44
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • APRIL 2019 And that’s how rumours get their teeth
When we left off last time, the final performance of the Spring Musical had ended with Doug McLeod and Deborah sharing a passionate embrace and a kiss. The after party was full of well-wishers and it took some time for Deborah to catch up to Kenneth and his mother, Susan.
Woodshed
Chronicles by BOB COLLINS
As they got ready to leave
the community hall, Harriet Murray asked Doug and Deborah to recreate the final scene. Rural Redemption, part 109, continues ... It took Susan 45 minutes to
work her way through all the congratulations and say her thank-yous and goodbyes to the rest of the cast. She arrived back at the house an hour after Kenneth and Susan. Kenneth excused himself abruptly as soon as she arrived. “I have some things to attend to for work. I’ll be in the office.”
Susan smiled at Deborah. “Come and sit,” she said.
“I’ve made tea. The play seemed to be quite a hit. Was it fun?” “The kids and I had a great time with all of it, but I don’t think it was much of a hit with Kenneth.” “I had no idea you could sing so well.” “I loved to sing before we
were married. So does Ashley. Her music teacher got her started. He was Abner in the play. The kids both get him for music and Chris gets him for English, too. He doesn’t live far from here. He inherited a farm by the river from his aunt and uncle. His name is Doug McLeod and the kids really like him.” Deborah
said it wistfully. The tone and the details
hatched a little worry in Susan.
She changed the conversation to the holiday. “Are you excited?” “Kenneth seems resigned
to it. I’m not sure he’s looking forward to it, to be honest.” Susan changed topics
again. “I’m really excited to spend time with Ashley and Christopher. I can’t believe how quickly they are growing up. Ashley introduced me to Clay, and Christopher introduced me to Lisa. Are there any ground rules I should know about?” “They are both great kids.
Well, Clay is hardly a kid anymore. He’s a fine young man with impeccable manners, and he’s absolutely trustworthy. Ashley might have some ideas about coming home late if they go out, but Clay will ask you what time you want her home before they leave. Tell him 11.”
“I met your neighbour, Mr. Pullman, at the play. Anything
I should know about him?” asked Susan. “You met Newt? He lives right next door. He’s been a wonderful neighbour. Christopher works for him now and then and he’s keeping his 4-H heifer there. Newt will probably drop by just to see if you need anything. He’s been really good to the kids and I.” Ashley and Christopher
arrived home, full of pizza- fueled Dogpatch euphoria, and started talking their grandmother’s ears off. Deborah went upstairs to finish packing. Later in the evening Susan rapped on the door to Kenneth’s office. “I just came to say goodnight. I had an early start. I think I’ll call it a day.” “Come in for a minute,
Mother,” said Kenneth. “There are a couple of things I should tell you.”
Susan stepped into the
office. She couldn’t help noticing the Glenfiddich bottle on the desk and the tumbler of it in her son’s hand. He was sitting in his father’s leather chair. King Henderson’s throne she used to call it. “What is it?” “It’s this place. Don’t trust
anyone – especially the old hayseed who lives next door. If he comes snooping around tell him you’re not comfortable having strangers around the house. And don’t trust Ashley’s heartthrob, Clay, either. I know Ashley worships the ground he walks
on and he’s got Deborah totally snowed but don’t buy into any of it. He’s just some cowboy wannabee trying to take advantage of a teenaged girl.”
Susan sighed and stared
down at her son. King Henderson’s heir: same chair, same Scotch, and the same judgmental vitriol. “I’ll keep it in mind, Kenneth. Good-night.” They were up early the
next morning and were ready to go by 9. Kenneth waited impatiently for Deborah as she exchanged hugs and goodbyes with Susan and the kids. He checked the text message he’d sent to Janice Newberry. There was still no answer.
They pulled into the general store 10 minutes later. Kenneth left Deborah in the car and went in to check the mailbox. “Morning there, Mr. Henderson,” said Junkyard Frank. “Gettin’ an early start, are you?” “Sorry, Junkman, no time
for your delightful banter today,” said Kenneth as he pulled a wad of flyers out of the mailbox. “Yeah, I heard you was
takin your missus off for a holiday. Some are figurin’ it’ll be a second honeymoon kind of deal.” “You shouldn’t believe
everything you hear,” said Kenneth tersely. “I hear that,” said Frank.
“You’ll have to stop in and tell us all about it when you get back then.” Frank watched Henderson
drop his mail into the recycling bin then climb into his car. Frank caught Deborah’s eye as they pulled away. He gave her little bye- bye wave. Frank headed back to refill
his coffee cup. “Ya know, Lois, do you
recall when those Henderson’s first came here and there were some who were thinking she was that Charlize Theron from the movies?”
“Some like you, you mean?” said the storekeeper Lois with a smile.
WEEKLY
FARM NEWS UPDATES
FARM NEWS “Maybe that was a mistake,
but I’m startin’ to wonder if she isn’t maybe her sister.” “Probably not, Frank, but I
have to agree, Deborah Henderson is a heck of a singer and she sure can act.” “You don’t know the half of
it,” said Frank smugly. “No?” said Lois. “And what’s the half I don’t know then?” Frank leaned over the counter conspiratorially. “Well, I was standing over
by the tarts and teacups at the end of the play yesterday when the final curtain closed up. And just when it started to open up again, I coulda’ swore I caught a glimpse of Deborah there and Doug McLeod giving each other a pretty friendly-lookin’ kiss. And I’m not talking about one of them friendly little peck- on-the-cheek kind of deals either.” Lois shushed him but
across the room she could see Old Jim Vincent’s head rise and turn in their direction. “What’s that you say,
Frank? You seen Doug giving that Henderson woman a kiss after the play?” asked Jim. Every eye in the store turned toward Frank. Frank nodded. “I wasn’t going to say nothing but seeing’s how the cat’s out of the bag anyway, I swear I saw that very thing.” “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” said
Lois, pushing her hands in the air like she was trying to stop traffic. “You just told me you might have caught a glimpse just as the curtains opened. It was pretty dark behind those curtains and nobody saw it but you so maybe you didn’t see anything, and nothing is all you should be saying. And maybe everyone here should forget they heard you say something you shouldn’t have. This is exactly how nasty rumours get started.” “Maybe it’s not a rumour,”
said a voice from the canned goods aisle. It was Marj Fuller, one of the community hall volunteers.
“I was in the kitchen right
across the counter from Frank and I think I saw the same thing.” “Two people who think
they saw something still doesn’t make it so,” said Lois trying to rein the speculation to a halt. I don’t want any of this to go any further.” “Too late for that,” said
Marj. “Gracie Isaacs saw it, too.” “Three witnesses is enough
to convict anyone,” said Old Jim.
Sign up for FREE today.
YOUR Helping You
The door swung open with
the words hanging in the air. “Convict anyone of what
now?” demanded Harriet Murray. “I’ll do a story for next week’s paper.” To be continued ...
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
