Sweet Carolina Girls Part 22

"I know that my relations.h.i.+p with Lauren had a direct effect on Shelby's behavior, but she got in that car even after Abby tried to take her keys. At that point any effect I may have had is negated. She made the decision to drive while she was drunk, not me."

Harper was getting hot. All the anger from her parents' wreck was rising out of the secret place and opening up for all to see. How could they blame her? Her entire world was changed by a man who chose to drink and drive.

Lauren replied, "And I've made the decision to not judge Shelby. All I want to do is get her well enough to handle this on her own, but right now she needs me. I thought you understood that."

Harper's anger began to recede, because of the way Lauren was looking at her, like she didn't know her. She answered, "I do understand that, but I also see it from Leah's family's side. I just don't want her to be forgotten in all this."

Lauren put her hand on Harper's knee. Her voice soft and caring began, "I know this is hard for you. I'm so sorry this happened, but it did. You have been my rock. I can't imagine the emotions this must be recalling for you."

Ellen added, "I'm sorry too, Harper. I didn't mean I thought you were responsible for Shelby's accident."

"I just need to get some air. I hate hospitals," Harper said standing to leave.

"Wait, I'll come with you. I just need..." Lauren was saying when Harper cut her off.

"Stay here. Talk to Molly and Alicia when they come out. I'll wait down in the car."

With her brow wrinkled in worry, Lauren asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, do what you have to do, I'll be waiting," Harper said flatly.

She was really having trouble controlling her emotions and needed to get away from these people, including Lauren. Harper was experienced in hiding her emotions. She had to hide them, because she never trusted anyone enough to let them see how or what she really felt. Harper let Lauren inside walls she had never let down, until now. But Lauren had not been allowed in the secret place, the place where she wasn't strong, where she wept openly and screamed out in anger at the man who took them from her. Her parents had done nothing wrong, but be on the highway with a man who was drunk, just like Shelby.

The cool spring air felt good on her face, as Harper made her way to the car. She hopped into the front seat of the Hummer, dialed in XM channel 27 and listened to soft rock with the windows down. She adjusted the seat so she could lean back and closed her eyes. Harper used meditation exercises learned in Taekwondo to calm her spirit. She wasn't sure what had triggered that outburst. Maybe it was all the stress she was under she thought. She decided to hit the weights and work out some tonight.

Becky found her in the parking lot. She leaned in the window, "I think you are an extremely strong person to handle this the way you have, Harper. Not many people would be as generous as you are."

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Harper said, "If I want to keep Lauren, I have to let her do what she thinks she needs to. What would you do?"

"Me, I don't know. I've been chasing the same piece of tail for ten years now, so who am I to ask?" Becky grinned broadly.

They both laughed.

Becky slapped Harper on the arm, "Ya'll go have a good weekend now. Lauren will be down in a minute."

Becky walked back toward the hospital entrance where Lauren was just coming out. They stopped to talk for a second and then Lauren saw Harper and waved. She started toward her. Most of the angst Harper had been feeling drifted away, as the smiling Lauren made her way to her. Lauren slid into the pa.s.senger seat. She grabbed Harper's face with both her hands and kissed her, before pulling away to say, "I love you." Lauren released Harper and sat back in her seat.

"What was that for?" Harper asked. "I don't think my recent behavior warranted that greeting."

"I don't want you to think I take it for granted that you're okay with me taking care of Shelby. I don't. I don't want you to think I have dismissed Shelby's culpability in Leah's death. I haven't. I don't want you to think I will put Shelby's needs before ours. I won't. And I don't want you to think that I could live without you, because I can't." When she was finished, she stared at Harper for a reaction.

Harper looked down at the gears.h.i.+ft, "I'm sorry about losing control of my emotions, I usually try to keep how I feel about drunk driving to myself, outside of speaking to high school kids. I'll try to keep it in check."

Lauren c.o.c.ked her head, "But I don't want you to have to keep it in check. I want to know how you feel. It's what makes you who you are. We're not always going to agree on everything, but we can't work out those differences, if we don't talk about them."

Harper looked out the winds.h.i.+eld. "You're right, but I don't have to be so righteous. I hate it when I do that."

Lauren smiled at her, showing only the glimpse of one dimple, "Let's go get some lunch. I think we could both use a good long sit down lunch with casual conversation and footsy under the table."

