July 7, 1978, Swallowtail Gap, West Virginia
Geneva awoke to Howard’s caress. The smile came before she even opened her eyes.
“Mornin’, beautiful. Big day today.”
“Yeah.” She stretched and blinked at him. “Oh, it’s good to be home! I could just lie here all day, but I guess we should leave early. Rachel probably needs some help.” She paused mid-stretch. “What are you looking at?”
“Your happiness,” he responded seriously.
“Do you see it?” she teased.
“Yes. Right here.” He touched her forehead, then kissed it. “And here,” he added, kissing her left breast, over her heart.
She giggled. “You missed a spot.”
“Really? Where?”
Pushing her foot from under the sheet, she wiggled her toes. “Here. I am happy from my head to my toes.”
“Ah, yes. I need to kiss those toes,” he said as he moved to the bottom of the bed. After he kissed all five toes, he made his way upward, kissing her foot. “How about your foot? Is that happy?”
“Oh, yes, my foot is happy. It feels like dancing.”
“Uh huh. And your ankle. Is it happy?” He nibbled at her inner anklebone.
“Mmm. Yes, my ankle is definitely happy.”
He kissed her leg. “How about your calf? Is that happy, too?” She paused to think about it before nodding. “Yes, it’s happy. I think it’s even happier than my ankle. Maybe even happier than my foot.”
He was just beginning to nibble at the inside of her knee when a baby’s cry invaded her bliss. A sudden stinging rush pricked her nipples, then a warm wetness trickled down into her armpits. Quickly, she sat up, pressing her breasts with the heels of her hands.
“I got him,” Howard said, reaching into the bassinette where the baby lay, gathered him up, and placed him in Geneva’s arms as she snuggled back into the pillows. Pulling her close, Howard rested his chin on her head, humming a lullaby as he watched her with quiet eyes. Presently, he spoke.
“Listen, love, I’ve been thinking,” he said seriously. “I know you want some fancy touches to the house, but I’m worried that if we make it look too good, folks will start getting suspicious. It’s good you’ve still got your place in DC, but that can only account for so much income. If folks get wind of that gold up on the mountain, there’ll be no more peace for us.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing,” admitted Geneva. “But really, Chap, we don’t have to spend a lot. Just a log cabin will be fine, really.”
He shook his head. “No, I’ve got this figured out. You know that piece of land my grandfather left me in Oklahoma? Well, there’s oil somewhere out there.” He laughed. “A hundred or so miles away, but nobody has to know that. Since Jimmy Lee’s out West right now, why don’t we let it out that he’s there to check it out. Maybe if folks think we have an oil well, we can get by with spending more money. We don’t have to live so tight and nobody will be suspicious about where it’s coming from.”
“Chap, that’s brilliant! Does that mean I can get the fancy bathtub? And the washer and dryer?”
He laughed again. “Honey, I got all kinds of things I can’t wait to give you.”
“Really, Mr. Oil Baron? I’m still waiting for you to buy me a wedding ring.”
Snorting, he rolled away from her. “Woman, if you don’t beat all. I took you to all over Europe! I’m building you a house! I gave you a baby! Now you think I’m supposed to buy you a ring? What do you need one of those for?”
“Hey, just because you got by without one when you married me doesn’t mean you can get by with it forever. It’s embarrassing, taking little Blue to the grocery store and people seeing me without a wedding ring. You know what they’re thinking.”
He grinned, leaning in close. “They’re probably thinking you caught me back when you chased me around that barn. Don’t fret. I’ll get you that ring when I’m good and ready,” he said, then jumped up and hastened out the door as she threw a pillow at him.
Raven Creek, West Virginia
The party had already become noisy by the time Sally Beth arrived at Rachel’s house. The little ones were running around in what appeared to be a frenzied game of who could shriek the loudest, while the older children, most of them cousins two or three times removed, played kick-the-can out in the pasture. As she parked the car, John Smith pulled in behind her.
“Hey John!” she called.
