The Lure of White Oak Lake (12 page)

“I have two old ones. We could ask Gavin Cullum if he has any he’d be willing to part with.” Jaclyn stepped away when Morgan began sealing the paint can. “We sometimes rent kegs for festivals, and in the commotion, some of them don’t get turned in. Don’t get your hopes up too high. Gavin’s space is limited, so he might not have something like that hanging around in storage.”

“We’ve decided to do the decorations in papier-mâché,” Austin explained. “Anything wooden would make it too heavy. Before the race begins, we’ll just take it off.” He picked up Morgan’s notepad and showed Jaclyn the drawing. The front of Thor would look more like a Viking ship with the back left open. There were several mast sketches with question marks, and Morgan had drawn sad-faced people in the water watching Thor go by.

Jaclyn smiled. “For two people that have never done this, you’re both very methodical in your planning.”

“I have to have a visual.” Morgan pulled out her wallet when she saw the pizza guy coming down the road. “Be right back.”

“We’re gonna win this, Momma, and look cool doing it. Morgan ordered our hats today right off her phone, and she’s gonna wear a deerskin. She freakin’ rocks.” Austin tugged on Jaclyn’s arm. “Tell her she has to come to the corn maze with us.”

Jaclyn made a face. “You never want me to go to the maze with you.” She imitated Austin by lowering her voice and squaring her shoulders, “It’s so not cool to have your mom in the maze with you.”

“But I want us to do it with Morgan. She’s never been, and it would be fun. Can we go tomorrow night?”

“I’ll have to think about getting lost in a cornfield for a while before I commit.”

“There’s funnel cakes,” Austin said, raising a brow.

“I’m warming.”

“Caramel apples.”

“Hush, boy.”

“Y’all want to come inside or eat on the deck?” Morgan asked as she rounded the house with the pizzas.

“Mom wants you to come to the corn maze with us tomorrow night because she wants funnel cake,” Austin said with a grin. “Say yes.”

“Funnel cakes?” Morgan replied with a growl. “Hell yeah!”

~~~

“No, absolutely not.” Betsy shook her head furiously. “I am not taking off my clothes to dance beneath the moon.” She looked at Ida, who was obviously staring at the hibiscus flowers floating around in her drug-addled brain. “I can’t believe you’d agree to this.”

Ida chuckled. “I think it would be fun to let my moon join the one in the sky. Mine’s probably brighter.”

“A moonlight dance clarifies the mind,” Clarice said, tapping her temple.

Betsy rolled her eyes. “Detox would be the only thing that would clear your minds. Is that potion ready yet?”

“So impatient, let it flow, Betsy.” Ida threw her head back and howled with laughter.

Clarice stretched out her arms. “Flow, negative energy, leave my body and this place.”

Ida did the same, laughing hysterically. “I’m so flowing.”

Betsy grabbed the teakettle off the stove and poured the water into the potion cup. “Can I say the…the thing tonight, the spell?”

Clarice shrugged with her arms still outstretched. “I don’t see why not.”

Betsy was in no mood to wait for the tea to steep. She grabbed Clarice by the hand and shoved her down into a chair, then took the first sip. “Drink, Ida,” she said as she put the cup in her hand.

“I swear that’s cat piss.” Ida wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Your cats are pissing on your special herbs.”

Clarice seemed to enjoy the brew, and she drank every last drop.

Betsy took their hands. “Now, dear Lord, I must apologize for our folly.” She glared at Clarice when she opened one eye and looked at her. “We are not consorting with demons or calling upon them. We’re just asking for love to find Jaclyn and Morgan, too. And if I may, I’d like to ask forgiveness on behalf of Clarice and Ida for pickling their brains on a regular basis. Also if they choose to run naked tonight, I hope you won’t let anyone notice two stupid old women acting like complete fools. Hide their wrinkles and cellulite, O Lord, from those eyes that may be offended by the spectacle. And, Lord, Jaclyn’s a good woman, her grandmother Augie is the one standing next to you right now probably pointing her out to you. Augie was my best friend, and I just want her granddaughter to have a good life. I’ve been looking out for her just as I promised, but, Lord, you know my weaknesses. I want so much to just grab those girls and slam them together, so I ask you to do the same…without lightning bolts and—”

“Amen, for Pete’s sake,” Ida said. “I’m totally losing my buzz right now.”

Betsy looked skyward. “And, Lord, please forgive Ida’s impatience, it’s just the hibiscus talking.” She stood up feeling pleased with herself. “I’m going home now.”

