Sit! Stay! Speak! (21 page)

A
DDIE HAD NEVER SEEN A MORE SPECTACULAR SIGHT THAN THE
Floyds' house all lit up for the party—even the scene of the blues festival downtown couldn't compare. The outside of the house was decorated in blue and gold lights, and there seemed to be a constant stream of cars pulling into the long, winding driveway.

“Where am I going to park my car? That field over there on the right?” Addie asked Warren.

“I don't know. Follow Wanda and Neil.”

“I can't see them. It's raining too hard.”

“You've got an umbrella in here, right?”

“No.”

Warren turned to her, his horrified expression evident even in the darkness of the car. “What kind of a person doesn't keep an umbrella in her car?”

His face was so preposterous that Addie had to laugh. In that moment, she was glad she'd been pestered into coming to the party. She could leave her packing for tomorrow.

By the time Addie and Warren made it to the front porch, they were soaked to the bone. Wanda and Neil were waiting for them.

“Y'all look awful,” Wanda said. She looped her fingers through her curly hair.

“Addie didn't have an umbrella,” Warren mumbled. “She's a degenerate.”

The four of them made their way to the bar, which was right in front of several tables and chairs that no one was using.

“Everybody here is old,” Wanda whispered, taking a look around.

“I'm sure not everybody is old,” Addie replied. “Maybe just everybody in this particular room is old. It's still early yet.”

“I'll have a gin and tonic,” Wanda said to the bartender. “Addie, what do you want?”

“Do you have Midori?” Addie asked. She wondered if this meant Wanda was speaking to her again. She'd been ignoring her since their argument at the festival.

“Sure do,” the bartender replied. “Midori sour?”

“Yes, please. Could I have three cherries?”

“You got it.”

Wanda was right. There were a lot of old people there, and Addie didn't know any of them. She assumed, of course, that they were all friends of Artemis and Jack. They stood in clumps, drinking wine and laughing. It wasn't much like the rowdy party Addie had expected after a blues festival. Of course, nothing about the Floyds' house was rowdy. It was genteel and elegant, a lot like, Addie thought, Harper Blake, who was standing alone with Jasper at one end of the room.

They saw Addie at the same time that Addie saw them, and there was nothing she could do to escape the embarrassment she
felt as they both stared at her. She knew she couldn't run away, but that was the only thing she could think about when she locked eyes with Jasper.

“C'mon,” Wanda said. She scowled over at Jasper and Harper. “Let's go find another room full of old people to hang out in.”

“No, it's fine. It's not a big deal.”

“Since when?”

“They're coming over here,” Addie whispered. “Oh, God. I want to die.”

“Shut up. Smile. And stop bein' so dramatic,” Wanda shot back. “For the life of me, I can't figure out what's goin' on with you today, Adelaide.”

Addie wished she knew.

“Hello, ladies,” Jasper said. “I'm glad to see you two found Warren and Neil after they abandoned Harper.”

“You didn't tell us that it was going to take an act of Congress to find a working restroom,” Neil replied. “Adelaide was kind enough to allow us the benefit of toilet paper.”

“Don't seem like Harper was abandoned,” Wanda said. “Seems like she managed to get here just fine.”

“Jas gave me a ride,” Harper replied. She linked her arm through his. “Looks like you all got drenched.”

“How bad do I look?” Warren asked. “On a scale of one to ten . . . how bad is it?”

“Seven,” Harper replied without blinking.

“I've got to go find a mirror.”

“It's too bad you all dumped me,” Harper continued, ignoring Warren. “I got to come in through the private garage.” She raised an eyebrow. “There is an elevator.”

“I think I'm going to follow Warren to the bathroom,” Addie said. She hurried off without waiting for a reply from anyone. She thought about Jasper and Harper alone inside the elevator together. She felt so angry and stupid. This was not how she wanted to feel. This was not what she signed up for when she packed up her life in Chicago and moved into her aunt Tilda's ramshackle house. It was supposed to be peaceful, serene. The Delta was supposed to heal her wounds, not rip them open and pack them with Mississippi River mud.

Instead of going to the bathroom, she wandered into another room just off to the side of the main part of the house. She doubted this was meant to be used as one of the party rooms. There was a white leather chaise at one end. She went over and sat down. Out the window she could see streams of cars rolling in despite the rain.

