CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Spring settled over Sunbridge like a bright green cloak.
Maggie always thought it was her favorite time of year ... until she saw the golden foliage of autumn. For now, the brilliant spring flowers in their neat, trim beds nodded sociably to one another. New growth on the lush shrubbery gleamed like emeralds in the bright sunlight. Maggie just
knew
the sun was brighter.
She walked onto the patio, letting the sun's warmth caress her from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Her world was wonderful. Cole was back in her life. He knew who she was and he still loved her. His gentleness had stunned her. Her son.
The only thing missing in this perfect setting was Rand. Twice more she'd tried to call him in the London apartment because Susan had said there was no phone in the country house. Her shoulders twitched. She was going to have to accept this rejection the way she had so many others. A letter, three attempts to call, told her all she need to know. Too much, too little, too late Maggie.
She should be thinking about going to New York to see Sawyer. In fact, she should make a reservation today and go next week. Spring in New York was almost as wonderful as spring in Texas.
It was such a beautiful morning, she hated to go indoors. The decision was taken out of her hands momentarily when she heard a shrill argument wafting from the garage apartment. Shamelessly she pushed her chair closer to the patio railing so she could hear. Her eyes widened.
“I won't have you acting like a slut. I told you, I warned you, what I'd do if I caught you hanky-pankin' with those boys. Now you bend over and take your punishment. Then we'll read Scripture.”
Maggie didn't know which was louder, the sound of the belt whacking through the air or Luana's screams. “Pa, I didn't do nothin'! The boys was just bein' nice. Paaaaa,” she wailed. “I was bein' polite because Miz Tanner is bein' so good to us.”
“Your nice Miz Tanner is goin' to fire me if you keep on actin' like a slut. I ain't about to let that happen. You ain't goin' to turn out like your ma. You hear me, Luana?”
Maggie cringed. She could almost imagine the red welts on that round, voluptuous bottom. But this was none of her business. How Ben Simms raised his daughter had nothing to do with her. She realized suddenly that she was angry. Angry at Ben Simms for abusing his daughter because of his hatred for his wife.
She was worried about the boys and their open admiration for Luana. These days she could see and feel the tension between them. Just last night Riley had told her he'd asked Luana to go on a picnic with him. Luana, of course, had declined. Cole had smirked, but there'd been a look in his eye Maggie had recognized. He meant to ace his cousin out, if he could.
Maggie had made it her business to observe the girl for over a week now. As far as she could tell, Luana was a little snip, playing one boy against the other. She'd go to archery practice and watch Cole; then she'd go to the baseball diamond and cheer Riley on. In bad weather she rode the bus home. When it was nice outside, she'd hang around school, allowing herself just enough time to walk the three miles or hitch a ride. She'd careen into the yard, and before long the smell of frying onions or garlic would sift through the kitchen screen door. Maggie often heard the faint rattle of dishes. Inside twenty minutes, the girl would have the beds made, the breakfast dishes done, laundry going in the machine, and dinner in the oven or on the stove. Then she'd take another few minutes to change her clothes and put on skimpy shorts or the denim miniskirt. By the time Cole and Riley rode their mopeds up the drive at five-thirty, she'd be sitting on the steps reading one of her schoolbooksâat least Maggie had thought it was a schoolbook at first. Cole had told her Luana kept a copy of
True Confessions
magazine folded up inside her schoolbook. At the time Maggie had grinned; she used to devour the pulps by the pound herself. The boys, of course, would head immediately for the garage and talk with Luana until the timer pinged from the kitchen window. Ben Simms walked up those steps promptly at five minutes past six. By that time, the boys were safely in their rooms doing their homework or washing up for dinner. The girl had it down to a science.
Luana's sobs were now shrieks of pain. “All right, Pa, I won't talk to them no more! You tell Miz Tanner they ain't good enough for me. Go ahead, you go and tell her! There goes your job and this swell place. Sometimes I hate you, Pa. Go ahead, hit me some more. I don't care no more! You keep telling me you want me to get book learning, but we move around so much I forget from place to place. Cole and Riley said they'd help me. What's wrong with that?”
