All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

“We gotta get that resized,” he said. He raised her hand to his mouth again and kissed the ring. I’d taken a few steps back, feeling awkward about intruding on them, but Kellen looked at me and said, “Do you really think your mom’s gonna call the cops? ’Cause technically, I am breaking my parole. I’m not supposed to cross state lines without my parole officer’s permission.”

“I don’t know,” I said. We all three turned to look at Mom, who came across the front lawn toward us, glowering. “But now might be a good time to leave.”

“Where should we have him take the bike?” Wavy gestured to the tow truck driver.

“To hell with that, sweetheart,” Kellen said. “Get on and let’s ride this thing.”

“Give me your keys and I’ll have him take your car home,” I said.

Practically glowing, Wavy handed me the keys. She hugged me so fast and hard, I didn’t even manage to hug her back.

Then she hiked her skirt up and got on the back of the bike. Laying her cheek against Kellen’s shoulder, she wrapped her arms as far around him as they would go. He gunned the bike and they rode away, leaving Mom, me, and a confused tow truck driver standing in the street.

“I want that pickup truck towed,” Mom said.

20

KELLEN

December 1990

We were quiet for most of the drive, with Wavy staring out the window, but when we saw the first sign for Tulsa, her shoulders tensed up.

“We don’t have to do this,” I said.

For the first time in almost two hours, Wavy looked at me. Glared at me. Times like that I was glad she didn’t talk much, because that hot look woulda come with a mean mouth.

“I just thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”

“I didn’t.” She went back to looking out the window.

I sure hadn’t changed my mind. I didn’t want to do it when she first suggested it, and I still didn’t.

The closer we got, the more nervous I got.

“I love you,” I said. I couldn’t always get a free pass with that, but she laid her hand on my leg. I put my hand on top of hers and wiggled the diamond under my thumb. A few miles later, she leaned over and rested her cheek on my arm. Her stomach growled.

“Did you eat anything?” These days she could actually sit down and eat at the table, but last night, she couldn’t get any dinner down. No breakfast either, that I saw.

“Too nervous,” she said.

But she still wanted to do it. The harder a thing was, the more likely she’d be able to do it. I couldn’t hardly believe what she’d done to get me back.

With her holding my hand, I coulda gone on driving forever, but then there was the exit. A couple more turns, a minute waiting at the last stoplight, and we were there in less than three blocks. After I parked at the curb, I took the flask of bourbon out of the glove compartment and drained it.

“Liquid courage,” I said.

I expected Wavy to frown at me, but she leaned over and kissed my cheek. Then she reached into the backseat and shook Donal awake. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, still half asleep and surly. I felt for the kid. He wanted to be there about as much as I did.

Following Wavy up the sidewalk with the flowers in my right hand and the bottle of wine in my left, I felt like an asshole making her go first. She rang the bell and stood in front of me like a shield. Donal stood behind us like he wasn’t even involved. He was still working out how he fit in.

When the door swung open, it was somebody I didn’t know. A young guy with a ponytail and a pink polo shirt. He didn’t know us, either, but he let us in.

“Merry Christmas! I’m Brice Standish. I’m Leslie’s husband,” he said.

“Who is it, Bri—?” Leslie came into the hallway and stared. I hadn’t seen her since she was a teenager, but grown up, she was narrower in the face, more like Val than Brenda.

“Hey, Leslie,” I said.

Then Amy walked in and said, “You came.”

She headed straight to me and I thought she was just going to take the wine, but after she had it out of my hand, she put her arms around me. Surprised the hell out of me. I knew Amy didn’t hate my guts the way Brenda did, but I hadn’t figured any of the Newlings would be happy to see me. Wavy had her fingers hooked into my belt loop, and she didn’t let go when Amy added her to the hug, so it was the three of us holding onto each other, which was weird but good. That’s how we were when the storm door opened behind us.

Where my hand was on Amy’s back, I knew the second she saw Donal. She shivered and took a step back from me and Wavy. Then one of her hands came up over her mouth.

“Donal,” she said. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Donal.” That was Leslie, and she looked like she was gonna cry.

Amy tried to hug him, but he was all bristly teenager, crossing his arms over his chest and ducking his head. He wouldn’t even say hello.

“Is everything okay, Leslie?” Brice said.

“It’s fine. These are my cousins, Wavy and Donal Quinn. And this is, uh…”

“Jesse Joe Kellen,” I said.

Still smiling, Brice stuck his hand out to me. I shifted the flowers and we shook.

“Not Barfoot?” Leslie said.

“Nope. The judge changed it. It’s Kellen. Now, Brice, you better step back,” I said, as I let go of his hand.

“Why’s that?”

“You don’t wanna be standing too close to me when your mother-in-law realizes I’m here. Maybe she’ll just call the cops, but there’s a good chance she’ll try to kill me. Either way, you don’t wanna get caught in the crossfire.” Like always, my nerves kept me talking.