Beneath the Scars Read online

  The ringing of Marna’s phone interrupted them and Marna quickly answered.

  “Did you like the flowers? I figured everyone liked roses.”

  “Ottie, they are beautiful! I was so surprised, but what’s the occasion?”

  He laughed, and merely said, “Did you look at the card?”

  She hadn’t. Josie had told her who they were from and she hadn’t bothered to check the card. “No.”

  “Do it now.”

  Marna did, then gasped. “Ottie! Why did you put this money in here?”

  “That’s what I’m calling to tell you. That’s gas money. I want you to go get hold of that old rascal Conrad Marks and you and him come to see me. Bring your sisters, too. It’s Saturday. My son and his family are out of town and I haven’t got a lick of company. I’m lonely.”

  “You didn’t have to give me money to do that. I’d love to come see you. Sharris is gone but I’ll bring Taryn with me.”

  Taryn looked at her, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head.

  “Oh, she wants to, really,” Marna continued after listening to what Ottie was saying. “I’ve told her all about you and she can’t wait to meet you. And we have something to show you. You’re going to love it.”

  When she hung up, she looked at Taryn and laughed. “No housework today. We’re going to visit Ottie.”

  “But…..”

  “You’ll love him, sis. We’re going to pick up Conrad on the way because Ottie wants to see him, too. I wonder if Conrad knows we’re coming.”

  “Maybe you should call him.”

  Marna laughed again. “Nah. I’d rather just pop in and surprise him. He won’t have time to make up an excuse not to go.” She held up a fifty dollar bill. “Would you believe this? I’m giving it back. He sure doesn’t have to pay me to go see him.”

  “I really don’t want to go. I’ll stay here and do some more cleaning.”

  “No way. I told him you’d come and he’ll be disappointed if you don’t.”

  Taryn sighed. “All right then. I’m out of the mood to clean anyway. What do you have that you want to show him?”

  “The picture Devon gave us. He’s going to love it.” Her eyes brightened suddenly. “I know what I’ll do. I’ll make a copy of it on the computer, put it in a frame and give it to him to keep.”

  “Why aren’t more people like you?” Taryn asked wistfully. “I wish I was. You’re always thinking of others and how to make them happy.”

  Marna looked her sister directly in the eye. “Never wish to be like me.”

  “I’d even take those scars, if I could have your caring and loving personality.” She grinned. “And your figure.”

  ∞ FIFTEEN ∞

  TARYN PUT HER HAND on Marna’s arm as Marna pulled into Conrad’s driveway a short time later. “You said Devon drives a black truck. Who drives that little red car? Marna, I don’t mind seeing Devon again or of meeting Conrad, but I don’t want to meet some perfect stranger.” Her eyes were wide with anxiety.

  Marna looked at her. “I don’t like it any more than you do, and you know it. I have no idea whose car that is, but I promised Ottie I’d pick up Conrad and that’s what I’m going to do.”

  “I could just wait in the car and meet Conrad when he comes out with you.”

  “No. If I have to meet a stranger, you can do it, too. Maybe the beauty of your face will distract them from the – scars on mine.” Marna turned off the engine and opened her car door.

  Taryn never moved.

  “Taryn, come on.”

  Taryn finally opened her door but only because she felt she had no alternative.

  “Look whose here!” Conrad’s happy welcome was warm and inviting when he opened the door. “Marna, it’s so good to see you again, and this has to be – is it Sharris or Taryn?”

  “Taryn,” Marna answered.

  “Oh, my goodness! You sure turned into a real beauty. Both of you have. Come in! Come in!” Conrad opened the door wide enough to allow them entrance and then closed it behind them.

  From the kitchen, Devon appeared, a smile on his lips. “Well, this is a surprise. You two are just in time for a homemade sugar cookie, fresh out of the oven.”

  “You’ve been baking?” asked Marna.

