The Best Laid Plan...

word count: 699



         “We’ve talked about this before.  It has to be tomorrow.”  Emma said, giving her sister that stern look she used to browbeat Lizzie into something.  “I’ll go back to Marion.  No one knows I’ve been back in town.

         “You take care of everything and then meet me down there.  It will be fine.  Just remember to go to Alice’s tonight.  And tell her exactly what I said—don’t embellish.  You’re a terrible liar.  Out plan depends on your well-known inability to lie.”

         “I still don’t know why I’m the one who’s got to do it.  Why can’t I go downtown?  As you said, no one knows you’re in town.  Why can’t I go out when Father leaves and then we’d both have alibis?”

         “Bridget is your alibi.  Besides, we aren’t going to hurt anyone—just scare them!”

         “I still don’t see…”

         “Just do as I’ve said and she’ll think twice abut trying to get our inheritance.”

         “But Father…”

         “Father won’t do anything.  He’d rather die than find himself in the middle of a scandal.”

         “Emma, I just think…”

         “That’s just it Lizzie, you don’t think.  Now, I’ve got to go back to Marion.”  She took a few steps, then stopped and turned.  “Tell Alice what I told you—JUST what I told you.”  She patted at her sister’s hand in a dismissive way and disappeared around the corner.

         Waves of heat shimmered up from the sidewalk as she walked home slowly.  She wasn’t looking forward to spending the evening in her oven of a room.  Her father and step-mother were speaking with her uncle in harsh, low tones.  But Lizzie ignored them and marched upstairs.  She waited until they moved into the dining room before she rushed back down and out into the street.

         She wasn’t at all sure their plan was viable, but never in thirty-two years had she won an argument with her older sister.  She hoped that Emma was right as she hurried to Alice Russell’s house.

         Alice didn’t attempt to hide her surprise at Lizzie’s arrival.  They sat outside in hopes of catching even the tiniest of breezes.  But their stilted exchange of pleasantries ended abruptly when Lizzie bubbled over and began reciting her speech in an agitated voice.  She was approaching hysteria by the time she finished.

         Emma’s friend listened in a distracted manner, offered Lizzie a bit of tea and sympathy before she sent her on her way.  But Lizzie was sure she had repeated her speech correctly. 

Again she went straight to her bedroom.  She striped down to her chemise and stretched out on the top of her covers.  But she didn’t hold out much hope for either sleep or a refreshing breeze.

                                       

It was even hotter the next morning.  She was sweating profusely, but she didn’t know if it was the heat or her nerves.  She sat, blotting herself with a damp cloth, until she heard her father asking her uncle to join them for dinner.  When her father, left she dressed quickly and entered the dining room just in time to hear her step-mother instruct Bridget to spend the morning outside washing the windows.

With a great deal of clanking and muttering, Bridget gathered her long-handled mop, bucket and rags and went outside.  Abby trudged upstairs to remake the guestroom.  Lizzie waited a few minutes, nibbling on the edge of a Johnny cake.  Then she stole a peek out to find Bridget at the fence, deep in conversation with the neighbor’s maid. 

Sure they would gossip for some time, Lizzie went up the stairs.  She stopped on the landing for a moment, staring at her step-mother with a burning hatred.  Abby was tucking in the final edge of sheet as Lizzie moved into the room. 

Lizzie had barely whispered, “Mrs. Borden…”  When Abby spun around, wielding a meat cleaver that she’d apparently had on the table and lunged at her.  But Lizzie was a sturdy girl and before she knew it, she had the cleaver and was bashing at her step-mother in pent-up anger and frustration.

It had all gone wrong.  And Lizzie said out loud, “Now, look what you’ve done!” as she watched the blood pool on the floor.