~~~

Chet stood on his back porch with a cigar in one hand and a cup of his special blend moonshine in the other. Laughter drew his attention to the woods behind his house. The vision that met his eyes caused him to drop the cigar. Ida Pochet and Clarice Minden wearing only sneakers tore by in a naked flash, laughter following them as they dashed deeper into the woods. He blinked, then looked down at his cup. “Good stuff,” he muttered as he clenched it with both hands and raised it to his lips, unwilling to spill a single drop.

B
y the following evening, the vessel Thor was sporting two beer kegs on the port and starboard sides. Morgan and Austin took it for a test spin, and it supported their weight with ease. Jaclyn observed the victory dance from the window of the store when she’d gone to check on Bailey. She was nearly as giddy as the two dancing arm in arm in a circle on the pier.

“Bailey, I know you know everyone in town, but you still have to ID for cigarette, beer, and liquor sales, so don’t forget.”

“Got it, Ms. Wyatt.”

Jaclyn patted her on the back. “I know you do, you’ve done an excellent job this afternoon. I’m going to run up to the house and take a shower while you close up.”

“To run in the corn maze? You’re gonna have mud from head to toe because it rained hard the other day.” Bailey shook her head. “No way am I going there.”

“Yes, I know I’ve lost my mind,” Jaclyn called over her shoulder. Of that she was certain. She was actually excited about ruining a pair of shoes and getting lost for a couple of hours in the dark. She’d not been to the mazes since she was a teen, and at the moment, she felt like one.

~~~

At seven thirty, Morgan pulled up in the driveway. “She’s here, let’s…you look nice,” Austin said as he looked his mom over.

“I do? These are old jeans, and this shirt I’ve had for years.”

“It’s your hair…maybe…you just look different. I think Morgan’s gonna like it.”

“Honey, I took a shower and dried my hair, that’s all. I didn’t do anything special.” She ushered Austin through the door. Well, nothing too out of the ordinary, maybe just a few extra hairstyling products and a facial scrub.

An argument ensued over who was riding in the backseat of the Jeep. Jaclyn thought Austin should ride in the front with Morgan since his legs were longer, but he wanted to be in back. It took him a few minutes to get his long body situated, then he groaned when Jaclyn shoved the seat back. “Told ya you should’ve ridden in front.”

“I wanted to ride in back. This is so cool,” he said as he looked around. “I’ve never ridden in anything without a top.”

Morgan looked over her shoulder. “It’s gonna get chilly back there, are you sure you want to ride topless?”

Austin giggled. “Topless, that’s funny. It’s not that cold, and we’re not going far.”

Morgan backed out of the driveway and pulled out onto the road. “I assume you’ve done this maze thing before?” she said, looking at Jaclyn.

“Yes, when I was a teenager, which was a very long time ago.”

Austin’s face appeared between the seats. “Mom’s gonna be forty in July, I’m popping fireworks.”

Jaclyn gave his head a playful shove. “Boy, get back where you belong and put on your seat belt. I told you to stop telling people that.”

“You don’t look it,” Morgan said, glancing at her. “I would’ve guessed you to be around thirty-five.”

“Okay, let’s go with that,” Jaclyn said with a nod. “I’m thirty-five.”

“Plus five,” Austin yelled out. “How old are you, Morgan?”

Jaclyn looked over her shoulder. “You don’t ask anyone over twenty that.”

“She may be twenty.”

Morgan held up her fist, and Austin bumped it. “I’m thirty-six.”

“You’re younger than my Aunt Maddie, but she says Uncle Heath has stressed her into old age. She also says that having kids melted her boobs.”

Jaclyn shook her head and looked out her window.

Austin leaned forward again. “Turn left on Main Street and take it like you’re going back to the highway.”

Jaclyn turned back to Morgan. “I’m sorry I forget that you’re not familiar with White Oak yet.”

“I should’ve known this was the way we were going because I passed a lot of cornfields coming in.”

“Aunt Maddie,” Austin yelled when they passed the hardware store. Maddie smiled and waved as she closed up. “This Jeep is so cool, I feel like I’m in a parade.” Austin waved at everyone they passed.

Morgan chuckled as she watched him in the rearview mirror.

“I didn’t notice what shoes you were wearing,” Jaclyn said. “It’s going to be muddy because of the rain we had.”

“I’ll wash them tomorrow when I go to the Laundromat.”

Jaclyn made a face. “That place is funky, use ours.”

Morgan shook her head. “I don’t want to impose.”

Austin’s face appeared again between the seats. “You won’t be. Mom makes roast on Sunday, you have to come and eat.”

Jaclyn laughed as she shoved him back again. “You do, you’re still too light for the not-boat.”

“Light? Is that your way of calling me skinny?”

“Chet says when you turn sideways, you disappear, which is funny because I think he’s skinnier than you are.” Austin laughed. “I wonder if you can hide behind a cornstalk.”

Morgan caught his eye in the rearview mirror. “You are so walking home.”

