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Sunday, March 21, 2021

UNDER CONSTRUCTION, CHAPTER 6

 


          “Couldn’t one of you just hit me in the head with a hammer?” Charlie asked plaintively. She and her crew had finished for the week and were indulging in their usual Friday afternoon beers at the pub. “Tomorrow’s that damn fucking party my mamma’s planned and I haven’t been able to find a way to get out of being there. If one of you would put me in the hospital, I’d have a damn fucking excuse.”

          Her crew members laughed and Todd refilled her glass. It had to be her third one, maybe fourth. “Now, honeychile, you jes know yur jes gonna have the time of yur life. Wearin’ a pretty dress, all fancied up for whatever stud yur mamma’s invited.” Todd’s elaborate drawl even made Charlie laugh, but it really wasn’t funny.

          “Go ahead and laugh you guys. You’re not gonna have to get all gussied up and make nice with a bunch of my mamma’s old friends as well as, like Todd said, whatever stud or studs she’s invited. I haven’t seen the guest list, but I think I’m gonna need a shot or two of bourbon before I meander down those steps, on display once again for whatever society members attend.”

          “Well boss lady, be sure and have someone get some photos so we can see what you look like when you’re all cleaned up.” Gordy advised her and the rest of the crew nodded in agreement.

          “It would serve ya all right if I fell for whoever mamma’s invited and gave up being the boss lady to stay home barefoot in the kitchen with a bun in the oven most all the time.”

          They all hooted and Todd responded, “Like that would ever happen. Don’t care who the guy is that you finally hook up with, but he won’t be keeping you barefoot and pregnant and off a job site. Knowing you as long as I have, you’ll be on the job until the labor pains are so bad you have to stop. And, after the birth, you’ll be right back with the kid on your back or in a sling on your front.”

          Gordy added, “And, when you do find Mr. Right, I think we all need to take him aside and make him understand what he’s getting himself into.”

          “That’s if’n he hasn’t already figured it out and run for the hills.” Sam, the youngest crew member was brave enough to add. When he’d first come on the crew, he’d had a pretty big crush on Charlie, but he’d gotten over it once he found the young woman he was going to marry in the fall. Usually, Sam didn’t have much to say.

          “Damn it, you’d think I’d get a lot more sympathy and a lot less aggravation from you guys since I’m such a fucking good boss lady. Y’all just disgust me. I’m going home and finish drowning my sorrows in the comfort of my own room, that’s unless mamma’s waiting and wants to talk a whole bunch more about tomorrow night. Maybe I’ll just stay here and drown my sorrows, or go back to my house and simply drown. Fuck, but I can’t wait until Monday comes.”

          Charlie sort of wove her way to the bar and handed over her card. “Thanks for putting up with us every Friday Bubba. The boys and I really appreciate it.”

          Back at the table, Todd took one arm and Gordy took the other. “It’s not safe for you to be driving, so Gordy’s gonna drive your truck. Since he rides with Sam, Sam will follow and take Gordy home from there.”

          Charlie tried to argue with them, but they didn’t release her until they had her keys and she’d been plopped into the passenger seat. Even then, she tried by telling them, “You should let me do this myself. If I got stopped, I’d have to go to jail and I wouldn’t use my phone call until Sunday. C’mon guys, that’s how desperate I am to avoid tomorrow night. Perfect excuse, that’s what I say.”

          Todd shut the passenger door as Gordy fired up the truck. “That may be true, but you’re not getting a DWI on our watch. Be a man, or woman, Charlie and you’ll be just fine tomorrow night. It’s only gonna be a few hours and thank about how happy your momma will be.” He chucked her under the chin and stepped back, saying, “Y’all have a great weekend.” With a lot of emphasis on the great.

          As Gordy pulled away, Charlie gave Todd the finger and slumped down in the seat. “God, I hate some parts of my life. Why couldn’t I have been a boy?”

          Gordy didn’t respond and Charlie fell asleep as he drove her to her house.

          “Hey boss lady, we’re here. Time to wakey-wake and act like you only had one beer instead of four. If you’re quick, maybe your mamma won’t look out the window and see you had to be driven home.” Gordy said with a chuckle as he handed her the keys and climbed out of her truck to get into Sam’s.

          Charlie heaved a big sigh and got out of the truck. In the mudroom, she took off her dirty sweaty clothes and yanked on a chenille bathrobe. When she entered the kitchen, she said, “Mamma, I’m just so hot and dirty, I’m gonna get right in the shower.”

          She rushed through the kitchen to the back stairs, her mother’s voice following, “Well, don’t be taking too long. I’ve almost got dinner ready and me and your dad are hungry. If you’re not back here in ten minutes, I’m gonna come up there and drag you down by your hair.”

