Tree Huggers, Children and Broken Decoys Read online

Junior looked at the woman on the bed hooked to a plethora of machines, her chest rising and falling in an artificial, rhythmic fashion. She looked so much older than the girl Junior had known in school. And if she admitted the truth - after she had walked out of the church on their wedding day, Junior had not given Susan nor Quinton much thought.

  "How did it happen?" Junior asked Maria who was standing on the other side of the bed.

  "Quinton had one too many and hit a truck head on. Neither one of them had their seatbelts on, which contributed to the amount of damage their bodies sustained. Not that they would have lived, but we'll never know now. It's funny, but it was like she had an idea something like this was going to happen. They didn't get along for so long that they lived almost separate lives until two years ago. I think it was then that Susan resolved herself to the life she had picked and tried to work it out. In my opinion it was then she finally convinced herself that you weren't coming back. About two weeks ago she came to me, filled out the papers and gave me a letter for you when the time came." Maria handed the envelope over to Junior, and her friend put it in her suit pocket instead of reading it.

  "I'm sorry this happened, but all the love I had just died so long ago that's it's hard to remember it now."

  "We all make mistakes, Junior."

  "And all of them are forgivable after time. The problem is that some of them are unforgettable, at least the pain isn't." With one quick pat on her old lover's hand, Junior walked out and like she had so many years before, never looked back. Junior never heard the doctor pronounce the time of death as Susan's heart just stopped beating a short time later. She had waited long enough to feel Junior close to her before slipping away.

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  From the fortieth floor of the Baxter Oil Building downtown, Junior sat behind her desk looking out at the skyline. Sitting behind her on the desk that once belonged to her father was another vodka with ice, a bolster of courage to open the letter in her hand. Had she known this was waiting for her back in the city, she would have stayed on Pegasus. With one clean swipe of the antique dagger she used as a letter opener, Junior opened the last thoughts of Susan Baxter.

  My Dear Junior,

  It seems like forever since I've seen you and hopefully when you read this we will have lived enough years to heal the wounds I have caused us. That is where I should begin I suppose. I'm so sorry Junior, for all the times I laid in your arms and told you how much I loved you only to betray you so deeply in the end. I have no excuse and believe me there hasn't been a night that passes that I don't wish I had made different choices so long ago.

  In all my mistakes, the three that I don't ever regret are my children. They are my true treasures and I want you to take care of them if I am not able. Even if Quinton should outlive me, please honor this one wish. I know with you they will be loved and cared for, and will have opportunities no one else could give them. It's not the money I'm speaking of, but the kindness that made me feel like the luckiest woman alive once upon a time.

  Again I am sorry for all the hurt I caused you. I am being selfish but I want you to forgive me. I love you Junior. I never stopped. Take care of my babies and tell them I'll always be looking out for them.

  Yours,

  Susan

  The next morning Sally found the letter lying on the floor close to the hand that was hanging over the chair. Junior's legs were stretched out in front of her and the glass on the desk was empty. Sally said a quick prayer for forgiveness for the woman that had died, even though there were days when she had wished that fate upon her for the hurt she had caused Junior. The last time Quinton Baxter had walked into this office was when he had come to collect the check for his share of the pie. Old man Baxter had only one heir could rule the empire and it wasn't his son. For that reason Quinton had never forgiven his half sister.

  "Come on, Junior, we have a busy day ahead of us." Sally put the coffee cup down along with the morning paper and important messages that had already come in.

  "Try not to sound so chipper and I might not have to kill you."

  "With an attitude like that, Junior, you're never going to find a young woman to wake up with."

  "And why in the hell would I want that, when I have you to wake up with?" Junior stood up from her chair and pulled her assistant into her arms and dipped her back. The older woman laughed, glad to see the sense of humor was still intact.

  "Get into the shower with you. I left a change of clothes in there," Sally called out as Junior stepped into the private bath in her office. "Anything else?"

  "Yeah, could you cancel my appointments for this morning? I'm going to drive down to see Daddy and break the news to him. Let's hope this isn't one of those rare occasions when he gets up wanting to read the paper."

  "Honey, unless someone wraps it around a Jack Daniel's bottle, your father is not up reading the paper." Sally snorted when the pants Junior had on flew out of the bathroom and hit her in the head.

  "Some semblance of respect please. The old coot is a handful, but he's my father."

  "Ain't that the truth."

  "What's that suppose to mean?" The owner and head of the company didn't look all that powerful standing there in her underwear arguing with her assistant was the thought that made Sally laugh.

