Dust by Eva Everson (epub e reader .TXT) 📕

This isn’t between you, me, and him. It’s between you and him.”

Cindie drew deep on the cigarette, allowed it to remain in her lungs. Burning. Punishing her for every wrong deed, including that night with Westley. “What’s she like?”

“Allison?”

“Yeah.”

“She’s lovely. And pretty, as you know. Smart. Funny. Enjoys life to the fullest.” DiAnn paused. “She’s the perfect girl for him.”

Yes. Lovely and pretty she already knew. Smart, though. Unlike her. She’d not even made it through high school. “She go to college for a long time like he did?”

“I don’t believe so.”

A thought tickled her then. Nudged her from the inside. Poked at her until she stood. “Tell Westley to call me when he can,” she said, crushing her cigarette in the elaborate ashtray, keeping her eyes locked on DiAnn like Lettie Mae would expect her to.

“Is that it?” DiAnn rose without a single blink. Darn her. Darn her.

Cindie walked to the door, her legs filled with dishwater. She opened it, took a deep breath, and hoped for the courage she’d need to face her mother. The courage she’d need—God help her—to say three more words before she bolted. “Yeah,” she finally managed. “For now.”

Chapter Twenty

Allison

My sister’s visit brought more than my car.

On Saturday morning, after Westley took Dean up to the pharmacy to purchase a disposable razor—Dean had left his Gillette at home—Julie and I curled up like kittens on the sofa, our hands nestling a cup of Westley’s delicious cinnamon coffee heavy with cream and sugar the way we both liked it. “Dean didn’t really forget his razor,” she said, her voice set in a confidential tone I could scarcely remember her using with me. Perhaps now that I was married …

I tilted my head at her, at the beauty of her. The glow about her. She wore not a bit of makeup so early in the day, and yet her loveliness—the dark of her hair against the cream of her skin—was undeniable. My whole life I’d been envious of her natural good looks, but right then I only felt a sister’s love. Perhaps marrying Westley had changed things for me. For us. “Then why did he—”

“Because he knew I wanted to talk to you for a while and I knew I’d never get you away from Westley long enough that we could—you know—chat.”

I clutched the mug tighter in my hand. Had she sensed that something was wrong between Westley and me? Or—could it be—had something gone wrong between her and Dean? They didn’t act as if they had too many cares in the world, considering. Then again, Westley and I were putting on a pretty good show ourselves. “Are you—are you okay? You seem okay …”

Julie laughed, her near-perfect lips forming a delightful smile. “We’re more than okay. We’re … pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” The word came out half whisper, half gasp. The thought struck me in the gut: my sister was going to have a baby. My husband’s one-night stand had a baby. Babies seemed to be coming at me from everywhere and yet none were to be found. For a modicum of a moment I wanted nothing more than to jump up and run from the room, but Julie’s face … oh, her face! And her confiding in me. How long had it been since we’d shared anything of this magnitude?

Julie’s hand reached for my knee, bent toward her. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you happy for me?”

I blinked several times. Swallowed hard. My sister’s joy had fallen to concern. “Of course I’m happy. Julie,” I exclaimed eagerly, then leaned over to hug her, careful to keep the contents of our coffee mugs from spilling over.

She laughed again as relief replaced the worry. “I couldn’t wait to tell you. Now that you’re a married woman, too, and all.”

“Do Mama and Daddy know?” I asked, wanting not to go down that trail.

“We told them Thursday night.”

“And?”

“Well, first we had to tell them that we’re moving to Savannah because—”

“Savannah?” My hand flew to my chest and rested there. “Gracious, Julie … Whatever for?”

“Dean was offered a job with the Savannah Morning News. We felt like …” She threw one hand up in the air. “Like it was such a blessing from God, really. We found out about the baby a month ago—”

“Before—”

“Your wedding, yes. I wasn’t about to rain on that. I couldn’t.”

“Oh, Julie …”

“And I was so bummed because, I mean, how in the world were we going to survive on my salary alone? And you know, Dean … always talking about me not working.”

No, I hadn’t known that. How would I?

“But I trusted that Dean would do the right thing and he did. He applied at the paper and got the job. Not exactly what he wants to do with his career, but it’s what’s necessary for now and, well, I won’t have to work anymore—Dean says that’s God’s way. So … we’re moving.”

“And having a baby.”

The smile broke wide again. “And having a baby,” she parroted as she pressed a hand to her still-flat stomach. “In six months.” And then she looked at me. Really looked at me in that way only sisters can do. “Allison, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice soft. “Are you and Westley okay? Because, if you don’t mind my saying so—and I know I have little right—but, Dean and I both noticed last night that there’s a tension in this house. I mean, you’re playing the role just fine, but, it’s still there.”

I nodded yes, but the tears welled up in my eyes, betraying me, calling me a liar. “It’s just that …” I dabbed at the corner of my eye with my index finger, careful not to smear Revlon mascara all over my cheekbones.

“Is it—is it the sex?”

I shook my head no as a flame rose in me. Goodness, it surely wasn’t that. Even two nights before, as hurt and bewildered as I was over Cindie Campbell and her child, and in spite of Miss Justine’s advice, I