Something Old, Something New (23 page)

Up close, Thad looked very much like Tamar. He had the same lean build and the familiar hawk-black eyes. He was dressed like a gentleman rancher in a blue long-sleeved shirt and matching pants. Around his neck was a silver bolo tie, and on his knees sat an ivory-colored Stetson.

Trent made the introductions.

Thad looked Lily up and down. “You sure you want to marry him? July men have a hard time holding on to their wives. I know. Had and lost three. How many times you been married, Trent?”

“Twice, but the third time will be the charm.”

“That's what I thought with my third one, until she caught me and her sister one night. Man can run pretty fast with buckshot going off around him.”

Trent and Griffin both shook their heads.

A perturbed Tamar asked, “Why would you tell her that?”

Lily could see his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Because it's the truth.”

“Since when have you ever told the truth?”

“Oh, here we go.”

“Don't oh-here-we-go me, Thaddeus July.”

“Tammy, if you want to fight, let's save it for later when I'm not so tired. You got my room ready?”

“What room? You're not staying with me.”

“The hell I'm not.”

Trent attempted to be peacemaker. “Uncle Thad, you can stay with me.”

“Nope. Came all this way to stay with my sister. You get Griffin. She gets me.”

Tamar looked mutinous but gave in. “Griffin, bring your grandfather and follow me in whatever it is you're driving. He does not get to ride in Olivia.”

“Like I want to ride in that old relic. Damn truck's old as she is.” Thad ignored the anger on her face and said politely, “Ms. Lily, Davis, Reverend Paula, nice meeting you all.”

Griffin nodded farewell and turned the chair to follow the already departed Tamar out the door.

“Sounds like maybe he should stay with you, Trent,” an amused Lily noted as they all walked back to their booth.

“What concerns me is that they're both armed.”

For the next little while, Trent held Lily's hand as he introduced her to his cousins and the members of Griffin's family whom he was familiar with. The Julys had numerous Neils, Madisons, Harpers, and a couple of Edwards, but only one Diego.

Later, as he drove Lily and Davis home, she asked, “Why all the same names?”

“Uncle Thad named them after the original family members.”

“Why only one Diego?”

“Because the world can only hold one at a time. He's been arrested more times than Amari.”

“For what?”

“Car theft.”

“Lord. He isn't Amari's father, is he?”

“Hope not, but I should know more on that tonight after I've had a chance to talk to Griffin.”

He drove up into her driveway and left the motor running while they got out.

“I had a good time, Trenton.”

“Glad my family didn't scare you off.”

“No chance. You are signed, sealed, and delivered.” Leaning in the window, she gave him a kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Davis whined, “Come on, you two. The California boy is cold!”

Lily let her freezing son into the house, and Trenton drove home to wait for Griffin.

Inside, Lily called over to the Garlands and was surprised to hear that Amari had come and gotten Devon so he could hang with him and Preston.

She hung up. “Looks like Amari's playing big brother. Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Davis said.

“Why you and Jessica? We won't even talk about her age, but she didn't seem to be your type.”

Davis sighed. “At first I was trying to be nice. I was new in town, I liked jazz, she took me to a few clubs. I told her I liked plays, and she got tickets. Next thing I knew she was planning my weekends. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, and she was fun, sorta, but there was a lot of what you saw today, too.”

“Women don't like pity, Davis.”

“I didn't know what to do.”

“You handled it today, though.”

“I couldn't take it anymore.”

She walked over and gave him a hug. “So good to see you.”

“And with no Jessica around, I can enjoy myself.”

“Hear, hear. Come walk with me over to the Paynes'. Devon is going to flip, meeting you in person.”

T
rent didn't get a chance to talk with Griffin until much later that evening. They were in Trent's kitchen, catching up over a beer.

“My guess is that you're the father. Right or wrong?”

Griffin saluted him with his glass. “You always were smart. How'd you figure it out?”

“I didn't until I saw the Lakotas with my cousins. Figured Amari had to be the reason they were along.”

Griffin then told him the story behind their son Amari's conception and about Griff's meeting with the mother.

“Sounds like she had to make some hard choices after she found out she was pregnant.”

“I just wish she'd called me, written, something. I never would have let him be taken into the welfare system, you know that.”

“I do.”

