CHAPTER 6
Frances was delighted to be spending the evening with Daisy and Mack. For one thing it was much less stressful than evading questions from Flo and Liz about whether or not she’d made an appointment with her doctor. They were getting tiresome.
Even though she was where she wanted to be—away from the prying eyes of her friends—she was grateful that Daisy and Mack had plenty of homework to keep them occupied. For some reason trying to keep up appearances these days was exhausting. She was relieved to be able to simply sit and glance through the magazines she’d brought along or to watch TV.
She was startled when she glanced up and found Mack standing in front of her, his expression a mix of dismay and embarrassment. She’d seen that look often enough in her classrooms over the years to have a pretty good idea this was about homework troubles.
“Is everything okay, Mack?”
He shrugged.
Frances had to hide a smile. Even at seven, kids had a lot of pride. “How’s your homework going?” she prodded. “All finished?”
He shook his head, his cheeks turning even pinker. “I don’t get my math problems.” He gave her a pleading look. “Could you help me? Subtracting’s hard.”
Though she was pleased to be asked, she wondered if she’d be any help. “I can certainly try,” she said. “And if I can’t, I imagine Jenny can.”
His expression turned puzzled. “Jenny? Who’s that?”
Frances blinked, then shook her head and gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Did I say Jenny? I meant Daisy. Jenny’s my granddaughter. She lives in Charleston.” Jenny had been named for her mother, Frances’s daughter, Jennifer.
Mack’s face lit up. “I remember her. She used to come to visit. Sometimes she even spent the weekend.”
“She did,” Frances confirmed. “What a wonderful memory you have!” At the moment, she envied him.
“She was bigger than Daisy, though,” he said, looking perplexed again. “How old is she?”
Frances felt as if she were slogging through mental mush as she tried to recall. “She must be fifteen now.” Or was she older? Had Jenny gone off to college? Or was that Marilou? And why couldn’t she keep them straight? There were three girls, she remembered that much. Jennifer had so hoped for a boy that last pregnancy, but there’d been another girl. On the teacher salaries she and her husband earned, they’d decided a fourth child simply wasn’t in the cards.
Darn! If she could remember all that, why couldn’t she keep the names and ages straight?
The answer, of course, was obvious. This was another of those troubling mental glitches. It was a good thing Flo and Liz weren’t around to witness it. Their pleas that she make that doctor appointment would become even more strident.
“Sit beside me and show me those math problems,” she said, rather than dwelling on her earlier slip.
Finally confident that he wasn’t going to be judged, Mack eagerly crawled up on the sofa beside her and showed her his paper. Thankfully, the problems were fairly basic subtraction, something she hadn’t forgotten.
Once he’d finished the math to her satisfaction and had shown her his other homework, he ran to get Daisy for the milk and cookies she’d promised them both before bed.
“Have you finished your assignments, Jenny?” she asked as she poured the milk.
“You mean Daisy,” Daisy said, regarding her curiously. “Jenny’s someone else.”
“Her granddaughter,” Mack supplied.
“Sorry,” Frances apologized. “I don’t know where my mind is tonight.”
Mack gave her a broad grin. “Maybe me and Daisy should look for it.”
“Daisy and I,” she corrected automatically, then added, “And I wish you would. Let me know if you find it.”
Because it was getting harder and harder to pretend that everything was just fine.
* * *
Karen gazed around Dana Sue’s living room at the group of women gathered there. She knew them all, but seeing them like this, relaxed and bantering about their lives, their husbands and their work surrounded her with a warmth she’d never experienced before. She had the feeling that these women shared the most intimate details of their lives without fear of judgment.
“Have we scared you off yet?” Maddie asked, slipping into the space beside her on the sofa. “No topic’s sacred when the Sweet Magnolias get together.”
Karen laughed. “I can see that. Is it the margaritas, or are you all just so comfortable with each other that anything goes?”
“A little of both, I suspect,” Maddie said. “You know Helen, Dana Sue and I have been friends since we were in grade school together about a million years ago. There are very few secrets left among us. Jeanette started joining us after she came to work for us at The Corner Spa. Annie, Sarah and Raylene were all high school friends, but a whole different generation. Helen and I practically helped to raise Annie because she was always underfoot, along with my kids. Now, of course, she’s married to my son.”
“I think that’s what I love the most,” Karen admitted, “seeing two generations, especially a mother and daughter, getting along like best friends. I wish I’d had a chance like that with my mother.”
