The Sweet Gum Tree (16 page)

88

The Sweet Gum Tree

My head was spinning as I swung my feet to the floor, and I reached automatically for the tray of food. It hit me with staggering force that I hadn’t thought about Frank being dead a single time. But I thought about it while I ate, and the more I did, the angrier I got. I was going to that funeral tomorrow come hell or high water. There were a few things I needed to get off my chest.

* * * * *

It was a dismal day for a funeral, the sky overcast with periodic burst of a fine, soaking drizzle, but I was glad it was raining. It wouldn’t have been fair for the sun to shine on Frank Anderson’s last day above ground.

Aunt Jane went with me. Neither of us dressed up, we simply climbed into the car and left. Everyone was so happy to see me up and moving that they didn’t think to ask questions.

I sat staring at the green tent when we reached the cemetery. It stood far back in one corner, with a bright yellow backhoe was parked a discreet distance away. Chairs lined the area, but no one sat in them. A pile of dirt was mounded to one side, covered by green cloth, but there were no flowers. A restless-looking minister I had never seen before stood shifting from one foot to the other as we got out. He looked at us hopefully when we reached the tent.

“Are you relatives of the deceased?”

“No.” I pointed to the coffin. “Would you open it, please, and give me a few minutes alone?”

“Of course.”

He motioned to one of the workers who stood waiting nearby, and together they lifted the lid on the top half. Frank Anderson looked better in death than he’d ever looked in life, which only stoked my anger higher. Someone had dressed him in a cheap blue suit and a white shirt, with a red and gray tie knotted around his neck. His hands were folded peacefully on his chest, and his black hair was neatly combed. Hate like I’d never known filled me, spilled over.

“You bastard,” I whispered. “I’m glad you’re dead, glad he killed you. You didn’t deserve a son like him. All you ever did was make his life miserable. And now everyone thinks he’s just like you. But he’s not. He could never be like you. He’s more of a man at twenty than you’ve ever been in your life, and even if he never comes back, he’ll make something of himself. You wait and see.” Aunt Jane put her arm around my shoulders and I nodded at the minister. When the lid was closed again, I cast one last look at it. “I hope you rot in hell, you son of a bitch.”

We left the poor minister standing there in shock, and I never shed another tear.

There was something cathartic about telling Frank what I thought of him.

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The next day I went back to school. There was a lot of gossip about the killing, but I refused to listen. Hugh was solicitous and concerned, thinking I was still getting over my “virus”. Jenna knew the truth and stayed by my side constantly, watching me closely as though she were afraid I might do something drastic. Not once did she tell me, “I told you so,” and for that I was grateful. I couldn’t have made it though the next few weeks without her. When my mother insisted I buy a prom dress, Jenna went with me and chose the dress. I couldn’t force any interest in a silly dance.

My stupor lasted until prom night, when I finally came to my senses enough to realize there might be another reason for my continuing bouts of nausea and dizzy spells. A reason that was going to bring me back to life and change me forever.

* * * * *

Hugh picked me up right on schedule in his new Mercedes, a graduation present from his parents. Mama took pictures of us while he pinned white roses onto my shimmering red gown, then kissed my cheek. “You look like a fairy tale princess with her prince,” she said, wiping a tear away.

I smiled wanly. “Thank you, Mama.”

“Now, you two have fun tonight.”

“We will.” Hugh took my hand, escorted me to the car, and helped me inside while Mama waved from the porch. I felt like I was moving through thick water. Nothing seemed real or right, and all I really wanted to do was go curl up on the bed in Nick’s room. For Hugh’s sake, and for Mama’s, I couldn’t.

The prom was being held at the fanciest hotel in Jonesboro, and the ballroom had been decorated to a fare-thee-well with live flowers in every shade of white imaginable, all trimmed in metallic gold and silver ribbons. They adorned every table and lined the walls, creating the illusion of a snowy garden. I had to hold my breath against the cloying sweetness that filled the room.

Jenna was there with Scott, who wasn’t scheduled to leave until after the graduation ceremony Monday evening.

