Lily of the Springs (45 page)

Hot blood rushed to my cheeks. “
No
! It’s not at
all
like Jacqueline Susann’s books.” I’d read
Valley of the Dolls
two years ago, and loved it. But I could never
ever
write sex scenes like that! “Betty is just pulling your leg.”

Betty snickered. “Well, that kissing scene between Sven and Laura was pretty yummy. I’m betting you’ll be giving Miss Jackie a run for her money one day.”

Jinx gave me a searching look. “Out of all the people I know, I’d say you’re the least likely to write steamy novels, Lily Rae. You always seem so prim and proper.”

Betty gave me a wink. “That’s because you’re not privy to her sex life with Jake.”

“And I don’t
want
to be,” Jinx snapped, sending a dark scowl in Betty’s direction.

I sighed. Leave it to Betty to say something to get under Jinx’s skin. Would this night
ever
end?

“
Mommy
!”

I turned toward the voice. A towel-wrapped Kathy Kay ran up to the table, Paul John close behind her. They looked so cute with their wet blond curls matted to their heads, blue eyes dancing with excitement.

“Mommy,” Kathy Kay burst out in excitement. “This maid lady said we can make our own sundaes over in the summerhouse…just for the kids. Can we go, huh?”

“Yeah, Mom,” Paul John echoed, his eyes pleading with Jinx. “Make-your-own sundaes! For
free
!”

The two children waited breathlessly for permission, and their identical expressions of yearning looked so comical that the three of us couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Once the two kids got our permission, they let out simultaneous “Yays!” and ran off in the direction of the summerhouse.

Betty followed them with her eyes, an amused smile on her face. “Now, there goes two peas in a pod. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they were brother and sister.”

I laughed. “Oh,
please
! Kathy Kay better not hear you say that. She’s planning on marrying Paul John someday.” I signaled a waiter circulating through the tables with a tray of tropical drinks.

It wasn’t until I chose a pina colada and lifted the glass to my lips that I noticed the odd silence. Only the sound of the band singing “Along Comes Mary” floated in the summer night. I looked from Betty to Jinx. “What’s wrong?”

No one spoke. Betty wore an odd expression on her face as she stared at Jinx, a speculative gleam in her eyes. Jinx seemed to be having trouble looking at either one of us, and her face was as white as paper. Not only that, but she’d become fidgety, twisting a diamond ring on her finger, her eyes darting around the pool area, almost as if she were searching for an escape route.

“Did I miss something?” I said.

Jinx shoved her chair away from the table, making a horrible scraping sound on the flagstone deck.

“Excuse me,” she said. “I’ve got to go to the restroom.” And she hurried off in the direction of the terrace.

I stared after her, and then turned back to Betty. “Do you know what the hell just happened?”

Betty studied me a moment, then looked away. “How long ago did Jinx lose her husband?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “Twelve years ago. I was at Lonnie’s funeral when I went into labor with Kathy Kay. Why?”

Betty toyed with the straw in her tropical drink. “So, Paul John was born after his father died?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I remember finding out she was pregnant the day of the funeral.” I studied her. “Betty, why are you so interested in Jinx and Paul John?”

She looked away. “Nothing I can put my finger on. I just…” She shook her head. “I’m just not crazy about her, Lil. I don’t trust her. I don’t feel like she has your best interests at heart.”

“Oh, come on, Betty!” I protested. “Just because she doesn’t share the same political viewpoints you do doesn’t mean she’s a bad person. I’ve known the girl since grade school! I think I can trust her.”

Betty was silent for a long moment. The band on the terrace started singing The Box Tops’ “The Letter.” Betty stared at a lone couple locked in each other’s arms in the pool. Her straight white teeth nibbled on her lower lip as if she were deep in thought.

Finally, she turned and met my gaze. “Just be careful around her,” she said, her blue eyes solemn. “I’ve known women like her, Lil. They’ll stab you in the back the first chance they get. Especially…” she hesitated, and then went on, “…if you have something she wants.”

