Threads of Steel (Bayou Cove) (7 page)

Anna Marie blinked back tears. Even though the man had been a horrible father and even worse husband, she still wanted him to wake up just long enough to see her.

But that would never happen. After talking with the doctors and then sitting with him most of the day, she understood that there was no hope for him. She’d signed papers to have his organs donated, but no date had been set. Proper recipients would have to be located first, but as she looked up at the funeral home, she knew her father would be brought here soon.

Not wanting to get more depressed than she already was, she tried to ready herself to go inside for Miss Ellie. Nancy would be looking for her.

Even though it was near the end of the visitation, the parking lot was still crowded. She could tell most of townspeople who knew Miss Ellie had come out tonight. Even though Miss Ellie had never remarried after her young husband died in the World War II and had no children to call her own, there would be standing room only in the large chapel area.

Being the school counselor for nearly thirty years had carved her a place in the hearts of everyone in the community who had children in the school system. “These are all my children,” she used to say
.

By the look of things, the town was giving her the send-off she deserved.

Blowing out a stiff breath, she grabbed her purse, but couldn’t make herself open the door. An iron vice squeezed her chest and prevented her breath from reaching her brain. Walking into that crowd, facing the people she’d grown up with, and confronting Miss Ellie’s family would not be easy.

After her father’s name had been splashed across the front page of the paper today, she was sure everyone here would know the identity of the driver who’d run Miss Ellie down. It had taken a lot of courage, but Anna Marie made herself buy a paper. Alone in the quietness of her hotel room, she read the story of her father’s sordid life that led to his prison time. Thankfully, her name had only been mentioned toward the end of the story.

She was sure the local news had also covered the story, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn on the TV.

“Oh, Dad, how could you?” She braced her head on the steering wheel and inhaled deeply.

Several couples walked past the car, pretended not to look at her, then walked on. They
didn’t know her. They saw only a grieving young woman taking a few minutes to compose herself.

Taking that as a cue, she got out of the car. She’d find Nancy and pray no one recognized her.

The wide covered porch had several groups of men standing together. She nodded and walked to the double lead glass doors. One of the men opened it for her, but once inside, she stopped. The line of people waiting their turn to get into the viewing area still stretched through the lobby
.

She recognized a few faces, but names didn’t connect
.

She’d been gone a long time.

“Hey, Anna.”
A whisper from behind her made her turn. Nancy stood holding the door open.

Anna Marie gave her a quick hug. “Oh, I’m glad you’re here. I looked for you in the parking lot.”

“I found a place on the side. Old Mr. Tucker was pulling out and I pulled right in.”

Nancy stretched to see over the crowd. “Have you seen anyone you know?”

“No, and I’m thankful. I’d like to be invisible right now.”

Nancy nodded. “I’m sorry you have to go through this, but you have as much right to be here as any of these people.
More so.
She loved you. She probably didn’t even know most of these fair citizens of Bayou Cove.”

“Does Harry have the children?”

“Yes, and I’ve got a neighbor who’ll watch Little Harry tomorrow for the funeral.”

“I’m glad you got away. Even though this can’t compare to a real girls’ night out, you need some time alone.” Then Anna Marie took her hand. “And I need you.”

The squeeze from her friend’s hand gave her the confidence she needed to continue. As they inched their way with the line, Anna Maria told her about her day at the hospital and her decision to donate her father’s organs.

“I requested that the hospital try to find local recipients before going national.”

“I’m proud of you, girl. I know that must’ve been hard, but look at the good it will do. Maybe someone in the town will be able to benefit from him.”

“Let’s just hope he has something worthwhile to donate.” She looked around and whispered. “Let’s change the subject. How was the field trip?”

“It was noisy, but
fun,
and I barely got home in time to get supper on the table before I had to leave to get here.”

Nancy took a step away from the line, looked around the room, nodding to a few people, talking to one, then she joined Anna Marie again. “I wonder if they’re here.”

“Who?”

“
Doti
and Ronnie.”
Nancy’s eyes widened. “I know they’ll be here. I hope they didn’t come early and we missed them.”

“Nancy. Please.” She lowered her voice when the man in front of them turned around and smiled.

Anna Marie smiled back,
then
turned to Nancy with a scowl. “If they’re here, we’ll greet them. If they’re not here, well, we’ll probably see them tomorrow at the funeral. If I don’t see them at all, that’s fine with me. I’m here for Miss Ellie, not them.”

“Did you call her?”

“No, I couldn’t. I’ve had too much to deal with.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But if she’s here, she’ll have to talk to you since she’s the one who made the first move.” Nancy looked around. “Aren’t you even a little curious what she has to say?”

“Yes, but—I don’t know if I want to come face-to-face with her now. And certainly not here in front of all these people. Not after all this time.”

Nancy scrunched her nose. “Sorry. I guess I’m more curious than you are. I haven’t seen Ronnie in ages. I wonder if he’s still gorgeous like he . . .”

“Nancy!” Her voice was a strained whisper. “Have you lost your ever-living mind? That’s my former husband you’re talking about.”

“I know. I know. He’s
Doti’s
former husband too, but that doesn’t change things. He was still gorgeous.
”

Anna Marie threw her head back. She didn’t know whether to scream or laugh at her old friend. “This is insane.”

“Sorry, Anna.
I didn’t mean to upset you. I know he was a conceited jerk who tore your life apart, not to mention the friendship the three of us had. But, you have to admit he was a hunk.” She fanned herself. “I get the burning insides when I think about him the first time we saw him walk down the hall by our lockers. You remember? We all fell against the wall and swooned when he turned the corner.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember. Then he stuck his head around the corner and grinned. He knew he was good looking. I have no idea what possessed me to go out with him.”

