A Grave Mistake by Stella Cameron

Author:Stella Cameron [Stella Cameron]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2012-10-10T04:00:00+00:00

19

“Vivian’s really upset,” Spike said. “I don’t expect you to make that go away, but I could use your advice.”

Cyrus glanced sideways at his friend’s face. They’d left the rectory to get away from the stream of visitors and phone calls complaining about the Toussaint Trumpet. They made their way along the winding path above the Bayou Teche, where the occasional fish broke the surface under cloudy skies on a day so humid the air felt rationed.

“She thinks that crack in the paper about a marriage being wobbly because of a sad loss is about us.”

Cyrus picked up a rock and skimmed it across the dull water. “That was the idea. To print stuff that could apply to a bunch of people, then watch the fallout. And report on it, I suppose. Lee’s a decent woman. Bright, funny, but she’s not cut out for small-town living and she’s trying to make it exciting enough for her. Leastwise, that’s how I see it. She’ll ease up.”

“It’s not true,” Spike said. He carried his Stetson, slapping it against his thigh every other step. “Vivian and I are sad, okay, but we’ve only gotten closer. My challenge is to knock down any thought she has about being guilty of something. The pregnancy didn’t pan out and we lost…we lost our baby. It hurts. It damn well hurts like hell, but I’m married to the best woman in the world and I’m not having some gossiping newspaper type putting Vivian through misery.”

Cyrus kept quiet. He thought it best to let Spike talk as long as he had a head of steam on.

“It’s taking advantage of the kindness around here. Folks accept people, they take them in and make them welcome.”

“And include them in any local information, real or otherwise,” Cyrus murmured, and ducked as a bird flew up with a berry in its beak.

“Yeah,” Spike said. “She may not even have been talking about us.”

“Absolutely,” Cyrus said.

They walked on. The sky took on a faintly green hue and Cyrus expected rain at any moment—thunder and lightning wouldn’t surprise him. He cleared his throat and shortened his stride. “Spike,” he said, “did Reb say you and Vivian should wait a bit before starting another pregnancy?”

Spike took a long time to say “Yes.”

“But it would be all right now?” He couldn’t help unless he knew what was really going on here.

Whatever Spike mumbled, Cyrus didn’t hear.

“You are going to try again?” he asked. “You’ll have another child?”

“Oh, yeah,” Spike said, loud enough to be announcing a blue-light special. “Of course. Vivian’s crazy about Wendy but it’s natural for her to want a baby of her own. I want that, too. But Vivian may still be sorting out her hormones and you know that can take a bit.”

“So I’ve heard.” Now he was certain Spike was here more for help with his marriage than because he expected Cyrus to censure Lee O’Brien.

Spike sighed and Cyrus looked at him. “What is it?”

“We haven’t been making love.” His face reddened.

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