Pearl (13 page)

That made her hop to her feet. She changed swiftly from her uniform and slipped some shoes on at the entrance. He held the door for her.
 

“Now close your eyes,” he said, his voice oddly giddy.

She did as she was told, curious as to what she could be waiting for. He walked her slowly down the wooded steps of the trailer as her knees wobbled in anticipation. Gravel crunched beneath her boots as they walked a short distance toward the driveway. Then they stopped.

“Okay, ready?”
 

She nodded.
 

“Open!”

Sitting before her was a mass of metal that, through the rust, she could tell used to be painted a metallic blue. Shattered glass lay across the back seat from the broken side window. A dent crushed the front of the hood, looking as if a deer had jumped onto the car at high speed.

“Baby, it’s a Thunderbird! And it’s all yours!”

Her mouth dropped open. “Thank you, Roy—it’s great.” She would say anything, regardless of what she thought, to keep that beautiful smile on his face.
 

“I got a great deal from Rick Homer’s scrap yard! He gave it to me for free if I do some work on his house.”

“Wow,” she said, noticing the ripped seat cover and missing radio. “That’s a great deal, Roy, thank you.”

After Granny died, Pearl was allowed to drive her old Buick. It ran a little bumpy, and the clutch caught at times, but it worked just fine for Pearl. It was a beauty standing next to this scrap of junk.

“Well, figured it’s time to get you a car of your own.”

“That’s very sweet of you, Roy.” She trod lightly. “Though I didn’t mind driving Granny’s car.”

“Cindy’s got her eye on the Buick. They need two cars, and I can’t always get you to and from work. I’d hate for you to have to hitch a ride.”

What Pearl hated was the thought of anyone seeing her in that scrap of trashed metal. “It will definitely be useful.”

“Come on, baby, let’s take it for a ride.” Roy slapped her on her rear. “I want to see you behind the wheel.”

“Oh, Roy, I’m a mess,” she started.

“Nobody’s gonna see ya. Now get in the car, Pearl.”

He tossed the keys as he jumped into the seat beside her.
 

“Fire her up, baby! She runs like a champ!” Roy cried out. It took a few tries before the car roared to life. A blast of gray smoke fired from the muffler.

“Like a tiger, baby!”

They drove through the countryside at a slow pace, cars passing them through the yellow lines.
 

“You gotta speed it up, baby,” Roy yelled over the loud engine. “See what it can do!”
 

She pressed on the gas as the wheel began to shake. They pulled on to Main Street, people stopping and staring as the beast drove by.

“Damn, the gas light’s on,” Roy said. He pointed his finger a few blocks down. “Head over there.”

Everyone watched as they pulled into the gas station. Roy got out of the car, handing the service man a five-dollar bill.

“Hey, Roy, whatchu got over there?” a young man yelled from across the pump. Pearl looked up to see two young guys leaning against a Ford Bronco.

“That’s the biggest hunk of junk I have ever seen.” His buddy laughed.
 

Pearl hung her head, her hair covering her face.

“You’re crazy!” Roy shot back. “This is a classic ’83 Thunderbird. It’s worth a lot of money.”

The men studied the car. “I saw Rick Homer had one of these in his junkyard.”

“Yeah, what’s it to you?”
 

The first man shook his head, walking up to the car. “Nothing, Roy, just thought you could get a better deal than whatever you paid for it.” The man leaned in closer, his eyes catching Pearl.

“What do we got here?” he asked with a slimy grin. White paint stained his mustache and ragged overalls. His breath hit Pearl hard as she could smell he had egg salad for lunch. “This your new little wife, Roy?”

Roy nodded, lighting a cigarette as he waited for his tank to fill.

“Roy told me he was married. I almost didn’t believe him.” He smiled his yellow teeth at Pearl. “I’m Bobby, this is Kevin. We all played football together in high school.”

“Nice to meet you,” Pearl said through the open window, taking his sweaty hand in hers to shake.

He stood up, his attention on Roy. “So, we seeing you tonight at Henry’s?”

“Of course, wouldn’t miss it.”

They drove from the station. Pearl was just starting to get a handle on how the car rode as they pulled into the driveway.
 

