Chapter 57
Harley climbed on behind his father while Lizann called, “Lee, here behind me.” She also started up her bike, which caused Noel to stiffen and shake, as if a motorcycle were about to run him over. Jennalee donned a helmet and, as the motorcycles drove away, Noel kept his disapproving frown. She watched until he was out of sight, wondering what he’d be like to poor Phyllis when he went back inside.
Soon the little party was riding slowly along the winding path, heads turning. Jennalee liked not only being seen with the Laidlaws, but seen on this motorcycle, as well. She basked in a new sense of freedom, shaking her head to savor not having hair blowing into her face.
Malvern proper was less than two miles from the inn and Jennalee enjoyed the warm breeze the motorcycle created. She felt it tug at her face, water her eyes, and she held up a hand to catch still more, her equivalent of a dog with head out a car window. At McDonald’s, they turned in and parked. “Burgers, fries, and Cokes?” Lizann asked.
Jennalee said yes and Lizann went in for food while Earl stayed on his bike. Harley got off and came to Jennalee. “Enjoy the ride?”
“I love it. Manmade wind.”
Soon Lizann returned with two large bags of food and drink. She handed one to Harley, one to Jennalee, then got onto her motorcycle and started the engine. Again heads turned. Again Jennalee felt a silent giggle roll through her.
Sanders Park wasn’t all that different from what lay beyond. Lawns, green in pre-drought times, were now a trim yellow flat version of the rolling gold hills in the distance. Picnic tables and a parking lot told you it was officially a park, but Jennalee thought you could sit on a hillside and get the same effect. There was one big difference, though. A large flatbed truck sat on what looked to be another parking lot at the far end. Men scurried about, fireworks men. Barriers circled them for a good fifty feet to keep people a safe distance.
The Laidlaws parked at the end of a row of cars, motorcycles having an advantage in this. Lizann then opened the little trailer behind Earl’s bike and took out two sleeping bags, which she unzipped and spread out under a modest tree. Picnic spot created, she unpacked dinner. Bigger trees were already populated with people underneath, blankets, ice chests, lawn chairs. Apparently people kept in the shade until dark, then moved out to watch the show.
As the Laidlaws and their guest settled onto the sleeping bags to circle the food, that guest tried to recall her last picnic, but all she could think of was a concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park which was all crowds, noise, and the smell of pot. This wasn’t even a miniature version, being so tranquil. The only noise was children playing on swings and slides off to one side. Jennalee wondered how many Sutherlands were over there. Did Sutherlands even dofireworks?
Partway through a burger, she asked. “Do most of the Sutherlands come over for the show?”
Earl issued a kind of snort while Lizann sighed. “The ones with young children will come over, but that’s all.”
“Parker and Kimmie will be here,” Harley said. Then, reconsidering, he added, “Maybe not, though. I didn’t tell you, Mom. Kimmie told Melody about the baby being a girl and you know Melody told the world, so there was all this fuss. Kimmie may be in hiding.”
“Poor thing,” said Lizann. “I don’t think Parker fully warned her what she was marrying into.”
Jennalee stuck to her burger after this, enjoying the easy exchange between Harley and his mother. She had the same attitudes he did, saw the family in the same light, and his laugh was like hers. Earl hardly said anything. He seemed to enjoy getting as close to a nonentity as possible.
After the burgers were gone—Jennalee had two, which surprised her—and everyone settled in to enjoy dusk coming on, Harley suggested a walk. “We’ll meet you at the bikes after,” he told Lizann, who nodded. Jennalee sprang to her feet, elated he wanted to get off by themselves.
“Your mom is great,” she told him. “Just so cool, so laid back.”
Harley chuckled. “Until somebody crosses her. You should see her in action, if somebody does wrong to her or anybody in the immediate vicinity. No crap allowed.”
“She’s so sure of herself.”
“The rock of our little family. I think some of the Sutherland women secretly envy her. They’re all so locked into appearances and she doesn’t care about that. I really admire her.”
“It shows.”
Lacking a winding path, they strolled across the yellowed grass. Jennalee looked for familiar faces among the children but found none, though this didn’t mean they weren’t Sutherlands. That family was ridiculously large.