Interrupted Read online

  I knew she meant it. She meant every word of it. She was the perfect mother and I was the ungrateful adopted child. It was only by her charity that I had a roof over my head, much less a place I was supposed to call “home.”

  My eyes stung. “Sorry,” I muttered. “I’m just … I’m just sorry.” I ducked my head and walked out of the room. A family. Sure.

  “Allie?” Beatrice called.

  “Good night.”

  I ran up the stairs and shut the door of my room, collapsing on the bed. A fine family this is.

  I heard footsteps in the hallway and someone knocking on the door. “Allie?” Beatrice, of course. “Allie, can we just get this out? Just talk about it?”

  I answered her with silence.

  “Allie?”

  I muffled my sobs into my pillow and waited until I heard the footsteps retreating. Then I rolled around and fell asleep.

  Charlie looped her arm and mine and giggled like a true Southern belle. “So,” she drawled, looking around at the rationed items on the grocery shelf. Tuna fish? No. Green beans? No. “If you don’t want Russell Wilkinson, honey, can I please have him?”

  I widened my eyes and looked around. We were in a grocery store. People were probably listening, for heaven’s sake. “Charlie,” I hissed, “you make him sound as if he were an item on our list!”

  Charlie pursed her scarlet lips. “Allie, sweetie, I’m serious.”

  She probably was. I took a deep breath and picked up a loaf of bread. “Charlie,” I said, making sure to keep my voice low, “what would you possibly want with Russell? I thought you were waiting for some tall, dark, European stranger or something.”

  Charlie rolled her eyes. “The Europeans turned out to be jerks. Look what they got us into.” She smiled and squeezed my arm. “No, honey, rich is the way to go.” She wiggled her pencil-thin eyebrows. “And Russell certainly has that down to a point.”

  I couldn’t help laughing as I picked up a box of cereal and dropped it into my basket. We continued down the aisle, grinning widely at the people around us. “Charlie,” I said out of the side of my mouth. “He’s five foot six and carries around a pet poodle.”

  Charlie examined a box and smiled coyly. “I’ve always considered myself a dog lover.”

  “More like a gold lover,” I muttered.

  “Cash, dear! Cold hard cash! Besides, Russell’s not bad looking. You make him sound absolutely dreadful.”

  I raised my eyebrows and dragged Charlie toward the checkout. The boy behind the counter helped us load our groceries and rang them up. I exhaled obnoxiously at Charlie. “I suppose if you’re into the gangly, feminized type …”

  “Allie!”

  “What?” I widened my eyes innocently. Then I saw Charlie’s face. She was serious. I composed my features and pulled out my ration stamps, handing them to the grocer. “Fine. You can have Russell, if you really want him. I’ll try to break the news to him tomorrow.” There’s nothing I’d enjoy more.

  “Thank you, darling! I owe you.” Charlie reached over and squeezed me, her perfume overwhelming my nose for a brief second. But I smiled and squeezed her back.

  A bell dinged at the front of the shop and Debra Wilkinson sashayed in. When she spotted us, her eyes lit up. I cringed and tried to avert my face, but Charlie grabbed my arm. I shot her a look before turning to smile at Debra. “Here’s your chance,” I whispered out of the side of my mouth. “Impress Russell’s mother.”

  “Allie and Charlotte!” Debra cooed as she rushed up to us, holding out her arms. “What a lovely surprise!”

  “Mrs. Wilkinson,” I oozed back.

  “Allie, darling, did Beatrice tell you about a little party I’m hosting next week? It’s a sort of benefit—you know, for the war effort. I do hope you can come.” She simpered at Charlie as an afterthought. “Both of you.”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Wilkinson, but I —” Ouch. Charlie had dug her clawlike fingernails into my arm. I fought back a wince.

  “We’d love to,” Charlie purred, flashing Mrs. Wilkinson one of her hundred-watt smiles.

  I tried to discreetly shake my head at her, but she refused to look my way. I grinned, trying to mask my pain. “I’ll pass the message on to Beatrice.”

  “Oh, thank you, Allie! You’re an angel!” Mrs. Wilkinson beamed at me. I thought I saw her raise an eyebrow coolly to Charlie before passing on.

