Behind the Pine Curtain (6 page)

“Hey, I can’t help it if you didn’t get my maternal instincts.”

“Girls? Come on over and be sociable. We didn’t drag Jackie all the way over here so only you two could have her.”

“Come on. Mama’s put her foot down.”

“I want to hear all about Jackie’s life in California. It must be very exciting.”

Jacqueline turned and winked at Kay. “Should I leave out the part about my love life?”

Kay smiled, watching as Jackie was absorbed into her family once again. For the first time in years, Kay felt true happiness.

“It was so great seeing Jackie again, wasn’t it?” Rose asked while they were helping their mother cleanup.

“Yes, it really was. Almost like old times,” Kay said. She found it very surprising that after fifteen years of separation, they could talk and tease like they hadn’t missed a day.

“Did you . . . did you tell her anything?”

Kay shook her head. “We didn’t have much time alone. Besides, do I really want to bring all that up?”

Rose grabbed her arm as she walked past, squeezing lightly. “You told me yourself, Jackie was the only one you’d ever been able to talk to.

And I know for a fact you haven’t talked to
anyone
about this.”

“It’s been what? Six years? I think I’m over it by now,” Kay insisted.

“Bullshit. You’ve kept it bottled up inside, as if you could put the cork back on a bottle of bad wine, hoping it’ll turn into a nice chardonnay someday.”

“You’re comparing my life to a bottle of bad wine?”

“You know what I mean, Kay. You’ve got to get it out, pour it out and start over. Have you even thought about dating again? You can’t live your life alone just because some asshole did that to you.”

“Pine Springs is not exactly crawling with eligible men, Rose, even if I did want to date. Which I don’t,” she added.

“And that’s my point. You don’t want to. Something’s wrong with that, Kay. You’ve got to find yourself someone. You’re already thirty-three.

It’s time you had your own kids so I can try to undo the damage you’ve done to mine.”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“You know exactly what I mean! You spoil them rotten. I can’t even control them anymore. Have yourself a couple, and I’ll return the favor.”

Kay laughed, pausing to kiss her sister on the cheek. “Thanks, sis. But I like this arrangement just fine. I won’t have to pay for college this way.”

“Well, if you’re not careful, I’ll send Lee Ann to live with you.”

“Don’t forget to blow the candles out, girls.”

“I’ll get them, Mama.” Kay walked to the picnic table, blowing out the two tall candles that were still burning.

“Do you know how long she’s staying?”

“Jackie? She didn’t really say. I assume through the weekend. Although, if she goes to see her mother, she may decide to skip out early, which I can’t say I blame her.”

“No kidding. Wonder how many candy stripers she’s made cry?”

Kay paused. “Do you think anyone’s gone to see her? I mean, did she have any friends?”

“Of course she’s got friends. There’s the Women’s League, the country club, all the women that drive those big fancy cars. Those friends.”

“Ah. Of course. What was I thinking?”

“Don’t tell me you feel sorry for her.”

“No. No, I don’t. I think it’s a shame that he was the one that died, you know? He was a decent man.”

“Practically a saint to have lived with her.” “Girls? What are you gossiping about now?” “Nothing, Mama. We’re coming in.”

Later, as Kay drove home, memories of her childhood flooded her, and she laughed as she recalled one of the many adventures Jackie had dragged her into.

“We’re not going to get in trouble, Kay, ’cause nobody’s gonna know.”

“Only the big kids come down here,” Kay insisted.

“We’re big kids.”

“We’re twelve.”

“ Yeah. And I can still beat the snot out of Jim Bob, the big pussy.”

Kay imagined Jim Bob Pearson catching them at his spot on the river.

He was three years older than them, and took delight in tormenting Kay,
for some reason. On more than one occasion, Jackie had come to her
rescue, the last time, bloodying Jim Bob’s nose with a fist square to the
face.

Kay laughed out loud in the car. She hadn’t thought of that in years.

And yes, they did get caught that day at the river. The water was shallow and muddy in most places, but there were spots along the slow moving river that were deep, perfect for swimming on hot summer days.

