For Your Love (18 page)

“How's Diane? She come to her senses yet?”

“She had this morning. Now, whether she's still on Planet Reality with the rest of us is the question. She said she was going to look for a job, but I haven't heard anything from her today.”

“Anything else from Kyle on Don Juan?”

“No, but I booked our getaway. I'm really looking forward to not turning the world for a while. My arm's tired from all this spinning.”

They spent a few moments talking about the trip, and she added, “The sunsets are amazing. Just wait until you see them.”

“More interested in seeing you relaxed and enjoying yourself. Have you told Crystal about the trip?”

“No, but I will this evening. I know she's not going to want to be in the house with Diane, so I'll let her decide who she wants to stay with while we're gone.” Crystal would probably choose her friends Kelly and Bobby, but then again, maybe Diane needed to be the one to leave. Bernadine wouldn't be happy to return home and find her sister had taken it upon herself to redecorate the place.

When Bernadine got home, she knocked on her sister's closed door.

“Come in.”

She entered and found Diane packing a suitcase. “What're you doing?”

She smiled. “What's it look like? I found a job.”

“Where?”

“Topeka.” She walked to the closet, took down a hanger holding a pair of slacks, and added them to the few other pieces of clothing on the bed.

“Topeka?”

“Yep. Did a Skype interview this morning, and I start on Monday. It's a manager position for a dental office. I called Harmon, and he actually sent them a really nice recommendation.”

“Whoa. Wait. Where are you going to live, how are you going to get there, all that?”

Diane began emptying the dresser drawers of the few items they held. “I'll figure it out once I'm there.”

“Di . . .”

She held up a hand. “Bernadine. Please. I'm going to do this. I have to do this.”

“But—­”

“After you left this morning, I looked at myself and finally admitted what a mess I am. All my life I've waited on ­people to make things easy for me—­Mama, Harmon, and now you. Remember the wake-­up call I got about my kids while working the night shift at Gary's store?”

“I do.” Listening to some women talk about the joy their children and grandchild brought to their lives pushed Diane to reconcile with her own.

“This mess with Rance—­or whatever his real name is—­was a wake-­up call too, only a different kind. I need to grow up. Period. I need to stop acting like the world should bow down and kiss my feet and start handling my business. I don't want to be who I've been anymore.”

Bernadine was taken aback.

Diane folded the slacks and placed them in the suitcase. “I'm going to drop the whole stupid Diana persona and be Diane. You and Lily and the rest of your friends here have so much confidence. I envy that, and I want some too, but the only way to get it is to find my own.”

Bernadine didn't know what to say.

“All I ask is that you let me take the car so I can drive to Topeka, and I'll figure it out from there. If I have to sleep in it until I can find a place I can afford, I'm prepared to do that, too. Soon as I get my first check, I'll send you next month's car payment. I promise.”

Bernadine was still trying to figure out who this woman was and what she'd done with her sister. “Are you sure about this?”

She nodded. “Yes. It's time, Bernadine.”

“Okay.” Diane even looked different. Was confidence already taking root? “You know I'm not going to let you sleep in a car. I'll—­”

She stopped her. “I don't want your money.”

“Di, consider it a loan.”

“No. I need to do this my way, please. All I need is the car. I drove down to Hays earlier this afternoon and sold a bunch of my clothes and jewelry to a resale shop. Of course I got less than half of what I paid, but I have enough cash for gas and to put toward rent if I'm careful with my spending.”

She was impressed.

“I got this,” Diane told her, smiling. “All I need besides the car are your prayers and good wishes.”

“You have those. Come here.”

They shared a teary hug. “So damn proud of you, girl.”

“Thanks. And thanks for being the best big sister a silly bitch like me doesn't deserve.”

Bernadine chuckled. “When are you leaving?”

“First thing in the morning.”

“Do you need help packing?”

“No. I'm fine. I don't have many clothes left. Just my coat and a few things for the job. I'll have to make do with what I have for now.”

“Okay. I'll come back later and check on you.”

Bernadine walked to the door and met her sister's gaze. The gospel tune by Mary Mary came to mind. “Go get your blessings, girl.”

“Going to try my best.”

Upstairs, Bernadine wiped at the tears in her eyes as she walked into Crystal's room.