  As soon as she was out of sight, I dropped the smile and ripped Charlie’s hand off my arm. “What were you thinking? Do you want me to die of mental insanity at that party?”

  Charlie’s eyes shot to the ceiling. “Allie, it can’t be that bad. Besides, where else would I wear my blue gingham and ensure that Russell sees me?”

  The thought of trying to impress Russell made me gag. I grabbed my bags from the clerk and turned to go. “Really, Charlie, don’t you think you’re being a little —”

  “Who’s Russell?” a voice asked.

  I yelped and whipped around. Sam Carroll was standing behind me with that silly smirk, his hands in his pockets. I put a hand over my mouth. “You scared me.”

  “So I see.” Sam gave me a wry look. “Seems to be a habit of mine.”

  “Russell is a friend,” Charlie said. “A good friend. And you are?”

  Sam swept into a bow right in the middle of the grocery store. “Sam Carroll, your ladyship.”

  Charlie giggled as he kissed her hand. “Delighted.”

  This was sort of sick. Sam and Charlie?

  “Sam, this is Charlotte Cooper,” I muttered.

  “May I call you Charlie, Miss Cooper?” Sam asked, the perfect gentleman.

  “I shall be quite mad if you don’t.”

  Whatever happened to Russell? The girl was positively fickle!

  I flung one of the brown paper bags at Charlie before slinging the other on my hip, suddenly feeling like an ugly duckling stuck outside the pond. I glared at Sam and looped my arm through Charlie’s. “We were just leaving, actually. Good-bye, Sam.”

  Sam raised an eyebrow, amused. “Bye.”

  I tried to hold my head up as we walked out of the door. Or rather, I walked, while Charlie more or less strutted. Did she have to wear such high heels? To the grocery store?

  “Who was that?” Charlie whispered, looking over her shoulder.

  “An old friend.”

  Charlie smiled. “I’d like to get to know him.”

  I’m sure you would. I avoided her eye as I loaded the groceries into the car.

  “What?” Charlie stared at me, looking confused.

  Did I say that out loud? I bit my lip, my brain scrambling for a way to explain my ugly remark.

  Charlie turned slowly and placed a hand on her hip. She watched me, curious. “Is there something going on between you and him?”

  “What?” I tried to laugh, slamming the car door shut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yeah, clearly.” A smile played around in the corner of Charlie’s mouth. “I’m not being serious, if that makes you feel better. I could care less about Sam Carroll.”

  The way she said his name bothered me. It sounded sneaky, like she was waiting to get my reaction.

  I brushed my hair over my shoulder and shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Right.” Charlie laughed and hopped in the passenger seat. “Sure.”

  Bing Crosby was playing as I walked in the front door. I dropped my keys on the table and looked around, confused. “Beatrice?” I called as I pulled off my sweater.

  Beatrice never listened to Bing or Fred or Louis. The only music she ever played in her house were records from the turn of the century, when she was some kind of debutante in Maine.

  “Allie, is that you?”

  I walked toward the parlor. “Yeah, I just got back from —”I walked into the room and froze. In the loveseat was the back of a young woman.

  Beatrice smiled. “Look who just walked in.”

&n
bsp; The woman turned her head and grinned, showing perfect white teeth behind hot pink lipstick. “How are you, darling?”

  I screamed and dropped the groceries. “Irene!”

  She laughed and held out her arms, which I ran into. I closed my eyes and breathed in. She smelled just the same — perfume mixed with cherry soda. Sometimes I thought Irene was the only good thing that came with my moving in with Beatrice. She pulled back and looked me over. “Gosh, honey, I’ve missed you! It’s been what? Three months?” She squeezed my shoulder. “It’s so good to be home!”

  I let her hug me. Even hugged her back, a little bit. “How was Florida?”

  She widened her eyes and laughed. “Hot. I don’t know how Daniel stands that heat every day. One hour in the military would kill me.”

  I smiled. “Well, a training camp isn’t nearly as bad as the actual fighting front.”

