The Obituary Society (12 page)

Chapter 16

Goldie's Locks

Lila sat in a pink patent-leather chair at Goldie's Locks, flipping through a magazine while Goldie blasted her with a gigantic black blow dryer.  She took a deep breath, then coughed at the scent of shampoo and conditioner mingled with perm solution and hair dye that permeated the salon.

When Ada had invited her to come along, Lila asked if Goldie was accustomed to styling hair on the under sixty crowd. 

“
Of course,” she replied, hands on hips.  “Her granddaughter comes to visit every other month, and Goldie fixes her hair every time.  She does several of the younger women in town, too.  She has a reputation for choosing the perfect hairstyle for her clients.”  Ada paused.  “Most of the time,” she mumbled.  She lifted her chin and patted her own hair.  “I prefer to stick with my regular style, though.  You don't think
my
hair looks awful, do you?”

“
Of course not, Aunt Ada.”  And Lila was trapped.

Goldie's hair was dyed blonde, and swirled high on her head.  A pink artificial flower was clipped into the side.  She had the low, gravelly voice of a long-time smoker, and perfectly-painted red nails.

“Now, you don't really just want a trim, do you?” Goldie asked.

“
I've had long hair all my life.  I couldn't do anything drastic.”

“
Don't you want to do something fun?  You only live once, you know.”

Ada sat in a vinyl, avocado-colored chair beside the large gilded mirror facing Lila.  She flopped her Home and Garden magazine down on her lap and waved her hands in the air.  “Now, don't listen to that nonsense, dear.  The last time she told me that I ended up with pink highlights.  Not to mention that same logic landed Goldie in a wedding chapel in Las Vegas not once, but twice.”

Goldie made a gutteral sound as she sprayed Lila's hair with sweet smelling detangler.  “Your highlights looked fabulous.”

“
I looked ridiculous.”

“
I saw Elmer Greene stop in the middle of the street and watch you walk by.  —Almost got run over by a delivery truck too.”

“
Everyone stopped to watch me walk by.”

Lila chuckled along with Goldie.  “Speaking of Elmer, he came by the other day to do some work on the house.  He taught me how to change out a light fixture.  Anyway, he told me he took Ada out on her first date.  Did you know that, Goldie?”

Ada's cheeks reddened, and she pinched her little mouth shut.

“
Oh, everyone knows Elmer's always had the hots for Ada.  What about you though, Lila?  I hear you got Auburn's two most handsome eligible bachelors completely smitten.”

Lila ducked her head.  “I don't know if inadvertently winning them on the auction block is a fair conquest.”

“Oh, come on, girl.  We all know there's more to it than that.  I haven't seen young Max Ellison shave so often since his wife left him.”  She sighed and pressed a hand over her chest.  “Bless his heart.  He looks like he's decided to start living again.”

At the mention of Max, Lila willed herself not to blush, but as usual, it didn't work, so she raised the magazine to cover her face.  She didn't mention it, but she thought Max looked good with a couple of days' stubble.  She clenched the magazine tighter, picturing his face, so close to hers, that day in his truck.  Why hadn't he stopped by, or even called?  Why did it bother her?  She'd never intended to get involved with Max.  They weren't even compatible.  Anyway, Ada had told her Max wasn't interested in dating.  She should have listened.

Lila winced as Goldie pulled the comb through a knot in her hair.  “And Asher Whiting's not a bad catch either,” she continued.  “Different type entirely.  Looks like you've got a tough decision to make.  Or maybe you're just planning on having a little fun?”

Lila stiffened, trying not to betray anything with her face.  “No.  I don't—there's nothing really going on.  In fact, both of them infuriate me more often than not.”

Goldie laughed.  “Right.  Ada used to say the same thing about Elmer Greene.  She's so stubborn, though, she'd never admit she should have given him a second chance all those years ago.  It's not too late.”

Ada sat up straight.  “You mind your business, Goldie.”
“I don't mean any harm by it.  I'm just saying, you gotta take your opportunities in life, do something daring.  So, what do you think, about the hair?”

Lila took a deep breath.  “Okay.  I've always liked Emma Stone's hair?  I mean,  I don't want to change the color, but the cut.  Do you know who that is?”

Goldie grunted.  “Of course, honey.  I'm old, but I'm not living on another planet.  It's my job to keep up on the styles.”
Lila flipped through the magazine, glancing inattentively at the pages of celebrities.  “Right.  Sorry.  I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job.”

Goldie grabbed a pair of scissors.  “You're going to have to stop tapping your foot though, or you'll end up with something really creative.”

