Diana Anderson - Entering Southern Country 01 - Famous in a Small Town (12 page)

“Tory is fine. She’s back at camp, and the girls are having a ball. When you get back, we’ll all have to get together and have a girls’ day out.”

“I’d like that.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve taken care of it. I’ve met with the editor and the publisher. I don’t want you to worry about a thing here. You take care of yourself.”

“Thanks, Becca. I plan on getting out of here and heading home as soon as I can.”

She said goodbye and disconnected. Ten minutes later, she pulled into the Johnson’s Funeral Home parking lot.

After an hour and forty-five minutes, she was back in her car. She drove toward the interstate. Her stomach growled. When she had been in high school, she had worked at a diner just off the interstate on Main Street. She pulled into the parking lot and got out. She made her way to the front door and opened it. She walked in and looked around for a booth. After she spotted one near the back, she made her way to it.

A waitress walked over with a menu. “Can I get you something to drink while you look over the menu?”

“Tea, please.”

“Sweet or unsweet?”

“Un … make it sweet.” She smiled up at the waitress.

“I’ll have it here in just a jiffy.” She turned on her heel and headed toward the counter.

Raven held the menu up at eye level. Someone sat down across from her. She peered over the top of the menu at Janie.

“Well now, the prodigal child returns.” Janie scooted a glass of iced tea in front of Raven.

“Janie. It’s nice to see you again.” Raven smiled.

“Always a pleasure, Agnes … I’m sorry, it’s Raven now, isn’t it?” Janie placed her elbows on the table, clasped her fingers together, and rested her chin on her knuckles.

Raven put the menu down, positioned her arms on the table, and laced her fingers together. “Word travels fast.”

“Why would you want to keep your name a secret?” Janie squinted at her.

Raven gave her a head a small quick shake and thinned her lips. “It’s a long story.”

Janie pursed her bottom lip and nodded. “Of course.” She reached over to the corner of the table and straightened the salt and pepper shakers while she watched her from the corner of her eye. “I’m sorry about your pa and your step-mother.”

Raven adjusted her position in her seat. “Thanks.”

The waitress appeared and asked, “Are you ready to order?”

“House salad with the house dressing, please,” Raven said and smiled up at her.

When the waitress left, Janie asked, “When’s the funeral?”

“No funeral, just graveside services at Greenwood Lawns. It’s scheduled for Saturday at ten o’clock.”

“You staying on awhile?”

She shook her head. “No. I’ve got a life now, Janie.”

She knew why Janie was so inquisitive. She’d always liked Cal’s mother. When she and Cal had dated, Janie had always made sure that Raven was invited to every family get-together.

“That’s good, but you had one here too, you know? Might not have been perfect, but you did live here, grew up here, and left some family and good friends behind.”

Raven gave her a half smile. “Friends?”
Family?

“Yea, me for one.”

She nodded. “And can you name anymore?”

“Cal.”

“Cal and I dated, we weren’t necessarily
friends
.” Raven used her fingers in quote. She folded her arms across each other and leaned forward. “I didn’t have friends in high school. I was too geeky. A book nerd. Kids only hung around me for short durations, hoping I’d do their homework for them. I didn’t have any real friends.”

“And that’s a shame too. You were, and I’m positive you still are, a nice person. I’ve always respected you.”

“Thank you, Janie. I’ve always liked and respected you too.”

“Well, I’d bet you’d have a lot of friends here now.” She chuckled. “Bet they’d all be saying how they knew you in school, and you were their best friend, and so on.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Janie laughed. “Your book. Everyone in this town has read it or is reading it.”

The color washed from Raven’s face.

“Are you okay?” Janie asked.

Raven took a drink of her tea and then lowered her gaze when she set her glass down on the table. “I suppose there’s no denying it.”

“Why would you want to? You’re a talented young woman.”

Raven’s eyes looked into Janie’s. “Have you read it?”

She nodded.

“Well, I don’t want the attention because of the book or any other reason for that matter. And before that could ever happen, I want to be long gone.” Raven picked up her tea glass and took another sip.

“Did you get married?”