Great Aunt Ona’s Sweet Potato Cake

1 ½ cups raw grated sweet potatoes

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, separated

4 tbsps hot water

2 ½ cups sifted flour

3 tbsps baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 small can crushed pineapple

Combine oil and sugar and beat until smooth. Add egg yolks and beat. Add hot water and flour which has been sifted with baking powder and salt. Stir in sweet potatoes, vanilla and pineapple. Beat egg whites until stiff, fold in mixture. Bake in two 9-inch pans at 350 degrees for 25 or 30 minutes.

Coconut-Walnut Icing

1 large can evaporated milk

1 stick Oleo

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine milk, Oleo, egg yolks and sugar. Cook about 12 minutes, stirring constantly over low heat. Add coconut, nuts and vanilla.

“
H
ere it is.” I ran a hand over the cool, smooth rock face in front of me. “He painted it the day before Valentine’s Day to surprise me.” I smiled, my index finger tracing the large red heart inscribed with “Lily Rae & Chad, February 14, 1951.”

“He sounds like he was a real romantic guy,” Betty said. “That’s so sad about his wife.”

My smile faded. “Yes. Poor guy. My heart just aches for him.”

“Life is hard sometimes,” Betty said. Then, as if to shake off the gloom that had fallen, she took a step backward and glanced around at the enormous rock formation arching over us. “This is an amazing place! Thanks for bringing us here.”

I grinned, my heart filling with pride. “Everybody says that about Rock House Bottom. Isn’t it just gorgeous?”

On the drive home from Glasgow last night, Betty had expressed an urge to see Russell County, and since this was their last day here, all of us had gotten up at the crack of dawn and headed for Opal Springs, but not before dealing with a tantrum from Debby Ann, the silent treatment from David and an unusual snappish mood from Kathy Kay. The teens had begged to stay home because they couldn’t
possibly
miss
American Bandstand
; Andy Kim-somebody was supposed to be on it, and Debby would just
die
if she missed it, and everybody knew that Mother and Pa Pa didn’t get good reception on their TV out in the Russell County sticks. Her pleas hadn’t fooled me one bit. I knew the
real
reason they wanted to stay home. Jake was doing some over-time at the factory, and the two teenagers would have the house to themselves.
American Bandstand
, my hind-end. They just wanted an opportunity to neck. Or do
more
than neck. I had no intention of giving them that opportunity.

The teenagers weren’t the only ones disgusted with me. Kathy Kay was upset because she hadn’t got the chance to ask if Paul John could come along to Opal Springs; it was way too early to call over at Jinx’s before we left. Needless to say, there had been a lot of sullen silence in the back seat for the hour and a half drive. But once we arrived at my old home, Mother’s chocolate gravy over hot biscuits had cheered everyone up.

Betty had been on her best behavior with Mother and Pa Pa, having realized from years of conversation with me just how conservative they were. She hadn’t uttered one cuss word the entire morning in Mother’s presence—a record for her, I guessed.

Mother seemed to have aged since I’d last seen her. Had there been that much gray in her hair two months ago? Every time I came home and saw how my parents were aging, it brought a twinge to my heart. It had been 17 years since I’d left this place I’d once called home. Debby Ann was only three years younger than I’d been on the day I’d married Jake and made my way with him through the woods to his parents’ home. A life-time ago, it seemed.

After washing the dinner dishes, I suggested we drive out to Rock House Bottom, a natural arched bridge in the southern end of Russell County, carved thousands of years ago by the force of the Cumberland River. It was the most beautiful place I could think of within an hour’s drive, not to mention that it held a lot of memories for me from high school.

Rock House Bottom, known as a local “lover’s lane,” was frequented back then—and probably still--by hormonal Russell County high school students looking for romance; I’d spent lots of memorable hours there with Chad. Good memorable hours, mostly, except for the night we’d broken up.

I turned back to the heart Chad had painted on the rock wall so many years ago. Smiling, I traced my hand over it, my eyes misting with tears. So much time gone by. Two teenagers, so in love back then, had grown up and gone their separate ways. I felt sad for them—those teenagers. They’d been so idealistic, so sure their love would last forever.

That Valentine’s night when he’d brought me here to see the heart—the memory of it was still vivid. That night had been the first time he’d tried to do more than kiss and engage in light petting. And I’d
wanted
to do more. If I hadn’t been such a “good girl,” I might’ve given in that night. Instead, a year later, after the break-up with Chad because I wouldn’t “go all the way,” I’d turned around and given my virginity to Jake without barely a thought—and that had set the course of my life, bringing me to this moment.