“I feel like I failed him.”

“He's back where he belongs now, so don't beat yourself up.”

“I can't believe he was a car thief.”

“That shouldn't be a surprise. Wants to race NASCAR when he grows up.”

“I like that. Have you talked to him about any of this?”

“Only that the family was looking into his parentage. I wanted to wait until I learned who it turned out to be before saying anything.” Trent searched Griffin's face for a moment. “So what do you want to do about his raising? He's legally adopted, and I will fight you in court if you're planning on contesting my rights.”

“Please. Where would I raise him, on the back of my bike? No, he's your son. All I ask is that my mom be able to call him grandson, and that he come to Pine Ridge and stay with her for a week or two during summers. I am her only son, you know.”

“I have no problem with that. In fact, I think it's a great idea. Is she coming for the wedding?”

“Yes. She wants to meet Amari and your Lily—who is gorgeous, by the way.”

“Thanks—just keep your distance. She's mine.”

“Be glad you met her first.”

“I am.”

“Can I meet Amari?”

“Sure. He's across the street, hanging with his friend Preston. Let me send him a text.”

When Amari walked in, he said excitedly, “Dad! Mom said the other Julys tried to trash the Dog, and Tamar shot up the ceiling.”

He noticed Griffin for the first time. “Sorry. Didn't know you had company.” Amari studied the man closely, especially his leather jacket, pants, and long hair. “I'm Amari.”

“Griffin July. Great to meet you, Amari.”

“Same here. You with the Oklahoma clan?”

“I am.”

“You hair looks like that Samoan dude's that plays defense for Pittsburgh.”

“He's an awesome player, isn't he. I'm Seminole and Lakota, though.”

Amari turned to Trent. “Did you need me for something, Dad?”

“Yeah, just for a minute. Pull up a seat.”

Amari was pretty intuitive, and as he sat down, Trent could see him trying to determine if something was wrong.

“This isn't bad news, is it?”

“No, son. Just wanted you to meet your biological father.”

“This is him?” He studied Griffin for a longer moment. “I'm not going to have to leave and go live with him, am I, Dad?”

Griffin answered first. “No, Amari. I'd never separate you from your dad.”

Amari sighed audibly with relief. “Good, because I'd only wind up running away a thousand times. Do you ever see my birth mom?”

“Saw her a month or so ago, which is when I found out that she and I made you. I'm sorry about not knowing before.”

“That's okay. Does she know I live in Kansas?”

“No.”

“She want to be contacted?”

Griffin shook his head solemnly. “I'm afraid not.”

Amari shrugged. “Doesn't matter. I have a real mom now.”

But Trent could tell that deep down inside it did matter.

“And that real mom is very pretty, too,” Griffin added.

“Yep,” he replied proudly.

“Your mom and mine are probably the prettiest ones I know. My mom would like to meet you. I'm her only child, which makes you her only grandchild.”

“That okay, Dad?”

“Yes. You'll like Judith.”

Amari asked where she lived, and when he learned she lived on the Pine Ridge res and wanted him to spend some of the summer with her, he replied, “I might like that, but is it okay if I meet her first before I decide? Not trying to offend her or anything.”

“Absolutely. You just let me know,” Griff replied.

“You said you were Lakota? That's the Sioux Nation, right?”

“Yes. I'm impressed that you know that.”

“Blame it on our teacher Mr. James. He makes us learn a lot about Native culture.”

“That makes him a great teacher in my book. Maybe you can introduce me to him while I'm here.”

The conversation moved on to many subjects after that: Amari's dream of being a racer, his newfound finesse at chess, and his Spirit Quest.

Griffin said, “I did my Quest twice. Once as a Seminole with my grandfather, and then the next year as a Lakota with my uncles.”

Amari told him about catching a fat trout with his hands, and how a hawk had swooped down and stolen it from him.

“You have to watch those hawks,” Griff added.

Then came sports, favorite foods, and movies. They even walked out to the garage and spent a few minutes looking over Griffin's vintage Harley, which impressed Amari the most.

“This is awesome. How fast will it go?”

Griffin told him what the top-end speed was, and Amari's mouth dropped. “Man. The cops would've never caught me on this. Can you give me a ride before you leave?”

“Will do, if it's okay with your dad.”