Lila placed her hands on her knees.  She held the magazine up to her face again, hoping Goldie couldn't see her close her eyes as she took the first snip.  A minute later she opened them.  Ada was staring at her, mouth agape.

Lila's eyes flashed to the mirror, then she gasped.  She looked down.  Several long locks of hair lay on the blue tile floor.  She looked at her reflection again and blinked several times.  “ My hair.”

“Excited?”

Lila tried to keep her voice from shaking.  “I can't find the words.”

Goldie snipped another lock of hair.  “I have that effect on people.”
“Just curious, what was your favorite Emma Stone movie?” Lila asked.

“
Oh, she was just darling in that movie where she played the little witch.”

Lila's mouth formed an “O”.  “Of course.”  There was no point in arguing about the difference between Emma Stone and Emma Watson.  Her hair was already gone.  All she could do now was keep the tears in check and try not to hurt Goldie's feelings.  She bit down on her lip to keep herself from speaking.

Goldie's scissors flew around Lila's head.  It was like knowing you're having a nightmare but not being able to wake yourself.  She pinched her arm just in case.  It hurt.                “Everyone was so shocked when she got that pixie cut,” Goldie said, “but I thought it was daring.  She pulled it off wonderfully, and so will you, honey.  I have to admit, I've wanted to get ahold of this hair since the first time I saw you.”

Lila narrowed her eyes, then silently chided herself for her suspicions.  How could she accuse such a sweet lady of pulling a fast one on her.  She tried looking at Ada, but the shock hadn't worn off her face, so she lifted the magazine and waited for the bad dream to end.

Goldie began tugging at Lila's hair with a flat iron, occasionally showering her with aerosol hair spray.  She felt the red fingernails pick and fluff before finally ripping the plastic apron away.

“
Viola!”  Goldie brushed tiny hairs off Lila's shoulders.

Lila slowly lowered the magazine, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.  She peeked at Ada first.  Ada's head was cocked to one side, her brows tilted slightly in a thoughtful expression.  Lila wasn't sure what to make of it, but since Ada didn't look horrified, she gathered enough courage to look into the ornate mirror.

A familiar face stared back at her, but it was like a version of herself she'd never noticed before.  It was as if a confident, braver version of herself had been uncovered.  She thought of how much she'd changed over the last couple of months.  It would definitely take some getting used to, but perhaps a new look for this unexpected phase of life was exactly what was called for. 

She looked up at Goldie's reflection.  Goldie beamed at her, white dentures gleaming between rosy pink lipstick.  “Well?”

Ada looked at Lila nervously as the tense silence stretched.  “It will certainly be a lot cooler.  I think you'll appreciate that in this awful heat.”

Lila ran her fingers through the short-cropped hair.  It felt odd, but strangely freeing.  She nodded, and a smile stretched across her face.  “I think I like it.”

Goldie jumped, clapping her hands, then gave Lila a squeeze.  “I knew you would!  You have just the right features for it.”

Ada exhaled and smiled, then took Lila's hand as she stood.  They bustled to the counter and Lila pulled out her purse.  She paid Goldie, making sure to add a generous tip, and they waved goodbye. 

As Lila pulled open the heavy glass door, clanging the brass bell, she glanced at a magazine sitting on a nearby table.  Emma Stone grinned radiantly from the cover.  Lila paused, narrowing her eyes again as Goldie followed her gaze.  She waited for a reaction, but Goldie just smiled and winked, waving as they walked out the door.

July 1994
             

Ada sat slumped on the front steps in the darkness.  Her head rested on Gladys's shoulder.  They nestled close together, hands clasped tightly.  Moonlight shone softly on the midnight world, casting inky shadows.  Ada appeared weary and broken, but inside she was standing at the top of a cliff looking down;  aware of every muscle, every detail around her, waiting.  Her head ached.

It felt like they'd been sitting this way for hours, rather than minutes.  “Isaac should be back by now.”  Ada's voice slipped through the heavy air.

“
He'll be back.  Give him time,” Gladys answered.

“
Gladys?”

“
Yes.”

“
I'm sorry.”

“
I'm sorry too.  At least, I feel like I should be sorry.”  Gladys stood, and helped her friend to her feet.  She gingerly touched Ada's cheek.  “Let's get you inside and get a steak on that bruise.”

Chapter 17

Mantis

Great-Grandma Phoebe's choice of wallpaper for the kitchen had a geometric pattern with a little bunch of pink roses in each square.  Ada had told Lila she remembered when it was installed.  It wasn't without charm, and Lila liked the idea of leaving the paper her great-grandma had chosen.  But with all the moisture and wear a kitchen gets over the years, keeping it was not an option.  For the past two hours she'd perched on the rickety wooden ladder, scraping and peeling.  The gunk under her nails was nothing compared to the aches in her arms and neck.

