The kitchen door opened and her father came in from the garage. “Looks like there’s a party going on here,” he teased.
“How’d it go with Allan Harris?” her mother asked, referring to a local attorney who’d asked to meet with him, despite the fact that this was Sunday afternoon.
Allison’s parents exchanged a brief kiss.
Her father started to loosen his tie. “Martha Evans died last night.”
Her mother’s face went soft with sympathy. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Rosie, she was more than ninety years old and ready to go.”
“You’re the executor of her estate?”
Zach nodded. “Allan asked me to notify Martha’s family, none of whom live in town. They’ll be making the funeral arrangements.”
Allison watched as her father sighed. “Martha’s lived on her own all these years. Pastor Flemming’s the one who found her body. He’d been going over there once or twice a week to check on her.”
“He’s a good man.”
Allison liked Pastor Flemming, too. Everyone did.
“Charlotte Rhodes has offered to organize the wake.”
“When will Martha’s family—”
Her mother didn’t get a chance to finish the question before Eddie shouted through the open sliding glass door. “Should I light the barbecue?”
“Not yet,” Zach answered. “I want to change clothes first.”
“Eddie!” Allison cried, irritated by her brother’s impatience. “I haven’t even gone to pick up Anson yet.”
“All right, all right. I was just trying to help.”
“We appreciate that, Eddie,” Rosie said, mixing chopped green pepper and tomatoes into the lettuce greens. She turned to Allison. “Perhaps you should drive to Anson’s now.”
“In a minute,” Allison said, arranging tiny silver pearls on the border of Anson’s cake.
“Be sure and let his mother know she’s welcome to join us.”
“I will,” Allison promised. With a last critical look at the cake, she collected her purse and the car keys and headed out the door.
Anson’s mother lived in a trailer court off Lighthouse Road
. Allison remembered the first time she’d met Cherry Butler, who’d been if not hostile, certainly unwelcoming. Even she—his mother—had believed Anson was responsible for the fire.
Anson’s disappearance had been difficult for Allison. She hadn’t known where he was, whether he was safe, what he was doing. To learn that he’d enlisted in the army—well, that had come as a complete shock.
Allison pulled into the trailer park, following the dirt road to the last single-wide trailer at the back of the lot. When Anson didn’t step outside after a minute or so, she turned off the engine and climbed out.
Before she could walk up the three steps, the door opened and Cherry Butler stood in the entrance. She wore a short skirt and a skin-tight sweater. Her hair had been dyed coal-black. Leaning against the door jamb, she held a cigarette loosely in one hand and glared at Allison. Slowly she raised her cigarette to her crimson lips and inhaled.
“Anson’s not here,” she announced when she’d finished blowing the smoke upward.
“Oh.”
“Don’t look so worried.” Cherry seemed to enjoy her discomfort. “He’s with Shaw. He should be back any minute.”
Shaw was one of Anson’s best friends and her friend, too, and she realized that Anson would want some private time with his buddy before he left.
“He did it for you, you know.” Cherry puffed at her cigarette again. “I didn’t want my son in the military. He knows that. Some recruiter fed him a crock and he believed it. Now see what’s happened.”
“Anson told me he liked the military.”
“Sure he does. You’d like it, too, if you could hide away all safe and sound while the police are searching for you.”
Allison stared up at his mother and wished she knew what to say. A moment passed in awkward silence.
Then, gathering her courage, Allison resolved to speak her mind. “You’re Anson’s mother.” She took a step closer. “You should be proud of him, Mrs. Butler—”
“Didn’t I tell you the first time you came by that I ain’t never been a Mrs. Anybody?”
“Ms. Butler.” Allison tried again. “I meant what I said. Anson’s the only one in his basic training class who was selected for this specialized course. He’s smart and…and…I love him. You might think eighteen’s too young to understand about love, but I know what my heart feels.”
Cherry Butler exhaled a thin line of smoke. “Listen, Abby.”
“Allison!”
“Whatever. You just pine your little heart out for my son all you want. He’s leaving, and my guess is he’ll find some other girl soon enough. Men are like that, so do yourself a favor and forget about my son.”
“Forget Anson,” Allison repeated incredulously. “I could never do that.”
Cherry laughed. “Suit yourself. But take my word for it—he’ll break your heart. He’s no different from any other man. Look at me. I was such an idiot, I actually thought his father would marry me when I told him I was pregnant.” She paused to take another drag on her cigarette. “Couldn’t do it, though, ’cause he already had a wife.”
“Anson isn’t like that.”
