Carnal Innocence

Jim hurried over to get a peek at the violin before she closed it in the case.
    “Then I’ll have to thank my teacher.”
    He stared, then dropped his gaze to the ground. But even with his head down, Caroline could see his grin spread from ear to ear. “Shoot, I didn’t do nothing.”
    “It’s us want to thank you,” Toby said, cupping an arm around his wife’s shoulders. He held himself stiffly, favoring his bandaged side. “You stood up for us the other night. I know you were a comfort to Winnie.”
    “I’m ashamed I haven’t thanked you properly, Caroline,” Winnie added. “I might’ve gone crazy if I hadn’t known you and Miss Della were looking after my kids while Toby was being patched up at the hospital. I’m obliged to you.”
    “Don’t be. I’m told that’s what neighbors are for.”
    “Miss Caroline.” Lucy tugged on Caroline’s skirt. “My daddy’s going to sing the National Anthem before the fireworks. Mr. Tucker asked him special.”
    “That’s wonderful. I’ll look forward to it.”
    “Come on now.” Toby hitched his daughter ontohis hip. “If I know Tuck, he’s going to be looking for this lady here, and we’d better get ourselves situated for those fireworks. It’s getting on toward dark.”
    “How much longer?” Lucy wanted to know.
    “Oh, no more’n a half hour.”
    “But I’ve waited all day …”
    Caroline chuckled over the universal complaint as Toby and Winnie toted Lucy away.
    “She’s such a baby,” Jim said with a superior smirk.
    Caroline sighed at the derision in his voice. She knew he’d defended his sister at the risk of his own life, but that was forgotten now. “You know what occurs to me, Jim?”
    “No, ma’am.”
    “That I’m an only child.” She laughed at his puzzled look, then picked up her case. “Go along with your family. If you see Tucker, tell him I’ll be right back.”
    “I might could take that inside for you, Miss Caroline. It wouldn’t be no trouble.”
    “That’s all right. I have to make a quick phone call before it gets dark.”
    And wouldn’t her mother be surprised? Caroline thought as she started across the green lawn, through the green shadows toward the white columns of the house. She would wish her mother a happy Independence Day. For both of them.
    I’m free of you, Mother, and you can be free of me. Maybe, maybe if we face each other without all those thin, taut strings between us, we can find something.
    Caroline turned around to take a last sweep of the fields of Sweetwater. Though it was barely dusk, the lights on the midway and on the rides were winking in the distance. They didn’t look tawdry now, but hopeful. If she listened carefully, she could just hear the piping music and laughter as the Crack the Whip whirled its latest passengers.
    Before long, night would fall, then the sky would explode with light, and the air would shake from the cracking booms. Turning back to Sweetwater, shequickened her pace. She didn’t want to miss a moment of it.
    Her mind was so full of what was to come, she paid little attention to the voices. It wasn’t until she heard the fury in them that she stopped, wondering how she could avoid walking in on an argument.
    When she saw Josie and Dwayne standing in the front drive beside Josie’s car, Caroline automatically stepped back, thinking she could hurry around the side terrace. She hesitated just long enough to see the knife Dwayne held.
    She froze where she was, beside the end column on the graceful front porch, watching, stunned, as brother and sister faced each other over the blade. Across the lawn, beyond the cotton field, revelers waited impatiently for full dark and celebration. Here, where the crickets were just beginning their chorus in the grass and a whippoorwill perched in a magnolia and called for a mate, the two were unaware of being observed.
    “You just can’t do it. You just can’t,” Josie said furiously. “You have to see that, Dwayne.”
    “I see the knife. Jesus, Josie.” He turned it in his hand, staring at the dull glint as if hypnotized.
    “Give it to me.” She struggled to keep her voice calm and even. “Just give it to me, and I’ll take care of everything.”
    “I can’t. Name of God, Josie, you have to see that I can’t. It’s gone too far now. Sweet Jesus, Arnette … Francie. I can see them. I can see them, Josie. It’s like some sort of awful dream. But it isn’t a dream.”
    “Stop it.” Leaning her face close to