THE POOL – Part Twenty-four Grace walked in the bedroom with a cup of coffee. Randy smelled it even before he was awake good. She sat on the side of the bed. He opened his eyes to look into her smiling face and smiled back. “Morning,” he whispered. She handed him the steaming mug; he took it and set it on the bedside table, reached for her and pulled her down into his arms and kissed her tenderly. She responded and closed her eyes as his arms went around her. “Your coffee is going to get cold.” He pulled away slightly and whispered into her face, “I don’t care. How are you this morning?” “Happy.” “Me too …and very tired!” She grinned and he grinned back. “That’s all your fault.” “Well, you had a hand in it too.” “I don’t think my hands had too much to do with it.” He smiled broadly, squeezed her more tightly and rolled with her across the bed, pulling the sheets with them, wrapping them up tightly. They began kissing and the fire ignited again, as it had all night long, off and on, searching and climbing to that mountain and retreating again to rest in each other’s arms and sleeping and then back up, again… and again… and again. An hour and a half later. She lay across his big chest, encircling his nipple with her finger and nudging the crook of his arm with her face. She was content; she was happy. And she prayed he was too. He lay there softly snoring again and she eased out of bed, carried his cold cup of coffee back to the kitchen and poured it out. She stood there at the sink, wrapping her arms around her as the first rays of the early morning sun began creeping across the grass and beaming through the window. She turned and leaned against the counter, staring at the wall, the room, nothing really, just staring as if she was seeing things as they were for the very first time. She heard movement in the hall and Randy came walking through the door, naked, beautiful, and smiling. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her and just held her; she was looking up into his face. “I have to work today… and I hope I can. I have NO energy.” “Here.” She pulled away and poured him another cup of coffee. He took it this time and sipped. Then he held it down for her to take a sip. “I do have to go to a funeral first.” “Janice Baker?” “Yep. She and her husband had just installed a pool. I sort of have to, I suppose.” “Will I see you later, then?” “What do you think?” Carl and Wayne arrived at the funeral home to find Carolyn and Pedro already manning their station at the foot of the casket in the viewing room. There were several people gathered there, talking and whispering and viewing. Carl walked up to the casket and noticed something wasn’t quite the same. The red designer suit that Janice had been wearing the day before was gone and she was dressed in a sickly-looking, pale pink… something… resembling a night gown, silky, loose-fitting and downright atrocious. Fury stormed to the surface and he whirled around to Carolyn, “HOW DARE YOU!” There was silence in the room and all eyes were on Carolyn, not Carl. “SHE IS MY WIFE AND SHE HAD EXPLICIT WISHES AS TO HER DRESS!” Carolyn had no idea he would make such a scene and was caught off guard but her assertiveness exploded and she countered with, “SHE’S MY SISTER AND THAT RED DRESS WAS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO THINK SHE WAS A WHORE OR SOMETHING?” It was all Carl could do to keep from striking her right there in the stateroom. “FUNERAL OR NO FUNERAL, THAT NIGHTGOWN IS COMING OFF AND IF YOU SO MUCH AS LIFT A FINGER TO STOP ME, PEDRO WILL BE BUYING ANOTHER CASKET!!” People began to wander out and Wayne stood there with his mouth on the floor and all but shaking. Barney Ruggles and Henry Cornett stormed in the stateroom. Barney began talking in a loud whispered voice, “ARE YOU PEOPLE NUTS? WE’RE TRYING TO HAVE GLADYS JEAN HIGGINBOTHAM’S FUNERAL NEXT DOOR. THOSE PEOPLE CAN’T EVEN HEAR THE MINISTER ABOVE THE RACKET IN THIS ROOM. IT’S A WONDER JANICE HASN’T SAT RIGHT UP—” “SHE WOULD HAVE IF SHE’DA KNOWN WHAT SHE WAS WEARING!!” Barney looked at Janice and stopped short. He turned to Henry. “What is this?” Henry stood there shrugging his shoulders “Don’t look at me; I didn’t do it.” Barney turned to Carl and said, “Did you—?” Carl stretched out his arm and pointed directly at Carolyn. “SHE DID IT!” Henry said to Barney, “I told you not to leave the new kid here by himself.” Barney turned on Carolyn, “Did you have someone remove that red dress from Janice and re-dress her in that… that…” Carl cut in, “That ugly piece of sh—!” Barney, turning to Carl and cutting him off… “That ugly piece of shit?” Carolyn was appalled and stood there, gasping and trying to catch her breath, reaching to Pedro for support. And before she could respond, Barney and Henry grabbed the ends of the casket and started back to the dressing room. Carolyn ran after them, crying, “YOU CAN’T PUT HER BACK IN THAT RED DRESS. EVERYONE WILL THINK SHE WAS A WHORE. YOU CAN’T! YOU CAN’T!” Pedro caught her and tried to silence her as they all stumbled down the hall, casket in tow when the door marked Chapel at the end of the hall burst open and the Baptist minister Richland Beavers exploded with, “I AM TRYING TO CONDUCT A FUNERAL SERVICE!! COULD WE HAVE A LITTLE DIGNITY HERE?? THANK GOD GLADYS JEAN IS NOT HERE TO SEE THIS!! Gladys Jean Higginbotham had been known locally as the matriarch of manners, having taught charm and etiquette to generations of young people, directing graduation at the high school and beauty pageants, showing girls how to walk and sponsoring formal teas where youngsters could practice the skills they’d learned from her. Indeed, had she been alive, she’d have been out of that casket in two seconds handling the scene in the hall …and then writing about it later. Barney was still trying to calm down Carolyn loudly whispering to Pedro to control his wife, telling him to, ‘COVER HER MOUTH! USE A PILLOW IF YOU HAVE TO. GRAB ONE OUTA THAT EMPTY CASKET OVER THERE!’ He and Henry were getting Janice in the dressing room with Carl, Carolyn and Pedro still shouting at the top of their lungs. They succeeded and shut the door. Brother Beavers returned to the chapel and tried to regain some composure as he droned on about the life of Gladys Jean. Barney turned to Carolyn who was now all but hysterical. “Mrs. Rodriguez, I don’t know who you think you are but Carl here is the husband; his take precedence over what happens with his wife’s remains. You have absolutely NO say! And if you don’t calm down and begin acting like a human being, we can have you barred from this establishment and you’ll miss everything. EVERYTHING!” Carolyn began to simmer down. “Do you understand?” There was another long pause and Carolyn composed herself to state, “I don’t know what you’re going to put her in; I’ve destroyed the dress!” Carl lunged at Carolyn and was intercepted by Henry who grabbed him to prevent him from striking her across the face. “YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO DO THAT!! NONE!!!” “I HAD EVERY RIGHT. SHE WAS MY SISTER. SHE’D HAVE NEVER WORN SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF SHE HADN’T MARRIED YOU… YOU… YOU PERVERT!!” Barney took out his cell phone and made a call. “I need some assistance down here. I need someone removed from the property… yes, immediately.” Carolyn stopped short in her tirade and began apologizing… profusely. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I won’t say another word. Pedro and I will go out to the car and wait until the service. Please, I have to be there… please!” Barney, said into the phone, “Hold on a minute,” and then to Carolyn, “if I hear so much as a peep out of you, I’ll have you ejected so fast your head with spin. Now go!” Carolyn and Pedro walked out of the room and Barney spoke back into his phone, “Sorry, false alarm. Never mind. Yeah, thanks.” He hung up and looked at Carl. “What do you want to do now?” “I’ll go home and look for something else.” “Okay, we’ll have her ready when you get back.” Carl left the room, went by the stateroom, grabbed Wayne and the two of them left for home. The funeral home chapel was larger than most and the place was packed. Randy and Charlie arrived late and found seats near the back. Down front on the left side he saw Carl and Wayne sitting side-by-side. Looking around, he noticed others he knew but mostly strangers. Richland Beavers sat on the platform, having already performed one service. Charlie leaned in and whispered, “Is that Wayne down there sittin’ next to Mr. Baker?” “Looks like.” “I can’t believe it.” “Shh, the minister is getting up.” Richland stood up and said a prayer and began the eulogy for Janice, talking mainly about her work at the hospital, commenting that a good many people in the audience were co-workers of hers and how grateful he knew the family was for them being there. He spoke for only a few moments, said another prayer and motioned for Carl who rose from the pew, went to the front and said a few words about his wife. As he was leaving the pulpit, Carolyn rose near the end of the pew, went to the pulpit and began to speak. This was something that hadn’t been planned and the ire began to rise in the hair on the back of Carl’s neck! “Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. We know that our dear sister Janice has reached her final goal and found the joy and peace that we all want someday. Do you want that same joy and peace?” ‘Uh oh,’ Carl thought. He had a pretty good idea of where this was headed. He glanced at Rich whose eyes were clinched and glaring back at him. Carl slowly began to shake his head from side to side and Rich began to nod, slowly in response. Carolyn continued and walked out from behind the pulpit, opposite of the minister’s chair. “If you DO want that joy and peace, then you can come forward today and receive it just as I have.” And she looked down at Pedro who was reaching for something on the floor. It was then that Carl noticed the large box underneath the pew in front of them. The lid came open and Pedro reached in and snatched out an eight-foot-long mountain timber rattler that was already in full strike-mode. In a flash he tossed the snake to Carolyn who caught it in one hand and began waving it back and forth. Pedro jumped to his feet and began waving his arms and mumbling something. Carolyn stood there, dancing on first one foot and then another as two-hundred mourners screamed, trampled, crawled over pews and each other to make made dashes toward the side and back exits. Richland Beavers crawled over the organ box, striking several keys and falling