Eathen,” Hattie placed a firm, yet gentle hand on his arm. “I doan think ah’d go up jes’ yit. Miz Charlotte bes mouty upset still. Why doan you gives her a chance ter cools off a lil? Den later on dis evenin’ you can trys tellin’ her whut’s on yo’ mine.”
“ All right, Hattie. I’ll try it your way.” Eathen slumped back in his chair. “But only if you have that drink with me.”
“ Affer whut Ah jes’ went throo, Ah’ll have two or three wid you.” She took the glass Eathen handed to her.
“ To Jessie Victoria Thornton.” Eathen held his glass high. “May she always make me as proud of her in the days to come, as I am right at this moment.
Chapter Six
The next day was Sunday and also Jessie’s birthday. She would be a whole three-months-old. In honor of the momentous occasion, Eathen planned a large barbecue with the entire county in attendance. The rift between him and Charlotte still had not been breached, but Eathen made up his mind not to let it destroy his marriage. The love in his heart for his only child helped cement the decision.
“ Hattie, make sure there’s plenty of liquor set out on the tables tomorrow. I want this to be a party everyone enjoys.” Eathen gave her a jovial wink.
“ In dat case, ah sho hopes Mist’ Frank bes de las’ ter arrives. Effen he ain’, den we’s in fer a heap a tawment.”
“ I’ll make sure he behaves himself. Frank’s big, but he ain’t too big I can’t handle him.” He laced his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans as he rocked his large body from heel to toe. “Naw. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about, Hattie.”
“ Ah doan unnerstan’ why der has ter be liquor in de fust place. Dis spos ter be a burfday pahty fer lil Miss Jessie. Effen you ast me, disyere’s jes’ a excuse fer all yo’ wuthless friends to gobble up ever’ything on de place.”
“ Now, Hattie,” Eathen turned a keen eye on her generous girth, “I could invite half the population of Montana and we still wouldn’t need to worry about goin’ hungry. I appreciate all the work you’ve done gettin’ ready for this shin-dig. This is gonna be a big day for this family. A man gets but one chance to show off his firstborn.”
“ Well, awright,” she conceded. “I guess one day kain hu’t nuthin. It’ll bes hard, but Ah guess Ah kin git thoo it.”
“ I wasn’t plannin’ on lettin’ you take care of all them people by yourself, Hattie.” He placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Mrs. Sanchez is gonna allow her daughter, Anna, to help out.”
“ Mist’ Eathen,” she stared at him, her eyes wide with puzzlement, “how you spects me ter unnerstan’ her?”
“ You’ll figure it out, Hattie.” His wide shoulders shook with amusement as he walked out across the neatly trimmed lawn. “I got faith in you.”
They had finished setting the large platters of fried chicken, oversized bowls of baked beans, corn, and steaming boiled potatoes on the wooden tables set up in a row beneath the large oaks, when much to her dismay, Hattie spied the McKennahs walking across the yard towards her.
“ Ah jes’ knowed dey’d be de fust ter git hyrah.” Hattie lifted a towel from around the first pan of cornbread. “Dat Mist’ Frank’s gwing ter gits drunk an’ ruin eve’ything.”
“ Hush, Hattie, they’ll hear you,” Charlotte murmured.
“ Ah knows, Ah should bes ‘tendin’ to mah own bizness.” She swatted a curious bee away from the cornbread. “Ah jes’ hates ter sees Miss Jessie’s pahty ruint.”
“ Eathen’ll keep him in line,” Charlotte told her, running a damp towel around the rim of a jar of dill pickles before pulling the next jar forward. “I don’t care for him any more than you do, but Sarah’s my best friend and I won’t have her feelin’s hurt by not invitin’ them.” She took the jars of sweet pickles Hattie held out to her. “Now, hush. Here they come.”
“ I sure hope Eathen had the
“ All right, Hattie. I’ll try it your way.” Eathen slumped back in his chair. “But only if you have that drink with me.”
“ Affer whut Ah jes’ went throo, Ah’ll have two or three wid you.” She took the glass Eathen handed to her.
“ To Jessie Victoria Thornton.” Eathen held his glass high. “May she always make me as proud of her in the days to come, as I am right at this moment.
Chapter Six
The next day was Sunday and also Jessie’s birthday. She would be a whole three-months-old. In honor of the momentous occasion, Eathen planned a large barbecue with the entire county in attendance. The rift between him and Charlotte still had not been breached, but Eathen made up his mind not to let it destroy his marriage. The love in his heart for his only child helped cement the decision.
“ Hattie, make sure there’s plenty of liquor set out on the tables tomorrow. I want this to be a party everyone enjoys.” Eathen gave her a jovial wink.
“ In dat case, ah sho hopes Mist’ Frank bes de las’ ter arrives. Effen he ain’, den we’s in fer a heap a tawment.”
“ I’ll make sure he behaves himself. Frank’s big, but he ain’t too big I can’t handle him.” He laced his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans as he rocked his large body from heel to toe. “Naw. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about, Hattie.”
“ Ah doan unnerstan’ why der has ter be liquor in de fust place. Dis spos ter be a burfday pahty fer lil Miss Jessie. Effen you ast me, disyere’s jes’ a excuse fer all yo’ wuthless friends to gobble up ever’ything on de place.”
“ Now, Hattie,” Eathen turned a keen eye on her generous girth, “I could invite half the population of Montana and we still wouldn’t need to worry about goin’ hungry. I appreciate all the work you’ve done gettin’ ready for this shin-dig. This is gonna be a big day for this family. A man gets but one chance to show off his firstborn.”
“ Well, awright,” she conceded. “I guess one day kain hu’t nuthin. It’ll bes hard, but Ah guess Ah kin git thoo it.”
“ I wasn’t plannin’ on lettin’ you take care of all them people by yourself, Hattie.” He placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Mrs. Sanchez is gonna allow her daughter, Anna, to help out.”
“ Mist’ Eathen,” she stared at him, her eyes wide with puzzlement, “how you spects me ter unnerstan’ her?”
“ You’ll figure it out, Hattie.” His wide shoulders shook with amusement as he walked out across the neatly trimmed lawn. “I got faith in you.”
They had finished setting the large platters of fried chicken, oversized bowls of baked beans, corn, and steaming boiled potatoes on the wooden tables set up in a row beneath the large oaks, when much to her dismay, Hattie spied the McKennahs walking across the yard towards her.
“ Ah jes’ knowed dey’d be de fust ter git hyrah.” Hattie lifted a towel from around the first pan of cornbread. “Dat Mist’ Frank’s gwing ter gits drunk an’ ruin eve’ything.”
“ Hush, Hattie, they’ll hear you,” Charlotte murmured.
“ Ah knows, Ah should bes ‘tendin’ to mah own bizness.” She swatted a curious bee away from the cornbread. “Ah jes’ hates ter sees Miss Jessie’s pahty ruint.”
“ Eathen’ll keep him in line,” Charlotte told her, running a damp towel around the rim of a jar of dill pickles before pulling the next jar forward. “I don’t care for him any more than you do, but Sarah’s my best friend and I won’t have her feelin’s hurt by not invitin’ them.” She took the jars of sweet pickles Hattie held out to her. “Now, hush. Here they come.”
“ I sure hope Eathen had the
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