Harper cranked the Hummer and put it in gear. "Where to?"

Lauren pointed toward Benjamin Street, "It's early; I bet we can beat the crowd to The Sandwich Shop. It's really good, but not a quiet conversation place. We can get them to go and take them to a park, if you like."

"Okay, to the Sandwich Shop it is and then a nice spot of gra.s.s. I even have a blanket in the back." Harper left the hospital and Shelby behind for the next forty-five hours...she hoped.

They headed north on Columbus to Benjamin, where they found the shop and ordered two meatloaf sandwiches to go. They traveled east on Benjamin to Herring, where they parked. Harper and Lauren ate their lunch on the gra.s.s between Old East and Old West dorms on the UC campus.

A couple of guys were throwing a Frisbee and a small group of awould be' football stars threw a ball, in the large gra.s.sy area filled with ancient trees. There were couples scattered about on the gra.s.s around them. The sandwiches lived up to their reputation. Harper gobbled hers like she hadn't eaten in days. They kept the conversation light, but eventually they began to talk about Molly and the detectives.

"Molly sure seems to be on the ball," Harper said out of the blue.

"Yes, she is. Alicia said that Molly let them read the charges and then dismissed the detectives immediately. She wouldn't allow them to question Shelby at all." Lauren wiped her mouth and added, "She came out and talked to us about what is going to happen next and what she needs from us. She is very intelligent, cunning, and thorough, and it's all covered with that cute southern drawl."

Harper continued to eat her sandwich, but got in before another bite, "What does she need from us?"

"Well, everyone, at Abby's the night of the accident, will be served with a subpoena and deposed by the prosecution as well as the defense. She also asked us to gather character witness information for Shelby. She liked the idea of us going to the accident site and taking pictures this afternoon." Lauren was on a roll, she had a quest, "Of course she will be sending an accident investigator, but she'd like us to email the shots to her today."

Harper informed Lauren, "I took a cla.s.s in accident reconstruction. I'll be able to take the kind of pictures that she needs."

"d.a.m.n, you are handy to have around," Lauren said, laughing and knocking Harper onto her back. She lay across Harper's chest, her chin resting on her hands. She smiled the smile that made Harper weak, "I learn something new about you every day. You fascinate me."

"I hope I'm interesting enough to keep you fascinated, once you've learned my secrets," Harper grinned back.

"Oh, I think I will be fascinated for a very long time," Lauren said, raising her eyebrows in a s.e.xy gesture.

"Don't do that, if you really want to go to the accident site," Harper warned.

"Okay, but later you and me and a bottle of wine on the upstairs deck, naked, wrapped in a blanket. Keep that image when all the Shelby s.h.i.+t gets to you. That's what I do," she laughed and sat up.

"What Shelby s.h.i.+t gets to you?" Harper was really curious.

"You know, when she tries to use her condition to get to me. She doesn't think I can see the games she plays. I don't blame her for trying, but I just wish she would get it. It's over. If this accident doesn't prove it to her, then I don't know what will." Lauren started picking up the lunch leftovers.

Harper folded the blanket. "What do you mean? I don't understand."

Lauren c.o.c.ked her head, like she was p.r.o.ne to do when she was making a point, "If I was going to go back to her, don't you think this accident would have done it?"

Harper thought for a minute, then started smiling broadly. Lauren was right; if she was going to leave Harper, she probably would have left when Shelby needed her the most. She was still with her, even though they were taking care of Shelby, Lauren was with Harper, no doubt.

"I hadn't thought of it that way," Harper finally replied.

"Race you to the car," she said and then Lauren was gone. Harper took off after her.

Harper won easily and they were laughing and enjoying each other's company, even if they were on a mission to save Lauren's ex. Harper didn't care most of the time and when she started to think about the DUI, she would try to put it away. Lauren was making a great effort to ease any tension Harper might have over the situation. Harper could at least try to help Lauren get through this so they could get on with their lives.

The accident happened on US 15/501, just as it joined South Columbus. It was an odd place to be traveling at a high rate of speed and to turn into the oncoming traffic lanes. Coming from Abby's house, Shelby turned right onto 15/501 from Old Church Road, approaching an intersection. After leaving the intersection, where she may have had to stop, she then crossed an overpa.s.s, heading north, approaching stoplights, traveling just one tenth of a mile to the crash site. The car hit the guardrail on the southbound side of the road and flipped down an embankment, coming to rest against a tree.

