Free Behind the Pine Curtain by Gerri Hill

and into jeans.” Jacqueline turned again, going back toward the church. “If I remember correctly, there’s a back road.”
    “Yes. It comes out behind the high school.”
    “Ah, yes. I remember now.” Jacqueline sped up, the road deserted now as the funeral procession had left. “So, who’s manning your store today?”

    “Frannie. A high school student who helps me on Saturdays and during the summer.”
    “You make a good living?”
    “I do okay.”
    “Is she expecting you this afternoon?”
    “I told her I would stop by later. Why?”
    “Wanna play hooky?”
    “And what? Go swimming out at Blue Hole?” Kay laughed. “I got grounded two weeks because of that.”
    “And I got my car taken away.”
    “For only one week, if I recall.”
    “That was torture enough, having my mother drive me to school every day.”
    Kay smiled. “I would like to spend some time with you, though.”
    “Me, too. Got any ideas?”
    “Well, it’s sunny and warm.” Kay raised her eyebrows mischievously.
    “Wanna go to the river?”
    “Kay Garland, you are a troublemaker! The last time you talked me into going to the river, we got caught drinking beer and smoking pot.”
    “ Yo u brought the beer and the pot!”
    Jacqueline laughed. “God, it’s so good to see you.” She reached across the console and lightly squeezed Kay’s arm.

    “Yeah, I know. I’ve really missed you.”
    “Yeah. We never got a chance to say good-bye, you know. It was like . . . like I was just ripped away from here and . . .”
    “I know, Jackie. I . . . I cried at first. I didn’t understand how you could just leave without saying anything to me. But Mama . . . she explained everything. About your mother and why they sent you away. And then I got pissed that you’d let them do that. And when you didn’t write or call, I got angrier. I felt like our friendship didn’t mean anything to you.”
    “Oh, Kay. I’m so sorry. It wasn’t like that. I thought about contacting you so many times over the years, but . . . well, the more time that passed, the more I convinced myself that you wouldn’t want to hear from me. Hell, for all I knew, you wouldn’t even remember me.”
    “I know you don’t truly believe that, not after all we shared. You were my best friend.”
    “Your best friend who turned out to be gay and didn’t have the courage to tell you.”
    “We were just kids. But Jackie, you could have trusted me with anything.”
    Anything? She wondered what Kay’s reaction would be if she confessed it was sexual feelings she had for Kay that finally opened her eyes. Jacqueline looked at her old friend, the light brown hair hanging loosely over her expressive eyebrows, shadowing the blue eyes that Jacqueline used to know by heart. Without thought, Jacqueline reached over and brushed the hair away, revealing those eyes to her. They were the same caring, honest eyes she remembered.
    “I was scared to tell you,” Jacqueline finally admitted. “Hell, I was scared about everything. And with good reason, it turned out.”

    Jacqueline slowed as they reached the country club, the guard waving her through. Kay got out when Jacqueline parked, her eyes moving over the manicured lawn and up to the house. She silently followed Jackie to the door, waiting as she unlocked the front door and motioned for Kay to enter.
    “Nice.”
    “Yeah, it is. Look around. It will take me a second to change.”
    Kay watched Jackie walk away, then moved into the living room, looking around at the pictures and personal items there.
    She’d known the Lawrences all her life, but had never once been inside their home. The Lawrences and Garlands had not exactly moved in the same social circles. In fact, she found it odd that she and Jackie had even become friends in the first place. The Keys were the most powerful family in Pine Springs. Hardly the kind of family Kay would feel comfortable with. But she and Jackie had just clicked, ever since they were kids. At