Eden Hill (25 page)

At the mention of Suzy, Cornelius warmed. “JoAnn and I so appreciate that, and thank you for all that you’ve done for us. Especially the baby formula.”

Grover reddened. “Happy to help out. Thanks for your business at the grocery.”

Virgil was fidgety and uncomfortable, as the evening had taken a very different direction than he’d expected. He finally stood and nodded. “Welcome to Osgood’s, Mr. Alexander.”

Welby was trimming Cornelius’s sideburns low on his
cheeks but was looking at Virgil. “I’m so glad you came over tonight, Mr. Alexander. I don’t think you’ve been in here before.”

“Only as far as the gasoline pumps, I think. I don’t recall ever coming inside.”

Welby smiled, still looking primarily at Virgil. “You know, Virgil’s daddy, Mr. H. C. Osgood, taught us both a lot about life, and one thing he always taught is that it’s often more important to forget things than to remember them.”

Virgil looked at Welby, the clock, Grover, and his own shoes, and found no help from anywhere. Welby had not been on his soapbox at all this evening, and he was claiming it now. “I think that’s what President Kennedy was talking about this week, when he said that time will change our relationships with our neighbors. We learn things about people that we didn’t know before.” He paused for breath, and to find a comb.

“Welby, I didn’t think you cared for politics? And you know about the president’s speeches?” Grover, who had been about to leave, sat back down.

“I’m not talking about politics, Grover. I’m talking about peace. Mr. Kennedy said it makes life worth living, and he was right. Jesus said, ‘My peace I give unto you.’ And
he
was right.”

Virgil’s head was spinning. First, Mr. Willett had gotten a “sensual” haircut. Then, Mr. Alexander had arrived. And now Welby was quoting both presidential speeches and Scripture
 
—in the same breath. His world no longer made sense.

Welby found the mirror, which Cornelius used to examine his haircut, particularly the back.

“Very fine, Welby. What do I owe you?”

“Not a thing, Mr. Alexander. Like I told Mr. Willett, first one’s always free. I hope you’ll come again.” Welby smiled. “It’s all about being a good neighbor. Isn’t that right, Virgil?”

Virgil grabbed Vee by the arm and walked out without a word. He didn’t want to say something in front of his son that he might regret later.

V
IRGIL HADN’T SLEPT WELL.
He was unhappy with Cornelius, confused by Mavine, and downright angry with Welby. After much pondering, the events last night at Welby’s barbering session left him still puzzled, upset, and confused. He and Mavine were trying to save their little garage and service station, and Welby was doing his best to undo all of their hard work. Welcoming the competition!

Mavine was surprised as well. “Virgil, I don’t know what he was thinking. You mean he was happy to see Mr. Alexander, and didn’t even charge him for his haircut?”

“First one’s free. That’s what he’s always said, but he was smiling when he said it. I don’t understand either.”

Mavine poured a single mug of coffee. “Well, I’ll probably see Alma at the beauty shop today. I’ll ask her if Welby has been acting strangely lately.”

Virgil drank his coffee almost in one chug, savoring the last drop. “Welby and I are going to have a long talk.” He set the cup down harder than necessary and strode out the door.

As he walked down the hill, Ticky and her pups by his side, he began to cool. The scent of honeysuckle along the fence no doubt helped, as did Ticky’s playfulness. He wanted to believe Mavine, but he also trusted Welby. Or used to. Just what was going on?

By the time he reached the door of the garage, he didn’t know whether to be mad, sad, perplexed, or all three. He closed the door with a satisfying bang and turned to the barber chair, where Welby sat smiling.

“Welby, what was going on last night? Was that some kind of a joke, or are
you
trying to put us in the poorhouse? What was Cornelius Alexander doing in our back room?”

“Getting a haircut. A good one, at that! And no, I’m not trying to put us under.”

“But you just let him walk in!”

“No, I actually invited him.”

“You
wha
t
! He saw everything we have here. Mavine says that if he knows what we are doing, it gives him an advantage over us! He saw our stockroom, and my old office
 
—the room that’s going to become the women’s restroom
 
—even the garage floor!”

