Behind the Pine Curtain Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    Now here she was, fifteen years later, a grown woman about to see the first girl who had stirred feelings in her, feelings she had no idea what to do with at the time. The picture she had of Kay in her mind was as she’d been at seventeen. She wondered how much she’d changed. Had she grown like Rose? Jacqueline hadn’t even bothered to ask who she’d married or if she had kids. Probably. She’d come from a large family.
    No doubt she tried to duplicate that, much as Rose had done.
    “Come on, come on,” she whispered, lightly tapping the steering wheel.
    “Can’t hide in here all day.”
    She finally opened the car door and stepped into the sunshine, her eyes looking through the glass into the store, trying to find Kay. A few customers were milling about, but none looked familiar to her. She brushed at the hair over her ears, then nervously pulled at the collar of her shirt before walking purposefully to the door, hesitating only a fraction of a second before entering. An electronic tone announced her arrival, and she moved inside, pretending to look at a display near the door. She finally raised her eyes and surveyed the store, looking for Kay.
    “Good Lord,” she murmured quietly. Kay was at the register in the back of the store, talking to a customer, laughing at something she said. Her light brown hair was much shorter than she wore it in high school. It was styled nicely, barely touching the collar of her blouse now.
    Jacqueline remembered it as being long and straight. The easy smile that Jacqueline remembered was still there, but laugh lines now showed around the smooth skin of her eyes. She was as lovely as ever. And the sight of her caused Jacqueline’s heart to beat just a little faster.

    She waited until the customer left, then moved closer, standing with her hands shoved nervously in the pockets of her jeans. She watched as Kay straightened the pens in the jar next to the cash register, waiting for her to look up. Kay finally did, her light blue eyes moving slowly over Jacqueline, stopping when they reached her face. A slight frown as her eyebrows drew together, then a widening of her eyes as recognition set in. Jacqueline smiled.
    “Oh my God. Is it you?”
    Jacqueline shrugged. “You . . . who?”
    “Jackie,” she whispered.
    Then Kay was walking slowly around the counter, moving toward her.
    Her steps increased, and before Jacqueline knew what was happening, the other woman flung her arms around her, squeezing her tight.
    “My God. It’s really you.”
    Jacqueline hugged her back, surprised at the familiarity of that simple embrace.
    “In the flesh.”
    Kay finally stepped away, grasping her hands. Their eyes locked together as identical smiles touched their faces.
    “I am so mad at you,” Kay finally said.
    “Oh yeah? What’d I do this time?”
    A hard fist slugged her arm and Jacqueline stepped back, rubbing the spot where Kay had hit her.
    “What’s that for?”

    “You know perfectly well what that’s for. Not one word! Not a letter.
    Nothing . I didn’t know if you were dead or alive!”
    Jacqueline lowered her eyes. This, she was expecting. She’d expected it from Rose and Mrs. Garland, as well.
    “I didn’t have a chance to say good-bye, Kay. Later, well, it was too late. Besides, I wasn’t certain you’d even want to hear from me.”
    “You were always so stubborn. I should have known.”
    “Stubborn? I was kicked out of town,” Jacqueline reminded her.
    “Bullshit. It wasn’t like they had a gun to your head. You could have stayed with us. You know Mama would have welcomed you.”
    “I knew no such thing. I was scared. I didn’t think you’d even talk to me, much less want to see me.”
    “Why? You were my best friend.”
    Jacqueline shrugged.
    “Jesus. Stubborn. I swear.”
    They stared at each other, finally breaking down into laughter.
    “I’m sorry. I haven’t seen you in . . . in fifteen years and I’m fussing at you.”
    “It’s okay. I