Page 93 of The Lady on Esplanade
“Want me to read that?”Sarah asked, peering over my shoulder at my phone.
“No need,” I said, pressing the face of my phone against my chest.“You’re too young to be exposed to this kind of emotional trauma.”
“Too late.He says his plans have changed, and he won’t be back until Monday at the earliest.He says he has business in LA, but it’s only a three-hour time difference, so he’ll call once he’s stateside.And then he says that he misses you, but there aren’t any emojis, so I can’t translate exactly.”
“He’s a grown man.He doesn’t use emojis.”It sounded as if I were repeating something I’d read or said before.I couldn’t think of anything original to say as my thoughts were circling around the meaning behind Cooper’s text, and around his business plans, which most likely included a visit to the fiancée he hadn’t thought to mention to me.And neither had his sister.Either Alston had been sworn to silence or he hadn’t mentioned his fiancée or the car accident to his family.
“He’s probably going to LA to—” Sarah began.
“Don’t say it,” I said.“It’s bad enough that I’m thinking it, so just keep it to yourself, all right?And the living room isn’t going to clean itself.”
Sarah sighed and rolled her eyes, but she returned to tidying, leaving me to stare at the stones and wonder what my mother had meant byFind the stones.
—
At the sound of a car door shutting, Sarah and Mardi went downstairs to greet Jolene.I listened to the squeals and barks of greeting from my position on the couch with my leg propped up on cushions, leaving me feeling left out and sorry for myself for the first time since the accident.
Jolene and Sarah, along with Mardi, emerged from the stairway with arms overladen with bags, suitcases, and Tupperware.Jolene dropped her load in the middle of the floor so she could embrace me, the scent of hair spray enveloping me along with her warm hug.
I squirmed under her close inspection and quickly diverted her attention.“How are you?Did you have a good time?”Her green eyes were bright and clear, her perfect complexion even rosier than usual, and my untrained eyes could tell that the enhanced color had nothing to do with cosmetics.
“That’s like asking a fish in the ocean if he has enough water!I’ve just spent time with my whole family, and I think my neck has just about been rubbed raw from all the hugging.We had plenty to eat, and the weather was fine, which was really a blessing, because the whole McKenna clan likes to play some football on the lawn after we eat, to make room for dessert.Even Mama and Grandmama get into the game, although we know we’re not supposed to tackle them, but that doesn’t stop either one of them from tackling us, which is always a sight to see….”
“What about Jaxson?”
“Oh, Jaxson had a wonderful time, too.Mama and Daddy loved meeting him and were all too happy to have him there.Mama put him right next to her at the dining table, and Daddy even showed him his gun collection.He doesn’t even trust his brother, Harold, enough to let him come within spitting distance.Isn’t that a hoot?”
“Yes, but I meant, where is Jaxson?”
“Oh, right.Like,Where’s Jaxson?” The color in her cheeks intensified.
“Exactly.”I must have been watching too many true-crime shows, because the first thoughts that flitted through my mind were of her grandmother’s funeral home and Jolene’s access to formaldehyde and other dangerous chemicals.And shovels.“Wasn’t he supposed to come back with you?”
“Yes, but then I came back early to check on you, and he needed to stay another day to finish up with the business part of his trip.He’ll be back on Sunday.”She smiled and it almost seemed like a normal smile.Almost.
“What about you, Nola?Are you feeling all right?You look thin.”Redirecting her gaze to Sarah, she asked, “Has Nola been eating?Don’t you think she looks thin?”
“I think she looks the same, Jolene.Maybe, since you haven’t seen her in a couple of days, she looks different to you.”
When Jolene turned back to me, Sarah hastily picked up two foil cups—left over from the previous night’s cupcakes—off the rug and discreetly hid them in her jeans pocket.Studying me closely, Jolene said, “It looks like you’ve been crying.What’s wrong?”
Lying to Jolene was pointless, so I didn’t even try.“I found out that Cooper has a fiancée.She’s been in a coma ever since a car accident two years ago.Beau…” I stopped, again feeling a surge of anger and sadness gripping my throat and rendering me speechless.
Sarah finished for me.“Beau asked Uncle Bernie to dig into Cooper’s past and that’s how we found out.From Uncle Bernie, I mean.”
Small creases of concern appeared between Jolene’s red brows.“Well, that’s not good.”
I waited for her to hug me or say the right thing.Maybe even offer to call up one of her Mississippi cousins to knock some sense into Beau or Cooper or both of them.
Instead, she folded her arms and gave me a level gaze.“So, whatare you going to do?Besides crying and avoiding speaking with Beau and Cooper, hoping that the problem will go away.”
I opened my mouth, but she cut me off.“Sarah, would you please take all this food back to the kitchen and put it away while I have a little come-to-Jesus meeting with your sister?”
Sarah sighed.“Whatever.”Stepping heavily, she grabbed the handles of two tote bags and began dragging them across the floor toward the kitchen, Mardi following at her heels.
“Nola, honey.What are you going to do?”
I blinked back stupid tears.“I was hoping you were going to tell me.You always know the right answer.”
