Chapter 3: The Talk

“Why, Sarah Rae Grady, don’t you look just as pretty as a picture?” Sarah’s other great aunt Louisa said, greeting Sara with a kiss on the cheek.

Sarah was taking a break from line dancing. She was hot and slightly out of breath although she felt as energized as she always did. She was feasting on another piece of cake – this time she had gotten a piece with one of Lela’s chipped teeth. Lela had been so cheap and stingy with her millions, that she’d even refused to buy dentures for herself.

Sarah kissed her aunt Louisa back on the tip of her nose. “Why thank ya, Miss Louisa Mae Grady,” she said. “You don’t look half bad yourself,” she said, giving her aunt a wink so she knew she was kidding.

Louisa shook her head. “Oh no, no. I’m as old and wrinkled as a prune!”

“Not even close,” Sarah objected. “You don’t look a day over twenty-five!”

Louisa laughed heartily. “You are such a big flatterer. But there’s no need for that, my dear. You know Lela was the rich old crone, not me. I have nothing to leave you in my will.”

Sarah frowned and setting down the piece of cake on the table, took her great aunt’s cold, purpled, veiny hands in hers. “Louisa, I am so sorry for your loss.”

Louisa shook her head resolutely. “It’s not a big deal. You know Lela and I were anything but close.”

“I know, but she was your sister …”

“And she was your great aunt and there was no love loss there,” Louisa pointed out. Sara saw tears in her aunt’s wide green eyes.

“It’s different. I didn’t hate Lela. She just wasn’t my favorite person.”

“Well the same goes for me,” Louisa said, wiping her eyes on her pink shirt-sleeve, trying to be discreet. “She was my sister but she wasn’t my friend and I don’t intend to mourn her for a second longer.”

“Louisa –“ Sarah started but the older woman held up a hand to stop her.

“No more talk about that. Its too depressing, let’s talk about you,” Louisa said, wiping her eyes once more and then taking Sara’s arm and leading her to a white-trellised bench in the garden.

“There’s not much to tell …”

“Oh come on now, dear. You were living in San Diego last I heard. That is – how do the kids say it? – a ‘happenin’ place,” Louisa said.

Sarah giggled. “It was nice. I was staying with Frieda Josephs, you remember her right?”

“Oh yes, the girl with the buck teeth, right?” Louisa asked.

“Oh no, she doesn’t have them anymore. She got them capped. They look like movie star teeth now. Katie Holmes would be so jealous.”

Louisa chuckled. “I can’t even begin to guess who that is.”

“Oh come on, Aunt Lou. You are a ‘happenin’ young thing. How do you not know who Katie Holmes is?” Sarah giggled.

“I just don’t.”

“Well you know who Tom Cruise is right?”

“Short fellow? Dark hair? Religious psychotic?” Louisa asked, quirking a grizzled grey eyebrow.

Sarah laughed. “Yeah that’s him … But that’s not important. I want to know how you’ve been, Louisa.”

Louisa shook her head, placing her hand over Sarah’s. “You don’t get off so easily. There must be so many more stories you can tell your old great aunt. Its dreadfully boring in Farmerton since the circus left town.”

Sarah smiled. “There’s just not much to tell.”

“Oh come on. Please. There must be something you can tell me. Where did you go? Who did you meet? Any nice young men in particular?”

Sarah chuckled. “How did I know you were going to ask that?”

“Sarah, dear, if I’m not getting any at least I can live vicariously through you,” Louisa said.

Sarah laughed hysterically at that. “Oh my, Louisa, if my father only knew the things you talk about with me …”

Louisa smirked. “No reason to tell your father, now is there?”

“No,” Sarah agreed with a smile.

“Besides he has what – fifteen kids? He does know a little something about the ‘carnal act’.”

Sarah shook her head. “He has nine children – if you count Kent,” she said wrinkling her nose.

“Oh, dear, please tell me you and Kent aren’t still going at it like cats and dogs,” Louisa said, having noticed the look of distaste on Sara’s face.

“Well I don’t hate him like I used to but he does have the tendency to annoy me and to get on my nerves. Have you had the ‘pleasure’ yet of meeting his fiancée – Miss-Princess-and-the-Pea?”

Louisa nodded. “Unfortunately so. I cannot for the life of me understand what he sees in that girl.”

