Sunlight slanted across Abby''s floor. She stood before her mirror and studied herself. The dark blue dress Grammy had bought her fit her and she actually liked it. In fact it made her feel pretty. She went downstairs, expecting Grammy to be ready for church, only, she wasn''t. She was still in her pajamas. "Aren''t you going to church?"
"No." Grammy went back into her bedroom.
"Why not?"
"I need to get this room cleaned out for Chester.”
Abby walked into Grammy''s bedroom. It looked like she had been up all night. Packed boxes were stacked along the windows, her clothes were piled on her bed and she had put all he pictures into an open box. Grammy glanced at Abby. "I''m sure Lila''s going to church. Go with her."
"Okay." Abby went back into the hall and picked up the phone. Hanging, on the wall above the phone was a picture of Chester. He had been a beautiful little boy with big blue eyes and dark curls. His smile always stirred some strange feeling in Abby that she could not name. She looked down at the phone and dialed Lila. Ryan answered. She asked, “Is you''re mom going to church?"
"Of course. Why?"
"I need a ride. Grammy''s not going."
"What?"
Abby sighed. "She''s not going."
"Is she sick?"
"No. Are you going?"
"No.”
In the background Abby heard David yell, “Tell her I’m going.”
Ryan asked, “Did you hear that?”
"Yes. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Abby went back into Grammy''s room and told her, "I''m going with Lila."
"That''s nice," Grammy said. She stood in the middle of her room staring at a picture of Abby''s grandfather. Abby noticed the glass in the frame was broken. Grammy ran her finger along the edge of the break then tossed it carelessly back into the open box.
Abby asked, "What happened to Grandy''s picture?"
A peculiar frown creased Grammy’s face. "What? Oh, I, I accidentally dropped it." It sounded like a lie to Abby, another lie. Grammy looked passed her and stared out the window at the sun spattered bay. By Grammy''s expression, Abby sensed she was far away, traveling down some memory she would not share. Without saying, "Good bye," Abby left the house and headed across the street to the Spenser''s.
Hugh answered the door. He was wearing baggy sweat pants and holding a cup of coffee. He led Abby to the living room couch and pushed some clean clothes over so she could sit down. Ryan came out of the kitchen holding a mixing bowl full of cereal. Abby didn''t know how he ate so much and stayed so skinny. He sat down on the floor beside her and flipped on the TV. He smiled up at her then continued shoveling cereal into his mouth.
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Lila came down stairs. When she saw Abby was wearing a navy dress similar to her own, she came over and hugged her. Letting go she said, "We did it again. Twins."
Abby looked up at Lila. She thought about what Hugh said yesterday. If Lila had married Chester she would be her mother instead of Susan. Abby hadn''t heard from Susan in almost a year.
Lila called, “David, come on, Abby is here. I don'' t want to be late this week.”
A great ka-thumping noise sounded from the wooden staircase. David was hopping down the stairs one step at a time. He was wearing his duct taped flip flops, a pair of jeans with the knees gone and a shirt that had a mustard stain on it. Grammy would never let Abby go to church looking like that, but Lila did not even comment on her youngest son''s attire. The instant David saw Abby his face lit up. His devotion to her, was sweet but annoying. He said softly, earnestly, "You are even more beautiful than when we last met. How is that possible Juliet?"
Lila scolded, "David that is enough.”
He sighed and said, “Yes Mom, but I couldn''t help myself.” His eyes held more than mischief in them this morning, more than teasing.
Was it possible he had some real feeling for her. No, she prayed. Please God, no.
*
Abby sat down on the fold out chair in her Sunday school class. Through the window she saw Ryan''s girlfriend, Cathy, getting out of her mother''s blue Cadillac. She had two girls with her. Cathy never went anywhere alone.
Abby’s Sunday School teacher Mr. Peterson came into the room and said, "Morning Abby.”
“Good morning.” Abby smiled politely.
Cathy entered with her friends. She glanced at Abby and glared. "Good morning Mr. Peterson," she said. "This is Dewanda and Jamie."
"Please to meet you girls." Mr. Peterson pointed to some the vacant chairs beside Abby. "Sit down over there. You know Abby don''t you?"
The girls looked at Abby and nodded. There was something about their expression that worried Abby.
Cathy sat down beside Abby and hissed under her breath, "Well, he''s all yours now."
"Who?"
Cathy said, "Right, like you don''t know."
"I don''t."
Cathy glared at Abby. "You were with him last night weren’t you?"
"Who?"
"I saw you."
"What?"
In a cold hard voice Cathy said, “It didn’t take you long did it?”
“Didn’t take me long to what?”
Cathy frowned. “Stop acting so innocent. He broke up with me because of you.”
Ryan wouldn''t do that."
Cathy did not respond.
*
David jiggling on one foot asked, "Mom, Josh asked me to go out to lunch with him and his family. Can I go?"
Inside Abby was pleading, please say, yes! She could not endure another second of David''s company.
"All right."
"Thanks Mom." In one quick move he managed to peck his mother''s cheek and then Abby''s. As always, Abby wiped the kiss off. He only grinned at her. She watched him run back into the church.
Lila said, "I am sorry about him Abby. I have talked to him about pestering you. He will be grounded when he gets home."
This should have made her feel better only it didn''t. Truth was, David was one of the few people in her life who genuinely cared about her. It was just too bad, that for now, his care, had turned into such a huge stupid crush. She followed Lila to her gray sedan. The locks clicked open and Abby slid inside.
As they pulled out of the church parking lot, Lila said, "I need to tell you something. It might help you to understand better why Grammy is acting so strange.”
Abby felt her stomach tighten, she was afraid of what Lila might say. Lila’s voice dropped and got a weird quiver in it as she spoke, "I may be speaking out of turn but I know your Grammy and she''s not one to bring up the past. For years she tried to keep peace between Chester and your Grandy. It didn''t work. When Chester finally left, it nearly killed your Grammy. If it hadn''t been for you, I don''t know what would have happened to her. So for whatever reason your father has decided to come home, Grammy is grateful but really scared."
"Scared of what?"
Lila said, "She believes she failed Chester. She thinks that if she had just done something else his life would not have turned out like it has. She doesn''t want to fail him again."
Abby remained silent for several seconds. She had no idea what her father''s life was like. He seemed to just live from one crisis to another that required money. When ever Grammy talked about him at all, it was only about him as a little boy. How that angelic little boy had become a vagrant was beyond Abby''s comprehension, and no one ever explained it to her. She asked, "Do you know what Chester is now?"
"No. I choose not to remember him the way he was when he left town. Long ago he was sweet and sensitive and so eager to please.” Her tone softened when she added, “He was my best friend."
"Why did you ask him to marry you?"
"Because I loved him. I honestly believed that if he would just marry me he would turn back into the boy I remembered. It wouldn''t have worked." Lila''s voice broke, "It hurt so much when he turned me down. It hurt even more to watch him destroy himself with his new friends."
Abby said, "Susan was one of them."
Lila nodded.
"Do you think Chester coming is good?"
"I don’t know." Lila sighed. She turned down their street.
"He''s already put your Grammy through hell. I pray he doesn’t do it again."