Wild Swans (19 page)

“I know you’re not a bad girl, Althie, but listen. I know about men and how they can be deceitful when it comes to that sort of thing.” Ruby said.

Mr. Lindt harrumphed.

“Well it’s true,” Ruby reiterated.

“That’s what all this really boils down to,” Althea seethed. “You don’t want to see your bastard begetting any more bastards. Lord knows I might run off with a black boy from the bottoms and have a slew of mulattos, then leave them on your doorstep to raise.”

“That’s not fair,” Cally snapped.

**
That was tres vulgar
,** Lindt said inside her mind. **
Foolish and racist comments do not become you.
**

Althea ignored him.

Ruby stood abruptly, tipping the chair backwards as it went. The green metal lawn chair landed against the side of the house with a startling crash.

“Don’t you ever say that again.”

“Why not? It’s the truth.”

“Althea,” Ruby hissed, her fists clenched, “don’t start with me girl.”

“Why, scared you’re uppity friends will find out I don’t have a daddy?”

“Don’t say that so loud,” Ruby hissed.

“Oh yes, God knows, Hank shouldn’t hear the dark and ugly truth about his bride-to-be. After all who wants to be saddled with a girl who’s bound for hell just because her momma didn’t have the decency to keep her legs together?”

The hurt in her mother’s eyes was more painful to Althea than a slap in the face. Nevertheless, she plowed forward.

“You know Ruby,” Althea said, “You can stuff all this pretentious garbage. I’m sick of you. I’m sick of your meddling ways and I’m sick of Hank and Jake and—”

“Shut up,” Cally said.

Althea’s head rocked back as if she’d been struck.

“What did you just say to me?”

“I said, shut up. Close your mouth and keep it that way or I swear to God I’ll go upside your head.”

“Mom, are you going to let her talk to me like that?”

“
Tuat t'en grosse bueche.
” Ruby snarled.

Althea looked at Mr. Lindt, who had made a point to observe his fingernails.

“What you said to your mother is a lie,” Cally was saying. “An awful, dreadful lie. You have no idea what your momma’s been through, nor have any right to call her a
putain
because you don’t know the circumstances that—.”

“And I don’t care!” Althea screamed at her aunt.

“Yes, you do,” Mr. Lindt said as he dug something out from under a fingernail. “I think you care very much.”

Althea burst into tears. She wanted to stand up to her mother, to tell her to butt out of her life and let her make her own decisions. She wanted to be like Bette Davis, tough, courageous and self assured. Sadly she was none of those things. Lindt was right and she knew it. Althea’s tender heart loved her mother so very much and couldn’t bear the devastated look on her face. Ruby went into debt so she could have a happy ever after. Something her mother obviously never got
. Could Tante be telling the truth?
Althea wondered.
She must be; she’s never lied to me in my life.

“I think going to the movies is a good idea,” Ruby said with uncharacteristic quietness. “And you’re right, Althea. There hasn’t been any strange goings on for a while now. It should be safe enough to go to town, provided you go with an escort.”

“Mom,”

“Forget it, Althea. You’ve been under a lot of strain and it’s starting to show. A night on the town would be the perfect thing for you now.”

“I’ll be happy to escort them,” Mr. Lindt offered. “It’s a lovely evening for a walk into town. He stood, bowing gallantly to Cally. “Would you care to assist me in chaperoning the children to town?”

“Why, Mr. Lindt,” Cally said, her rich voice filled with pleasure, “I’d just love to.”

“Let’s not go down the bayou path,” Althea advised. “We’ll stand less of a chance getting snake or gator bit if we walked up the road.”

“But that’s the long way,” Cally protested. “Nearly four miles of long way.”

“So?” Althea shrugged. She offered her aunt a faint smile, “I thought you’d like to walk with Mr. Lindt in the moonlight.

“Sound advice,” Mr. Lindt replied. He smiled and shrugged. “I have no desire to get ‘gator bit.’”

“Neither do I,” Cally agreed.

“Hank,” Althea called as she stepped into the house. “Hank quit playing with your
bibitte
and come on out here
.
We’re going to the Bijou.”

“What’s playing?” was his muffled reply.

“All About Eve.”

“That’s old,” Hank complained. “Besides, I don’t like Bette Davis. How about we watch something else instead?”

“What’s wrong with Bette? She’s my favorite actress.”

“She’s too forward. A woman should never be so forward.”

“Says you, bub.”

There was a pause. Althea visualized him genuflecting, grimacing as he did so. Althea tapped her foot in annoyance.

