No Sensible People Chapter Fifteen (part 3)

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When we got to Susie's apartment, we sent Jennie in the guest room to watch television. There was nothing she liked really, and Susie finally landed the channel on an infomercial about some machine that made beef jerky and fruit roll ups. Everything you made was supposed to stay good for ages.

"Taffy would like that," Jennie suggested. "It would be a good way to use up the venison in his freezer since he's selling his house."

"You take down all the information," Susie told her. "I'll mention it to him next time he calls."

She led me into the kitchen, and got us both a glass of water. There was no lead in, no punches pulled. Susie got straight to the point.

"I want you to stay away from my brother," she told me.

"Well," I told her. "I don't think that's your call, Susie. But there's nothing for you to worry about. Frank knows what happened, and he doesn't want me near him. Besides, Denny doesn't want to have anything to with me either."

"But he's bound to forgive you eventually," Susie said. "He always does. And you'll find a way to get around Frank.

You always do...."

"Not this time," I said.

"I don't believe you," Susie told me. "He's trying to put together some sort of life for himself in Mankato. He's looking for a job, going on out-dating. Finally, after all these years he's seeing other girls. You're not right for him, Lucy."

"There's no reason for you to do this, Susie. I'm not with Denny. You don't have to start in with the "you're not good enough for my little brother" speech."

"I didn't say you weren't good enough for him. I said you weren't right for him."

"Same thing," I said.

"No, it's not." Susie said.

I was hurt. Susie and I had been good friends, and although I realized I was far from perfect I couldn't figure out why she was so adamantly against me. She had been a Godsend when I came to Minneapolis. She had
connections. She gave me options I never would have had being that I was under 18. She helped me deal with what I thought was a monster plaguing my life.

As I thought about it all I suddenly remembered the truth. Larry couldn't father children. Denny knew it so readily. I was suspicious.

"You knew, didn't you?" I finally said.

"What are you talking about?" Susie asked. "Knew what?"

"When I came to you - all those years ago. When I was scared, confused, and disgusted - thinking I was carrying Larry's child. You knew he'd had a vasectomy. You knew it couldn't have been his...."

"You never told me it might be Denny's. My brother wasn't exactly the only boy who turned his head when you walked down the hall."

It was a stab in the back, harder and deeper than any other, since my mother had decided to stand by my daddy after the attack. I turned away from her and choked on my tears.

"But he was the only boy who turned mine," I said. "Don't even try to tell me you didn't know that."

"You did the right thing, Lucy. You couldn't have handled a baby."

Susie tried to put her hand on my shoulder to comfort me, but I jerked away.

"That wasn't for you to decide. You took my choice away, Susie. You took my child away, because you didn't want me to mess things up for your brother. I'll tell you something, Susie. I didn't force myself on him. He wanted to be there. He knew the risks."

"Is it really so bad not to want to turn his life upside down?" Susie asked. "He's my brother. I love him."

"So do I," I told her.

"Then leave him be, Lucy," Susie said. "What's done is done. Just let him go. Let him let you go."

"You were gone by the time we got together," I explained. "You don't know what we had."

"But I know what you've built for yourself since you got here. You have a nice house, a husband that takes care of you, and an opportunity to do your dancing. You live in a city you love. You're in your element here, Lucy.

Denny can barely stand to be in Minneapolis for three days before he goes bonkers from the crowds. It's been hard enough for him to get used to Mankato."

"I don't know," I said.

"I do," Susie told me. "You were good for him, Lucy, but you're not right for him. He needs to move on."

I didn't want to talk about Denny anymore, and I changed the subject to find out what was going on with her new boyfriend, Aaron.

"He's great," Susie said. "It's all great-the phone calls, the science conventions, the holiday visits.... I don't know how long it's going to be enough."

Jennie came into the kitchen and Susie fixed her a cup of hot chocolate, and gave her a few crackers out of her cupboard. "We'll have to get ready to go soon, Jen," I told her. "You saw how nervous Uncle Frank was acting."

She acknowledged what I was saying, but she seemed more interested in getting whatever information she could out of Susie.

"Did Taffy say anything about coming back here?" Jennie asked. "It might be a while," Susie told her. "But he told me has was going to try and write to you really soon. He doesn't have a regular apartment yet.

He has to stay in hotels and stuff. He won't know what he can afford until he sees what kind of job he can get. He's living off his savings pretty much now. Keep your eye out for a letter - it should come soon. He can explain
himself."

I was glad after everything that at least Susie could see Jennie was good for Denny. I couldn't imagine what might happen to him if someone tried to break that bond. Even Frank understood that.

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