“Roy, how come your friends don’t come over to play poker anymore?”

“They all live closer to Henry, just easier that way.”

She paused, turning around the bend carefully, feeling every rock hit the bottom of the car. “I know, and I would never ask you to stop seeing your friends. It’s just that it can get lonely on nights when I’m not at work and you’re not home.”

Roy sighed. “Ah, Pearl, you ain’t gonna pull that shit on me, are you?”

“No, no Roy. I’m just saying, maybe if I worked more, then I wouldn’t be home alone. Vinny asked me a while ago if I could cover a few extra shifts. He fired Trisha and doesn’t want to hire a new waitress.”

“You know how I feel about that. I already wish you weren’t working in the first place. Soon as we get some money in, you can quit.”

“I know, maybe this way we could get some extra money,” she said, seeing the house come into view.

“I don’t want you working any more hours than you already do, end of subject.”
 

She bit her lip and held her breath. She counted to forty-two by the time the loud engine came to a stop.

Pearl fumbled for her keys in her pocket, two large grocery-filled bags weighing heavily in her arms. She hurried, doing her best to get into the car before she was seen. She had been driving the Beast for over a week, and she still wasn’t used to the stares people gave her as she rolled through town.
 

The wind picked up, blowing her hair into her eyes. Reaching her elbow to her face to wipe the strands away, she lost control of her footing and stumbled over a curb, causing her to trip off the sidewalk and onto the rocky ground.

“Damn,” she cursed, trying to pull herself together. Her knee throbbed with pain as her grocery bag tore open and items spilled on the street around her.

She reached for a rolling apple, all the while cursing to herself quietly. She replaced the items in the bag and sat back on the curb to tend to the injury on her leg. Pearl fanned at her wound, searching for any nearby water to rinse out her cut. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, catching sight of white flowing fabric peeking its way behind the corner. It was only a dress, but the way that it glided in the light breeze caught Pearl’s breath. She scooted down the curb, anxious to get a look at the woman’s face. The wall of the drug store covered the woman’s features, though a release of blonde hair now floated in the wind, matching the dance of the dress. Pearl held her breath and stood. She had to see that woman. She took a step, holding her breath, counting the seconds it would take to reach the other side of the street. Pearl had made it to the middle of the road when a voice called out to her.

“You need some help here, Pearl?”
 

Pearl closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the woman was watching her, eyeing her closely as Pearl stood planted in the middle of Main Street, staring back at her. The woman, though confused, smiled politely and then turned to move on. Pearl’s heart sank. The stranger’s face was too narrow, with a crooked nose and eyes set too far apart to resemble her mother.
 

Pearl turned back around to see Ben picking up her fallen groceries, now safely back in the bag.
 

“Quite a fall?”

She nodded, still bewildered by the encounter with the woman across the street. She reached for the bag in Ben’s arms.

“No, I got it. Just show me where to go. I don’t see your car.”

Pearl walked two feet to the Thunderbird.
 

“This is you? I was wondering who was making all that racket coming down the street.” He smiled at her grimace. “Rick Homer had a rig like this down at the old junkyard, sat there for years.”

She pushed past him, taking the bag and putting it in the back seat. “Excuse me, I have to get home.”

“Wow, hold on now,” he said, blocking the door before she could get it. “I just can’t seem to get it right with you, can I?”

“There’s nothing to get,” Pearl said hotly.

“Ah, there’s that little fire I was wondering if you had.” He smirked.

She shrugged, trying to keep the grin from her face.

“I see that.”

“What are you doing down here anyway?” she asked. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Actually, I have a lesson in about an hour. When are you going to let me give you one?”

She ignored his question, not sure if she’d ever be able to answer it.

“Haven’t seen you out with Sammie lately.”

The disappointment in his voice caught her off-guard. “Well, being a farm wife keeps me busy. And Vinny’s.”

“Not lately, haven’t seen you down there, either.”

She felt a lump build in her throat as she managed to ask, “Have you been checking up on me?” She wasn’t sure if she was scared or flattered.
 

He laughed. “Not like that. I’m not a stalker. Just been craving Vinny’s pie is all.”

She thought about it. “Well, I’ll be there this weekend. I’ll make sure and save you a piece.”
 

