means I've only been here twenty years. I moved from LA during my freshman year.'
Sara guessed from her accent she meant Lower Alabama.
'Robert's a cop, just like Jeffrey. Isn't that nice? I call 'em Mutt and Jeff, only Jeffrey hates being called Jeff.' She took a healthy swallow of wine. 'Possum runs the store over by the Tasty Dog. You should meet his and Nell's children, especially the oldest. He's a beautiful little boy. Children are such a joy to have around. Isn't that right, Bob?'
'What's that, sugar?' Robert asked, though Sara was certain he had heard her.
Nell sat down beside Sara, handing her a bottle of beer. 'Peace offering,' she said.
Sara took it, though beer had always tasted like swill to her. She forced herself to make an effort, saying, 'You've got a beautiful yard.'
Nell inhaled deeply, then exhaled, 'The azaleas bloomed and went away quicker than spit. Neighbor's never home to take care of his dogs so they bark all day. I can't get rid of the fire ants by the hammock and Jared keeps coming in with poison ivy, but for the life of me, I can't figure out where he's getting it.' She paused for another breath. 'But thank you. I try.'
Sara turned to include Jessie in the conversation, but the other woman's eyes were closed.
'She's probably passed out.' Nell fanned herself with her hand. 'God, I was such a bitch to you.'
Sara did not argue.
'I'm not normally so testy. If Jessie was awake, she'd tell you otherwise, but you can't trust a woman who drinks a whole bottle of wine before four in the afternoon, and I'm not just talking on Sundays.' She swatted a fly. 'She tell you about being new here?'
Sara nodded, trying to keep up.
'You should be glad she passed out. Couple'a more minutes she'd be telling you how she always depends on the kindness of strangers.'
Sara took a sip of beer.
'Slick hasn't been back here in forever. Left town like he was running through hell with gasoline britches on.' She paused. 'I guess I was mad at him and took it out on you.' She put her hand on Sara's chair. 'What I'm saying is I'm sorry I showed my ass.'
'Thank you for apologizing.'
'I near about cracked up when you said that about the balloon animals.' She laughed. 'He told me you were a doctor, but I didn't believe him.'
'Pediatrician,' Sara confirmed.
Nell sat back in the chair. 'You have to be smart to get into medical school, right?'
'Pretty much.'
She nodded appreciatively. 'Then I'll assume you know what you're doing with Jeffrey.'
'Thank you,' Sara told her, and meant it. 'You're the first person I've met who's said that.'
Nell turned serious, looking at Sara with something like pity. 'Don't be surprised if I'm the last.'
SIX
During the five hours she spent at Nell's, Sara found out more about Jeffrey Tolliver than she had in three months of dating him. Jeffrey's mother was a confirmed alcoholic and his father was serving time in prison for something no one was very specific about. Jeffrey had dropped out of Auburn two classes away from graduating and joined the police force without telling anybody why. He was an excellent dancer and he hated lima beans. He was definitely not the marrying kind, but Sara did not need Nell to tell her this. Jeffrey radiated the words 'confirmed bachelor.'
Considering Nell had managed to mumble most of these details under her breath during a particularly competitive game of Trivial Pursuit, Sara was only privy to the headlines and none of the details behind them. It was pitch dark by the time they left the group, and as Sara and Jeffrey walked down the street toward his mother's house, she tried to think of a way to find out more.
She settled on 'So, what does your mother do?'
'Different things,' he said, not offering anything else.
'And your dad?'
He switched her suitcase to his other hand and wrapped his arm around her. 'You seem like you had a good time tonight.'
'Nell's just full of insight.'
'She likes the sound of her own voice.' He slid his hand to her hip.
Sara guessed from her accent she meant Lower Alabama.
'Robert's a cop, just like Jeffrey. Isn't that nice? I call 'em Mutt and Jeff, only Jeffrey hates being called Jeff.' She took a healthy swallow of wine. 'Possum runs the store over by the Tasty Dog. You should meet his and Nell's children, especially the oldest. He's a beautiful little boy. Children are such a joy to have around. Isn't that right, Bob?'
'What's that, sugar?' Robert asked, though Sara was certain he had heard her.
Nell sat down beside Sara, handing her a bottle of beer. 'Peace offering,' she said.
Sara took it, though beer had always tasted like swill to her. She forced herself to make an effort, saying, 'You've got a beautiful yard.'
Nell inhaled deeply, then exhaled, 'The azaleas bloomed and went away quicker than spit. Neighbor's never home to take care of his dogs so they bark all day. I can't get rid of the fire ants by the hammock and Jared keeps coming in with poison ivy, but for the life of me, I can't figure out where he's getting it.' She paused for another breath. 'But thank you. I try.'
Sara turned to include Jessie in the conversation, but the other woman's eyes were closed.
'She's probably passed out.' Nell fanned herself with her hand. 'God, I was such a bitch to you.'
Sara did not argue.
'I'm not normally so testy. If Jessie was awake, she'd tell you otherwise, but you can't trust a woman who drinks a whole bottle of wine before four in the afternoon, and I'm not just talking on Sundays.' She swatted a fly. 'She tell you about being new here?'
Sara nodded, trying to keep up.
'You should be glad she passed out. Couple'a more minutes she'd be telling you how she always depends on the kindness of strangers.'
Sara took a sip of beer.
'Slick hasn't been back here in forever. Left town like he was running through hell with gasoline britches on.' She paused. 'I guess I was mad at him and took it out on you.' She put her hand on Sara's chair. 'What I'm saying is I'm sorry I showed my ass.'
'Thank you for apologizing.'
'I near about cracked up when you said that about the balloon animals.' She laughed. 'He told me you were a doctor, but I didn't believe him.'
'Pediatrician,' Sara confirmed.
Nell sat back in the chair. 'You have to be smart to get into medical school, right?'
'Pretty much.'
She nodded appreciatively. 'Then I'll assume you know what you're doing with Jeffrey.'
'Thank you,' Sara told her, and meant it. 'You're the first person I've met who's said that.'
Nell turned serious, looking at Sara with something like pity. 'Don't be surprised if I'm the last.'
SIX
During the five hours she spent at Nell's, Sara found out more about Jeffrey Tolliver than she had in three months of dating him. Jeffrey's mother was a confirmed alcoholic and his father was serving time in prison for something no one was very specific about. Jeffrey had dropped out of Auburn two classes away from graduating and joined the police force without telling anybody why. He was an excellent dancer and he hated lima beans. He was definitely not the marrying kind, but Sara did not need Nell to tell her this. Jeffrey radiated the words 'confirmed bachelor.'
Considering Nell had managed to mumble most of these details under her breath during a particularly competitive game of Trivial Pursuit, Sara was only privy to the headlines and none of the details behind them. It was pitch dark by the time they left the group, and as Sara and Jeffrey walked down the street toward his mother's house, she tried to think of a way to find out more.
She settled on 'So, what does your mother do?'
'Different things,' he said, not offering anything else.
'And your dad?'
He switched her suitcase to his other hand and wrapped his arm around her. 'You seem like you had a good time tonight.'
'Nell's just full of insight.'
'She likes the sound of her own voice.' He slid his hand to her hip.
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