“As long as he wears a helmet.”

Back inside, Trent happened to glance up at the clock on the kitchen wall and saw that it was almost 11:00 p.m. They'd been talking for hours.

Amari yawned and asked Griffin, “Where are you staying while you're here?”

“Your dad wants to put me upstairs in the guest room, but I wanted to make sure it was okay with you first.”

“It is.”

“Then I'll grab my stuff off the bike and head up. It's been a long day. I'll see you two in the morning.”

When Amari and Trent were alone, Amari said, “It's pretty sweet meeting him. I like him.”

“I'm glad. He's a good person.”

“But just so you'll know, he may be my father, but you're my dad.”

“That means a lot.”

“Don't want you getting it twisted.”

“I won't.” Trent was glad the meeting had gone well. “You go on to bed. See you in the morning.”

After Amari went up to his room, Trent sat in the silent kitchen and thanked God and the Ancestors for all the blessings in his life. Finally getting up from his chair, he put on the locks, turned out the lights, and climbed the stairs to his own bed.

Chapter 22

O
n the Saturday before the wedding Lily drove over to Tamar's for the bridal tea. All of the women in her circle of friends were in attendance, including Zoey and Crystal. They ate the tasty little appetizers Rocky had brought, drank tea and sodas, and ate cake. For Lily, the highlight, besides all the support and love she received, was the bestowing of what Sheila called Borrowed, Blue, Old, and New.

The Something Old was a blue-and-white carved cameo that Tamar explained had originally belonged to Mayor Olivia July. “I had it restored back in the eighties, hoping you'd wear it back when we all thought you'd marry Trent the first time, but when it didn't happen, I put it away. Guess it's been patiently waiting for you all these years.”

“I'll wear it proudly. Thank you.”

The Something New came from Bernadine. “You know how much I love to multitask, so what I have is something that fits the Something Blue category as well as the Something New.” She handed Lily a slim black velvet box. Inside lay the most beautiful gold and sapphire bracelet Lily had ever seen. The exquisite detail and craftsmanship rendered her speechless.

“And if you start fussing at me about it being too expensive for you to accept, I swear I'll never speak to you again.”

Lily couldn't take her eyes off the beautiful bracelet. “This is gorgeous.” The spendthrift side of Lily did want to fuss—the bracelet had probably cost more than her car—but she accepted it in the spirit in which it had been given. “Thank you, Bernadine.”

Roni presented the Borrowed gift. “You and Trent are going to need love songs while on your honeymoon, so here's a copy of my new CD. I borrowed it from the studio when Sheila told me what my category for the tea would be. You don't really have to return it, but it was all I could think to get. Sorry.”

“Sorry? Are you kidding? Trent and I were big fans of your music before we even met you, and for us to have this before anyone else? Makes me feel real special. Thanks, Roni.” Lily couldn't wait to stick it in the CD player.

Crystal and Zoey stepped up. “Zoey and I didn't know what to get, so Ms. Bernadine suggested we get you something that might help you relax and work off the stress. Like maybe she doesn't need something like that her own self.”

The ladies howled. Bernadine, too.

“So I thought about what helps me relax, so we got you this.”

Lily undid the beautiful hand-painted purple paper and found a large art set inside. There were watercolors and oils, brushes and inks. She was touched by their thoughtfulness. “I've never had anything like this before, girls. Who knows if I can paint, but I will give it a try. Thank you.”

Zoey asked, “You don't think it's dumb, do you?”

“No, Zo. It's real cool.”

Paula stepped up. “I'm new here, and because I didn't know anything about this party until yesterday”—she looked over at Sheila, who smiled and dropped her head as if guilty as charged—“so I guess my gift will have to be something I know how to do well, which is pray. Grab hands, everybody.”

The women circled up, and Paula said reverently, “Dear Lord. Creator or all things male and female. Bless this assemblage of women. Help them continue to support and lift each other up in this great sisterhood they have created. Offer them Your guidance and keep them in Your heart as we keep You in ours. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.”

“Thank you, Reverend Paula.”

“Anytime.”

Marie stepped out of the circle. “I know we already did the Something Old, but I have something to add.” She took a sealed envelope out of her purse and handed it to Lily.

The envelope appeared to be very old. “What is this?”