The stupid rain.

She didn't really want to look in the mirror. She knew what she'd find—limp strands of hair stuck to her neck and face, mascara where it shouldn't be, and a pink bra that was showing through her sopping white silk tank top. She lay back on the chaise.

“What are you doing in here all alone?” Harper stuck her head in the room. “Everybody is looking for you.”

“Just trying to dry out.”

“Well, your friend Wanda is on her third drink.”

“She can handle herself.”

“I'm sure she can,” Harper replied drily. “She looks like she comes from sturdy stock. She says you're ready to go home to Chicago?”

“I might be.” Addie stood up.

“Well, that's probably for the best.” Harper walked over and put her arm on Addie's shoulder.

“What do you mean?”

“What would you do here, anyway?” Harper asked. “Your little antique business is cute, but it's not a living.”

“Who told you that I have an antique business?”

“Jasper.”

“Well, I don't have a business,” Addie said, “not anymore.”

“All the more reason for you to go back to where you came from.”

Addie tilted her head back. “What do you mean, back to where I came from? What do you care where I live or what I do with my time?”

“I don't care,” Harper replied. “As long as you don't live or spend your time here.”

Addie took a step away from Harper. “You need to back off.”

“I've worked too long and hard to land Jasper Floyd.” Harper wagged a sinewy finger in Addie's face. “And no blond piece of trash from Chicago is going to come in here and take that away from me.”

Addie looked around the room to see if anyone else was hearing the same conversation that she was. “If you were going to
land
Jasper, you would have done it by now,” she whispered in the calmest voice she could muster. “Now if you would please get out of my way, I need to refill my drink.”

Harper took a step back and allowed Addie to brush past her and out of the room. Addie's blood was boiling. She could feel the heat steaming up from her body and penetrating through her
shirt. It made it even worse. She felt like she was trapped in a sauna. She trudged back to the heart of the party.

“I'm telling you, Neil”—Warren slammed his glass down onto the table—“if you go up to that deejay and ask him to play Journey, I'm leaving right this second.”

“It doesn't have to be Journey,” Neil protested. “I just want a
decent
song. And I'd prefer for it to be an eighties song.”

“This is not a junior high dance,” Warren replied. “And there is no possible way that
decent
and
eighties song
can be used in the same sentence.”

Neil leaned back into the chair dramatically. As he rolled his eyes, he caught a glimpse of Addie. “Addie! I didn't even see you sitting there! Where's Jasper? I thought he went off to find you.”

“I haven't seen Jasper.” Addie looked over to the opposite side of the room where Wanda was sitting at her own table with at least three drinks. Wanda and Addie locked eyes, but Wanda looked away before Addie could motion for her to come over. “I'm going to go over and check on Wanda.”

“I'm sure we'll still be debating the necessity of Journey when you return.”

Wanda was slumped in her chair staring down at her hands when Addie sat down next to her. “What are you doing all the way over here by yourself?”

Wanda didn't look up.

“Aren't you having any fun?”

“I guess so,” Wanda said. “You know, in all the years I've known Jasper and his family, this is the first time I've ever been inside his house.”

“Really?”

“I thought it would be nicer.”

“Yeah, it's kind of a dump, huh?”

Wanda took a sip of her drink and then grinned over at Addie. She burst into a fit of giggles. “I mean, did you
see
that kitchen? It's bigger than my whole house!”

“I got lost the first time I was here,” Addie confessed.

“You know what my granny used to say about rich people?”

“No, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me.”

“She used to say that half the stuff rich people own are about as useful as tits on a bull.”

“Which means?”

Wanda put her hand on Addie's. “Honey, I ain't got time to explain to you why tits on a bull is useless. But it means that rich people buy junk they don't need just because they can. And after bein' in this house, I can tell ya she was right.”

“I'm sorry about earlier,” Addie said. “I didn't mean to upset you. I don't hate it here. I just don't know what I'm doing anymore. And that's not your fault or Jasper's fault or the fault of this town.”

“Bein' lost is the only way you can find yourself. You wouldn't believe how many different versions of me I've found.”