Raven gave her a puzzled look. “No.”

“I was just wondering about your last name, Sawyer.”

“Oh. No, I did an Eeny, meeny, miny, moe in the phone book and landed on Sawyer.”

“I figured you’d be married and have a child by now.” Janie studied her.

Her eyes looked away as she set down her glass. “I don’t have time for dating or marriage.”

“Your mother, how is she these days?”

She shrugged. “Okay … she’s okay.”

The waitress returned with her order and set her salad on the table. “Will there be anything else?”

“No, thanks!”

Raven bowed her head and closed her eyes for a moment. She picked up her fork and took a bite of salad.

“I don’t recall you ever praying before. I mean—when you used to work here, and when you and Cal were dating, and when y’all would come by the house for Sunday dinner. I don’t mean to be nosey, but?” She turned her head a tad and eyed her.

“I began attending church while I was in college. I got saved.”

“Wow! That’s great,” Janie said.

Raven glanced up at her and saw the curious look on her face. “What?”

“Does you mother know?”

“No. Why?”

The corner of Janie’s mouth rose. “No reason, just wondered.”

31

Suzanne knelt down and placed a bouquet of pink roses on the small gravesite, roses that she had grown in her rose garden. She reached down and pulled long blades of grass away from the headstone that the caretaker had missed with the weed trimmer. She tossed them aside and looked up at the small statue of an angel sitting on top of the headstone and cradling infant. Tears ran down her cheeks as she ran her fingers over the name that was engraved.

Amelia Anne Rayburn

Now in the arms of an angel.

July 4, 1985 – July 12, 1985

“I miss you so much, my little Amelia, my sweet baby girl,” she whispered.

She had visited on holidays and Amelia’s birthday. She had visited once a week the first year after her death. The years that followed, with the exception of Amelia’s birthday, she visited once a month, but always on the twelfth. Today was the twenty-eight anniversary of her death. She had been there that last Tuesday for her birthday on the fourth.

Her shoulders slumped as she hung her head. Tears flowed down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. It felt like yesterday when she’d lost Amelia. Suzanne had awoken early every morning before Amelia was awake to get ready for her day. She had rushed about to get what needed to be done out of the way so she could spend all day with her baby. She hadn’t hired a nanny and didn’t want one. Amelia was her responsibility and her joy in life.

The morning of July 12
^th
, Suzanne had just gotten out of the shower and glanced at the clock in her bedroom. She realized she hadn’t heard a sound from the baby. Amelia had awakened every morning on schedule, but that morning she was twenty minutes late. Suzanne had gotten dressed and hurried into the nursery. As soon as she saw Amelia, she knew. She didn’t look the same. Her color was gone and her skin was cold.

She had lifted the baby out of the crib and held her to her breast. She walked a few steps toward the nursery door and collapsed to her knees. Her wail was heard by the housekeeper. Mavis had hurried to the doorway. Suzanne had sat on her heels and rocked the baby.

The autopsy report said crib death. Suzanne didn’t have any other children. She didn’t want any other children for fear of another loss to this mysterious condition. She couldn’t handle another loss.

She had spent the last twenty-eight years in her flowerbeds and what time she wasn’t in her beautiful flower and rose gardens, she took care of the rose gardens in the city park and volunteered at the local library. She read to the children and helped plan special events and activities for them. In October, as she had every year since the baby’s death, she worked on the annual toy drive for the local children.

Why she’d stayed with Angus as long as she had was a mystery to her. She supposed that she didn’t want to live alone. There was one other person she had confided her misery to, and that person had suggested she leave him. When she said that she’d already committed one major transgression, she wouldn’t add to it with a divorce, that person suggested she get a pet. But that had been years ago, she still hadn’t gotten a pet.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tissue. She blotted under her eyes and blew her nose. She stuffed the tissue back into her pocket.

With gentle pressure, a hand touched her shoulder. She looked back over her shoulder at the silhouette that stood in the bright mid-day sun. She raised her hand to shade her eyes and then smiled at the man who stood behind her. He reached his hand out. She took it and stood up.