  “Not him. Me.” Beside him appeared a beautiful older lady with short dark hair. She was immaculately dressed in a teal pantsuit, with a printed navy apron covering it. As she spoke, she was looking at Taryn and smiling, but the smile faded when she turned to Marna.

  There it was again. That look she dreaded so much. Marna forced a smile she didn’t feel as she waited for the lady to say something else.

  Devon spoke, looking directly at Marna. “You don’t recognize her, do you? This is my mother Reeka.”

  Reeka had, by then, removed her staring eyes from Marna’s face and taken on another smile. “I’m not surprised that you didn’t know me. It’s been years. We’ve all – changed.”

  “We certainly have,” said Conrad, still smiling, “but these two girls are as beautiful as ever. Devon, did you say those cookies are ready?”

  “We can’t stay,” Marna said quickly, acutely aware of Reeka’s eyes on her again, and also knowing that Taryn, who hadn’t said a word, was uncomfortable in the presence of so many people. She looked at Conrad. “We’ve come to get you and take you to visit Ottie.”

  Conrad’s eyes widened. “Oh?”

  “He insisted,” Marna continued. “And, if you know him as well as you think you do, you know you don’t tell him no when he insists.”

  Conrad laughed. “You got that right. Do we need to leave right this minute, or can we have a cookie first?”

  Taryn spoke for the first time, her voice very soft. “We’re not hungry, and – Ottie is waiting.”

  “Okay. We’ll take some cookies with us. He’ll love them.”

  REEKA looked at her son as soon as the others had gone. “Oh, what a horrible shame. Poor Marna. I have to say she has more guts than me. If I had all those scars on my face, I wouldn’t be seen in public.”

  “So you think she should just hide herself someplace?” Devon’s voice was bitter.

  “Don’t take offense. You know I’m not trying to be mean. I’m just speaking the truth. I knew she had been disfigured, but I never dreamed it was this bad.”

  “The more I see her, the less I even notice those scars. Beneath them, she’s still the same person she’s always been. I see no reason whatsoever why she shouldn’t continue doing all the things she’s always done, which includes walking around in public.”

  “But how can she bear knowing what other’s reactions are going to be? That would be the worst part. And Taryn. I remember her as being a little pudgy years ago but I figured she’d outgrow it.”

  “Marna is very self-conscious about what other people think,” Devon said, ignoring the comment about Taryn’s weight. “I hope, as time goes on, I can help her overcome it.”

  She looked at him closely. “You? Why you?”

  “Why not me? I’m her friend.”

  “I’m sure she has other friends. If you were to get too involved, she might take it the wrong way and end up with a broken heart, as well as her broken face, when she realizes friendship is all you can ever give her.”

  Devon didn’t reply.

  “Devon?”

  He turned away from her.

  “Please don’t tell me you – already have feelings other than friendship for her.”

  “What if I did?”

  “It would be terrible! Can you just imagine the embarrassment you’d be subjected to every time you were seen in public with her? You’d always know that you would both be pitied – her, for her looks, and you, for being so handsome and seemingly being stuck with her.”

  He felt anger rising. “When I’m with her, I don’t feel like I’m stuck with her, Mom. I’m with her because I want to be, and I don’t feel like I look one bit better than she does either.”

  “Oh, Devon!
Maybe you shouldn’t have come back here.”

  “I came to be with Pops and you know it.”

  “But now, in just a few days, you’re infatuated with one of the Cord sisters – the only one who has lost her beauty, if Sharris and Taryn look anything alike. Even though she’s pudgy, Taryn is very lovely.”

  Devon turned away from her. “I think I’ll join them at the nursing home. I can’t even remember Ottie Monroe and I’d like to meet him. I’ll see you later, Mom.” Opening the door, he walked outside quickly. A moment later, he was peeling out of the driveway in his truck.

  He would never have imagined his mother saying such things. But then again, she’d always been outspoken about anything that was on her mind. Still, he wouldn’t have anticipated her being so insulting and unfeeling toward Marna. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He had no intentions of leading Marna on to believe he wanted anything more than friendship between them. Just the same, he liked her a lot and never wanted her to think he’d be ashamed to be seen in public with her.

