True Colors

It all sounded so pedestrian, so soap opera, but the truth was no better. How could she put into words this passion she had for Dallas? It was so much more than sex. In his arms . . . in his bed . . . she felt whole. It made no sense, even she knew that, but it was true nonetheless.

At Luke’s house, she parked the truck and ran inside, searching room by room, calling out his name.

He wasn’t home.

Of course he wasn’t. He was in town somewhere, standing in the crowd, waiting for her. At his kitchen counter, she stopped and took off her engagement ring leaving it on the avocado-colored tile. Then she went back out to her truck and drove to town. As she passed the gas station, an ambulance came up behind her, sirens blaring, lights flashing.

She pulled over, then eased back onto the road, driving slowly through town, looking for Luke’s truck. She was nearing the bowling alley when she happened to glance to the left. In the distance, she could see the start of Water’s Edge, the shadowy rolling pastures. Red and amber lights flashed up from the darkness. The ambulance was at her house.

Vivi Ann hit the gas hard and sped home. At the rise, she parked and jumped out. She was running across the grass when two paramedics came out of the cabin, rolling a gurney between them. Dallas lay strapped on the narrow bed.

She skidded to a stop beside him. His right cheek was cut open. One eye was swollen and turning black.

“Hey, Princess,” he said, wincing, trying to smile.

“Oh, Dal . . . I’m sorry—”

“We’ve got to get him into the ambulance,” said one of the paramedics, and she nodded and stepped back.

“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” she promised.

“Don’t.”

She leaned down and kissed his good cheek.

“It’ll be ugly in there, Vivi . . .”

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have lied.”

There was no time to say more. The paramedics rolled him to the ambulance, loaded him in, and drove off.

In the sudden, quiet darkness, Vivi Ann stared at her grandfather’s cabin, trying to find the strength she needed to face Luke.

When she was ready, she went up to the front door and stepped inside.

Only it wasn’t just Luke. He stood near the kitchen sink, flanked by Winona and Dad.

Vivi Ann’s step faltered, but she kept going, walked up to them.

“I’m sorry, Luke. I went to your house to tell you—”

“Too late, Vivi,” he said.

“But—”

“Your chickenshit boyfriend didn’t even fight back.” He pushed past her and walked out of the cabin. The door banged shut behind him.

Vivi Ann stood there, hearing his truck start up and drive away. In the silence that followed, she looked at her father and Winona. “I’m sorry, Daddy. You must have felt like this when you met Mom—”

He smacked her across the cheek so hard she stumbled sideways.

“You’ll be at the parade tomorrow, with this family, and by God, you will not disgrace me again.”

Vivi Ann sat in her grandmother’s wing chair all night. If she slept at all it was a catnap here or there. Mostly she stared out the window at the darkened expanse of Water’s Edge.

You’ll be at the parade. You will not disgrace me.

There was no doubt at all about what that meant. Her dad was reminding her that she was a Grey and as such was expected to align with her family. He knew, as she did, that she could be forgiven for this affair, even for hurting Luke. It would not be pretty, or come without pain, but forgiveness could be granted in time. Things were done a certain way in Oyster Shores and everyone knew the rules. All she had to do was repent and return home in acknowledgment of her sin.