          Charlie muttered a very inappropriate comment, but was back downstairs fresh and clean with almost a whole minute to spare. They were eating in the kitchen because of the next night’s party and, of course, that’s exactly what her mamma wanted to discuss. Charlie listened as she stuffed her face, in a lady-like manner, with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh green beans and garden salad.

          “Momma, I don’t know how you make such perfect fried chicken every single time. I know you’ve tried to teach me, but it never ever, no matter what, comes out so crispy and tasty like yours. And, it was a good idea to have gardener Glen put in your garden because these beans and the salad are so fresh and yummy.”

          Charlie was given a very solemn look by her mother. “Don’t be thinking if you compliment me enough about anything at all that I’ll let you skip tomorrow night. If you’d look at the guest list, you’d see I invited some younger folks, so it won’t all be us fuddy duddies. I just know you’ll have a wonderful time.”

          Ruth Ann continued to talk about the party and her expectations for her daughter. Charlie’s father nodded every now and then and added, “You listen to your mamma, now y’hear.” a couple of times. Charlie also listened and nodded and tried to smile now and then even though her teeth were clenched. It finally became almost too much when her mother said, “I bought you a new dress and shoes for tomorrow night. You’re just going to love them and the color is almost exactly the same shade as your eyes.”

          Mamma, I didn’t need a new dress or shoes. My closet is stuffed with clothes you’ve bought and I seldom wear.”

          “Well, daughter, a mamma can live in hope. For me, it’s the hope you’ll discover your more womanly side and spend more time in dresses and heels. Of course, if you were to fall in love with a perfect man, you’d have no trouble dressing up then.”

          “Mamma, we’ve had this conversation over and over. If this perfect man ever shows up, he’s gonna have to like me as I am. If it takes a fancy dress and fuck me shoes….”

          Ruth Ann’s eyebrows were almost at her hairline at Charlie’s language.

          “Oh mamma, I’m sorry, please excuse my French. I meant to say six-inch heels.”

          “That’s what happens when you spend more time with men, especially men that aren’t gentlemen. You forget your lady-like ways and mouth. Now, get these dishes cleaned up. I’m gonna go sit in the garden.”

          As her mamma left, Charlie glanced at her dad. He was trying hard not to laugh and just shrugged his shoulders. She got up and began to clean up the table and kitchen. Finished, she found her mother in the garden. “Mamma, I’m so sorry for my language and I promise I’ll be a good southern girl tomorrow night. I’m going to bed now so I’ll be fresh in the morning and can help with whatever you need.”

          Charlie bent to give her mamma a kiss. “It’s okay darlin’ I forgive you. And, I’m not giving this party just to put you on display like you think. I want the chance to see some of the friends I’ve been missing with all the traveling your dad and I have been doing.”

          “I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. Good night mamma.”

          There really wasn’t much to do the following day. Her mamma had lined up the caterers, florists, wait staff and had the house and grounds cleaned and tidied up so everything sparkled and looked fresh. It surely wasn't the first party she'd ever hosted. Charlie was grateful it wasn’t going to be a sit-down dinner, but wine, champagne and a huge buffet of heavy hor d’oeuvres. The pool had been covered so there was a dance floor and a small stage erected at one end for the band Ruth Ann had also hired.

          When the party staff began to arrive, Charlie retreated to her room and bathroom. She filled her bathtub and added her favorite gardenia bath oil. She rarely used it or the scented lotion in the cupboard, but she was determined to keep her promise to her mother and smelling wonderful was something a southern girl learned early-on. She read a book while adding hot water as needed and emerged from her bath all pruney, but the wrinkles would go away before she had to join the festivities.

          Charlie took her time, coating herself with the gardenia lotion, brushing and coiling her hair into a soft mound at the back of her head. She knew as she moved, a few tendrils would escape and curl around her face and neck. She took her time applying make-up. Her eyebrows were already dark, but a bit of eyeliner and several coats of mascara made her eyes look huge. A little frosting of a peachy powder made her skin glimmer. Lips usually bare were extremely noticeable once she’d lined them and applied the lipstick and gloss.

          It was time to don her underthings and she found her mamma had purchased new panties and a barely there bra in the same color as the dress. Thigh-high stockings in a very pale tan slid easily up her legs and hugged her upper thighs. Finally, Charlie pulled up the dress and pushed her feet into the heels. From her jewelry box she added the requisite strand of pearls and a slim gold chain that nestled a diamond at the top of her minimal cleavage. Diamond and pearl earrings, pearl bracelet on one wrist and diamond tennis on the other, she was ready.

