Excerpt: "In A Small Town"

* * ~ * *

Toby woke slowly, stretching each muscle carefully, working the soreness out of them one by one. She thought over the night before. It had gone remarkably well, all things considered. She’d danced with Logan, slow and somewhat shaky, spoken to a few friends whom she hadn’t seen in years, and avoided a few drunken fights.
Today she was going to Logan’s house to help him cook a nice meal for her sister Maleah and nieces Hannah and Naomi. A cozy family Sunday. Minus Aubrey and Ricky. And Lou, but Toby was doubtful that she should still consider him family, after everything that had transpired.
She went through her morning routine with a detached indifference. It had only been a few days, but she was getting used to it. Hopefully all of her hard work would pay off and she would get the stitches out soon.

Logan’s house was small but tidy, complete with perfect yard surrounded by a white picket fence. Toby entered through the back door, going directly into the homey little kitchen. The roast was in the oven and Logan was standing at the sink peeling potatoes. Toby gave him a quick hug and dropped her purse on the counter.
“I bought all of the stuff you need to make those delicious dinner rolls you tried to teach me to make.”
“Oh Logan, I haven’t made those in years. You can’t be serious.”
“Yes, I am serious. You never forget something like that.”
Toby sighed. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
“We have plenty of time. Maleah and the kids won’t be here until one or so. You know how it is with her.”
“Yeah, I do.” Toby rolled up her sleeves and began mixing ingredients. She knew the recipe by heart. She’d done all the cooking once Aubrey had started her depression stage. For a time they worked together in comfortable silence. Logan was the first to break the silence.
“You know when the last time we cooked together was?”
“Did we ever?” Toby asked with a nervous laugh.
“Yeah. You and I cooked breakfast the morning Maleah left for college.”
Toby’s hands stilled. “Dad screamed about my lack of education.”
“That’s not what he said.”
“No, what he said was, ‘you’ll never amount to anything, you’ll always be the biggest disappointment this family has ever known’ that is what he said.”
Logan cringed. “You have the damndest memory for things like that.”
“Yeah, well, you tend to remember the times your father was that disappointed in you. Which should mean that I remember every word my father ever spoke to me.”
“How did you get the house if you stopped talking to him that morning?”
“Wrote letters. Lots of letters. He tried more than once to call, I just wouldn’t answer.”
“Can’t hold a grudge now, can we?”
“Aren’t sarcastic, are we?” Toby tossed the wooden spoon in the sink. “He started it. I finished it.”
“It will never be over, Toby.”
“Can we not talk about it?”
Logan shrugged. “Sure, we can push the conversation off until later. Sticking it under the rug doesn’t make it go away.”
“Just leave it alone, Logan.” Toby cried angrily.
“Calm down, Toby. I’m your brother. I’m allowed to piss you off. You’re not allowed to hit me, though.” Logan tossed the last potato into the pan. “You need to learn to let things go. You take everything so personally. Yes, Dad’s an ass, but he’s an as to everyone, not just you.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s what he said.”
“He’s disappointed in all of us for one reason or another. You’re more sensitive than the rest of us were.”
“What happened to Ricky?”
Logan froze for a moment before busily drying his hands. “He ran away.”
“No, that’s what Dad said. You can’t just repeat a lie and expect me to believe it.”
“I honestly don’t know, Toby. I just know what Dad said.”
“You know something.”
“I know that Ricky was…different. He and Dad had a big fight right before he ran away.”
Toby bit her lower lip. “Is he still alive?”
Logan shrugged. “I’ve always hoped so.”
“But you don’t know for sure.”
“I don’t know that he’s not.”
“I want to find him.”
“That might not be such a good idea, Toby. Dad has his reasons for everything.”
“So Dad did have something to do with it!”
“I don’t know for sure.”
Toby threw her hands up. “God, will everyone stop speaking in riddles? I’m old enough for everyone to tell me the truth. I’m tired of you and Dad treating me like I’m a baby. I am old enough to know the truth about my family!”
“You’re old enough, yet. But are you ready? I don’t know if you are.”
“Tell me, Logan, is Ricky alive?”
“Yes. Last I heard, he was living in Atlanta.”
“When was that?”
Logan sighed. “He has a friend here in town. Every once in a while, there’s a letter in my mailbox, from Ricky, outlining the basics of his life.”
“Why did he go?”
“Dad sent him away.”
“Dad sent him away? And told us he ran away? What did he and Ricky fight about?”
“Ricky was having a relationship with someone. Dad told him to either break it off or leave. When Ricky refused to break up with his friend, Dad told him to leave town.”
“Who was he sleeping with? What woman could be that bad?”
He cringed. “It wasn’t a woman. Ricky’s gay.” He stood waiting, as though he expected her to fly apart.
