Joy and sorrow Chapter 9 Blowout

Karen is arranged immaculately, flaxen hair done up in a classic French twist. A red blazer hangs on her spare frame like a coat rack. Karen once dressed this way daily, when she was somebody and held a fantastic job. How had she fallen so far from grace?

Karen needs to have a word with her former sister - in - law. She has several bones to pick with Celeste Richards. Karen took issue with Soledad's presence at her brother's Shiva. She felt the urge to give the old broad a piece of her mind, but Soledad flitted away whenever she came into view.

Her chief complaint was with regards to the cruel way in which she was escorted from the cemetery. It was an honest mistake, decking a woman at your brother's burial. Karen was wrong to assume that distinguished Creole lady situated next to her ex - husband was Everett's new squeeze. She happened to be a judge from Baton Rouge: a mentor of her brother's.

After Karen finished ringing the doorbell fifteen times, Celeste opened the door. Karen took this opportunity to barge right in; without so much as a hello. Celeste looked like a zombie, her eyes were bloodshot. The pockets of skin underneath them were sore and discolored from tears. She blocked Karen from getting farther than the foyer.

"We should sit down for what I am about to discuss with you." Karen said, hands on nonexistent hips.

"Whatever you have to say, I can assure you will be heard fine from the porch," Celeste said in a firm voice, arms folded.

"What am I, a fucking problem you can't handle? " Karen shrieked.

"Get out of my house, "Celeste hissed.

"Afraid of what the neighbors might say ? If they only knew what white trash you once were," Karen snickered, shaking her head.

Celeste pointed to the door, green eyes ablaze with fury, olive skinned hands shaking with anger. Karen had forgotten how terrifying Celeste was without raising her voice. She loomed over Karen like an angry queen, itching to order a beheading.

" That was some stunt you pulled. Turning my husband's death into a mockery. I expected better even from you, "Celeste looked away as she said this.

Before Celeste's brother, Tony came downstairs to inquire about the ruckus; Karen was miles away from the house.

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Seven days after the row between Karen and Celeste, the little harpy dropped out of sight for good. Not a penny was missing from her bank account. Her closet was left untouched; the red Honda Karen drove religiously gathered dust in the car port.

For a fortnight, a ragtag search party turned every parish in Louisiana upside down. Eventually, local officials chalked up the disappearance to Karen's reputation as a flake and moved on to more pressing matters.

In the months that followed Karen's absence, Cable stations overplayed the B minus horror movies she had starred in back in the 70's and early eighties. Karen was typecast as the blonde that was eradicated first by the villain. Karen rarely had lines, she spent most of her meager screen time covered in fake blood, fleeing and screaming.

A low rent gossip show began harassing Everett Reed, Karen's ex - spouse. It was a slow month in scum news. They knew Everett had a rock solid alibi several witnesses had confirmed, but it made for fun television toying with the old crank.

They especially enjoyed harassing Everett when he happened to be grocery shopping or visiting his army buddies at the beignet shop. One day , in early fall , Everett was washing his Land Rover, the worms asked if he thought Joel's murder and his ex - wife's disappearance were connected.

Everett turned the hose on them and that was the end of the little buggers. A few months after that whole fiasco, the president's alleged affair came to light. Karen was forgotten completely.