Whack. Maggie flinched.
“Get the Good Book and we'll read.”
Maggie listened as Ben Simms's voice droned on and on. Once in a while she could hear Luana as she responded to her father.
The following week Maggie made plans to go to New York. She also made it her business to cancel most of her charity work in order to hang around the house. She didn't know why until Wednesday, when she just happened to see Riley skirt the main road and roar across the field on his moped. He had a rider on the back, whom Maggie knew instantly was Luana.
Riley never cut school. And he certainly never cut baseball practice. She looked at her watch,â1:15. Where were they going?
For hours she paced Sunbridge like an expectant father. Finally, at five-fifteen, Maggie heard the roar of Riley's moped. She sighed. heavily. Time for both of them to get backâRiley to his room, Luana to her frying onions.
On Friday, Luana left for school in a new dress, a brilliant red silky thing, and matching high-heeled shoes.
On Saturday, Maggie canceled her trip to New York and rescheduled it for the following week.
On Monday afternoon it was Cole who cut across the field with Luana on the back of his moped. On Wednesday, when Luana left for school, she was wearing Calvin Klein jeans and a LaCoste pullover.
That morning, as Maggie was brooding over what she'd seen, Susan joined her on the patio, a cup of coffee in hand. “What happened to good deeds lately? Why are you so antsy? What's going on you haven't told me?”
Maggie filled her in.
“You mean that little bitch is peddling her ass?” Susan asked outraged.
“It looks that way,” Maggie said morosely. “I know one thing, though. Both boys think they're âit' as far as Luana goes. I shudder to think what's going to happen when they find out they're at opposite ends of the rope.”
“Does her father... Of course not. She'd be black and blue if he did. Maybe I should talk to him.”
“No, Suse, don't do that.” Maggie told her about the beating Luana had gotten from Ben Simms.
Susan sipped her coffee, nearly scalding her tongue. “Maggie, that man is an absolute powerhouse. He's already laid two foundations for the modular buildings, and his work is exact. Ferris is very impressed. Because of Ben Simms, we can expect to have the modules ready by Labor Day.”
Labor day. That was five months away. A lot could happen in five months. Then Maggie remembered that the boys were leaving for Hawaii in June. Still, even two-and-a-half months was a long time. A girl could get pregnant in two-and-a-half months. Maybe she should have a talk with Luana.
At four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, Ben Simms knocked at the back door and asked for Susan.
“Missus, I have to go to town. I need to order some more supplies. I want to bring back a keg of nails so I have them first thing Monday morning. I'll be owing you two hours of time, but I'll make them up Monday. I need to buy some groceries at the supermarket, too. Luana tells me it's open till ten o'clock.”
“That's fine, Mr. Simms. Have the lumberyard send me the bill. You can take off early whenever you want. Here's your pay, cash like you asked for.”
Ben thanked her, tipped his hat. “I wonder if you'd give Miz Tanner a message for me.”
“Surely, Mr. Simms.”
“Tell her I was wrong with the boys. They're very respectful of Luana. I don't cotton to that one with the slanted eyes, but Luana says he's real good with numbers and she needs help. If the boys still have a mind to help her, they can come over after supper and work at the kitchen table. I'll be right there.”
Luana watched her father as he headed for the bathroom. He'd told her to make a grocery list, and she hadâa nice long one.
She hummed to herself as she stirred the onions in the pan. Pa would do just like he saidâhe'd get his keg of nails, the groceries, and load everything in the back of the truck. But after that, he'd stop at the roadside cafe and wouldn't be home till past midnight or maybe not till morning, if he found a woman. So she had six hours she could definitely count on, perhaps the entire night.
Her mind raced as she fried the last of the hamburger meat. She smiled, remembering the set of lacy black underwear she'd bought in Austin on Friday. Maybe she'd wear it tonight. . . .
The minute supper was over, Luana leaped up to do the dishes. She'd just finished wiping the last one dry when Ben stuck her grocery list into his pocket. “You be a good girl while I'm gone. Keep the door locked. Study your homework and read your Scripture because I'm going to ask you questions in the morning.”
