Chapter 33 Humankind
“I don’t know about y’all, but I’m real nervous.” Beverly’s eyes followed the checkered tablecloth that seemed to go on for miles. There were four kinds of potato salad, a mountain of fried chicken, platters of pulled pork, heaps of hush puppies, and all the other delicacies of the region, along with homemade modak courtesy of Dr. Hank Chokshi. In the center of every picnic table was an arrangement of wildflowers that Betsy Wright had gathered in the fields where the Avalon plantation once stood. “What if no one comes?”
“What if no one comes?” Elijah looked so handsome in his church clothes. You’d never guess that he’d been setting up tables since five in the morning. “Everybody in town is already here!”
He was right. The whole town of Troy had turned out early to help get Jackson Square ready for the Wright-Wainwright family reunion.
“She’s talking about cousins,” Isaac said as his mother straightened his bow tie.
“Doesn’t matter to me if anyone comes,” Betsy Wright said. “This day has already been a success in my eyes.” She finished fixing her son’s tie and nudged her husband. “You got something you wanted to say, James?”
James Wright straightened his spine and cleared his throat. “Yes, I do. Before everyone heads off to help, there’s something I need to tell my two boys.” Isaac and Elijah stood at attention as their father prepared to address them. “I want you to know that I couldn’t have asked for better sons. The two of you are so different, and yet you’re both exactly what I always hoped for. Smart, brave, and resilient. You’ve made me very proud over the past few weeks, and you’ve given me great hope for the future. I’m very sorry if I ever made you feel like you weren’t the finest human beings this world has to offer.”
“Does this mean you’re okay with me being gay?” Isaac asked.
“I want you to be you,” his father said. “I wouldn’t change a single thing.”
Isaac smiled as he took in his father’s words. “Thank you,” he said, laying a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “That means a lot to me.”
“We should thank Lindsay, too,” Elijah said.
“Lindsay?” James asked.
“My Lindsay?” Beverly looked around at the Wrights, but no one seemed to know what Elijah was talking about. “What does she have to do with any of this?”
“Lindsay switched the books in Lula’s library, right? That’s where I found Rivals and Lovers. When I read it, I knew gay dudes don’t go to hell, so I made Mama read it, too, and—”
“You made Mama read that bougie boy romance?” Isaac burst out laughing and couldn’t seem to stop.
“Yeah, that’s how much we love you, bro,” Elijah told him. “I swear, I’ve never read anything more boring in my entire life.”
“Me either,” Betsy admitted. “All they did was drink wine and have babies.”
“Drink wine and have babies!” Isaac roared, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Now I feel like I’m missing out,” James said. “Maybe I should read it, too.”
Isaac laughed even louder and Elijah joined in. “Noooooooo!”
Betsy squeezed her husband’s arm. “I don’t think it’s for you, baby,” she told him.
When he finally caught his breath, Isaac planted a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “I’m really touched that y’all did that for me.”
“We’re family,” Betsy told him. “There’s nothing the four of us can’t overcome together. Now let’s prove it and go get that damn statue pulled down!”
“Amen to that,” said James.
As the Wrights headed off in separate directions, Beverly grabbed the youngest son’s arm. “Elijah, you mind giving me a hand for a second?” she asked.
Beverly had just seen Wilma and Bella pull up—very slowly—to the curb. Bella hopped out and opened the back of her SUV. Inside was the seven-tier cake that Wilma had promised as her contribution to the cookout. Elijah froze at the sight of Bella in a strapless yellow sundress.
“What’s the matter?” Beverly asked when she saw his stricken expression.
“She’s heading up north for college soon,” Elijah said.
“Maybe, but I have a hunch she’ll be back,” Beverly told him. “Now go show off your muscles and help her carry that cake.”
“Alright,” Elijah replied with a grin.
“I do hope this cake’s G-rated,” Beverly joked as she approached the vehicle. “I’ve heard what Wilma can do with some coconut shavings and whipped cream.”
“Don’t worry, I made her keep it clean,” Bella said.
“Just plain old chocolate with strawberry frosting,” said Wilma. “But come on over for the Fourth of July. I got something planned that’ll knock your socks off.”
“Where’d you get the idea to bake a giant phallus for your birthday, anyway?” asked Beverly.
“You don’t know?” Wilma snickered. “Your delinquent daughter put that dirty cake book in Lula Dean’s library. Honestly, I can’t thank Lindsay enough. It kept me out of the old person’s home and made my eighty-fifth birthday one to remember.”
“I think you more than paid her back,” Beverly said. “I’ve been meaning to let you know how grateful I am—for everything you two did for Lindsay and for all the help you’ve given Ronnie Childers. He’s such a sweet boy. Did I tell you he was planning to confess to taking Lula’s books just to get Lindsay out of trouble?”
