Part 17 (1/2)
”Something wonderful,” he grinned.
”What?”
”Outside. Come with me.”
Every vein in his body seemed to be bulging from his skin. In his eyes was a gleam she didn't trust. His smile only deepened her suspicion.
”I'm not going anywhere, Tommy...” she said.
”Why are you fighting?” he asked, c.o.c.king his head. ”Just because he touched you it doesn't mean you belong to him.”
”What are you talking about?”
”Katz. I know what he did. Don't be ashamed. You're forgiven. But you have to come and apologize in person.”
”Forgiven?” she said, her raised voice encouraging the ache in her skull to new mischief. ”You've got no right to forgive me, you a.s.shole! You of all-”
”Not me,” Tommy-Ray said, the smile unwavering. ”Our father.”
”What?”
”Who art outside-”
She shook her head. The ache was getting worse.
”Just come with me. He's in the yard.” He left off holding the door frame and started across the kitchen towards her. ”I know it hurts,” he said. ”But the Jaff'll make it better.”
”Keep away from me!”
”This is me, Jo-Beth. This is Tommy-Ray. There's nothing to be afraid of.”
”Yes there is! I don't know what, but there is.”
”You think that because you've been tainted by Katz,” he said. ”I'm not going to do anything to hurt you, you know that. We feel things together, don't we? What hurts you hurts me. I don't like pain.” He laughed. ”I'm weird but I'm not that weird.”
Despite her doubts, he won her over with that argument, because it was the truth. They'd shared a womb for nine months; they were half of the same egg. He meant her no harm.
”Please come,” he said, extending his hand.
She took it. Immediately the ache in her head subsided, for which she was grateful. In place of the chatter, her name, whispered.
”Jo-Beth.”
”Yes?” she said.
”Not me,” said Tommy-Ray. ”The Jaff. He's calling you.”
”Jo-Beth.”
”Where is he?”
Tommy-Ray pointed to the trees. They were suddenly a long way from the house now; almost at the bottom of the yard. She wasn't quite sure how she got so far so quickly, but the wind that had toyed with the curtains now had her in thrall, ushering her forward, it seemed, towards the thicket. Tommy-Ray let his hand slip from hers.
Go on, she heard him say, this is what we've been waiting for...
She hesitated. There was something about the way the trees moved, their foliage churning, which reminded her of bad sights: a mushroom cloud, perhaps; or blood in water. But the voice that came to coax her was deep and rea.s.suring, and the face that spoke it-visible now-moved her. If she was going to call any man father, this would be a good man to choose. She liked his beard and his heavy brow. She liked the way his lips shaped the words he spoke with a delicious precision.
”I'm the Jaff,” he said. ”Your father.”
”Really?” she said.
”Really.”
”Why are you here now? After all this time?”
”Come closer. I'll tell you.”
She was about to make another step when she heard a cry from the house.
”Don't let it touch you!”
It was Momma, her voice raised to a volume Jo-Beth would never have believed her capable of. The shout stopped her in her tracks. She turned on her heel. Tommy-Ray was standing directly behind her. Beyond him, coming across the lawn barefoot, her nightgown unb.u.t.toned, was Momma.
”Jo-Beth, come away from it!” she said.
”Momma?”
”Come away!”
It was almost five years since Momma had stepped out of the house; more than once in that time she'd said she'd never leave it again. Yet here she was, her expression all alarm, her cries not requests but commands.
”Come away, both of you!”
Tommy-Ray turned to face his mother. ”Go inside,” he said. ”This is nothing to do with you.”
Momma slowed her approach to a walk.
”You don't know, son,” she said. ”You can't begin to understand.”
”This is our father,” Tommy-Ray replied. ”He's come home. You should be grateful.”
”For that?” Momma said, her eyes huge. ”That's what broke my heart. And it'll break yours too if you let it.” She stood a yard from Tommy now. ”Don't let it,” she said softly, reaching out to touch his face. ”Don't let it hurt us.”
Tommy-Ray dashed Momma's hand away.
”I warned you,” he said. ”This is nothing to do with you!”
Momma's response was instant. She took a step towards Tommy-Ray and struck him across the face; an openhanded slap which echoed against the house.
”Stupid!” she yelled at him. ”Don't you know evil when you see it?”