staring with wide eyes at me.
“Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. Is your mother the new gossip columnist?”
Not exactly the question I’d expected.
“No, ma’am, I’m pretty sure she isn’t. Why?”
“Someone posted about me being on a dead
line, no pun intended, and how I believed I’d win the retirement pageant again
this year. Who else but your mother would post that?” Her penciled eyebrows
moved to peaks.
“Well…” I took a sip of my soda, enjoying
the cool carbonation before answering. “The quilting group
were all present when you were talking about the pageant.” They were
there, weren’t they? I couldn’t remember for sure. I looked to Duane for help,
but he suddenly became interested in the burger Wanda sat in front of him.
“Hmmm.” She tapped a fingernail the color
of poppies against her dentist-whitened teeth. “I didn’t think any of them knew
about the obituary, but anything’s possible. Especially with the fuss your
mother was making.”
“Dottie, I think you may want to talk to
Bruce.” Duane came out of his burger stupor and laid a hand over her wrinkled
one.
Her face flushed like a young girl’s. I
grinned. My man had that effect on women. “I don’t care to speak to that man.”
“But, darling, he’s beginning to feel
concerned about your safety as well as the rest of us.” Duane gave her a tender
smile. “For me. Talk to him.”
“You, sir, are a good-looking rascal with
a silk tongue. Flattery drips from your lips.” Dottie slid her hand free. “But
you know as well as I do that our esteemed Officer Barnett is not capable of
keeping a kitten safe, much less a feisty old lady. He even locked Nina in
jail, little good it did, though.” She shook her head, then stood. “No, I’ll take my chances. Since Gertie and
Marsha have warned me, I’ll keep my eyes peeled.”
“You mean…you believe us?” I couldn’t
believe the masquerade she’d put on.
“I’d be silly not to. No, Gertie and I love to spar with each other. We’ve been doing
it for years.” She tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “Lunch is on me.
You two young people are good for an old woman’s soul.”
I slid from the booth and motioned for
Duane to stay before I followed Dottie outside. “Someone shot at me last
night.” I held up my bandaged hand. “Luckily, they only got the glass. Please,
be careful. And when that day number thirty comes, I’ll spend it with you at
the mall. We’ll stay in a public place. You’re right. The River Valley police
can’t keep us safe.”
Dottie patted my cheek. “You’re a doll,
and I’d love a day at the mall with you. But sweetie, when it’s my time, it’s
my time. I’m an old woman. When God calls me home, I’ll go.”
Chapter Thirteen
I understand her words, but realized that as
much as I loved my heavenly Father, I wasn’t ready to go to that mansion in the
sky just yet. I waved as she climbed into a cotton-candy pink Cadillac and
backed out of the parking spot without looking.
A man I didn’t recognize, laid on his
horn while flipping Dottie a gesture no gentleman would use toward a lady. He
stuck his head out of the window. “Stupid old drivers! Ought to all be
euthanized. ” He roared into the spot she’d vacated, then got out of his truck.
I stepped aside as the barrel-chested man
barged into the diner. Duane came out a few seconds later, a paper bag in his
hands. “You didn’t eat, so I had Wanda bag it for you. I want you to sit in my
truck while I pick up your prescription.”
“Do you mind dropping me off at the
store, then picking me back up? I need to let Mom know I won’t be working
today.” Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday and the store would be closed.
Duane dropped me off at Country Gifts,
then left. I knew he’d be back within fifteen minutes, so I pushed through the
door and struggled not to look as tired as I felt. “Mom?”
“Back here.”
I headed to the back room.
Mom stood at the window,
“Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. Is your mother the new gossip columnist?”
Not exactly the question I’d expected.
“No, ma’am, I’m pretty sure she isn’t. Why?”
“Someone posted about me being on a dead
line, no pun intended, and how I believed I’d win the retirement pageant again
this year. Who else but your mother would post that?” Her penciled eyebrows
moved to peaks.
“Well…” I took a sip of my soda, enjoying
the cool carbonation before answering. “The quilting group
were all present when you were talking about the pageant.” They were
there, weren’t they? I couldn’t remember for sure. I looked to Duane for help,
but he suddenly became interested in the burger Wanda sat in front of him.
“Hmmm.” She tapped a fingernail the color
of poppies against her dentist-whitened teeth. “I didn’t think any of them knew
about the obituary, but anything’s possible. Especially with the fuss your
mother was making.”
“Dottie, I think you may want to talk to
Bruce.” Duane came out of his burger stupor and laid a hand over her wrinkled
one.
Her face flushed like a young girl’s. I
grinned. My man had that effect on women. “I don’t care to speak to that man.”
“But, darling, he’s beginning to feel
concerned about your safety as well as the rest of us.” Duane gave her a tender
smile. “For me. Talk to him.”
“You, sir, are a good-looking rascal with
a silk tongue. Flattery drips from your lips.” Dottie slid her hand free. “But
you know as well as I do that our esteemed Officer Barnett is not capable of
keeping a kitten safe, much less a feisty old lady. He even locked Nina in
jail, little good it did, though.” She shook her head, then stood. “No, I’ll take my chances. Since Gertie and
Marsha have warned me, I’ll keep my eyes peeled.”
“You mean…you believe us?” I couldn’t
believe the masquerade she’d put on.
“I’d be silly not to. No, Gertie and I love to spar with each other. We’ve been doing
it for years.” She tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “Lunch is on me.
You two young people are good for an old woman’s soul.”
I slid from the booth and motioned for
Duane to stay before I followed Dottie outside. “Someone shot at me last
night.” I held up my bandaged hand. “Luckily, they only got the glass. Please,
be careful. And when that day number thirty comes, I’ll spend it with you at
the mall. We’ll stay in a public place. You’re right. The River Valley police
can’t keep us safe.”
Dottie patted my cheek. “You’re a doll,
and I’d love a day at the mall with you. But sweetie, when it’s my time, it’s
my time. I’m an old woman. When God calls me home, I’ll go.”
Chapter Thirteen
I understand her words, but realized that as
much as I loved my heavenly Father, I wasn’t ready to go to that mansion in the
sky just yet. I waved as she climbed into a cotton-candy pink Cadillac and
backed out of the parking spot without looking.
A man I didn’t recognize, laid on his
horn while flipping Dottie a gesture no gentleman would use toward a lady. He
stuck his head out of the window. “Stupid old drivers! Ought to all be
euthanized. ” He roared into the spot she’d vacated, then got out of his truck.
I stepped aside as the barrel-chested man
barged into the diner. Duane came out a few seconds later, a paper bag in his
hands. “You didn’t eat, so I had Wanda bag it for you. I want you to sit in my
truck while I pick up your prescription.”
“Do you mind dropping me off at the
store, then picking me back up? I need to let Mom know I won’t be working
today.” Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday and the store would be closed.
Duane dropped me off at Country Gifts,
then left. I knew he’d be back within fifteen minutes, so I pushed through the
door and struggled not to look as tired as I felt. “Mom?”
“Back here.”
I headed to the back room.
Mom stood at the window,
Similar Books