After retracing Shelby's path, Harper and Lauren pulled off the exit ramp and onto the gra.s.s, just a few yards from where Shelby's car had landed. Making their way down the hill, they stepped over small pieces of Shelby's car and its contents left behind by the wrecker service. Harper took pictures and measurements of the area from every angle. They scoured the ground for anything of importance. At the very outer limits of the articles that had obviously thrown from Shelby's car, Harper knelt down to pick up a silver rectangle under some pine needles.

"Hey Lauren, is this Shelby's I-phone?"

Lauren joined her. "Let me see." She looked the phone over. "Yes, I think it is. It would help if I could turn it on, but I think it is. The screens smashed."

Harper took the phone back and put it in her back pocket. "I'll look at it when we get home, maybe I can get it working." She looked around. "I think I have everything we need down here. Let's go up and take pictures of the tire tracks."

They climbed back up the embankment and onto the side of the road, at the busy intersection. Harper took pictures of the skid marks from every angle. She took pictures of the guardrail damage, the damage to the trees and then leaned over to get shots of the landing area from above. Leah had been thrown from the car as it impacted the guardrail, her body landing thirty feet from where the car landed. This was a violent accident.

Lauren stood on the side of the road with her hands on her hips staring at the skid marks. She was shaking her head as Harper approached, "I just can't understand why Shelby would accelerate so rapidly, then slam on brakes, swerve to the right then turn left nearly ninety degrees and go off over there. It's like she saw something in the road or blew a tire. I don't know. It just doesn't make sense."

They made their way down to the car lot where Shelby's car had been towed. Harper took pictures of the totaled Lexus from every angle. There were obvious bloodstains, everywhere inside the car. It was hard to imagine anyone lived through this crash. Lauren was unable to look at the car for very long and went to the Hummer to wait for Harper.

"We'll have a better idea of what happened when I build the reenactment on the computer," Harper said, when she joined Lauren. "You'll be able to see what occurred pretty closely. At least I will be able to tell you what the car did. I can't help you with what the reasons were outside of how the car behaved. I mean, I can tell you that the brake was applied here or there, but not why."

"I guess outside of being in that car we may never know what happened, if Shelby doesn't remember," Lauren said a little dejected.

Harper lifted Lauren's chin up with her hand, "Keep your head up. Remember the doctor said she could remember everything tomorrow, little bits at a time or never. That's two out of three that sound good, okay."

Lauren smiled, "You're right. Now, what are we going to do?"

Harper grabbed her hand and they ran across the road and back down to the Hummer. When they were safely inside, Harper said, "Let's go do something fun and not think about Shelby or the accident for awhile."

Lauren thought for a minute and then asked, "Did they teach you girls out in Antlers how to ride horses?"

"Why, yes m'am, they did. I even tried barrel racing when I wanted to grow up just like Reba McEntire. So, I know my way around quarter horses anyway. You're not talking about where they wear the black helmet and strut their stuff are you?"

"No, although my mother would have been happier. I want to go to the stables and get two of the horses. Then I want to go to Humbler Park and trail ride. We can even camp out if you want to."

Harper looked at Lauren with a bit of disbelief, "What do you mean the stables? I take it your family has horses?"

Lauren went on like it was no big deal, "Yes, but I don't ride like I used to. There are these two old quarter horses that I love to trail ride. They'll be perfect. I can call out and have all their supplies and the horses loaded up, by the time we get there. All we need is a tent and Jasper, well and all the camping stuff, but it will be fun."

Lauren was so excited about the prospect of camping and riding horses, Harper just went along. They stopped on the way to Harper's house to pick up food items and a few other things at Wally World. Lauren called the stables and had two days of feed and water and the horses loaded up. They quickly packed all of Harper's camping gear in the back of the Hummer. Lauren packed the cooler with the food they bought and iced it down.

