The Bad Twin (28 page)

“Good luck on your quest. I don’t mean to rush off the phone, but I hear someone at the door.”

After she hung up with David, she went downstairs and saw that Pearle and Rose had been grocery shopping. “Let me help you guys with those bags.”

“Sleeping beauty is awake.”

Violet rolled her eyes at her sister. “Don’t start. Sleeping beauty is now WIDE awake.”

Pearle and Rose laughed at her. After unpacking the groceries, they all went into the living room to rest. Pearle was the first to break the silence. “Ladies, I’m going to miss y’all when you leave.”

Rose squeezed Pearle’s hand. “I’m only a phone call away.”

“Yes. Me too. Why don’t you come stay a few weeks with me? May do you some good to get away,” Violet suggested.

Rose jumped in and said, “That sounds like a good idea. Then you guys can drive down to LA and maybe spend a little time there as well.”

“I don’t know. I don’t care for flying too much these days.”

 “It’s not that bad.” Violet volunteered, “If you like I can fly out here and we can fly back together.”

Rose chimed in, “Come on Mom. Violet and I would love to have you.”

Violet looked over at her sister, for once they were on one accord. “Yes Mom. Listen to Rose.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Since this was their last night together, Pearle fixed a meal fit for a king and his entire palace. She baked a ham and turkey, made cornbread dressing and potato salad and baked an apple pie, peach cobbler and a pound cake. She invited over family and friends for the good-bye celebration.

Violet was on her way to the kitchen for a second serving of food, when Pierre walked through the front door.

“I heard there was a party going on and I wanted to give one of the guest of honors a farewell gift.”

Violet smiled and attempted to hug him. “I would hug you, but as you can tell my hands are full.”

He smiled back. “I wish my hands were full of something.”

“Whatever. I’m headed to the kitchen so if you want something to eat, I suggest you follow me. It’s going fast.”

He followed Violet to the kitchen and as she prepared their plates, he came up behind her and placed his arms around her and kissed her on the neck. “You know I’ve imagined you in my kitchen and I won’t tell you the details, but let’s just say, there was heat, but not coming from the stove.”

“Oh really now.” She put the plate down and turned around. “In your fantasy, were the kisses like this?” She kissed with an intensity that took him off guard.

 “I’m sorry,” Rose said, interrupting them. “I only came in to get a piece of pound cake.”

Violet smoothed out her skirt and Pierre wiped the lipstick from his mouth. “We were only getting us something to eat,” Violet lied.

Rose looked at them both, but she didn’t say anything else. She cut her a piece of cake and left them alone.

Violet jokingly asked, “Did we get interrupted in your fantasy?”

“No, and I’m glad we did get interrupted, because I would hate for your mom to walk in and I’ve straddled her daughter right here on her kitchen floor.”

Violet laughed. “It wouldn’t have gotten that far.”

Pierre took both of their plates.  As they headed to the living room, he whispered in her ear, “That’s what you think.”

After dinner, she said her good-byes to her relatives and walked Pierre out to his truck. “Thank you for making my stay here enjoyable.”

“Promise me you’ll keep in contact and think about all of the things that I said. I think it can work. If push comes to shove, I can even pack up and head out west.”

“I wouldn’t want you to do that.”

He opened up the back door to his car and pulled out a small gift bag. “I would do anything for you. I let you go one time without a fight. I won’t let you slip through my hands twice. Here’s a little something. You can open it now or later.”

She took the gift out of the pretty floral gift bag. It was a box, but it had another velvet box in the inside. She opened it and found a 24-carat gold charm bracelet with diamond pendants and the biggest charm was shaped like a heart. “This is beautiful. Thank you.” She reached up and gave him a kiss.

“You’re quite welcome. Each pendant means something. I wanted to leave you something to think about.”

“Trust me. You have left a lot on my mind. I’ll call you when I get back to San Jose. I promise.”

They hugged once again and he kissed her.

ROSE

I should be happy about going back to my world, but a part of me wishes I could stay here and live with Mama for the rest of my life. I have thrived on attention, but this week of down home living has spoiled me.  Well, I’m all packed up and ready to go.

***

Rose headed downstairs with her bags. After discussing their flight plans last night, Violet and Rose discovered they were scheduled to leave out on the same flight, with Violet continuing her flight to San Jose from Los Angeles.

 Pearle was crying. Rose knew this was going to be hard for her, because they all hadn’t been under the same roof at the same time since her dad died.

“Mama, are you going to be okay? I’m only a plane flight away.”

They hugged and Pearle wiped away some stray tears. “I know, but I’m going to miss my babies.”

Violet walked in from outside. “Mama are you crying? Don’t. You’re going to make me cry.”

Violet walked over and gave their mother a hug too. Rose felt like telling Audrey to go ahead without her.

“Mama. I left you something on the kitchen counter,” Rose stated.

“You ladies take care of yourselves. I will be all right,” Pearle said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

They hugged and kissed Pearle several times before walking to the car. As the car pulled out of the driveway, Pearle stood in the doorway waving.

Rose said, “I’m going to miss her.”

Violet wiped a tear from her eye. “So am I.”

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Audrey was unable to wait at the airport so they hugged and said their good-byes. While they were waiting around to board their flight, Pierre showed up at the gate. “Hi Ladies. I was hoping I caught you before you left.”

