Daisy Lane (16 page)

“Who’s doing the work now that Pip’s in jail?” Claire asked and then to Grace, “That’s my ex-husband.”

“He’s hired a contractor from Morgantown,” Maggie said. “That won’t endear him to any local people.”

“Sean’s a lawyer,” Hannah told Grace, “but not the murder case kind; he worked for a bank.”

“He did legal business for the bank,” Maggie said. “Now he’s going to teach at Pine County Community College and practice family law here in town.”

“Which means wills and divorces,” Hannah said.

“He’s gorgeous,” Claire said. “I mean, movie star gorgeous.”

Maggie rolled her eyes.

“You only say that because you look just like him,” she said to Claire.

“Are you implying I’m not gorgeous?” Claire said. “Did you hear that, Grace? I think she’s disparaging my appearance.”

Grace just let their camaraderie wash over her, like the tub full of hot water she had soaked in this afternoon. She had once watched the Wizard of Oz at Charlotte’s house. She felt a little like Dorothy after the tornado, when she opened the door of her house in Munchkin Land; suddenly everything was in living color. Not one of the women could pass for Glenda, but they all seemed like good witches. This made her think of her grandfather’s accusation. She pictured his livid face. She pictured his dead face. She felt her eyelids droop and her head nod.

“Grace, wake up,” Claire said. “I want you to settle an argument. Am I or am I not what you would consider a beautiful woman? I mean, maybe not in Hollywood terms, but here, in Rose Hill.”

“In Rose Hill you could be Elizabeth motherflippin’ Taylor,” Hannah said. “That’s nothing to brag about.”

“Somehow your curse word substitutions are almost more obscene,” Claire said.

“I’ve got a three-year-old and a filthy mouth,” Hannah said. “I’m doing the best I can.”

“I think Grace better go to bed,” Maggie said. “She’s probably worn out.”

“Thank you for all the food, and …” Grace hesitated, “and everything.”

All three women were silent for the first time since they arrived. They were giving her such warm, compassionate looks that her vision blurred and she felt her lip tremble.

“C’mon,” Maggie said. “You need a nap.”

“But I didn’t finish my homework,” Grace protested.

“No school for you tomorrow,” Maggie said. “And don’t worry, I’ll call the school and work it out so you can get your schoolwork.”

“So maternal,” Hannah said. “Listen to her, Claire.”

“You,” Maggie said to Hannah. “You shut up.”

“That’s just like something your own mother would say,” Hannah said, and then ducked as Maggie through an empty soda can at her.

Grace felt so lethargic that she allowed Maggie to tuck her into bed under the mountain of quilts. As her head hit the pillow she felt herself fall immediately asleep. She may have imagined it, but it felt like Maggie kissed her forehead.

“Get some sleep,” Maggie said. “I won’t let anything bad happen and I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Oh my God,” Maggie said in a low voice when she returned to the kitchen. “That kid is going to rip the heart right out of my chest.”

“She’s so lovely and sweet,” Claire said. “Poor thing.”

“What’s going to happen to her?” Hannah said.

“Scott’s looking for her Aunt Lucy, whoever the hell that is,” Maggie said. “He didn’t want to call C.P.S. until he has his ducks in a row.”

“Don’t let Ava get her sticky mitts on her,” Claire said. “You know how she likes to collect stray children.”

“She only likes redheaded boy orphans fathered by her former husband,” Hannah said. “But you never know.”

“My dear sister-in-law is going to get involved over my dead body,” Maggie said. “Don’t you worry about that.”

“How are you going to take care of her, though?” Claire said. “What with the store and your classes?”

“You two are going to help me,” Maggie said.

“Of course we are,” Hannah said. “I’ll be in charge of comic books, pranks, and substitute curse words.”

“I’m in,” Claire said. “And you know if my mother gets one look at her she’ll be feeding her night and day.”

“Okay,” Maggie said. “Let’s work out a schedule.”