Jasper was ready to go anytime the car door was opened for him. His leashes were loaded, meaning he was going on a trip. He ran in and out of the garage, following one woman then the other, as they loaded clothing and essentials into the back of the Hummer. All the doors were open, so Jasper jumped in every time one of the women got near the vehicle and then back out again following the women back in to the house. To Jasper's great delight Harper came out of the house the last time wearing jeans, boots and her cowboy hat. Jasper had been around horses with Harper and knew what the hat meant. They were going riding.

Harper loved horses and had grown up riding first her own then other's, after her parents died. She was in college almost immediately after their deaths, so she sold off her horse and only rode when invited by someone. It broke her heart to sell Smokey, but she didn't have time to take care of him or ride him, so she sold him to two little girls, who lived next door and would love him as much as she did. She still owned her parents' home in Antlers and made arrangements, with the family who rented it, to allow Smokey to stay in the stable where the girls could take care of him. She even sent money every month to make sure he saw a vet and was fed properly.

The closer they got to the horses the more excited Harper got. She told Lauren she couldn't think of anything she'd rather do than trail ride with her and camp out under the stars. Lauren directed Harper to a horse barn outside of Chapman's Mill, where she explained several family members kept their horses. A full time staff took care of the horses and made them available to the family when needed. Harper thought Lauren must be loaded. Lo..oa...ded like Ron White said of his in-laws.

A large white barn with green trim loomed up behind a grove of long leaf pine trees. The accompanying corral was occupied by a young girl in a black helmet on a large black horse and a trainer in the center of the ring. Lauren directed Harper to a small barn to the right where a white and green trimmed double horse trailer waited. The Hummer had a towing package so the load was no problem. Harper peeked into the trailer to see a solid black horse, she learned was named Jimmy and a chestnut colored quarter horse, named Dawn, nibbling on hay. They were loaded and on their way in less than fifteen minutes. Jasper had gotten out and peed on everything in sight. Harper said it was p.e.n.i.s envy.

About forty-five minutes later they pulled up to the bridal trail head to register. Harper took care of business while Lauren checked on the horses. Harper came back to the rear of the trailer where Lauren was, "The campsites are first come first serve and a group of campers already scooped us."

Lauren looked so let down, Harper thought quickly, and then added, "Look we have at least four good hours of day light. We'll unload and ride here and then we'll take the horses back to my house and camp in the back yard. It's really thick back toward the back of the property." Harper was trying to sell her idea, "We can build a fire. There's a riverbed behind the house about two tenths of a mile through some trees. We can ride back there tomorrow, all day."

Lauren finally smiled and lifted her downtrodden head. She hugged Harper and said, "That's why I love you. You can find the suns.h.i.+ne in any rainy day."

Harper put the park pa.s.s in her breast pocket and reached for the latch on the trailer door, "It's practice from a lifetime of rainy days." When it left her mouth, Harper had no idea where it came from. It was just what her brain supplied to her mouth to say, she had not control over it.

Lauren stopped to look at Harper, already unloading the first horse, "Wow, that's a sad way to remember your life."

Harper stayed quiet hoping Lauren would drop it. She couldn't see Harper's face hidden on the other side of the horse. Lauren took Jimmy to the hitching post there in the parking lot designed for equestrian parking. Harper removed Dawn and walked over to the tie up. Lauren waited for her there.

Lauren wasn't going to drop it, "Harper, how can you be so nonchalant about the sadness in your life? How thick is that skin you're wearing?"

Harper tried to be funny, "Oh, it's about like a Spiderman suit. It can be penetrated if the wearer isn't paying attention. It's my aspidey' senses that keep bad things away." She finished with a laugh, pulling on tan leather riding gloves. "Hey, this is supposed to be a fun day. No serious conversations allowed."

Lauren started saddling Jimmy, while Harper saddled Dawn. She wasn't ready to be put off, "I wasn't aware we were having a conversation. I ask you a question and you deflect it with humor. How is that a conversation?"

Harper stepped around the front of Dawn to look at Lauren, who was between the two horses, pulling on a strap. Harper called her to her, "Hey you, come here." When Lauren was close enough so that Harper could slip her arm around Lauren's waist, she did and whispered in her ear, "There will be enough time for you to explore every deeply buried secret, fear and emotion from my past, but today can we just ride horses?"

Lauren kissed Harper on the cheek, "Yes, darling we can leave your psychoa.n.a.lysis for another day."