“A letter from your mother. She wrote it before she passed and asked that I give it to you on your wedding day.”

Lily found it difficult to breathe. “My mom?”

“Yes. Funny, though, I couldn't find it the first time you got married, so I never mentioned having it, but about a week after you and Trent announced your engagement, there it was in a box I knew I searched through a dozen times before. It was as if the letter wanted to be found when it did.”

Lily's heart was pounding so hard, she thought it might burst through her blouse. Her name, Lily Renee, was written across the front in the familiar scrolled handwriting she knew all too well. Her hand shook. Tears filled her eyes. She gave Marie an emotional hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much.” She'd never expected to receive something so precious. The urge to tear it open and read it there and then was strong, but she held off because she wanted to read it alone. After taking one last teary glance at it, she gently placed the envelope in her purse and took in a few deep breaths to pull herself back together. It was difficult. All she could think about was what it might say and how much she still missed her mother.

“Cass was a very special lady,” Marie voiced.

“Yes, she was.”

Every person in the room viewed Lily with fond eyes. They all knew how much the letter meant.

Later, they were helping themselves to the buffet again when Tamar asked Rocky, “Are the Oklahoma clan running you ragged?”

“Lord, I can't wait until they're gone. They are some meat-eating men, my goodness. We ran out of bacon yesterday, and they took poor Siz outside and tied him to a tree as punishment. Had him roped up like one of those old movie heroines tied down on the railroad tracks. It was all in fun, of course, but I had to use a butcher knife to cut him loose because they refused to untie him.”

Tamar asked, “Where was Griffin? He's supposed to be the ringmaster of this circus.”

Rocky shrugged. “Not sure, but Mr. July was there. He just laughed.”

“He would,” Tamar pronounced sourly.

“Tamar, why are you two so mad at each other?” Genevieve asked.

“Secrets, right, Tamar?” Marie tossed out.

Tamar studied Marie. The air between the two had been strained since Agnes's deathbed confession, and Lily wondered where this conversation might be heading.

Roni took one look at the two women and said, “Crys, do me a favor. Take Zoey outside so she can get some air.”

Zoey looked confused. “I don't need any air.”

Crystal took her by the hand. “Come on. I think some grown folks stuff is about to jump off, and they don't want us to hear.”

“What?”

Once they were gone, Tamar and Marie continued to eye each other coolly. “You're still mad at me.”

“Yes, because you of all people should know how wrong it is to keep secrets.”

“Agnes told you?” Tamar sounded surprised.

“Yes, but I don't know why you're surprised. You were more a friend to her than she was to you.”

It was difficult to glean Tamar's true reaction, but she looked caught between anger and disappointment.

Marie asked pointedly, “How can you be mad at Thad for not telling you Mal's father was already married when he married you, but think it was okay to keep the truth about my mother from me?”

That bombshell made the other women in the room share stunned looks.

“Tamar, you're my godmother, for heaven's sake!” she declared heatedly.

Tamar looked away from Marie and off into the distance. She sat silently for what seemed a long time. When she finally turned back, there was a bleakness in her eyes none of them had ever seen before. “Forgive me.”

Marie had tears in her eyes. “I do, because you thought you were doing the right thing, but it still hurts.”

Tamar's eyes were wet as well. “Been a long time since anyone's called me out.”

“I know.” Marie took the tissue Genevieve offered and showed a watery smile as she blew her nose. “But every now and then somebody has to risk decapitation to set you straight.”

That broke the tension. Lily was glad. The rest of the women appeared to be relieved as well.

“When I married Joel Newton, he and Thad were best friends. Thad had to know he was already married, so why didn't he tell me?”

“Have you asked him?”

“Yes. He said he didn't know how to tell me.”

“Just like you probably didn't know how to tell me.”

Tamar's lips thinned.

Marie hunkered down before Tamar's chair and said with sincerity, “You are the wisest, most caring person I know, and you've been more of a mother to me than Agnes ever was. I don't want you to go to your grave with this anger on your soul. Talk to your brother.”

Tamar didn't respond at first, then said grudgingly, “I'll think about it.”

