Getaway Death by Bonnie Hardy

Author:Bonnie Hardy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781954995000
Publisher: Barbra Hardy

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Overheard in Lily Rock

“I’m just gonna stay in and drink with the ghost in my house.”

Cayenne stared out the kitchen window as Olivia spread peanut butter over whole wheat bread. A look of longing came over Cay’s face.

“Are you okay?” Olivia asked, placing the knife in the sink.

Cayenne forced a smile. “I think I’m okay. I just remembered, when Marla first came to Lily Rock, she knew right away that I was transgender. She approached me at the pub. I appreciated her candor, like I appreciate yours. Not many people here like me. I suppose they’re afraid.”

Olivia offered the simple sandwich on a plate, handing it to Cay. “I know what you mean about Marla. One thing I liked best about her was that she accepted people. That’s probably how we got along so well in high school. I was raised by a single mom, and so was Marla. Other kids’ families seemed so simple compared to ours.”

“No dad in the picture?”

They sat across the table from each other. “I never met my father. My mom barely mentioned his existence. After she died, the secret went with her.” Olivia bit into her sandwich, then continued, “I did one of those DNA tests online. Have you ever done that? Sent in a sample to see about your roots?”

Olivia watched Cayenne’s Adam’s apple slide up her throat as she swallowed down a sticky glob of peanut butter. Finally she spoke. “My parents have always found me confusing. In fact, they joke about me being adopted. My gender issues blocked every conversation I might have had, you know, about the smaller stuff. Despite the constant conflict, I look just like them. So I never did the DNA thing. I can’t imagine that my parents are not mine. So what did you find out from your DNA test?”

“A bunch of stuff about my health, which scared me. Potential heart attacks, and some relatives’ thyroid issues long ago. But then I discovered a few DNA matches. I think my father may have been a sperm donor.” Olivia laughed. “Marla told me that I could check a box if I wanted to connect with other people with the same DNA markers. I didn’t pursue any of those leads. By the time I read the information, I felt like I was betraying my mother. So I just left it. That was right before Marla invited me to Lily Rock for the weekend.”

“I get it.” Cay smiled at Olivia. “When I did the counseling for transitioning, we often said, ‘Life is already complicated enough.’” Swallowing the last bite of her sandwich, she looked over Olivia’s shoulder to the garden below. “Marla probably never told you, but I helped her start the kitchen garden. She didn’t know a thing about herbs when she moved here.”

Olivia followed Cay’s glance out the picture window. “I’ve never lived anywhere where I could cultivate a kitchen garden. It surprises me that Marla wanted one. When we were in high school I never imagined her damaging a manicure to dig in the dirt.

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