Family Thang (50 page)

A change was in the air. The wind blowing her hair felt good on her face. In a few weeks it would be even cooler and sunset would occur earlier. Dirt in the bed swirled up and caught in her eyes and mouth. In the sky two streaks of jet exhaust overlapped. A cross, Ruth Ann thought.
A good sign.

Robert Earl stopped the truck and she hesitated before getting out. “Thanks, Robert Earl. Shane, you be careful. I love you.” Shane nodded.

Robert Earl tapped the horn before driving away.

She checked the mailbox at the end of the driveway. Empty. Her Expedition was parked outside of the garage, which meant Lester had driven it. Dusty. He could have at least washed it.

At the front door she wondered whether to knock, ring the doorbell, or simply barge in. Hand trembling, she knocked softly on the screen door. No one answered. She took a deep breath and stepped in.

Lester sat in the brown La-Z-Boy by the window, his lower face hidden behind a newspaper.
He saw
and heard me coming and he just sat there
. He was dressed in…
What the hell is he wearing?
…Brown baggy short pants, a black-and-gold starter jersey and leather sandals. She’d never seen Lester wear sandals in her life.

She wondered if she’d walked into the wrong house. “Lester?”

The man before her had waves in his short-cropped hair, a hairstyle sported by young men.

“Lester?”

A glance at the life-sized portrait of her and Lester on the far wall confirmed she was in the right house.
Who the hell is this man sitting in Lester’s chair?
She wished he would remove the paper from his face.

The man spoke, “How are you doing, Ruth Ann?”

The voice definitely belonged to Lester. She cleared her throat and said, “I’m fine. How are you?”

Looking at her over the top of the paper: “I’m fine. I heard what happened. I’m sorry.”

Why doesn’t he put the damn paper away? Nothing can be that damn interesting.
“It was a terrible ordeal, Lester, just terrible. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. I’m traumatized.”

“You’ll get over it. You’re a strong woman, Ruth Ann. A very strong woman.”

What the hell does that mean?
“You don’t mind me coming over, do you?”

“No, not at all. I’m headed out in a few minutes.”

“To work?” He shook his head. “Where?”

“Not important.”

Not important? Since when?
A thought struck her and she inhaled deeply, trying to detect the slightest scent of perfume.

Some wo
man has been here! In my house!

She could feel it, though didn’t see anything revealing.
Some woman has been here!

“Lester, may I use the bathroom? I was riding in the back of Robert Earl’s truck and--”

“You know where it is.”

On her way there she pushed the bedroom door open. The bed was unmade, but nothing else was out of place.

Inside the bathroom she immediately checked the hamper and medicine cabinet. Nothing to indicate another woman’s presence.

Some woman has been here!

“Find everything you were looking for?” Lester asked upon her return.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing. I moved a few things around while you were gone.”

“Such as?” Ruth Ann snapped.

“Nothing major. A few whatnots. By the way, what brings you by?”

Ruth Ann couldn’t decide which irritated her more: the question, or the annoyed manner in which he’d said it. Not to mention his insistence on hiding behind the damn paper. She sat down on the couch.

“Nothing, really. Shirley got married today. A nice wedding. Very nice. I was just sitting round the house, you know,” addressing the floor, and she noticed in her periphery the newspaper on the end table. “I was thinking…” She looked at him…gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She saw it, or rather she didn’t see it.

My God!

The scar wasn’t there!

“What happened to your face, Lester?” She realized it was a stupid question as soon as she said it.

Lester laughed. “I had it removed. A friend told me about this doctor in Jackson, Mississippi. He’s from Europe somewhere, and he specializes in removing scars and tattoos with a laser.”

“May I touch it?” Another stupid question. Lester didn’t respond.

Silence. Uncomfortable silence. Awkward silence.

“It’s not half as hot as it was last week,” she said, for lack of anything else to say.

Lester nodded.

“Lester, you really look good. Really, you do. I don’t mean to stare--you really look good. Momma moved to Chicago with Leonard. They couldn’t make the wedding. Leonard and his partner took her on a cruise to the Bahamas. You really look good, I’m not lying. The insurance company paid Robert Earl and he plans to open the gas station he’s been harping about. He’s taking Shane in as partner. Uh…I can’t get over how good you look. Lester, may I come home?”

Lester stood up and she saw the frown on his unmarked face. The doctor had done a remarkably good job, not even a hint of a scar.

“Lester, I want to come home. Please! I’m not the selfish woman I was. I’ve grown up. I didn’t realize what I had--what
we
had--until I lost it. Lester, let me come home. Please! Don’t make me beg.”

