Lily White Lies (38 page)

Con had gone to his grandfather about the get-together and I was excited and relieved when like Gramp, he agreed to be there under mock protest.  Bringing our families together was a long time coming and I felt proud to have had a part in making it happen.  As happy of an occasion as this get-together was, I couldn’t possibly have prepared for what was to happen.

“Do I look okay?”  I asked as I smoothed my skirt.

“Honey, you look fabulous.  Stop worrying.”

“I want tonight to be perfect.”

Gram had invited everyone we knew but I didn’t recognize half the cars parked in the driveway and scattered throughout the yard.

When Gram answered the door, she was cheery and hospitable, but noticeably sober.  I looked her over carefully.  There was no slurred speech; no trembling in her hands and her characteristically bloodshot eyes had vanished.

“You’re not drinking?”  I asked.

“If I keep my flask capped, your grandfather will not only visit his little girl with me each week, but he will also grace Sunday morning service with his presence every now and again.”

I smiled broadly.  “Good for you.”  With a quick glance around the room, I froze where I stood.  Gram laid a hand on my shoulder.

“We brought her here on a day pass.  Go say hello to your mother, child.”

Sitting in a chair partially turned toward the window, my mother sat with her doll and an expression on her face that I’d never seen before.

Bending down, I said, “Hi, mom.  I’m so happy you could be here.”

She turned her head in my direction and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.  I spent several more minutes holding her hand and talking to her before rejoining Con in the kitchen.

We tried to mingle and spend a few minutes with everyone Gram had invited.  She was sure to invite my friends, some of the people Con works with, Sally, Nelda and Marco, and a few of her woman friends from church.

As much as I was enjoying myself, I felt a little disappointed that Joker hadn’t come as he said he would. 

“Did your grandfather say he’d be here for sure?”

“He likes to make an entrance.  He’ll be here.”

Gram prepared a buffet style dinner and as the last of the guests were filling their plates, I jumped with the chime of the doorbell.  Gram, Sally, Con and I each sat motionless as Gramp opened the door to welcome the late arrival.

As the door swung open, each man stood tall, eyes fixed on the other.  I held my breath until Gramp began to speak.

“Joker you old son-of-a-bitch, I thought you’d be bald by now.”

Joker ran a hand through his hair and replied, “Hell, I thought you’d be dead.”

As Gramp motioned him in, he rallied back, “I’ll piss on your grave...”

“I’ll dance on yours.”  Joker said with a laugh.

Joker hesitated briefly before accepting Gramp’s extended hand. 

“I was real sorry to hear about Gayle.  She was a good woman,” Gramp said in his most sincere voice.

“The best...”  Shaking his head, he repeated in a whisper, “The best.”

As Gram made her way from the table, Joker released Gramp from their grip and said, “With the exception of your lovely wife that is.  I hope you’re smart enough to thank the good Lord every goddam day of your life for giving her to you.”

Gramp looked devotedly at Gram and replied, “I certainly do.”

“Cybil, I’ve never seen you look lovelier.”

Leaning in for a hug, Gram replied, “Smooth as ever, you are.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.  I began the evening praying they could be civil to each other long enough to make it through the entire party but got more than I hoped for watching their playful banter.  They reminded me of the young boys they had each described, even after so many years and tragedies.

Gramp poured Joker a drink while Gram tried to talk him into eating.  Joker declined and then called my grandparents, Con and me into an adjoining room.

With all of us in the room, he closed the door and took a minute to organize his thoughts.

“I have something I’d like to say and I’d appreciate it if you all could keep your commentary and opinions—which I’m sure you’ll have—to yourselves until I’m finished.”  When no one opposed his request, he continued, “Stewart, I don’t know if you’re my oldest living friend or my oldest living enemy, but either way, you were there for me when I needed someone most and had no one else to turn to and for that, I am forever grateful.  You gave me the one thing in the world that all my money couldn’t buy and for that, thank you isn’t enough.”  He lowered his head briefly.  “I have decided that it’s time for old Joker to retire and unfortunately, that leaves my very loyal housekeeper out of work.  I was thinking that if your Karen were to come live here...  just maybe Ivory could come live with you... to take care of your daughter, of course.  I’ll see to it that she’s well compensated for her work here, you just provide the bed.”

