Blackjack

59

That evening I ate a steak at Hal’s Café before I paid Virgil and Allie a visit. As I approached the dark house I could see Allie through the window, playing her piano, and for the first time I actually thought she was playing pretty well. When I entered through the front gate I noticed Virgil sitting on the porch in the dark. There was a small amount of light coming through the window that provided a slight outline on one side of Virgil’s face. He was leaning back in a corner with his boots on the rail, smoking a cigar.

“Evening,” Virgil said.

“Evening,” I said.

“How goes it?”

“Goes,” I said.

“Nudge of Kentucky?” he said.

He held up his glass and I could see the amber liquid glow a little as it caught the spilling light from the window.

“Why not,” I said.

As I walked up the steps, Allie stopped playing the piano and in a moment poked her head out the door.

“Why, Everett Hitch,” she said.

“Why, Allie French,” I said.

“How are you?”

“Fine... fine... nice night,” I said.

“Oh, it is,” she said.

“Don’t stop on my account, Allie. I was enjoying that.”

“Me, too,” Virgil said.

“Oh,” she said. “You two.”

“No,” I said. “Really.”

“Y’all just tolerate my playing,” she said. “I’m done for the evening. Besides, my hands are getting tired.”

“Get Everett a glass,” he said. “Would you please, Allie?”

“Indeed I will,” she said.

Allie turned and walked back inside as I moved over on the porch by Virgil.

“What ya doing out here alone in the dark?”

“Sitting.”

“Contemplating?”

“Am.”

“Black?” I said.

Virgil nodded.

“Keeps turning in me.”

“What can we do?”

“Don’t know there is anything we can do, Everett.”

“Nothing?”

I sat on the rail opposite Virgil and thought for a brief moment about what I was getting ready to say.

“Saw your brother earlier,” I said.

“Half-brother,” Virgil said.

Allie came out with two glasses.

“One for you and one for me,” she said.

She held them out and Virgil poured us each a glass of Kentucky whiskey.

“He left,” I said.

“Who left?” Allie said as she handed me one of the glasses in her hand.

“Valentine.”

Allie put both of her hands to her sides before she said anything.

“What?” she said.

“Yep.”

“What do you mean ‘he left’?”

“Just that.”

“Well...” she said, and then stammered her next words with a hint of growing agitation, “is... he coming back?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Well... where for Heaven’s sakes?”

“Don’t know.”

Virgil sat back in his chair and didn’t say anything.

“Did he say where he was going?” she said.

“Wasn’t sure.”

“He left without so much as a good-bye?”

“He did.”

“Well... I just can’t believe that.”

“He named a few places he might end up.”

Allie shook her head.

“End up?”

“He told me to tell you both how much he appreciated your company and hospitality.”

Allie shook her head in disbelief and walked over by the rail near me and looked out.

“This is just awful,” she said.

I looked at Virgil. His half-lit face showed no real reaction, but he did not meet my eye. He was looking at Allie, who was looking away.

“Why?” Virgil said. “Why is it so awful?”

“Why?” she said, without turning to look at Virgil. “Why...”

“A man has to do what a man has to do, Allie,” Virgil said.

Allie turned and looked at Virgil.

“Oh... don’t say that. A man? A man... Virgil...”

“You got to meet him,” he said. “Visit with him. Hear stories about me as a kid.”

“I know, Virgil... I know.”

Virgil looked to me.

“I just wish...”

“What, Allie?”

“I don’t know,” she said as tears began to well up in her eyes.

“He did what he had to do,” Virgil said.

“That does not mean he can’t show us a little respect and common decency,” Allie said. “Of at least coming by here and giving us a proper good-bye.”

“I think it might have been hard for him,” I said.

“Hard?” Allie said. “Why?”

“Oh,” I said. “You know, Allie, how it is with family.”

“Well, no, Everett,” she said with a quiver in her voice. “Actually, I don’t know... I don’t know anyone in my family. I never have and I never will.”

“Well, I’m sorry,” I said.

“Not your fault, Everett,” she said. “They just left, most of them I never, ever even knew, they all just sort of petered out of my life, nobody wanted me and I was left all alone.”

“Well,” Virgil said. “You’re not alone anymore.”

“First all this horrible trial stuff... and now this...”

Allie shook her head a little and walked away to the other side of the porch and stared out into the darkness. After a moment she lowered her head and started to sob.