“I’m not surprised,” Bella said. “Lindsay’s changed a lot of lives and earned a lot of goodwill. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if she hadn’t given me The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette.”
Beverly’s brow furrowed. “See, I still don’t understand why you keep talking about that horrible guide like it’s the greatest book ever written. Is there something I’m missing?”
“It definitely taught me a thing or two,” Wilma said. “It’s got some pictures of lady parts in there that you just got to see for yourself.”
Bella cracked up at the sight of Beverly’s utter confusion. “It was one of Lindsay’s jokes. She put the etiquette guide’s jacket on A Girl’s Guide to the Revolution. That’s the book I’ve been reading.”
Elijah came around the back of the vehicle carrying a giant pink cake. “Lindsay’s like the town’s fairy godmother,” he said.
“She’s got me inspired, that’s for sure,” Bella said as Elijah passed by with the cake. “I’m wondering if Troy might be the place I can do the most good. I think I’m gonna take a little time off and see if I can find a school closer to home.”
“Oh, I do like the sound of that,” Beverly told her. She didn’t need to see Elijah’s face to know how big his smile was.
“Hey there. Y’all mind if I borrow Ms. Underwood?”
Beverly spun around when she heard the familiar voice. “Darlene!”
The 1996 Troy High School cheerleading squad had reassembled for the first time in twenty years. When Darlene Honeywell pulled Beverly into a hug, Yvette, Wanda, and Val rushed over to join them.
“When did you roll up?” Val asked Darlene.
“Just now.” Darlene pointed across the square where Matt and the girls were unloading the car. “I wanted to get here early so I could congratulate the next mayor of Troy.”
“Let’s not count any chickens,” Beverly chided her. “We still have to make it through an election.”
“What are you talking about?” Wanda Crump stepped into the conversation. “Lula took off for Atlanta! And you know as well as the rest of us that she ain’t coming back after what happened at church. As soon as people saw that T-Rex book, it was over. You won!”
“I still can’t believe justice is finally being served,” Val said. “First Randy gets the boot, now Augustus. Never thought I’d see the day. And all because of two of the bravest ladies I know.”
“You know what, Val, you just reminded me of something,” Beverly said. “Darlene, you said your girls gave you the book that inspired you to tell your story. Where did they find it?”
“Lula Dean’s library, if you can believe it,” Darlene said. “Wrapped in the jacket of that old Nancy Drew book The Clue in the Diary.”
Wanda grabbed hold of Beverly’s shoulder. “What’d I tell you! Y’all thought I was crazy! It was that library making all this stuff happen!”
“Oh hell,” said Yvette.
Beverly found herself unable to speak.
“I don’t get it. What am I missing?” Darlene asked.
“Lindsay took all of Lula’s silly-ass books and replaced them with books the committee had banned,” Yvette told her. “When the truth came out, Lula even had her arrested—said Lindsay stole the books instead of borrowing them.”
Darlene clapped a hand over her mouth. “Lula came to her senses and dropped the charges, I hope?”
“Oh yes,” said Val. “And after the party, I’ll tell you why. It’s a heartwarming story with an audiovisual component that’s gonna blow your damn mind.”
Darlene looked all around the square. “Where is Miss Lindsay?” she asked.
“I sent her and Ronnie Childers to the Piggly Wiggly to pick up more paper plates.” Feeling flustered, Beverly fanned herself with her hand. “I got to admit, Darlene, I’m a little choked up by what you just told me. I had no idea Lindsay’s prank played a role in your decision.”
“Wasn’t just Darlene. Lindsay helped Delvin, too.” Wanda pointed at her husband, who was happily chatting with Jeb Sweeney as they filled coolers with bottles of water. “You couldn’t have lured that man out of the house for nothing this spring. Then he found that library, and suddenly he was Mr. Outgoing. Now look at him with his brand-new bestie. That’s a beautiful bromance blooming right there.”
“I imagine saving a town together would make you friends for life.” Val turned to Wanda with a smirk. “That mean you have to spend time with the movie star?”
“Mitch ain’t that bad,” Wanda tried to tell them. Then she gave up. “Okay, fine. He’s a moron. But he’s heading back to LA next week.”
A whole new can of worms had popped open in Beverly’s mind. “Speaking of Mitch, anyone know where he is?” she asked.
“He was stealing hush puppies last I saw,” Val said.
Beverly spotted his bald head across the square. He was already scanning the entrances for early arrivals. “Y’all excuse me for a moment. I need to have a word with our favorite movie star.”
