I think Im going to cry. She did, and he held her. Then she said, Not too soon, okay? The Gulfs not going anywhere. You stick around for a while, okay?
Donny knew someone with a boat who was willing to take the two of them out on the Gulf. They were on the water for less than an hour, and when they docked, the ashes were scattered. The boats owner wouldnt even take money for gas.
The rental firm picked up the hospital bed, and two young men in a white van came for the IV equipment. Keller had filled a trash bag with the bed linen and towels that had seen service in the sickroom, along with the pajamas and such that her father had worn there. Cancer wasnt contagious, the clothes and linen could have been laundered, but he bagged it all and put it at the curb.
A friend of Patsy Morrills came to smudge the sickroom. Keller didnt have a clue what that meant, but found out when the woman produced a bundle of what she said was dried sage, lit one end of it with a wooden match, and walked around the room, sending plumes of smoke here and there. Her lips were moving throughout, but it was impossible to tell what she was saying, or even if she was producing a sound. She did whatever it was she was doing for one of the longer quarter hours in Kellers experience, and when she was done Julia thanked her carefully and asked if she would take money for her services.
Oh, no, the woman said. But I would just about kill for a cup of coffee.
She was an odd creature, elfin in stature, and both her age and her ethnic background were hard to guess. She praised the coffee effusively, then left her cup two-thirds full. On her way out, she told the two of them that they had a wonderful energy.
What an odd creature, Julia said, after theyd watched her drive away. I wonder where Patsy found her.
I wonder what the hell she did. He followed Julia into the sitting room and frowned. Whatever it was, he said, I think it may have worked, unless its just a matter of substituting one smell for another.
Its more than that. She changed the energy in here. And please dont ask me what that means.
It was a whole new experience for Keller. He hadnt actually done anything he hadnt done before. But this was the first time hed stuck around to clean up after.
29
Donnys truck was parked in the driveway of a one-story frame structure of the type Keller recognized as a shotgun house, long and narrow, with no hallways; the rooms were arranged one behind the other, and the name was supposed to come from the observation that you could stand at the front door with a shotgun and clear out the whole house with a single round. The style had originated in New Orleans shortly after the War Between the States (which is what Keller had lately learned
to call the Civil War) and spread throughout the South.
This particular specimen was in sad shape. The exterior needed painting, there were slates missing from the roof, and the lawn was a wasteland of weeds and gravel. The inside was worse, the floor littered with debris, the kitchen filthy.
Keller said, Gee, theres nothing left for us to do, is there?
Shes a real beauty, isnt she?
Was that a SOLD sign I saw out in front? Got to be one hell of an optimist who bought this place.
Well, hell, Donny said, I guess I been called a lot worsen that. He grinned, delighted with Kellers openmouthed reaction. Closed on her yesterday, he said. You ever see that cable show, Flip This House ? Thats my plan. A little loves all it should take to turn this shithole into the prettiest house on the block.
Might take a little work, Keller said, mixed in with the love.
And a few dollars in the bargain. Heres what I got in mind. And he walked Keller through the old house, outlining his plans for its transformation. He had some interesting ideas, including adding a second floor onto the back half of the house, converting it into what was known locally as a camelback shotgun. That last, he conceded, was on the ambitious side, but it could make a big difference in the homes resale value.
So heres what Im getting at, Donny said.
The down payment took most of his cash, Keller told Julia, and the rest will go for materials and the other men, because he cant expect guys like Dwayne and Luis to work on spec. But he figured maybe Id be willing to roll the dice, and when its done and he sells it, Id be in for a third of the net profit.
Which probably translates into a good deal more than twelve dollars an hour.
If the job doesnt take too long, so the carrying charges dont mount up too high. And if we get a buyer wholl close in a hurry and pay a decent price.
Id say you made your decision already.
How can you tell?
If we get a buyer. And what could you possibly say but yes?
Thats what I thought. The only downside is I wont be bringing home any money for a while.
Thats all right.
No payments on the loan for the truck, and no contributions to the household budget.
Its a hell of a situation, she agreed. If it wasnt for sex, youd be no use to me at all.