  An awkward silence filled the room. Irene looked pained. Beatrice coughed and shook her head at me. “I’m sure Daniel will handle it well,” she said, but the cheer in her voice didn’t show up in her eyes. “I’ve always said that a strong will can stand the harshest drill.”

  “Yes, well, I suppose you’re right. God is with him, I know. Protecting him and getting him ready to come back to me soon.” Irene winked and sat back down on the loveseat, scooting over for me to sit beside her. “So, darling, Mom was just bragging on you. She said you won a writing award with a check for fifty dollars. Out of everyone in the school!”

  I blushed and ducked my head.

  Irene wiggled her eyebrows. “I always knew our girl had it in her. She’ll grow up to be famous yet!”

  I fidgeted in my seat and tried to look happy. She didn’t mean to upset me, after all. Irene squeezed my arm with her long pink nails as she looked around the parlor. “Gosh, Mom, you really need to redecorate. It’s been like this since I was a girl!” She laughed. “This place looks centuries old!”

  Beatrice chuckled and folded her hands in her lap. “I always have been one for tradition. You may have gotten me to play that confounded record, Irene, but you will not convince me to redecorate my home. Not in a million years.”

  My home. Did she realize how often she said that? I recrossed my legs.

  “Allie, I heard there was a certain something going on between you and a young fellow here,” Irene said with false brightness. She looked at Beatrice and winked.

  I blushed. How did she …

  “A young man by the name of Russell, perhaps?” Irene’s eyebrows danced.

  Oh. I shook my head. “No, no, there’s … really nothing going on between us.”

  “Oh, pish-posh.” Beatrice beamed at Irene. “Russell’s crazy about Allie.”

  Much to my discomfort. I pretended to enjoy the conversation and took the time to study Irene. Her bright red hair was fading into a burnt auburn, her flawless skin was wrinkling just a little around the eyes and mouth. Even her eyes had clouded over a little.

  Is time away from your husband that difficult, or did I just not notice her aging before? I frowned. She can still hardly be much older than thirty.

  “Well,” Beatrice said, pushing away from the table. “I’d better go get supper on. You two keep on talking.” She gazed at us a moment more before walking out, humming contentedly to herself.

  Irene watched her leave and smiled, her eyes crinkling. “I’m so glad she’s happy,” she said. “You’re taking such good care of her, Allie. I wouldn’t trust her with anyone else.” Irene laughed and nudged me. “She’s a special woman. She deserves to be taken care of, you know?” She lowered her voice. “She’s blessed to have a daughter like you.” As she stroked my hand, her eyes clouded over.

  I nodded and forced the corners of my mouth up, but I felt hollow and my stomach ached. Didn’t Irene know that … that glow in Beatrice’s eyes was all for her? Her true daughter. Once Irene left, all the sunshine would go with her.

  Beatrice never looks at me that way. Every time she glanced in my direction, I sensed nothing but tiredness and concealed frustration. I was something she dutifully cared for, not loved. I cleared my throat and looked away.

  Irene looked at the empty doorway a moment more before giggling and hopping off the loveseat. “I’m going to go help Mom out with supper. You relax.” She smiled and skipped out of the room like a six-year-old.

  I sighed and pulled my feet up onto the armchair.

  “I looooove you,” someone crooned from the gramophone.

  I glared at it. “Oh, shut up.”

  Chapter 10

  Delight is as the flight—

  Or in the Ratio of it,

  As the Schools would say —

  The Rainbow’s way.

  — Emily Dickinson

  Irene squeezed my elbow and laughed. “Oh, I haven’t been to a picture show in years, girls! Daniel never can go.”

  Charlie’s eyes twinkled. “This one has Clark Gable in it. He’s the dreamiest star ever. Or so Allie thinks.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  I blushed and walked up to the window. “Three for Gone with the Wind.” I looked over my shoulder at Irene. “It came out a few years ago, but it’s still good.”

  When the lady behind the desk gave us our tickets, Irene giggled like a girl. “Oh, it’s so exciting!” She pushed up her sunglasses and squeezed Charlie’s arm.

  Charlie gave me a quizzical look, and I could tell she was holding back a laugh.

  “So, Allie,” Irene said, smiling at me. “I ran into quite the interesting young man at the post office the other day. He told me you were friends when you were younger.”