A
fter tucking Devon in for the night, Lily slid the letter from the envelope and read:
My dearest Lily. When you read this, I'll be gone, but I wanted to send my love to you on this momentous day. My baby girl is getting married, and I'm in tears just thinking about how beautiful you will be. May the Good Lord bless you with a child that fills your life with the same amount of joy that you gave to mine. Stay strong, my Lily. I may not be able to love you in the flesh, but I'll never stop loving you in spirit. Your mother. Cassandra Fontaine.

For the next hour Lily was a mess as she cried over the loss of such a remarkable woman and over the joy of receiving such a precious gift. She reminisced over the good times they'd had and how fearlessly Cass had approached chemo and the final walk to her demise. Lily missed her so much, and rereading the letter brought home again just how much. “Thank you, Mama,” she whispered.

Finally, after pulling herself together, she called Trent to ask if he'd come over.

“What's up?” he asked as he entered. “You sounded like you'd been crying.”

She handed him the letter. “Read this.”

“You have been crying. Your eyes are all red.”

“Just read, please.”

He searched her face as if checking for more signs of distress, then lowered his eyes to the letter. When he finished reading, he asked in a voice filled with wonder, “Where'd you get this?”

“Come on in the kitchen.”

Once they were both seated at the table, she told him the story. He read the short but moving note again. “This is very special.”

“I know. I've been bawling like a baby since I got home.”

He handed it back. “Always wanted something like that from my mother. Gave up on that eventually, though. No idea if she's living or dead.”

Guilt washed over her. “I didn't mean for this to open old wounds. I'm sorry.”

He waved her off. “It was just a comment, that's all.”

She wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. His mother had been a teen when she got pregnant by Malachi, then she and her parents moved away. A few months after the birth, her mother had showed up at Tamar's with the infant Trent in her arms, handed him to Tamar, and driven away. As far as Lily knew, there'd been no further contact between the two families. “Maybe she's waiting for you to contact her.”

“Maybe.”

Because he said nothing else, she sensed the subject was closed, so she didn't push him for more.

“So how was the tea?” he asked.

“Interesting. You probably already know, but I had no idea why Tamar is so mad at her brother.”

He cocked his head. “She told you?”

“No, Marie did.” And she related what happened.

“Mal's father was a bigamist?”

“You didn't know?”

“No. I kinda figured there was more to their feuding than what Thad did to Olivia, but I never imagined it would be something like that. She must have been furious when she found out.”

“Heartbroken, too.”

“More than likely. The one time I asked Dad about it, he shrugged, said his father found somebody else, and left it at that. I just assumed Tamar had gotten a divorce. I wonder if he knows the truth.”

The only way to get the question answered would be to ask Mal, but because Lily knew it wasn't her place, she left it for Trent to handle as he saw fit. “So how was your day?”

“Would've been a lot calmer if Griff and I hadn't spent most of it running back and forth paying fines and bailing knuckleheads out of jail.”

“What?”

“Well, let's see. We had to bail two cousins out of jail over in Franklin for drag racing through the middle of town last night. Then this morning a different knucklehead bet his knucklehead brother that he wouldn't hop out of the car and run over and kiss a woman they saw walking down the street.”

“Oh, my goodness.”

“Gets better. He did it, of course. Grabbed her just as she was going into the mayor's office, dipped her back, and kissed her good. He said later that she grinned, but at the time, her husband—the mayor—didn't.”

“They kissed the mayor's wife while he was with her?” Lily couldn't help it; she laughed. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. The mayor's so mad, he takes a swing at the knucklehead, misses, falls down, and breaks his arm.”

Wide-eyed, Lily put her hand over her mouth.

“Ambulance is called. Sheriff Dalton was called.”

“Did they go to jail?”

“Nope. The wife refused to press charges. The mayor is on the stretcher, yelling and screaming at her. He was still yelling when the medical people closed the doors and drove him away.”

“Oh, my goodness.”

“She told me it was the best kiss she'd gotten in all the years she'd been married.”

Lily hung her head.

“All Oklahoma Julys are now barred from even looking at the city of Franklin, let alone entering. Dalton says any of them set foot in town again, he's going to throw them in jail for being a public nuisance.”

“Lord.”

“No kidding.” But he was smiling.

“Your people are a mess, Trenton July.”

“And it doesn't take them more than a day or so to prove it. There's a week between now and the wedding, and all I see ahead is mayhem.”