Shady Bay (23 page)

June was so
funny. Her shirt said, “Save the Ta-Ta’s, Death to Cha-Cha!” Bodies danced and writhed in the flickering light of the bonfire. Everyone had a breast cancer awareness shirt on! Brody’s said, “Save second base!” Jaxon’s said, “Get away from my fun bags.” Summer’s said, “Be sure to squish your boobies.” They were insane and I freaking loved it.

“Come here, baby.” Jaxon pulled me into the sand near one of the outdoor heaters and wrapped me in his arms. We swayed back and forth to the music. “You feel so damn good, Mercy.”

His dimple deepened. I wanted to lick it. Was that weird?

“You feel amazing yourself.”

“I want you so bad.”

And I could tell it. I could feel him as he rubbed against me.

“Let’s take a walk.”

“Shit, I thought you’d never ask.” He threaded his fingers through mine and we took off down the beach into the darkness.

The winter passed
slowly and with this time, my health returned. I no longer looked ashen and gray, no more bags sat beneath my eyes. My hair had begun to grow back in and I could actually style it a little with my favorite coconut mousse. But as my heath got better, Celeste’s worsened.

She’d gotten a cold, which had turned into pneumonia. She’d finally gotten rid of it, but it had weakened her. I’d returned to work at the shop and had been crocheting up a storm. I was making bikinis, sandals, cover-ups. It was the off-season, but I’d sold everything last year and wanted to start stocking up for summer.

After checking the last customer out at ten after five o’clock on a Monday afternoon, I headed to Celeste’s. She wasn’t reading this week. She needed a break. I’d gone grocery shopping for both of us yesterday and was going to cook dinner for her. I locked up and ran across the street in between traffic and made my way into her townhouse.

“Celeste?”

She didn’t answer. She was probably napping. I padded up the stairs and down the hall toward her room. The door was cracked open and sure enough, she lay on the bed, beneath the covers. “Celeste?”

I eased the door open and sat beside her on the bed. “Celeste?” I tapped her shoulder. No response. I shook a little harder. “Celeste?” Oh, no. “Celeste!”

Moving from her side to her back, I could see that her eyes were open and blankly looking out into nothingness. She was gone.

Tears streaked down my face as I frantically grabbed for her phone and dialed 9-1-1. The operator stayed on the line with me until the paramedics arrived. Brody was on call. He saw her and his face fell. It was too late. He pulled me out of the room and sat me on the couch. I was numb. He dialed someone on his phone and within ten minutes, Jaxon and June were seated beside me. When it was time to move her, Jax helped me move to his place. She was gone. She was really gone.

The tears didn’t stop for days.

We planned her funeral. She’d had most things ready at the local funeral home. She’d picked out her casket, vault
, and even flower arrangement. A small life insurance policy had been set up to pay for her final expenses. The funeral of my friend was tomorrow. Everyone I’d ever lost was still living. I’d never lost anyone to death before.

June curled my
hair and applied mascara and eye shadow for me. She brushed on some peach blush and clear lip gloss. She even pulled the black maxi over my head and then helped me into my coat. I couldn’t even go through the motions. Before we left, I put the small package in my jacket pocket. It would be my last gift to Celeste.

The funeral directors were kind. She looked in death as she did in life, even her makeup and bangles were in place. When I asked that the bottom half of her casket be opened for a moment, Jaxon looked at me with concern etched on his face. The director opened the bottom half and I stared at her bare feet. She had always gone bare-footed
or in her trusty leather thongs until I made my first pair of crocheted sandals. After that, she’d always worn a pair of those. I slipped each sandal onto her cold foot, one after the other and made sure her skirt was straight before nodding to the director. He closed the bottom half of her casket. I could hear voices in the foyer. Celeste had requested an hour long visitation before her funeral and burial. It was starting.

June led me over to one of the seats in the front row, facing Celeste. She had no other family but us, so we stood and received her friends, many of whom I recognized as regular customers. The room was full and a few men were standing at the back of the small parlor room. As the preacher began his message, I blanked out. I just remembered how she’d saved me, how she’d caught me eating out of her garbage and instead of throwing me out like trash, she’d taken me in. She’d treasured me. And I’d found so much love in her that my heart felt like it was torn in two.

As Jaxon drove to the cemetery, I couldn’t help but cry. I wouldn’t hear her bracelets jangle again. She wouldn’t crack any more dirty jokes or read my palm on the fly. She wouldn’t wink at me and wag her eyes at Jaxon’s butt anymore. God, I would miss her.

When her casket was lowered into the ground, the preacher threw a fist full of dirt onto it. “Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.”

I could almost hear her chastising me for crying. She’d say, “Get your ass up and live. You didn’t survive this shit to mope around about me.”

Maybe one day I would be able to do just that. But not today. It wouldn’t be today. I missed her too much. My heart hurt too damn much to do anything.

June stepped through
the front door. “How is she?”

“Not good.”

She nodded.

“Let me talk to her.” June stepped into the bedroom where Mercy had holed herself up for the past two days.

I could hear Mercy crying and her and June talking. Awhile later, water rushed through the pipes. June came out. “She’s in the shower.”

I blew out a breath of relief.