He was glad to see her. It was going to be hard, seeing Geneva for the first time since that awful day when she had married Howard, and walking in with Sally Beth would ease the rough edges. He reached for her, squeezing her shoulders as they made their way up the steps. “Hey, Sally Beth. You doing okay?”
She smiled warmly at him. “Yeah, we’re fine. Thanks for coming to the funeral and all. And the roast you brought was really good.”
They made their way into the kitchen where Geneva and her sister, Rachel, were putting the last swirls of frosting on the pink and white birthday cake. It was evident to Sally Beth that neither John nor Geneva was quite prepared to see one another. She saw how the agony had flared in his eyes, and Geneva’s face had fallen with sadness and shame. Hoping to give the painful thoughts floating through the empty air a chance to scatter and hide, she rushed in with a bright “Hello!”
“Rachel! So good to see you!” she said, laying two small packages wrapped in pink paper on the counter. “I can’t believe these babies are a year old already. I can’t wait to see them!” She glanced at John again. His face was pale with grief. He would not want Geneva to see him suffering like this, and it wouldn’t do her any good, either, knowing how much she had hurt him. Quickly, she stepped into her cousin’s line of vision. “Geneva! Welcome home! When did you get back?”
Geneva hugged her. “Oh, honey! I’m so sorry about your mama, and I wish we had made it to the funeral. We didn’t call home but once, and it was already over by the time we did. I really hate that I wasn’t here to be with you.” She gazed over Sally Beth’s head toward John. “Hi John, good to see you again,” and her eyes met his briefly, sending a look that said, I’m sorry. I know I hurt you.
He returned her smile as he willed the awkward moment to pass. If he had wondered if he should have told her how much he loved her, he realized now that it would not have mattered; she had moved far beyond his reach, so far that his longing could bear no weight upon her consciousness. The very fact of her radiance, large and luminous, made him understand that she was no longer simply herself, a spinning, dancing, free-floating planet, but that she had been pulled into a larger, completely contained galaxy that had no need for heat or light or life beyond itself. He looked across the vast expanse of cold space to her contented, connected heart and felt himself shrink into the loneliness of his own bruised one. After the briefest of glances at him, Geneva turned back to Sally Beth.
“How are you? Really?”
“We’re just fine,” Sally Beth said. “Did you know Lilly’s moving back home? Now, where’s little Clayton? I’ve been waiting all day to see him!”
John saw the look of sympathy in Sally Beth’s eyes, which reminded him that she, too, was suffering with grief. Even so, she was mindful of the pain of others, going out of her way to extend comfort, even a kind of gladness to them, and he couldn’t help but feel his troubles ease in the light of her smile. She was like a Labrador who had just grown out of puppyhood, learning to be well behaved, not jumping all over people with kisses and goodwill, but wanting to, and restraining herself with sheer force of will. It saddened him to think of her boundless heart suffering with loss, and he felt small and petty as he realized that his own heartache was trifling compared to hers.
“Really? That’s great,” replied Geneva. “It’ll be good to have her back. Blue is outside with everybody.”
Sally Beth looked at her, puzzled. “You’re calling him ‘Blue’? I thought his name was Clayton. After Uncle Clayton?”
“Oh, yes. Clayton Bluefeather Knight. Bluefeather because his hair is blue-black and looks exactly like little feathers. That got shortened to ‘Blue’, and it stuck. When’s Lilly getting back?”
“In a month. Mama left us some money, so we’re fixing up the house. It needs a new roof, and some of the pipes are leaking, and, well, there’s lots to do. So I’m going to fly out to Las Vegas while they’re working on it, and then I’ll help Lilly drive back.” Her face split into a wide grin. “I’ll get to see some of the country!”
“What a great idea. Do you want us to go by and pick up your mail while you’re gone? Feed the dogs? Our house won’t be finished for another few months, and I know Jesse’s getting sick of us all piled up at his place, so I’m always looking for excuses to get out of the house.”