“You okay?” Crys asked, glancing up from the homework spread out on her desk. “What's the matter?”

Bernadine sat in a chair and explained.

“Wow. Are you sure that's her down there? Did you see any pods?”

She laughed. “As in
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
?” They'd shown the original version a few weeks back at the Friday-­night movies. “No pods. Just Diane.”

“If she's talking about sleeping in a car, there have to be pods in her room somewhere.”

“She says it's time for her to grow up.”

Crystal still looked skeptical. “I guess. When's she leaving?”

“First thing in the morning.”

“Not trying to be mean, but good. She's not my favorite person.”

“I know. She's been tap-­dancing on my last nerve too, but I'm wishing her well and hoping everything works out the way she wants. We all deserve happiness.”

“True, and as long as she's happy somewhere else, I'm happy.”

Bernadine loved Crystal and her point-­blank way of expressing herself. “Speaking of happy, Mal and I are going to fly down to Key West for a few days after Christmas.”

“It's about time.”

That surprised her. “What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. I don't know why you two haven't taken off before.”

“I've been trying to set a good example for you.”

“What kind of example? How to deny your own happiness? Since we're talking about that.”

Bernadine blinked with surprise.

“I'm almost grown, Mom. You and OG having a good time together is not going to make me run out and sleep with the first guy I see, or think you're a bad mother. In fact, between what you've been teaching me about respecting myself and what I learned in Dallas, a guy is really going to have to have his stuff together before I let anybody sample this crystal.”

Bernadine snorted.

“I'm just saying.” She grinned.

“You are a mess.”

“So, go to Key West and be happy like a room without a roof. You've made everybody we know happy, Mom, even Diane. Now it's your turn. Do I need to play Pharrell for you?”

“No.” What a remarkable young woman Crystal was growing up to be. “I initially came up here to ask who you wanted to stay with while I'm gone because I figured you wouldn't want to be here with Diane. But since she's leaving, I guess that won't be necessary now.”

“No, I'll be good here by myself, and the Julys are next door if I need anything. Go. You don't have to worry about me.”

“I don't, do I? I'm loving this new and improved Crystal a lot.”

“It's all because of you.”

“Some of it, yes, but most of it has been you.”

“Thanks. Have you heard about Devon and his groupies?”

“What?”

“Oh, Mom. You're not going to believe this . . .”

 

T
he following morning Bernadine rose earlier than usual to see her sister off. When she got downstairs, Diane had her one suitcase by the door—­she'd sold the others—­and her coat on, ready to go.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do, Di? You know you're welcome to stay if you want.”

“I know, but I have to do this.”

They hugged. “Thanks for everything, Bernadine.”

“You're welcome. Make sure you text me every ­couple of hours so I'll know you're okay.”

“I will. Tell Crystal good-­bye for me.”

Bernadine nodded solemnly.

Diane picked up her suitcase. Bernadine stood in the door and watched as she backed the little brown car down the drive. With a toot of the horn, she drove away, and a sad yet hopeful Bernadine closed the door.

True to her word, Diane sent short texts along the way. After taking 183 south, she picked up I-­70 and headed east. Hayes to Topeka was about two hundred miles. Barring any problems, Bernadine figured she'd be there before noon. Sure enough, by late morning she received a text.
Here. Heading to dentist office. Found the money you hid in the glove box. U don't listen well do you???
Love you!

Bernadine responded:
Love you more
.

Tommy Stewart had no way of determining night from day, so he spent the waking hours telling himself stories, drawing pictures in the dirt, and when he got really hungry, she'd arrive with his food. By the clock in his stomach, he guessed she delivered his burgers around the same time each day. On this day, when his stomach began to growl, he figured she'd arrive soon. But instead of sitting and waiting like he had been doing since being locked in the little room for who knew how many days now, he lay down on the poor excuse for a mattress, and with the now-­freed pipe hidden beside him, wrapped himself in the thin quilts and waited. It had taken him what seemed like hours to work the pipe loose. His shoulders ached from all the pulling, and his hands did too, but if things went according to plan, he'd be free soon. Hearing the key in the lock he began to moan as if he was in pain. When she stepped in, he increased the volume.

“What's the matter with you?” she barked.