  He’d been both surprised and pleased when Reeka had shown up unexpectedly the night before. His mother was a workaholic, before and after his father’s death, and she rarely took time for anything except her job. He used to pity his father, Con, knowing he missed her when she was gone so much, as well as feeling sorry for himself, for wanting her to be with him more. There were times when he thought Con was actually glad when he became sick because she started paying more attention to him. By then, he was grown and no longer living at home, so he’d quit craving Reeka’s time and affection for himself.

  After his father died, his mother delved even deeper into her work and outside activities. Even though they lived less than twenty miles from each other, Devon rarely saw her more than once a year at Christmas. Now, for some reason, she’d driven nearly a hundred miles to visit him. Why?

  He sighed deeply, passing on the question and allowing his thoughts to continue. Reeka had always been overly concerned about her own appearance, so he shouldn’t have been surprised about what she’d said about Marna. Surprised wasn’t the word for it. Her words had pierced his heart. Why did it bother him so much? Was it because she had actually said it openly or because he knew so many others were saying the same thing in secret?

  The question resurfaced. Why had she really come to see him? She’d said she had an upcoming business trip that was going to be exhausting and had decided on the spur of the moment to get away and relax for a few days. What better place to go than the beautiful western North Carolina Mountains where she and her husband had met? She’d not only get to be with her son, but she’d also get to visit her father-in-law, who she hadn’t seen since her husband passed away. It was like killing two birds with one stone.

  He knew she wouldn’t stay long. She never did.

  ∞ SIXTEEN ∞

  “I HAVE A WONDERFUL IDEA,” Devon said as they left the nursing home several hours later. “Let’s stop and have dinner before we go back home and then take in a movie. It’s been so much fun that I think we need to make a night of it. You can leave your car here, Marna, and I’ll bring you back to pick it up later. There’s plenty of room in my truck for all of us.”

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Conrad said, smiling broadly.

  The thought of spending more time with Devon was exciting to Marna, but the idea of being exposed to so many strangers wasn’t. Besides, she had to consider Taryn. She hadn’t wanted to go with her earlier, and even though she seemed to have fun while they were with Ottie, she wouldn’t want to go anyplace else.

  Marna and her sister exchanged glances.

  Then Marna, struck with a sudden thought, turned back to Devon. “What about your mother? She’s come to visit you and she’s been alone all day. It doesn’t seem fair to…..”

  Devon laughed, cutting her off. “Do you think she stayed in that house all by herself all day, just waiting for me to come home? You don’t know my mother. She probably took off right behind us and there’s no telling when she’ll be back.”

  “But you don’t know that for sure,” Taryn said.

  “Yes, he does,” Conrad assured her. “And so do I. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m starved. I laughed myself up an appetite. That Ottie hasn’t changed a bit! So, Taryn, if you’d do an old man the honor of being your escort for the evening, I’m sure Marna will do the same for Devon. We’ll have a ball.”

  Taryn swallowed. She didn’t want to go anyplace except home. Being in a nursing home with old people was totally different than being among a crowd of any other kind. She looked again at Marna, whose eyes revealed mixed feelings. She knew Marna would like to spend more time with Devon, but had no more desire than she did to be in the public eye. What if this was the last chance her sister had to enjoy herself with the man who had stolen her heart?

  They were in the parking lot and stopping by Devon’s truck.

  Taryn looked at Conrad and smiled. “Okay. I would be delighted to be your date, Conrad.”

  Devon turned to Marna, waiting.

  Smiling, and genuinely feeling it, Marna replied, “Okay.”

  The evening turned out to be more delightful than any of them could’ve imagined. For a while, they lingered over a meal of the most delicious grilled fish and shrimp the girls had ever eaten, talking about anything that popped into their minds. When they went over a few of the stories Ottie had told earlier, Conrad added some things he thought had been left out that were important, and they laughed even more. Marna found herself relaying some of her fondest memories of her parents, and even Taryn joined in with her own thoughts.

