Chapter Thirty-Eight

-- August, 2002

Paul Simon – “Mother and Child Reunion”

Nannie’s story was interrupted by shouting coming from the community rec. room. I got up to see what all the commotion was about and found Bill arguing with Lynn and my mother. “--Please! I’m the only goddamn adult here! At least I don't do drugs like some people...” he shouted, staring at Janet.

“No, you only drink.” Mom said in defense.

Lynn backed up her sister. “Yeah, why don’t you go have another one?!”

Bill wheeled around on her. “Maybe I will, you miserable bitch!”

“Oh, that’s just great, Bill! Call me a bitch in front of my kids! Why did you even have to come to this?!”

“Believe me, I’ve been asking myself the same thing!”

“Why are you such an asshole?!” Mom wanted to know.

Bill was about to respond when a voice screamed, “Enough! They whirled around to see Nan rolling up behind them with her oxygen tank, wheezing hard. She glared at her daughters. “Just shut up! I will not let you talk to your brother like that!”

Lynn was flabbergasted. “But, Mom!”

“I said, it’s done!”

“Fine. Side with him. You always did.”

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“He’s my son!”

“He’s not mine. I don’t owe him anything!”

As Lynn stormed off, her mother yelled after her. “Of course, the ice queen would turn her back on family--”

Lynn stopped in her tracks. “What is that supposed to mean?!”

“God knows I’ve never seen you show anything more than passing affection to your husband since your wedding.”

“Well, excuse me if I don’t think that public displays of affection are appropriate! That hardly makes me frigid! It makes me sensible!”

“And someone clearly driven by passion.”

“Oh, wow… then tell me mother, how should I act?”

“I know you like the guy, you have damn near five kids with him!”

Lynn crossed her arms. “Fine. If this’ll shut you up!” She walked over to where Kevin sat at the bar and kissed him passionately in front of her mother. Sandra was stricken quiet as Lynn ran her hands vigorously through what remained of Kevin’s hair. When she finished, she threw a satisfied look at her mother, then stomped away. She left behind an awkward silence. The only person moving was Kevin, who turned back to the bar, smiling deeply.

I found Lynn on the back deck a few minutes later, the one that overlooked the nine-hole golf course with the yellow grass. She was smoking a cigarette. For a woman whose only vice was white wine, smoking a cigarette was right up there with oh, I don’t know... black tar heroin.

“Aunt Lynn, you alright?”

She looked up, startled. “Taylor... yeah, I’m fine. God, you must think I’m some spoiled brat.”

“No...”

“It’s not true, you know? The kids are bleeding us dry. I’m out there cutting coupons. Still, I’m sorry you had to see that.”

I shrugged. “It’s okay.”

She shook her head, adamantly. “No, it’s not. You’ve got no one to look up to in this family. No role models. It’s just... Bill’s a mess, you know?”

“Mom says it started when he was thirteen…”

“Taylor, he's eight years older than me. Ever since I've been able to make memories, he's been a nightmare.”

“He was a kid – how bad could he have been?”

“Maybe when you’re older I’ll tell you.”

“Come on, I’m seventeen! Mom’s already told me everything from Christmas ’67 onward.”

Lynn looked up at me. “But nothing before?”

I shook my head. “No, why?”

“My God...” Lynn said, stubbing her cigarette out and lighting another one.

“She buried the lead.”