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Mae’s sons worshiped her. And in return, Mae juggled a tempestuous relationship between the daughters-in-law, standing between gentle, honest Calista, and fiery, immoral Lola. It was an age-old observation by friends and family; Lola and Rod should have been together, and Alphé and Calista. Their temperaments were more alike, wild Rod and Alphé the quiet one.
“The secret will be revealed when Alphé and Lola are living apart,” Mae said. “That’s all I can say right now. Actually, if I had control, I’d say to let the secret remain a secret, but a pot stirrer is in position to wreak havoc.”
This revelation of a so-called secret made Calista’s foreboding worse.
“Does Alphé know what you’re talking about?” Calista asked, thinking,Because I have no idea what the hell she is getting at.
“No! But he will. You’ll understand why when the time comes. Just drop if for now, please! You’re making my angina worse.”
It sounded like a riddle to Calista. Alphé didn’t know, but he was going to know when the time was right. It made no sense to her.
A Pandora’s box of pain about to be opened just as Katrina and Alphé were falling in love.
***
When Calista left church, Katrina Blanchard drove by in her Porsche. Annie was waiting at the dock as arranged.
“Jeez, I’m impressed,” she said, sliding into the car. “It has that new-car smell.”
“Available in a spray can, only on TV,” Katrina said, laughing. “Do you have any idea where we should start looking?”
“No idea at all, which I guess is stupid. Turn around and go north on Main Street.”
She did, backing out of the parking lot at the dockmaster’s shack and getting back on the street.
“There she is,” Katrina said.
“Who?”
“Alphé’s ex-wife, Lola.”
They watched her walking down Main Street, standing on the corner. Katrina pointed to the side street between Spencer’s Grocery store and Casson’s Hardware.
“Slow down, Kat,” Annie said, sick to her stomach.
“She’s headed down that alley.”
“That’s where the entrance to our old apartment is,” Annie said. “Can you pull over? I want to wait. This is too friggin’ convenient.”
“Oh no, you don’t think…”
“I do think. Just wait.”
They waited, watching Lola Beaumont waiting outside the apartment door.
“Annie, remember, she’s having an affair with your father-in-law. She’s probably waiting for the father.”
Covering her face with her hands, Annie began to cry. “I forgot! I thought she was there to meet Steve.”
Just then, the door to the hardware opened, and Alfonso Casson came out, turned to his right and walked down to the corner, made another right, and met up with Lola. There was no physical greeting they could discern from the street. He unlocked the apartment door and held it for her to pass by.
“What a relief,” Katrina said, grabbing Annie’s hand.
“Yeah, but it could be worse,” Annie said. “What if he’s with a guy?”
Sputtering, Katrina laughed out loud. “I don’t think so, Annie. Do you want me to keep driving?”
“Do you mind?”