Gramp cut in, “Now don’t you go being all nice, you’re scaring me,” with a laugh.

Bent slightly and holding his stomach as if it hurt from laughter, Joker said, “Hell, I’m scaring myself here.”

His expression becoming more serious, he turned toward Con.  “Connor, my boy.  You’ve always been a grandson to be proud of even if I didn’t say it enough.  Hell, even if I didn’t say it at all, I was always proud.  You’ve never taken a goddam thing from me and I don’t know if that makes you stupid or truly commendable, but it’s high time that changed.”  Pulling several sheets of folded paper from the inside of his lapel, he handed them to Con, and said, “This here is a contract I had drawn up today.  It simply states that Willoughby Manor, including Wisteria Falls will become yours on the day you marry,” casting his eyes in my direction, he added, “and I’m hoping that day will come soon.”

“Grandpa...”

“Don’t grandpa me boy.  You are my only heir and the most deserving person I know.  Say thank you and leave it at that.”

Con replied, “Thank you.”

Joker offered a short nod and turned his attention to me, his eyes glistening in the light.

“You’re getting a fine man in my grandson; you hear what I’m saying?”  I nodded and he continued.  “But...  he’s getting a fine gal in you.  If the two of you truly love each other, let nothing come between you...
ever
... you hear what I’m saying.  I’ve let things come between me and most of the people I cared about,” casting his glance toward Gramp, he continued, “and that’s one of my biggest regrets in life.”  Composing himself, he added, “You keep the journal I gave you.  Between the pages you’ll find the answer to what love really is.”

He gave my arm a squeeze and turned toward my grandmother.  “Cybil, I don’t’ think he’ll ever realize just how goddamn lucky he was.  You keep reminding him, you hear.  Don’t let him forget for a day.”

Gram nodded and gave him a hug before he turned his attention to Gramp.

“We’ve been through the mill, haven’t we?  What do you say...  time to hang up the shotguns and let the man upstairs decide?”

Gramp laughed and threw an arm around Joker as he opened the door.  “You let Him decide, you’re going to pass me on your way down.”

“Like hell I say.  I’ve done some good things in my life, you just don’t know about them.  I don’t go tooting my own horn the way you do.”

I heard Gramp say, “You’re the same lying sack of shit you’ve always been,” as they disappeared among the guests in the living room.

Con joined the other guests when Gram asked him to give us a few minutes alone.  Once the door had closed behind him, she pulled an envelope from the desk in the corner.  Handing it to me, I looked curiously at her.

“Go ahead, child... read it.”

I began to read a lot of legal wording, much of which I didn’t understand and continued to read until I came across something that was familiar, suddenly realizing what I was holding in my hands.

“Gram this is...”

“Yes, child,” she nodded, “It’s the deed to Wisteria Falls.”

“But Joker just...  why didn’t Gramp...”

“Principle, child.  Men are a proud bunch.  If it makes Joker happy to think he gave Wisteria Falls to his grandson, let it be.  It’ll serve no purpose to tell him otherwise.  Once you're married it won't make any difference, but it just goes to show you how foolish their stupid feud was and who the bigger man really is.”  She paused, and then said, “Don’t go telling your grandfather I told you this, but he intends on giving this to you on your birthday, instead of leaving it to you in his will.”

I bowed my head.  “Another lily white lie?”

Gram waved me off and turned me to face the mirror that hung on the wall by the door.

“I’ve never been more proud of anyone as I am of you right now, child.  The way you’ve handled everything you learned, the way you’ve embraced your mother and I’m the most proud of you for the fine woman you’ve become.  I just wanted you to know that,” she said before giving me a pat on the hand and leaving me to stare at the girl in the mirror.

I studied her carefully, memorizing every detail of her face, her expression and the fire in her eyes and suddenly realized, I was her.  I had become the girl in the mirror.  With the help of people who knew the true meaning of selfless love and a few lily white lies, the insecure, indecisive girl from before was gone for good.

   The corners of my mouth turned up in a smile, as I said, "Give’em hell," and rejoined the party.