          Charlie walked across the room to the full-length mirror and had to admit she looked damn good. Her mother was right about the color of the dress. That and the dark eyeliner and mascaraed lashes made the turquoise of her eyes pop right out of her face. Charlie’s phone buzzed and when she checked, there was a text from her mamma, “Be downstairs in 10 minutes or else…please.” First, though, she went back to the mirror and took a selfie, well actually a couple of selfies. She’d be ready to show them what they'd missed come Monday when the crew teased her about the party.

          Downstairs, Charlie joined her mother and father in the entry way. A couple of guests had already arrived, so she’d missed saying hello, but she’d make her way to them later. “Darling, don’t you look simply divine. Robert, doesn’t our girl look wonderful.”

          Charlie gave her mother a soft hug and air kiss, then turned to her dad for a hug. “You do look absolutely beautiful Charlie-girl. Sometimes I can’t believe you came from my loins.”

          “Now Robert, you stop that. Charlie is a Charlotte tonight. If it weren’t for you and her granddad, she’d be married with a bunch of babies by now.”

          “Now Ruth Ann,” her dad gave right back, “if Charlie had wanted a man and children, nothing would have stood in her way and you know that. Now, let’s stop all this and have us some fun.” To make his point, he gave Ruth Ann a little swat on her behind. She blushed and pushed his hand away.

          That’s really why I’ve never found the right man because I want a relationship like theirs. They’re still in love after so many years and the disappointment of only one child and a girl at that. Charlie also knew they still had a healthy sex life even though her mother would die of embarrassment if she ever brought up the topic. She could just tell when she was around the following morning, or even the odd afternoon. They both always looked so relaxed and happy and so more like one individual than two. She envied them that and hoped that someday she’d have a very similar relationship.

          Charlie’s reverie was interrupted with the next guests. For the next hour or more, she stood with her parents, greeting the invitees, answering questions, promising to catch up later in the evening or over lunch or some social event at some point in time. Of course, most of those promises were empty and she probably wouldn’t see most of the people again until the next party.

          Charlie was attempting to get the old roué Mr. Desmond to move on into the other room. He was attempting to hug her yet again so he could pat her bottom and hopefully, look down the top of her dress. Mr. Desmond had always been like this even when his wife was alive. Every teenage female learned early it was best to say, “Why hi there Mr. Desmond. I’ll see you later.” And escape before he could grab hold and give the unlucky girl a big shmushy kiss. His lips seemed to have no tone and were always very wet. Charlie had always needed to brush her teeth or rinse her mouth if she was the unlucky one and she’d only been that a couple of times.

          So it was with relief and surprise she heard a familiar voice, “Well, bless your heart, but you clean up right good now doncha?”

          “I’ll talk to you later Mr. Desmond. Oh, hello Rebecca. Welcome and how nice to see you again.” Charlie said, giving the normal hug and air kiss.

          “It’s really nice to see you looking like a real southern girl that benefited from all those classes we took. And, you know Adam, your neighbor and my date.”

          Charlie let go of Rebecca and extended her hand to Adam. A true southern girl didn’t hug men she barely knew. Adam took her hand in his and Charlie was positive he had to feel the same electrifying impulses she was feeling. Again, every hair on her body was standing at attention and if her nipples got any harder, they were going to poke through the fabric. Since she was looking directly at Adam this time, she knew he felt something because his eyebrows drew together and he looked a little bewildered. He practically snatched his hand back.

          Adam cleared his throat and said, “Hi Charlie. Nice to see you again. You’ll have to find Rebecca and me later and tell us how the house is coming, I mean progressing.”

          Charlie actually laughed at Adam’s discomfort over his word usage. She made a mental note to tease him about it later. “Rebecca, hope you don’t mind if I steal a dance from your date? Promise it will only be just one. And, did you know my mamma invited Ricky Simmonds tonight as well. Maybe you could partner him one time.”

          Rebecca put her arm through Adam’s and responded, “Well, we’ll just have to see who you end up with tonight. If it’s someone as handsome and fun as Adam, I wouldn’t mind sharing one dance.”

          Charlie was watching Adam and saw him almost roll his eyes. “Yes, well, y’all go on in and make yourselves at home. I’ll be along later after I’ve finished my hostess duty.”

          Well, well, she thought to herself as she greeted the next couple. I wonder if Adam has any idea Rebecca expects to be his bride by fall. I think I’ll just have to find out, but more than that, I have to know why his touch is so shocking. Would the feeling be entirely astonishing if we were naked and skin-to-skin? Charlie was dying to know the answer.

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