Count on Me (Petal, Georgia)

  Their house was on the other side of the land the farm sat on. A big, pale yellow farmhouse. His grandfather had built the house for his grandmother. Then his uncle had taken over when his brother—the day drinker and layabout—got married to Royal’s mother and it was clear the older Watson boy was too wrapped up in his bride to get anything done.

  Uncle Bob painted it pale yellow because Denver loved yellow. They’d made that big yellow house a home for Royal. His parents had lived in the original building Royal’s grandparents had used while the house was being built. One of the two bedrooms there was Royal’s.

  But he’d slept in the big yellow house. In a room that was his. Where he’d kept his books and his clothes. Denver and Bob’s table he sat at four days a week or more.

  It was home.

  He pulled up and got her door, taking her hand as they headed in.

  “Don’t slam that screen door,” a woman called out.

  “I haven’t let it slam since I was fourteen or so. She still says it,” Royal said in an undertone as they went inside.

  “Seems to me it works then. Her telling you not to do it.” Caroline shrugged. “That’s a success story right there, Royal.”

  “Oh, I like her. She’s smart.” A woman Caroline’s size came into view as they walked into the kitchen. “Royal, you were telling the truth. You’re short like me. Which is nice because now I’m not alone.”

  Caroline held her hands out. “I’m Caroline. It’s wonderful to meet you.”

  Denver grinned. “Nice to meet you too. I’ve been pestering Royal for weeks now to bring you by so we can meet you. I’m glad he finally obeyed. You hungry?”

  “Aunt Denver, I told you, we’re going to lunch at the Lassiters.”

  Denver did this thing with her mouth that made Caroline snicker.

  “Aunt Denver, can we not?”

  Caroline waved a hand. “Oh it’s fine. She didn’t actually say anything. Her expression, I probably wouldn’t have even caught it if I wasn’t trained to judge people’s facial expressions all the time.”

  “Your grandmother has a good heart. She’s always a huge contributor when we do the food drives in the spring and winter. She just has a very specific idea of how things should work and an audacity to believe she should be able to set rules for everyone else based on her ideas. She’s great at brainstorming fundraising ideas, for instance.”

  “But maybe no one likes to work with her because she’s not much of a team player.”

  Denver thought that was hilarious. “Yes.” She sobered. “But she loved your mother. And she loves your siblings too. She brags about you. She’s not all bad.”

  “You’re a straight shooter, aren’t you?”

  “Hell yes, I am. What on earth is the point of pussyfooting around stuff?”

  “My grandparents are good people. I love them and I respect them. What happened to them when my mother was murdered, well, it changed them, all of us, forever.”

  “Sure. And I feel for her. Losing a child is a terrible thing to bear. But wrongs on top of wrongs doesn’t make the pile smaller, does it?”

  Royal grabbed control and changed the subject. “And on that note. Where’s Uncle Bob?”

  “He’s in his shop. Go get him so he can meet Caroline. She’ll stay here with me while you go.”

  Royal rolled his eyes, but he said his yes, ma’am and moved to do as she’d asked.

  “Lord above I thought he’d never go and I’d have to keep on pretending I have good manners.” Denver snorted. “Want some hot tea? Water’s still hot.”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Sit. I’ll bring it over.” Denver waved Caroline over to the table so she went.

  “We have about five minutes, maybe seven, before Royal and Bob come back. Bob’s in the middle of some woodworking project. It’s his new hobby since Royal fully took over. Which is fine with me because it keeps him out from under my feet. Anyway he’ll draw Royal into some long conversation about how great this or that whatsit he’s making is. So, I hear Garrett Mosby gave you some trouble. He was in my Sunday school class when he was in middle school. I can’t imagine he’s improved much. Handsome though. I guess he and your sister will have pretty babies.”

  “He’s…can I be direct with you?”

  “I’d dislike you otherwise.”

