Stepping to a New Day (4 page)

The smile that he showed cut the tension. “Yes, ma'am.”

As he drove toward town she sighed inwardly. His treating her like he always knew what was best was driving her nuts, but she reminded herself that she'd loved him since high school. Marrying Riley Curry instead had been the worst decision of her life. Now they were trying to rekindle what they'd lost decades ago and she was doing her best to ignore the tiny voice in her head that kept whispering it was too late.

The Dog and Cow was the only diner in town and, as always during the dinner hour, the place was jumping. The booths lining the walls and tables positioned in the middle of the large room were filled with people, and myriad conversations competed to be heard over the sound of the flashy red jukebox playing “Cowboys to Girls” by the Intruders. The family of the Dog's owner, Malachi July, had lived in Henry Adams for over a century. Mal was also Clay's BFF.

Upon seeing them enter, Mal came over and gave her a hug. “Welcome home. Did you have a good time?”

“I did.”

“Good. Hold on a minute and I'll get you two a booth.”

While they waited Gen shared smiles and waves with a host of people she knew: from members of the young waitstaff like Bernadine's daughter, Crystal, to Sheila Payne, the town's director of special events, and Sheila's husband, Marine Colonel Barrett. When Gen was young her main goal in life had been to leave town and see the world, and she thought by marrying Riley with his boastful plans it would happen, but as the years passed she found herself stuck in a loveless marriage with a man who cared more for a hog than he did for his wife. Now that she was finally in charge of her own life, she was content with this small town and the wonderful friendships she'd made because she was no longer stuck. In spite of Ri
ley's embezzlement, she was still financially secure—thanks to Bernadine's advisors—and if she wanted to spend a week in Washington, DC, or even Paris, she could.

Mal waved them over to a booth on the far side of the room. When the smiling Crystal came over to take their order, Gen ordered the trout and veggies. Clay opted for steak, salad, and a baked potato. “I'll get this right out,” Crystal promised.

She headed off to the kitchen to put in their order and Gen asked Clay, “So, what have you been doing while I was gone?”

“Besides worrying?”

Lord save me from this man!
“Besides worrying.”

“Not much. Bing and I drove over to Topeka for the Black Farmers' meeting. We're still dealing with the fallout of the lawsuit. Some people with legitimate claim numbers are being told their cases were filed too late for them to be compensated.”

He was a member of the class action suit filed by Black farmers nationwide against the Agriculture Department for its decades of unethical loan disbursements and illegal land forfeitures. “Do the people who were denied have any options?” she asked.

“It doesn't look like it, but we'll see. We were also told that the ombudsman hired to look after our interests is raking in millions that should be going toward the settlement.”

She knew that Clay, his elderly housemate Bing Shepard, and some of the other farmers in the area had already received their portions of the landmark settlement, but others, particularly many of the women, had yet to receive a dime, and she found that shameful. “Did you see Marie at all while I was gone?”

“No. She's been keeping to the house just like she did before you left. I'm worried about her.”

“So am I, and I wish I knew how to help. Living with her is like living in a tomb. I think I'm going to look into getting a mobile home.”

He paused. “Really?”

She nodded. “Time for me to move out and be on my own. I'll talk to Lily and see what I need to do.”

“Are you going to put it on your land?”

“Yes. And sometime in the near future I'm going to have another house built.” And once it was ready she'd replace the roses and the sunflowers Riley's damn hog had rooted up at her old place. She wouldn't be able to replace the heirlooms and knickknacks given to her by her mother or grandmother, though. They'd been lost when Cletus trashed the house so thoroughly the county condemned it and then bulldozed the place. Her heart still ached over the loss. She glanced up to find Clay staring at her. “What's the matter?”

“Why are you building a house?”

“So I'll have a permanent place to stay, Clayton.”

“But what about us?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I thought you and I would be together.”

“We are, but I'm not ready to jump back into a marriage right this minute, and I'm too old-fashioned to live with a man who hasn't put a ring on it.” Gen was a huge Beyoncé fan.