Addie grinned. “Maybe you can help me find my way.”

“Come on.” Wanda stood up. “Let's go back over and sit with Warren and Neil.”

“I can't.”

“Why not?”

Warren and Neil had been joined by Harper and Jasper. The argument had been replaced by the silent act of lips pressing to crystal full of mixed drinks. Harper wasn't smiling.

“Harper practically attacked me earlier,” Addie explained.
“She told me to move back to Chicago, stay away from Jasper, and called me trash.”

Wanda made a gurgling sound into her drink. “She said
what
?”

“She was pissed.”

“She ain't seen pissed.” Wanda stood up.

“Sit down!” Addie grabbed Wanda's arm.

“I ought to go over there and show her just exactly what trash means.”

“Believe me, that's something I'd like to see,” Addie replied. She watched Harper from a distance. Harper's mouth was set in a hard line. Her shoulders seemed to slump. Her hair didn't seem so glossy, and her eyes didn't seem so bright. “But she's not worth it.”

A
DDIE WAS RELIEVED THAT
J
ASPER WAS SITTING AT THE TABLE
. She knew that neither Wanda nor Harper would say a word with him there.

“Jasper says he's going to have to leave the party early,” Warren said. “I don't think he fully grasps the notion of being a host.”

“I'm
not
the host,” Jasper reminded him. “My parents are the hosts.”

“So what are we supposed to do while you're gone?”

“I'll be back.” Jasper stood up.

“Does this have anything to do with that phone call you got earlier?” Warren asked.

“What phone call?”

“The one you got just before you headed off to look for Addie.”

“No,” Jasper replied. “It doesn't.”

“Why don't I go with you?” Harper was already standing up.

“It is raining like crazy outside,” Jasper replied. “And it is awful muddy. You sure don't want to walk all the way down to the barn to check on a calf.”

“That's what the phone call was about?” Warren asked.

“No.”

“Will you at least find your parents for me before you leave?” Harper asked. “I wanted to see your mother for a bit.”

It was clear she didn't want to be anywhere near Addie. At least not without Jasper in her sights.

“They're around here somewhere,” Jasper replied. “The last time I saw them they were upstairs. Why don't I take you and Addie up there before I go?”

“Why do I need to go?” There was something about Jasper's disposition that didn't seem right. He wasn't looking at her when he spoke. He wasn't looking at any of them.

“My mom's been asking about you.” Jasper shrugged. “I just thought I'd kill two birds with one stone.”

“Fine,” Addie said. She followed behind Harper, who also wasn't looking at her.

“I remember two years ago we must've played bridge with your parents all night,” Harper said. “Do you remember that night? Upstairs in one of the extra bedrooms. I think it was New Year's Eve.”

“I do seem to remember that,” Jasper replied. “Wasn't that the year my dad got mad that we won and threw his cards all over the table?”

“Yes!” Harper giggled. “He was so angry he stormed off and your mom made him come back in and apologize to us.”

“That's right! My father never apologizes.”

“He must really like me.”

“I'm fairly certain that if he ever needed a lawyer, he'd hire you. And I'm willing to bet that they're playing bridge up here right now.”

Harper squeezed his arm and said, “I really miss those days, Jas.”

Jasper cleared his throat and pushed open one of the doors on the right-hand side of the hallway, and a roar of conversation came tumbling out. He entered the room where Artemis and Jack Floyd sat with two other couples. “I'm going to have to go down and check on one of our calves,” he said. “I'll be back in about an hour or so.”

“How long have you ladies been here?” Artemis didn't look up from the cards in her hands. “I've been so involved in this darn game I've forgotten to be a decent host.”

“Not too long,” Addie replied. “Just long enough for Jasper to leave.”

“He's not a very good host, is he?” Artemis asked with a wink.

“I'm not the host!” Jasper threw his hands in the air. “You are the host!”

“You're right, son.” Artemis stood up. “I've got to get. I'm sure there are a million things I've forgotten to do tonight.”

“You can't leave me here, Art!” Jack yelled at his wife. “We're not done here, woman!”

Artemis waved at him from the doorway. “You're an educated man! Figure it out.”

Jack grumbled and wheeled his chair around to face Jasper, Harper, and Addie. “She acts like I can just slide down the banister and dance around all night.”