And most of those swimming holes had been claimed by the high school kids. Much like gangs protecting their turf, every group had their own spot, and no one shared. Especially with two twelve-year-old brats!

But Jackie had pulled Kay through the woods after leaving their bikes hidden in some brush. The best swimming hole was claimed by Jim Bob’s older brother, and Jackie had been adamant about crashing their party.

It had been a Saturday morning, still early, and no one was about. They both stripped down to their underwear and jumped in, enjoying the cool water on that hot summer morning. It hadn’t lasted long. Jackie heard them first, nearly yanking Kay from the water. They struggled to put their clothes on when Jim Bob came walking up with two of his friends.

“Well, look what we’ve got here. Brat one and brat two. Get ’em, boys!”

Kay grabbed her shoes and started running, but Jackie held her ground.

At the edge of the woods, Kay stopped, her eyes wide.

“Jackie? Come on!”

“No! I ain’t scared of ’em.”

It was then that Kay realized just how tall Jackie had gotten over the
summer. She stood up straight, still barefoot, but clothed. The three
boys surrounded her and Jackie started laughing. They were all smaller
than she was.

“This hardly seems fair, guys. Maybe I need to tie one hand behind my
back,” Jackie goaded them.

Kay laughed again. She could still picture Jackie standing there, tossing one after the other into the river, fully clothed. Of course, it wasn’t long before Jim Bob’s brother could be heard, and this time Jackie did run.

They were on their bikes, riding fast down the dirt road, still able to hear Jim Bob screaming at them.

Yes, Jackie had talked her into more things, but God, they’d had fun.

And she realized she would have followed Jackie anywhere. Did follow her, she corrected. It was only when they got older, that last year of high school, that things started to change between them. Jackie was seeing Danny Thornton and Kay was going out with Billy Ray. The two boys didn’t like each other, which meant there were no double dates.

Not to mention Jackie
hated
Billy Ray. On more than one occasion, Jackie had told Kay to dump him, that he was no good for her. Turns out, she was right.

Jacqueline stood before the mirror, smoothing the skirt around her hips.

She hated suits. She hated the confinement of hose and skirts and jackets and fucking pumps.

But she couldn’t help to smile. She looked nice. Ingrid would hardly recognize her. Then she curled her toes, hating the tight-fitting shoes.

She had a moment of defiance earlier, and thought of just wearing slacks and let tongues wag, but it’d hardly be worth it if her mother was not there to see. So, she’d donned the pressed suit, hose and all, and even applied a little makeup.

“If this had happened a couple of months later, they could have seen the butch haircut,” she murmured. Her hair had been very blond when she was young, but had darkened some over the years. She remembered when she’d first chopped it off. God, had that caused a scene. She’d started playing sports, and her long hair was just in the way. She’d asked her mother to take her to get it cut, but she’d adamantly refused, saying some nonsense about being a cheerleader. So, Jacqueline talked Kay into cutting it. After the initial damage, Mrs. Garland had tried to straighten it up, claiming the whole time that Mrs. Keys would have her hide if she found out. As it turned out, it was Jacqueline’s hide that suffered the damage.

She kept her hair longer now, but not by much. She brushed the layered strands over her ears and met her blue eyes in the mirror. Now what?

She was here, she was going to a funeral in a few hours, she’d met up with some old friends. Now what? See her mother? Jacqueline rolled her eyes. Not looking forward to that.

Behind her, on the bed, she saw the image of her laptop in the mirror.

She hadn’t even opened it. No doubt Ingrid had been emailing her, reminding her of the deadline. She had asked Ingrid not to call unless it was an emergency, and so far, her agent had kept her word. She would take the time tonight to check in, maybe do some work. She had not decided how long she would stay, even though Mr. Lawrence had requested she stay through the next week to tend to the will, as he put it.

That was something else she was not looking forward to. She didn’t want to face her Uncle Walter, not over something like this.

A light tapping on the door brought her around, and she walked to open it. Mary, still clad in a robe after her shower, stood there, her eyes widening.

“What?”

“My, my. You look lovely, Jacqueline.”