  “He’s one of those men who isn’t very strong or bright or even that nice. He’s handsome enough. He finds women like my sister and my grandmother, and he latches on. You know like he’s protecting them when really he’s just building himself a little bully pulpit so he can keep his women in line. As far as he’s concerned, everything women get upset over is an overreaction. No issues women face are as important as what men do. He’s the guy at the next table over at a restaurant who will explain to you how you feel about something he’s overheard you talking about.”

  “That’s just not how a gentleman acts. He doesn’t get it from his daddy, who is as nice and mannerly as they come. But Garrett, he’s the baby. Some parents do just spoil the baby rotten. I think that’s the case here.” Denver pinned Caroline with her gaze. “Royal wasn’t born to me. But he’s my son sure as if he was. So if you’re wondering if he shares things with me, he does. Nothing that would be a betrayal of your trust. But he’s thoughtful, Royal. So he told me about this Garrett thing, and I’ve also heard there’s some trouble with Anne.”

  “I think at least that part is smoothed out.” Caroline remained very careful. If Anne had been around for six years, chances were Denver liked her. Or she wouldn’t have been around long.

  “Well, that’s good. I love Anne. She’s a good girl. But she and Royal are far better off as being close friends. She needs a different sort of man, and he needed a woman who saw things the way he does. Wanted the same things. Anne…well I’d tell you she hasn’t had an easy life. That she regards Royal as hers and would have a difficult time loosening up when he finally met a woman and truly fell for her. I’d tell you that, but it seems to me, you have had your share of traumatic childhood stuff.”

  “We worked it out yesterday. Who knows, we might even end up friends.” She didn’t want to give any more detail than that.

  “Good.” Denver paused. “I just want to tell you that I knew your parents. Your mother was gorgeous. Inside and out. We often stopped in at the diner on the way home after church on Sundays. There’s no way anyone could ever make me believe he had anything to do with harming your mother. Petal is talking. It’s what Petal does. Sometimes it might feel like everyone is out to get you or thinks you’re bad or wrong for continuing to try to prove your dad’s innocence. But that’s far from true.”

  Bob came in with Royal, who nervously checked her over to see if his aunt had done any damage. It was sort of cute. They stayed another few minutes and then got back on the road to town.

  “Should I be apologizing?” Royal asked as they made it out to the main road.

  “Nah. I like her. She’s plucky. She told me she knew my dad.”

  “Yeah. I remember something about it. At the time they were upset. But you know the whole damned town was upset. I was seventeen, nearly eighteen years old. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t pay attention much back then.”

  “If it hadn’t been my family or a friend, I probably would have too. Sometimes it’s like this whole thing happened in someone else’s life, and then I remember. Anyway, she said nice things and that I wasn’t alone.”

  “She’s pretty amazing. Once back in grade school there was this teacher who I swear no matter what I did she just hated me more. My grade kept getting worse until she showed up over there at the school and demanded to see any paperwork that supported such a low grade. Then the teacher tried to say she wouldn’t talk to Denver because she wasn’t my legal guardian.”

  Caroline gasped, just imagining how Denver would have reacted to being told such a thing.

  Royal cackled with glee. “Exactly. You understand. I mean, they didn’t have my official guard
ianship, but it was well known who really raised me. So yeah. I ended up with a very respectable B minus in that class after all. She’s little, but she packs a wallop.”

  “Denver Watson, defender of the weak. I like it.”

  They drove and laughed, but she got more and more quiet the closer they got.

  “Last chance,” she said as they pulled off Walnut and onto 35th. The thirties were considered the “nice” part of town.

  “I can slow down right here. Even if she’s peeking out the front windows—which she’d never do, you understand, how crass—and she won’t see.”

  “I already told you, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for the look on Garrett’s face when I show up. Asshole thinks he can treat my woman like crap?”

  “Are you my defender now?”

  “I know you’re totally capable of doing this yourself. But I want to be there.” He pulled up at the curb and keyed the truck off. “I’ll park here instead of the drive.”

  “Quick escape. Smart.”