“Can't you?” Jasper replied.

“Sure. Just give me your legs.”

“Oh, Jack,” Harper said, leaning down to give him a hug. “Who needs legs when you've got such a charming personality?”

“You're a liar, but a pretty one, so I'll let it pass.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, I don't suppose you'd do an old man a favor and be his bridge partner, would you?” Jack asked. “I can't beat these two knuckleheads all by myself.”

“Oh, I don't know a thing about bridge.”

“I can teach you.”

Addie glanced around the room. Jasper was gone. “You know, I should probably go back. Wanda is downstairs alone with Warren and Neil. There's no telling how much she's had to drink already.”

“That girl could drink most sailors under the table,” Jack replied. “Don't tell her I said this, but I respect that in a woman.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

“Well, I guess I could play a few hands with you until Artemis gets back,” Harper interrupted. She sat down in Artemis's chair.

“I'll teach you everything I know,” Jack said. He shifted his attention to Addie. “Go on, get out of here. We don't need any distractions.”

“Yes, sir.” As she turned around to shut the door behind her, she caught Jack's eye. He gave her a little wave, and just before the door clicked shut she could have sworn she saw him wink.

From the top of the stairs, Addie saw Jasper at the front door. He didn't see her, and she knew he wasn't going to check on any calf. She knew there had to be a reason he left so quietly. It had to have something to do with that phone call he hadn't wanted to discuss.

“Addie!” Wanda stood at the bottom of the stairs. “Come on
down here, honey. Let's get another drink. The party's really starting to pick up.”

“I'm coming. Give me just a few minutes. I've got to go to the bathroom.”

“Didn't you go once already?”

“I never actually made it there.”

“Well, hurry up,” Wanda called over her shoulder. “I'm tired of listening to Warren and Neil arguing over eighties hair bands.”

Addie considered following Wanda back into the party. Instead she opened the front door and walked out onto the porch. There were two men standing on the steps, smoking cigars. “Did either of you see where Jasper Floyd went?”

One of the men clenched the cigar between his teeth and said, “Saw him head out in his Bronco a few minutes ago. Looked like he was headed to town.”

“Thanks.”

She parked at the bottom of the driveway and tried to call Jasper. There was no answer. The rain was coming down so fast and so hard she struggled to see. She wasn't even sure where she was going. She fumbled through her purse when her phone began to ring, but before she could answer, the phone slipped through her hands and landed on the floorboard of the passenger's seat. She grabbed at it and looked back up to the road.

Addie saw the deer standing in the middle of the road, but it was too late. She didn't have time to honk. She didn't have time to swerve. She clipped the animal with the front driver's side and her car spun around in the muddy gravel.

Addie tasted blood, and within seconds it was over. When she came to, she was sitting halfway in between the driver's and passenger's seats. She was covered in glass and blood, and she
touched her nose and winced. Her phone was still ringing and was still in her hand.

“Hello?”

“Addie?” Jasper's voice sounded far away. “Addie, are you there?”

“I hit a deer.”

“You what?”

Addie winced again. Every time she spoke it was as if a thousand needles were poking at her brain. “I'm fine.”

“Where are you?” Jasper's voice was becoming more and more panicked.

Addie hung up the phone and slid herself over into the driver's seat. Pushing the door open with her foot, she slid out into the rain. One of the headlights remained intact and was shining out onto the road. The deer was nowhere to be found. Addie wasn't sure what she was supposed to do—try to drive the car back to the farm or call the police. Did the police even come out this far for an accident? This wasn't a problem she'd ever encountered in Chicago, as rogue deer very rarely plagued the busy, pedestrian-lined streets of the city.

She wondered if Jonah felt any pain before he died. It was something she'd wondered over and over throughout the years, even though practically everyone told her that his death was immediate. There hadn't been time for him to feel anything. It had been the only thing that brought her comfort in those first weeks. Her mind wandered back to Jasper before she could stop it. Had she called him? Had he answered? She couldn't remember. Where had she been going, anyway?