“Has she passed on?” Maddie asked, her expression sympathetic.
“Passed out more than likely,” Karen said, unable to keep a note of bitterness from her voice. “I accepted a long time ago that we’d never have a good relationship.”
“Mother-daughter bonds can be tricky under the best of conditions. Helen and Flo certainly have their moments,” she revealed, eyes twinkling. “And my mother—”
“She’s the famous local artist—Paula Vreeland, right?” Karen asked, remembering.
“She is, and we’ve had our ups and downs over the years,” Maddie admitted. “But Raylene’s the one who had a really difficult relationship with her mother. You should talk to her sometime about how hard it’s been for her to make peace with that. The circumstances were different, but clearly both of you have been affected by what happened.”
“Maybe I will,” Karen said.
Maddie’s expression turned more serious. “Have you and Elliott worked out any issues over the new gym? I’m so sorry we inadvertently created tension between you.”
“Not your fault,” Karen said at once. Because she wasn’t quite ready to open up about how terrified she was about his financial commitment, she forced a smile. “We’ll figure things out.”
“I’m sure you will,” Maddie said. “He does adore you, you know.”
Karen smiled. “So I hear.”
Maddie frowned at her glib choice of words. “You don’t believe it?”
“Of course I do,” Karen said a little too quickly. “Every marriage has bumps, right? And the first years are the trickiest.”
“No question about it,” Maddie confirmed. “Just so you know, we’re all glad you’re here tonight. If you ever need to talk, we’re all good at listening. Sometimes we can even keep our advice to ourselves, if that’s what you’d prefer.”
Karen looked around, hearing the others all pitching in with opinions about whether it was time for Sarah and Travis to get serious about having a baby. She turned back to Maddie. “Really?” she inquired skeptically.
Maddie laughed. “I promise. It may kill us, but we can do it.”
Just then Karen’s cell phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and saw it was coming from home. “I need to take this,” she told Maddie.
She slipped out of the room as she answered. “Daisy, is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure, Mom. Can you come home?”
“Of course I can, but what’s going on?”
“It’s Frances. She’s been acting a little weird all night. Confused, kinda.”
“Confused in what way?”
“I had to show her where the bathroom is, and she keeps calling me Jenny. That’s her granddaughter.”
Alarm bells went off, even though the mistaken name might have been an innocent slip of the tongue. Alone it might have meant nothing, but not remembering where the bathroom was in a home she’d visited quite recently was certainly worrisome. In addition, Karen had seen signs that something was off with Frances on her last visit. The combined incidents were definitely troubling.
Besides, if something didn’t feel right to Daisy, then Karen needed to get home now.
“I’ll be right there,” she promised. “I’m sure everything’s fine, but I’m glad you called.”
“Hurry, Mom. It’s kinda freaking Mack and me out.”
Karen was about to make her excuses when she suddenly realized that she had no way to get home. Elliott had dropped her off and planned to come back to pick her up after his evening with the guys. A glance at her watch indicated that wouldn’t be for another hour at least.
As she walked back into the living room, Dana Sue regarded her worriedly. “Everything okay?”
“There could be a problem at home. I need to try to reach Elliott and see if he can come get me.”
“Don’t bother him,” Raylene said at once, already on her feet. “I’m tonight’s stone-cold sober designated driver. I’ll run you home.”
“Are you sure? I’d really appreciate it.”
“Not a problem,” Raylene said, then turned to the others. “No one budges or says anything scandalous until I’m back, okay?”
“Not a word,” Sarah teased. “We’ll just talk about you.”
Raylene made a gesture indicating what she thought of the teasing.
Once in Raylene’s car, Karen could barely concentrate on anything other than the fear in Daisy’s voice.
“Want to talk about whatever’s going on?” Raylene asked gently.
Karen shook her head. “It’s probably nothing. You know how kids’ imaginations get the better of them. Daisy was just a little concerned that something might be going on with the babysitter.”
Raylene looked startled. “Frances?”
Karen had forgotten for a moment that everyone in Serenity knew everyone’s business, or at least a good chunk of it. She nodded.
“Is she ill?” Raylene asked.
“Daisy seems to think something’s just off with her tonight. I figured if my nine-year-old is worried, I should be, too.”
“I agree,” Raylene said as she turned into the cul-de-sac where Karen lived. “Want me to come in while you check on her, just in case it’s anything serious?”
