had, probably during one of the so-called business trips he’d kept on making to Lubbock almost every week while Bye and Deidre had cared for their mom. The timing of seemingly unrelated events was rarely coincidental when it had to do with Byron Caden IV.
Jack’s head might be throbbing, but Bye was sure his hurt worse. The afternoon sun stung his eyes when its rays pierced through the sheer curtains. He wanted to be somewhere, anywhere but here. He needed to cry for his mother and pray she’d hear him from beyond that new grave in the family cemetery.
He’d walk out right now if that wouldn’t give his father more reason to think he had no balls. Anyway, Bye couldn’t sully his mother’s memory by murdering Four or his mistress, spattering crimson splotches of adulterers’ blood all over her pale-blue patterned Oriental rug.
Instead, Bye moved to the far end of the room where Deidre had retreated, sat on the arm of her chair and put his arm around her. “It’ll be okay, sis.” He knew it wouldn’t, but what the hell else was he going to say? “Come on now, don’t let the bastard know he got to you.” Deidre sniffed as she blotted her tear-stained face with a tissue. Then she lowered her head onto Bye’s knee and spoke, her voice a shaky whisper. “What if I’d slept with him? What if Daddy has more adult secrets like him that one of us may have fucked?”
Bye looked around at the others, noting the pained looks on their faces. He assumed from their father’s lack of reaction that Deidre’s conjecture hadn’t reached his ears. Since neither Jack nor his mother reacted, Bye guessed they’d also missed the slip of vulgarity that would hardly have gone unremarked upon, considering it came out of his sweet younger sister’s mouth.
“You didn’t, Funny Face,” he said, trying to get a smile by using the nickname he’d given her as a baby. “And I doubt Byron Four went around fertilizing every ripe human egg in Texas during his younger days. It seems to me he’s kept Duval’s mother stashed away ever since before either of us came on the scene. Let’s hope she’s the only one and Jack’s her only child.”
Deidre shook her head. “We can never be sure.” Hearing such despair in her voice made Bye want to cry with her, but he dared not show what Four would interpret as unacceptable male weakness. Rubbing her nape, he wished she hadn’t put her hair up or worn the tailored black suit he remembered their mom had occasionally worn at local funerals.
“Why’d you wear Mom’s suit today?” he asked, trying to divert her attention from possible unknowing incest they may have committed or might commit sometime in the future.
“I wouldn’t believe she was going to die in spite of what the doctors told us, so I refused to go out and buy something to wear to her funeral. I don’t own anything black, except a couple of cocktail dresses.” She traced a muted pinstripe up the sleeve of his gray suit jacket. “You’re lucky. Men aren’t expected to wear black, even for a parent’s funeral.”
“I’m not feeling very lucky today.” He felt her turn her head and knew she was watching Jack and his mother. “Want me to beat his ass for you?”
Deidre shook her head. “No, I just want to die.”
“And leave me all alone?”
She inclined her head toward Duval and his mother. “They’re not going to leave us alone.”
“I know that.” Before he’d known Jack was family of sorts, Bye had sort of hoped he’d marry Deidre and become part of their extended family. He’d liked the bastard. What a fucking joke!
Deidre poked him in the ribs. “Listen to that woman, Bye. She’s moved over by Daddy now. She thinks she’s going to move in.”
Bye stood and pulled Deidre up beside him. “That’s not about to happen. Let’s go show this woman that Cadens—even the younger generation—aren’t meant to be fucked with.” He led Deidre down the length of the room until they stood
Jack’s head might be throbbing, but Bye was sure his hurt worse. The afternoon sun stung his eyes when its rays pierced through the sheer curtains. He wanted to be somewhere, anywhere but here. He needed to cry for his mother and pray she’d hear him from beyond that new grave in the family cemetery.
He’d walk out right now if that wouldn’t give his father more reason to think he had no balls. Anyway, Bye couldn’t sully his mother’s memory by murdering Four or his mistress, spattering crimson splotches of adulterers’ blood all over her pale-blue patterned Oriental rug.
Instead, Bye moved to the far end of the room where Deidre had retreated, sat on the arm of her chair and put his arm around her. “It’ll be okay, sis.” He knew it wouldn’t, but what the hell else was he going to say? “Come on now, don’t let the bastard know he got to you.” Deidre sniffed as she blotted her tear-stained face with a tissue. Then she lowered her head onto Bye’s knee and spoke, her voice a shaky whisper. “What if I’d slept with him? What if Daddy has more adult secrets like him that one of us may have fucked?”
Bye looked around at the others, noting the pained looks on their faces. He assumed from their father’s lack of reaction that Deidre’s conjecture hadn’t reached his ears. Since neither Jack nor his mother reacted, Bye guessed they’d also missed the slip of vulgarity that would hardly have gone unremarked upon, considering it came out of his sweet younger sister’s mouth.
“You didn’t, Funny Face,” he said, trying to get a smile by using the nickname he’d given her as a baby. “And I doubt Byron Four went around fertilizing every ripe human egg in Texas during his younger days. It seems to me he’s kept Duval’s mother stashed away ever since before either of us came on the scene. Let’s hope she’s the only one and Jack’s her only child.”
Deidre shook her head. “We can never be sure.” Hearing such despair in her voice made Bye want to cry with her, but he dared not show what Four would interpret as unacceptable male weakness. Rubbing her nape, he wished she hadn’t put her hair up or worn the tailored black suit he remembered their mom had occasionally worn at local funerals.
“Why’d you wear Mom’s suit today?” he asked, trying to divert her attention from possible unknowing incest they may have committed or might commit sometime in the future.
“I wouldn’t believe she was going to die in spite of what the doctors told us, so I refused to go out and buy something to wear to her funeral. I don’t own anything black, except a couple of cocktail dresses.” She traced a muted pinstripe up the sleeve of his gray suit jacket. “You’re lucky. Men aren’t expected to wear black, even for a parent’s funeral.”
“I’m not feeling very lucky today.” He felt her turn her head and knew she was watching Jack and his mother. “Want me to beat his ass for you?”
Deidre shook her head. “No, I just want to die.”
“And leave me all alone?”
She inclined her head toward Duval and his mother. “They’re not going to leave us alone.”
“I know that.” Before he’d known Jack was family of sorts, Bye had sort of hoped he’d marry Deidre and become part of their extended family. He’d liked the bastard. What a fucking joke!
Deidre poked him in the ribs. “Listen to that woman, Bye. She’s moved over by Daddy now. She thinks she’s going to move in.”
Bye stood and pulled Deidre up beside him. “That’s not about to happen. Let’s go show this woman that Cadens—even the younger generation—aren’t meant to be fucked with.” He led Deidre down the length of the room until they stood
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