about Ms. Lee.”
“Okay. W hat?”
“Not here. W hile w e’re eating lunch. ” She headed for the side door. “Mary w ould kill me if I w alked into the hall w ay w ith this muck plastered to me.” Taylor strolled past the azaleas and the camellias, w hich months before had been a riot of color, to the end of the brick w alk w ay. Rounding the house, she w alked up the three outside steps leading to the bedrooms and the kitchen . After opening the door, she took a left and headed up the back steps , w hile Jeff moved to w ard the kitchen.
“Hi, Jeff,” said Mary, w hen he entered the kitchen. “I thought I heard Taylor.” She glanced behind him.
“I met her outside. She decided the smell of the barn w ouldn’t add much to the kitchen, so she headed for her sho w er.”
“ W ise idea.” Mary grab bed a w ooden spoon and w aved it on the air in a mocking threatening manner. “I’ll keep this handy if she decides to invade the kitchen prior to the sho w er.”
Jeff laughed. “ She asked me to pack a lunch, too. Before I do, I’ ll change clothes .”
*~*
W hen he returned, he w atched Mary shut off the w ater running in to the sink. She dried her hands on the to w el thro w n over her shoulder.
Jeff w alked over and looked in the sink . G listening peaches stared back at him . “ A bit early for locals, but they look and smell great. May I?” he asked , reaching for one .
She nodded. “I just picked t hem from David Stanley’s garden, w ith our w arm spring, everything ’ s a little early. They’ re a little small, but t w ice as s w eet. W e had stra w berries the beginning of April,” she added , almost w istfully.
Jeff chose a small, firm peachy-rose one and took a large bite, reducing the fruit by almost half. The juice threatened to spill over his lips and do w n his chin . He hastily w iped his mouth w ith the back of his hand. After a quick s w allo w , he stated, “David raises the best fruit in the state or any w here else. ”
Mary took one from the pile and dried the w et, furry covering . “I totally agree w ith you. W hat do you w ant for your picnic? ” She took a bite of a peach .
“Actually, Taylor instructed me to ‘raid the kitchen’.”
She chuckled. “Oh, that brings back memories. I never kne w if w hat I had prepared for dinner, especially the dessert , w ould be intact by the time you three finished …”
They stood quietly and a w k w ardly.
Finally, Mar y said, “Jeff, w hy don’t I fix the picnic lunch? Taylor needs a distraction . She’s taking the DNR decisions not to continue the helicopter search hard. And that horrible w oman Ms. Lee called at least t w ice this morning, once before the guests left. If Taylor isn’t here, she can’t take Ms. L ee calls or abuse. I tri ed to explain to that horrible w oman, but she’s insensitive to any concern not her o w n. ” Mary muttered something under her breath.
Jeff stared. Had Miss Mary s w orn? If so, it w as a first.
“Ho w ’s Doc handl ing his w ife ’s death?”
“Not w ell. W e learned today that excessive speed caused the accident. Julia Ann al w ays had a heavy foot.” S he paused , a fro w n filling her face . “Ho w ’s your dad doing? I thought w e’d see him for the w edding. Sorry, I keep saying things tha t stir up unpleasant memories,” she said a catch sounded in her throat.
Jeff shook his head. “Please don’t apologize. D ad’s better, getting stronger every day. He hoped to come, but he still takes a nap at least once a day. T he combination of the servi ce and the reception made the day too long . I offered to take him home if he tired, but he decided to pass. ”
Mary nodded then looked directly at him. “I realize this is an imposition, but could your father come over? I’ll drive over and pick up Trey . Even if he only stayed for a short visit , he ’d help. Not only have Martin and he been friends forever, but Doc needs someone w ho’s experienced w hat
“Okay. W hat?”
“Not here. W hile w e’re eating lunch. ” She headed for the side door. “Mary w ould kill me if I w alked into the hall w ay w ith this muck plastered to me.” Taylor strolled past the azaleas and the camellias, w hich months before had been a riot of color, to the end of the brick w alk w ay. Rounding the house, she w alked up the three outside steps leading to the bedrooms and the kitchen . After opening the door, she took a left and headed up the back steps , w hile Jeff moved to w ard the kitchen.
“Hi, Jeff,” said Mary, w hen he entered the kitchen. “I thought I heard Taylor.” She glanced behind him.
“I met her outside. She decided the smell of the barn w ouldn’t add much to the kitchen, so she headed for her sho w er.”
“ W ise idea.” Mary grab bed a w ooden spoon and w aved it on the air in a mocking threatening manner. “I’ll keep this handy if she decides to invade the kitchen prior to the sho w er.”
Jeff laughed. “ She asked me to pack a lunch, too. Before I do, I’ ll change clothes .”
*~*
W hen he returned, he w atched Mary shut off the w ater running in to the sink. She dried her hands on the to w el thro w n over her shoulder.
Jeff w alked over and looked in the sink . G listening peaches stared back at him . “ A bit early for locals, but they look and smell great. May I?” he asked , reaching for one .
She nodded. “I just picked t hem from David Stanley’s garden, w ith our w arm spring, everything ’ s a little early. They’ re a little small, but t w ice as s w eet. W e had stra w berries the beginning of April,” she added , almost w istfully.
Jeff chose a small, firm peachy-rose one and took a large bite, reducing the fruit by almost half. The juice threatened to spill over his lips and do w n his chin . He hastily w iped his mouth w ith the back of his hand. After a quick s w allo w , he stated, “David raises the best fruit in the state or any w here else. ”
Mary took one from the pile and dried the w et, furry covering . “I totally agree w ith you. W hat do you w ant for your picnic? ” She took a bite of a peach .
“Actually, Taylor instructed me to ‘raid the kitchen’.”
She chuckled. “Oh, that brings back memories. I never kne w if w hat I had prepared for dinner, especially the dessert , w ould be intact by the time you three finished …”
They stood quietly and a w k w ardly.
Finally, Mar y said, “Jeff, w hy don’t I fix the picnic lunch? Taylor needs a distraction . She’s taking the DNR decisions not to continue the helicopter search hard. And that horrible w oman Ms. Lee called at least t w ice this morning, once before the guests left. If Taylor isn’t here, she can’t take Ms. L ee calls or abuse. I tri ed to explain to that horrible w oman, but she’s insensitive to any concern not her o w n. ” Mary muttered something under her breath.
Jeff stared. Had Miss Mary s w orn? If so, it w as a first.
“Ho w ’s Doc handl ing his w ife ’s death?”
“Not w ell. W e learned today that excessive speed caused the accident. Julia Ann al w ays had a heavy foot.” S he paused , a fro w n filling her face . “Ho w ’s your dad doing? I thought w e’d see him for the w edding. Sorry, I keep saying things tha t stir up unpleasant memories,” she said a catch sounded in her throat.
Jeff shook his head. “Please don’t apologize. D ad’s better, getting stronger every day. He hoped to come, but he still takes a nap at least once a day. T he combination of the servi ce and the reception made the day too long . I offered to take him home if he tired, but he decided to pass. ”
Mary nodded then looked directly at him. “I realize this is an imposition, but could your father come over? I’ll drive over and pick up Trey . Even if he only stayed for a short visit , he ’d help. Not only have Martin and he been friends forever, but Doc needs someone w ho’s experienced w hat
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