“Yes, Pa,” Luana answered obediently. She was stunned when Ben handed her a twenty-dollar bill.
“Next week you buy yourself some new duds.”
“Thanks, Pa.” She perched on tiptoe and kissed Ben's cheek.
He reddened with pleasure. “Trixie'd always do that when I give her something,” Ben said and patted her cheek awkwardly. “You're all I got, gal.”
“I know, Pa. Don't you go worryin' about me. Both of us is going to be all right from here on out. When words gets around what a good worker you are, jobs will be lining up from here to kingdom come. You watch. Maybe Miz Tanner will let us rent this place permanently.”
“You like it here, do you, gal?”
“I really do, Pa. This is the first place that seems like home since Ma left. I keep it nice, don't I?”
“You do. You make me proud.”
Luana kissed him again and obediently locked the door behind him. She didn't move till she heard the pickup truck drive out of the courtyard. Then she stripped and showered and powdered herself all over with talcum from the dime store. “Djer Kiss.” It smelled nice and she liked the name because it had the word kiss in it.
Her fingers itched to touch the lacy black underwear. After she slipped it on, she looked into the big, round mirror over the chest of drawers. She had to hop on the bed for a full look. The silky black made her skin look whiter, and the bra pushed her breasts up and together, making them fuller. The little black bikini pants barely covered her where they should, but they made her legs look longer and slimmer.
She wobbled on the lumpy mattress and fell into a heap, laughing, delighted with herself and her purchase. She pulled on the Calvin jeans and rummaged for a dark plaid blouse, worn but ironed. She didn't want the lacy bra to show through. The blouse was primly buttoned to the neck; her long, almost flaxen hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She tugged at a few loose ends near her ears and did the same with a light fringe of bangs. Her face was shiny cleanâbetter not wear makeup around Miz Tanner. But she did curl her eyelashes.
Five minutes later Luana knocked timidly at the back door, waiting for Martha to answer. She wondered what time it was. Maybe by this time next week she'd have a watch.
“I'm here to see Riley and Cole, ma'am,” she said politely when Martha answered the door. “I'll wait out here on the porch.”
“Mrs. Tanner,” Martha said into the intercom, “that little girl from across the way is here to see Riley and Cole.”
“I'll be right down, Martha.
“Is something wrong, Luana?” Maggie asked when she reached the service porch.
“No, ma'am. Cole said maybe he'd help me with homework tonight if he wasn't doing anything.”
Maggie stared at the girl, trying to see beneath the surface innocence. But when she remembered the way Ben Simms had whipped his daughter, sympathy overrode her suspicions. She knew it shouldn't, especially since both Riley and Cole were involved, but she felt she should take up the issue with them and not Luana.
Luana met Maggie's gaze, her eyes level and innocent. “Would you call Cole, Miz Tanner?” She asked gently.
“Can I see how you used that gadget on the wall? They have something like that in school. Is it the same thing?”
“The intercom? Yes, I suppose so, but on a much smaller scale.” Before Maggie realized what she was doing, she'd called Cole on the intercom. Within seconds, she heard his feet down the stairs.
“Hi, Cole. I came to see if you'd help me with my homework,” Luana cooed, her big brown eyes flashing, - just the hint of a smile touching her full, youthful mouth.
Cole was staring at Luana as though she were Christie Brinkley, and it irritated Maggie. She wanted to shake him till his teeth rattled.
“It's okay with me,” he agreed readily. “I wasn't doing anything tonight. Wait for me. I have to go get a book. I'll be right down.”
Cole sprinted up the stairs. He could feel his Jockey shorts filling out. It had gotten to the point lately where he couldn't even think of Luana without a feeling of tension in his loins. She hadn't ever let him go all the way, but she'd taught him things he'd never learned from Playboy. Quickly he calculated the amount of money he had in his wallet, money he'd been saving for his trip to Hawaii with Sawyer. Fifty dollars ready cash. He wondered exactly what Luana would give him for fifty dollars.