Part 17 (1/2)
”Interesting,” Vivien said, trying to picture it. If she had lost repeatedly to a good friend, would she have been willing to put her whole heart into supporting him? Or would she have been waiting for her opportunity?
”There was some sort of falling-out the following fall as I recall,” Professor Sturgess offered. ”I remember Clay sort of kept to himself after that. I think he even dropped out of the fraternity he and J.J. belonged to.”
”Do you know what it was about?” Vivien held her breath, hoping for some insight, but the professor shook his head.
”Nope, neither of them ever talked to me about it. But when Clay moved here to run J.J.'s first campaign, I figured they must have patched things up. And, of course, I've seen the two of them at functions over the years since I moved to Atlanta. They were both very helpful with our legislative interns.h.i.+p program.
”It's a shame about J.J.” Professor Sturgess shook his head, then glanced down at his watch and Vivien knew it was time to wrap things up.
”Yes.” Vivi put her pad and the recorder into her purse. ”And I really appreciate your time and your input,” she said as she prepared to leave. ”But I have one last question about J.J. and Clay and their, um, approaches. Was there any one fundamental way in which they differed? Anything that stood out in your mind?”
”Well.” His gaze s.h.i.+fted from her face to settle somewhere behind her as he thought. When he met her eyes again he said, ”If I had to pick one thing I'd say that although J.J. was very into appearances-playing the part, presenting the right image, very driven to achieve his goals, there was a certain volatility that took over on occasion. He could make a decision based solely on his gut and act on it before he'd cooled down enough to think it through. Not hotheaded exactly, but impulsive at times.”
”And Clay?” she asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt his train of thought.
”Clay was very controlled and purposeful. I don't think he ever acted without forethought. Even as a college student he was all about doing the *right thing.' Honoring commitments and obligations regardless of how he might feel.”
There was a brief silence as Vivien considered his answer. She would have liked to pursue this line of questioning, but the professor was standing, offering his hand.
As she walked out through the echoing hallways she thought about Professor Sturgess's take on the two men. She didn't know if anything he'd told her had any bearing on how and why J.J. had died, but she'd learned long ago not to discard the smallest bit of information. Sometimes the tiniest key unlocked the biggest door.
THE LAST WEDNESDAY night before Christmas the cla.s.s was so small they fit into one line.
”This is why we're breaking for the next two weeks,” Melanie said as she positioned herself between Vivien and Ruth. Angela and Sally fell in on either side of them. ”Everybody's way too busy with the holidays. I just hope we get enough reservations for the New Year's Eve party to make it worthwhile.”
Naranya started the music while they tied on their scarves. A month full of ”Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and ”Jingle Bells” coupled with the Christmas decorations that surrounded them rendered the ancient oriental melodies even more exotic than usual.
”Maybe we should just blow this Popsicle stand and go away for the holidays,” Vivien said as she tried to balance on one bent leg while resting the ankle of the other above the knee.
”You should come with me,” Naranya said as she reached her arms into the air, watching as they followed. ”I am going on thee Princess of the Sea for two weeks. All expenses paid. I teach only one cla.s.s a day.”
”That's what I'm talking about,” Vivi said. ”The Caribbean. Lounge chairs by the pool. Midnight buffets.”
”You would be fixated on the food,” Melanie said as they went up on their toes and reached toward the snowflake-covered ceiling. ”I'm pretty sure there'll be some of that at Magnolia Hall.”
”Oh, sure,” Vivi said. ”If my personal food policeman lets me eat any of it.”
”A personal food policeman?” Angela shot Vivi a look. ”I could so use one of those right now. I hate how the holidays revolve completely around food.”
”Ach,” Ruth said. ”I baked rugalach for all of you. Don't let me forget to give you the tins.” They stretched to the side, bending low. ”Girls today are too thin. In my day curves were a good thing, not something to try to get rid of.” She looked at Angela. ”Or hide.”
”Ruth . . .” Melanie looked at her friend, her tone a warning.
With arms extended they began to roll their right shoulders backward, then forward. At Naranya's signal they repeated the controlled movement with their left.
