"Never mind my look. What are you doing standing here half naked?" I looked at Logan.
"She came claiming her plumbing broke and she wanted to take a shower in the cabin. Claimed she didn't know we were here."
"Well, I didn't, Heaven. You don't even have the courtesy to call ta tell me you're in town. How's I ta know you and Logan's livin' here?"
"We're not living here; we're just here for a day or two and then we're returning to Farthinggale Manor to live. But that doesn't explain why you're standing like that in front of my husband."
"I was only comin' out ta get a towel. I realized I forgot it and didn't want to embarrass Logan none by askin' him to bring one inta me."
"Didn't want to embarrass him? What do you suppose you're doing right now?"
"He don't look embarrassed," she said, smiling at Logan.
"Fanny!" I stepped toward her. "Get in that bathroom and take your shower properly."
"Sure, Heaven honey. Be only a few moments. Then we kin all have a nice little chat."
She reached down to open the bathroom door, exposing herself as she did so. After she went in, Logan shook his head and sat down. His face was flushed.
"Glad you came," he said. "She was getting impossible."
"You shouldn't have let her in."
"I couldn't keep her out of the cabin, Heaven. How was I supposed to do that?"
He was right; it was wrong to place any blame on him. Fanny was Fanny. She was the way she always was. She always had a need to take from me anything I really wanted for myself. This was just like the time years ago when Logan was waiting for me by the riverbank and Fanny showed up before I did and took off her dress and taunted him to catch her. Then he was just as embarrassed and as upset as he looked right now. He told me he didn't want a girl as loose and with as little inhibitions as Fanny He told me I was his type. He liked his girls shy, beautiful, and sweet.
"You're right," I said. "No one but Fanny can be blamed for the things Fanny does. Your father told me you came up_here looking for some papers."
"Yes, I wanted to close that checking account. I found where you put them in the dresser drawer and was actually just about to leave when Fanny showed up."
"I found a wonderful location for the factory, Logan I want
to take you to it later today."
"Fine'
"Why don't you take your papers down to the bank and meet you at the drugstore in an hour. I'll stay here and see Fanny," I said. He looked back at the bathroom and nodded.
"Okay." He kissed me and then left. I waited for Fanny on the porch.
"Where's Logan?" she asked as soon as she emerged. She was wearing a bright red peasant dress, the top pulled down as far as it could be off her shoulders. It didn't surprise me that she wasn't wearing a bra and that half her bosom was revealed. I had to admit that Fanny was very attractive. Despite her wild life, she always had a rich complexion and the combination of her jet black hair and dark blue eyes made for a stunning appearance. "He's finishing off some business in town. What you did in there was horrible, Fanny," I said. I wouldn't let her put me off my purpose. "You're not a teenager anymore. Those kind of antics can't be excused. Logan is my husband now and you are not to behave like that in front of him againd'
"Well, now," she said, her hands on her hips, her head cocked to the side, "I suppose ya think ya jus' gonna take ole Logan outta the Willies and make him one of ya Beantown dandies."
"He's not going to do anything he doesn't want to do."
She stared at me a moment, the anger in her face turning into sorrow. Only Fanny could change emotions instantly, the way you might turn faucets on a sink.
"Sure. Ya two is gonna go live high on the hog and leave me here with the pigs as usual."
"You decided to come back here to live, Fanny. You bought that house with the money from your exhusband."
"But I thought I was gonna get my baby back. I thought ya was gonna help me do it, Heaven. Instead, that lowdown Reverend and his fallow wife still got her. What have I got? I don't have a family; I don't have respect. 'hy, ya didn't even invite me ta the reception at Farthy, but ya invited Keith and Jane ins' cause they're goin' ta some fancy college and look and dress like yer people."
"They're not my people," I said, but I realized she was right. I didn't want her at that party; I didn't want to risk the embarrassment, knowing the kinds of things she might say and do to deliberately humiliate me.
"I wanna come live at Farthy, too, then," she whined. "Why shouldn't I meet all those rich, frustrated old men and find me a sugar daddy like you did, Heaven.?'