  When some local musicians started playing and some of the patrons began dancing, the four sat there listening and watching. Every so often, Conrad would laugh and tap his feet or lightly clap his hands, saying how he remembered the day when he could really kick up his heels and keep up with anybody else on the floor.

  Devon laughed. “You probably still can.”

  “You know, I could lean on my partner instead of this old cane,” Conrad responded, as his eyes met Taryn’s. “How would you like to give it a try with me?”

  Her face flushed. How long had it been since she’d danced? The answer was easy. Never. “I hate to admit it, but I don’t even know how to dance.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding! Well, it’s time you learned!” Conrad started pushing himself up, taking her one hand as he did. “Come on, beautiful!”

  She tried to pull away. “Oh, I can’t…..”

  “You give me one good reason why not and I’ll give you three why you’re wrong.” He pulled a little harder.

  Marna looked at her sister, unable to suppress her smile over Conrad’s insistence, even though she could understand Taryn’s feelings at the same time. “Give it a try,” she said. “There aren’t that many people here and nobody’s going to be looking at you anyway.”

  “But I….”

  Devon spoke. “You don’t have to know how to dance. Just get up there and move around a little bit. Believe me, nobody will see anybody but Pops anyway.” He snickered.

  Conrad gave him the eye, then laughed and turned again to Taryn.

  Reluctantly, she stood up and helped the old man across the floor. In a moment, they were swaying to the music, a little slower than the actual tempo, and Marna could hardly believe the smile that was on her sister’s lips a few moments later.

  “Look at her,” she told Devon. “I don’t believe it. She looks like she’s actually having fun.”

  “Makes me want to have some fun, too. What about it, Marna?”

  Her heart seemed to skip a beat. Although she had expected this to happen when Taryn was persuaded to dance with Conrad, even secretly anticipated it, she wasn’t ready when it did. She would be in Devon’s arms. The memory of that first hug the moment they’d met raced through her mind. Would she have those same sensations again? It had been such a good feeling, even though it had lasted only seconds before she
remembered it had been nothing more than a friendly hug to him. Just as dancing with her would be nothing more than a dance with a friend.

  When she remained silent, he merely smiled. “If you don’t want to, it’s okay. I won’t be like Pops and try to get you to do it anyway.”

  She returned her eyes to the dance floor to hide her disappointment. She chided herself for her thoughts. He’d given her a choice. She was the one who made him believe she didn’t want to do it. What hurt the most was knowing he was probably relieved. He’d probably asked because he’d known she expected him to, after what Conrad had done.

  She was watching the dancers, mainly Conrad and Taryn, so intently that she didn’t notice anyone approaching the table until a deep male voice spoke.

  “Devon Marks! It’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”

  As it always did when she knew she’d be forced to meet a stranger, her heart flinched. She took only a second to glance up at the tall, sandy-haired man with the small mustache standing there, then looked down again before he had a chance to notice her. If only she’d agreed to dance, maybe……

  Devon laughed. “John Cannon!” Standing up, he grabbed the man’s hand.

  Marna kept her eyes downward, wishing desperately she had excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. Why did this always happen to her? Why did it still bother her to know every stranger she met was going to look at her with shock and pity? Deep in her own thoughts, she paid little attention as Devon and John Cannon rattled on about how long it had been since they’d seen each other.

  Then it happened, just as she knew it would. “John, I want you to meet Marna Cord.”

  She had to look at him. What else could she do?

  The smile that started on his face froze and the shock registered in his eyes. She could tell he wanted to say something but was uncomfortable about knowing what to say. Like so many others.

  Whether or not he was aware of Marna’s discomfort, Devon spoke quickly. “Marna and I go back a long ways, John. Would you believe we were best friends when we were kids, before I moved away when I was twelve? She was only six at the time.”