“She’ll be okay, Jax. Just give her some time.” She looked at me and started to say something but stopped.

“What?”

“Has Mercy ever told you how she met Celeste?”

“She fainted in her driveway.”

June leaned against the counter across from me. “That’s not the entire story. You should ask her about it.”

I nodded.

“I’ve gotta take off. My shift starts in half an hour.”

“Thanks for coming over and for everything.”

June hugged me, gave me a half smile and then left.

I was waiting on the bed when Mercy came out of the shower. “Hey,” she said and sat down beside me. “Sorry I’ve been so out of it.” She was wrapped in a fluffy green towel.

“Don’t apologize. I understand.”

She nodded.

“Do I understand?”

“What do you mean?”

“June mentioned that you met Celeste before you passed out in her driveway. Did you know her before?”

She swallowed and looked at me from the corner of her eye. “Not long before.”

“How long?”

“A few minutes maybe. You know that I hitchhiked here, right?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“I was broke. No one would hire me so that I could make more money. I was stumbling along looking for a place to spend the night out of the cold weather, somewhere that wouldn’t cost me money. I’d slept under one of the piers when I first got to town. That froze me so bad, I got a twenty-
two dollar room just to get warm.”

I cringed. “Yeah. It was disgusting, but the water in the shower was warm and so was the bed.
Anyway, I saw this row of townhouses. Everything was dark and I thought no one was home. The trash was out at Celeste’s, so I took a peek to see if there was anything to eat.”

She wouldn’t look at me. “Don’t be ashamed for surviving, Mercy.” I nudged her chin up to look at her face. She swallowed and wrung her hands in her lap.

“I found a half-eaten banana and was chewing it up when Celeste flicked the carport light on and caught me. I was apologizing and leaving when I passed out. She asked you for help and Brody came and checked me out.”

“He knew you were hungry?”

She nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want anyone to know that I was dumpster diving. Rock bottom isn’t something people usually flaunt.”

She half-smiled.

“So, Celeste took me in, gave me a job and helped me get back on my feet. Hell, a while back, she even signed over her bank accounts and shop to me.”

She clapped a hand over her mouth. “I forgot all about that. Oh my God. She left me everything.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “Do you know she even saw I’d get
sick? She saw the cancer in me before I even knew Cha-Cha was there. She saw it in my palm.”

I rubbed her back and let her cry until she couldn’t cry anymore.

Dear Daddy,

I miss you so much and want to squeeze your neck! I’m doing great now. It’s spring and I think with the warm weather, my mood has gotten better. I’m not a mess anymore. I miss Celeste like crazy, but I know she’s looking out for me. The other day at the shop, a little old lady came in with bangles up and down her arms. It reminded me of her and for the first time since she died, I smiled at her memory.

No tears came, just a sort of warmth. She was that for me
; a warm light in a cold world. She gave me something I needed--not just food and shelter--she gave me hope. Without her, Jaxon and June, I don’t know if I could have survived the cancer. Cha-Cha was quite the bitch.

Summer’s coming soon. I’m working hard to get everything ready for the tourists who will flock to the shop. Half of the shop is still dedicated to all things Celeste. But the other half is me. It’s filled with my crocheted creations. I bought racks and displays. Things are definitely looking up. I hope you’re okay. I’m so glad you’re happier there. Hopefully, Jaxon and I will be able to visit soon. I miss you like crazy.

Jaxon and I are staying married. I thought once my treatment was over, he’d want out of this little arrangement. I love him so much, Daddy. I can’t even put it into words. My heart is just too full when he’s around. Hell, it’s full when he’s not around. Like right now. He’s in West Virginia helping his brother out with something. I can’t wait till he gets back later this week.

I’ll call you soon!

Love,

Mercy

Two days later, Jaxon pulled into the driveway. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, sunny and seventy-five degrees. I ran outside to meet him and threw my arms around his neck. I didn’t even notice the woman get out of the passenger side of his car. I opened my eyes and tensed up. “Mama?”

She looked uneasy.

“Hi
, Mercy.”

“What are you doing here?” Jaxon rubbed circles on the small of my back.

He spoke up. “She’s been doing better. She’s been in a treatment facility since your last visit and wanted to see you.”

“You got help?” I moved away from Jax.

“Yes. I struggle. Every day, but I’m trying really hard.” Mama squared her shoulders.

I ran to her. “Oh, God,
Mama. I’m so glad. What pulled you out of it?”

“Two things.” She stroked my hair, hugging me. “You telling me you had cancer and I hadn’t even known about it.”

“That’s one. What’s the other?”

She flicked her eyes toward Jaxon.

“You helped her?”

I pulled away from mama and looked at my husband.

“Yeah. I helped her find a place that would help her. She had to stay there for six months.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say.” My voice broke. “Thank you, Jaxon.”

I turned to mama. “I’m so glad you’re better.”

Jaxon spoke up. “If it’s okay, I’d like to let her stay
at your place. You never stay there anyway. She needs a chance to get on her feet. Someone once gave that chance to you and I’d like to pay it forward.”

I nodded. “I think that would be wonderful.”

Tears swam in my eyes, but these were overwhelmingly happy ones.