32

“Get it off of me!” Callie screamed as she ran into the den. She held up the skirt of her dress and glanced around the room.

Maggie turned away from the fireplace mantle where she was dusting and looked at Callie. “Get what off of you?”

Callie looked at Maggie and snarled her upper lip. “Not you.” She hurried toward the staircase. “Ted? Ted? Get down here this instant. I need your help.” She looked back at Maggie. “Is he up there? Is he even home?”

“I saw him earlier walking the dog.” Maggie turned back to the mantle.

Callie ran toward the foyer. The front door opened, and she jumped back at the sight of the dog. Ted followed with the leash in hand and closed the door behind him.

“Where have you been?” Before he could answer, she added, “You were here for lunch and said you’d taken the rest of the day off. Then when I need you the most, you are nowhere to be found.”

“I was walking the dog,” he said. He reached down and unleashed Gabriel.

Gabriel walked over and sniffed Callie’s hand.

She jumped back. “Get away from me, you mutt!”

The dog scampered back.

“What’s wrong with you, Callie?” Ted eyed her. “You scared him. He reached over and patted the dog’s head.

“I need you to get this thing off of me.” She pulled up her skirt and twisted her leg around toward him.

“What thing?”

“This thing.” She pointed to the back of her right upper thigh.

Ted stepped over, bent down, and looked. “It’s a tick.”

“Yes, it’s a tick. Now get it off of me. Now!”

“Well, there’s no need to get all excided. I’ll take care of it.”

“No need to get all excited? You’re not the one with the damn thing attached to your ass. They carry diseases. You should know this. You’re a doctor, for crying out loud.” She dropped her skirt and pointed her finger at the dog. “He’s the one that brought this thing inside the house. I want him out of here.” She looked hard at Ted. “Do you hear me?”

Ted shook his head. “That tick has been on you for awhile. Longer than that dog has been here. You could have picked it up anywhere. I’ll call the exterminator and get them to spray the yard.” He walked toward the hallway.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked as she fisted her hands on her hips.

“To get a pair of tweezers and some alcohol.”

Callie relaxed her shoulders. “Good idea. I could use a stiff drink. This has made me so upset. It’s a miracle I haven’t had a heart attack.”

She walked over to the sofa, and stretched out on her stomach, and rested her head on a throw pillow. “I can’t believe this is happening to me. I could have a scar from this.”

Maggie walked over to an end table in front of a window near a side chair. She cut her eyes toward the sofa and studied Callie a moment and then turned back to her dusting.

“Are you listening to me?” Callie turned her head and looked around the room before spotting Maggie.

“Ma’am?” Maggie bit down on her tongue and squeezed her eyes shut.

“How many times do I have to tell you
not
to call me that?” Callie glared at her.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Wallace. I was so wrapped up in my chores that it just slipped out. I’ll do my best to see that it doesn’t happen again.”

“How old do you think I am anyway?”

Maggie looked straight ahead and stared at her own reflection in the window pane. She thinned her lips and then said, “Thirty-two?” Although she had her back to Callie and couldn’t see her, she cut her eyes to the right and waited.

“What?”

Maggie squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out, “Twenty-nine?”

“No, I’m thirty-two,” she lied. “I can’t believe you guessed it right off the bat. Are you from Louisiana where they do all that hocus pocus stuff and can read palms, and cards, and minds, and stuff like that?”

“No ma …” she cleared her throat, “my family is from around here.”

“Oh.” Her voice sounded disappointed. “That’s too bad. I really need to have my fortune told. You wouldn’t happen to know anyone who does that sort of thing, would you?”

“No, I can’t say I know anyone that’s into that sort of thing. Nobody at my church reads cards. They just read the bible.”

“That’s too bad. So you go to church?”

“Yes.” Maggie stepped over to a picture on the wall and wiped down the frame.

“Tell me, what’s the purpose of going to church? I mean, I don’t get all of this Jesus stuff.”

“Well, you’d have to know Him to understand.”

Ted entered the room.

She eyed what he carried with him as he walked toward her. “It’s about time. I’m in pain here.” She frowned. “I thought you were going to fix me a drink.”