Johnnie grabbed his own beer from the refrigerator. Kendall’s look turned sour as her husband opened the bottle and swigged from it.
“You have something to say?” he asked her.
“No, Johnnie,” she said sweetly, offering Stretch a triumphant grin. “Fee’s having man trouble again,” she said, her gaze never leaving Stretch’s.
Stretch stiffened as Johnnie turned, his full attention on Kendall.
“Don’t worry, my love,” she cooed. “It’s over, as usual. She’s still a little hurt. She can’t seem to find stability. Not that I’m surprised. All she ever does is choose assholes. Would you like names? She is your cousin and she deserves retribution. Fee sided with Meggie earlier about the time and date of the christening, but I can be the bigger person and protect her from her own stupidity.”
Oh, fuck.
Johnnie finished his beer and studied his wife. “Don’t bring your bullshit to this meeting, sweetheart. I know you’re still hurt over the Reddings. Whatever’s going on with Fee has nothing to do with Charlotte.”
Kendall’s mouth tightened. “I asked Meggie if she’d mind if I talked to Father Wilkins while he was here.”
“After I told you not to do it?”
Her face crumpled. “I’m sorry, Johnnie. My concern for Fee affected my judgment. She sounded so, so lost. I thought Meggie had it bad, but Fee is ten times worse. Meggie’s problems are her own fault. She breaks the girl code all the time.”
“Go home, Kendall,” Johnnie snapped. “Leave. Now.”
“No.”
“Kendall, get the fuck out.”
“I won’t say anything about your precious Meggie betraying me and Charlotte.”
“What’s going on in here?” Meggie asked, looking from Johnnie to Kendall, both of whom were in battle stances.
“I know you don’t understand the importance of friendship, but believe me when I tell you it means a lot. Would you like to hear about Charlotte and her grief?”
“Enough, Kendall,” Johnnie warned, although Meggie rolled her eyes and returned to her food preparations.
The alarm announcing the front door opening alerted them to Outlaw’s arrival even before he made an appearance with Cash following him in. He greeted Stretch and Johnnie before going to Meggie and kissing her.
“What up, baby?” he asked, settling his hands on Meggie’s waist and drawing her close.
“Hey, you,” she greeted, standing on tiptoe and hugging him.
“Yo, Stretch, John Boy, Cash, the other motherfuckers on the fuckin’ way. Let’s get the fuck outta the way and wait for them in my fuckin’ cave.”
“I need to talk to you, Outlaw,” Kendall blurted.
“No, you don’t,” Johnnie warned.
Outlaw got his own beer and one for Cash, not paying Kendall the least attention.
“Fuck, it’s raining pussies and dicks out there,” Mortician grumbled, walking in the same way Kendall and Johnnie had.
Outlaw and Johnnie snickered.
“Your Lemonhead gin is in the freezer, Mortician,” Meggie called, her voice rising over the chatter from the ever growing crowd.
Outlaw was lifting lids from the pots, sniffing each dish he revealed, while Mort made his way to the freezer and pulled out a bottle with yellow liquid inside. From the skittles-infused vodka that Mort loved, he’d convinced Meggie to blend different candies with both gin and vodka.
“Fuck, this shit like Roxy jambalaya,” Outlaw complimented, shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.
“Get out of my pot, Christopher!” Meggie demanded without heat.
“My ass’ll get the fuck out your pot if I can get in your pussy.”
“You walked right into that one, Meggie girl,” Mort admonished, drinking the gin.
“She knows what she does,” Kendall complained. “That’s why she does it. She wants everyone to think about her pussy.”
Sudden silence dropped into the space, broken only by Mort’s long-suffering sigh.
Outlaw drank again and slapped Meggie’s ass, still not addressing Kendall.
“What do you say to that, Outlaw?” Kendall demanded.
Absolutely nothing.
“We was just heading to my fuckin’ man cave, Mort,” he said instead. “Got a good fuckin’ roll. Val on the fuckin’ way, but we don’t gotta fuckin’ wait.”
“Ignore me all you want. Maybe, I need to ignore your edicts and tell your secrets.”
Grabbing her hand, Johnnie jerked her toward the back door. “Let’s go, Kendall.”
“Stop.”
Outlaw’s one word halted Johnnie’s stride.
“What the fuck you talkin’ about, Kendall?”