They passed a green sign that read FAULKNER COUNTY. “Last chance to back out,” Ben said.
His tone was only half-joking.
Lily replied, “I’m willing to go through with it if you are. Although I must admit I’m surprisedyou’re willing to go so far to help Mimi. I mean, you don’t even like kids.”
“Look, I know I’m not the most touchy-feely person in the world, but Dez meant a lot to me. Hebrought me out into the gay world, and even after we weren’t lovers, he was my best friend. Babies arenoisy and erratic and have no control over their biological functions, but that baby in the backseat carriesDez’s genetic material, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna see her raised in a way Dez would disapproveof.”
“So,” Lily said, “which are we gonna do first, go see your folks or get married?”
“Oh, get married, definitely. If we don’t, Mom’ll try to rope us into having a big church wedding,and I don’t think either of us is up for that.”
“God, no. Weddings are barbaric. I’ve never understood why people think they’re romantic — allthat heavy-handed symbolism about virginity and fertility ... it’s about as romantic as throwing a virgininto a volcano.”
Ben laughed. “Well, we’re lucky. In Faulkner County, they have this deal where you can getmarried in a day. The blood test, the license, the ceremony... you can get it all done in about an hour, if it’snot too crowded.”
“Instant heterosexual respectability in an hour, huh? Pretty amazing.”
Ben put on his turn signal as they approached the exit sign marked VERSAILLES.
“Versailles?” Lily asked.
“Actually, everybody pronounces it Ver-sales. Trust me; it’s more appropriate.”
The interstate exit for Versailles was home to only two businesses, a ramshackle fruit stand sellingGeorgia peaches and boiled peanuts, and the Lazy J Truck Stop, which, according to its sign, offered bothFRIED CHICKEN AND HOT SHOWERS.
Downtown Versailles was a scant block long. All the businesses seemed to be lost in the early
‘60s. The window of the La-Di-Da Dress Shop displayed pastel suits that looked like bargain basementversions of what the queen of widows had worn before she was given the moniker “Jackie 0.” Next doorto the La-Di-Da, the Chatterbox Beauty Shop looked as though it might dole out hairdos to match thedress shop’s anachronistic clothing.
The only downtown eating establishment was a diner called the Dinner Bucket. “You know,” Lilysaid, “somehow I just don’t find bucket to be a very appetizing word.”
Ben pulled over in front of a squat brick doctor’s office. “Yeah, it does sound kinda like slopping