Letting Go by Mary Beth Lee Page A

sheepishly. “I think the citizens were afraid they’d starve without the diner.”
    Clarissa couldn’t help but be relieved that this was one step closer to normal. “You want me to work tomorrow?”
    “You know it.”  
    Good. Living in the bunkhouse at The Triple Eight was one thing. Tagging along to church with the Dillons was another.
    “Free pie with every order.”
    Ought to be packed then.
    “Bev coming in?”  
    “Not until next week. But we’ll have plenty of help.”
    A little vague there. Not like Pete.
    “Plenty?”
    “Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.”  

    She should’ve been worried. That’s what Clarissa thought when Mackenzie rode to church with Paul and Susie leaving her to ride into town with Jed.
    A Jed intent on talking about everything from his dog Beau who had died a couple years ago to a pet snake Mack wanted to the time he and his siblings had learned the nasty truth about poison ivy.
    She didn’t want to talk to Jed, didn’t want to know more about his life, didn’t want to wish for things that couldn’t be.  
    Strangely, he also insisted on playing The Old Time Gospel Hour from a station out of Lawton on the truck’s radio, and the songs her grandmother had loved so much played one after another the entire ride into town.
    The Old Rugged Cross.
    “You wouldn’t believe how much poison ivy itches. And my momma didn’t feel a bit sorry for us when she rubbed us down with that pink lotion.”
    Amazing Grace.
    “Mack says she wants a snake because she’s sure it would do a better job eating mice than the barn cats. Not sure I want to know where she learned about snakes eating mice.”
    I’ll Fly Away.
    “Had Beau fourteen years. No telling how long he would’ve lived if it hadn’t been for the bad dog food. Funny thing. You buy the expensive stuff thinking it’s the best and a fungus causes kidney failure.”
    Whiter Than Snow.
    “You heard about Lester and Mrs. Norene? Funny thing that. He’s been in love with her long as I can remember. All it took was a tornado and she suddenly sees him in a different light. Pastor West’s doing the ceremony tomorrow afternoon and then Lester and Mrs. Norene are headed to Disney World.”
    Clarissa just stared at him. No way had she missed this news. She’d spent the last week in gossip central at the church. No way.  
    “Mrs. Norene is marrying Lester?” She couldn’t keep the disbelief out of her voice.
    “She sure is. Momma is making something called cake pops for the wedding. Not real sure what that means.”
    “Wow. Married. That’s just...” she trailed off thinking of all the words that would fit. The one that seemed to work best. Wonderful.  
    “That’s amazing. I’m stunned.”
    “Lester spent the whole time Mrs. Norene was in the hospital up there with her in the City. Lester finally told her he loved her, and she said if he would go to church, maybe they could talk about things. He wheeled her to the chapel right then and there.”
    Whoa. “The things people will do for love.”
    “Lester said he remembered all about prayer when they were pulling the debris off of the closet he knew Mrs. Norene took shelter in.”
    Clarissa could understand that. She’d spent a fair share of time praying that day also. But sometimes the happy endings weren’t to be found.
    She didn’t want to get into a religious debate with Jed right now. Didn’t want to talk about how a God who forgave everything might not be a God she’d be interested in. Somethings were unforgivable.
    Clarissa pushed the past away and focused on the fact that Lester was getting his happy ending.
    Jed parked the truck in front of the feed store and jumped out, which was odd. When Jed followed her to Pete’s and called out a “ready to do as told,” as the door whooshed shut, she closed her eyes.
    “You’re kidding,” she said.
    But when she opened her eyes, Jed stood there smiling like he’d won the lottery and a shift at Pete’s was as