Though Karen wanted to say yes just to have the moral support, she knew it would humiliate Frances if another person showed up and there was no crisis. She shook her head.
“I’ll be okay. If there’s a real problem, I’ll call Elliott. He can be here in a few minutes. Thanks for offering, though.”
“Anytime,” Raylene said readily. “People were amazing when I was having all my problems with a crazy ex and suffering from agoraphobia. I’m eager to return the favor in whatever way I can.”
“Thanks.” Karen hesitated, then thought of what Maddie had said about her and Raylene having a few things in common. “Maybe we can grab coffee sometime in the morning before you open up your boutique. Erik makes the best in town, and I can sneak you into the kitchen at Sullivan’s. It’s a well-known secret that Annie and a few others slip in there before we open just for his coffee.”
Raylene grinned. “I’ve heard that. Count me in. I’ll try to get by one morning later this week.”
“Tell everyone I enjoyed tonight. I’m sorry I had to bail so early,” she said as she exited the car.
Raylene waved as Karen practically ran to the house. Despite Karen’s insistence that she could handle whatever she found inside, Raylene waited in the driveway. That simple gesture of support showed Karen once again the value of having the kind of solid friendships she’d been missing.
* * *
Karen had barely entered the house when Daisy materialized. The concern on her face faded at the sight of her mother. Karen gave her a hug.
“Everything okay?”
Daisy nodded, casting a surreptitious glance over her shoulder toward the living room. “She seems fine now. I probably shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“No, you did exactly the right thing. And it’s past your bedtime, so run along. I’ll spend some time with Frances and make sure she’s okay. Try not to worry.”
Despite Karen’s reassuring words, Daisy still looked worried. “She’s always been like our unofficial grandma, you know. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”
“Neither do I,” Karen replied. “We’ll try to make sure it doesn’t. Now, scoot, sweetie. I’ll stop by to tuck you in as soon as I’ve checked in with Frances.”
In the living room, the TV was on, the volume low. Frances’s eyes had drifted closed. Karen flipped off the TV, then sat down in a chair across from her. Silently, she studied the face of this woman who’d been like a surrogate mother to her or maybe, given her age, a grandmother. Her own mother might have been a mess, but Frances had been a rock, her support unwavering, even when Karen had thought she was going to completely fall apart and lose everything—her marriage, her home, her job and, worst of all, her children.
Frances looked peaceful as she dozed. Her color was good. Karen tried to reassure herself that a few slips of the tongue might not mean a thing. There might be a reasonable explanation for being slightly confused about her surroundings, as well. She also knew it could all be symptomatic of more, a ministroke, perhaps, or, far worse, Alzheimer’s. That would fit with what she’d observed when Frances had tried to make French toast on her last visit.
Please, not that, she prayed silently. Watching this strong, wonderful woman slip away by degrees would break her heart.
Just then Frances’s eyes blinked open. For a moment, she looked confused, but then she managed a faint smile. “I must have fallen asleep on the job. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Karen said. “Everything’s fine.”
“How long ago did you get home?”
“Just a few minutes ago.”
Frances glanced at her watch. “It’s early. I’ve heard about those margarita nights. They usually go on till all hours.”
“Maybe everyone’s just getting too old to hang out really late during the work week,” Karen said, unwilling to admit she’d left early to check on Frances. “How was everything here?”
“Fine. I helped Mack with his math homework, then we all had milk and cookies and the two of them went off to bed.”
“You should have gone into the guest room and gotten some sleep yourself,” Karen said, still studying her with concern. “I hope they didn’t wear you out.”
“Heavens, no. I’m still up to solving a little bit of math, at least for a second grader. I’m not sure I’ll be up to it once they start doing algebra. I couldn’t do that very well even in my prime.”
“Neither could I,” Karen said with a laugh. “I sure hope Elliott can.”
“Is he home yet? I should probably head home,” Frances said.
“I’m not sure when he’ll finally wander in. I got a ride home with Raylene. Why don’t you stay here tonight? I put a clean nightgown out for you again, and there are toiletries in the guest bathroom.”
Frances hesitated, then finally nodded. “Maybe that would be best,” she said. “And if you don’t mind, I think I’ll head in there right now.”
“Sure,” Karen said. “Good night, Frances. Thanks for staying with the kids tonight.”
“It’s been my pleasure, as always.”