on Eunice Franklin who’d played for more funerals than anyone in the country but had never experienced anything like this! She was screaming and trying to get to her feet and follow Rich out that side door. Carolyn and Pedro were still jumping up and down, tossing the snake back and forth, completely oblivious that they’d systematically cleared the chapel in two minutes flat. Carl, Wayne, Barney and Henry stood at the back and watched as Carolyn and Pedro continued to dance around the front of the chapel. “I sure as hell ain’t never seen anything like this before!” Henry grunted. Carl said, “Have you called the police?” Barney responded, “And animal control!” They all sighed and continued to stand there watching the spectacle. Barney said, “Did you know Janice had a sister like this?” “Oh yeah, she and I went to visit one time and even went to their church.” “Snakes?” “Snakes.” “Poor Janice.” Once Carolyn and Pedro were in handcuffs and the snake was safely back in its box, ‘Poor Janice’ was wheeled back into the refrigerated storage unit to await re-casketing when the new one arrived from Dallas the next day. If it hadn’t been for the $6,000 he was getting back, he’d have gone ahead and had the burial that day, but Carl wanted to get something out of all this headache and trouble. He watched as they were put in the squad car. Just as she was placed in the back of the cruiser and before the officer shut the door, she said, “I hope no harm comes to that serpent!” Everyone shook their head while Carl slipped away unnoticed. The last thing he wanted to was to make excuses to those curious on-lookers still there; he and Wayne left. Randy and Charlie pulled into the area known as Copeland Ridge. Wayne and Therral was following them in the other service truck. Houses there were large, huge, on several acre-tracks of land, some so far back off the road it was difficult to tell exactly what they were, others closer with sweeping circular drives, lined with massive landscaping so lush and beautiful it was a wonder there was any water left in Ouachita River at all. They drove through the neighborhood, passing the home of Brice Ketchum before turning the corner and seeing the secluded addition known as Wilshire. They stopped at the gatehouse where the guard phoned the Shaw’s and then let the two trucks in. They drove for about a quarter of a mile before arriving at the entrance to number Nine. Large brick columns flanked by massive urns containing lush foliage held the large wrought-iron gate that was already opening slowly to allow them entrance. They turned into the driveway, wide enough for two cars to pass comfortably side-by-side, traveled for several hundred yards before reaching the summit of the gradually-climbing terrain and saw the house. It was large with a circular section in front that came back around and entered the drive again. The house was unlike anything they’d ever seen, very modern in design, circular towers on the far end, large plates of glass, tall, narrow windows giving way to large square ones, no rhyme or reason to the architecture but then Randy certainly wasn’t one. He just installed swimming pools and this was going to be an expensive one, maybe the biggest and most expensive one he’d ever done. He was excited. They drove past the house toward the back and found Steve and Shelley Shaw looking at something in a flower bed there by the back gate. “Welcome to Number Nine!” Steve had a broad smile on his face and allowing Shelley to lead the way as she came up and began shaking hands with Randy and the boys. “Very nice place you have it.” “We like it. It’s home.” The backyard covered more than four acres completely surrounded by a ten-foot privacy fence. The terrace leading out into the yard was big enough to hold two or three hundred people, complete with a large outdoor kitchen, patio tables and chairs and umbrellas and if Randy hadn’t know better, he’d have thought he was at the Country Club. The lawn was flat, a few very tall oaks and pine scattered around the perimeters so not much chopping involved. Shelley had a spread out on a table, sandwiches, chips, dips, vegetables, fruit, cookies, cake and a washtub filled with ice and drinks. Steve led everyone up under the veranda. “Are you having a party?” Randy asked. “Just you all. I figure you didn’t have much to eat, what with going to the funeral and all. Well, if you can call it that.” Shelley was very demonstrative and with hands waving everywhere she kept going on about it. “It was something I hope I don’t ever see again, that’s for sure. But let’s get down to business. Do you have any plans for what you want?” Steve brought out an architect’s drawing. It was extensive beyond belief—three separate swimming areas on different levels with interconnected waterways, streams, more than two-hundred tons of stone and boulders, truckloads of trees and vegetation. There was five separate elevation views alone and this was going to take the better part of six to eight months to complete. Randy studied the plans while Wayne and Charlie grazed at the food table. “Can you give me a ballpark figure of what kind of budget you are thinking?” Without flinching, Steve responded with, “We figure just under a million.” Charlie dropped his can of Mountain Dew and Shelley just laughed. “Don’t