“Okay,” Lester said. She stood up and moved to hug him. Lester stop
ped her short with an outstretched
hand. “You can come back. I won’t be here.”

“What? What are you saying?”

“Apparently you haven’t gotten the papers yet. I filed for divorce, Ruth Ann.”

Struck dizzy, she fought the need to sit down. “No, Lester! Divorce is not the answer. Not after twenty years of marriage. Are you willing to throw everything away? All we’ve worked hard to get? Because of a little…” She saw the brick wall and applied the brakes.

“A little what? A little affair?”

“I was wrong! I admit it. I was wrong! But I don’t think we should throw away all we worked so hard to get. Not without a fight! Don’t we owe ourselves another try? Let’s give it one more try, Lester. One more! This time I’ll do the heavy lifting. Promise! I won’t let you down. Promise!”

Lester took a long time to respond. “Sorry, Ruth Ann, it’s over. You can have the house and everything else except my truck.”

“You’ll continue paying for everything, won’t you?” The sharp arch of one eye and the twitching of the other indicated a definitive no. “I can’t pay for it!”

“Guess you’ll have to get a job.”

“A job! In this economy? No one will hire me at my age, no track record whatsoever! I won’t let you do this to me, Lester. I’ll contest the divorce.”

“Ruth Ann, please! You’re still young, attractive; you’ll find someone else to take care of you in no time.”

“An insult, Lester. A damn insult! I don’t want someone else, I want you. Nobody else. Nobody but you!
You
, Lester! My husband.” She crossed to him and took his hands in hers. “I love you, Lester.”

“That’s nice,” Lester said.

She looked him straight in the eye and squeezed his hands. “Baby, honey, sugar, stop this crazy talk. Give me one more chance.” She tiptoed and kissed his lips. Lester didn’t respond. “One chance to show you how much I love you.” She kissed him again, searching for his tongue. He didn’t allow her entrance. “Let me right this wrong, Lester.”

He freed his hands and gently pushed her back. “I’ve met someone else.” He massaged his temples. “We’re thinking about getting married.”

Another dizzy spell descended on her. “Are you kidding me? Tell me you’re kidding me.” He shook his head. “You gotta be kidding me! I haven’t been gone three months. You’re telling me you met someone within three months and now you’re talking marriage. You know how crazy you sound? Who? Who is she?”

“I don’t think you know her.”

“She from here? Dawson? I hope you thought enough of me not to mess with somebody I know. What’s her name?”

“Darlene Pryor.”

Ruth Ann frowned, trying to place the name. She didn’t know her, yet the name rang a bell. “You’re right, I don’t know her. Where does she live?”

“She lives next door to Shirley. She was at the wedding.”

The room started spinning faster and faster. She staggered to the couch and collapsed onto it. “What did she wear to the wedding?”

“A green dress.”

Ruth Ann swooned and thought she would be sick. “Long braids?” Lester nodded, and Ruth Ann shook her head. “It’s not real, Lester. I bet you a million dollars her hair isn’t real!”

“Yeah, well, I got to go. I’ll come by tomorrow and get my things.”

Ruth Ann sat
up to wage a last-ditch effort.
“Lester…honey…she’ll break your heart. Fake women wear fake hair. You’ll never be able to trust her. She’s a child, Lester, looking for a sugar daddy to take care of her.”

Lester started for the door. Ruth Ann sprang to her feet, crossed the room in three steps and grabbed his arm just as he was opening the screen door.

“You’re pulling on me again, Ruth Ann.”

She released him. “Lester, don’t I deserve one last chance?”

A red-white-and-blue van rode by in the street, a loud speaker announcing, “Ice cream! Snow cones! Bomb pops!”

Lester watched it disappear around the corner before turning to her. “If you answer one question honestly, I’ll…I will consider one more try.”

“What, honey, what? Do I love you? Yes, I do. I most certainly do!”

“No, that’s not what I want to ask you.” He looked her straight in the eye, and she forced herself not to blink. “Was Eric the first?”

She looked away.
The million dollar question.
“The first what?”

“You know.”

She met his eyes briefly. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Then who’s Shane’s father? He’s not mine and he’s not Eric’s. Who?”

A cough itched her throat. “Two questions, Lester,” showing him two fingers. “Two! You said one.”

“Who is Shane’s father?”

She met his eyes, and though hers were blinking rapidly, she held his gaze. “You,” she mumbled. “You’re his father, Lester.”

Lester stared at her for a minute, his expression as blank as a sheet of paper. He gave her a quick peck on her forehead, walked out the door, got into his truck and drove away without once looking back.

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