“You look like hell,” she whispered as the guys left to get drinks. “At least try to smile.”

I bared my teeth. “Is that better?”

“Only if you plan on biting someone.”

“God, Jenna. I don’t know what I’m doing here. I should have made some excuse.” The music was loud and noisy and couples brushed by us as they danced. The heat level in the room was rising by the minute, emanating from the tightly packed bodies.

“Alix, you can’t keep going like this. You’ve lost weight and you look like you’re going to pass out any second.”

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“It’s the heat in here. Why doesn’t someone turn the air up?” She gave me an odd look. “Are you sure you aren’t really sick? It’s not that warm in here.”

“Maybe I got carsick on the ride over.”

The guys made their way back through the crowd and Hugh handed me a glass of punch. Thank heavens it wasn’t the sugary stuff, I thought, downing the contents of the crystal glass. The tart taste of pineapple juice mixed with other fruits and ginger ale settled my stomach a bit, and I smiled at him. “Thanks.”

“More?” He arched a brow in question.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Then how about a dance?”

“Sure.” It was a slow one, and I had to admit, we moved well together. I couldn’t imagine Nick on a dance floor like this. He was too private, too introverted, to ever do anything so public. I doubted he even knew how to dance, or would have cared to learn if given the chance.

Hugh’s sudden turn brought me crashing back to the here and now as a wave of dizziness hit me. “Whoa.” I staggered, and he stopped, a look of concern on his face.

“Alix, you need to see a doctor. This virus is hanging on way too long.”

“I’ll be okay. I think it’s the heat.”

He gave me the same look Jenna had and I knew I needed to escape for a while.

“Excuse me. I’ll be right back.”

Without waiting for an answer, I headed for the nearest bathroom. A light sheen of sweat coated my skin and I wet a paper towel with cold water and patted my face, trying not to disturb my makeup as I listened to the other girls making use of the facility.

One of them deposited several coins into the tampon machine on the wall and turned the knob. “Boy, it’s just my luck to start tonight. Now I’ll be bloated and cramping all evening.”

“Well, at least you caught it before it ruined your dress,” her friend replied.

Idly, I did some mental calculations. It seemed like it had been quite a while since I’d had my monthly. Hadn’t it been due the day I’d talked to my father about Nick? But that was a little over two weeks ago, and I was never late. Slowly, I lowered the hand holding the paper towel and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Nick hadn’t left me alone after all, I thought, stunned. I was pregnant. His child was growing inside me. A slow-building excitement gripped me. I was going to have Nick’s baby, a baby that would be mine forever, a part of him no one could take away.

Dazed, I wandered out of the restroom and sat down on the first chair I came to. I don’t know how long I was there before Hugh found me. When he waved a hand in front of me, I blinked, then focused on his face. Oh, God. I’d forgotten about Hugh.

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“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes, but we need to talk.” It was way past time to put this charade to an end. I didn’t want to hurt him, but he would know the truth soon anyway. Everyone would know, I realized. My chin went up. Well, they could think what they wanted, but they better not let me hear any of their gossip. No one was going to treat our child the way people had treated Nick.

Hugh took my hand and helped me stand. “Where do you want to talk?”

“Outside.”

The night air was much warmer than the ballroom had been, but I wasn’t hot anymore. I felt better than I had since Nick left. I had a reason to go on now.

We walked to Hugh’s car in silence and leaned against the side. It was beautiful out, the moon big and full. I glanced at Hugh, trying not to remember a similar night, a rusty pickup, a dirt-covered country road, and a fifteen-year-old boy.

“We can’t keep going like this, Hugh,” I told him softly. “You don’t love me. Both of us have been letting our parents push us along. We should have stopped it a long time ago.”

He was staring down at the ground, hands tucked into his pockets. “Why now?” I took a deep breath and faced him. “Because now I’m pregnant. Everyone will know it soon.”

His gaze lifted, his face expressionless as he studied me. “Is it Nick’s?”

“You knew about us?”

A wry smile turned up the corners of his lips. “Yeah. I saw the way you looked at each other that night at the gas station.”

