Chapter 95
I picked up the phone, took a deep breath and called Violet. She answered, her tone cool but not as chilly as before. Of course, she knew it was me from her caller ID.
"I miss you, Violet. I don't want to fight anymore."
"I miss you too. I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"
I started to cry. "Of course! You're my sister, I have to forgive you."
We laughed, still awkward in our reconciliation.
"Look, Violet, we need to talk about Momma's will."
"Oh! How could I forget all about that? I'm sure it won't be that big a deal."
I forced cheerfulness into my voice. "I wondered if I could run over later and we could look over it?"
"Sure, want to come over for lunch? Then we can chat while Ashley and Mikey nap."
Lunch sounded like a terrible idea. The March of Protest began rumbling in my gut at the thought of it. "How about I skip lunch and come at naptime. My stomach hasn't been the best."
"Oh sure, darlin'. It's probably nerves."
I wanted to say, No, I'm sure it's the beer, but didn't trust Violet's reaction, so I said nothing.
"Why don't you come around two?"
I hoped that gave me enough time to get myself together. "Yeah, see you then."
I got a gla.s.s of water and lay down in my bed. I had woken up there that morning, but for the life of me couldn't remember how I got there. The last thing I remembered was falling asleep on Joe's lap, which brought a combination of embarra.s.sment and joy. The logical explanation was that Joe helped me get here. A moment of panic filled me at the thought of being so out of it that I didn't remember going to bed. But I woke up fully clothed, minus my shoes. If Joe wanted to take advantage of me, he would have done it when I flung myself at him.
I napped, and felt a little better when I got up. Crackers and a hot shower also helped. When I arrived at Violet's house, my stomach had settled, but my head still ached a bit, nothing I couldn't manage.
I placed the trunk in a large paper shopping bag. I figured it was part of the will so I should bring it to show Violet. But anxiety ate at me as I knocked on Violet's door. I told myself I had nothing to be nervous about. It couldn't get any worse.
When Violet opened the door, she pulled me into a hug, the bag banging against the door.
"What's that?" she asked.
"I'll tell you in a minute. Are the kids down for their nap?"
"Yeah, let's go into the kitchen."
Violet poured gla.s.ses of tea for both of us, which I had trouble choking down. I hadn't decided if I would admit to the getting-drunk part, but I knew I couldn't leave until I told her about the kissing part of the previous night.
I set the envelope on the table and slid it to her. "Read this."
I sat back, gnawing on my lower lip. Violet sensed my anxiety and narrowed her eyes as she picked up the envelope and pulled out the papers.
I watched her face as she read, her expression changing from concentration to surprise, then horror. She looked up with huge eyes, the color drained from her face. "Oh, my goodness! I had no idea! I swear to you, Rose. I had no idea."
"I know, Vi. I know you didn't."
"What are we gonna do?" Her question sounded like a wail.
"I don't know. I guess you need to decide what you're going to do with the house."
"But that's not right, Rose. It's not fair."
We sat in pain filled silence. Finally, I patted her hand. "It is what it is."
"But I don't want it all! I want you to have half."
I twisted my mouth into a lopsided smile. "I got somethin', too."
"What?"
I pulled the box out of the paper bag and set it on the table. "This."
"What in tarnation is that?"
"I believe it is the wooden box bequeathed to me in Momma's will. You'll see it on the next page."
Violet flipped the page, running her finger down the print until she found my name. After reading it, she looked up, fire burning in her eyes. "What the h.e.l.l?"
"Violet Mae!"
"What kind of nonsense is this? A wooden box? What's in there?"
I scooted it toward her. "I have no idea. It's locked."
She fumbled with the padlock. "We have to figure out how to get this off."
"I know, but I have no idea how. I couldn't find the key." Part of me didn't care what was in there. Anything from Momma couldn't be good.
Violet grabbed a dishtowel and scrubbed the dust off the top of the box. "There's writin' under all this dust!" She bent over the box again, invigorated by her discovery, and traced the etching with her fingers. "It says Dora."
"Who's Dora?" I couldn't remember Momma or Daddy ever mentioning a Dora.
"I don't know..." her
My laugh was only slightly bitter. "Yeah, I suppose it is. We could have our very own Let's Make a Deal. Violet Beauregard, do you want to trade your inheritance for the mysterious contents of a small wooden box?"
Violet's eyes grew misty. "Rose, I'm so sorry. Really, I am. I'll make this right. I promise."
"Maybe you should wait to see what's in the box before you go offerin' me anythin'. There might be a pirate's booty in there." I tried to sound lighthearted. None of this was Violet's fault. There was no sense making her feel bad.
"How can you tease like that? Momma cut you out of her will!"
"No, she didn't. She gave me a box. Besides, it was no secret Momma didn't like me. I'll admit to bein' pretty upset when I found out, but I've had time to get over it."
Mostly.
"I should have been there for you," she said, "but I was being stubborn and spiteful. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, water under the bridge and all that. But I have other news to tell you." My face lit up into a big smile, eager to change the subject.
Violet's eyes twinkled in antic.i.p.ation. It wasn't like me to get so excited. "What?"
"I got my first kiss last night!"
Her face froze in horror. "You what?"