“Would you? Oh, you are so sweet! The folks at the nursing home say I can leave Kit and Caboodle with them, so you don’t have to worry about the dogs. I can take two weeks off, and it would be nice not to have to hurry back.”
Geneva wondered what Sally Beth and Lilly hoped to accomplish putting that tumbled-down old house back together. Annilee could not have left her daughters much, certainly not enough to fully repair it, and while she wished she could do something to mitigate their hardship, pride ran so high in the Lenoir family, it would be insulting to even suggest she help out with expenses. She smiled inwardly while she contrived a plan. Although she could not spend money on Sally Beth and Lilly with their knowledge, she could make things happen without them knowing. If she had the keys to the place for two weeks, she and Howard could make Annilee’s money go farther than they might expect. She continued casually, “Maybe we can even stay there some, get out from under Jesse’s feet. Would you be okay with that?”
Sally Beth lit up as she clasped her hands together with glee. “Thank you, Geneva! That would relieve my mind, knowing you’d keep an eye on things. I want to see the Grand Canyon! And the Painted Desert, and Carlsbad Caverns, and we’d love to stop at Graceland, and oh, my goodness! There’s lots to see between here and Las Vegas!”
John spoke up, “Well, let me do something. Can I at least drive you to the airport?”
“Would you? Oh, John, that would be just great.”
“Of course I’m happy to take you. I’m out at the airport all the time these days anyway taking flying lessons, so that will work out just fine.”
“John! You’re taking flying lessons? Wow, that’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” broke in Rachel.
“Me, too!” exclaimed Sally Beth. “Ever since I was little.”
“Yeah, it’s great, and I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m going back to Kenya. There’ll be a plane available to me, and it’s really the only way to get around—the place is so remote, and Africa is so big.”
Rachel was surprised. “You’re going back to Kenya?”
“Yes, I am. Things are happening over there right now with the program, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I stay six months this time.” He didn’t say that he needed at least six months or more to be away from Geneva before he felt he could resist the urge to take her in his arms and beg her to run away with him. He forced himself to keep his eyes on Rachel’s.
“When are you leaving?”
“Six weeks. Not long after Sally Beth takes off for out West. I guess it will be a quiet summer around here without all of us.”
Just then, Howard walked in with Blue in his arms. “Somebody says he’s hungry,” he began, but seeing Sally Beth, he stopped to put his free arm around her shoulders. “Sally Beth, I’m so sorry about your mother. We didn’t find out about it until too late, and—”
She cut him off, “Howard, don’t you think a thing about it. I would have just died if you cut your honeymoon short to come back for the funeral, and we’re doing just fine. Lilly’s coming home! I’m going out to Las Vegas to help her drive back.”
Howard grinned at her. “Did you know Jimmy Lee’s out in Texas right now? He’s got some cousins there, and—I guess Geneva told you about my oil well?” he said as he handed the baby to his wife.
John did not miss the look that passed between them as Geneva took the baby from Howard before leaving the room. It was a look filled with secrets, secrets of pleasure, of longing fulfilled, the kind of look that passes between people who have shared hearts and minds and flesh and have discovered the magic of it. The implications of it lodged themselves deep in the crevices of his ruined heart, but he managed to nod at Howard. “Welcome back, buddy,” he said. “What’s this about an oil well?”
“She didn’t tell you? Well… My grandfather left me some land out in Oklahoma a few years back. My mama’s family. It wasn’t anything but a truck farm, but they’re finding oil around there. I sent Jimmy Lee out to take a look, and, well, I’ll just say Geneva’s already made a list of all the things she’s going to buy.” He paused before chuckling. “She’s got an eye for pretty things.”
From the living room, Geneva stifled a laugh. Without actually lying, Howard had managed to let everyone know they could expect them to start throwing a little money around, so there would be no suspicions of his enormous wealth, even after everyone saw the new house. Maybe she could even buy a new car. Maybe she could get that fancy dryer after all. She moved Blue to her right breast and settled into the indulgence of a heart drowned in happiness.