doesn’t respond. Her cheek is pressed against the tablecloth.
“That’s enough,” TJ slams a heavy hand on the table. Ella Rae jumps and begins to sob silent tears. Her small shoulders quiver. TJ doesn’t notice. He glares at Aubie.
“Bless her heart,” Mary Katherine murmurs to herself, her fork poised in the air. She’s not looking at Aubie, though no one else notices. Her gaze is focused on TJ, like he’s the only person in the room.
Shug heaves his mother to her feet. As they step out of the dining room, Aubie clings to her son, head lolling back like a rag doll. Their awkward footsteps sound down the hallway. Clump-slide, clump-slide.
Ella Rae finds her feet and rushes off. I don’t stop her. Neither does anyone else.
A door closes on the other end of the house, and in moments, Shug is back at the table. He grips the napkin he threw down on his plate.
“Ella Rae’s in her room,” he says to PD. He makes no mention of his mother.
I swallow and wonder how many times a month this happens. And whether anyone reacts any differently.
“So, Julia,” Mary Katherine dabs at her lips with her napkin, the smile of a Cheshire cat behind it. “Tell us all about New York City.”
So, this is how it is, I think. Hit rewind, and it’s like Aubie was never here. I glance at Mary Katherine’s plate, still arranged with her pitiful chicken leg and five lonely beans.
My appetite has disappeared. “What would you like to know?” I answer, keeping my voice even.
Mary Katherine peppers me with questions about shopping and shows, celebrities and clubs. I describe restaurants, exotic dishes, and talk about museums and new projects.
“There you go,” TJ booms. “New buildings, renovation, growth. So much opportunity. Just what Eufaula needs.”
“I don’t know about that …” I struggle to answer. “Speaking of construction, why don’t you tell me about what’s happening in Eufaula. Give me some background for my article.”
TJ looks pleased at my suggestion and Shug’s eyes light up.
“That’s why we’re so excited that you’re here,” Shug begins. “We have some significant renovation projects we’re trying to get off the ground. The Bluff City Inn, next to the Honeysuckle Diner, was built in 1885 by Dr. Reeves as a one-hundred room, three-story hotel.”
TJ clears his throat, looking bored.
“There’s also the Lakeside Hotel and Restaurant. It’s on the shores of Lake Eufaula. Another eight miles up the road is the area’s state park,” Shug adds. “It’s in sore need of modernizing, but we’re trying to tackle the project with some funding from the government.”
TJ now drums his fingers on the table. “Are you done?” he asks, when Shug takes a breath. “Mr. Encyclopedia of Historical Knowledge over there.” TJ jabs a thumb across the table. “Aubie’s brainwashed him into thinking we need to save every shack in Barbour County.”
“It’s my job,” says Shug, his jaw set.
“Well, if you got your candy-ass over to the construction company full-time maybe we could go ahead with some of those building projects I want to tackle.” TJ’s voice is fiery hot. “Some of them houses—”
“I figure you’ve got it covered, Daddy,” Shug says calmly.
“What I think is that you need to get yourself a decent house instead of that office you’re living in. It’s a disgrace,” TJ fumes. “A Jordan living like they don’t have a dime to his name.”
Mary Katherine forces a giggle. “You boys are always fighting. Y’all don’t want to leave Miss Julia with a poor impression of our sweet town with your arguing, now do you?” She dabs at her lips daintily, but her eyes shoot fireworks at both men.
TJ throws his napkin on his plate but doesn’t answer. Shug flushes red.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all of it,” I interject into the silence. “The new work and any plans for the future. That can be part of the article—just as much as the history.”
Mary
“That’s enough,” TJ slams a heavy hand on the table. Ella Rae jumps and begins to sob silent tears. Her small shoulders quiver. TJ doesn’t notice. He glares at Aubie.
“Bless her heart,” Mary Katherine murmurs to herself, her fork poised in the air. She’s not looking at Aubie, though no one else notices. Her gaze is focused on TJ, like he’s the only person in the room.
Shug heaves his mother to her feet. As they step out of the dining room, Aubie clings to her son, head lolling back like a rag doll. Their awkward footsteps sound down the hallway. Clump-slide, clump-slide.
Ella Rae finds her feet and rushes off. I don’t stop her. Neither does anyone else.
A door closes on the other end of the house, and in moments, Shug is back at the table. He grips the napkin he threw down on his plate.
“Ella Rae’s in her room,” he says to PD. He makes no mention of his mother.
I swallow and wonder how many times a month this happens. And whether anyone reacts any differently.
“So, Julia,” Mary Katherine dabs at her lips with her napkin, the smile of a Cheshire cat behind it. “Tell us all about New York City.”
So, this is how it is, I think. Hit rewind, and it’s like Aubie was never here. I glance at Mary Katherine’s plate, still arranged with her pitiful chicken leg and five lonely beans.
My appetite has disappeared. “What would you like to know?” I answer, keeping my voice even.
Mary Katherine peppers me with questions about shopping and shows, celebrities and clubs. I describe restaurants, exotic dishes, and talk about museums and new projects.
“There you go,” TJ booms. “New buildings, renovation, growth. So much opportunity. Just what Eufaula needs.”
“I don’t know about that …” I struggle to answer. “Speaking of construction, why don’t you tell me about what’s happening in Eufaula. Give me some background for my article.”
TJ looks pleased at my suggestion and Shug’s eyes light up.
“That’s why we’re so excited that you’re here,” Shug begins. “We have some significant renovation projects we’re trying to get off the ground. The Bluff City Inn, next to the Honeysuckle Diner, was built in 1885 by Dr. Reeves as a one-hundred room, three-story hotel.”
TJ clears his throat, looking bored.
“There’s also the Lakeside Hotel and Restaurant. It’s on the shores of Lake Eufaula. Another eight miles up the road is the area’s state park,” Shug adds. “It’s in sore need of modernizing, but we’re trying to tackle the project with some funding from the government.”
TJ now drums his fingers on the table. “Are you done?” he asks, when Shug takes a breath. “Mr. Encyclopedia of Historical Knowledge over there.” TJ jabs a thumb across the table. “Aubie’s brainwashed him into thinking we need to save every shack in Barbour County.”
“It’s my job,” says Shug, his jaw set.
“Well, if you got your candy-ass over to the construction company full-time maybe we could go ahead with some of those building projects I want to tackle.” TJ’s voice is fiery hot. “Some of them houses—”
“I figure you’ve got it covered, Daddy,” Shug says calmly.
“What I think is that you need to get yourself a decent house instead of that office you’re living in. It’s a disgrace,” TJ fumes. “A Jordan living like they don’t have a dime to his name.”
Mary Katherine forces a giggle. “You boys are always fighting. Y’all don’t want to leave Miss Julia with a poor impression of our sweet town with your arguing, now do you?” She dabs at her lips daintily, but her eyes shoot fireworks at both men.
TJ throws his napkin on his plate but doesn’t answer. Shug flushes red.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all of it,” I interject into the silence. “The new work and any plans for the future. That can be part of the article—just as much as the history.”
Mary
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