Sarah shrugged. “Like seeks like, I guess. One boring, uptight person needs someone just like them to continue on with their vicious cycle of monotony and boredom.”

“Oh Kent could be a fun fellow if he just found the right girl,” Louisa insisted. “Someone who was as lively and as much of a firecracker as say … you.” She looked at Sarah with a faux-bashful expression on her face.

Sarah jumped out of her seat. “Kent? Kent Leyton? Me and Kent?” She pretended to shiver. “Damn, Aunt Lou, you’re giving me the willies just thinking about that.”

Louisa laughed and patted Sarah’s arm. “Oh dear, you cannot honestly tell me that you don’t find Kent attractive.”

“I don’t!” Sarah insisted. “He’s boring; he’s annoying; he’s rigid; he’s-“

“Damned handsome and a fine, good man too,” Louisa inserted. “He’s tall and good-looking and that dark hair with those blue eyes …” She sighed.

“Ugh! Then you take him then, Louisa,” Sarah said with a shake of her blonde curls.

Louisa’s eyes gleamed wickedly. “Oh I would if he were a little older and I was a little younger. He may be uptight but I imagine he could do some things that would surprise even you.”

“Ewwwww!” Sarah cried, clapping her hands over her ears. “I am not hearing this from my aunt. He’s practically you’re nephew.”

“Practically is not literally, my dear.” Louisa pulled Sarah down beside her. “But as fun as it would be to spend the night wrapped up in those big strong arms of his -“

“Yuck!” Sarah hissed.

“Nevermind. I just think he has great husband potential and he needs someone like you to loosen him up.”

“I am not the one he needs and I never want to hear about this again, okay – PLEASE?!” Sarah begged.

“My lips are sealed – for now,” Louisa smirked.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Oh Jesus.”

Louisa patted Sarah’s arm. “Definitely don’t let your father hear that one!”

“I won’t,” Sarah said.

“How long are you staying in town?”

“Oh I don’t know. A few days I suppose,” Sarah answered distractedly. Was it her imagination or was Kent staring at her from across the patio? Why? Why was he doing that? Please god, don’t let Louisa have gotten to him first and planted that insane idea in his stupid head too! She silently prayed.

She shook off the thought. Of course not. Kent was no more into her than she was into him. He was probably trying to figure out what she was going to do next to “upstage “ the dead Lela.

“Sarah! Hey, Sarah!” Sixteen-year-old Carol’s voice cut into her thoughts. Sarah was very grateful for the distraction.

Sarah stood and hugged her sister warmly. “How are you, kiddo?” she asked. “You are looking more and more beautiful every time I see you. Have you lost weight?”

“I wish,” Carol answered with a frown and then she broke out into a full smile. “Can I talk to you alone for a few minutes?” she asked.

Sarah nodded and looked at Louisa. “Don’t mind me, girls, I am just happy sitting here soaking up the wonderful sunshine.”

“Okay we’ll see you soon,” Sarah said. She waved goodbye to her great aunt and then sauntered off with Carol.

Suddenly Carol grabbed her hand and yanked her along the garden path. Sarah laughed. “You’re certainly eager to talk to me today, aren’t you?” Sarah glanced at her sister’s full cheeks alight with color and watched as a smile crept across her round face as she was dragged along. “You look happy today, sis – giddy almost. What’s your secret?”

Carol didn’t answer, as she led Sarah forward. They ended up in the little French gazebo tucked at the edge of the property amidst the small maple trees the gardener had planted five summers ago.

Carol flopped down on the bench inside the gazebo, breathless, and pulled Sarah down beside her. She had a dreamy expression on her face. “You are positively glowing, sis. What’s going on – or can I guess?”

“I have to tell you something, Sarah! I am practically bursting!” she exclaimed. “I am glad you’re here cause you are the only one who will understand how I’m feeling.”

“Uh-huh …” Sarah said. She could tell by the light in her sister’s green eyes and hum in her excited voice that there was a boy in the picture. “Oh my, Care, do you have a ‘beau’ as Grammy used to say?”

“Yes! Yes, Sara, I do and I’m so in love with him and best of all, he loves me!”

