“Guess who I spoke with last night?” Derrick asked excitedly.
“Who?” Only half listening, she reached into the basket and grabbed a pair of lace panties to fold.
“Cougar.”
“Who?”
“Sean Jacobson,” he said impatiently, like she should know immediately who he was talking about.
The panties slipped from her fingers onto the floor and she clutched the phone to her ear. “Your army buddy, Sean?”
“Yes. He’s in town, at Fort Stewart. He called last night.”
Stunned, she stared blankly at the wall in front of her. “That’s...wonderful. How did he sound?”
“He sounded like the same old Sean. Said he was taking me up on my invitation to come and visit. We’re meeting tonight at Chili’s and I’d like you to be there.”
“Sure. I’d love to meet him in person.” That was the understatement of a century.
“I’ll be by to pick you up at five-thirty. Wear something pretty. I want him to see I wasn’t exaggerating when I told him how beautiful you are.”
Despite her spinning thoughts, Von managed a slight smile at the sincere compliment she’d just been given. “Thank you.”
“I’ve got to get back to work. See you tonight.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Von snapped her phone shut and brought it to her lips.
Sean’s alive and in town? Why hadn’t he contacted her, returned any of her letters or emails? She didn’t have any answers. Maybe tonight she’d get some, but that presented another problem. Von had never told Derrick that she’d continued to keep in contact with Sean after his discharge. It wasn’t like it was a big secret or they’d done anything immoral, but by keeping quiet and for so long, Derrick was sure to take it the wrong way if he found out now.
Tonight was going to be interesting in more than one way.
Suddenly joy welled up inside. He’s alive! She’d begun to believe he’d gotten himself killed on some fool mission. Blinking away tears of happiness, she slid open her phone and typed out a message on the keypad: Call me! The hunk’s in town.
Marketta worked for the electric company, processing payments. Von knew not to call her direct office line because she wouldn’t be able to talk. But her cousin could talk on her lunch break, only an hour away. However, less than five minutes later, her phone rang.
“He’s here?” Marketta squealed excitedly as soon as she answered.
“Yessss!” Von felt like pumping her fist in the air.
“Does Derrick know?”
Confusion calming her somewhat, she answered, “Of course. How do you think I found out? Derrick called to say he wanted me to go with him tonight to Chili’s. That’s where they’re meeting up.”
“Wait. Now I’m lost. Sean is here to see you, isn’t he?”
Both Von’s eyebrows shot up. “No! Derrick’s been inviting Sean to come visit forever. He must have finally decided to take him up on it.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Suddenly agitated, Von rose from the couch and crossed over to the window. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Girl, Derrick’s been out of the service, how long? In all that time, your boy Sean has never come to visit until one day, he goes MIA and drops off radar for months. When he suddenly resurfaces, he pops up for a visit. You know what I think? I think something went down that spooked your boy and made him realize who’s important in his life, and that’s why he’s here. He may have contacted Derrick, but it’s you he’s here to see.”
Troubled and unable to pinpoint why, Von began to pace. “Marketta, Sean and I are friends—pen pals really—just like he and Derrick are friends. But unlike Derrick, Sean and I have never discussed meeting in person. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but maybe whatever happened—supposing something did—made him realize how important his friendship with Derrick is. Derrick saved his life once, you know. That’s not something a person forgets.”
“Hmph, knowing Derrick he hasn’t let Sean forget it,” she murmured.
“Derrick’s not like that,” Von snapped.
“All right, all right. No need to get hostile. You know best. I gotta get back to work.”
“Okay.”
“Make sure you call and tell me how the evening went.”
“I will.”
Dismissing her cousin’s words as nonsense, Von finished her laundry, all the while wondering, What am I wearing tonight?
Promptly at five twenty-five, a knock sounded at the door.
Von took one last look in the mirror. Her modest, tulip shaped, calf-length denim skirt skimmed her body without being too revealing. Paired with it she wore a baby blue shirt with fitted three-quarter length sleeves, possessing a neckline that bared only her collarbone. Her hair, which hung to the center of her back when unbound, was gathered and pinned to her nape in a reserved bun. Her only adornment was the slightly decorative hair comb helping to hold everything in place.
Satisfied that she looked nice, she left her bedroom and answered the door. “Hello,” she greeted Derrick with a peck on the cheek.
Derrick placed his arms on her shoulders and pushed her back a step, looking her over from the floor up. He was smiling and nodding approvingly until his gaze reached her face. Then he scowled. “You’re wearing makeup.”
“Just the barest hint of face powder,” she defended.
“Wash it off.”
“But Derrick...”
“Von, you know what we teach. How can we, as leaders, expect others to do as we say if we’re not obedient to scripture ourselves?” he asked in a more reasonable tone.
She pulled away from him and widened the distance between them. “The bible doesn’t say anything about women not wearing makeup. This little bit of foundation I’m wearing is not going to send me to hell.” In recent weeks, she’d been questioning more and more their church’s teachings and searching for her own answers rather than blindly following what she was told. “Not only that, I’ve been watching other churches on television. Their women wear cosmetics and pants, too, and their ministers don’t make them feel like whores for doing so.”
Derrick reached for her and when she avoided him, he sighed deeply. “You’re right. Wearing makeup is not a sin. We never said it was. We believe, like Paul, that women should focus more on their inward beauty rather than their outward appearance. You have a pure and holy soul. Inner goodness radiates out of you like a light. You don’t need to paint your face. You’re beautiful naturally, the way you are.”
She wavered indecisively. There was logic in his words.
“Will you do it for me, please?”
Von bit her lower lip, tugging on it with her teeth before nodding.
“Thank you,” he said warmly.
She went into the bathroom and washed her face, then reapplied moisturizer. As she gathered her purse and keys, Derrick asked, “When did you purchase that stuff?”
“I didn’t. One of Marketta’s friends sells Mary Kay. She bought it to help out and gave it to me as a gift.”
Under his breath he muttered, “Should have known she was involved in this.”
“Derrick, don’t start,” she warned.
“I’m not starting anything. I just wish you could see that she isn’t the best influence on you,” he said defensively.
“She’s family. Marketta’s always been there for me and always will. I love her.” Her association with her cousin was the one area Von had always refused to bend on. Neither Derrick nor his father liked her. They thought she was too loose, too opinionated, too...everything. They’d tried to get her to terminate her relationship with her cousin and when that didn’t work, they pushed her to minimize contact. Again, she’d refused, preferring instead not to mention Marketta unless absolutely necessary.