Scott ended the call to his contact at C.P.S. and looked up the number for Judge Feinman.

“I’ve got no problems with your plan,” Judge Feinman said. “I would prefer it, however, if you had a doctor look her over this evening or tomorrow, just to cover our bases. Call Kay down at city hall; she’s a foster parent, although she says she isn’t doing it anymore.”

“I’ll call her,” Scott said.

“Don’t be afraid to wake me up if you need me,” the judge said. “I’m up several times a night anyway with this damn prostate.”

Scott called Doc Machalvie next.

“I heard,” Doc said. “Bring her over to the house tonight and we’ll look after her while you make arrangements. Kay has fostered children in the past and I’m sure she would keep Grace in the short term. Now that she’s campaigning for mayor she may not want anything long term. She can stay overnight here if Kay needs time to prepare.”

“Now that Jacob’s dead, can we discuss the family’s medical records?”

“A person’s rights under HIPPA end at death,” Doc said. “So I can tell you that her grandfather was a ticking time bomb. I’m only surprised he lasted this long. Her grandmother would probably be here today if she’d received the minimum of basic health care. Her mother was a very troubled young woman who may have committed suicide. I’m looking forward to helping you improve Grace’s lot in life, and I’ll see you two later.”

Scott hung up and started back to work on the C.P.S. paperwork. When his deputy, Skip, said someone was there to see him, he was surprised to see the mayor’s secretary, Kay Templeton.

“Hello, Scott,” Kay said. “I heard about Jacob Branduff. If you need someone short term I’ll be glad to have Grace at my house.”

“I was going to call you,” Scott said. “Doc thought that maybe your campaign would keep you from doing it.”

“I had no plans to foster any more children,” she said. “This last one broke my heart, and I just couldn’t face that again. What’s Grace like?”

“Really sweet, very smart,” Scott said. “She’s never been in a bit of trouble. She’s special, Kay. We’ve got to make sure she doesn’t get lost in all this.”

“I’m glad to help,” she said. “Just for a little while, though.”

“Doc’s going to keep her tonight, so if you could be ready tomorrow …”

“I’m game,” Kay said. “Doc said there’s an aunt that may turn up.”

“Ran away as a teenager,” he said. “The odds are against her being a good guardian.”

“Well, I’ll get her room ready,” Kay said. “Bring her anytime.”

“Thanks,” Scott said. “I’ll feel good about having her under your roof.”

“Where is she now?” Kay said.

“Maggie, Hannah and Claire are over at her house,” he said. “I’m going to pick her up and take her to Doc’s house for the night.”

“Then she’s in good hands tonight,” Kay said. “Call me tomorrow; keep me updated.”

“How’s the campaign?” he said.

“It’s awkward for them,” Kay said. “I’ve worked for Peg and Stuart for the past twenty years. I know where all the bodies are buried so they can’t play dirty. It’s been fun watching them try to maneuver outside of their wheelhouse.”

Scott shook his head.

“You’ve got my vote,” he said. “I think you’ll win by a landslide.”

Doc Machalvie and his wife, Doris, lived up on Magnolia Avenue, in a big brick house that smelled like apple pie inside. All the rooms were spotless and furnished with polished antiques. Doc was much taller and larger than his brother Stuart, the mayor, and only resembled him vaguely. Doris was a large soft woman with a kind voice and snow white hair.

Doc led Grace to the kitchen and had her sit on the kitchen table while he rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands. He took her temperature, looked in her eyes and ears and mouth. He felt the glands on each side of her throat. He took her pulse and pinched the skin on her arm above her elbow.

“I see someone hit you on the face,” he said. “Was that a regular thing?”

“No,” Grace said. “It was the first time.”

“Did your grandfather ever touch you inappropriately?” he asked.

“No,” Grace said. “He never touched me; he didn’t like me.”

“I don’t think your grandfather liked anybody,” he said. “Especially himself.”