“Calm down, Virgil. I suspect Mr. Alexander knows what an old metal desk and a case of oilcans looks like. Probably
has a few of his own. The garage looks like just about every other repair shop in this country. He’s probably seen a tire or two before too.”

“But Mavine says he could put us out of business!” Virgil found the swivel chair and fell into it.

“I don’t think he will. But you could do that to
him
.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Welby leaned forward, still smiling and steady of voice. “Virgil, listen to me. You’ve run Osgood’s since before Vee was born. Our customers have been steady and loyal. You’ll never get rich, but you’ll probably not go hungry, either. But Mr. Alexander is just now getting started in business
 
—and in life. He and his wife have a baby, and babies need to be fed. He needs his place to succeed. Enough people pass through Eden Hill to keep us both going.”

“But Mavine
 
—”

“You and Mavine were young once, too. When Vee came along, you had a hard time of it. I remember you eating nothing but oatmeal for two weeks while you were trying to build this place. And you were luckier than some soldiers coming home from the war. You had both hands and both feet, and you’d learned a good skill. And you’ve got Mavine and Vee Junior.”

“You and Alma were a big help, Welby.” His anger was slowly leaking away like air from a bad tire.

“I worked for your father, and he taught me a lot about helping other people. I suspect he taught you the same thing.”

Virgil nodded and began to relax. “You helped Mom and
all our family while Dad was in the sanatorium. And I’ve never forgotten that.”

“Well, do something good for Mr. Alexander. Help him get started.”

Virgil sat up. “Like what?”

“Keep taking care of your customers, and don’t worry about his.” He chuckled. “Don’t fight so hard. And don’t worry so much.”

“I’m trying, Welby.”

Mavine was celebrating the renovation of Osgood’s with a cut and a perm, so she made her appointment with Gladys an hour earlier than usual to give Gladys plenty of time. She left a note on the kitchen table telling Virgil and Vee that there was bologna in the refrigerator, bread in the breadbox, and plates in the cabinet. Not being there to fix lunch always made her feel guilty, but she half expected them to go to Stacy’s Grocery anyway. Grover would no doubt make them exactly the same thing. She’d finished her Metrecal diet drink, its awful taste washed out by a glass of buttermilk.

When she arrived, Gladys was standing in the doorway waving to an older woman and a younger girl
 
—her earlier customers. Mavine recognized the girl as Darlene Prewitt by her pigtails, while the woman
 
—she had to be Lula Mae! Her usually frazzled hair was now cut in a very flattering style, teased in all the right places and with a fresh perm. Mavine barely recognized her.

“Goodness, Lula Mae, don’t you look
 
—wonderful
 
—today!” Heading into a divorce and being this happy about it?

“Why, thank you, Mavine! You look very fine yourself. Isn’t it amazing what a new hairstyle can do for a woman? Thanks again, Gladys! Come along, Darlene, we’ve got fabric to buy and sewing to do.”

“Good-bye! See you next week!” Gladys sent them on their way, while Mavine watched, dumbfounded. What was going on? A return visit to the Glamour Nook in a week? The Lula Mae she knew only came to the Glamour Nook three or four times a year, and did a Toni home permanent on herself the rest of the time. She watched as the truck filled the air with black smoke and rumbled down the street.

Then it dawned on her. Perhaps Lula Mae had a boyfriend, and this was why her marriage to Arlie was falling apart. And at her age! She absolutely ought to be ashamed.

“Mavine?” Gladys had stooped over to look at her eyes, just to be sure that she was listening. “You ready?”

“Oh yes, I’m ready. Those two seem very happy today
 
—and she looks wonderful.”

Gladys laughed. “Yes, she looks ten years younger and twenty pounds lighter.” She led Mavine up the two steps and into the door. “Make yourself at home in the chair, and we’ll get you looking just as fine. A trim and a permanent wave today, is it?”

“What? Oh yes. Virgil has a big day coming up soon, and I want to look my best for him. By the way, where’s Alma?”

“Alma won’t be here for another hour. You came early today for your perm, remember? Is everything all right?”

“Oh, Gladys, I’m just so worried about Lula Mae and Arlie with the divorce. And now here she is so happy and getting all fixed up. And even bringing Darlene along to
 
—celebrate
 
—with her. It just isn’t right.”

