Relative Danger (34 page)

How little I recalled after that. I jumped. Cheered. Stomped my feet.

Kat glowed on stage. She still beamed afterward, running out from the crowd of caps and gowns toward us. Roger’s outstretched arms caught her, and he swung Kat around, both of them chuckling. She fell against me and whispered, “Thanks for being here, Gram.” We squeezed each other. Gil and Marisa kissed her. Derek then told Kat, “You did pretty good.” She grinned and thanked him.

I would be flying away from these family members soon. Right now, Gil was bringing us to dinner. My shoulder muscles tensed when I considered that Legs would be there.

We reached Cajun Delights, the voices inside me persisting. This was
our
night, the night for celebrating my baby girl. I peered at Gil, entering beside me. I liked him there. At the moment, I didn’t want to share him. But what must be… “Here’s our guest of honor!” Gil announced to his friends working inside.

Everyone applauded. Kat did her little shy thing, that slight hang of her head. But soon she was kidding back with people who were asking for her autograph. She signed a few of their napkins.

I chuckled. My laughter wore off when I began searching. We sat at Gil’s table.

“Hi,” Legs said, popping up behind me. I glimpsed her cute face and turned away.

“Everyone,” Gil said, “this is Margo Conners.”

“Hi, Margo!” our group said. We were a happy bunch. I raised my hand over my head and waved backward at the woman who also had a cute name. We had filled every chair at the table, but I imagined that a waiter would soon shove in an extra chair between Gil and me.

He told Margo about Kat’s award, and Margo’s voice oozed sweetness as she congratulated Kat. Again I decided I hated her. Gil must’ve known what I was thinking. He gave me a clever grin. “Cealie, don’t you want to meet Margo?” he asked loudly.

“Of course,” I said through clenched teeth. Forcing a smile, I watched the short black skirt coming around me.

“Oh, I remember seeing you. So nice to see you again, Mrs. Gunther,” she said. She stood almost eye-to-eye with me. And I was sitting.

My neck folded. “Where are your legs?” I said.

Margo giggled. She patted chubby knees beneath her dark stockings. “They’re not much to cover.”

I jumped up and stood facing her. “Look, I’m a nose taller.”

Everybody at our table laughed. Margo hugged me. “I like her,” she told Gil. She pulled a pad out of her pocket. “Are you ready to order now, Mr. Thurman?”

Gil gave me a smirk.

My fingers covered my nose tip. Beneath my hand, I was grinning. Gil let the others give Margo their orders while he quietly spoke to me. “I tried to tell you a couple of times, but you stopped me. Cealie, you really look enticing wearing that jealous streak.”

“She’s your table’s waitress,” I whispered. “And you aren’t having an affair with her?”

“Only in your mind.” Gil’s mouth widened with his smile.

Lord, he had pretty teeth. And beneath them, a right clever tongue.

* * *

The others in our group insisted that I ride back with Gil. He and I stood beside the Mustang, where Kat slipped in to take my place. She and Roger said I’d make them too crowded. I could have squeezed in. If I’d really wanted to.

While we’d all been eating, I had done a mental scroll back through the times I’d been in the restaurant, concocting the idea that Margo had extra-long legs. Each time I’d thought she was sitting at Gil’s table or leaning from somewhere to watch us, she had actually been standing up straight.

The senior prom had been postponed because of fear of sabotage at the school, but now Roger was driving Kat home to change. Then he would take her back to join friends for the dance about to be held in the gym. Derek said it might be kind of fun to hang around there a little while. Kat sat with him in the back, making certain Marisa would sit in front, near her dad. They promised to take lots of pictures.

I smiled, watching Roger looking freer with Marisa.
Did she ever put on underwear?
I wondered. Maybe my son would soon find out.

Gil drove me to the condo. He walked me to the door and stood, gazing at me. “Should I come in?” The overhead light forced a glitter from silver strands in his hair. Gil’s eyes looked like new charcoal. A murmur came from deep in his throat.

I touched that area of his neck. My hands stroked his familiar skin. This man was a wonderful lover. Such fun to be with. Did I want to renew our relationship?

I ordered up a vision of mounds of dirty dishes. Hampers of clothes to wash, me waiting around for repairmen. Being stuck in one house. Long grass outside, wanting to be mowed. Social Security checks now or later?

I moved my hands off him. I adored this man. But now I needed freedom. Self-discovery. “Not tonight,” I said.

Then why didn’t I move back? Step away from him. I clasped him within my arms. “See you, mmm, later,” I said.

Gil backed me through the doorway. “Yes, see you.”

“Ummm.” I don’t know who pulled off the other’s clothes first. Gil probably shut the door. We fell to the floor. Peeled off garments. Felt remembered curves and swells. Drank in of each other. The still-open Twister mat beneath us felt slippery. It made squishy sounds.

Satisfied, we moved to my bed. Clutched each other. Renewed smells and heat and passion.

Gil would stay with me. So would the intense satisfaction he gave my body. Most of all, I’d miss Gil Thurman, the person. He knew I needed to complete this mission of renewing me. Some fortunate woman might take Gil one day. I’d keep his memory.

I left two days later. I had to. If not, these cozy homey feelings I’d been experiencing would settle in and remain.

I dusted the stove before I left the condo. If I didn’t leave now, I’d have to keep dusting things. I wanted to stay with Kat and my son. But their lives were moving on. I needed to get on with mine.

Family meant permanence, I told myself, and one thing I knew: With life came change. Kat would be leaving for college. Roger would explore a relationship with Marisa Hernandez. What could I do? Stay around Gil and lean on him for support, as I’d done with Freddy and my relatives? I had no idea how many years of life I had left, but surely they weren’t meant for dependence. I needed to find my evolving life’s purpose.