worry about that… get you another one.” The Shaw’s were just so nonchalant about the expense and Randy said, “I’ll have to do a work up and get back to you with my figures.” “That’s great; take your time. Will you be able to work on it fulltime once you start? I mean, I wouldn’t want you to start, work for a couple of months and then take off to work on another job before you returned.” “Oh no. That’s not the way we operate. We do a job until it is complete.” “Good. Then we’ll just wait to hear from you and go from there. Have another sandwich.” Wayne asked if there was an outdoor restroom. He figured as large and fancy as this house was, they had to have had one. Shelley stood and took him by the hand and said, “Follow me.” Just as Wayne stood, she glanced at her husband and winked. He grinned and winked back. Randy caught it but said nothing. Shelley led Wayne through the center section of French doors into the huge great room overlooking the terrace. Wayne had never seen a room so large except something in a hotel lobby. He was looking all over and around and said, “Where do the trains come in?” Shelley laughed and leaned into him, just a little too close and he looked down into her face. She slid her hand up his forearm and around his elbow and over his large bicep and followed it with her eyes just as they reached the master suite. “A sense of humor; I like that.” Wayne might have been barely out of teens but he knew exactly what she was doing and he pulled away. “Look, Ms. Shaw, I—” “Please, call me Shelley. After all, we’re all going to be working very closely together for the next few months.” “Shelley, then, I know what you’re trying to do and believe me, if I were a straight man, you couldn’t beat me away, but…” “Oh now, see there, you DO find me attractive.” “Yes, you are attractive but I’m gay. Just gay. Only gay.” Shelley stepped back for a moment and said, “You’re not Bi?” “No mam.” “Cut the mam crap!” She was suddenly angry and pointed to the door that led into the bathroom. “The bathroom’s in there. Don’t forget to flush when you’re finished. And if you DO wash your hands, don’t use the towels by the sink. Use the one hanging up behind the door.” Wayne looked at her with his mouth slightly opened and went to pee. He did wash his hands and dried his hands on his jeans. He walked out to find her standing there right where he’d left her; she was tapping her foot as if he’d taken too long. He walked up to her and said, “What?” “We were led to believe you were Bi.” “Well, I’m sorry but I’m not.” “You’re absolutely positive?” “I’d know a thing like that.” She stood to one side, pointed to the French doors and said, “Get out! And don’t come back!” He paused a moment and walked across the room and out the door. Just as he was grabbing his hat, Shelley appeared at the door and motioned to Steve in her previous sweet voice… “Honey, could you come in here a minute?” He smiled at Randy and went inside. Randy tried not to look but he could see her waving her arms and pushing her husband in the shoulder and slamming her fist into her hand. Wayne leaned over and started to say something to Randy but Steve came back out and his entire demeanor had changed. The smile was gone and he was all business, “Mr. Simmons, I believe we’re going to have to re-think some of this.” Randy stared at him and gazed toward Wayne who was standing to one side, looking down. “Is there a problem?” “Yes, I’m afraid so. My wife.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll be in touch with you.” With that he walked back in the house and left Randy, Charlie, Wayne and Therral standing on the terrace looking at each other. Charlie was the first to speak, “So what happened in there?” All three were now looking at Wayne. “Nothing. NOTHING!” He turned and they all started toward the trucks. Just as Wayne reached the door, Randy put his hand on his shoulder… “Did she come on to you?” Wayne whispered under his breath, “Not here.” Randy squeezed his shoulder and said to the other two, “Wayne’ll ride with me back to the shop.” Charlie was frowning and muttering something as he and Therral got in. When they pulled out of the driveway, Randy looked over at Wayne who was twiddling his thumbs and staring straight ahead. “Ok, so what happened?” “Look, Mr. Simmons, I’m gay, okay? And if you wanna fire me, then just go ahead and fire me. I can find another job.” “Who said anything about firing you? I just want to know if she came onto you.” “I told her I was gay and she kept asking me if I was Bi. I told her no. Twice and she turned… just like that, she turned. Just the way HE did when he came back out on the terrace. I’m sorry if we’ve lost the job but just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m somebody who just plays around all the time… you know?” Randy was staring straight ahead and calmly said, “Wayne, don’t you worry. We don’t need that job. I’ll call the Shaw’s and tell them they need to find themselves another pool company.” He reached out his hand. Wayne looked down at it, timidly took it and shook. He let go, shoved it into his pocket and turned toward the window so Randy wouldn’t see him cry. Randy knew. He understood.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:27:43 +0000
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