Page 76 of The Night the Lights Went Out
“It’s more beautiful than I remember,” Merilee said, her hands over her mouth.
Heather looked more than pleased with herself, as if she alone held the strings to Merilee’s happiness.
Sugar smiled. “It is lovely. Wade will have a hard time keeping his jaw off the floor, much less doing anything else but look at you. You might want to hire a driver.”
Sugar was gratified to see Heather’s smug look drop from her face. Finding her composure, Heather said, “I think everyone will find it hard to look anywhere else. She really does look stunning in it.” She thrust the gown at Merilee. “Here—try it on.”
Merilee took the gown but shook her head. “Not right now. I’ve been cleaning the house all morning, so I’m sweaty and need a shower, and I was about to take Sugar to Kroger.”
Heather looked disappointed. “All right. But call me immediately if you need anything altered and we’ll run it back to the shop.” She pulled her phone out of her purse and held it up like a prize. “See? I have it with me, and it’s not only fully charged, but it’s turned on.”
“Very impressive,” said Sugar. “Which one of your assistants charged it, turned it on, and put it in your pocketbook?”
Ignoring her, Heather leaned over to hug Merilee again. “Thanks for being so understanding. And again, I’m so, so sorry.”
“Apology accepted. In fact, it’s already forgotten,” Merilee said, and Sugar almost had to bite her tongue so she wouldn’t shout out that she hadn’t forgotten and she hadn’t even been there. But only because she was afraid it would make Heather linger even longer, and Sugar had already waited so long that she needed to visit the ladies’ room before they headed out to the store.
Merilee walked Heather to the door to say good-bye as Sugar slowly stood, then headed toward the back hallway to the bathroom. She’d almost reached it before she stopped, noticing the two framed maps hanging on the wall. She hadn’t heard Merilee approach and jumped when she spoke.
“Wade hung them this morning. Thanks so much for letting me hang them both. It’s amazing that he found the second one, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Sugar said slowly. “Amazing.”
“Did you know that your map had another half? I was thinking your daddy might have mentioned it to you when he gave it to you.”
She shook her head. “No.”
Merilee pointed to the clearing in the middle of the woods. “Wade and I can’t figure out what this is. Any idea?”
She didn’t speak right away. “Wade asked me the same thing, and I told him I didn’t know.”
“Because you don’t know, or because you don’t want to tell us?”
Without turning to look at her, Sugar said, “Because when he asked, I didn’t want anyone to know. But now, I think I’ve changed my mind.” She did turn this time, and noticed her glasses were dirty, because there was a smudge in the middle of Merilee’s cheek.
“What made you change your mind?”
“I’m old. I’m allowed.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “It’s the family cemetery. It’s where I visit Jimmy and Mary. I just had the horrible thought that if something happened to me, nobody would know to go visit them. That nobody would care. So I want you and Wade to know.”
Merilee touched her arm, then quickly withdrew, unsure of whether Sugar wanted the interaction. “Is that why you don’t want to sell the land? Because of the cemetery? I’m pretty sure there would be ways to preserve it so that it remains the way it is, surrounded by the woods. I know several neighborhoods with an old cemetery tucked away off the beaten path...”
“No. That’s not the reason.” She excused herself and headed into the bathroom, letting the door snap shut behind her.
Twenty-six
MERILEE
“Daddy’s here!” Colin’s shout was followed by the thump of his overnight bag hitting the floor and then being dragged toward the front door. Although both children kept clothes and toothbrushes at their dad’s house, Colin’s stash of books went with him everywhere, along with the field glasses around his neck. He’d wear them in the shower and to school, too, if he were allowed.
Merilee finished clasping the faux drop-diamond necklace Lindi had lent her, looking in the mirror behind her to where Lily sat watching, apparently impervious to the news that her father had arrived to pick up her and Colin for the weekend.
“You look beautiful, Mommy,” she said, her voice filled with awe, her use of the word “Mommy”—something she hadn’t called her since around first grade—making Merilee smile.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” She turned around to kiss Lily on the forehead, but Lily held her arm out, stopping her.
“You don’t want to mess up your lipstick.” She slid from the bed, picked up the lipstick tube from the dresser, and dropped it in the tiny black velvet evening bag—also on loan from Lindi. “Don’t forget to reapply after you eat or drink something.”
Merilee gave her daughter a questioning look. “How do you know so much about lipstick?”
