When she heard the men’s voices in the kitchen, she sauntered into the room, ready to make an entrance. Her father stood next to a young man with thick dark hair neatly parted to one side; he held his hat by the brim. His skin had the healthy cast of a man who worked outdoors. His hair was black and wavy, smoothed down on top, the sides closely shaved. John Lawrence was handsome, she decided, with the sharp good looks of an actor in a moving picture. It didn’t hurt that he wore a suit as if he were going to Sunday service. It might have been buttoned up this morning, but the train trip and the heat of the day had done its worst, and now his suit coat was open, revealing a vest underneath. At the sight of her, her father said, “John, this is my second daughter, Pearl.”
“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, miss,” he said, smiling in her direction.
Pearl dipped her knee into a slight curtsy, something that usually charmed the local boys, but John’s attention was already back to Alice, and he was asking her how she’d managed to cook such a sumptuous meal all by herself. “I don’t think I’m deserving of such a feast.”
Alice blushed. “We’re so happy you could come and help Father at the mill. We wanted to welcome you with our best to show our appreciation.”
“I thank you for it,” he said.
“She didn’t do it all by herself,” Pearl interjected, wanting to set the record straight. “I chopped the vegetables.”
Alice said, “That’s true. She did all that and more. I couldn’t have done half of it without Pearl.” She slung an arm around her sister’s shoulder and pulled her close, their faces aligned, Alice’s glistening with a sheen from cooking over a hot stove, the kerchief still securely around her head, and Pearl’s freshly powdered, her hair swept up, some tendrils escaping to trail over her shoulders.
Dear Alice. Always willing to give Pearl just what she needed. John gave Pearl an appraising look, as if he now saw her with new eyes. He leaned forward slightly, a bow in response to her earlier curtsy. “Well, then, I guess my gratitude goes to you as well, Miss Pearl.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
1983
Joe watched from the front window as Howard and Pearl climbed into the sedan. Pearl didn’t look nearly as formidable from this distance. Her hard-backed posture seemed less imposing as he watched her navigating her way into the front seat, lifting one leg at a time. Once the door slammed shut, they were off, the car surging forward. Joe speculated that Howard really wanted to get back before there was trouble. As the taillights faded in the distance, he stepped away, letting the curtain drop back into place.
The empty house had an air of abandonment, the silence quieter than he’d ever known. He’d hated Trendale, the constant noise, the flickering fluorescent lights, the way he was always accountable. He could never get away from their watchful eyes. The staff monitored his eating habits, his energy level, his mood. It was exhausting trying to anticipate what they wanted from him, but he kept doing it, hoping at some point he’d fulfill their requirements so he could leave. Now, having left, he felt a bit empty.
Was it a mistake to leave? No, he decided. Being here was weird, and finding out the grandmother he’d thought was dead was alive was weirder still, but he could handle it.
It was only for a night.
Having Pearl ditch him had thrown him for a loop. He didn’t have a good sense of where Pullman was exactly, and not knowing was a little troubling, but the house had a working phone and supposedly some food in the fridge. In the morning, he’d talk to his dad and know more.
Joe thought about his friends back home. Most of them had gone to college, including his high school girlfriend, who he’d heard was now engaged. Their lives had taken such divergent paths. He’d dated other women, but nothing ever came of any of it. One of them, Darlene, said he always seemed distracted, like he was trying to remember something or his mind was elsewhere. He didn’t know what she meant, but after that, he’d tried to be more attentive. Still, things had fizzled between them. Relationships were so much work.
He had better luck with guy friends. One of his buddies, Wayne, had gotten Joe a job at the construction company where he was employed. Joe had picked up a lot of carpentry skills on the job and was glad to get a paycheck during this terrible economy. A lot of guys weren’t so fortunate. The job market was bleak, and it was nearly impossible to find anything at all. Now that he was out of Trendale, he’d have to go begging to see if they’d take him back. Likely he’d been replaced a long time ago. The fact that he’d left without giving notice was not in his favor either. It was doubtful that they’d give him another chance.