  He walked with her up to the front door.

  She knocked and opened up, calling out. She had a key. She needed to use it and one day it wouldn’t be awkward.

  “Hey all! Royal and I are here.” She hung up their stuff and stashed her stuff in a hall closet.

  Shep came out, tipping his chin in that dudespeak thing with Royal. “S’up?” Royal asked as he tipped his chin back.

  She gave her brother a hug and kissed his cheek. “Hey you. We’re still on for Thursday right?”

  Shep nodded. “Totally. I’ll meet you at your place at five thirty with a pizza and the next Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVD.”

  She turned to Royal. “Shep and I are stone-cold addicted to binge-watching television series. We just finished up Farscape. Oh my God I’d forgotten how much I loved that show. Anyway. So we finished up Farscape and now we’re on to Buffy. We also eat pizza and ice cream and drink root beer.” And over those times he’d been in her apartment, they’d gotten a lot closer. He talked to her about his life in ways Mindy and her grandparents didn’t. She didn’t hide away her pictures when he visited, though she did generally keep her stuff regarding the case in her spare room that doubled as her home office.

  He just used the key she gave him. He knocked, used the key and called out. The sheer normalcy, the intimacy of it was simple and absolutely positive.

  “Awesome. Such great shows.”

  Shep nodded. “They’re all in the kitchen and dining room. Just so you know, if Garrett acts like a jerk again today I’m saying something.”

  Caroline smiled, touched. “Aw man, that’s pretty sweet of you. But I don’t want a scene. I just want to have a pleasant lunch.”

  Shep and Royal looked at her and then at each other, and she knew they’d do whatever they wanted.

  And maybe that sort of felt awesome.

  They moved to the kitchen. Her grandmother was at the stove with Mindy, but when her sister saw her, she put down the spoon she’d been holding and came over to hug her.

  Royal waved before turning to her grandmother. “I didn’t officially introduce you before. Royal, this is Abigail Lassiter, my grandmother. Grandma, Royal Watson.”

  He took her hand, shaking it gently. “Nice to meet you.”

  Garrett came over to where they all stood in the kitchen. “Let’s hope today goes better than the last time she was around her grandmother.”

  “Stop it, Garrett,” Mindy warned.

  Caroline ignored Garrett and indicated her grandfather. “My grandfather, James Lassiter. Grandpa, this is Royal Watson.”

  “You her boyfriend?”

  Caroline smiled tightly. This was starting way earlier than she figured it would.

  Royal nodded with a grin as he shook her grandfather’s hand. “I am, yes, sir.”

  “You’re a smart boy then.” Her grandfather rarely made such pronouncements, so it was really nice to hear. Even nicer when Royal blushed a little.

  “My sister, Mindy.”

  Royal nodded. “Hey, Mindy.”

  Caroline found it odd how he’d gotten so very cool. He wasn’t unfriendly or hostile, but Royal was a big flirt. Didn’t matter if they were babies or old ladies in walkers, he was just one of those men who were charming. But he’d dialed himself back by half.

  Royal didn’t make her introduce the last person. Instead he turned and took Garrett in. “And Garrett Moseby. We’ve met before a time or two.”

  If Royal had been distantly polite to Mindy, he was glacially cold to Garrett. That comment he’d made hadn’t done him any favors in Royal’s book, that was clear. And super flattering. And so nice it made her chest tighten a little.

  Still, he was in her grandparents’ house so he was polite, but at the angle she stood she saw the look that passed between the two men.

  “Thank you for having me today,” Royal said to her grandparents, dismissing Garrett totally.

  “Your name does tend to come up more and more frequently these days, so we thought it would be good to meet you.” Her grandfather patted his arm.

  “Can I help?” Caroline asked her grandmother even though she knew the answer.

  “You can take the glasses and the tea to the table.”

  It was silly. Nothing exciting but damn it, it felt huge.