“I need a doctor. My stomach's killing me.”

She stepped farther into the room. “You'll be fine.”

“No!” he cried. “I'm hurting really, really bad.” He brought his knees up to his chest and began rolling back and forth. “I've been throwing up, too. It's like somebody's poking me in my side with a hot poker.” He kept moving, moaning. “Please take me to a doctor, urgent care, something. Once they figure out what's wrong, you can even bring me back here. I promise I won't tell the doctors anything about you. Please! I don't want to die in here. Please!” Out of the corner of his eye he saw her put down the bag of burgers and come closer. “Please, Ms. Wiggins, get a doctor!”

She came closer. “Oh, for heaven's sake.”

Cradling the shotgun, she bent down to get a look at him, and that's when he rose up and crashed the pipe across her shoulder. She cried out and fell to her knees, dropping the gun. While she slumped, moaned in pain, and clutched the injured arm, he scrambled to his feet and tossed the gun out of her reach. “Stay down,” he warned, breathing hard, filled with adrenaline and fear.

She raised her angry gaze and snarled, “You little bastard! I'll kill you!” She latched on to the leg of his jeans, and he didn't know if she was trying to yank him down or pull herself up. Panicked, he brought the pipe down again. Hard. Her scream filled the room. Not knowing what else to do, Tommy stood frozen for a few seconds, then tossed the pipe and ran.

Bernadine was gathering her coat and purse in anticipation of driving to the Dog for lunch when Tommy Stewart stumbled into the office, looking wild-­eyed and crazy.

“Ms. Brown! Hide me, please! Don't let her find me!” He was coatless, filthy, and shivering with cold. His hair was matted, and the smell! He fell to his knees, put his face in his grimy hands, and began to cry. “Oh god! I had to hit her! I had to.”

After recovering from being scared half to death, Bernadine picked up her phone and speed-­dialed Will Dalton.

The county EMTs arrived with Will. After they took the smelly and sobbing young man away in their unit, Will drove to Astrid's. No one answered the door. After hearing Tommy's story, Will and his deputy thought she must still be lying injured in the basement room, so they broke out the glass in the door and let themselves in, but there was no one in the house and no gold Caddy in the garage. They didn't find a pipe or a gun, either. Will called in an APB and went back to the hospital to talk to Tommy.

Later, he returned to Bernadine's office.

“Why in the world did he come here?” she asked.

“He said he went to his mom's first, but she wasn't home. He didn't have a key and didn't want to break in because he figured that would be the first place Astrid would look. He was also afraid that if he ran into any of the businesses in Franklin, asking for help, they'd call Astrid. He didn't know who to trust, but he knew you wouldn't call her.”

“So he ran all this way in the freezing cold.”

“He was pretty scared. The docs are giving him fluids. Has a touch of frostbite on his fingers and ears, but they think he'll be okay.”

“And his mother?”

“She drives a big rig. She's out in Idaho somewhere, delivering a load. Talked to her on the phone a little bit ago. She'll be back tomorrow.”

“And the PI, Sandy Langster?”

Confusion furrowed his brow. “What PI?”

She related the details of her meeting with the woman and Steve Tuller.

“First I've heard of this. Wasn't Tuller the one involved with the roaches?”

She nodded and passed him the business cards the two left with her when they visited. He wrote down their phone numbers. “If she contacts you before I can get hold of her, have her call me stat. Same goes for Tuller. They may have information we can use in the investigation.”

“I will. Where do you think Astrid is?”

He shrugged. “All the hospitals in the area have been alerted. If she's as injured as Tommy says she is, she'll probably turn up.”

And she did, later that evening at a hospital in Topeka. She told the police Tommy Stewart broke into her home, assaulted her, and she wanted him arrested.

When Devon entered the kitchen, Amari took one look at his brother's swag attire and cracked, “Does Captain Hook know you've been in his closet?”

Trent hid his laugh, barely. He glanced Lily's way. Her shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter, and there were tears of mirth in her eyes.

“I think I look pretty chilly,” Devon said confidently.

Amari looked between his parents, shook his head, and said, “Mrs. Payne's going to give me and Brain a ride to the rec so we can get the sound system ready. I'll see you there.”

