Chapter 12
Carrington Kitchen
Searcy, Arkansas
“Well, there you go. That is the story of how I ended up married to Tommy. It’s a doozy, isn’t it,” said Poppy with a self-deprecating laugh.
“It is beyond a doozy. And you were just nineteen. You were still nineteen when you delivered, right? Just a baby having a baby,” replied Harvey Cox, who had already begun to pack up his things.
“This is a good place to take a break in your story. You said earlier that you need to pick up your girls after school. Would it be okay if I came back tomorrow and we picked it up then?”
Nodding, Poppy walked Harvey to the front door and said, “Yes, that is fine. It takes a long time to retell a love affair over twenty years in the making. Sometimes, I can’t believe it has been so long.”
Waving as he headed to his car, Harvey said, “If the next twenty are as crazy as the first year, this is going to be quite the article.”
Closing the door, Poppy thought to herself, “You have no idea.”
Carrington House
Searcy, Arkansas
November 28, 2023
The next day, as Poppy waited for Harvey to arrive, she sat outside on the heated patio.
It still amazed Poppy that rich people did things like heat their patios.
She now had made a nice following as an artist and was financially set in her own right, but she would never think of herself as a “rich person.” In her mind, she would always be the maid’s granddaughter.
One of her fears about sharing this story was that it would also be how the public would see her.
She would forever be the help’s granddaughter who trapped the rich guy.
Poppy was still thinking about this when Harvey Cox showed up with a steaming cup of coffee from Midnight Oil for her and a large soda from Sonic for him. When he came in, he handed Poppy hers and said, “Two creams and two sweeteners? Right?”
Taking the cup, Poppy said, “Perfect. How did you remember that?”
“It is my job to notice things like that,” he said with a smile. “So, where do you want to do this today?”
Walking into the living room, Poppy sat on one sofa and gestured for Harvey to sit on the one across from her. “I thought we would start in here today.”
Setting up his recorder and getting out his notepad and pen, Harvey settled in and got ready to get to work. “Okay, when you left off yesterday, you told me about how you ended up married to Tommy Thompson and were preparing to have your son.”
“Yes, what do you want to know next?”
“Well, when did you see Bennett again?”
“Oh, not until the winter of 2011. He came to see me to ask me to do a fundraiser for the Searcy hospital like the one I did for a hospital in Gulf Shores,” replied Poppy.
“What was your life like between the time you married Tommy and saw Bennett again?” asked Harvey.
“Oh wow, it was hectic. Ben was born on April Fool’s Day, 2001. Thanks to Tommy and Jack, I was able to finish school and even get my master’s degree. I took a position teaching at the Art Institute.”
“Let me interrupt you, just a second. Ben mentioned Jack as well. What was his full name, and how did he come into your life?” asked Harvey.
“Jack Masters was the love of Tommy’s life. Well, him and Ben,” replied Poppy.
“Do you know that your voice always softens when you talk about Tommy? You were married for over seven years. Were the two of you ever a real couple?”
Poppy could not hold back the bark of laughter that erupted from her at the question.
“Lord, no. It was never like that between us. But I don’t know what I would have done without him.
He changed the trajectory of my life. He was like my brother.
My very gay brother. He met Jack a few months after we got married.
They met at one of Tommy’s gallery shows.
He came home with him and never left. The delivery room was a little crowded the day Ben was born, as all three of us did it together.
I would never have made it without them. ”
“Okay, I got it. Sounds like you had a wonderful support team in them. That had to be a hard time for you. Did you ever have a moment where you thought you should contact Bennett and tell him he had a son?”
“Of course, I was lonely and missing Bennett. The worst was when Gran told me that Bennett and Taylor had married. I found out a few weeks before Ben was born. Truthfully, if I had not known they were married, I would have broken and called him the day Ben was born and begged him to come to us. But they had. Plus, I had promised Tommy he would be Ben’s dad.
I had to honor that promise. In the end, Ben got two great dads.
“Our life in New York settled into a comfortable routine. Tommy’s health began to decline in 2005.
He continued to paint and had his last show in the spring of that year.
Jack quit his job to take care of Tommy and Ben full time.
By this time, Tommy’s paintings were selling for a ridiculous amount of money and I continued to teach at the Institute.
By early 2007, Tommy was put on hospice.
He passed away in Jack’s arms in February of that year.
I finally understood how Bennett must have felt when Tatum died.
It took me a long time to come to peace with being unable to pick up the phone and call him.
I can still hear his voice in my head. He was such a loving, giving, kind man.
I miss him every day of my life. Poor Jack; if not for Ben, I think he would have had a nervous breakdown.
That was why I was so happy when he met Jorge.
The light came back in his eyes. I selfishly hated that he moved to Napa, but honestly, I am so happy they found each other.
It made sending Ben to school out there so much easier. ”
“When did Jack marry and move?” asked Harvey.
“Umm, let’s see. It was the summer of 2011.”
“So you and Ben were alone for the first time beginning then?”
“Yes, it was an adjustment. I had never had to think about childcare. Of course, Ben was ten by then and did not think he needed a sitter. I am sure you can imagine how that went,” said Poppy with a look.
Harvey, who had two teenage boys, replied, "Absolutely. Let's talk about your art for a minute. When did you begin the Growing Up New York series?"
"I started it during my master's program and continued adding pieces through Christmas 2011.
Jack's idea was to make sure the icons of New York were incorporated into each picture after 9-11.
Once the towers were gone, we knew we wanted to do something authentic that showcased our beautiful city.
Personally, I wanted to document Ben's life.
"Down deep in the most secret part of my heart, I never stopped mourning not being able to share Ben's life with Bennett. It was my way of doing that. Somehow, I knew someday he would see the pictures and be able to share in art what he missed in life."
