down.
She was back in a minute, pushing a reluctant Woofer. “He was all the way back in his igloo, Mama. He didn’t want to come in.”
I set down a bowl of water with ice in it. Woofer took a few laps and then stretched out on the floor. “I feel better with him in.”
Haley looked at me suspiciously. “Have you been crying?”
“Nope. I’ve just had a nap that lasted way toolong and I have a headache. You want some tea? I’m having some.”
“I’ll get it. Why don’t you go sit in the den, Mama?”
I got my aspirin and did what she said because I felt like I was going to cry again and that wouldn’t do. I had to be happy for Haley. I was happy for Haley.
“I talked to Debbie,” she called from the kitchen. “I know what happened this morning.” She came into the den and handed me a glass of tea and a napkin. “What do you think’s going on?”
“I don’t have any idea. That’s a strange bunch of folks, honey. They’ve even got Sheriff Reuse sweating.”
“Lord, I can’t believe that.”
“It’s the truth. Kerrigan Dabbs says the sheriff thinks he’s Sunshine’s father.”
“Really?” Haley thought about this a moment. “Did she say whether he was or not?”
“She said she didn’t know.”
Haley was truly shocked. “Was she serious?”
“Seemed to be.”
“Well, Lord have mercy.”
I laughed at the expression on Haley’s face. “She’s a gorgeous woman, Haley. Elizabeth Taylor eyes. Very little makeup.”
“And a porn star.”
I nodded yes.
Haley put her tea down and sat back on the sofa. “I want to hear some more in a few minutes, but let me bring you up to date on the wedding. For starters, it’s not going to be in the judge’s chambers; it’s going to be in the little chapel at Trinity Methodist.”
“Uh huh.” Somebody, namely Mary Alice Crane,had been busy with more than looking for a missing daughter-in-law. Why was I not surprised?
“And I’m not going to wear my linen suit. Aunt Sister had the personal shopper from Parisian bring over some dresses for me to try on. There was one—you’ll just love it, Mama—that’s a pale pink silk that I just fell in love with. The lady called it blush, but I don’t think they should call it that. It’s not dark enough.” Haley stopped for a moment, envisioning the dress. “It’s pretty simple. Short. But it’s got about a half an inch of pearl beading around the neck and the sleeves. But the unbelievable thing”—she held up her foot, a foot encased in dirty white canvas Keds—“is that there are shoes to match. Pale pink shoes with beading around the toe and heel.
“And then we’re all having lunch at the Merritt House. Aunt Sister said she would have asked Henry to do it at her house, but Saturday is his busiest day at the club. We’re going to have chicken Kiev.”
“Chicken Kiev,” I repeated, almost out of breath. Here sat my intelligent daughter totally oblivious to the fact that her every wedding plan had been changed by her aunt. Awesome.
“Little new potatoes, those green beans they do so good.” Haley droned on while I thought about what the world would be like if Sister had been born a man. Boggled the mind.
“What do you think, Mama?”
“It sounds lovely.” It really did. And my daughter was happy. So I hadn’t been included in any of the planning. So what? I had a sudden memory of Mama saying, “ Remember, Patricia Anne, your sister always means well .” I didn’t know about that “always” bit, but in this case, she had. I let go of my resentmentand asked what kind of wedding cake Sister had planned. I couldn’t resist.
Haley, bless her heart, laughed. “She has sort of taken over, hasn’t she?”
“And done a good job, it sounds like. Just remember it’s yours and Philip’s wedding, though.”
“I will.” Haley leaned over and patted Woofer. “Mine and Philip’s wedding.” She was tasting the words.
There was a long moment of silence. Then Haley
She was back in a minute, pushing a reluctant Woofer. “He was all the way back in his igloo, Mama. He didn’t want to come in.”
I set down a bowl of water with ice in it. Woofer took a few laps and then stretched out on the floor. “I feel better with him in.”
Haley looked at me suspiciously. “Have you been crying?”
“Nope. I’ve just had a nap that lasted way toolong and I have a headache. You want some tea? I’m having some.”
“I’ll get it. Why don’t you go sit in the den, Mama?”
I got my aspirin and did what she said because I felt like I was going to cry again and that wouldn’t do. I had to be happy for Haley. I was happy for Haley.
“I talked to Debbie,” she called from the kitchen. “I know what happened this morning.” She came into the den and handed me a glass of tea and a napkin. “What do you think’s going on?”
“I don’t have any idea. That’s a strange bunch of folks, honey. They’ve even got Sheriff Reuse sweating.”
“Lord, I can’t believe that.”
“It’s the truth. Kerrigan Dabbs says the sheriff thinks he’s Sunshine’s father.”
“Really?” Haley thought about this a moment. “Did she say whether he was or not?”
“She said she didn’t know.”
Haley was truly shocked. “Was she serious?”
“Seemed to be.”
“Well, Lord have mercy.”
I laughed at the expression on Haley’s face. “She’s a gorgeous woman, Haley. Elizabeth Taylor eyes. Very little makeup.”
“And a porn star.”
I nodded yes.
Haley put her tea down and sat back on the sofa. “I want to hear some more in a few minutes, but let me bring you up to date on the wedding. For starters, it’s not going to be in the judge’s chambers; it’s going to be in the little chapel at Trinity Methodist.”
“Uh huh.” Somebody, namely Mary Alice Crane,had been busy with more than looking for a missing daughter-in-law. Why was I not surprised?
“And I’m not going to wear my linen suit. Aunt Sister had the personal shopper from Parisian bring over some dresses for me to try on. There was one—you’ll just love it, Mama—that’s a pale pink silk that I just fell in love with. The lady called it blush, but I don’t think they should call it that. It’s not dark enough.” Haley stopped for a moment, envisioning the dress. “It’s pretty simple. Short. But it’s got about a half an inch of pearl beading around the neck and the sleeves. But the unbelievable thing”—she held up her foot, a foot encased in dirty white canvas Keds—“is that there are shoes to match. Pale pink shoes with beading around the toe and heel.
“And then we’re all having lunch at the Merritt House. Aunt Sister said she would have asked Henry to do it at her house, but Saturday is his busiest day at the club. We’re going to have chicken Kiev.”
“Chicken Kiev,” I repeated, almost out of breath. Here sat my intelligent daughter totally oblivious to the fact that her every wedding plan had been changed by her aunt. Awesome.
“Little new potatoes, those green beans they do so good.” Haley droned on while I thought about what the world would be like if Sister had been born a man. Boggled the mind.
“What do you think, Mama?”
“It sounds lovely.” It really did. And my daughter was happy. So I hadn’t been included in any of the planning. So what? I had a sudden memory of Mama saying, “ Remember, Patricia Anne, your sister always means well .” I didn’t know about that “always” bit, but in this case, she had. I let go of my resentmentand asked what kind of wedding cake Sister had planned. I couldn’t resist.
Haley, bless her heart, laughed. “She has sort of taken over, hasn’t she?”
“And done a good job, it sounds like. Just remember it’s yours and Philip’s wedding, though.”
“I will.” Haley leaned over and patted Woofer. “Mine and Philip’s wedding.” She was tasting the words.
There was a long moment of silence. Then Haley
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