Lou Jane Temple - Death is semisweet

LOU JANE TEMPLE
ST. MARTINS MINOTAUR NEW YORK

DEATH IS SEMISWEET. Copyright 2002 by Lou Jane Temple. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martins Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.minotaurbooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Temple, Lou Jane.

2002068352

First Edition: September 2002

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For
Charlene Welling and Mary Simpson,
who are always there through thick and thin

Miracle Whip Chocolate Cake 2 cups flour1 cup sugar pinch salt1 tsp. baking soda4 T. cocoa1 cup cold water1 cup Miracle Whip1 tsp. vanillaThis is a standard Midwestern housewife recipe that was probably printed on the Miracle Whip jar at some time. Bob Bond, a friend of mine, got it from his mother, Evelyn, in Joplin, Missouri.Combine all dry ingredients. Mix well. Add all liquids and mix to combine. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Frost with Hersheys chocolate frosting. Hersheys Chocolate Frosting 1 stick butter cup cocoa3 cups powdered sugar cup milk1 tsp. vanillaMelt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk, beating until smooth with each addition. Add more milk if needed to obtain spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

One

H eaven Lee woke with a start. Sections of the Kansas City Star and the New York Times Sunday papers were on her chest, on the bed, on the floor. She stretched and looked around contentedly, then pulled a variety of pillows toward her and arranged them as a back rest, organizing the scattered papers into two piles, separating the Times from the Star. It was 10:30 on Sunday morning and she was still in bed.

Sunday was the only day Caf Heaven was closed so it was the only day of the week staying in bed late with the paper was a possibility. She had the Kansas City paper delivered every day but the New York Times only on Sunday. She didnt have enough time to read two newspapers every morning. Half the time she didnt have time to read one in the morning, reading the Star when she got home from the restaurant late at night. Today shed gotten through the arts and editorial sections before dozing off again. Lazy Sundays didnt come around too often.

Heaven hopped out of bed and went downstairs for another cup of coffee. Shed gotten up with Hank Wing, had her first cup then. Hank had gone around the corner to spend some time with his mother and attend mass at Holy Rosary Catholic Church with her. Heaven was never invited on these outings. She wasnt Catholic and Hanks mother didnt approve of her, a fact of life Hank accepted better than Heaven did.

Heavens home in the Columbus Park district of Kansas City was a storefront. The first floor was one big commercial kitchen, laundry room, dining room and entertaining area, with lots of storage places for foodstuffs and dishes and platters and baskets and wine glasses. Before Heaven opened the restaurant, shed run a catering business out of this floor.

She poured more coffee and also got a Diet Coke out of the big reach-in refrigerator, anticipating the move to a cold form of caffeine soon. She spotted a big chunk of chocolate sheet cake in the refrigerator and added it to her tray. She returned to the bed upstairs, took a bite of cake and followed it with coffee. Then she grabbed the phone from the bedside table.

She dialed and when someone answered, broke into a big smile. Hi, honey, its your mom.

Mom, Im so glad you called. What are you doing? The voice on the other end of the line was hesitant, reserved. It was Iris, Heavens daughter. Iris had finished her last year at Oxford and was still living in England with her father, the rock musician Dennis McGuinne. She was launching herself as a writer and she was in love.

I have the day off and Im still in bed. Its absolutely glorious. Hank went to church with his mom and I made coffee and got back in bed. In fact, Ive already had my first nap.

Why dont you just stay there all day. Im sure Hank will come back and join you, Iris said, teasing, then felt embarrassed about making a sexual crack to her mom. She was glad her mother couldnt see her turning red.

Heaven wasnt going to bite. I cant stay in bed because I have a brunch date with Stephanie Simpson. Shes going to teach me about chocolate. But then Im coming home and staying here. Its probably the last time this month Ill get to do this. Its been busy at the restaurant since Thanksgiving and even though were not open on Sundays, it seems like I have stuff to do on Sundays the rest of the month. When will you be home?

Iris had been firm last year when she explained to her mother that after college, she wasnt coming back to live in Kansas City. It had been rough to accept, but Heaven couldnt blame her daughter. Iris had a world view. Heaven just wanted her to remember where her emotional home was. After all, Iris had grown up in Kansas City, moving to Cambridge and her father only for her college years. The last four years had been good for Iris and Dennis, or so they both said. Heaven had accepted the separation until this year, when it led to Iris falling in love with a man of whom Heaven was afraid.

Well, Im coming on the 20th and today is the 10th, so only ten more days, Iris said, still with the hesitation in her voice. Im really looking forward to it, Mom.

Oh, honey, so am I. I told my brother wed come out to the farm on Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve well have a get-together here, or at the restaurant, Im not sure where yet.

Mom, Iris said more sharply than shed meant to, cutting off her mothers chattering mid-stream. Stuart is coming with me.

Silence for at least ten seconds.

Mom, are you still there?

Gosh, Iris, I would think Mr. Watts would want to spend Christmas with some of his children. How about the ones that are older than you? Doesnt he even have a grandchild? Heavens voice dripped with sarcasm.

Mother, I thought wed gotten to the point where you accept that I love this man. Now Ive tried to respect your wishes, and Dads too, as far as that goes, and not move in with him. But hes coming with me to Kansas City and thats that.

Silence again, but only for a couple of seconds, while Heaven figured out her next move. Well, then, shall I book him a room at the Fairmont Hotel? she asked archly, knowing she was fighting a losing battle.

This time there was a good solid pause on the other end of the line.

Heaven didnt want this to become a battle royale but the idea of that aging rock star and her daughter sharing her daughters childhood bedroom was pretty hard to take.

Why is it just fine for you to have a boyfriend just a few years older than I am, but I cant have a boyfriend in your age category? Iris asked bluntly.