"Wow. That is amazing. So, you worked on the pieces for over a decade. How many pieces did you complete in all?"
"There are thirty paintings in the collection," said Poppy proudly.
"Where are they now?" asked Harvey.
"The whole collection is a part of a permanent exhibit at the Emerson Childhood Museum in New York. The museum is a celebration of childhood. I still own the originals, but they pay a yearly stipend for the right to show them."
"How did you get into doing art fundraisers for hospitals?" asked Harvey.
"That came about after Gran had her heart attack.
Thank goodness for Greer Stone. He is a miracle worker.
He was Gran's surgeon. She would not have made it if that hospital had not been there.
At the time, the hospital was struggling financially.
As a thank you to Dr. Stone and the hospital, I offered to do a fundraiser.
I arranged to do a traveling exhibit of the pieces and to sell signed, numbered, and framed prints of the work.
I also donated two original pieces to be raffled. "
"So that was how Edna Stone found out about you?" asked Harvey.
"Yes, she started emailing and calling me about doing the same thing in Searcy. I was totally against it. In fact, I told her I was never stepping foot back in Searcy. That just goes to show you to never say never," said Poppy with a laugh.
"So if you said no, how did you end up doing the show in March 2012?"
"Because Bennett came to see me," replied Poppy.
"Really," said Harvey. "That sounds interesting."
"Oh, it was," replied Poppy.
The Art Institute
New York, New York
February 2012
Poppy was finishing up her Human Form drawing class when Bennett slipped into the class. At first, she did not see him. He stood in the back of the room, leaning casually against the back of the classroom, watching her.
Walking around the room talking with students, Poppy said, "Great work, Sabrina.
I can see real improvement in your shading.
" Moving to another student, she said, "Lisa, this is your best work yet; Catherine, you, Daryn, and Denice have really improved since last week. Melissa, I love the shading.” Looking over to the next student, she said, "Donna, you…
" Whatever she was going to say next was lost as her eyes landed on Bennett, and all rational thoughts fled.
Quickly recovering herself, Poppy instructed the students that they had done enough for the day and to pack up. The students only took a few minutes to collect their things and quickly exit the room. The whole time, Poppy ignored Bennett until everyone was gone.
When it was just the two of them, Poppy looked at him and said, "Senator, what the hell are you doing interrupting my class?"
Bennett gave her a look and said, "Look, I am not any happier about this than you are. But, I owe Edna Stone a favor."
Whatever Poppy expected Bennett to say, it wasn't that. "Edna Stone? The lady who keeps calling me trying to get me to come to Searcy to do a fundraiser?"
"Yes, one and the same. She has been a huge contributor to my campaigns over the years. She has called my office several times asking me to approach you about the fundraiser given our past."
Poppy blanched, "How in the world would she know about that?"
Bennett frowned at her and said, "Not that past. The fact your Gran was our housekeeper.
She mistakenly thought you might change your mind if I approached you.
I tried to tell her I had no influence over you, but she insisted.
She said you have done some amazing series about growing up in New York.
Edna says it is fabulous. So, here I am.
Asking you again, will you please come to Searcy to do for our hospital what you did for the one her nephew works at? "
For several seconds, Poppy said nothing.
She just looked at Bennett. Words would not come.
He was so close she could smell his cologne.
It was all she could do to keep herself from launching herself into his arms and begging him to take her right there on the floor of her classroom.
All rational, reasonable thought was gone.
When she said nothing, Bennett added, frowning even more, "If the answer is no, just tell me now. I will get out of your hair. I can then tell Edna I tried."
"Do you want me to come and do it?" Poppy had no idea why she asked that question. What difference would it make if he did? She knew she could never go back. That part of her life was over. She had tried to tell Mrs. Stone that.
"I think the better question would be how would your husband feel about you doing it?" replied Bennett.
The mention of Tommy was so unexpected that Poppy almost gasped. She lowered her head and took a deep breath. Then, looking back up at Bennett, Poppy said, "Tommy passed away in 2007. But if he were here, he would want me to do whatever I wanted to do."
At her words, heat flared in Bennett's eyes. Poppy had seen it too many times before to miss it. Without breaking eye contact, he said, "Well, then, what do you want?"
Poppy was not sure they were even talking about a fundraiser anymore. Quietly, she said, "I don't know. What do you think I should do? Should I come back to Searcy or not?"
They just looked at each other; Bennett seemed to pull back mentally. He smiled and said, "I think it would do wonders for our hospital and community. I hope you will seriously consider it."
She knew she could not go back. She knew she could not exhibit her art there without all her secrets being blown wide open.
Her mind was made up; she was never going back.
But, her heart was not so sure. Before she could stop herself, she said, "I will do it on one condition.
You go to the Emerson Museum and look at the originals. If you still want me to do it, I will."
Poppy did not for a moment think that once Bennett saw the pictures of his son, he would want her to show them to the world.
But, she stupidly hoped that he might realize he had a son by seeing them.
Ben had lost two dads. He needed his real one.
Seeing the pictures could spark something between the two of them.
"I don't think that is necessary. I am sure your work is terrific.”
"I will only come if you go and look at it, and tell me you want me to show it in Searcy after you see it."
Nodding, Bennett said, "Of course." He reached in to hug her goodbye.
The minute his arms went around her, Poppy felt like she had come home after a long trip to a sad and dreary place.
Instinctively, Bennett pulled her closer and held her tightly. They stayed like that for a few minutes. Neither one wanted to pull away. Bennett's lips grazed her neck, and it was just before working their way up to her lips when his phone buzzed.
Instantly, they both jumped apart. He pointed to the phone and said, "I have to take this. It was great to see you. I hope you will come and do the show. I will go to the gallery right now and see it. I will let you know." Bennett left the classroom, and Poppy collapsed in the nearest chair.