“That’s great,” Sarah said. “Do I know him?” Sarah had grown up in Farmerton so she knew most everyone that lived there. People rarely moved in or out of the town and she still saw them every time she came home to visit.

“Nope. His name is Tommy and his dad just moved here. And he’s just perfect, Sarah!”

Sarah laughed. “Well I’ve never been acquainted with a perfect man before. He must be wonderful if he’s gotten you so excited.”

“Oh he is. He is!” Carol exclaimed. “He’s tall and thin, yet very muscular. He’s so handsome with brown hair and green eyes that just make me melt. The best part is that he loves me and only me!”

Sarah smiled. “Well that’s awesome, little sis. What do dad and your mom think about him?”

Carol’s face fell, her smile melting at the mention of her parents. “They don’t like him. They say he’s too old for me.”

“How old is?’ Sarah asked.

“Eighteen but that is not too old and age is just a number, right?” Carol said.

“At least according to Aaliyah, god rest her soul,” Sarah said, attempting a smile though she wasn’t feeling very smiley just then.

“I think I’m going to do it with him!” Carol said.

For the first time in her life, Sarah Rae Grady was at a complete loss for words. All she could squeak out was a little “wow”.

Carol immediately took notice of her sister’s silence. “Well aren’t you going to say something, Sarah?”

“Well … Uh … I just want you to be sure you know what you’re doing,” Sarah answered lamely.

“I already know all about sex, Sarah. How it works, I mean. The man takes his penis and –“

Sarah shook her head. “I didn’t mean that, Carol. I meant that it’s a big decision and one you shouldn’t make lightly.” Sarah found it highly absurd to be giving her little sister sex advice.

“I know all about protection, Sarah, don’t worry. Tommy says when the time comes, he’ll be prepared.”

Sarah nodded and stared ahead blankly.

Carol watched her face. “Aren’t you happy for me, Sarah? That I finally found someone who likes me - no, loves me – just for me?” she asked. “I was not exactly getting the door beat down with offers before Tommy came along you know. Most guys don’t like butterballs like me.”

Sarah sighed. “You are not a butterball. You are beautiful just the way you are.”

“Well that’s what Tommy says too,” Carol said. “He says it all the time and I almost believe him.”

“You should because you are pretty and special,” Sarah assured her, pushing back a stray strand of her sister’s light brown hair. “You are most definitely a keeper.”

“Then why aren’t you happy for me? A boy finally loves me for who I am.”

“I just want to be sure you’re ready for the responsibilities that come along with sex.”

“Were you at my age?” Carol asked. “Aunt Lela said you – and I quote – ‘spread for Mark Winchell like butter’ when you were only fifteen.”

“Why that crusty old …” Sarah fumed. “God if she wasn’t already dead and in hell, I’d be cursing her right there. How did she know anyway? Did she have spy cameras following my every move?”

Carol shrugged. “Maybe mom and dad told her.”

“Maybe …” Sarah knew her father had read her diary once he had discovered she was sneaking out at night’s to meet the eighteen-year-old Mark. It hadn’t been a good time for the family and Sarah remembered it was one the time when her dad actually told her she wasn’t yet grown up enough to do things like that.

“Anyway, I think I’m going to do it,” Carol said.

“I would prefer you waited, Care, but I know I can’t stop you. No one could at my age and still can’t. Just be sure you’re safe.”

“I will, I will!” Carol assured her older sister with a warm, tight hug.

“Sarah,” a familiar male voice called to her.

She looked up and saw Kent crossing the yard to her. “What is it?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

“Your dad asked me to find you. Its time for the will reading.”

Sarah stood and nodded. “Think about what I said,” she told Carol, kissing her on the cheek and then walking over to Kent.

“I will,” Carol called after her.

Kent watched Sarah. “What was that all about?”

She shrugged. “Nothing you need to worry about, stepbrother dearest.” She suddenly grinned. “What do you think Lela left me in her will?”

“Besides a lump of coal?” Kent said with a little grin. “Probably nothing.”

Sarah couldn’t help but smile back. “Was that an actual attempt at a joke, Kent Leyton?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Well it was almost clever,” Sarah said.

Kent lifted a dark eyebrow. “Almost?”

“Borderline, actually,” Sarah giggled and ran on ahead.

Preview: Sarah receives unexpected “gifts” in Lela’s will