motel when they can stay with me.” She leaned over conspiratorially. “Besides, hon, the only motel in Versailles is that run-down motor court on the old road, and they just rent rooms by the hour. Why don’t y’all get your things, and I’ll get you settled in the guest room? I would put you in Ben’s old room, but I don’t guess a new wife wants to spend the night in a room where she’s looking at her husband’s old math team trophies.”
Lily had brought minimal luggage: a small suitcase stuffed with clean underwear, a couple of pairs of jeans, a few T-shirts, and two respectable dresses and a dressy pair of shoes for the inevitable court appearances. A single diaper bag filled with clothes and a few books and toys took care of Mimi’s needs.
Ben, by contrast, had brought two enormous suitcases that had to be pulled on wheels and one garment bag. They were certainly doing their job to defeat gender stereotypes.
“This is the grandkids’ room,” Jeanie said, showing them a bedroom crowded with two sets of bunk beds, a crib, and a playpen. “You know, I was just thinking this morning that I should get rid of that crib and playpen ’cause the boys is all getting so big.” She tickled Mimi’s chin. “I didn’t know this mornin’ that I was fixing to have me a baby granddaughter.” She set Mimi down in the playpen, which was filled with colorful blocks and beads. “Why don’t you play in here while I show Mommy and Daddy their room?”
Mommy and Daddy, Lily thought. Naturally, Jeanie thinks I’m Mimi’s biological mother. She knew this was a notion they’d have to straighten out, but now didn’t seem like the time.
“Oh, Lily, I wanna show you somethin’.” Jeanie escorted her into a bathroom that was quite possibly the most sensual room Lily had ever seen. A deep marble tub, which was big enough to comfortably hold at least two people, was sunken into the floor. The tub was surrounded by candles, and a crystal bowl of many-colored bath oil beads sparkled like jewels in the light that shone through the window.
“What a beautiful bathroom,” Lily said.
“You can use it any time you want to,” Jeanie replied. “It’s my special place, I guess. I’ve been with Benny Jack’s daddy thirty-four years, and I’ve raised up three boys in this house. Sometimes I just need a place where I can get away from the men, you know what I mean?”
“I know exactly what you mean.” Lily bit her lip as Ben erupted in a fake coughing fit.
“Well, this can be y’all’s room.” Jeanie led them into a room with a king-size canopy bed.
Paintings of outdoor scenes hung on the cream and hunter-green striped walls, and a stuffed wild turkey stood guard in the corner, looking as if he might say, “Nevermore.”
“Benny Jack’s daddy bagged him a coupla years back,” Jeanie said, when she caught Lily staring at the dead bird. “All the McGilly boys love to hunt, ’cept for Benny Jack here.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want him to hunt anyway,” Lily said. “I’m an animal lover.”
“And this way you won’t be a widow during hunting season.” Jeanie smiled. “Well, I’ll let y’all get settled in. I’d better be heading to the store if we’re gonna have a barbecue tonight.”
Lily had already popped open a Bud tallboy before she realized that only the men were drinking beer. The women at the poolside barbecue appeared to be sticking to diet soft drinks. Ben’s brothers, Johnny and Wayne, were knocking back beers and laughing, threatening to push one another into the pool. Lily couldn’t help but observe how muscular both of Ben’s bathing-suited brothers were. With their bulging biceps and V- shaped torsos, they would have been the gods of the gay scene if they had shared their brother’s sexual orientation.
Ben stood with his buff brothers, looking unamused at their high jinks. He was the only male at the party drinking Diet Coke instead of beer.