  I clutched my ticket, creasing it down the middle. “Sam?”

  “Yeah.” Irene brightened. “I invited him to the movies with us today.”

  “You did what?”

  “Ladies,” someone said behind us. I turned around slowly. It was only Russell. My heart stopped racing before I’d even realized it had started.

  “You silly boy!” Charlie gushed, grabbing his arm. “What brings you here?”

  Irene looked between the two of them and crossed her arms knowingly.

  “Lovely day for a picture show. Don’t you think so, Allie?” He smiled at me and held up his ticket.

  “Sure, Russell.”

  “Good afternoon, everyone.”

  I turned again, this time to see Sam Carroll tip his hat at us. “One for the Clark Gable show,” he said to the girl behind the counter.

  “Oh, it’s you again!” Charlie beamed at him and then turned back to Russell, reaching up to play with a tendril in her golden bob.

  “Good afternoon,” Irene said, nodding. Sam tipped his hat in response.

  “Who is this?” Russell frowned at him.

  “Oh, it’s just Sam.” I rolled my eyes. “Irene invited him to come with us.”

  Russell went back to looking disapprovingly at Sam. “How do you know Allie?”

  Sam winked at me. “We go way back.” He smiled as he took his ticket from the blushing girl behind the counter.

  Charlie squeezed Russell’s arm, not that he seemed to notice. “Well, this is just lovely. It’s like a double date! With Irene, of course.”

  “Of course.” Irene grabbed her purse and began to walk into the theater. “I’ll see you inside, Allie.” She looked at me with the same knowing look she’d given Charlie.

  What? I turned to face Sam, who was grinning.

  “We’re right behind you!” Charlie pulled Russell, who continued to frown back at Sam and me, into the theater. “Terrible weather, isn’t it, darling?” She shivered, glancing up at the stubbornly blue sky. Russell hesitated before wrapping his arm around her.

  I snuck a look at Sam. He held out his elbow to me. “Shall we?”

  I stormed into the theater, leaving him to follow me in. Knowing him, he probably was amused by it.

  Clark Gable was just too handsome. I stuffed popcorn into my mouth and sighed. Really, that woman just doesn’t deserve him.

 
; “I don’t get it,” Sam whispered.

  I glared at him. Didn’t he ever hear you were supposed to be quiet during the picture show?

  “Why do women love him so much? He’s not that great looking.” Sam reached over for a handful of popcorn.

  I ripped the popcorn away from him. “Are you serious? Clark Gable?”

  Sam smirked. “Yeah.”

  I looked back at the screen. What does he know?

  Sam reached over and brushed a piece of popcorn off my sleeve. “What’s wrong?”

  Charlie, who was sitting behind us and obviously listening, leaned forward and grinned. “You don’t know what you’ve started. Allie’s had a crush on Gable since she was fifteen.”

  Sam’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? I guess I wouldn’t know, considering she and I never went to movie theaters in Tennessee.”

  I squirmed, keeping my eyes glued on the screen.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Charlie propped her elbows up on our seats, her mouth close to my ears.

  Sam looked like he was holding back a laugh. I glared at Charlie and stuffed more popcorn into my mouth.

  “Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Charlie whispered in our ears.

  I started to frown. “Now, that’s never a good thing—”

  “Hush!” Charlie lowered her voice. “There’s a fair in town. I say we ditch the picture show and go have some fun.” She raised one side of her mouth. “What do you say?”

  “I’m up for it.” Sam started to stand. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back down.

  “What about Irene?” I hissed.

  Charlie widened her eyes innocently. “What about her?”

  “We can’t just leave her.”

  Charlie shrugged and leaned over to Irene before I could stop her. “Hey, Irene, honey, is it okay if we go over to the fair? It’s getting a bit stuffy in here.” She fanned herself and batted her eyelashes.

  Irene laughed and swatted us with her purse. “Go on, you silly kids. I’ll cover for you.” She saw me and grinned. “What? I was young once too.” She lowered her voice so only I could hear her. “And it’s a great night for love.”

  My mouth dropped open. “No, no, it’s not …”