“I’d really like to watch something else,” Hank repeated.

“Okay, fine,” Althea said, bristling. “What do you want to see?”

“How about
Anything Goes?”

“Are you kidding me? Bing Crosby?” She snorted. “That’s for old people.”

“It’s a good wholesome film.”

“No. It’s as boring as mud water.”

“I’m the husband.”

“Not yet you’re not,
couillon
, so don’t start pushing me around.”

“Okay, okay,” Hank said smiling as he stepped out onto the veranda. He held his hands up as if to ward her off. “I’m easy. What would you rather watch?”

“
Besides
All About Eve?”

“Yes.”

“
How about
the Atomic Man?”
Mr. Lindt suggested.

“I don’t know,” Althea said sounding for a moment exactly like her mother. “What do you think?”

“I think,” Mr. Lindt said confidentially has he and Cally led the couple toward the porch steps, “that the two of you will be more interested in each other than in the film. Besides,” he added loud enough for Ruby to hear, “I’ll buy.”

“You have a deal,” Hank laughed.

Chapter Twelve

“We’re walking up ahead,” Althea said to Cally and Mr. Lindt as she took Hank by the hand and pulled him forward. “We want some time alone to talk. You won’t tell Mom will you?”

“No, of course not,
chere
,” Cally called in response. She slipped her arm around Mr. Lindt’s and added, “Mr. Lindt and I are going to enjoy the moonlight for a while. You two go on up ahead.”

Althea, her mood lifting somewhat despite the ugliness from earlier in the evening, gently tugged Hank’s hand. “Come on,” She teased. “I’m not Jezebel. I’m not gonna lead you astray.”Hank smiled down at her and said, “I know you’re not.”

“In fact, I’m fixing to save you from a life of domestic boredom,” she said as a plan took shape in her mind. “Can I get a hallelujah?”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Hank replied.

She considered it before, but wasn’t daring enough to pursue it. Now, while walking underneath moonlit trees punctuated by the pungent aroma of Spanish moss and hyacinths, Althea felt as if anything were possible.

“Look,” she whispered as she led Hank further away from the adults. “We’ll be in town in a few minutes. We’ll be passing by Saint Bernard’s Church. All you have to do is go in. Make some kind of excuse, I don’t care. Just go inside and go to confession.”

“But it’s after dark,” Hank protested. “There aren’t any priests available at this hour.”

“Father Donahue stays for late confessions,” Althea replied. “Now, quit fighting me. I’m trying to help you.”

Hank stopped, sighed and said, “Okay, what?”

“Like I was saying, go into the church. Tell Father everything. Tell him about this corny marriage setup, how you don’t want to marry me and that you have a vocation and want to become a priest. Beg for sanctuary if you have to, but just go and do it okay?”

“I can’t,” Hank said helplessly. “I promised my parents. I can’t go back on my word Althea. I know you can’t understand, but a man is only as good as his word. If I back out now what kind of man would I be?”

“You’d be a miserable man with a bitter harpy of a wife and a sham of a marriage. Because that’s what’s going to happen if we go through with this. We’ll be dreadfully unhappy, and I’ll become old and bitter and...and hateful...And you’ll hate me too. Don’t you see?”

“I see that we have to go through with it. A man keeps his promises, Althea.”

“Even if we’re both miserable for the rest of our lives?”

“It’s a sacrifice for the greater good.”

“The greater good of whom, Hank? Honestly. Nobody is going to benefit from this match, especially not us and not any children we’d have together.”

Hank bowed his head. “You just can’t understand what’s in a man’s heart,” he whispered. “I’ve got to go through with this. We both do. We are commanded by God to honor our parents.”

“Isn’t lying a sin too, Hank? Ain’t this whole thing an awful lie?”

When Hank didn’t answer, Althea snorted. “I thought you had some guts. I guess I was wrong. You are just a damned coward. A boy who is too scared to stand up to his mommy and daddy.”

“I am not a coward, and please don’t swear. It’s unbecoming for a lady to swear.”

She offered him a sideways glance. “You seem to know an awful lot about men but nothing about women. All you do is parrot stereotypes.” She glared at him, her expression contemptuous. “What makes you think women don’t understand what a person’s word is worth? And what is your word worth when you are about to accept something that’s based on nothing but lies and deceit? What else are you willing to sacrifice, Hank, on the altar of deception?”

“I don’t expect you to understand.”

“Then what do you expect, Hank? What do you expect out of this marriage?”

“I expect,” he said softly, “to have a loving, obedient wife.”

“Obedient to who, you or God?”