“Believe what you want.” She shrugged carelessly. “One thing I’ll say about Anson. He’s got his daddy’s brains. Sure as hell didn’t get ’em from me.”
Allison badly wanted this evening to be special for Anson. She took a deep breath. “It would mean a great deal to Anson if you’d come to the party.” She loved Anson, so she was willing to put aside her own preferences. If, despite everything, he wanted his mother there—and he did—Allison would try to persuade her.
“Party, is it?” She cocked her eyebrows as she flicked the lit cigarette onto the dirt road.
“A farewell party,” she elaborated.
Cherry shook her head. “You won’t need me for that.”
“Anson would like you there,” she said. “Please, Mrs.—Cherry.”
Again his mother declined, shaking her head. “I got things to do.”
“What could be more important than sending Anson off to his new course?” she asked, not understanding how his mother could feel so little pride or concern.
Allison glanced up as a car came toward the trailer, leaving behind a trail of dust. She recognized Shaw’s old Ford Malibu. He dropped Anson off, waved to Allison, and pulled out again. They’d see him later at the party.
“Sorry I’m late,” Anson said, smiling at Allison and then his mother.
“I was just inviting your mother to join us,” Allison said pointedly.
“And I was just telling your girlfriend I got better things to do than go to some rich man’s house and make nice.”
“It won’t hurt my feelings if you’d rather stay here,” Anson said, not meeting his mother’s eyes.
“I didn’t figure it would,” Cherry told him.
Allison felt him stiffen at that response. Then he turned deliberately away. “Come on, Allison, let’s get out of here.”
“Bye-bye,” Cherry said with a flippant wave. She moved inside the trailer and pulled the door shut.
As soon as his mother was gone, Anson cast Allison an apologetic look. “How long did I keep you waiting?”
“A couple of minutes, that’s all.”
“Did she get on your case?”
“About what?”
“Me and the military.”
Allison shrugged. “Not really.”
Anson released his breath. “She blames you.”
Allison wasn’t worried. Cherry could blame her, for all she cared.
“The military’s my way out, Allison,” he said as if he needed to explain his motivation. “Without it I wouldn’t have a chance of getting an education. Cherry doesn’t seem to grasp that.”
“I know.” Anxious to leave now, she tugged at Anson’s hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
They both climbed into the car and Allison left the trailer park. She drove cautiously to avoid the kids and dogs playing in the dusty roads.
“Is your family expecting us right away?” Anson asked.
“I…I suppose. Why?”
He sent her a quick, secretive smile. “Can we go to the waterfront for a moment?”
“Sure. Anywhere in particular?”
A slow, happy grin spread across his face. “Somewhere private.”
Allison did take her eyes off the road then. She knew a good place down Lighthouse Road
and went in that direction. The tide was out, so she pulled onto a stony area near the beach, glancing around to make sure it was as deserted as she’d expected it to be.
There was no one around.
Anson got out of the car and Allison did, too. When he joined her, he took her hand; together they walked the short distance to the water. A log had drifted up onto the shore and they stepped over it, making their way along the pebble beach. A pair of long-legged herons waded in the shallow water and seagulls cawed overhead.
“I’m sorry you had to wait for me,” Anson said again. “I know what my mother’s like.”
“It’s okay.” Allison didn’t want to waste their last day discussing his mother.
“I planned to be back sooner, but I needed Shaw to take me someplace.”
Anson reached inside his pocket and removed a small jeweler’s box, which he flipped open. Inside was a silver ring with a single blue stone. A sapphire, Allison guessed.
Anson stared down at it and then at her. “I wanted to give you this before I left.”
Her throat instantly clogged with tears. “Oh, Anson.”
“I want you to have something from me to wear so you won’t forget me.”
“Anson, there’s no chance of that! I won’t forget you.” She hadn’t before and she wouldn’t now. She’d meant what she’d told his mother; she loved Anson.
“You’re going off to college. You’ll be surrounded by all those smart, good-looking guys.”
She would’ve laughed if her tears hadn’t made it impossible. “Haven’t you figured out yet that you’re the only guy I care about?” She managed a brief smile. “And, Anson? You’re smarter and better-looking than any of them.”
He looked up then, his eyes warm with love. “I adore you, Allison. You’re my whole world. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you these last few months. You were all that got me through basic training.” He held out the small velvet box. “May I put this on you now?”
She gave him her hand and he slid the ring on her finger. “It fits,” he said, sighing with relief. “This ring is a promise from me to you that I won’t even look at another girl while I’m away.”