After she’d gone, Karen stared after her. There’d been nothing amiss in their conversation, no hint of confusion. Even so, she couldn’t shake the sense that Daisy’s concern had been justified. For the second time, she resolved to keep a closer eye on Frances. If something else happened, as difficult as it might be, she’d have to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.
* * *
Elliott was relieved to find Karen already asleep when he got home from his evening with the guys. Once she’d texted him that she’d gotten a ride home with Raylene, he’d stayed on at Cal’s so they could all go over the numbers for the gym one more time. Though he shouldn’t have been since he’d provided the figures for the equipment himself, he’d been shocked by just how expensive the start-up was likely to be.
Ronnie had been the first to notice his stunned reaction. “Elliott, are you having second thoughts?”
He had shaken his head, though that response had obviously been belied by his expression.
“You know the rest of us can pick up the difference between our original projections and these figures,” Travis McDonald had said.
“That’s right,” his cousin Tom had agreed. “It’s a solid investment, Elliott. We’re all going to get our money back and then some. Just look at how profitable The Corner Spa has been.”
“But it filled a niche for women,” Elliott said, playing devil’s advocate. “Dexter’s was no competition. And the services they offered couldn’t be matched anywhere in the region outside of Charleston or Columbia, and they were more expensive there. Do you really think men will abandon Dexter’s, dump that it is, just because we’re cleaner and our equipment is newer?”
“Absolutely,” Cal said at once.
“Even though we’re going to have to charge more for a membership?” Elliott persisted. “It’s still a tough economy out there, guys. Women will always squeeze a little out of the budget to pamper themselves. Men may figure they can get by with going for a run. The high school track and the path around the lake are free.”
“I hate to say it, but he has a point,” Ronnie said. “Maybe we’re the only men in town desperate for this.”
Cal shook his head. “I did an informal survey as part of the business plan, remember? I talked to the dads of all the kids I coach, and eighty percent of them said they’d use a facility like this if it were convenient and memberships were reasonably priced. Come on, Elliott. Why are you getting nervous now? You know this is going to work.”
“I want to believe it will,” Elliott admitted. “But then I see the look on Karen’s face when she realized I planned to invest our baby fund to make it happen.”
Shock had spread across his friends’ faces.
“Your baby fund?” Ronnie echoed.
Elliott nodded. “We’ve been saving to make sure we can afford to have a child together. Karen insisted we needed to be financially prepared for all the expenses that come with a new baby, and I really get where she’s coming from.”
“Oh, boy,” Tom murmured. “I get it, too. I had no idea how much paraphernalia one tiny little person could need till Jeanette started stocking our nursery.”
The others agreed.
“Then we’ll just pick up the slack, all of it,” Travis said. “I have investments from my baseball salary that aren’t earning diddly these days. I might as well put that money into something I believe in.”
“I can come up with more, too,” Tom offered.
Elliott frowned at them. “I appreciate the offers, guys. I really do, but absolutely not. I need to pull my own weight financially if we’re going forward. Otherwise, I’ll never feel as if I’ve earned a stake in the business.”
“But you’re talking about taking money out of your savings for a baby,” Travis protested. “That’s no good.”
“It’ll just postpone things a little longer,” Elliott insisted, knowing that Karen wouldn’t see it that way. She was going to be furious, but what could he do? He couldn’t be the charity partner. Pride wouldn’t allow it. He’d find some way to make her see reason.
Unfortunately, right this second, even after pondering it for the entire drive home, he still had no idea what kind of valid argument he could offer that would keep her from blowing a gasket.
* * *
Adelia had gotten her wish. Ernesto hadn’t been home for four days now. Ever since he’d stormed out Saturday with her words warning him not to come back ringing in his ears, he’d stayed away. The kids were beside themselves, and she was all out of explanations. The only one she had wasn’t something she intended to share with their children, that he’d taken refuge with the mistress he’d been seeing for months now. Much to her humiliation, she’d forced herself to drive over there on Sunday and had seen his car parked outside of her home. The car had been there again on Monday night and Tuesday.
They couldn’t go on like this. In her heart she knew it wasn’t going to get better. Their marriage had been disintegrating long before he’d gotten involved with this latest woman. She was, in fact, the fourth, maybe even the fifth, in a string of mistresses he’d made no real attempt to hide from Adelia.
