in, dropping to her knees and opening her backpack. “And if it was a ghost driving that wheelchair, it was totally out of line.” She smiled and pulled out some medical bandage wraps, while Fortune sat there looking very confused. “Found it,” Jayne called out and held up an ankle splint for all to see. She applied both to Fortune’s ankle in a surprisingly competent fashion.
I gathered from the look on Fortune’s face that she wasn’t one to mess around wearing bandages and splints, but Jayne didn’t notice and used the entire medial pack on her ‘patient’.
I watched with a smile and leaned toward one of the older ladies. “She’s got a ton of stuff in that backpack, you wouldn’t believe it,” I whispered to Ida Belle.
“Oh yes I would,” Ida Belle said as she rolled her eyes and nodded toward her friend. “Gertie carries enough supplies in her purse to outfit The U.S. Army.”
Fortune finally had enough of Nurse Jayne, jumped up, said a couple curse words aimed at Celia and hobbled straight toward Francine’s Diner.
There was no question in my mind the fireworks were about to begin.
Chapter 3
The delicious smell of fried chicken filled the air as our small group followed Fortune into the diner. Shiner waited patiently outside the door and peered through the glass while I hurried inside to get him a bowl of water and place an order.
The cheater’s group sent us sideways glances as they inspected the strangers in town. A soft buzz rose from their side of the building as they started up their gossip train.
Jayne ignored all the people and shouted her order right away. “I’ll have a triple portion of the banana pudding, please.”
The entire diner went silent. Dead silent. The locals stared at Jayne with their mouths hung open.
Celia stepped forward, adjusted her church hat and shot Jayne a smug look. “You can’t have any. It’s first come, first served and we get it all.” She raised her arm toward her friends as they watched and whispered, their eyes still big in surprise.
“If Fortune hadn’t gotten run down by a radical wheelchair you wouldn’t be first,” Gertie said from across the diner and crossed her arms. “You’re a low down cheater - even on a Sunday.”
The noise level rose quickly as the two sides of the café expressed their opinion on the impending cat fight. The two elderly women obviously had a history and I thought for a minute they might duke it out.
Jayne still had hope for some pudding and turned to the young waitress, “Can I lick the bowl?”
“What bowl?” the waitress asked in confusion.
“Can I lick the big bowl that the banana pudding was made in, please?” Jayne held her hands in a praying position.
Celia interrupted. “No you can’t. Every bit of banana pudding is ours this week. I won the race fair and square.” She then proceeded to demand the pudding’s mixing bowl from the café staff.
The poor waitress tried to explain to Jayne, “I’m so sorry, there’s only a limited supply of banana pudding each week, and Aunt Celia won this time.”
Jayne put her hands on her hips and marched up to Celia, raising her knees high in the air with each step. When she reached her target, she braced herself and leaned forward until their faces were four inches apart. “Then let it be known to everyone in this town - we’re enemies for life.”
Celia responded by grabbing her bowl of pudding and taking a big spoonful. She then raised it high in victory before stuffing it in her mouth. Then she grabbed the mixing bowl and licked it right in front of Jayne’s face.
Jayne lifted her right arm toward the sky, pointing her finger in the air, then bent over and drew and imaginary line across the floor of the café between them. “Be warned,this is the battle line.”
Gertie stumbled over and put her left arm around Jayne’s shoulder and raised her right one in the air shaking a fist at Celia.
I gathered from the look on Fortune’s face that she wasn’t one to mess around wearing bandages and splints, but Jayne didn’t notice and used the entire medial pack on her ‘patient’.
I watched with a smile and leaned toward one of the older ladies. “She’s got a ton of stuff in that backpack, you wouldn’t believe it,” I whispered to Ida Belle.
“Oh yes I would,” Ida Belle said as she rolled her eyes and nodded toward her friend. “Gertie carries enough supplies in her purse to outfit The U.S. Army.”
Fortune finally had enough of Nurse Jayne, jumped up, said a couple curse words aimed at Celia and hobbled straight toward Francine’s Diner.
There was no question in my mind the fireworks were about to begin.
Chapter 3
The delicious smell of fried chicken filled the air as our small group followed Fortune into the diner. Shiner waited patiently outside the door and peered through the glass while I hurried inside to get him a bowl of water and place an order.
The cheater’s group sent us sideways glances as they inspected the strangers in town. A soft buzz rose from their side of the building as they started up their gossip train.
Jayne ignored all the people and shouted her order right away. “I’ll have a triple portion of the banana pudding, please.”
The entire diner went silent. Dead silent. The locals stared at Jayne with their mouths hung open.
Celia stepped forward, adjusted her church hat and shot Jayne a smug look. “You can’t have any. It’s first come, first served and we get it all.” She raised her arm toward her friends as they watched and whispered, their eyes still big in surprise.
“If Fortune hadn’t gotten run down by a radical wheelchair you wouldn’t be first,” Gertie said from across the diner and crossed her arms. “You’re a low down cheater - even on a Sunday.”
The noise level rose quickly as the two sides of the café expressed their opinion on the impending cat fight. The two elderly women obviously had a history and I thought for a minute they might duke it out.
Jayne still had hope for some pudding and turned to the young waitress, “Can I lick the bowl?”
“What bowl?” the waitress asked in confusion.
“Can I lick the big bowl that the banana pudding was made in, please?” Jayne held her hands in a praying position.
Celia interrupted. “No you can’t. Every bit of banana pudding is ours this week. I won the race fair and square.” She then proceeded to demand the pudding’s mixing bowl from the café staff.
The poor waitress tried to explain to Jayne, “I’m so sorry, there’s only a limited supply of banana pudding each week, and Aunt Celia won this time.”
Jayne put her hands on her hips and marched up to Celia, raising her knees high in the air with each step. When she reached her target, she braced herself and leaned forward until their faces were four inches apart. “Then let it be known to everyone in this town - we’re enemies for life.”
Celia responded by grabbing her bowl of pudding and taking a big spoonful. She then raised it high in victory before stuffing it in her mouth. Then she grabbed the mixing bowl and licked it right in front of Jayne’s face.
Jayne lifted her right arm toward the sky, pointing her finger in the air, then bent over and drew and imaginary line across the floor of the café between them. “Be warned,this is the battle line.”
Gertie stumbled over and put her left arm around Jayne’s shoulder and raised her right one in the air shaking a fist at Celia.
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