“To both, just like the Bible says.”

“Well you’re not going to get it. I promise you that.”

“You will.”

“Or what? Are you going to make me?”

“If I have to.”

Althea clamped her teeth down on tongue. She almost told him where he could stuff his self righteous and arrogant attitude but decided that blasphemy would cost her a week’s worth of Hail Mary’s. If her mother didn’t drag her down to the priest, she had no doubt whatsoever that Hank would do it himself. By the hair if necessary.

She reached an ugly epiphany.
I’m marrying a man who will be exactly like my mother. Except for Sunday mass we’ll be going single every day, maybe more. And there will be a long endless line of confessions and babies and christenings and confirmations, and lies and more lies, all based on making us look better than we really are. And the price of this is my body and soul. And my own personal integrity.

Her heart plummeted at the revelation
. By the time I truly have time for myself, I’ll be old. And in the end, all my children will grow up, and then fly away like crumbling Spanish moss on a hot summer’s day. I’ll die, old and lonely; a broken down broodmare no longer wanted nor needed.

“Look,” Hank said, trying to sound contrite, “I don’t mean that I’m going to turn you into a slave or anything. I understand you’re trying to do right by me, and I appreciate it. I do. But I have a duty to my parents and so do you. We have to go through with it.”

“Even though we know that this whole thing is a sham perpetuated by greedy people?”

“They’re still our parents,” Hank replied. “Like I said earlier, the Bible tells us to honor our father and mother. Besides, there’s nothing saying we can’t go our separate ways after we marry. You can go off and live in Paris if that’s what you want. And I can go on to work for my grandfather.”

“Ha ha, you’re funny Hank. Don’t you remember telling me your folks were as broke as mine?”

“I’ll work something out,” Hank replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“Until our parents demand you have an heir, and then what?”

“And then you have a son and he’ll be cared for by a nanny and you can go your own way.”

“Until your parents demand something else from us.”

“That won’t happen.”

“You don’t have the guts to stand up to them now, what makes you think you’ll be able to stand up to them in the future?”

“Althea,” Hank pleaded, “Please. Let’s not argue, especially not on a night like this.”

“What about you, Hank? Is all of this worth giving up your dreams? Tell me, who do you love most fiercely, me or God?”

Hank didn’t answer. And Althea walked silently beside him, occasionally looking at his profile in the moonlight.
He is a sweet boy
, she thought. And her heart ached for him.
And I do like him. I really do, and I don’t think for a minute he’d force me to do anything I didn’t want. But he won’t be happy. He loves something higher than me. That much is obvious.

**
He’s got a good heart
,** she heard Lindt say in her mind. She looked back and saw him and her aunt several hundred yards away laughing as they walked arm and arm. **
He wants to do the right thing by you
,** Lindt said
. **And he loves his parents and doesn’t want to disappoint them either. You mustn’t be too hard on him. He’s as frightened and as confused as you are.
**

**I’m trying, but he’s such an arrogant ass
.**

**
He thinks he’s doing the right thing
.**

**
Fat chance. He needs to stand up to that dirty old man of a father of his and
—**

Mr. Lindt laughed.

She looked back, and saw that he and Cally were deep in conversation.

**
And what are your intentions toward my tante
?**

**
Purely honorable, I assure you
.**

“Come on,” Althea said, grabbing Hank by the arm and turning him sharply to the left. “Saint Bernard’s is right over there. Let’s go talk to Father Dupree. I see his light on in the rectory.”

“Why? I told you I wasn’t going to seek sanctuary.”

“Because it’d make our folks happy knowing we stopped by and visited before going to see that dreadful atom bomb movie, that’s why. Come on.”

“And where do the two of you think you’re heading?” Cally called as she saw them veer off the deserted street. “To church,” Althea said laughing. “We’re fixing to elope.”

They ran hand in hand across the parking lot, across the manicured lawn and up the steps. They stopped, gasping for breath as they stood at the shadowed entrance way leading into the foyer.

“Do you suppose Father will talk to us?”

“I’m sure of it. He’s not just my priest, he’s a family friend. I used to stop by here a lot as a kid.”

Hank nodded. He started to pull the heavy wrought iron door handle toward him when she stopped him by placing her hand on his. He hesitated for a moment and looked down at her, and she up at him.

“I need to know, I must know. Despite all the lies and deceit that our parents have done to get us together, despite the wedding and all of that, I have to know one thing.”

“What’s that?” Hank asked.