Toby nodded slowly. “It all makes sense now.”
“You’re not surprised?”
“Maybe a little, but not shocked. It makes sense that he’s gay. The whole ‘no girlfriend’ thing should have given it away, I suppose.” Toby shrugged.
“He can’t come back here.”
“Why not?”
“Dad won’t allow it.”
“Dad won’t allow it. Is Dad the lord and master of everything? I own the house. At least I could have him come to the house with me.”
Logan shook his head. “All the power to you. All I can tell you is that you’ve got bigger balls than I do.”
“We’ve always known that.” Toby turned back to the bread dough.
“Do you remember Aunt Tabitha?”
“Tabitha? No. Are you making this up?”
“No. You’re named after her. I figured it out when Mom was rambling one time. Anyhow. Aunt Tabitha hasn’t been around since shortly after you were born. She’s Mom’s older sister, and she’s nuts. She was wild and crazy and Mom loved her. Dad, of course, forbid Mom to see her. Somewhere, she crossed a line, and she left town. Dad made Mom promise that they would never speak of her again.”
“Do you remember her?”
“Vaguely. I remember her being fun, always playing with you and me. She was pretty, like Mom, but stronger. Looking back I don’t believe that she left the way she did. That she completely disappeared.”
“So if Mom and Aunt Tabitha are so wild and, forgive me for saying this but, crazy then how did Uncle Colin turn out so normal?”
“He is so far from normal…” Logan laughed. “He just keeps it hidden well.”
“How is it that you know more about this family than I do? You’re only two years older than me.”
“I hear a lot. And I’m nosey in a secretive kind of way.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I listen, I instigate conversation and listen to everyone talk. People around here love to gossip. Especially about the Sinclaire and Guilbeaux families.”
“Guilbeaux?”
“Dad’s side of the family. Gramma Maudette was a Guilbeaux. But she took Grandpa’s name, so she forfeited her family fortune.”
“Wait a minute.” Toby set aside the bowl holding the dough. “I need a drink for all this shit. What family fortune?”
“Way back when, your great-great-great-great grandmother, Penelope Guilbeaux had a baby out of wedlock. She was such a psycho fruitcake, that rumors started that the father of the baby was none other than the devil himself. I don’t know who the father was. Penelope refused to marry, and since she was the sole heir to her family fortune, she had the last say in who got the money. So she wrote a will.”
Logan rubbed his hands together. “Penelope had a daughter, Abigail. In the will, Penelope decreed that the only way Abigail would get a penny of the money was if she kept her maiden name. Weird, I know. There was a lot of witchcraft involved in the Guilbeaux family. Lots. Still is. Anyhow, Penelope, Abigail, Catherine, Annabelle, Maudette. When Gramma got married to Grandpa, she took his name and the power that came with it. True to family tradition, she forfeited her right to the money. Annabelle had a fit, but wouldn’t budge. Eventually, they got over their differences. Gramma had Dad, and Annabelle flew off the handle. Apparently, there were complications that left Gramma unable to have any more kids, which meant that there would be no female heir in that generation.
“When Dad married Mom, she got introduced to all the weird ass Guilbeaux shit. When she had me first, Annabelle almost died. Then two years later, Mom had you. Annabelle and Maudette nearly danced a jig. They rushed to Mom’s bedside before she had even stopped pushing, trying to work their witchcraft on you.”
Logan laughed. “Way I hear it, if Mom could have stopped having you, she would have. She threw both of them out of the house, wouldn’t even let them on the property until you were about four. Annabelle passed away. Mom let Maudette back into the family.”
“I am learning so much today.” Toby sat down at the kitchen table. “And putting so many piece of the puzzle together.”
“I’ve been piecing things together for years.”
“So in more recent history, why did Mom go off the deep end?”
“I’ve read the file, and-”
“You read the file?” Toby’s voice ended in a squeak.
“Yeah. I don’t want to talk about it. What I learned was, she was severely depressed and was hearing voices.”
“Multiple personality?”
“They didn’t say that. Apparently, they think she’s just crazy.”
“But she’s not!”
“I know.” Logan shrugged. “But how can we prove that to them? We can’t just argue and say, ‘No, Mom’s not really hearing voices, it’s all a sham’ now can we?”
“We need to get her under the care of a real doctor.”
“Which we can’t do unless we get Dad declared an unfit provider.”
“Exactly. How do we do that?”
“Court.”
Toby nodded. “I’ll work on that idea. I have a lot to do this week. Fix the house, find Ricky, get dirt on Dad, free Mom.”
“You’re going to be busy. If you need help, let me know.”
“I will.”
A knock on the back door startled both of them.
“Logan? We’re early.”
“Oh my god,” Toby said, standing as Logan went to open the door. “For once in my life, my sister is early.”
