Prom Night in Purgatory(56)

Johnny wasn’t sure that was all he wanted anymore. He definitely had to hang around until Billy was out of school. He needed to make sure Momma didn’t fall in love with the wrong guy and get herself in trouble, too. But then what? Maybe there was a much bigger world out there. A world where Maggie existed somewhere beyond the confines of his own little life. He had felt desolate all of a sudden and ended up leaving the after-graduation party early, heading out to the reservoir to skip rocks and sleep on the sand. He’d spent many a summer night out at the rez. Now here it was, halfway through the summer, with August breathing down on him with her hot breath and her short temper, and he found himself there again. He had driven out after he got off work, threw off his shoes and jumped fully clothed into the drink just to escape her. Then he had laid out on the beach and wished like hell he was dancing with Maggie.

He had his car radio cranked up just like he’d done the night of the prom. He listened as the same old announcer spun out some of the very same songs, and he laughed at himself for being such an old woman. Here he was, Johnny Kinross, who could have any girl he wanted, sitting by himself, mooning over a girl he had met only once.

“And here’s a brand new one coming out to you across the airwaves, folks. It’s a beauty...tell your friends you heard it here first. The Platters singing ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.’” The announcer’s practiced voice introduced the next song with all the enthusiasm and vigor of a true music lover, and Johnny sat up abruptly as the opening bars bled out across the sand. He listened, growing more and more baffled. He had never heard this song before, he would have remembered it for the title alone.

It was her song. The song Maggie told him was her favorite. How could it be her favorite song when it hadn’t even been released yet? She’d said it was an oldie but still the best love song she’d ever heard. An oldie? The announcer said it was brand new....

“What the hell, Maggie?” Johnny yelled out, his voice echoing angrily across the water, only to yell right back. “None of it makes any damn sense! Where are you?!” He stood and chucked the rock in his hand as hard as he could throw it. He felt like crying and was suddenly mad as hell and clueless as heaven, and done sitting at the rez, talking to the water. He grabbed his boots and shoved his feet inside and marched to his car, flipping the radio off and gunning the engine. He spun out and headed back into town, the hot summer air whooshing through the windows and merging with the frustrated heat inside his chest.

Johnny pulled in to The Malt and sighed. He wasn’t fit for company, and he wasn’t dressed for it either. His clothes had dried in the August night, but they were stiff and sandy, and his hair was probably a mess. He ran his hands through it, tugging his comb from his back pocked to put it to rights. He may not be fit for company, but he needed it, and The Malt was as good a place as any to find it, plus he could check on his momma.

His mother had told him it was over with the mayor. Mayor Carlton, Roger’s dad, was as slick and handsome as his son, without the mean streak. Dolly Kinross said he was nice to her, and she said he was lonely and miserable, and “it really wasn’t like that, Johnny!” she had huffed at him, her hands on her hips in mock outrage.

“Good, Momma. Then you won’t mind tellin’ Mayor Carlton that he can solve his loneliness problem by gettin’ off his ass and doing the job the people of Honeyville elected him to do. You end it, Momma, or I will!” Johnny had said. “Billy isn’t complaining, but I think Roger Carlton’s been making his life difficult. I wouldn’t be surprised if it has something to do with his daddy spending time with you.”

“Roger?” Dolly Kinross had squeaked out, and she got a funny look on her face. “He’s been giving Billy a hard time?”

Johnny just looked at her hard, folding his arms and waiting.

“I’ll tell the mayor we can’t be friends anymore, Johnny. I promise.” Dolly looked sincere. “Roger scares me a little. I didn’t know he was bothering Billy.”

That was a week ago, and so far so good. Momma had been coming home right after work, and Billy even saw her talking to Chief Bailey yesterday on her lunch shift.

Johnny walked inside The Malt, and a few friends called out his name. Carter and Peggy had been inseparable since the prom, and they sat at a table in the back, a few other friends surrounding them. Carter had his arm slung around Peggy’s shoulders, and she kept looking at him like he wasn’t a tall, skinny, yellow-haired scarecrow but something special. She was too pretty for him, but they looked good together, and they complemented each other in a way that surprised Johnny. He chatted with them for a minute and looked around, expecting to see his mother waiting tables.

“Hey Carter, you see my momma tonight? Was she here?”

“She was, but she hustled on outta here just before you came.” Carter lowered his voice and leaned in to his friend, speaking directly in to his ear. “Roger Carlton was in here. He got a little hot under the collar. He was being a complete nosebleed, if you ask me. Anyway, she dumped a drink over his head to cool him down some, I guess. She apologized, but Val sent her home.”

Roger Carlton again. He was really gonna have to do something about the kid. He had let things go so far because he’d felt like maybe his mother had been the cause, but Roger just wouldn’t go away. Johnny grabbed a burger and a Coke and headed for the door.