freddy asked.

“Yeah. No.” Bobby shook his head.

“Grace, the girls, they’re fine?”

Bobby nodded. “We may have a problem. Tell me what you think?”

He handed Freddy the National Enquirer.

Freddy’s hand shot to his mouth.

“Can you call your FBI guy? Whether it’s that George guy or the one in charge. See what we should do. It doesn’t look like you. But someone taking a good look at this will be able to tell this is Grace.”

Freddy was too emotional to talk. Too shocked. He only nodded and reached for his phone. He’d make that call and then after, he planned on buying every single issue of National Enquirer he could find.

++++

Triple chocolate swirl. That was the only high calorie, high sugar flavor they had at the Rite Aid. Grace would have preferred something called, ‘Raspberry, fudge, triple ripple,’ but with the snow, she didn’t want to venture outside of Lodi.

The open half gallon of ice cream set in the middle of the kitchen table. Damian leaned so far onto the table, half her body was on it.

Grace, Rhoda and Damian, all had spoons, and they dug into the ice cream.

“Should we be doing this?” Rhoda asked.

“Absolutely,” Grace said. “It’s a golden girl rule. Bad day. Eat ice cream.”

“Will Daddy get mad?” Damian asked. “I mean we’re sticking our used spoons into the ice cream. What if Daddy else wants some? Germs.”

Grace smiled. “Daddy won’t get any. This is ours and we aren’t stopping until we eat the whole thing.”