There was one aspect of the work she did appreciate, and that was the limited amount of skill it required.  She took her frustrations out with the scraper.  It was satisfying to watch the strips of paper fall away, and to look at the large section she had already cleared. 

Working on a task like this allowed the thoughts and emotions she hadn't known how to deal with come as they would.  Her stream of consciousness flowed from one thought to another without discrimination.  She'd started out recalling the conversations she'd had with a plumber and an electrician who'd come by recently to write up bids. 

The plumber had explained that pipes in a house of this age were made of steel.  “How's the water pressure here?” he'd asked, a concerned look on his long face.  “You tried turning on a faucet?”

“
Yeah.  It's not great,” she had replied.  “But isn't steel a good thing?”

“
Well, it's strong, obviously.”  He tugged at the jeans that threatened to slide down his narrow hips and puffed out his chest.  “But it's also susceptible to rust that clogs up the pipes.  And we'll have to make sure none of them have burst.  You haven't noticed any water damage in the house?”

“
No.”

“
That's a good sign.”

Even with the good sign, plumbing repairs would cost several thousand dollars, and that's just if nothing unexpected happened along the way.

Her visit with the electrician made her more nervous. 

“
You've still got the old knob and tube wiring in here.  It's just not made to handle the heavy use we give it nowadays.  The wires get hot, and it can become a fire hazard.  You're lucky if you can even get a house insured with that kind of wiring.”

“
So you're telling me I'll need to have the whole house rewired?”

He scrunched up his eyes and rubbed his balding head.  “Probably not a bad idea.”  The phrase was drawn out in an apologetic tone.  “The good news is since you have a basement and an attic, I might be able to fish the wires through the walls rather than tearing everything apart.  That's going to help your costs substantially.”

Lila had read several online articles, and knew that if any serious issues came up it was possible that the electrical work alone could burn through all of her grandfather's savings.  The thought tied her stomach in knots. 

All of these renovations were going to cost her, and there were countless issues in the house she hadn't even assessed yet.  What could she do?  She'd never qualify for a loan.  Perhaps Asher was right about her not being able to handle this undertaking.  Maybe she should just put the house up for sale as is.  She pushed the thought away with a firm stroke of the scraper.     

Not all of the evaluations were grim.  She'd  had the foundation inspected and been told that it was solid.  The thought gave her hope.

She tried not to think of why she hadn't heard from Max since that day;  the day they'd found Clint.  She'd seen him briefly in the back row at the funeral, and then he was gone.  She hoped he was okay.  As far as what happened between the two of them, if he wanted to pretend it never happened, then so did she.  But he didn't need to avoid her.

As Lila worked, fragments of Ada's voice floated through the open living room window, followed by bits of Gladys's in reply.  She couldn't make out the words, but something in their tones caught her attention.  Maybe it was time to take a break and get some fresh air on the porch.  She dropped the scraper and slipped out through the front door, closing it quietly behind her.  She stepped to the corner of the porch and peered out past the bushes.  The two women stood on the walk in front of Ada's house. 

Lila ducked down lower to make sure she was out of sight, then wrinkled her nose in disgust.  Look at me. 
I'm eavesdropping, or porch-dropping, like an old lady
. 
This place is getting to me
.

“
But I thought they said it was a heart attack,” Ada said.

Gladys threw her hands up, frustration swelling in her voice.  “Well, they're not saying it wasn't a heart attack.  They said, uh— the autopsy was inconclusive, those were the exact words.  They found a needle mark with some bruising, and a lot of calcium in his system.  That's what Betsy said.”

“We all know Clint was visiting doctors and having treatments all the time.  What's so strange about that?”  Ada sounded cynical.  “Any time I go in for something they think I'm a squishy old pincushion.”

“
Well, they're going to look into it, that's all.”

“
I still don't see who would want to hurt Clint.”

Gladys threw her hands up again, her voice rising.  “Maybe no one.  Betsy just likes to talk.”

The women moved closer to the house, and Lila lost the rest of the conversation.  She returned to the kitchen but found she didn't have the patience to sit at her task anymore.  She grabbed a loose end of paper and peeled, making a long, irregular scar across the wall.

The sheriff had seemed so confident that it was a heart attack.  It made sense, with Clint's age and weight, and the fact that he'd had chemotherapy.  But apparently the autopsy had come up with something suspicious. 