Once again his lips tightened. She wanted to ask him if he was planning to propose to her, but afraid he might say yes, she left the question alone.

He took a sip of water, and after putting the glass down leaned in and revealed quietly, “I'm not comfortable with who you're trying to turn yourself into, Genevieve. You're acting like you're twenty-five.”

Her lips tightened this time. “I'm turning myself into the woman I should have been when I was twenty-five, Clay. Why is that making you uncomfortable? Don't you want me to be happy with myself?”

Crystal's return with their food stayed his response. After setting their plates in front of them, Crys asked, “Anything else I can get you two?”

“No, honey,” Gen answered. “I think we're good.”

“Okay. Enjoy.”

Once Crystal moved away, Clay cut into his steak.

Gen asked gently, “Aren't you going to tell me why you're so uncomfortable?”

“Let's just eat before our food gets cold.”

Shaking her head with exasperation, she began to eat.

The ride back to Marie's place was as silent as their meal had been. When he stopped in front of the house, he confessed, “Honestly, I'm uncomfortable because I like the old Gen better. I enjoy looking after you, doing things for you, and you needing me. This new version doesn't seem to need any of that.”

“I'm sorry I'm no longer helpless, Clay. For the first time in my life, I'm in control of me. Not my parents. Not Riley. Me. And I'm enjoying that. Can't you be happy for me?”

“I'm an old-fashioned guy, Gen. I want to take care of my woman.”

She chose her words carefully. “And I appreciate that, but I don't want to be taken care of, Clay. I'm finally figuring out who Genevieve Gibbs really is. Her strengths, her likes, her dislikes, and I would love it if you'd come along with me on this journey and cheer me on.”

He didn't reply.

“You won't even try, Clay. For us?”

He stared stonily out of his window and when he didn't relent, she reached down and opened her door. “Okay,” she said, trying not to be overwhelmed by the sadness in her heart. “I'll see you.” She got out, closed the door again, and started to the porch. He drove away and she didn't look back.

Hearing Gen moving around upstairs, Marie couldn't decide if she was glad to have her back or not. On the one hand, she'd been lonely knocking around in the big old house alone, but on the other hand, being by herself fed the funk she'd descended into since Rita Lynn's visit last Christmas. Her cringeworthy behavior and the bridges she'd burned on that awful afternoon made her want to climb into a hole and never come out. Apologies to friends like Genevieve were warranted, yet she couldn't bring herself to offer them due to her inner shame and humiliation. As a result, she hadn't been to the Dog, attended the town meetings, or checked on how things were going at the beautiful school that bore her name. She knew she had to reenter the world at some point, but it was much easier not to.
How do I face people again?
She didn't want to see the pity in Mal's eyes now that he knew she'd been pining for him since middle school. They'd been friends over sixty years and he'd always viewed her as a sister. Marie had always prided herself on her inner discipline but when Rita Lynn, who'd given birth to Mal's son while they were in high school, coolly revealed the truth about those feelings all that discipline flew out the window and she lost her mind. Age-old anger and resentment rose up like unleashed toxic lava, and next she knew she was spewing it all over the place—at Genevieve, Mal, and yes, Rita Lynn. If Rita Lynn hadn't
ended the encounter by dashing a glass of ice water in Marie's face, there's no telling how much more damage might've been done. Marie dragged her hands wearily down her face. And now, here she sat almost four months later, wallowing in self-pity and mad at a world that seemed to offer nothing but heartache. From her cold and distant mother, Agnes, to the son she'd been forced to put up for adoption and who wanted no contact, to her failed relationships with men. Marie was tired of being strong, optimistic, and hopeful. Her life had been one beatdown after another and she was tired of fighting back.

When Riley entered the crowded car dealership that Friday morning, he didn't have much of a plan but hoped and prayed something would work out. Since he hadn't had Vera's rent money she'd kicked him out as promised, so with no place to live going back to Kansas was his only option. The showroom floor was packed with people checking out the shiny new cars and SUVs. Balloons were everywhere and huge, large-lettered signs announced a sale in progress which he supposed accounted for all the lookie lous. Wearing his signature black suit with its fake red carnation pinned to the lapel, he just knew he looked the part of a man prosperous enough to draw attention, and sure enough a tall blond salesman wearing khakis and a blue, short-sleeved polo walked right over. “May I help you, sir?”

