Chapter Six
Shelby
Ashort time later, the houses were becoming fewer and farther between until we pulled up next to the old mailbox. With a kiss for luck, I exited the fancy car and headed up the dirt drive, noticing that the kudzu seemed to have reclaimed the base of the trees with their never-ending stranglehold. But trimming it back wouldn't be my problem anymore. I was free!
I'd wait on crowing that to the rooftops until you escape from Mama unscathed. Besides, you're wearing your new leash still. Not exactly free, now are you?
You're a real drag, you know that, right?I could sense a shrug in response and didn't bother to pursue it. The house had come into view, and I could see the shadow of the entryway through the old, tattered screen.
Dun, dun, dunnn!
Mentally flipping my other self the bird, I went up the stairs, the familiar squeak of the third one nearly making me nostalgic… if it weren't for the screech of the screen door ruining it as I stepped inside the slightly cooler interior of the house.
"Mama? You in here?" I knew she was. The old boat of a Lincoln had been sitting in the saggy carport off to the side of the house, the back end of the long car sticking out of the too-small space in all its gaudy, golden glory. I passed through the sitting room with the random religious items scattered around: a Bible on the coffee table, a crucifix on the wall, Mama's prized print of The Last Supper across from it. And of course her prayer pillow. She'd finally ruined her knees with her incessant supplication before the little shrine to the Mother she had in the corner near the davenport.
"Shelby Ann!" Mama cried as she came from the hall that led to her room, scaring the bejesus out of me. "Where have you been?" Her eyes were a bit crazed in her too-thin face, sallow from lack of the sun. Even her wisps of hair stuck out from her usual tidy bun, the strands more gray now than the vibrant auburn it once was. That was where our similarities ended though; the rest came from my father.
"Hi, Mama,” I started, hands up to ward off her fast approach. But I didn't get a chance to say more before she cut me off.
"You had relations with that man, Shelby Ann! I know it!" She tried to grip my arm, but I batted her hand away, making her grasp at the high-collared shirt she wore. "You have to pray. You have to ask for forgiveness! You don't know what you've done, and your soul will burn in Hell! Shelby Ann, listen to me!"
Oh goody, she's gone and lost all her marbles. Knew it would happen sooner or later. See what you've—
I slammed the lid on the unhelpful comments. I had bigger issues. Namely, talking down the big bag of crazy in front of me that was clutching her nonexistent pearls. "Mama, I love him. You need to stop with this nonsense—"
"What do you mean, you love him? You can't, you daft child! Now get over here and pray before God strikes you down where you stand for your actions." Insanity seemed to lend her the strength to dart forward to grip my hand, but just as quickly, she gasped and dropped it like it had scorched her. "What is that?" She pointed at my ring, utter horror plain in her voice as it screwed up her features into a disgusted mask.
I tried again, knowing it was futile, but it was very well likely that this would be the last time that I saw her. Not if she kept up this crazy vendetta over Dirk being older than me and wealthy. "I'm getting married, Mama. Can't you at least congratulate me? I came by to get my things…" I trailed off helplessly as I saw her crumble in on herself.
"You've killed us both, you stupid girl," I swore I heard her whisper. "Get out! Get out of my house and forget my name! You don't know what you've done!" Mama seemed to check out then as she staggered off to her room, the door closing behind her with a resounding slam that shook the china in the hutch. Something she'd yelled at me for when I was a rambunctious kid.
Knowing she wouldn't be coming back out, more than likely taking to her bed with a bottle of cheap, “medicinal” muscadine wine, I shot one last glance in the direction she'd disappeared before hurrying up the stairs to my own room. My heart was heavy, but I reminded myself she wasn't winning any Mother of the Year awards.
Or decade for that matter…
No, she wasn't the best, but she's all I had.
With a new determination to keep the one person I had left, I wiped my damp eyes and grabbed an old backpack to pack the few things I couldn't leave behind. Pictures, of course, a few with Mama and Papa in them from before he'd run off, trinkets, including a charm bracelet I really should have thrown out, plus a few other necessities I couldn't bear to leave behind, the last being an old cigar box I hid in the crawl space in the side of the wall. It had all my savings in it. I considered leaving some of it for Mama, knowing she'd need it to make ends meet, but decided I'd be better off paying the bills remotely in case she forgot to do it again.
With a last look around my childhood room, with its sloped ceiling and wooden floors scuffed from the years of wear I'd inflicted on it, I stepped out and closed the door. The finality of the heavy click and rattle the old metal knob made echoed in my ears until I was halfway back down the drive, dirt puffing up under my thudding footfalls as I ran to my future while leaving my past behind.
* * *
"From your expression, I'm going to venture that it didn't go well?" Dirk asked after I stowed my bag in the trunk and buckled up in the passenger seat. Even knowing it was a futile wish, I'd hoped he wouldn't notice my splotchy cheeks and red eyes.
Shaking my head, I fixed my gaze on the scenery outside of my window. "I seriously doubt she'll be attending the wedding." It was an understatement, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him about what had transpired.
I was surprised by the steel in his voice when he replied. "If I have anything to say about it, she will. And she'll behave too. Unless you don't want her there, then I'll let it go." It was me that time that reached over to take his hand.
"Thank you. I'm not sure yet, but I'll let you know," I told him gratefully as I shifted in my seat to face him. Wanting to change the subject, I brought up Sylvia. "If we can swing by the diner real quick, I'd like to tell my boss I'm leaving in person."
Dirk nodded, yet it was somewhat stiff, as if he had somewhere else to be. "That's fine, darling, but please don't dawdle." My suspicions confirmed, my brain latched onto something he'd hinted at earlier.
"Is there something going on? Anything I can help with?" There likely wasn't much I could do, but I could offer my support, just like he had with Mama.
"Your mother isn't the only one that has an issue with our engagement." Dread pooled in my stomach when he didn't elaborate.
"And?" I prompted, anxiety causing my voice to come out in a higher pitch than usual.