”I'm only saying that wearing clothes a size too big makes a person look larger, not smaller,” Ruth said. ”I heard that the other night on What Not to Wear.”
Angela's cheeks flushed. Melanie, too, had wondered why the redhead wore clothes too big for her body, but only Ruth would come out and say so.
”There's a lot of *hiding' going on,” Ruth continued looking now at Vivien. ”This one hid her pregnancy until we called her on it. And now she's hiding out at your house. For someone who has a reputation for digging up the *truth' she doesn't seem to feel too inclined to share it.”
Melanie's chest tightened as it had when Caroline and Vivi went at each other. Dance cla.s.s was meant to relieve stress, not cause it. ”Ruth, really,” she began, ”I don't think this is the time to . . .”
Perhaps practicing the tact that would be required of her on a holiday cruise s.h.i.+p, Naranya placed herself in front of Sally and rolled up her black stretch pants so that she could demonstrate the movement of her legs. ”Watch how my knees control what my hips do,” she instructed, leaving them to their conversation.
”So you and Ira have always told each other everything?” Angela asked with an odd sort of urgency as they all touched a toe forward, bent at the knees, and began a series of hip rolls. ”You don't keep secrets of any kind?”
Vivi didn't say anything, but she watched with a sharp-edged interest. They turned and touched the other toe, bent at the knees, and rolled the opposite hip in unison just as Naranya was doing with Sally.
”I always thought so. I thought we shared everything,” Ruth said. ”But I was wrong.” Ruth's hips stilled and Melanie reached out to give her arm a squeeze.
”I think complete honesty is necessary in a long-term relations.h.i.+p. If you don't tell the truth or you withhold parts of yourself, well . . .” Melanie closed her eyes as she thought about J.J., the Band-Aid momentarily ripping free. ”I don't think a marriage based on anything less has a chance of surviving.”
Vivien blew out a breath and stopped moving her hips. She looked distinctly uncomfortable; but then Melanie already knew that her sister had a sliding scale when it came to the truth. One standard for others, especially the subjects of her investigations; another for herself.
”So you'd want to know the truth about your significant other, even if the truth were unpleasant?” Vivi asked her.
”Absolutely,” Melanie said.
”What about you, Vivi?” Angela asked. None of them were even pretending to practice anymore. ”Do you believe both parties in a relations.h.i.+p should know everything about the other?”
Vivi looked away for a long moment and then back. ”The answer's not as black and white as I used to think,” she admitted. ”Everything becomes a lot more complicated when you care about someone.”
They all nodded in agreement, though no one seemed especially happy about it.
”That cruise is looking better and better,” Vivi observed as Naranya pa.s.sed out the zills she had promised and showed them how to slip them onto their fingers.
”Maybe we could sign on as Naranya's a.s.sistants and belly dance every night at the midnight buffet.”
They chimed their finger cymbals enthusiastically in favor of the idea and laughed at the sounds they made. But Melanie knew there'd be no sailing off into the sunset. At least not anytime soon.
22.
MELANIE HAULED VIVIEN out of bed early on Christmas morning, much as she had when they were kids.
”Come on,” she said. ”I've got hot chocolate ready. Put a robe on. This is the one morning of the year the kids don't have to be dynamited out of bed. We always exchange gifts first thing.”
”What time is it?” Vivien mumbled, her eyes still closed.
”Doesn't matter. Santa left presents under the tree. Some of them even have your name on them.”
They were expected at Magnolia Hall at one o'clock for the official Gray Christmas. On previous visits Vivi had stayed there in her old room and had typically slept in until it was time to make an appearance. She'd never thought to ask if or how the Jacksons had celebrated.
”Mmmphh.” Vivi got one eye open. Melanie wore a bright red robe with white cuffs and collar. Her slippers curled up in an elflike fas.h.i.+on and were striped like candy canes. A Santa hat sat on her head.
”Come on.” Melanie grasped her hand and pulled her from bed. ”Go pee. I'll wait here.”