He pushed away from the car, letting her in. “Okay, then, and be thinking about those lessons, Pearl.” He handed her a piece of paper with digits on it. “Here’s my number. I’m not giving up ’til I get you on a horse.”

Pearl drove back to Jumping Creek, her mind drifting between thoughts of the blonde woman and the image of Ben’s smile as he waved goodbye from his car.
 

She pulled into Vernie’s driveway, disappointed to see Cindy’s car parked in front of the house. The roar of the Thunderbird came to a halt, echoing thoughout the farm. Cindy appeared in the doorway. She kept her body barely covered in clothes, even in the wintertime. She smiled like a sly snake, her children in tow.

“Looks like Rick Homer finally got rid of that piece of trash from his junkyard.”
 

Pearl rolled her eyes as she lifted groceries from her car.
 

Cindy strolled by with a smug grin on her face, opening the car door for the children to climb in. Pearl refused to look her way, still envious that Cindy had swiped Granny’s Buick from under her.

“Thanks for watching the kids, Vernie!” Cindy called out.

“Anytime.” Vernie waved.

“Wonder who she was running off to see this time?” Vernie said, taking a bag from Pearl’s arm.
 

“There’s more than one?”

Vernie laughed. “There’s more than I can count on my hands and toes. If it wasn’t for that dear sweet husband of hers, I don’t know what future those poor children would have.”
 

“Do you think Darren knows?”

Vernie shrugged, lighting a Virginia as she stuffed her fridge with fresh produce. “I’m sure he does. But what can you do? You just can’t tame an old wild hog.”

Pearl dropped her load on the kitchen counter, wincing slightly from the surge of pain in her arm. Vernie was at her side before Pearl could control her expression.
 

“What in heaven’s name is that?” Vernie asked, stretching out her arm.

Pearl pulled away, returning to empty the bag. “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing ain’t black and blue,” Vernie snapped. “That’s something, all right.”

Pearl remained silent. She kept herself busy, her eyes avoiding Vernie’s in order to keep the tears from falling.

Vernie smoked her cigarette, watching Pearl work, the silence between them sticky and thick. The front door bounced open as boots trampled into the kitchen. Neither woman looked up.

“Hi ya, there.” Roy’s voice bounced off the walls. Darren stepped into the room behind him. “Went up to the trailer and no one was home, figured lunch must be here.”

Vernie kept her gaze straight, away from Roy, her voice tight as she responded, “There is no lunch here. You’ll have to make something yourself.”

Roy looked taken back. He glanced at Darren, who shrugged in response. “Suppose we can just get a sandwich,” Darren responded.
 

Roy nodded as he glided up to Pearl, nuzzling his head on her neck. It was a move that used to make her melt but instead made her cringe as Vernie looked on.

“Okay, you boys out. I’ll get you that sandwich. Give us some space,” Vernie said, shooing them out of the room.

“Thanks, Vernie.” Roy smiled, leaning down to give her a kiss.

“Good lord, Roy,” she said, gently pushing him away. “I’d swear you went and bathed in my moonshine. It’s not even noon.”

Roy shrugged her off, unabashed in his response. “Just a few beers while we work.”

“Few more, and you could accidentally cut off a limb out there,” she said.

Roy rolled his eyes. “I ain’t a kid, Vernie. You don’t need to be telling me how to run my job.” His expression softened at her scowl. “You don’t need to worry about me—I got things under control.”

“I assume you do,” she said dryly.

Roy ignored her sarcasm. “By the way, Darren and I are headed up north tomorrow for an auction, won’t get home ’til after supper. What do you say about keeping Pearl busy while I’m gone? Sure she could help you out around here.”

Vernie turned her back to Roy, pulling out slices of bread and cold ham. Pearl opened a can of baked beans, staying mum while Roy planned her day for her.

“Sorry, Roy. Can’t help you tomorrow. I got places to be.”

“Pearl can just go with you,” he suggested.
 

Vernie didn’t reply. She slapped the bread with mayo, adding a slice of tomato with the ham, and handed the plate to Roy, her eyes fixed on Pearl.

“I’m sorry, dear. You know I always love your company. But where I’m going tomorrow, you just can’t come with.”