  "That the apple didn't fall too far from the tree, and the old coot, as you call him, thanks the heavens for it everyday." The statement got a Junior to take her hands off her hips and smile. Her relationship with her father had been the only constant in her life besides work. "Are you sure you want me to cancel all your appointments this morning?"

  "Why do I have the feeling I'm going to say no? And I'm not the same apple, woman. I never chased you around the desk. That has to be one point in my favor, right?" The bathroom was starting to steam up helping the woman in the shower forget about what had happened the night before.

  "Junior, I'm sixty-two years old, of course you don't chase me around the desk. I could be your grandmother for pete's sake."

  "Ah, come on, grandma, you're still kinda cute."

  "Be quiet and pay attention. That Sterling girl called bright and early this morning and asked to see you." Sally leaned against the door of the bathroom noticing that the hands which had been working up a lather in the light brown locks just stopped.

  "I saw her last night."

  "Really, do tell?"

  "Not like that. I ran into her and her father having dinner." Junior went back to work on her hair making a mental note that she needed a haircut.

  "Is she cute?" pushed Sally. Every so often Junior would notice there was more going on around her than work, so she had penciled Jillian in when she called that morning. If Junior had given her a ride home and not bitched at the fine, the young woman had to be spectacular.

  "She's cute, but would probably find some infraction against me for telling her."

  "She has to be gorgeous for you not to have gotten mad when she fined your ass. Your father would have thrown her off the rig in protest."

  "It's a new day in the oil "bidness" and Branasourus Baxter would not have survived. Why in my day we would have given that guy in Alaska a medal for hitting the only land for a hundred fucking miles." Junior's Avery imitation sent Sally into hysterics. No one ever described Avery Baxter as a tree hugger. She was laughing so hard she never heard the door open behind her.

  "Excuse me, I'm looking for Junior." Sally closed the door to the bathroom and faced Jillian Sterling making a thorough assessment.

  Jillian's hair was so blonde it looked white in the brightly lit office, and Sally noticed the young woman looked nervous as she swayed from foot to foot. Her slim build looked nice in the mini dress she had on with a blouse over it and flats didn't add any height to her five feet two inches.

  "Miss Sterling?"

  "Yes, ma'am, I know I'm early but…..," started Jillian.

  "Nonsense, would you like some coffee? Junior wi
ll just be a minute so why don't you sit and wait." Sally left their visitor sitting comfortably in one of the chairs facing the massive desk and went to get everyone some coffee.

  Left alone, Jillian couldn't help herself and started looking around. It seemed obvious now that Junior wasn't a company diver if this was her office. The carved cypress nameplate on the desk that read Avery L. Baxter, Jr., along with a picture of smiling man holding a child told Jillian otherwise. Behind the two smiling faces was the brilliant blue of a body of water, and enough equipment parts were in the frame to tell the viewer the two were standing on an oilrig. Jillian stood up and looked at the back wall where the company's founder smiled back at her from a beautiful frame.

  "It was the only the second time I saw him in a suit." The voice right behind her left ear scared Jillian into clutching her chest and turning around.

  "I'm sorry, you scared me." The tall woman she had been thinking about was standing there in jeans, a button down cotton shirt and wet hair. "Aren't you going to get in trouble?"

  "For?"

  "Being in the boss's office with no shoes on." Jillian pointed down to the big feet thinking someone in Junior's family must have been oriental.

  "You are kidding, right?"

  "No, I made an appointment to see you but the guard brought me here."

  "That's because this is where you would find me." Jillian rolled her eyes at Junior and questioned her rationale for coming. "What can I do for you?" Continued Junior unaware she was annoying her visitor.

  "I came to talk to you about a job."

  "I know you fined me, Ms. Sterling, but I don't need another job." Junior went to the closet near the bathroom and took out a pair of worn bucks.

  "Not for you, for me. After everything I was able to find on Pegasus I thought you could use my help as a company inspector. So, I thought you could put in a good word for me." Jillian got the whole request out before she changed her mind then just held her breath waiting for Junior to say something.

  "Wouldn't that be your equivalent of selling your soul to Satan?" This woman asking her for a job was the last thing Junior expected. She looked at the date on her watch again just to confirm it was now the second. "Yep, can't be a joke."

  "If you could introduce me to Mr. Baxter, I'm sure he would agree." Jillian pointed to the desk making Junior smile at the woman's wish.

  "I'm getting ready to go see him, want to tag along?" Sally handed them two travel mugs as her boss led Jillian to the elevator leading to the parking garage.

  "Where are we going, exactly?" It was a strange time to be asking Jillian thought as the leather seat welcomed her back.