Grace didn’t know what to say in response to that. She had never thought of her grandfather liking or disliking himself.

“Anything else I need to know?” Doc asked her. “Are you sexually active, that sort of thing?”

“No, sir,” Grace said, a little taken aback.

“You’re sound as a bell,” he pronounced, and then patted her on the head. “You just need a few more meals than you’ve been getting.”

“I’m smaller than everybody else in my class,” Grace said.

“You’re just a late bloomer,” Doc said. “I’m not worried about it so neither should you be. Have you started menstruating yet?”

Grace shook her head, embarrassed.

“That’s probably because you don’t have enough body fat,” Doc said. “Do your breasts hurt?”

“Sometimes,” Grace said.

“That’s normal. You’ll have periods before long, I’ll wager,” Doc said. “I’m sure I have a pamphlet somewhere I can give you, or you could just talk to my wife. More likely she’ll talk the most, but she’s also a good listener.”

“Thanks,” Grace said. “Did you know my grandmother?”

“Your grandmother was a lovely woman. Unfortunately, your grandfather was a cantankerous old fart,” Doc said. “I don’t imagine he knew the first thing about caring for a child, and I’m sure he was hard to live with. If I were you, I wouldn’t take to heart anything he ever said to you. You’re on your own now and can make of your life what you please. You’ll always remember the things he said, just don’t make the mistake of believing he knew you well enough to make a sound judgment of your character. I think you’re going to do just fine.”

Grace thanked him again. She thought she might already love him.

After the exam was over, Mrs. Machalvie made scrambled eggs and toast, and poured a big glass of milk for Grace.

“You’ll feel better after you eat,” she said.

Doc, the chief, and Doris went to the front room to call Mrs. Briggs at C.P.S. Grace ate in small bites and chewed everything up really well so she wouldn’t get sick. After she ate, she needed to go to the bathroom, but she didn’t know where it was, so she pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen and went to look for it.

Chief Gordon, Doc and Doris were in the living room talking about her, and hadn’t heard her enter the hallway. She tiptoed closer to the doorway and listened.

“She’s not a stray cat,” Doc was saying. “She’s a person with her own preferences; we have to take that into account.”

“I know she’s not a stray cat, Sean,” Doris said. “But this is a critical time in that young woman’s life and she needs protection; she needs guidance. If she gets put into the foster care system, she may get a wonderful family or she may get something much, much worse.”

“There is an aunt,” Chief Gordon said. “We just haven’t been able to locate her.”

“What I’ve heard about that one doesn’t lead me to believe she’d be a good parent,” Doris said. “This is a situation we’ve all known about for years and yet no one has stepped in to do anything to help. Now the worst has happened and we cannot just stand by and let her disappear. God has sent this girl to us and we must help her. ‘Send me, use me,’ we tell the Lord, and now we are being called upon, all of us. What do we go to church for if we then turn our backs on a child in need?”

“I appreciate your intentions,” Doc said. “I just don’t want you to forget that she is, for all intents and purposes, a young adult. We have to respect her wishes.”

“To a certain extent,” Doris said. “But she is way too young to make a fully informed decision on her own behalf.”

“Grace has been taking care of herself for a very long time,” Chief Gordon said. “I’m sure she knows how much is at stake.”

“Obviously she needs several days of rest,” Doris said. “But a young mind needs to stay busy or it can turn on itself. Can we collect her schoolwork and have her do it here?”

“Let’s ask Grace what she wants to do, sweetheart,” Doc said.

Grace scooted back into the kitchen so she was seated when they returned.

“Thank you for the supper,” she told Doris, who hugged her.

The grownups all sat down at the table.

“Grace,” Scott said. “You’ve had a great shock. I think you should take the rest of the week off from school.”

“I’m okay,” Grace said.

“You have my word that I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you,” Scott said. “I’m going to make sure you live in a safe place with people who will take good care of you.”