It was sweet that Mitch was so eager to help with the reunion, but Beverly was a little worried that being met first thing by a giant movie star with a reputation for saying questionable things might be a little much for some folks.
“Beverly, you got a second?” Crystal Moore caught her just as she passed the fountain.
“Hey there, Crystal, thank you so much for coming!” She turned her attention to the gentleman by her side. “Is this the new friend you’ve been telling me about?”
Crystal beamed. “It is,” she confirmed.
The man smiled nervously and held out a hand. “Jonathan Bartlett. I’m a teacher up at the high school, and I’m the one who wrote that Facebook post about Lula Dean’s library.”
“Oh, that was so funny,” Beverly said. “I still laugh just thinking about it.”
“Thank you. But I know it ended up getting Lindsay in trouble, and I just wanted to apologize.”
Beverly dismissed his concerns with a shake of her head. “That had nothing to do with you,” she assured him. “Don’t waste another thought on it.”
“We both feel particularly bad,” Crystal chimed in, “because it was books she put in that library that brought the two of us together.”
“You don’t say,” Beverly replied. It was starting to get a bit freaky. “Which books, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Gender Queer and All Women Are Witches.”
There was no doubt who was responsible for those two classics ending up on Lula’s shelves. “Yep, that was definitely my girl,” she said.
Just then, Beverly caught sight of her daughter and Ronnie coming back from the store, their arms laden with bags. After Lindsay had been arrested, Beverly tried to plead her case with the sheriff. Her daughter was still so young, she’d reminded him, and it had all been a prank. There was nothing truly dangerous in that little library, or else they would have charged Lindsay with endangerment, too. Nobody had been harmed in the slightest. It had all been a joke.
But that’s the thing about jokes, Beverly realized. The fact that they’re funny doesn’t make them any less serious. Lindsay’s little prank had started a chain reaction. The books she’d put in that library had opened eyes, granted courage, and exposed terrible crimes. That’s why they were dangerous—why so many people had wanted to hide them. Lindsay had known all along what they could do.
“Beverly?”
She was pulled from her reverie by the sound of Melody Sykes’s voice. Beverly wasn’t surprised to see the former mayor’s wife. She’d personally called to invite her. “Melody, I am so happy you could come.”
“Thank you for having me.” Melody looked nervous so Beverly laid a hand on her arm.
“Of course! Where are your boys? I hope you brought them. They won’t want to miss out on Wilma’s cake.”
“They’re with Mara at the library. She’ll bring them over in a few minutes. But I was hoping you might be able to do me a favor before they get here.”
“I’ll certainly try,” Beverly told her. “What do you need?”
Melody took in a breath and seemed to summon her courage. “I’d like you to introduce me to Darlene Honeywell. Randy’s never going to apologize, so I figured I should step forward and do it.”
“I’d be glad to, Melody. Can I come find you in a couple of minutes? I got a few things I need to take care of first.”
“Of course! And would you please tell Lindsay that Beau loved Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret?”
“I’ll pass that along.”
Beverly stepped up on a bench by the fountain.
“Can I get everyone’s attention for a moment? It’s coming up on noon,” she called out. “I want to thank all of you for coming out to help today. Isaac Wright has a few things to say when the day kicks off. But before we start, I was hoping to see a quick show of hands. You all know about Lula Dean’s library—that my daughter was the one who switched the books. If you don’t know her, that’s Lindsay standing over there by the plates.”
Lindsay, who’d been unloading boxes of utensils, spun around at the sound of her name and offered a little wave at the people who were now staring at her. Since her chat with Delvin Crump, she’d been getting out of bed in the morning. But she still hadn’t quite recovered her old spirit.
“How many of y’all found a book in that library that meant something to you?” Beverly asked the crowd.
Half the hands in the square rose. Beverly’s heart swelled. She’d never been more proud of her daughter.
“If you don’t mind, would you stop by and let Lindsay know how it made a difference?”
Beverly saw Mr. Stempel making a beeline for her daughter and wondered which book it was that he’d found. Bernice and Sam were right behind him. Crystal and Jonathan. The entire Wright family. Delvin and Jeb. Ken, Kari, and Keith Kelly. She had no idea Lindsay had touched so many lives.
Beverly was about to go join them when she saw the first reunion guests arrive—a lovely woman in a lemon-colored dress and long braids, looking slightly lost. Mitch Sweeney, acting as official greeter, met her at the curb.
“Welcome to the Wright-Wainwright reunion,” he said, offering a meaty arm.
The woman stared up at the giant, her eyes wide. Beverly was hurrying to the rescue when the woman let out a girlish squeal.
“Are you Mitch Sweeney?” she gushed, grabbing hold of him. “I absolutely loved you as Roy.”