O ne man exited each side of the city morgue van. They opened the back and pulled out a gurney with a wadded black mass laying on top. I looked over at Amber,who was looking in horror at the scene. Maybe she would forget all about the fact that Joshua and I had been standing there together.
I watched her eyes get wider and reluctantly turned my attention back to the door of the house. I resisted the urge to watch the events play out through cracks in my fingers. A petite, disheveled blonde young woman in jeans and a T-shirt was being led from the house by two police officers. Her hands were behind her back as they walked to the back of a patrol car.
“That’s her, Savannah . That’s Courtney White,” Amber said in total disbelief. I had never seen her so subdued.
“Miss Chatham County United States of America?”
“Yes, Miss Chatham County United States of America,” she murmured.
As soon as the police car pulled away with Courtney in the back, the two men from the van exited the house with their gurney and what was undeniably a body underneath the black bag.
“Oh my Lord, Savannah! He’s dead!”
I couldn’t move . The insides of my stomach begin to churn. I instinctively turned my head away. “Are you sure it’s her boyfriend under there?” I asked over my shoulder.
She didn’t move either . We carried on our conversation staring straight ahead. “I’m absolutely certain . You know my friends Tina, Miss Swainsboro United States of America, and Trina, Miss Sandersville United States of America. The twins.” I knew them. Sad but true. “Tina said he was cheating on Courtney; that’s why she shot him.”
The twilight zone that surrounded me had begun to play music in my head . Things were coming in and out of focus. Before my rationale returned to extricate me from this entire experience, Amber interrupted the Muzak.
“Oh, Savannah,” she said, a moment of genuineness transforming her.“She was such a nice girl.”
“Amber, do you even know for sure if it’s her boyfriend?”
She looked at me as if I were absurd.“Savannah,Tina and Trina live with police scanners attached to the sides of their heads . Trust me, if they say it is Miss Chatham County United States of America’s boyfriend, it’s Miss Chatham County United States of America’s boyfriend.
“Let’s get closer.” She jerked at my sleeve. I jerked it back.
“No way, sister. I was just about to leave.”
“Well, I can’t go over there by myself; it would look too inconspicuous.”
I patted down my sleeve and kept my face turned from the scene playing out in front of me.“I think you mean suspicious. And why do you want to get closer anyway?”
She came around to look at my face. “Just because,” she said, trying to tell me something with her tilted head, pursed lips, and wide eyes framed with fake eyelashes.
“Because why?” I pressed. But I knew. Her eyes darted over my shoulder. I turned slightly to see the man eagerly scribbling down information on his stolen legal pad.
But there was no need for us to go to him; he was now coming to us.
“Hello,Amber.” He nodded politely.
“Joshua.” She was unable—or maybe simply unwilling—to hide her attraction.
“Savannah, you ready? I think I have everything I need.”
“Oh?” Her eyes became wider.“You two came together?”
“Well . . . we . . . actually . . .” I started.
Joshua finished.“Yes. I needed to get here to cover this story, and Savannah was the first person I spotted with a car.”
Truthfully, coming from his lips, it was clear how totally uninteresting her discovery actually was. And it seemed to be enough for her.
“Well, I’m glad you are getting to know my new best friend. Isn’t she the greatest?” She grinned from ear to ear so we could both enjoy the glow of her Crest Whitestrip–bleached ensemble.
“The greatest. Okay, Miss Wonderful, I really need to get this story back before I’m too late.”
Before I could help myself, I blurted out, “Oh, just go ahead and take my car. I’ll catch a ride with Amber.”
He looked at me as if my personality number two had just effectively risen to the surface. But this would rest better with Amber. And it would prove to anyone in doubt that I had no interest in Joshua North whatsoever.
“That would be just fabulous,” Amber offered.
“Whatever.” And with that he was gone with no hesitation.
As the people began to clear, I saw Miss Tina and Miss Trina themselves walk down the street and hop into matching yellow VW bugs. Amber and I proceeded to her luxury vehicle, a perfect replica of my mother’s except for the color.
Amber turned the car in the direction of the paper . We were both peculiarly quiet. As we pulled up to the sidewalk, I opened the door and turned back to notice a tear had formed in the corner of her eye.
“What’s wrong,Amber?”
“A man just died. And a girl I know killed him.”
“I’m really sorry.”
She never looked at me, just stared straight ahead.“I know we seem catty and petty. But we’re like family, really. Even though you want to win and think you hate the person who does, you still want the best for them.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her simple view of life. “But you never wish this on anyone,” she continued. “I mean, you wish ripped seams, or broken straps, or even dresses put on backward, but nothing like this. I’ll have to go see her . Yeah, that’s what I’ll do; I’ll go see her.”
“I think that would be nice.” I said as I held the car door in my hand.
Crocodile tears began to fall down her face. She looked at me.
“You think so?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“And I’ll encourage her, Savannah. I’ll encourage her like you encourage me.”