“The kids wanted to come over and play.” Maleah hugged her sister, gasping when Toby flinched. “I am so sorry.”
“It’s OK.”
“No it’s not. You should see the stitches and cuts on her. The article that Gramma had doesn’t do it justice.” Logan lifted the hem of Toby’s shirt. “Look at this.”
“Oh my god,” Maleah stepped behind Toby and pulled her sister’s shirt up so she could look at the gashes. “Why didn’t you tell us it was hundreds of stitches? You said a few stitches.”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
“I’m not watching my sister strip my other sister naked in my kitchen.” Logan said, stepping away and covering his eyes.
“Oh shut up.” Maleah pulled Toby’s shirt up and looked at every inch of the wounds.
“So what’s your professional opinion?” Toby asked, trying hard to keep from snatching her shirt back down over her body. But Maleah and Logan were family and she would take it. Besides, she valued Maleah’s opinion.
“Everything looks good, though this one back here is a little dry. They gave you a salve to put on it, right?”
“Yeah, and I do my best, but I’m not a contortionist, so sometimes it’s a little difficult to get to that particular scar.”
“You’re doing great otherwise. When are they supposed to come out?”
“They said seven to ten days, maybe longer on some.”
“Well if you want, come into the office. I’ll go ahead and send for your file and-”
“I have my file at the house. I’ll bring it in with me. I also have the doctor’s number if you want to call him and talk to him directly.”
“Well that would be up to Dr. Larue. But we can set up an appointment and get you on a track to healing. Those stitches aren’t ready to come out yet.”
“Thanks.” Toby pulled her shirt back down. “Now where are my nieces?”
“Playing in the yard. They love Logan’s yard. I’ll go get them and tell them to be gentle with you.” Maleah led the way out into the back yard. “Girls! Come see your aunt.”
“Mommy! We found a kitty!”
Maleah froze. “A kitty?”
Hannah ran up, a little black and white kitten in her arms. “See? We found it. Is it a boy or a girl?”
“I don’t know.” Maleah sounded out of breath.
“Let me see it,” Toby said, gently lifting the kitten out of Hannah’s arms.
“Be careful with Aunt Toby. She’s hurt.”
Hannah and Naomi barely touched Toby as she bent to hug them, then stood by eagerly, waiting for her to tell them the sex of the kitten.
“It’s a girl.”
“Mommy, can we keep her?”
“No! I mean, I don’t think that would be a good idea. Daddy wouldn’t like it.”
“How about if I keep it at my house, then you can play with it when you come to see me?” Toby offered.
Maleah stared at her sister. “You would do that?”
“Why not? I need a pet.”
“What happened to the sister I knew? Where have you taken my no-pets, pain-don’t-hurt, never-moving-back-home sister?”
“She fell off of a horse and hit her head.” Toby quipped.
“Nice. Very nice.” Maleah nodded her chin toward the kitten in Toby’s arms. “What are you going to do with it?”
“Her. I’m going to keep her.”
“Keep what?” Logan stepped out the back door and immediately saw the kitten. “Oh hell no.”
“Oh hell yes. I have a pet. It’s a kitten. We used to have a cat.”
“When we were kids.”
“Well now I have another one.” Toby slid past Logan and into the kitchen. “After I give her a bath and a collar, she’ll be a proper cat.”
“You don’t give cats baths.” Maleah argued.
“Maybe you don’t, but I do.” Toby set the kitten down in the corner. “Just stay there, OK? And if you pee on the floor, please pee on the linoleum so it’s easy to clean up. I’ll get you a bowl of milk.”
“You’re crazy, Toby.” Logan said, hands on his hips.
She shrugged. “At least I won’t be alone in that big house all by myself.” Toby set a small bowl of milk on the floor next to the kitten and went to the sink to wash her hands.
“You’re making dinner rolls?” Maleah rubbed her stomach. “I tried making them and they didn’t turn out so spiffy. I think Toby just has the magic touch.”
“She has been cooking longer than any of us.” Logan pointed out.
“We should do breakfast next Saturday.” Toby offered. “I should have the house presentable by then.”
“Maleah’s scared of the house.”
“I am not!” Maleah argued.
Toby frowned thoughtfully. “I knew I should have asked Logan to go by the house. You didn’t even go inside, did you?”
“OK. No, I didn’t. I looked through the windows and that was enough for me. There weren’t any lights on and there weren’t any fires. The fridge was open and everything looked fine.” Maleah crossed her arms over her chest.
Toby sighed. “Well I’m cooking breakfast next Saturday, come over and conquer your fear.”
“I do not see how you can live in that house after everything that’s happened.”
“The house isn’t evil,” Toby pointed out. “It was Dad. He’s gone, so it’s safe now.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Just come over. If you’re not comfortable, then you can leave. Please come.”
“I’ll think about it.”