“Divorce? Oh, Mavine, you haven’t heard the latest. She and Arlie have worked it out. She got all dolled up and had her hair fixed just for him.”

Mavine blinked and stammered. “You mean . . .”

“Yep. They’ve come to an agreement. They both had to give up some things, but it sounds like it was worth it.”

“So, what did Arlie have to give up?”

“Chewing tobacco. He needed to get rid of that anyway. Nasty habit.”

“What about Lula Mae?”

Gladys laughed again. “No more kitchen curtains with big yellow daisies on them. And, Mavine?” The beautician was practically dancing. “I want you to meet someone.”

Meet someone?

“Dorothy? Would you come out here for a minute?”

A tall and strikingly beautiful young woman appeared at the door, sharply dressed.

“Mavine.” Gladys paused a moment, then regained her composure. “I want you to meet my daughter. Dorothy, this is Mavine. One of my dearest friends since grade school.”

Dorothy hurried to the chair, giving Mavine a big hug. “So you’re Mavine. Gladys has told me how much your friendship has meant to her.”

“My delight, Dorothy.” Mavine’s heart was swirling with
emotions. Gladys had finally, after all these years, met her daughter. And it was good, very good.

After Dorothy had retreated to the back of Gladys’s house, the stylist returned to her task: Mavine’s cut and curl. “She came up on Tuesday, right after her college graduation. Be here all summer, at least. Isn’t she beautiful?”

“Why didn’t you tell me she was coming?”

“To be honest
 
—” Gladys took a deep breath and let it out slowly
 
—“I was worried it wouldn’t go well. So I didn’t tell any of you. I only told Tom a couple weeks ago. Dorothy went out of her way to track me down, and said she wanted to meet me. I wrote her back and invited her for a visit, but I was anxious, thought it might be very awkward. I wasn’t much of a mother to her, you’ll have to admit.”

Mavine took her friend’s hand. “She wanted to meet you, Gladys. That says a lot about her feelings.”

“But I gave her away. I was worried she’d see me as just the one who abandoned her as a baby.”

“Gladys, you didn’t just give her up. You loved her enough to find a family who could raise her and care for her. And now I can see how much she loves you, and how much you care for her. Can’t you see that too?”

Gladys sniffed and nodded.

“You know, Reverend Caudill preached on love last Sunday. Said that love pushes fear out of the way. Can you believe that?”

“But this is so much more than I deserve.”

“Gladys, it’s not about that. It’s about what the good Lord is kind enough to give us. And he’s chosen to give you this gift:
something very precious.” Mavine both spoke and heard the words; they were in her voice but not her own. She too had been given Virgil and Vee, wonderful gifts by any measure.

“I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. She’s such a wonderful young lady. Tom has become quite fond of her, and so have I.”

“And so lovely. You know she has your eyes?”

“Sure does.” Gladys bent over to whisper in Mavine’s ear. “And I’ll tell you a secret. She’s quite taken with Henry Willett. They are going out tomorrow night.”

Oh my. Gladys’s long-lost daughter, dating Mr. Willett? And Arlie and Lula Mae getting back together? Almost too much to take in.

Mavine roared with laughter and giggles, suddenly realizing how silly her concerns had been. While the weight of the world hadn’t been completely lifted, at least a couple of pounds were gone. As for the ten years younger, that was up to Gladys.

Vee Junior was not looking forward to painting the floor of the garage, but he turned out to be fairly good at it. Welby and Virgil had moved everything out front except for the tire rack, which was bolted down, and the workbench, which was too heavy to lift. Welby’s barber chair was also bolted to the concrete, but he was hoping to put down some linoleum in the back room anyway, so it really didn’t matter. They had all scrubbed the floor with some of Del’s special cleaner, so the battleship gray paint would stick well.

The paint on the floor would need to dry for at least forty-eight hours before it could be driven on, so they put Vee to work on Friday. Del had said that the paint should be ready by Monday, but not to leave a car on it too long. This was not a problem, as the only car in the shop was the late Mrs. Crutcher’s Buick, which was displayed for sale outside. By Tuesday, however, the automobile would have to be moved so that the plumber could get his backhoe in to dig for the septic tank.