Thirty-Six and a Half Motives
Page 50

“Rose and Mason broke up,” Neely Kate said with a little more bite than was fitting for the be nice approach.
Hilary nodded. “I heard.”
“But you just said—”
“Even so, it’s obvious she only has eyes for Mason. I was insecure before, but Violet helped me realize I had nothing to worry about. And I want to live here in Henryetta. We might not be together right now, but I want my baby to be close to Joe. Violet helped me realize I need to make more of an effort to fit in.”
“That Violet’s been a busy girl.”
“In any case, since you and Rose seem so genuine, I want to extend the olive branch. One day maybe we can even be friends.”
“Well,” Neely Kate drawled. “I guess we’ll just have to work on it. But it’s hard to imagine that someone like you would want to have anything to do with me. I spent the first twelve years of my life livin’ in a trailer while you were probably livin’ in a mansion with servants. You’d be slummin’ to associate with me.” Surprisingly, her tone was non-confrontational.
Hilary looked down at her barely eaten cupcake, then up at Neely Kate. “I can see how you might think that, but before Rose took those cupcakes to Miss Mildred, you said you thought we were more alike than I might realize. I think you were right. I really want to try to be your friend.”
“Forgive me, Hilary, but after the way you’ve treated Rose and me, that’s hard to believe.”
“I know I’ve been more than intolerable. As I said, jealousy and insecurity got the better of me. I’m not proud of it, but there it is.” She shifted in her seat, looking uncomfortable. “I’m willing to make an effort if you are.”
Neely Kate pursed her lips. “Joe’s mother called Rose Fenton County white trash. You don’t think the same?”
Hilary’s cheeks turned a soft pink that made her glow. “I admit that I came to Henryetta with a few preconceived ideas. But those ideas were wrong.”
“How can someone with so much money relate to someone like me? You had everything you ever wanted. You were raised in paradise.”
“Paradise . . .” Hilary gave her a sad smile. “My life hasn’t been as wonderful as you think. Just because a person has lots of money doesn’t mean they have lots of love.”
I had to hand it to Neely Kate. She had just steered the conversation exactly where we needed it to go. But, hearing the pain in Hilary’s voice, it felt wrong. Then I reminded myself that Bruce Wayne and Anna’s lives might depend on what she knew.
“And I had neither,” Neely Kate said in a guarded voice. “I’ve spent my whole life scraping by for everything—food, clothes, my mother’s attention. What I got instead was a little more attention from her boyfriends than I ever wanted, if you know what I mean.”
Hilary’s eyes flooded with tears. “I do.”
Neely Kate’s back stiffened. “You . . .”
Hilary grabbed a tissue from her purse. “See? We really are more alike than either of us thought. We had money, but my house was cold and sterile. Love was just another commodity to be bought and sold. My parents had my life’s purpose planned out before I was even born. I’ve been groomed to become Joe’s wife for as long as I can remember.”
“You’re kidding me,” Neely Kate gasped.
“I wish I were.” She gave her a weak smile. “I know it’s hard to imagine an arranged marriage in the twenty-first century—in the United States anyway—and I actually agreed to it.” She released a tinkling laugh. “But it was what my parents wanted. It was all I knew. Joe was clueless to the whole thing until we were in high school. By then, he was busy sowing his wild oats. He said he wanted to get it out of his system before we got married.”
“And you still agreed to it?”
She shrugged. “It was all I knew. My father cheated on my mother.” A dark cloud crossed her features. “Joe’s father cheated on his mother.” She glanced down at the table, brushing a few crumbs toward the cupcake wrapper. “And maybe you find it hard to believe, but I loved him.”
She glanced at Neely Kate with a new earnestness in her eyes. “I truly loved him. He’s the only man I’ve ever loved . . . even if he’s not the only man I’ve ever slept with.” She gave a sly smile. “What’s good for the gander is good for the goose.”
Neely Kate grinned. “Good for you. But what about now? Do you still love him?”
Hilary didn’t answer for a few seconds, gazing at a spot on the wall several feet away. “Would you think I was crazy if I said yes? But not like before, not the starry-eyed love of youth.”
“What if Joe never decides to come back to you?” Neely Kate asked.
“I have to believe that he will. Maybe he’ll change his mind once the baby comes.”
“Maybe . . .” Neely Kate said, but she didn’t sound convinced. “We both grew up in dysfunctional families, but I have to think it was easier with money. I hated goin’ to school in hand-me-downs. I bet you had all kinds of pretty dresses.”
Hilary lifted an eyebrow and nodded. “I did, but I was only allowed to wear them once before they went to the thrift store. I could re-wear my private school uniform, but anything for a party or a public appearance was disposable. God forbid we create the impression we couldn’t afford to buy something new.”
“Did you have housekeepers?” Neely Kate asked. “This summer, Joe used to talk nonstop about his housekeeper. What was her name? Rowena?”
“Roberta,” Hilary said softly, looking away.
My stomach clenched, not only at the prospect of finding information, but also at the pain in Hilary’s voice.
“Yeah, that’s it. The way he talked about her made me think she took more care of him than his own momma.”
She placed her hands in her lap and laced her fingers tightly. “Betsy was a hands-off mother, just like mine. Only I didn’t have a Roberta at home. I spent most of my time at the Simmons house, and Roberta took me under her wing just like she did Joe and Kate. She treated me the same as she treated them. She protected me more times than I can remember.”
“Protected you?” Neely Kate asked in surprise. “How?”
Hilary just shook her head.