“Because he was the most gorgeous thing that had walked through the doors of Bayou Cove High, and when someone like that asked someone from our group out, that was a victory for all of us.”

“Yeah, I guess he brought us up on the social ladder while we dated.”

Nancy fanned herself again.

Anna Marie raised an eyebrow to Nancy. She didn’t want to talk about Ronnie. No matter how handsome he was as a teen, his inflated ego kept him from doing what was right as an adult. The ache and the anger in her chest nearly choked her, an ache that should’ve vanished years ago.

Maybe Nancy was right. Maybe she’d never forgiven him and
Doti
for what they’d done to her.

“Yep,” Nancy said, “we all climbed a few rungs on that ladder when you walked into Prom with him that night.”

Anna Marie nodded, but didn’t respond. Those early years with Ronnie were great—that is, before they took a downward spiral
.

They inched their way along the wide hallway of the restored antebellum home with its hardwood floors and twenty-foot ceilings. Beautifully carved side tables sat between high-backed upholstered chairs where groups of people talked quietly as they came out of the large chapel.

“Why, if it isn’t Anna Marie and Nancy?
I can’t believe after all these years that you two girls are still inseparable?”

Anna Marie recognized Lucille Carmichael, the girl who’d played in the coast’s symphony orchestra ever since junior high school.
“Hi, Lucille.
Goodness, you haven’t changed a bit.”

“Why, thank you, Anna. I work hard to keep my girlish figure.”

Wondering how Lucille’s life had turned out, Anna Marie watched her closely as she talked to Nancy.

“I haven’t seen Miss Ellie in years,” Lucille said. “I think the newspaper said she was close to eighty.” Lucy looked around, then in a nonchalant voice finished. “She was probably ready to die. Maybe that man did her a favor.”

Anna Marie should’ve been happy that Lucille didn’t know the identity of the man responsible for her death, but she wasn’t. The comment scraped across her chest like fingers across a chalk board.

“No, I don’t think she was ready to die,” she said trying to keep her voice calm. “I talked with her just a couple weeks ago. She wasn’t her spry self, but she certainly wasn’t sitting around waiting for Death to knock at her door.”

Was her voice sharp?

Lucille opened her mouth to comment, but only smiled, then looked around as if trying to find an escape route. “I think I see my neighbor in line. I’ll see you girls later.”

Anna Marie folded her hands in front of her body and calmed her breathing.

“You okay?”

She watched Lucille walk away before answering. “Yes, I’m okay. Did I overreact?”

“
Ummm
, I’d say maybe a little. Maybe you’d better let me do the talking if anyone else comes up.”

Anna Marie nodded. “At least she didn’t connect me with the drunken driver.”

Together the two friends inched their way toward the large chapel. Words didn’t seem necessary as they listened to old friends greet one another. Some even walked out the side doors, arms looped and laughing. No one dabbed their eyes or even looked as if they had cried for Miss Ellie at all.

“I guess when you’re as old as she was, people just expect you to die. Maybe Lucille was right.” The words slipped from Anna Marie’s mouth before she was aware of their presence.

“Why do you say that?”

“No one’s mourning her. Some of these people act as though this is a class reunion. Don’t they know how awesome Miss Ellie was and what my dad took away from this community?”

“Anna, most of these people are here because they remember her from high school, not because they visited her and kept up with her. That’s the way things are.”

“I guess, but it’s sad to see so many people here, but so few tears.”

Nancy placed her hand on Anna Marie’s shoulder. “But they’re here. That’s what counts. These people wouldn’t be here if they didn’t feel an attachment to her.”

“Yeah, I guess, but I get the feeling they’re here to see a freak show. Old lady riding bike gets run over by drunk just out of prison. Now that’s a story.”

“Now you’re really being silly and protective, like you always were of her and of your own mother.”

By the time they reached the guest registry, Anna Marie couldn’t decide how she felt about the crowd of well-wishers. At least at her mother’s funeral, the few people who came were there because they knew and loved her.

She signed her name and stepped away from the podium.
LaFaire
was her maiden name. She remembered when Miss Ellie strongly suggested she take her own name back after the divorce.
“Why would you want to keep Ronnie’s name? You don’t have children? You are who you are, and would you want to be the other Mrs. Ronnie Daniels if he marries
Doti
or someone else?”

Miss Ellie had always been right. Except for the fact that now her name was the same of Miss Ellie’s killer, she was glad she’d listened. She didn’t want to have the same last name as
Doti
.

As they made their way into the viewing room, Anna Marie was pleased to see the men and women here who filled the seats talked quietly and respectful. She felt several groups staring at her, whispering, and trying not to make eye-contact. Refusing to acknowledge those that recognized her as Carl’s daughter, she kept her gaze on the backs of those in front of her.

At least those who sat quietly showed respect for Miss Ellie. They were her true friends and family. Two older ladies whom she recognized as former teachers nodded to them as they passed. They had worked alongside of Miss Ellie for years. They deserved to be here with her.

She looked at Nancy and thought how sad it must be to lose an old friend and was glad she still had Nancy as the one constant in her life.

The line inched forward and, before she knew it, she and Nancy were standing in front of Miss Ellie’s casket. A spray of delicate pink rosebuds lay on top. With permission from Miss Ellie’s sister and brother, before the drunken driver had been identified, she and Nancy had ordered them. Had they made the offer after her father had been identified, she had a feeling the family would not have accepted their offer.