“We got comp’ny, Otis.” Mrs. Parker had removed the cup towel from her shoulder and was wringing it between her hands.
“Who is it?” He moved forward in his rolling, bowlegged gait and stopped a few feet from Jade, squinting at her through nearsighted eyes.
“It’s Jade Sperry, Mr. Parker.”
The breath left his body in a slow hiss. Jade almost expected him to deflate. Instead, he pulled himself to his full height. “I can see that now. What are you doing here?”
Jade wanted to put her arms around them. Embracing them would almost be like touching Gary again. She resisted the impulse. She had tried to share their grief at Gary’s funeral and had been rebuffed. They believed, as everyone else did, that her unfaithfulness to Gary had caused his suicide.
“I’d heard you were back in town,” Otis said. “What do you want with us?”
“Could we sit down?”
The couple silently consulted each other with exchanged glances. Otis turned his back and went to sit in the chair with the dark stain on the headrest. Mrs. Parker indicated the sofa to Jade, then sat down in a straight chair with a ratty cane seat.
“You said you’d heard that I was back in town,” Jade began. “Do you know why?”
“Heard you was building a new plant of some kind.”
“That’s right.” She gave them an elementary explanation. “My company is already considering several ways to diversify. In order to expand, we’ll need more land. That’s why I came to see you this evening, Mr. Parker.” She drew a breath through her tight chest. “I want to buy your farm on behalf of GSS.”
Mrs. Parker raised a hand to her lips but didn’t utter a peep. Otis continued to squint at Jade. “This place? What for?”
“There are several possibilities,” she replied evasively.
“Like what?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss them, Mr. Parker. I would also ask that you keep this offer in strictest confidence.” She glanced at Mrs. Parker, then back at Otis. “I hope you understand that. Absolutely no one must know.”
“It don’t matter. I ain’t interested in selling.”
“I realize that the property has been in your family for a long time, Mr. Parker. There’s certainly a sentimental attachment to consider, but—”
“It ain’t for sale.”
Jade rolled her lips inward. She was making them remember, pushing them into painful recollection. Her presence in their home was a reminder of the son they had loved so much and lost so tragically. She was tempted to leave and alleviate their misery. Instead, she forced herself to go on.
“Would you at least grant me permission to have the property appraised by an impartial third party? It would be done with the utmost discretion and with no inconvenience to you, I promise. Once I review the appraisal, I’d appreciate an opportunity to speak with you again.”
“It won’t hurt nothing, will it, Otis?” Mrs. Parker asked.
Otis regarded Jade with animosity. “You hurt my boy. You broke his heart and his spirit right in two.”
Jade bowed her head. “I can’t explain to you what happened that spring, but you must believe that I loved Gary with all my heart. If I’d been given a choice, I never would have hurt him.”
“You think buying this place is going to ease your guilty conscience?” Mr. Parker asked.
“Something like that.”
“Well, neither you or that highfalutin company you work for has enough money to make up for our Gary.”
“You’re absolutely right, Mr. Parker. A price tag could never be placed on his life. It’s just that your farm lies in the path of our progress. GSS is prepared to pay you a premium price for it.”
“It ain’t for sale. Not to you.” He rose to his feet and left the room.
After a moment Jade reluctantly stood to go. Mrs. Parker led her to the door. “Do you think it would be all right if I have the property appraised?”
The woman cast a worried glance toward the rear of the house. “He didn’t say a flat-out no, did he?”