When Maggie woke up the flashlight was still on and her face was mashed against the novel. It left ridges on her cheek. Maggie stretched and looked around her. A week ago Daniel had woken up in his bed. Had it only been a week? It seemed like the past seven days had lasted longer than Maggie's entire life.
She heard the voices of her mother and Garnet in the drive. The breeze caught pieces of their conversation. Maggie heard Garnet say, "My Marcy would be thirteen. She and Maggie could have been best friends."
Maggie’s mother’s voice shook a little when she said, "Like us."
The two women stopped. Maggie lifted up on her elbow. She saw her mother take Garnet’s hand. In a low voice Garnet said, "I wish we didn’t live so far apart."
Mama said, “Me too.” The two women continued their walk. Maggie lay back down and stared at the ceiling. If Marcy had lived would she have been her best friend instead of Billy? Maggie couldn’t imagine that. She also couldn’t imagine having two children in heaven like Garnet.
*
After her shower Maggie sat propped up on Daniel's bed reading, NEVADA. Garnet came into the room. She was still in her robe. She sat down beside Maggie and leaned over her. She looked at the cover the novel. "Daniel and I finished that after you left," she said.
"I was wondering if he ever found out how it ended."
“He did. He thought you’d like the way it turns out.” Garnet smiled at Maggie and reached into the pocket of her robe. She pulled out a tiny red Gideon's New Testament. Softly she said, "This was Daniel's. I want you to have it."
Maggie took it from her and opened it. Daniel had written his name on the first page. She touched his name and whispered, "Thank you."
Garnet smiled again. Her smile was tired. She sighed and said, "Daniel used to run his fingers over the words. He told me once, 'God speaks to people in this book. I wish I could read better so He could speak to me.' I told him the Bible wasn't the only way God talks," Garnet's voice broke. She cleared her throat. "I read him the verse in the Old Testament about God's still small voice. I think he learned to listen to it." She brushed away a tear with the back of her hand.
Maggie reached for Garnet. She felt the softness of her. She felt how much this woman loved her. When she released her Garnet said, "Daniel thought you were real special." She paused then added, “I know someone else who thinks you are real special."
"Who?"
"John Carl.”
Maggie didn’t believe her.
Garnet nodded her head. “He does. I've seen the way he looks at you. He doesn't look at Brenda like that. I‘ve been thinking maybe he would talk to you. He won't talk to me. He seldom does. But I can't stand to watch him hold in all his pain. He has to let some of it out. Could you try to get him to talk?"
"I can try, but I don't know if it will do much good. If John Carl doesn't want to talk, he doesn't talk."
"I know, but I'd appreciate it if you’d try," Garnet said.
"Okay."
Garnet hugged her again and left her to her novel. Maggie closed the book. How was she going to get John Carl to talk?
*
The kids were down in the branch playing. The morning sun shot shafts of white light through the trees. The water glistened. Maggie sat on a rock watching the children. Corey Jean was beside her singing,
"The grass is green
The trees is green
The cars is green..."
The boys were rebuilding the dam. Don looked at Corey Jean and yelled, "Shut up shrimp."
"I am not no shrimp," she said. She stood up and yelled, "You be nice to me Don."
"Make me," he said.
Corey Jean put her hands on her hips. "If Daniel's here he'd make you."
Soberly Don said, "But he's not here."
Corey Jean sat back down and whispered, "I know.”
Earl stopped digging, "I wish he was here now."
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Bee Bob pulled his thumb out of his mouth. "I miss him." Tears stood in his eyes.
Maggie thought, We all do.
Skeeter thrust his shovel into the sand and glared at Maggie. Angrily he said, "Get off your butt, we need some help."
Maggie obeyed. She needed to divert them. She picked up a shovel and started tossing sand on the dam. The effort seemed so futile. Every day, the dam busted. Every day, the boys rebuilt it. At least it was something to do.
After a while Corey Jean resumed her singing. Don clamped his hands over his ears. He looked at Maggie and said, "Hey, why don't we pretend we're Cherokee?"The boys nodded in agreement and Corey Jean shut up long enough to listen.
Don thumped his chest and said, "I’m Big Beaver, Skeeter's Brother Buffalo, Earl's Great Elk, Maggie's Gentle Doe, Bee Bob's Little Gopher and Corey Jean is," he paused dramatically and shouted, "Running Mouth."
Corey Jean flew at him. She punched him hard in the stomach. In a shrill voice she said, "You shut up Don Woodrow. You shut up this minute or I'm gonna tell."
"Go ahead."
Corey Jean stuck her tongue out at him, but she didn’t run to tattle, instead she started singing again,
"The sky is green
Don is green
The trees is green
The flowers is green. . ."
Don groaned.
*
At noon Maggie took the kids up to the house for lunch. John Carl and Bill were eating in the dining room when she walked in. John Carl glanced up at her but he didn't smile. Bill looked angry.
Maggie found Garnet sitting on the couch watching the clock over the fireplace. The hands moved. A full week had passed since Daniel drowned. Garnet sighed. She asked Maggie, "Could you fix Corey Jean a plate?"
"Yes, mam." Maggie went into the kitchen followed by Corey Jean. She opened the refrigerator.
"I want a cheese sandwich," Corey Jean told her.
Maggie got the ingredients out then grabbed a slice of bread and smeared it with mayonnaise. John Carl came into the kitchen. As he put his glass in the sink, Maggie knew it was now or never. In a hoarse voice she said, "Uh, John Carl."
"Yes?" he asked without looking at her.
"I was wondering if you and me could go for a ride after you get off work?" Maggie put the cheese on the bread.
"I guess," he said. He went back into the dining room. He picked his cap up off the table, put it on and left.
Maggie handed Corey Jean her plate.
*
The living room clock hands rested on 5:30 p.m. Maggie got off the couch and went out the front door to the porch steps to wait for John Carl. From a distance she saw Billy's car enter the gate. She watched it snake down the drive and disappear when it dipped into the branch. It appeared again. He he parked under the oak trees. Would he go through the back or the front door.? His car door slammed and he came around to the front where Maggie waited. As he passed by her, he tweaked he nose but didn't speak. Maggie jumped when the screen door banged behind him. She was so tense. She didn't know how she was going to accomplish what Garnet wanted her to do.
She saw John Carl's truck on the road. He pulled into Uncle Woody's drive then continued down the dirt road. Maggie's heart started beating funny. She felt sick and she couldn't breath very well. The truck stopped under the oak tree beside Daniel's truck.
John Carl got out of the truck. When he saw her he smiled timidly. He hesitated, then walked toward her. Maggie stood up. "You're still going to take me for a ride aren't you?" she asked.
John Carl nodded.
"If you don't mind I'd like to go in Daniel's truck."
John Carl winced as if he'd been struck. After a very long minute he asked, "Why?"
"I want to ride in it one last time," she said.
"Oh, I guess so." His voice sounded tired. "Let me eat and take a shower first."
"Okay." She sat back down to wait. *