The moment of truth.

I glanced over to check on Kathy Kay. The 12-year-old squatted at the edge of Jim Creek, tossing stones into the water, an expression of deep concentration on her heart-shaped face. Debby Ann and David had climbed onto an automobile-sized rock, and sat with their bare legs dangling, holding hands and talking quietly. Betty stood a few feet away, her hands planted on her hips, gazing off at the Cumberland River making its slow, tranquil way toward Tennessee.

I took a deep breath. It was time to ask the question I wasn’t sure I wanted an answer to. All night long, I’d tossed and turned next to a gently-snoring Jake. Wondering. Thinking back. Remembering things that hadn’t seemed all that significant before, like Jinx’s anger at that very first Danson barbecue as she watched Roxanne flirting with Jake. Even then, through my pain, I’d been surprised at how livid she’d become. Almost as if
she
was the betrayed one, not me.

And then, there was the time in Myrtle Beach when Jinx had frantically called Jake about Paul John’s sudden illness, and we’d had to cut our vacation short. I remembered being outraged at her gall, wondering why she hadn’t called her parents in Russell Springs for help.

And finally, there was Katydid, and the falling out she’d had with Jinx seven years ago. What had caused it? Could it be that Katydid had found out something that she couldn’t bring herself to share with me? Something about Jinx and Jake?

A pleasant breeze wafted off the river, sifting through my shoulder-length hair, cooling the sudden heat on my face. Could I have been so stupid not to have seen what was happening under my nose all these years? Could I have been so
blind
? It was time I faced the truth.

I looked over at Betty. Her lop-sided, Aqua Net-sprayed, Irish Setter-red hairstyle hadn’t budged in the breeze. She was looking down, rummaging in her handbag for her cigarettes.

I cleared my throat. “Betty, I need you to be straight with me.”

She looked up, her hand growing still in her bag. The darkening of her eyes told me she knew exactly what I meant. I waited for her answer, barely breathing.

She glanced over at Debby and David, and then to Kathy Kay. A resigned look crossed her face and she gave a sigh. “Okay. Just let me grab a cigarette, and we’ll talk.”

A moment later, we’d situated ourselves on another big rock far enough away from the kids that they couldn’t overhear, yet close enough so we could keep an eye on them. Betty lit cigarettes for both of us. I sat quietly, waiting for her to begin.

She took a drag on her Virginia Slim, fastened her eyes on the moss-covered river, glinting in the afternoon sunlight. “Okay. What is it you want to know?”

I gazed at the lit cigarette in her right hand. It trembled in her grasp. “What did you mean with that remark about Jinx? About not trusting her. What is it you suspect?”

Betty studied me, eyes wary. “Hon, it’s probably nothing. You know how I am. I always think the worst of everyone. And you know Jinx and I didn’t get off to a good start. It’s probably my dislike that’s affecting my thinking.”

I bit down hard on my bottom lip and then said bluntly, “You think Jinx and Jake are sleeping together, don’t you?”

I watched Betty absorb the question. Laugh, I silently urged her.
Laugh it off and tell me that’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard. That I’m over-reacting
.

She didn’t laugh. She looked away from me and stared out at the river, lifting her cigarette to her lips. Instead of taking a draw on it, though, she held it motionless for a long moment. Finally, her hand dropped, and she turned to me.

“Lil, the last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you. You know that, don’t you?” Her eyes glimmered with sadness.

The knot in my throat thickened. My stomach felt as if a bowling ball had lodged inside it. I tried to speak, but found there wasn’t enough air in my lungs to drive the words. Betty reached out and took my hand, squeezing it hard.

Finally, I found my voice. It came out scratchy and hoarse. “I know you don’t want to hurt me. I’m sure Katydid didn’t want to hurt me, either. She knows. That’s why she and Jinx haven’t spoken to each other in seven years.” I looked up and met Betty’s gaze. “I need a friend who’ll be straight with me. No matter how much it hurts. I
need
to know the truth, Betty…even if it destroys my life.”