He got his coat and left. Trent dearly wished he could go with him so he could step outside and laugh. He really thought he might burst if he didn't get relief soon.

“How do you think I look, Dad?”

Trent coughed and cleared his throat. “I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so swagalicious before, Devon.”

Lily was crying. “I think I hear my phone. Be right back.”

Trent swore he'd find a way to pay her back for not telling him about this in advance, but then again, no verbal description would have been sufficient. One had to see this to believe it, and even now Trent was having a hard time. The long-­sleeved red velvet coat with its black belt and large faux gold buckle did indeed resemble something Captain Hook would wear. The hem hit Devon low on his thighs and showed the black jeans tucked into his black knee-­high boots. He had a long black scarf tied around his neck, and on his head a black beret cocked to the side. In a way he looked quite swaggish, but also very strange. Trent couldn't wait to see what Zoey and the other band members were wearing—­or maybe he could.

Lily returned with her coat. “You guys ready to go?”

While Devon hurried to get his coat, Trent said to her, “I owe you for this, Fontaine.”

She mimicked a kiss.

Laughing, they walked out to join Devon.

Extra excitement was in the air at the rec center. This would be the auditorium's first hosting of movie night since the riot, and everyone was anxious to see the renovations. There was more seating available than at the school's auditorium, which meant more ­people could attend. The place began filling up fast. It was also the last day of school before the break. In four days it would be Christmas, and that added to the excitement as well. Tamar and her crew had the place decorated with Styrofoam snowmen, wooden sleighs filled with brightly decorated packages, and trees sporting ornaments and garnished with popcorn garlands. The music for the evening was seasonal R&B classics like Eartha Kitt's “Santa Baby,” “Rudolph the Red-­Nosed Reindeer” by the Temptations, and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” sung by the very young Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five. The regular movie-­night snack menu was supplemented with candy canes, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and Marie's famous gingerbread, made from a recipe passed down through the generations via her many-­greats-­grandmother Cara Lee Jefferson, one of the town's first schoolteachers.

As Trent handed Lily her cup of hot chocolate and took his seat, he watched the smiling Devon, clad in his swag clothes, being fawned over by a bevy of lined-­up little girls. “Lil, he's signing autographs.”

“I see that,” she said as she sipped. “He'll have to walk home tonight because that little pea head's going to be too swollen to fit in the car.”

He snorted. “I'm still trying to get over the outfit.”

“You should've seen my face when he showed me what he wanted to buy. At least he paid for it on his own.”

“Amazing.”

“Truly,” she added. “We have Captain Hook, and there's Zoey. Looks like she's been in Tina Turner's closet.”

She had on a long purple wig, a sparkly white shirt, a white skirt, and a pair of white patent boots. Both W. W. Dahl and Freddy, the sax player, were wearing black suits over black turtlenecks and Blues Brothers sunglasses.

Trent chuckled. “I hope they play well enough to back up all that swag.”

“If Amari's to be believed, probably not.”

Seeing the Acostas enter, Trent waved them over. When they arrived, he said, “Sit with us.”

Anna said, “We'd love to.”

Luis sat down next to his mother-­in-­law. Alfonso and Maria asked permission to join the other kids down front and, after getting the okay, left the adults.

“So many ­people,” Anna said.

Lily said, “I know. Are you all ready for the holidays?”

“We are,” Luis said. “In fact, Tamar wants us to host Henry Adams's first
posada
.”

He explained that
las posadas
was a Mexican tradition that reenacted Mary and Joseph's search for shelter right before the birth of the Christ child.

Anna said, “Like Joseph and Mary, we go house to house, except we sing carols. In Mexico everyone is then invited to a home for pozole, and there's a piñata for the children. It's a wonderful way to bring the community together.”

Trent said, “What a great idea.”

“Our trailer isn't large enough to host everyone for the pozole and the piñata,” Luis said, “so Tamar suggested we use one of the rooms here at the rec.”

“Sounds like fun. I can't wait.”

Lily asked, “So what is pozole?”

Anna explained, “It's like a soup . . .”

After they'd entered the noise-­filled auditorium, Bobby and Kiki scanned the place for two free seats. The twins were with their Henry Adams grandmother, Genevieve. “There're two over there,” Bobby said, pointing. “You grab them, and I'll get us something to eat.”