Storm At the Gaillardia

Oleander

The next day...

Old nails were dropped in a coffee tin as the rotted wood was pulled away. Callie was taking the wood to the fire pit that she had set up on the beach. Any too small pieces of driftwood were already piled there. Large pieces where in the back of Callie's old pickup truck to take to a local artisan whose medium was driftwood. Pete was cutting the lengths of 2 by 4s while Danny was nailing them in. Arny was adding the sealant after they were in place.

"Last one for the boardwalk done." Arny called, stretching his back. "If Pete has the ones for the porch cut, we can jump on those before lunch." Danny agreed, hoisting the hammer in the tool belt. Avoiding the freshly sealed wood, they started for the front of the house. Pete got the wood cut already and they started to work. About halfway through, Danny cussed when a large splinter of wood went into his finger.

"Come on, Danny, let's get that out." Callie looked at the wound. "This might take few minutes. Get a drink from the cooler, boys and relax for a bit." Callie told them. Callie took Danny into the kitchen and had him sit down. She retrieved the first aid kit that she kept under the sink. Holding his finger to the light, she flushed the wound with peroxide first to try to work the splinter out.

"If you got to use the tweezers, it is okay. I have a high pain tolerance for getting hurt. Tattoos are a different story." He gave her a smile as she worked at the wound.

"I heard." She glanced at the inked thorns on Danny's hand. "I thought about getting my wedding date on my ring finger, now I am glad I did not." She had to push at the bottom of where the splinter was, forcing it up. Danny bit his lip, redirecting the pain to lessen it. He concentrated on the scent of lavender and rosemary that whiff from her skin. She was in a simple pink tank top with a plain white bra that played peek a boo with the strap. Green cargo pants that hit her mid-calf. A simple black slip-on tennis shoe since they were working. Her hair was pulled back in a series of small claw clips with another bandana, this one green to match her pants. Her green eyes looked like pieces of precious jade in the light from the window.

Callie looked up, seeing his eyes studying her. Danny tied his hair back in a hairband and donned on a basic black t-shirt and long black pants to work in. He looked like a walking, talking void at the sunny beach side residence. The sunlight that she was using to see the splinter made his brown eyes look like pools of honey and amber.

"So, do you have any tattoos or piercings?" Danny asked, trying to keep his mind off the pain in his finger. It was hurting like a S.O.B. "I think you probably have something cute and sweet on the small of your back or hip?" Danny was teasing her. She snorted as she got the tip of the splinter from his skin. Using the tweezers, she was able to pull it out intact.

"When I was your age, it was fashionable to have Asian characters on your body. That is all I am going to say." Callie cleaned the wound, placed a small bandage to clean the area clean.

"Oh, you have to tell me now. Does it say what you think it does?" Danny teased. She replaced the kit, closing the cabinet door. She turned to see his eyes playing pleading for her to tell him.

"It does say what I wanted to say for the artist was actually from Hong Kong and wanted to keep me happy since we were dating at the time." Callie smiled at him. "Heaven near my left hip, on my lower stomach."

"Can I see?" Danny asked playfully, taking a step closer to her. Her hand started to go for the left side on her waistband.

"No." Arny walked into the kitchen. "Pete and I got the other bad boards off. If he is clear for work, we can knock it out while you go into town like you planned. Get a jump start on the flower bed." Arny told to his aunt. Callie said that she would pick them up something to eat while she was out. After Arny walked out, she motioned to Danny to wait a second. Quickly, she tugged down the left side of her pants to show the simple characters in black. She blushed at her actions and pulled her pants back in place to get her purse from her office.

I bet she would be like heaven. Danny thought as he left the kitchen. Callie left in the truck, taking the wood to the artisan. The boys finished the porch, painting the bare boards to match the distinguish hue of orange of the flower. The stones on the flower bed busted from the mortar and cracked in places. The boys clipped away the weaken mortar, seeing how to lay the stone back in. Since Callie had not arrived back yet, the boys figured out how to make the mix and finished the repair ahead of schedule.

Danny went back inside to change his bandage. He got dirt and mix all over it. Danny opened the cabinet that Callie had place the kit into. Pulling it out, he noticed a small jar in the cobweb corner. It was a plain glass jar with a screw on top. Danny reached in and took it from its place.

"It is in a mason jar. Ha, probably moonshine. That naughty girl." Danny told himself while he cracked open the top. Danny bough the open jar to his nose. No smell. He looked at it again. It was colorless like water. Danny held the glass, taking to figure out why Callie would have a random jar of liquid in her kitchen. Danny's eyes went wide, realizing what it could be. He replaced the lid and setting it back in the corner of the cabinet. Getting a fresh bandage, he closed up the kit. Washing his hands, Danny got the new bandage on and returned outside with Arny and Pete to make some content.

Callie came back to the house with bags of food from a popular sandwich and burger diner in town. The boys had cleaned up from working and sat in the kitchen to eat. They were talking about going about to see the sights of the island, Callie was asked if she would like to tag along.

"You three will probably stay out pass my bedtime. Go have fun." She told them. Arny and Pete went to their roommate to change into their nicer clothes. Danny stayed in the kitchen with Callie. He needed to talk to her.

"I had to get a new bandage while you were gone. I...found your jar of moonshine there." Danny recalled cautionly standing from the chair.

Callie gave him a confused look. "There is no moonshine in the cabinet, just..." Callie stopped talking and putting away the few groceries she got. "Tell me you did not drink it! Please, say you did not drink it!" Callie rushed to him, cupping his face in her hands. The look of pure fear confirmed his suspicion.

"No and I knew it was not moonshine. Distilled oleander, am I right?" Danny asked her. Callie nodded, hanging her head. She was taking her hands from his face. Danny took her hands and placed them on his black cotton covered chest. He laid his hands over hers. "Why do you have that?" He voiced was filled with concern.

Callie looked up at his face, tears in her eyes. "I learned about my husband's infidelity about the same time I found out I had cancer. I was in dark place in my head then. To know that the man that I said 'I do' to was screwing another woman in our bed. His reason for cheating; she could give him the child I could not. He wanted the house so he could raise their family here. She was pregnant during the divorce. His other secret that I learned about." Callie's voice was soft and sad.

"I was in pain, mentally, emotionally, and physically. I plucked some leaves off the oleander plant, remembering the tale of the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. I...was just so tired of everything. I just wanted to be at peace." Tears fell from her eyes. Danny, not caring if Arny walked in, pulled her to his chest, holding her to him. He stroked her hair, loosening the strands from the clips. Callie just cried, letting it go. Danny kissed the crown of her head, whispered that everything did get better, and he was happy that she did not take her life.

Arny stood just beyond the doorway of the kitchen. If the situation was different, he would have walked in and punched Danny in the face. It was the sight of his aunt crying that stopped him. Callie was the strong one in the family who could keep her emotions in check. The only time Arny seen her cry anything like this was three days after her father's funeral. She had been taking care of everyone and everything. Some the family members had even made comments that she was a machine.

They did not witness her howling cries as Arny's mother held her when she broke down while starting to go through his home. They did not hear her scream and curse at God and all the angels in Heaven for taking their daddy away. His aunt was not a machine, just a person who hid their pain well until they finally broke.

Danny looked up, seeing Arny at the door. With a somber look, Arny mouthed 'is she was okay'. Danny nodded, holding her tight as she continued to weep. Arny nodded, thanking Danny for being there for her silently. Maybe, Danny is exactly what Aunt Callie needs. Arny thought, going to find Pete.