Lauren rode Jimmy while Harper rode Dawn, with Jasper tethered on a long leash trailing behind. He learned his lesson as a puppy not to get too close, when a horse Harper was riding knocked him down. He wasn't hurt, but he definitely got the message. Harper was just glad the horse hadn't kicked him too hard. He could have killed him. She only had him on a leash, because of park rules. He would never leave her side for anything. He might see a squirrel or dear and alert, but he would not run after it, unless he was released by Harper. At least she had taught him that.

The three of them followed the trails through the woods around the heavily wooded park. There were thirteen miles of trails in the park and they rode them all, returning to the trailer just before the sun went down. The hours were spent laughing and telling funny stories to each other. Harper loved to hear about Lauren, she wanted to know everything about her. Lauren seemed as interested in Harper and avoided asking questions that would cause Harper to think about her parents. It was a great day and they had the whole day tomorrow to be disconnected from the world. It was just them with nothing to do, but be with each other. Harper tried to ignore the cell phone Lauren kept checking for messages.

When they got back to Harper's house she didn't open the garage door, but opened the gate to the back yard. Once through the gate she shut and locked it, then drove the Hummer as far back on her property as she could. They unloaded the horsed and tied them out to graze. They removed the five gallon buckets of water and bales of hay out of the trailer; setting them out for the horses. Harper fixed a fire pit with the shovel she brought, and then she gathered wood with Jasper. There were plenty of dried limbs needing to be burned lying around.

Lauren took the tent out of the Hummer and started setting it up. Harper came back with an armload of wood, with Jasper on her heels dragging a log. He evidently understood what they were doing or he thought it was a game. Who knew? Harper helped with the tent and went back for more wood while Lauren put the sleeping bags in the tent and finished setting up camp. The way they were situated in the trees it appeared they were in the wilderness, except for the glow of streetlights back toward the house.

Harper got the fire going and then set up the hibachi grill. They brought pre-made salad in a bag and some French bread to eat with the steaks Harper was about to cook. Jasper chowed down on a bowl of dog food and then drank out of the horses' water. He went off to survey the area while Harper and Lauren sat in lawn chairs and watched the steaks on the grill. Lauren opened a bottle of red wine and they drank it out of paper cups. Jasper arrived back at camp just when the steaks were done. He watched as his two women ate, drooling by the fire. Soon he was rewarded with the sc.r.a.ps, which he did away with in seconds. Dinner done and the moon high in the sky, the two women sat in lawn chairs and roasted marshmallows.

"This is wonderful," Lauren said, leaning her head on Harper's shoulder. Just then her marshmallow caught on fire. She blew it out and waited for it to cool.

Harper the marshmallow expert said, "The trick is to just brown it all the way around."

"Oh, I don't know. I kind of like the burnt part," Lauren said between blowing on her black mound of what used to be a marshmallow.

Lauren's phone alerted her to a text message. She took it out and read the message out loud, "It's from Shy Lynn. She says Shelby wants to see me." She looked at Harper and without saying anything she typed and sent a text back.

Harper started to stand up, before Lauren's hand stopped her. "I told her unless it's a matter of life or death, I would be back on Monday morning."

Her phone buzzed again. She read, "She's not dying, she's just whining." Lauren laughed. Harper was relieved.

Lauren poured more wine. Harper grinned at her, "Are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?"

Lauren, showing her dimples, replied, "Yes, yes I am."

They sat quietly for a while looking up at the stars, arm in arm. When the first bottle of wine was gone Lauren opened another while Harper plugged the CD player into the back of the Hummer starting a CD of soft music she made a couple of years back. It was a mix of artists like Rosemary Clooney, Carol King, Bette Midler, Emmy Lou Harris, Reba and Joan Armatrading, a mix of music she loved all her life.

Lauren brought out cheese and crackers with some grapes on a plate. Harper laid a blanket down on the gra.s.s by the fire, where the two of them lay with another blanket over their legs and the sleeping bags rolled up for pillows. It was a warm night for spring, but there was still a chill in the air. They snuggled there under the stars drinking wine into the evening.

Harper broke one of the long silences, where they just watched the stars above, "Thank you for not going to the hospital. I know that was hard for you."

Lauren rose up so she could look Harper in the eyes, "No actually it wasn't. It would have been harder to disappoint you."

"Really?" Harper said, truly amazed.