~~~

It was a fair-like atmosphere at the maze. Children screamed and laughed from the backs of carts filled with hay being pulled by a tractor. Others jumped around in a corn pit. The concession stands were painted black and white like a cow. The scent of funnel cakes, popcorn, and barbecue mingled in the air. Morgan laughed as Austin dragged Jaclyn away from the concession line since the one for the maze was short.

“We’ll have the maze almost to ourselves if we go right now.” He looked toward the head of the short line and said, “There’s Dylan, be right back.”

Morgan folded her arms. “Am I really as skinny as he claims?”

“You don’t look bad, you’re just thin. I enjoy cooking, so automatically, I want to feed everyone,” Jaclyn said. And she did want to feed Morgan. People ate when they were happy, and Jaclyn wanted Morgan to be happy. The notion surprised her, and she smiled awkwardly when Morgan glanced at her.

“You’re pretty trim. How do you eat all that home cooking and stay that way?”

“I’m on my feet all the time. Before I lost my last regular employee, I jogged every day, but I’ve gotten out of the habit. I’ve put on a few pounds.”

Morgan’s gaze roved over her, and Jaclyn felt her pulse quicken as those dark eyes narrowed in an appreciative smile. “What?”

Morgan shrugged. “What?”

“You smiled. Did you notice an unsightly bulge?”

“Nothing of the sort,” Morgan said as she stared straight ahead.

Austin returned with Dylan at his side. “We want to race y’all. Let’s see who makes it out of the maze first.”

Morgan raised a brow. “And if we win?”

“You just win,” Austin said.

“I’m not racing for bragging rights.” Morgan looked at Jaclyn. “My Jeep is dirty, how about your car?”

“I like where this is headed,” Jaclyn said with a grin.

Austin and Dylan turned their backs to Morgan and Jaclyn. When they turned again, Austin said, “If you win, we wash your cars tomorrow, but if we win, we want our own funnel cakes and caramel apples.”

Jaclyn motioned for Morgan to turn around. “You got something better in mind?” Morgan whispered.

“No, I just wanted to make them sweat. Are you good with the terms?”

“I’m all in.”

“Okay, we accept the challenge, but you two can’t take off once we get to the ticket booth. We go in together,” Jaclyn said. “Deal?”

“Deal,” Austin said with a nod. “Dylan, you know my mom, but this is Morgan, she’s my partner for the regatta.”

Morgan smiled. “Hi, Dylan, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” he said with a wave.

Once the tickets were purchased, the four met at an intersection. “Right or left, guys?” Jaclyn asked.

“Left!” Austin and Dylan shot off, and Morgan and Jaclyn took off on the trail to the right.

Morgan was surprised at how dark it was. The corn plants loomed well above her head and made dark walls on either side of the narrow path. Jaclyn with her pale blue shirt and blond hair was easier to make out. “Is the maze the same every year?” 

“No, it’s different every time. Maddie and Heath got totally lost last year. It took them three hours to find their way out, and that was during the day.” Jaclyn came to an abrupt halt at a junction to avoid colliding with another group of people. “I thought I recognized your voice, Annie.”

“Who on earth talked you into the maze, Jaclyn Wyatt?”

“It was Austin’s idea. We’re racing to see who finishes first. I know you can barely see her, but this is Morgan Chassion. She moved into the cabin down from the store.”

Morgan smiled at the form in the darkness surrounded by smaller ones. “Nice to meet you, Annie.”

“It’s great to finally meet you. I work at Rosie’s most nights, you come in and see me sometime. We have the best pie in town. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” Morgan strained her eyes to make out Annie’s features.

“We have to run, we’re competing for funnel cakes.” Jaclyn grabbed Morgan’s arm and began moving again. “This would be a lot easier if we could just follow the smell of the concession stand and make our own rows. The aroma of the funnels are really strong right here, I’ll bet we’re right behind the stand.”