At once, Mama got the slippery elm lozenges out of the medicine cabinet and handed the tin to Flannery.
“Thanks, Mama,” Flannery said, taking out a lozenge and popping it into her mouth. She couldn’t stand to look at Mama with all the fuss she was making over her, all the untruths threatening to bubble up any minute, breaking open their story. Patsy’s and Danny’s, and hers and Hollis’s. It was so painful, she’d gotten herself a real whopping tummy ache for real.
“Let me go get you some more hot water in that, baby girl.” Mama lifted the rubber bottle off Flannery’s stomach.
“It’s okay.” Flannery tried to pull it back. “I know you want to get into your gown.”
Mama waved away her protests. “We’ll just make you some tea, too.”
Flannery knew it wouldn’t do any good to refuse.
Mama brought her some tea and the water bottle, then pulled the quilt up over her, tucking her in, telling her to sip some and get rested up.
When Mama finally abandoned her fussing with a good-night kiss and left, Flannery leaned over and flicked on the nightstand lamp.
She waited a second, listening, before getting out of bed. Then she dug the pearls out of her apron. Inspecting them, Flannery wondered what she should tell Mama, if anything, and when. No. No, Flannery decided; she’d surprise Patsy and pull them out in front of her in the morning, leaving Patsy to explain why she went off with those two drunken fools in the first place, tore her sister’s nylons, and stole Hollis’s automobile. Teasing the boys. All that for fornicating.
I’d know. Surely I’d know, Flannery thought. Though she didn’t know how, Flannery had always known things about Patsy before her sister shared them with her, just like Patsy knew things before Flannery told her.
There was her sister’s first kiss. Patsy’d come home, giggling, and dragged Flannery up to their room. Flushed, Patsy whispered, “Guess what, tadpole? Guess!”
Flannery saw the secret in her twin’s eyes and burst, “You’ve been kissed! What was it like? Who—”
Patsy laughed and grabbed her twin’s hands and pressed a long, hard kiss onto Flannery’s lips.
Shocked, Flannery’s eyes widened, and Patsy nodded her head and sighed. “It was the dreamiest.”
“Damn you, Hollis,” Flannery said. It’d be just like you to carry tall tales. Lying through your teeth. Still, Flannery wondered about him being knocked out like that. Hollis had been so sure. What could’ve happened so horrible to make Patsy and Danny hurt him like that?
“You better get home and explain yourself, Patsy Butler,” she said under her breath, “before Hollis gets his tongue to wagging—and I strike some choice ones off of mine.”
Mama would blame Patsy for everything, for getting them fired, for the whole cursed night.
Flannery slipped the pearls back into her apron pocket alongside the lucky bullet, rubbing the shiny copper for extra measure. Looking over her shoulder, cocking an ear for Mama’s footsteps in the hall, Flannery quietly pulled out her bottom dresser drawer and sat it on the floor. Carefully, she folded up her apron with the pearls and bullet inside and placed it against the back wall of the cubby, then slipped everything back inside its shelving, hiding her secrets.
Maybe she’d even make Patsy wait a few days. See her squirm some. Patsy would never find the pearls until Flannery was good and ready to let her.
Flannery tucked herself back into bed, keeping an eye on the dresser drawer, switching her gaze to the little bedside clock every few minutes. Soon she grew groggy and closed her lids.
It felt like she had been asleep only a short while when her mama woke her. “Get up, Flannery. Your sister’s not home from prom,” Mama said. “Baby girl.” She shook Flannery’s arm.
Flannery rubbed her sleepy eyes. Then, remembering everything, she pulled herself up onto her elbows.
“Patsy hasn’t come home yet. Do you know where she could be?” Mama asked.
Flannery looked to the clock, reached over to the nightstand between the beds, and picked it up. “She’s only an hour late, Mama.” Flannery plopped back down, groaned. “It’s only one fifteen.”
Outside, gravel crunched and popped. A flash of lights slashed through the darkened bedroom, spilling across the walls and furniture. Then came the slam of an automobile door. And one more.
Mama switched on the lamp.
“There she is,” Flannery said, burrowing her head back into the pillow.
Mama hurried over to the window and parted the sheers.
“Flannery, it’s Sheriff Henry,” Mama whispered over her shoulder. “Whatever could he want at this hour?”
Flannery bolted up from the bed and looked out the window with Mama.
Then Mama flew out of the room.
Scrambling into her robe, Flannery followed after her, peering over Mama’s shoulder as she opened the door for Sheriff and Hollis. Hollis peeked around his daddy’s shoulder, looking like he wished he could be anywhere but there, hands poked deep into his pockets, head hanging.
“Jean.” Sheriff took off his hat. Mama stepped aside, motioning for him to enter.
“Jack, what brings you out at this hour?” Mama asked nervously, tightening the sash on her robe. “Is Martha okay?” She asked after the sheriff’s wife.
Sheriff raised a hand. “Martha’s fine, and thank you for the nice apple crisp you gave her to bring home from canasta tonight.” He patted his belly in appreciation. “I’m here about Patsy.”
“Patsy? My Patsy?” Mama looked at the sheriff and then to Flannery.
Flannery shrugged.
Sheriff pulled Hollis up to his side. “Yes. I’m sorry to say the kids were drinking.”
“Drinking? Patsy wouldn’t.” Mama’s eyes widened. “Jack, you can’t mean—”
“Yes, ma’am, it appears they were. They got into a scrap with Hollis here and took off in the Mercury. Haven’t been seen since.”
“Oh. Oh my.” Mama pressed a hand to her chest.
“I’ve been looking some, but they’re tucked tight outta sight so far,” Sheriff said.
“I need to sit,” Mama said.
Flannery grabbed Mama gently by the elbow. “Let’s go into the kitchen and have a seat, Mama,” she said, guiding her there, sneaking glances over her shoulder to Hollis.
The Henry men followed the Butler women. Flannery set Mama onto a chair and poured two glasses of water. One for Mama, one for herself. She didn’t think to ask the sheriff if he wanted one.
Mama, always gracious, never forgetting her hospitality, above all, caught it and questioned Flannery’s manners with her knowing eyes.
“Oh.” Flannery raised her glass to the men, offering to get them a drink.
Sherriff and Hollis wagged their heads no.
Sheriff Henry started in. “Hollis went looking for them at the prom, but the teachers said they never showed up. He waited around most of the night.” The sheriff looked at Flannery. “Did you see them down at Chubby’s?”
Flannery couldn’t speak, only shake her head and quickly gulp down her water.
“Flannery came home early,” Mama piped.
“Yes. Yessir, I sure did,” Flannery sputtered, and only that.
Hollis stepped forward and told Flannery’s mama, “They clobbered me good.”
Flannery hid her faked surprise behind the lip of the glass, chugging down more water.
Then Hollis looked at her and said what they had planned. “Took a whizz, and they off and split on me. Can barely remember it. Nothing.” He rubbed his head.
Mama said, “Poor dear. Does it hurt?”
“Well, my ma put some Mercurochrome on it. Burned like the devil,” Hollis said, a pity-poor-me dragging his bottom lip.
“I don’t mean to frighten you, Jean.” The sheriff laid a hand on her shoulder. “Most likely those two will come around once they’ve had their fun.”
“Fun,” Mama turned the word over a worried tongue.
Sheriff gently cleared his throat. “When they, um . . . when they see the trouble they’ve caused.”