She was sick of the embarrassment, sick of making excuses for his absences, sick of ignoring the scent of perfume on his clothes.
And yet, she’d been raised to believe that the man was the king of the household. If there were problems in a marriage, it was more than likely through some fault of the wife. How often had her mother ingrained that message in her head? Add to that her mother’s strong sentiments about divorce, and it left Adelia exactly where?
It was ironic really. She’d been among those in the family quick to judge Karen when Elliott had first brought her into their lives. Just as her mother had been, she’d been vocal about the inappropriateness of him being with a divorcee. Eventually Karen had won over his mother, first with her unmistakable love for Elliott and then with her willingness to go through the church’s annulment process.
Adelia had been a tougher sell. She still kept Karen at arm’s length, most likely because she was terrified that she wouldn’t be half as strong about getting herself out of her own mess of a marriage. Now, with things in her life coming to a head, she could see how badly she’d misjudged Karen’s misfortune.
She was sitting at her kitchen table pondering that when she heard the tentative knock on the back door. She opened it to find Karen on her doorstep.
“Why are you here?” she snapped out before she could stop herself.
Karen merely smiled. “As welcoming as always, I see,” she said.
Wincing, Adelia drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m in a nasty mood and you were the first person to cross my path. Please, come in. I could probably use some civilized company to help me remember my manners.”
Karen, her expression undaunted, which was a change from the past, stepped inside, then held out Selena’s party dress.
“I thought I should return this,” she said.
Adelia regarded her ruefully. “You probably should have cut it to shreds. I can’t believe my daughter behaved so badly. Is Daisy okay? I haven’t let Selena go by Mama’s after school. I didn’t want to take a chance on those two getting into it again.” She shrugged. “Besides, Selena’s grounded for a month and that shouldn’t include any of Mama’s after-school treats.”
Karen smiled. “I appreciate your concern for Daisy’s feelings.” Her expression turned serious. “How is Selena? Elliott’s been worried about her, too.”
Now, there was a complicated mess, Adelia thought. If anything, Selena’s state of mind was even more precarious with Ernesto absent.
“She’ll be fine,” she said eventually.
“And you?” Karen asked hesitantly.
Adelia frowned. “Why would you ask about me? What did my brother blab to you?”
“It wasn’t blabbing,” Karen replied with a frown. “He’s concerned, that’s all.”
“Well, there’s nothing to be concerned about,” Adelia insisted. “Ernesto and I will always have our ups and downs. He’s a volatile man, and, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I have a temper of my own.”
Karen nodded. “I know we’re not exactly friends, Adelia, though I’d like us to be closer for Elliott’s sake. Still, I am a halfway decent listener, and thanks to what I went through with my first husband, I have some experience with a troubled marriage. At the least I could be a sounding board, if you ever need one.”
“I have sisters and a mother,” Adelia replied, then cringed at the dismissive sound of her words, as if Karen didn’t measure up on whatever scale she used for who qualified to listen. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I do appreciate the offer.”
Karen shrugged. “It’s always on the table.” She leveled a surprisingly steady look into Adelia’s eyes. “And you might want to keep in mind that I may have a perspective they don’t have, given their quick tendency to make judgments.”
Startled by Karen’s perceptiveness, Adelia chuckled. “You get that, do you?”
“I was on the receiving end of it,” Karen reminded her. “Believe me, I get it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Adelia said, meaning it. She sensed that one of these days she was going to need an objective ear as she poured out all the problems in her marriage. Karen might be the very best person to hear her complaints. She looked her in the eye.
“I think maybe I’ve misjudged you,” Adelia said quietly. “I’m sorry for that.”
“And maybe I kept my defenses in place for too long around you,” Karen said, giving her hand a squeeze. “We both love Elliott, and he sees something special in both of us. That ought to give us a starting point, don’t you think?”
Adelia smiled. “Actually I do.”
Karen looked pleased. “Well, I’d better run. I’m due at Sullivan’s. I’m working the late shift today. Give Elliott a call. Maybe you all could take the kids out for dinner together on neutral turf this evening. I’m thinking McDonald’s. He thinks I don’t know he takes Daisy and Mack there, but I know all about it. Never trust a seven-year-old with a secret.”
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Adelia laughed. “Tell me about it.”
In fact, that’s what scared her about the current situation that her own children would go blabbing to everyone that daddy hadn’t been coming home. And when that news leaked, all hell was likely to break loose in her family.