She looked into his eyes, his face etched by the light pouring from bluish white street lamps. She could see his eyes glistening in the dark. She hesitated for an instant, her heart pounding as she met his steady gaze.

“You don’t want to see Father do you?” Hank asked.

She shook her head.

“Then what do you want?”

“I want,” she whispered, “I want you to kiss me and tell me that you love me.”

“Right here?” Hank asked, shocked. He lowered his voice. “Here? Now? In front of the Church? In front of
God
?”

“Why not?” Althea asked. “In a few days we’ll kiss before God and the congregation. So why not do it now?”

“Because we’re not married. It just wouldn’t be right.”

“Do you love me then? Even a little?”

“Althea—”

“—do you think you could love me, given time? Just a little?”

“I don’t know Althea. Please stop asking me these questions.”

“And you’re willing to go through your whole life with me, without one spark of love.”

Hank lowered his head.

“Did you buy me a ring?” she asked, changing the subject. “Every girl should have an engagement ring.” She put her hand on his arm and looked up at him. “Didn’t you buy me one?”

“No. My father purchased our rings. They’re at home. Why?”

“I want to see it.”

“No, you can’t.”

Althea tilted her head, confused, anger rekindling. “Why ever not?”

“I don’t exactly know why. Besides,” he said laughing nervously, “what difference does it make? Soon you’ll be wearing it for the rest of your life.”

“There is no engagement ring,” Althea said slowly. “There’s only a wedding band and that was bought by your father and I’m not allowed to see it until the wedding. Ain’t that a bit peculiar?”

Hank blanched, and then looked down at the ground.

“You do know, don’t you?”

Hank let a long sigh. “It’s because the wedding ring is very expensive. My dad had to take out a huge loan for it. He has a second one for you, a plain gold band. After the wedding you’re to take the ring off and he’ll take it back to the jewelry store for a refund.” He bit his lip as she stood still, stunned at the revelation. “Afterwards I’m supposed to instruct you not to mention the ring again. To tell you that it’s too expensive to wear for every day, and that it’s in a safe deposit box at the bank in Vivian for safe keeping. Or something like that.”

“I’ve never heard such an awful thing,” Althea hissed. “He bought me the ring and he expects to return it the day of the wedding?”

“We’re broke Althea, we can’t afford expensive things. I’m sorry.”

“And here you are going on about nannies and trips to Paris, and giving me a song and dance about finding a way to make it work out. But that’s a lie too, isn’t it? It’s not going to work out at all. It’s a sham, an awful sham and I hate you all.”

“Not so loud, Althea,” Hank hissed.

“I’ll be as loud as I want,” she shouted.

“I told you, I’m a man of my word. I’ll make it work.”

“I’m not marrying you,” Althea said. “My mother can shove me into that stupid dress and drag me by the hair of my head to the altar but none of you can force me to say ‘I do.’ It’s wrong, it’s evil. It’s a mortal sin, and I won’t have it!”

“But Althea, what about your word to God and to your mother?”

“I didn’t promise either one of them anything,” Althea snapped, anger surging, sharp and bitter. “I’m not some brood mare available for purchase, despite what the outlandish Miss Ruby Thibodaux thinks.”

“I don’t think that, Althea,” Hank said, “and I don’t think your mother believes that either.”

“I don’t care what you think. That’s what is going to happen. And despite the lifetime of interference with our folks there’ll also be a lifetime of bitterness and disgust towards ourselves and each other. Don’t you understand? Your duty isn’t to your parents, or to me, but to yourself and to what you were born to do. In spite of all this noble talk about sacrifice and duty and keeping your word, you forgot about your duty to one thing, and that’s to God. You belong to God, and not to any of us. That should be your duty above all others.”

“You make marrying you sound like a mortal sin.”

“Isn’t it?” Althea stepped away from him. “Isn’t that exactly what all of this conniving is about?”

Hank rested his head on the heavy oak door. It was clear to her that he was conflicted.

“Will marrying you be a sin?” he whispered.

“It wouldn’t be if you just said you loved me. Or you could love me. But no. I can see it in our eyes, so don’t bother trying. If you had the nerve you’d bolt through those doors and never come out again. I don’t blame you for wanting it so bad, I really don’t. In fact I want you to. I want you to go inside right now and tell Father Dupree that you want to be a priest more than anything in the world. Even more than being with me.”

“Even if I do, what then? Your mother will just find another man for you to marry.”

“No she won’t. I’ll be eighteen and an adult. Then there’ll be nothing she can do to stop me. Oh yes, she can throw me out but who cares? I’m more than willing to leave and never come back.”