Chapter 13
Ellen slept badly that night, but she finally did manage to sleep. The following morning, wearing a simple blue dress and white sandals, she was up, preparing breakfast when Keith, fully dressed, came down. He came to her, gathered her in his arms, kissed her tenderly, and said, "I'll be back later today, and you and I can really to town, Mother. But in the meantime, would you do me a favor?"
"Certainly," she nodded.
"Al, the guy I work with, is going to drop by shortly and pick me up. We have a morning wedding to cover. D'you think you can drop Cookie home? She only lives about a half mile from here, but I'd feel safer knowing she didn't have to walk."
"Of course," Ellen nodded, stiffening a little at the mention of Cookie's name.
"I like her, Mother," he said to her. "I like her a lot."
"I know," Ellen nodded. "I overheard the two of you, last night."
"But she's not going to take your place," the boy insisted. "If the two of you don't hit it off, she's the one who'll go, not you. I want my wife, whoever she's going to be, to love my mother, and I do mean love in every sense of the word."
"I'll take her home," Ellen told him, feeling a little mollified, but still unsure. If she were to lose Keith now, there would be no one for her to turn to, and she would be all alone. She didn't think she'd be able to bear that.
"You're not just a mother," the boy said, "You're a goddess, and I worship you."
"Just love me," she murmured.
"That goes without saying," he told her, kissing her.
Cookie came down about ten minutes after Keith had gone, and she graciously declined breakfast, telling Ellen that in order to keep her perfect figure, she had to skip one meal a day, and that meal was breakfast. She was wearing her Vanderbilt jeans and white blouse.
"Keith asked me to drive you home," Ellen said.
"Please don't bother," Cookie insisted.
"Oh, but I want to," Ellen replied, because she had to know where Cookie lived in case she had to go looking for Keith in a hurry. After all, he might be at Cookie's house.
"Well, then, thank you," Cookie smiled.
They left the house and got into the station wagon, and Ellen followed Cookie's directions. In no time, she had Cookie home.
"Oh, look!" Cookie exclaimed, pointing to the Ford EXP in the driveway. "My father is home. Please do come in and meet him."
Ellen felt she looked a mess, though the truth was she always kept her hair neatly combed and her makeup perfect, even when working in the garden. However, she succumbed to Cookie's plea, noting it hadn't really been a plea, but rather almost bordered on being a command. Cookie was a very dominant female.
Ellen went to the door of the attached home where Cookie lived with her father. They lived upstairs and rented out the downstairs.
Cookie opened the door and stood aside for Ellen to enter in front of her, then called out, "Daddy, I want you to meet someone."
A tall, handsome, black-haired man came from the kitchen through the living room. He was still wearing the gray pants to his suit, though his jacket was draped over the overstuffed chair in the living room. He had a glass of soda in his hand.
"Father, this is Keith's mother. Mrs. Blackton, this is my father, Arthur Martin."
"Art to my friends," the man smiled, extending his right hand.
"I'm Ellen," she replied, taking his hand.
"It's a pleasure, Ellen. Would you like to stay for brunch?"
"I just ate," Ellen replied. "Your daughter spent the night with us, and I brought her home." She put her purse on the coffee table.
"That was gracious of you," he smiled, his brown eyes two burning centers that had Ellen's head whirling. He had a somewhat long nose, thin lips, and a firm chin. The man, though a little on the portly side, was definitely good-looking, and definitely the stable kind. Ellen felt a longing in her, because this was the kind of man she ought to have married many years ago. If she had, she wouldn't be caught up in this incestuous craziness, now; a craziness she admittedly loved.
They made small talk for a while, and then Ellen excused herself, saying she had to return home. She left, went down the stairs after closing the screen door behind her but leaving the front door open. When she got to the station wagon, she realized she had left her purse behind, and turning hurried up the stairs again. Peering into the living room, she saw no one there and looked for a doorbell to ring. When she found it and pushed it, she discovered it didn't work. She was about to knock, when she heard the voices coming from the bedroom in the rear of the house.
"So he's really the one," Art was saying to his daughter.
"I think so," Cookie replied.
"Well, when are you going to tell him about us."
Suddenly, Ellen was intrigued, and quietly opening the screen door, let herself into the house and silently walked down the hall.