Asher and the sheriff had both mentioned that Clint wasn't without enemies.  She remembered when that guy, Mr. Snyder, had come into the law office yelling about Clint.  He didn't look stable.  In fact, she'd been afraid he might hurt Asher.  The least she could do was tell Sheriff Larson, although she found it unlikely anything went unnoticed in this town.

It would be best to speak to him in person.  There were certain things people didn't discuss openly here.  For example, you'd be lucky if you could get a direct answer about which seasonings a person used in their chili.  So getting Sheriff Larson to open up  about a possible homicide would be a challenge. 

Her other challenge was getting to the station.  She could walk, but it would take awhile, and she wanted to talk to the Sheriff as soon as possible.  Borrowing Gladys's car would mean having to give an explanation, and there was no need to excite the ladies any more just now.  She eyed the old truck parked beside Ada's house:  The Beast.  The key was always in the ignition.

She'd stop by Max's first.  Gladys or somebody had probably told him about the autopsy, but she wanted to make sure he knew.  And she hated to admit it, but she needed to see how he responded to her.  He had to at least talk to her.

She also wanted to check in on Juniper.  Gladys had told her the girl didn't seem to be traumatized after finding Clint's truck on the side of the road.  But as tough as she was, she was still just a kid;  a kid who'd been through a lot during the past year. 

Ada had found a praying mantis in her garden the other day.  There was something delicate and beautiful and otherworldly about it, and at the same time strong.  Lila had coaxed it into a mason jar and had been working up the courage to drop by Max's to give it to Juniper.  She picked up the jar from the porch railing before hurrying to the truck.

The Beast rumbled loudly when she started it, as if responding to a challenge.  The ladies' heads bobbed up and down through the living room window, watching her as she jerked backward down the drive.

When she reached Max's, she noticed a silver Nissan sat in his driveway.  He wasn't alone.  Lila's slumped down in her seat.  Should she even go to the door?  She had no idea who was in there, and showing up at Max's house might as well be an announcement to the whole town that she had her eye on him.  She didn't want to embarrass him. 

The thunderous puttering of the truck as she deliberated had probably alerted the neighborhood anyway.  Lila turned the key, grabbed the jar, and slid out of the truck.  Then she pulled herself up the walk and knocked on the door, trying to ignore the inexplicable twisting in her stomach.  She ran her fingers through her hair to push it back, an old habit that hadn't yet died, even though her long hair was gone.

After a moment the door creaked partway open and a woman's head peered out.  An insincere smile was pasted on her face.  Lila couldn't help noticing the smooth auburn hair, the piercing blue eyes that looked her up and down, and especially the plaid shirt that hung off her shoulder. 

Lila hesitated.  She wanted to run down the walk and back to the truck, but she was here, and unfortunately, she had to speak.  She cleared her throat and forced the words out.  “Hi.  I wondered—is Max here?  Or is he . . . busy?  I can come back.”  The blood rushed to her face like pin pricks.

“
Oh, he is indisposed at the moment.  But I can tell him you came.”  Her brows rose.  “You are?”

“
Lila.  And you—?  Never mind.”  She winced, waving her free hand.  “I didn't mean to —“

“
Don't worry about it.  I'm Erica.”  She looked past Lila and her lip twitched slightly.  “Nice truck, Layla.”

Lila stared at her steadily, her voice low and even.  “Lila.  Thanks.”

Erica's eyes traveled to the mason jar, and her face turned sour.

Lila's smile felt sticky-sweet-fake.  “Oh, this is for Juniper.”  She held up the jar so the alien insect stared at Erica with bulging eyes.  “Could you give it to her?” 

Erica took the jar as if it were toxic, holding it as far away from her as possible.                Lila stifled a laugh.  “Thanks.  See you around, I guess.”

“
Definitely.”  Erica gave a pert smile and quickly closed the door.

Lila hurried to the truck and slammed the door.  She had to get out of here before Max saw her.  When had his ex-wife come back?  Nobody had said anything about it to her, not that it was her business. 

She sped up, heading toward main street. 

What did it matter if Erica was back anyway?  It's not like Max had pledged his undying love to Lila or anything.  He was a lonely guy who took his opportunity the moment Lila had stopped arguing with him and shown some vulnerability.  Or he was about to.  Besides, she hadn't come here with the intention of finding a husband and settling down.

She was happy for Max, and it would be really good for Juniper to have her mother back.  Maybe.

She hit her brakes a moment too late at the four-way stop.  Lou Wilson shook his head in a tan suburban at her right.  She held her hand out in apology, and waved him on.

A siren wooped behind her, and she jumped, whipping her head to look in the rear view mirror.  Red and blue lights spun behind her.