  "Bayou Country. How about a muffin or something?" Junior pulled the car into a strip mall that housed a bakery and next to it a liquor store.

  Jillian arched a pale brow at her trying to decipher what it was about this woman that she found remotely interesting. She had been rude right out of the box and her conversational skills were a little lacking. "Or something."

  "Ok, a girl that actually eats, this will be a nice change of pace. You go get something in there." Junior pointed to the bakery and handed Jillian some money, "And I'll meet you back here in a minute."

  When Jillian walked out with a large bag several minutes later, Junior was leaning on the passenger door waiting for her. Once they were both buckled in for the drive, Jillian handed over an apple fritter without asking, laughing when Junior almost ripped it out of her hand.

  "Hungry?"

  "I missed dinner last night. I take that back. I had three straight vodkas, but they weren't as filling as the steak I had planned on."

  "You did leave rather suddenly and you didn't say good-bye." Junior looked over to her passenger before getting on the highway out of town. It's just a comment, Junior, calm down. Maybe she's just worried about you. It was too early in the morning to deal with the voice so Junior just talked over it.

  "Just a little melodrama I had to take care of. The truth is I'm still not sure what to think about it."

  "Anything I can help you with?" Jillian turned a little to look at the profile next to her. Junior played with her sunglasses and thought about not answering.

  "I'll take a rain check on your offer, I'm not ready to talk about it now."

  "Then take this," Jillian handed her another treat out of the bag, "It will make you feel better."

  Two hours later the car pulled off the highway and entered one of the quaintest towns Jillian had ever seen. Downtown Franklin was a collection of the greatest antebellum homes the city dweller had come across outside of Atlanta. Junior pulled into the last one on the main drag but was going a little too fast for Jillian to read the historic plaque posted outside the gate.

  Six large pillars held vigil over the perfectly manicured lawn, and the house they were attached to could only be described as big and gorgeous. Junior smiled at the wide-eyed look Jillian had as she took in the house and grounds. "Welcome to the house crude built."

  "You would need oil money to keep this place up," said Jillian leaning forward to take in the whole structure.

  "Who said anything about oil?" Jillian laughed at the connotation of what Junior said and the laugh got louder when the driver started singing, "Let me tell you a story about a man named Avery."

  "Junior, get your ass out of that car and come tell me hello." The front door had opened and an overweight woman wearing an apron stepped onto the wide porch.

  "That would be our cue." Junior opened her door and ran around to the passenger side to get Jillian before she greeted her Aunt Minnie. Jillian almost started laughing again when Junior almost hit the ground as the affectionate woman slammed into her with a hug.

  "How are you Minnie?"

  "Fine considering I have to put up with Avery all day. You look too thin, and who's your friend?"

  "My weight is fine and this is Jillian Sterling. Ms. Sterling, may I present Minnie Robichaux." Junior waited until they were done with their hellos and welcomes before asking about her father's whereabouts.

  "Out back watching the water lilies float by. He'll be thrilled to see you, and don't start bitching, you are staying to eat." Minnie shook her head as Jillian smiled when Junior went back to the car to get the bag in the back seat. From the trunk she took out a long tube and her briefcase.

  "Come on, Ms. Sterling, Mr. Baxter awaits." Jillian followed her companion around the corner along the porch that wrapped around the entire house. The back yard was an explosion of different colored flowers and a giant pool. The very back of the property bordered Bayou Teche, a brown colored body of water that had a current more like a river than anything else and a long row of cypress trees that provided a wide patch of shade. "Look alive, old man."

  Jillian watched as a giant rose from a chair facing the water. The guy had to be a foot taller than Junior, and she was no midget. Blue eyes twinkled at them from under a crop of snow-white hair, which had fallen into his face while he slept. He was wearing shorts, which made it apparent that one leg was a prosthesis, but it didn't slow him down as he ran to Junior and gave her a big hug.

  "Junior." He squeezed her so hard her feet left the ground. Wow he must be awesome to work for if this is the greeting you get, thought Jillian as she watched the reunion. "Did you bring me anything?"

  "Yes, but only one or else Minnie will throw me out on my ass." She handed him the brown paper bag and laughed when he headed back to his chair with it. "I'm beginning to think that's the only reason you look forward to my visits."

  "Don't be goofy, Junior, you're my link to the outside world not just to Jack. With Minnie as my warden, I never have any fun." Junior pointed to one of the other chairs for Jillian to have a seat. Before she did, Jillian looked up at her and smiled. Mr. Baxter had set up three glasses on the small table next to him and was busy pouring amber liquid into each one. Maybe no one had told him it was only ten in the morning?