“Well . . . I . . . I don’t quite know what to say, Amber. Thanks.”
“Do you want to come with me?” she said, begging with her deeply set aqua-colored eyes.“You could encourage her so much better than me.”
“No,Amber, I think this might be something you need to do yourself.”
“Should I take Tina and Trina?”
“Probably not.”
“Okay. I’ll just go by myself. I’m glad you were there, Savannah. It just made the whole thing easier.”
“I’m glad I could be there too,” I blatantly lied . Well, it was almost a lie. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
She pulled a tissue out of her purse, dabbed her eyes, and then blew her nose like a foghorn.“Thanks for being my friend.”
“Thanks for letting me. Call me if you need me.” I knew she would.
Making my way up the stairs to get a Coke, I knew what the headlines would read in the morning: “Beauty Queen Kills Boyfriend.” And yet the world wouldn’t stop. Even now, as a family was about to hear tragic news, the world would keep moving. People would keep laughing. Men would keep telling coarse jokes. Children would keep learning lessons in schoolhouses. Businessmen and women all around this city would keep on working. Vicky would stay chained to a monument.
And me, well I’d keep on climbing stairs, going to vending machines, and drinking Cokes.
But one family’s world would be changed forever. Dinners would never be the same. Holidays would miss a person to open presents. Grandchildren would never have their son’s eyes. As brutal as the reality was, it was still reality . The world stops for no one. Even on days like September 11, when the majority of people were paralyzed in front of their television sets, mothers were still in hospitals, giving birth, and doctors were still on call to make sure that life entered the world.
It felt downright wrong to continue living. I’d never seen a body bag. I’d never been that close to death. Burying a pet gerbil named Dufus just doesn’t count . The guy in that bag was somebody like me . The girl who shot him was somebody like me. As real as the death was, so for a brief moment was the murderer. A girl for a moment gone crazy. Her life would never be the same either.
My phone rang.
“Are you getting excited?”
“Excited? About what?”
Paige reacted in complete horror.“Savannah? You have got to be kidding me.”
“Oh my gosh, yes, I almost completely forgot . This has been a . . . well, shall we say, rather eventful day.”
“Well, I don’t know how something could be more eventful than what you are about to embark on tonight. Do you have everything ready?”
“Yes, everything is ordered, outfit is pressed and lying on my bed, and every womanly weapon I own, checked.”
“You have womanly weapons?”
“I thought I did. Do I not?”
“I haven’t seen or heard from them in a while.”
“Me either. But they’re ready . Maybe a little rusty, but they’re ready.”
“Well, I’ll be there on time, so you just make sure you’re ready.”
“I’ll be more than ready, honey.”
“Okay, call me if you have any questions.”
“I will. Bye.”
Five o’clock found me walking to my car in attack mode. But the smell of my forgotten lunch had turned into a disastrous stench. Driving down Bull Street, however, my mind was so focused on my evening of resurrected love that I forgot the smell and nearly hit the flowery mass that walked right out into the street. Slamming on the brakes, I was propelled with such force that my lip hit the steering column and started bleeding. I looked up to see my bumper only inches away from Joy. Déjà vu.
I jumped out of the car and ran to her, instinctively throwing my arms around her.“Joy, are you okay?! I could have killed you!” Stepping back to survey her, she seemed fine as a Georgia peach. “What in the world were you doing just walking out in the street?! Did you not see me coming?!” I reprimanded her like a child.
She smiled her silly grin.“Oh, Savannah, I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I just wasn’t paying attention, I guess. But I’m okay.” She giggled at my arms, which were still holding on to her.
“Well, I’m glad. But you have got to be more careful.” I released her from my grip.“Now, why don’t you just get in the car and let me take you home?”
“No, baby. I’m fine. I’ve got a few places left to go today, and a few people I need to see . You just get back in your car and head on home. I promise I’ll be more careful.”
“You’d better . You scared the heebie-jeebies out of me.”
She reached her hand up to my face.“Your lip’s bleeding, baby. Are you okay?”
I touched my lip, which felt like it had swelled to half the size of my head.“Yes. It won’t make for an attractive evening, but I’m okay.”
About that time a car honked having obviously discovered we were both okay. I looked back and gave them a raised right eyebrow and walked Joy over to the sidewalk.
“Now, Savannah, you need to be careful too. You seemed rather preoccupied. And preoccupation is often a sign of misplaced priorities.”
“Okay, Joy, thank you. But I’ve got to go now . You be more careful.” I walked back to my car and opened the door, then glared at the obnoxious car behind me.
“I will, Miss Savannah. But remember, nothing’s worth consuming yourself over. Everything has its place. And when everything is in the right place, nothing is out of place.”
“That’s real good. Now, stay on the sidewalk.”
I watched her climb onto the sidewalk and begin to sing quietly. I drove home trying to figure out how much makeup it would take to disguise my ever-growing lower lip.
Life was going on.