All the Little Lights(93)

Althea stood, busying herself with the dishes in the sink. “Well, it’s that man of hers. He says the house is too small. It’s just a dinky two bedroom, you see, but I’ve offered to sleep on the couch. I use to when the babies were tiny.”

She began cleaning more vigorously. She was uncomfortable, and I looked up, wondering if Duke was around. The guests seemed on edge when he was close. Or maybe he was close because they were on edge.

“How’s the cocoa?” Althea asked.

“Good,” I said, making a show of taking a sip.

“How’s school?”

“Today was long. I didn’t sleep well last night, and Mrs. Mason called me in first thing.”

“Oh? Was she asking questions again?”

“There’s a girl at school who’s missing. She was asking about her.”

“Oh? Who?”

“Presley Brubaker.”

“Oh. Her. You said she’s gone missing?”

I nodded, warming my hands on the mug. “No one saw anything. There’s a detective in town who thinks because I didn’t get along with her that maybe I had something to do with it.”

“And what does Mrs. Mason say?”

“She asked me a lot of questions today. The detective asked her to send him some kind of report.”

Althea curled her lip, seeming disgusted. “She’s the one who called the DHS on your mama before, ain’t she?”

“She was just worried.”

“Is she worried now?” Althea asked.

“Probably. She’s worried about Elliott. I am, too.”

“Lord knows you are. I’m glad you forgave him. You’re happier when you’re getting along. Forgiveness is good. It heals the soul.”

“I pushed him away for a while. Just like I did Minka and Owen.” I paused. “I thought it would be safer for him if I did.”

She puffed out a laugh. “Minka and Owen? Been a long time since you’ve talked about those two. They weren’t good for you.”

“But you think Elliott is?”

“I like to see you smile, and when you talk about that boy, your whole face lights up.”

“Althea . . . Mama was outside the other night. She was in her nightgown. Do you know why?”

She shook her head. “Your mama’s been strange lately. I just sit back and watch.”

I nodded, taking another sip. “So do you talk to Mama? Has she told you why she’s been so . . . different?”

“I spoke to her at the meeting.”

“The meeting about me.”

She nodded.

“You wouldn’t let anyone hurt me, right, Althea?”

“Don’t be silly.”

“Not even Mama?”

Althea stopped cleaning. “Your mama would never hurt you. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, either. She’s proven it over and over. Don’t you disrespect her to me. Never.” She fled the room as if she’d been called. She rushed up the stairs, and a door slamming echoed through the Juniper.

I covered my eyes with my hand. I’d just offended my only ally.





Chapter Twenty-Nine

Catherine

Madison held on to my arm, waiting for the Mudcats to break from time-out. We were down to the last few seconds of the fourth quarter of the championship game, on the twenty-yard line. The bleachers were packed, and we were tied with the Kingfisher Yellowjackets, 35–35. Coach Peckham was in a deep conversation with Elliott, whose eyes were focused on his coach’s every word.

Once they clapped and jogged out onto the field, the crowd erupted.

“They’re not going for the field goal!” Mrs. Mason said, covering her mouth.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

Madison squeezed my arm, watching Sam bang Elliott’s shoulder pad with the side of his fist. “It means they have four seconds to make this play, or we go into overtime and Kingfisher has the ball.”

I looked up at the scouts in the press box. Some were on the phone, some writing notes. Elliott stood behind Sam, made a call, and then Sam hiked him the ball. The receivers spread out, and Elliott took his time, despite the screams and pressure from the stands.

“Oh my God! Get open!” Madison yelled at the receivers.

Elliott took off, carrying the ball toward the end zone, and Madison and Mrs. Mason began jumping up and down on each side of me. Elliott jumped over one Yellowjacket, then a second, and seeing he was unable to enter the end zone on the right, spun around and leaped, landing with the ball just inside the line. The referees lifted their hands in the air, and the team and fans detonated.

Madison and Mrs. Mason were screaming in my ear one second, and the next, we were running down the steps, jumping over the railing, and running onto the field with the team. Everyone was smiling and bouncing and screaming. It was a sea of happiness, and I was in the middle, trying to make my way to Elliott. He was a head above the crowd, searching faces. I lifted my hand, shooting my fingers into the air.

He saw them and tried parting the sea to get to me.

“Catherine!” he yelled.

I did my best to push through, but Elliott got to me first, lifting me off my feet with one arm to plant a kiss on my mouth.

“You did it!” I said, excited. “If they don’t give you a scholarship now, they’re crazy!”