Liking the “sir” part, Riley puffed up and said, “Yes. I'm visiting from my hometown in Nebraska. I'm the mayor, and we're in the market for a fleet of SUVs. I've test driven your competition but thought I'd swing by and see what you have before making my final decision.”

“Excellent. I'm sure we have something that will meet your needs. I'm Adam Reed. Come this way, please.” He led Riley through the crowd and over to a nice-looking red SUV that Riley thought would fit his needs perfectly. “What's your name, sir?” the tall blond salesman asked.

Riley panicked. “Uh. July. Trent July.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. July. Where ‘bouts in Nebraska are you from?”

“Hays. It's right outside of Omaha.”

“Ah.” Reed opened the door and stepped aside so Riley could slide in under the steering wheel.

Riley's short stature positioned him eye level with the bottom of the windshield and he was stung by red-hot embarrassment. If the salesman had any cracks or short jokes he kept them to himself and simply demonstrated the workings of the seat, and soon Riley was elevated enough to see over the hood. “I like this,” he offered, taking in the fine leather interior and all the bells and whistles on the dash.

“How many vehicles is your town thinking of buying?” Reed asked.

“Maybe three, possibly four.”

“Would you care for a test drive?”

“Sure would.”

“There are a couple gassed up on the lot. Let me grab a plate and the keys.”

Outside, while the salesman attached the plate Riley got in and adjusted the seat. There were a large number of people outside, too. He spotted a man and woman checking out a stylish black minivan parked just a few feet away. After peering in the windows the couple began looking around as if
needing assistance from the sales staff. Reed was watching the two people as well, and Riley sensed he was torn between staying where he was and heading over to see if they were serious buyers. Riley seized his opportunity. “How about I just take a quick ride around the block so you don't lose those customers?”

The couple seemed to have given up and were walking back to their car. Reed's eyes widened in panic. “Yes, but do me a favor. I need a copy of your license. Can you go back in and have one of the girls at the cashier station copy it for me and leave it with her?”

“Sure can.”

“Good. I'll see you when you get back.”

True to his word, Riley went inside, but that was all he did. Keeping an eye on Reed through the glass, he walked around for a quick few minutes then went back out to the SUV. He waved at Reed and gave a thumbs-up. Reed returned the sign and as Riley left the lot and merged into the LA traffic, it was the last that salesman Adam Reed saw of Mayor Trent July.

Feeling like a million bucks, Riley steered the sweet red SUV through the open gates of the farm owned by the man boarding Cletus. His hog was in the large pen with a few others. Cletus got along with them pretty well for the most part, especially the white sow, Cleo, who'd done a few commercials and was slowly climbing the ladder to success. The farm's owner, a likable elderly man named Ben Scarsdale, was also an animal trainer. Scarsdale said he'd rarely seen a hog as smart as Cletus and enjoyed working with him. Riley owed him a ton of money but the man seemed to take Riley's
promises to pay in stride and never seemed upset when payment didn't materialize.

Riley parked and got out. Cletus lumbered over to the fence. “How you doing, big boy? Came to break you out. You ready to go home?”

Cletus raised his head and let loose a few loud snorts which Riley took to be, yes.

“Hey, Riley. Didn't see you drive up.”

Riley jumped, startled. “Uh, hey, Ben,” he replied, hoping he didn't sound or look guilty. He also wondered how much the man had overheard. “Thought I'd take Cletus out for a picnic. He and I haven't had any family time in a few weeks and I miss him.”

“That's nice. Where you going?”

“Not really sure, but there's going to be ice cream. Clete loves vanilla.”

“Is that a new car?”

“Yeah,” he said, clearing his voice due to the guilt clogging his throat. “Cousin died last week and left me a little bit of money. If Cletus doesn't break me eating ice cream, I'll pay you just as soon as I get back.”