“I’m sorry. Why didn’t you say something?”

He shrugged. “I guess I kept hoping things would change. Can you reach him, let him know?”

“No.” I turned away. I’d already tried to find out where he was stationed, but the sheriff was the only one who knew where Nick had been sent and he wasn’t talking.

“He made it pretty clear he wasn’t coming back and told me to forget about him.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet. Maybe leave town. I can’t put my family through this again. It would kill them. But I won’t give up my baby either.”

“How far along are you?”

“About a month, I think.” I wasn’t sure why he wanted to know, but I owed him the answers to any questions he asked.

It got quiet again, the only sound coming from the traffic out on the highway.

“You’re wrong about one thing, you know,” Hugh said finally. “It might not be the kind of grand, world-stopping passion you want, but I do love you. I have since we were kids.” Slowly, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and opened it. In his palm 92

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rested a blue velvet box, and my eyes filled with tears when he showed me the sparkling diamond ring inside.

“I was going to do this later, but there’s no sense in waiting.”

“Hugh…” My tears spilled over and ran freely down my cheeks.

“Please, let me finish.” He took a deep breath. “You need a husband and the baby will need a father. I’m asking you to let me be both. Alix, will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?”

I couldn’t believe this was happening. “But the baby isn’t yours,” I stuttered.

“It will be if you let it.” He shrugged. “And everyone will think it is, anyway. Let them think it, Alix. I swear, I’ll love it like it was mine.” He wiped the tears from my cheeks. “Think about it. We can get married tonight and no would ever have to know the truth. Your family won’t be disgraced, you won’t have to leave, and the baby will never have people looking down on it. We can even have the justice of the peace backdate the marriage certificate so everyone will think we were married secretly months ago.”

“A J.P. would do that?”

This time his smile was full-fledged. “I know one who will. My family spends a lot of money on his campaigns.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Do you care about me at all, Alix?”

“Of course I do. You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had.” He nodded. “Then say yes. We can make this work.” Maybe I was in shock, or maybe I was simply a coward, but what he was offering was more than I was capable of refusing right then. Respectability for myself and my child, a loving, safe home to raise it in, and someone who honestly cared about me. If I’d had a week or two to think about it, my answer might have been different, but I didn’t have that long. Hugh was waiting and I couldn’t hurt him again.

“Yes,” I whispered, trembling as he slid the diamond on my finger.

The justice of the peace never batted an eye when we showed up on his doorstep.

He merely complied with Hugh’s request, accepted an undisclosed amount of money, and told us to bring him copies of our birth certificates next week. All the forms were filled out and the ceremony performed in his den with his wife and housekeeper as witnesses. According to our marriage license, we had been married since February second.

Back in the car, I turned to my new husband. “Now what?”

“Now, we go pick up something to eat, and then I’ve got a surprise for you.” He went to the drive-through window of a fast food joint and ordered burgers and fries for both of us, a soda for him and milk for me. When the food arrived, he put the car in gear, and headed back toward Morganville. Just outside of town, he turned right 93

Katherine Allred

and I stared at him in surprise. The road he’d turned onto led to Fair Oaks, the new subdivision.

“Hugh, what are you doing?”

“You’ll see.” He steered the car into a long, sweeping driveway that ended at a darkened house. One of the newest, I realized. It was long and sprawling, with curving flower beds along the front, empty now, but waiting for someone to fill them.

“What do you think?” He waved a hand at the house.

“I think it’s beautiful, but won’t we get in trouble for being here?”

“No, it’s ours. We closed on it last week. All you and I have to do is buy some furniture and move in.” He opened the car door and gathered up the food. “Come on, Mrs. Morgan. Let’s go look at our new home and do some talking.” And that’s what we did. Hugh took me on a tour of the house that lasted half an hour. It was undoubtedly a dream home, even if it wasn’t exactly what I would have chosen for myself. Wide open spaces graced with huge floor-to-ceiling windows made the rooms flow into each other. The kitchen was an ultramodern fantasy come true, and there was even a swimming pool and hot tub on the patio behind the house.