I pinched my lips together in disappointment. That was not the reaction I expected. I lifted my chin in defiance. "I said I got my first kiss. And it was wonderful, thank you very much for asking."
She raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, back up. When? Where? Who?"
"Last night. On my front porch. Joe." I felt like I was playing a game of Clue.
She looked confused. "Joe? Joe who?"
I rolled my eyes. "Joe McAllister, my next door neighbor. Joe."
Indignation filled her eyes. "Did he take advantage of you?"
"No! It was nothing like that. We were sittin' on the front porch, drinkin' Uncle Earl's beer..."
"You were drinkin' beer?" Her voice raised several decibels.
"Sure, why not? Uncle Earl does."
"And you were drinkin' it on the front porch? In front of all the neighbors? The ones who think you murdered our mother less than a week ago? And you kissed him? On the front porch?"
I sighed in disappointment. "I thought you would be happy for me. Why just a week ago you told me I should have s.e.x."
"With a respectable man! And not less than week after our momma was murdered!" My words must have sunk in because she gasped and clutched her hands to her chest. "Oh, my dear Lord. You didn't have s.e.x with him, did you?"
"Yes, Violet." I said in a haughty tone. "I did. I had s.e.x with him right there on the front porch, next to the pots of geraniums. I had to move 'em though so Mildred could get a better view." I had to wonder what the neighbors might have seen if Joe hadn't turned me down.
"Rose!"
"And why would you think Joe isn't respectable? You don't know anythin' about him."
"Exactly my point, Rose. We don't know anything about him. Where does he work? What does he do? We don't know about his family."
Anger rose up and my hands balled up into fists in my lap. "There you go, to the heart of the matter. You don't know anything about his family, so that makes him suspect."
"That's not it, at all. He's takin' advantage of you at a vulnerable time. I don't trust him."
We sat in silence, my heart breaking that we were fighting again. What had happened to us?
Violet cleared her throat. "If you would like to go out on a date, I am sure Mike knows someone we could fix you up with."
"What?"
"You need to go out with a respectable man, from a good family. We can help you with that." The way she squared her shoulders told me she had made up her mind and wouldn't back down.
"So let me get this straight, if I want a boyfriend, you're gonna get me one, one from a respectable family?" I waited for her to deny it. She didn't. "Oh my stars! You are! That's exactly what you're sayin'! You think I'm incapable of getting a boyfriend on my own?"
"Rose, be sensible. You are completely inexperienced. You are twenty-four years old and never had a boyfriend."
"There are multiple reasons why..."
"Rose, reasons be d.a.m.ned, you are naive. Men will take advantage of you, honey. We have to make sure that you date men who will appreciate your...lack of dating history."
I stood up. "I can not believe you are doin' this." I grabbed the box and put it in the bag.
"Rose!" Violet protested. "Just think about it, sweetie. I love you. I don't want you to get hurt."
"Violet, I am not a child." I picked up my purse and the bag. "You have got to stop treating me like one."
"What has gotten into you, Rose?" she asked, following me to the door.
"I'm growing up, Violet. Deal with it."
I got in my car and drove out of her neighborhood, not ready to go home yet. She hadn't told me what she wanted to do with the house. Everything was a mess.
I drove past the dress shop and stopped on a whim. I felt good about how I looked at the visitation and funeral, and I was tired of wearing baggy, shapeless clothes. Besides, I could hear Violet in my head whining, "What will people say?" That settled it. I was shopping.
The saleswoman from the other day stood by the clearance rack when I entered the store. She saw me and did a double take. "You cut your hair."
I couldn't get over everyone's fascination with my hair. I half-smiled in response.
She seemed to forget the awkwardness of the vision I had of her daughter and helped me pick out several outfits. If I was gonna change, I was gonna change everything, ugly clothes included.
I left with multiple bags and lots of dollars poorer, but eager to get home. And hopefully see Joe.
I didn't see his car in the driveway when I pulled up, but I expected him to be at work. I went inside and boxed up most of my old clothes. I tried on one of my new outfits, a pair of capris and a sleeveless blouse. When I stared at myself in the mirror, I looked and felt like a different person. How was that possible?
I went out into the kitchen for a gla.s.s of water and noticed a message on the machine, realizing I'd forgotten to check it when I came home since I rarely got calls.
"Rose, hi. It's Joe. I just wanted to check on you and see how you're feeling. Umm...hey, if you're not busy, uh...I wondered if you might want to have dinner with me tonight. I should be home around six and we can figure somethin' out. Bye." When the machine beeped, my smile rivaled the width of the Grand Canyon.
He wanted to eat dinner with me. I wondered if this counted as a date, then practically danced in the kitchen. Yes, it was a date. My first date.
I was really glad I went shopping.
I'd be a nervous wreck thinking about it until he got home so I needed something to occupy me. I could take my old clothes to the thrift store. I briefly considered starting to pack up Momma's stuff but didn't feel right doing it alone. Maybe I'd call Violet later and see if she wanted to help.
I loaded up my car and drove to the charity. I dropped off the clothes and returned home around five-thirty, surprised that Joe's car was in his driveway. When I got out of the car, he burst out the front door, his eagerness catching me by surprise. I met him in my driveway, my face beaming with happiness.