“Let’s go find Cealie,” I said to me right before opening the condo door for Roger and Kat to come in and get my things.

All three of us cried at the airport before I boarded the plane. My cell phone played its music. I answered and then heard, “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, Tommy.” I smiled, hearing my son in Alaska. Tommy hadn’t been able to come in for graduation, but now he and his family all wanted to talk to Kat. Then Roger and I each took turns chatting with them. I clicked off, overflowing with more emotions. Missing more of the people I cherished.

“Don’t forget to call us as soon as you reach Acapulco,” Roger said to me, giving a final wave. “I love you, Mom.”

“Love you, Gram,” Kat yelled, blowing kisses.

Tears trapped in my throat only allowed me to wave back at them. I walked into the plane and located my seat. Peered out the window. Wished I could still keep them in view. Wished I’d let Gil come to see me off, too.

No, I couldn’t have handled that parting. Our final goodbye at the condo had been difficult enough. “Whatever you want, Cealie,” he’d murmured into my hair.

How great of him. What did I want? “That’s what you’re trying to find out,” I told myself. The Asian man seated beside me peered up from his newspaper. Our plane rolled down the tarmac. From the plane window, I waved. Probably Kat and Roger were watching from that large window, doing the same thing.

It had been great to be near Kat and Roger, but being around relatives caused confusion. Just look at what I’d just been through, I reminded myself, wiping my damp cheeks and branding my mind with my purpose. Family was most important. But I’d want to keep them all around me, and I couldn’t. I had to go off and discover my current purpose.

My life was totally mine now, and I was headed into the sunset. Or almost, I saw as my window framed the orange-blue evening sky.

I’d lightened my suitcase and my life. What I carried instead were the people. I tightened my inner view of cherished ones, wrapping them into my heart. My sons, their families. Gil. I wiped my eyes. I needed to do something.

Unzipping my carry-on bag, I took out Minnie. “We should find some of your relatives in Mexico,” I said, pressing more of the dirt against her side. “I’ll do better now,” I promised before setting her back.

Our plane was airborne. Besides loved ones, I’d left behind some of my nicest outfits. Maybe the lady who dusted and mopped the condo could use them or know another person would might. I had also left the plant Roger gave me. I’d kill that big peace lily. And I hadn’t felt close enough to it to even give it another name.

Poor Minnie wouldn’t have a friend with her. I sniffled and wiped my nose. Peered at the Asian man. I pulled out my laptop and checked e-mail.

HELP!!! CEALIE, I NEED YOU. IF YOU BELIEVE IN FORGIVENESS AT ALL, CALL YOUR COUSIN STEVIE.

I read the next message:
DAMMIT, CEALIE, I’M GONNA DIE IF YOU DON’T COME TO GATLINBURG!

I hit the reply button and then wrote in all caps—
I’M FREE! NOW IS THE TIME FOR ME!
I was about to push
send
. But didn’t want Stevie to know I’d received her messages. I shut down my computer. Slammed its cover shut. My muttered oaths made the Asian man glance up. “Sorry for my language,” I told him.

Why hadn’t I read my cookbook from Belgium instead of checking e-mail? Why hadn’t I left the damned laptop in the condo?

Dammit, I could probably make a brief stopover in Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg. Hmm, okay, I was going after me. But I could check in with my cousin first. I wouldn’t stay with Stevie long, only see what she wanted. Get that psychic danger stuff out of her mind. And after that, I’d definitely try to refrain from being around most relatives.

I uncrossed my tensed arms. Of course while I was in Stevie’s area, I might want to check out the restaurant that would be opening soon. I believe they’ll be serving something Cajun.

* * *

Be watching for
Killer Cousins
, book two in the series, coming soon, followed shortly by book three,
Deadly Reunion
.

Also, enjoy a treat with the tasty Cajun recipes below and in the upcoming Cealie books.

* * *

CAJUN DELIGHTS

Eggplant Supreme à la Bob

(Since Cajuns don’t measure anything, measurements are approximate. What’s definite is that this is a scrumptious dish.)

Ingredients:

4 eggplants

1 lg. onion, chopped

½ lg. bell pepper chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. cooking oil

1 lb. crabmeat

1 lb. small shrimp

1 c. seasoned breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Melted butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350°. Cut eggplants in half and parboil 25–30 minutes. Carefully remove pulp of the eggplants with a spoon so as not to break the skin. Set the skin aside on a shallow baking pan. Mix cooking oil, eggplant pulp, onions, bell pepper, and garlic in a heavy pot and sauté about 20 minutes. Add crabmeat, shrimp, and salt and pepper. Cook about 20 minutes more. Fill eggplant shells with the cooked mixture. Top with breadcrumbs and drizzle melted butter on top. Bake until topping is brown. Will serve 8. Yum.

Smothered Potatoes à la Bob

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes

3 lg. onions

½ lg. bell pepper

1/3 c. cooking oil

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

Peel potatoes, or if desired, leave peelings on half of one potato. Chop potatoes into very small rectangular pieces. Chop onions and bell pepper. Place all ingredients in a heavy pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for approximately 30 minutes, scraping bottom of pot continuously, until mixture is softened. Then eat—and pat your happy belly.

Author Bio

Author June Shaw lives along a lazy bayou in south Louisiana, where she fishes, reads, swims, eats great food, cheers for favorite football teams, and plants flowers. She’s happy being surrounded by loved ones, especially her large family. Please visit her at www.juneshaw.com.