Addie got back inside the car, her only shelter from the downpour, got the car to start after a few tries, and drove back toward
the farm. The cigar-smoking men were nowhere to be found when she stumbled up the steps of the house. She wandered into the main room where she'd left her friends. It was then that she realized just how she must look. There were hundreds of eyes staring at her. She clutched the entryway for support.

A woman she didn't know rushed up to her and said, “Lord, child, what happened to you?”

“I hit a deer.” Every word was painful.

The woman helped Addie over to a chair and eased her into the seat. She handed her a cocktail napkin to blot her nose. Addie tried to take the napkin from her, but the woman was dangling three of them in front of her, and she couldn't get a firm grasp on any of them.

Jasper's hands were on her shoulders and he was talking to her. “Addie? Addie? Are you okay? What happened?”

“I hit a deer. I want to sit down.”

“You are sitting down.” He turned to the woman in gray and said, “Clementine, go get Dr. Iverson.”

“I'm fine.”

“You're covered in blood.”

“My head hurts.”

“Come on.” Jasper took her by the hand and helped her up. He led her back into the room with the white chaise. “Sit down and lay your head back. Try not to talk.”

All around her there were voices. Try as she might, she couldn't make herself open her eyes. “I feel so stupid,” Addie said. “I didn't even see the deer until it was too late.”

Jasper put his hand gently behind Addie's head and replied, “Believe it or not, people hit deer all the time around here.”

“Do you think I killed it? I looked for it, but I didn't see it anywhere.”

“Probably not,” Jasper said.

“Good.”

Jasper stood up when Artemis came into the room followed by a man carrying a 1950s-style doctor's bag. He kneeled down in front of Addie. “What happened here?”

“I hit a deer,” Addie mumbled. “I'm fine.”

“My name is Dr. Iverson. Can you open your eyes for me?”

Addie's eyes fluttered open, and the doctor shone a light into each one. He blotted at the blood on her face and nose, listened to her heart, and asked her questions about the wreck.

“I don't think she needs to go to the hospital,” he said. “I'm not worried about broken bones or any internal bleeding, but she may have a slight concussion. Her nose isn't broken. She may have a couple of black eyes in the morning, though. She has some cuts, and she will be banged up.”

“I think she should stay here tonight, Mom.” Jasper turned to his mother. “I don't want her spending the night alone.”

“I think that's a good idea, Artemis,” the doctor broke in. “She probably doesn't need to be by herself.”

“Of course,” Artemis agreed. “Of course.”

“I can't leave Felix for a whole night.”

“I bet Wanda will go check on him.” Jasper nodded toward Wanda, who was standing in the doorway. “Won't you, Wanda?”

“Sure thing,” Wanda said.

Jasper ushered everyone out of the room, stopping for a moment to shake the doctor's hand. They were alone in the room. “What in the hell were you thinking? Following me? Don't you think if
I wanted you to go with me that I would have asked? You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“Who says I was following you?”

“C'mon, Addie. I'm not stupid. Besides, Bill and Ed said you asked where I was headed.”

“Just like I'm not stupid enough to believe you were going to check on a bull.”

“It was a calf.”

“Same thing.”

“Not really.”

“The last thing I need is a lecture from you about honesty.” Addie tried to stand up, but the room began to spin. She fell back onto the chaise in a heap.

Jasper sat down next to her. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her face. “I've never seen a person so wet and bloody.”

“I've never seen a person younger than ninety years old carry a handkerchief.”

“Just let me take care of you.”

“I'm mad at you.”

“Oh, really?”

Addie stood again, holding herself up with the back of the chaise. “Yes. Don't think you can come in here and take advantage of me because I've got brain damage.”

A smile threatened the corners of Jasper's mouth. “I don't think you have any brain damage, Addie.”

“You know what I mean.” She pointed a wobbly finger at him. “You can't boss me around. You think just because you're gorgeous with those long eyelashes and those perfect teeth and all that you've got . . . underneath your shirt . . . you aren't foolin'
me, mister.” She didn't know why she was saying these things. It wasn't what she wanted to say at all. But she didn't seem to have any control over her mouth anymore.

“Do you think you can walk back to my place?” Jasper asked. He tried not to flash his perfect teeth at her as he laughed. “You need to rest where someone can keep an eye on that concussion you've obviously got.”

“I'm not leaving Felix.”