Breath of Scandal(72)
"Jade has lived with us for more than three years,- Cathy said. "Mitch regarded her as the daughter we never had. He adored her, and so do 1. Jade, would you please bring in a tray of coffee so our guests can help themselves? Please excuse, Ime, Myrajane. I need to say hello to the new arrivals.
As usual, Cathy had adroitly avoided an awkward situation. The Griffiths soon became absorbed with the other guests who arrived to pay their respects before the funeral. Jade was kept busy greeting people at the door and keeping carafes; filled with coffee.
During the funeral service in the campus chapel, she almost forgot the unheralded appearance of Lamar and his mother. Seated next to Cathy, at Cathy's request, she re-
200
Sandra Br-
Breath of Scandal
201
mained transfixed on the flower-banked coffin. Memories of Mitch drifted through her mind while he was eulogized by faculty members. He had been a respected academian, a devoted husband, a kind and loving surrogate father for her and grandfather for Graham. Their lives would not have been the same without his influence. They would miss him terribly .
At the grave site, people commended her for being strong for Cathy's sake. Because her eyes remained dry, no one guessed how much she wept on the inside. Ile day seemed to drag on interminably. A steady stream of Mitch's friends and colleagues came to the house to pay their respects to his widow. The crowd didn't begin to thin out until dusk. By nightfall, only a few guests remained. When they departed, Cathy and Jade finally found themselves alone.
"I suppose I should go pick up Graham," Jade said. "Why don't you let him spend another night? They offered. You know he's being well taken care of. And you've been on your feet all day. I know you're tired."
"I'm exhausted," Jade admitted, sinking down on the sofa beside Cathy and slipping off her black suede heels. "But no more than you, I'm sure."
"Actually, I enjoyed talking about Mitch. He meant so much to so many people."
Jade reached for Cathy's hand and held it between her own. "He certainly did."
They were quiet for a while before Cathy said, "I failed to notice when Hank left, and didn't get to thank him for all he's done the last couple of days."
"I sent him away with that elderly couple from Birmingham. They hadn't gotten a motel room yet and seemed bewildered as to how to go about it. You were with someone else, so Hank couldn't say goodbye.
"He's a dear boy - "
-yes, he is. Very dear." They were quiet for another few moments, then Jade said, "Thank you for handling the situation with Mrs. Griffith and Lamar. I stayed as far from them as possible until they left."
-The spiteful witch managed to intercept me as I was
coming out of the bathroom. She gripped my arm and asked if I was aware of the scandal that had driven you out of Palmetto. I told her that if she had anything negative to say about you, she wasn't welcome in my house."
Cathy's smooth brow wrinkled with concern. "Jade, is it this 'scandal' in Palmetto that'sprevented you from having a romantic relationship with Hank?"
Jade pulled the black ribbon from her hair and shook it free. She studied the black velvet as she threaded it through her fingers. Quietly she said, "When I was a senior in high school, I was raped by three boys. Lamar Griffith was one of them."
Although she fiadn't planned on it, the moment suddenly seemed fight to tell Cathy. "Myraiane doesn't know that, of course. All she's heard is that I was responsible for my boyfriend's suicide. "
Once the floodgate had been lifted, the words couldn't be contained. For almost half an hour they poured out of her. She told the story unernotionally, almost by rote because she had recited it to herself whenever her determination to seek revenge waned. Once her initial shock had worn off, Cathy cried quietly into her handkerchief.
"Oh . Jade," she sobbed when Jade was done. "I'm very glad you told me. You shouldn't have had to bear this alone. This explains so much. How could your mother desert you and Graham?"
"She doubted my innocence and resented me for not staying in Palmetto and forcing one of the boys to claim Graham and marry me."
"MY God! How could she even suggest such a thingr Jade leaned forward and hugged Cathy. "You're the first person who has ever wholeheartedly taken my word for what happened. I know Mitch would have, too. I was tempted to tell you many times. Now I'm glad I didn't, since Mitch was related to Lamar."
"I'm rather glad that Mitch wasn't here to hear your story, too. He would have-- She broke off and raised her hand to her chest. "Oh, but I wish he were here, Jade. How can I stand never to see him again, hear his voice, touch him?"
202
Sandra Brown
Breath of Scandal
203
,,I shouldn't have bothered you with my problems. Not tonight."
"No, Mitch would have urged you to. It's drawn us closer together, and he would have wanted that."
Jade held her until Cathy's tears subsided. "I'm going upstairs now, Jade," she whispered hoarsely as she stood. "Good night."
"Will you be all right?"
Cathy smiled wanly. "No. But I need to be alone . . . with him ... to say my final goodbyes."