  They all settled at the table and began to pass platters of food around. “I’m pretty excited, Grandma. Your pork chops are my absolute favorite in the world. Royal, you’re going to be so happy you came along.”

  Her grandmother smiled. “Thank you. Royal, Caroline tells us you’re the face behind the Watson Organics.”

  Royal did what Royal did so well. He was funny and charming. He listened. He had great manners. He got along with people. He even made it look effortless. She wondered if this was real, if he just dug chillin’ here at her grandparents’ house with Garrett, who kept making what he thought were super cutting remarks but he was such an amateur she sort of pitied him.

  Until he decided to toss a live one her way.

  “Can we just address the issue of Caroline giving talks about her mother’s murderer and dragging up painful memories for everyone?” Garrett asked.

  “I told you we’d do this on my schedule, Garrett.” Her grandmother sighed. “You only make things worse so hush up.”

  Caroline, her voice very cool and careful asked, “And what is it you want to address?”

  Royal shifted his body, draping his arm over the back of Caroline’s chair. He wanted her to know he was there for her, and he wanted them to see it and know he would protect her.

  “You need to call this thing with Millersburg police off, Caroline. I forbid it.” Her grandmother drank some tea before continuing. “This will only cause more pain.”

  “I am not doing this for you. Or against you. Or around you. Or because of you. Or in spite of you. In fact, you have nothing at all to do with this. I respect your opinions and your pain. But you do not tell me what I can and cannot do. You do not tell me how it is appropriate to express my beliefs.”

  And her grief. For God’s sake this was messed up. Royal wanted to toss her over a shoulder and run from the room.

  But she kept calm. So much that he saw it at the edges, how that control was keeping her together. And that made him even angrier.

  “That man killed your mother. Every time you go out there and say otherwise is a slap in the face to her memory. I am simply putting my foot down on this. You’re being selfish and rude.”

  “You don’t own the market on grief!” Caroline’s voice rose for a moment before she found her calm again. “She was my mother, and it’s the worst thing I can imagine to know the person who killed her also killed my family when they let my father go down for murder. He did not kill her. I lived with them. You didn’t. I saw them in just about every type of circumstance. He didn’t do it. There is no motive. He was murdered by the same person and I will not remain silent. Not until the person who murdered my mother and tore my family up i
s in prison.”

  “Leave her be!” Shep slammed his fist on the table. Quiet descended as everyone stared at the family member least likely to pound his fist on a table. “She’s trying to build a life here. Every time you do this, you push her away. I’ve had it. I want her around. Stop chasing her off.”

  “What about what she’s doing?” Garrett spoke.

  “Why are you speaking at all?” Caroline turned to Garrett. “This is not your business.”

  “I’m one of the men of this family. You need to defer to better judgment. No offense, Royal. Of course you’ll want to handle this.”

  “What are you talking about?” Royal was so over this whole thing. He’d tried for her sake, but most of these people didn’t care about her enough to even attempt to be careful and he was done watching them tear her up.

  “You’re the man, I know you’ll handle this appropriately now that you know what’s happening.”

  “Okay, this is getting out of hand,” James cut in, trying to take control. “Caroline, you’re aware of how upset your grandmother gets over this issue.”

  “Grandpa, I’m not doing this to make anyone feel bad. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do.”

  Garrett invaded their conversation again. “The right person died in prison. He should have been put down like a rabid animal. You made the wrong choice and you have to live with that.”

  “I am not understanding why you’re speaking to Caroline, Garrett. Perhaps you can explain that.” Royal gave the other man a level look.

  “While she ran off with the family of a murderer, her grandparents picked up the pieces and gave Shep and Mindy a home. She turned her back on people, and now she realizes she’s never going to get herself on television talking about freeing her daddy the killer. She’s back here trying to cause trouble because her grandparents will always protect their daughter’s memory. That she’s back now actin’ this way—”

  “That I’m here and acting any way is none of your business, Garrett. Back off and butt out. I don’t want your advice. I sure don’t need it. This is not your business.”