Violet responded with a smile on her face. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Fortunately, I work out at the airport and I had a special pass.”

Rose walked off towards the bookstore located across from the terminal and purchased a couple of magazines for the flight home.  The announcer called her and Violet’s flight number for boarding. She looked around for Violet and saw her embraced in Pierre’s arms.

***

For someone who doesn’t have feelings for someone, I always seem to find them in heated embraces. I better go separate them, before the child misses her flight. Then again, it would serve her right. I’m usually the one in the hot seat.

***

Rose walked over to them and cleared her throat. They looked up with a guilty look on their faces. “Seems like I’m always interrupting, but they’re waiting for us to board. See you Pierre.”

Pierre and Violet said their good-byes. Rose and Violet walked the ramp to the plane. After they got situated in first class, they remained quiet and seemed to be in their own little worlds. The steward offered drinks, but they both declined. Rose stated, “I think this medicine has me scared to drink anything else.”

Violet sounded understanding said, “I feel you. I probably need to cut back on my wine intake as well.”

Rose leaned in closer to her, so no one else could hear. “So that scene I saw back there with you and Pierre, does it mean you’ve made a decision?”

“Why Rose? I see you just won’t let up will you?”

“I think it’s cute. You deserve to be happy and he’s put a smile on your face. Look at you. You’re glowing. I haven’t seen you like this since, well I won’t go there.”

Violet nodded her head. “Please don’t. Let’s just say that I will see what happens.”

They continued to fly in silence until they started feeling turbulence. Rose grabbed Violet’s hand. “I’m sorry, you would think as much as I travel I would be use to this, but I’m not.”

Violet gave her a reassuring hand tug. “I know what you mean. It’ll be okay. No need to panic.”

The flight attendant announced over the intercom, “The storm is wide spread, so be patient, don’t panic, but for the next ten minutes or so we will be feeling a lot of bumps. Please put on your seatbelts. We are hitting some air pockets and will have to go around it.”

Rose held her stomach as if she was going to puke. “I don’t know if my stomach is going to be able to take this.”

Violet coached her. “Breathe slowly and deeply.”

“I can’t. I can’t.”

“You can and you will. Hold my hand and watch me,” Violet said.

“Thank you,” Rose stated once the turbulence had seized.

Violet winked at her. “That’s what sisters are for.”

Rose smiled. “You’ve been the best sister a girl could ask for. Even when I wasn’t good to you, you always showed me love. For the longest, I knew no matter what others said or did, I could always count on my older sister by two minutes to love me unconditionally.”

Violet looking teary eyed glanced away and remained quiet.

“You don’t have to say anything. I know I’ve hurt you, but I’ve prayed you would find it in your heart to forgive me. Although I got sick, this past week has been one of the best I’ve had in years. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Violet turned around and looked at her. “Neither would I.”

They rode the rest of the flight without incident,

VIOLET

This trip has been very interesting.  I didn’t expect to run into Rose or Pierre. Rose seems to have matured. After much prayer, I think Rose and I will be okay. It’s not going to be easy, but I feel like a burden has been lifted. Pierre is full of regrets and seems to have grown up to be a wonderful man. Only time will tell.

***

Violet closed her eyes; when she awoke, they were landing in Los Angeles. The flight attendant announced that only people whose final destination was Los Angeles should exit. All others were asked to stay on board. Violet unbuckled so that she could let Rose out. She reached in the overhead bin and helped Rose retrieve her carryon.

“Rose, I want to say I had a nice time this past week.”

Tears streamed down Rose’s face as they hugged each other. Rose responded, “Me too. Keep in touch. I’ll call you or you call me.”

People behind them were clearing their throats and a couple had no problem verbalizing their annoyance.  Rose smiled at her, wiped the tears from her face, put her shades on and walked up the aisle. “I can take a hint. I better go, before I get trampled.” Rose turned around and blew a kiss in Violet’s direction before exiting the plane.

People were still complaining about the hold up when Violet sat back down, but she ignored them and looked out the window.  She continued to gaze out the window as they boarded new passengers.

“Is this seat taken?” A familiar voice asked.

When she looked up, it was into David’s face.

“Welcome back to Cali,” he said as he took a seat.

“Thanks. I didn’t expect to run into anyone I knew.”

“I saw you when I walked in. I asked the flight attendant if I could change seats.

He put on his seatbelt. “This is the weekend I had with my daughter. Normally she comes up, but I had business here last week and decided to stay over the weekend.”

They talked the entire flight and before they knew it, they were landing in San Jose.

She grabbed her carryon bag but David insisted on carrying it for her.

David offered her a ride home and since she didn’t feel like waiting on a smelly cab, she accepted. After he placed her bags in her living room, she invited him to stay for dinner. “My mom packed some things and since you were so kind to give me a ride home, let me show you some southern hospitality.”

She could see the gleam in David’s eyes. “I would be honored. Is there somewhere I can freshen up? I need to wash my hands and relieve myself after that ride.”

She pointed. “There’s a bathroom to the right.”

While David went to the bathroom, she went to the kitchen to warm up the food.  David walked back into the dining room just when she was getting ready to set the table.  He offered to help. “I can do that.”

She returned with the food and as they ate, she laughed at his recanting of Cherokee’s adventures. “I remember when I was young and carefree. Those were the days.”

“Yes and I enjoyed all of our adventures.” David slipped and said.