Jacqueline colored slightly, but managed a nonchalant shrug. “Thanks.”

“John wanted to make sure you knew you could ride with us. And sit with us, of course. I’m sure your Uncle Walter and his family will claim the first few pews.”

“Well, he is my father’s only brother.”

“No one has called us, by the way. Perhaps they don’t know you’re in town.”

Jacqueline raised her head. “Well, they’re about to. I’ve decided to go by the hospital first.” She shrugged again. “Get it over with.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’ll be fine.” Then she smiled. “Just want to let her know I’m here.”

“And that you’ll be at the funeral and she won’t?”

“Yeah. Something like that.” Jacqueline moved back into the room, opening her briefcase to toss in her phone and wallet. “I doubt I’ll stay long.” She snapped the briefcase shut and picked up her keys. Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, she thought she looked more like she was going to a board meeting than a funeral.

“If you need anything or if there’s trouble, you’ll call of course.”

“There won’t be trouble, Mary. I can handle her. I’ll meet you at the church.”

But for her brave words, Jacqueline’s apprehension grew as she neared the small hospital. She’d attempted to stand up to her mother on numerous occasions as a teenager and more often than not had lost.

Even then, her father had been unable to intervene. Her mother’s wishes were normally always followed. Well, not anymore. Jacqueline was her own person. She owed her mother absolutely nothing. In fact, she owed neither of them.

“And why exactly did you come?” she asked herself out loud. She had no answer. Over the years, she’d resolved herself to the fact that she had no family, no parents. She never thought she’d see them again. In all truth, she never
wanted
to see them again. She’d made good. She didn’t need them for anything. But when she got the phone call, she’d hardly hesitated at all before agreeing to come back to Pine Springs. Perhaps it was as she’d told Ingrid. She needed closure. Perhaps then, she could get on with her life, maybe find a meaningful relationship instead of the one-night stands that seemed to dominate her life now.

The hospital was busy on this Saturday morning, she noted as she parked. A woman with a small child preceded her inside, and she waited as they made their way to the reception desk, asking directions.

She stood back, surveying the hospital lobby. It was only then she saw the sign, signifying her father’s money.

Keys Maternity Ward.

“May I help you?”

Jacqueline looked back the desk, nodding at the nurse. “Madeline Keys’s room, please.”

The nurse glanced quickly at her computer, then smiled. “Upstairs.

Room two-nineteen.”

“Thanks.”

Jacqueline walked confidently to the elevator, waiting only a few seconds before the bell rang and the doors opened. Once inside, she took a deep breath to settle her nerves. She wondered what her mother would look like, laying there in the hospital bed. She always remembered her being dressed and made up for the country club or church, never relaxed and casual. No doubt it was killing her being locked up here.

Once in the hallway, she glanced around, seeing the nearest room number. Then she turned right, walking only three doors down before finding her mother’s room. The door was ajar, and she listened absently to the television for a second before knocking lightly on the door. She ducked her head, trying to see inside. Then a quiet voice beckoned her to enter.

“Here goes,” she whispered.

She stepped inside, leaning casually against the door as she met her mother’s eyes. She got the reaction she was hoping for. An audible gasp, then the remote her mother had been holding fell helplessly to the floor.

“Hello, Mother,” Jacqueline drawled. “You’re looking well.”

“
Yo u
,” her mother hissed. “What the
hell
are
you
doing here?”

Jacqueline pushed off the wall, walking slowly toward the bed. The woman she’d feared most in her life lay helpless, a full-body cast prohibiting her movements. But, from the neck up, she looked exactly like the woman she remembered. Dark hair, perfectly coifed, makeup applied to perfection—you’d never guess she’d been four days in here.

“Well, I’ve come to bury my father, of course. Your husband.”

Jacqueline bent down and picked up the remote, tossing it back onto the bed just out of her mother’s reach. “I hate that you won’t be able to attend. I’m sure it’s breaking your heart.”

“You have no place here. You ceased being a daughter to us long ago.”

“Oh, yes.” Jacqueline casually crossed her arms. “Would that be the day you ran me out of town?”

“You made your bed. You had a choice.”