The Strawberry Hearts Diner(65)
“Just send it in care of the Strawberry Hearts Diner, Pick, Texas,” Jancy answered. “And even though we don’t see each other very often, I’ll miss talking to you.”
“Then come see me.”
Jancy laughed. “Yeah, right!”
They said their good-byes, and Jancy stuck the phone back in her pocket. Was this an omen? Was she supposed to stay in Pick? She’d moved to a town many times without having a friend or a relative living there.
“Are you okay?” Emily asked. “And pardon my nosiness, but what’s coming in the mail? If you’ll take the lemonade, I’ll carry out the sweet tea.”
“That was my cousin in Louisiana. I told her where she could send mail if she couldn’t reach me by phone. Remember when I told y’all I was on my way to Louisiana to see my cousin when my car broke down? Well, she called me. Her husband joined the army, and they’re going to Germany for two years. End of story.”
“Or the beginning of one,” Vicky said. “Maybe fate closed that door for a purpose.”
“You have to put her hand in God’s and tell him to lead,” Nettie said as she entered the kitchen. She picked up a sandwich and bit into it. “Lord, this tastes good. Know why folks work so hard to get well in a hospital? So they can go home and eat good food.”
“Did you ever put your hand in God’s?” Jancy asked.
“Every single mornin’ since my divorce,” Nettie answered. “And he ain’t led me wrong a single time. Let’s go on back outside. Fresh night air is wonderful.”
They followed her to the porch, where she sat on the swing, polished off the sandwich, and picked up a cupcake, bit into it, and smiled. “I bet the folks really liked these. They’re good.”
“They’ll do for a substitute, but everyone misses your tarts,” Emily said.
Jancy sipped her glass of tea and listened to the discussion of what was happening over the upcoming weekend. Cleaning the cemetery the next day. Church on Sunday.
Then the bomb would explode. She had to grip the tea to keep from dropping it as she imagined all the emotions, the disappointments, the fears, and the anger that would be in the house. It would be so different than the festive feeling wrapped around them that evening.
“Where’s your head, Jancy?” Nettie asked.
A couple of fast blinks brought her back into the conversation. “Thinking about how things work out, I guess.”
“For the best.” Vicky smiled.
Hopefully, she’d remember those three words on Sunday night.
Vicky stumbled into the kitchen on Saturday morning to find Nettie, a cup of coffee in one hand, dressed for work. “Oh, no! The doctor said you are going to rest for the weekend and maybe you can work an hour or two on Monday.”
“You got a choice. You can let me go to the diner and sit in a booth or on a stool in the kitchen, or I’ll stay home and run the vacuum, dust, and clean all day,” Nettie said. “I’ll abide by whatever decision you make.”
“Nettie! You were supposed to sleep until noon and then watch movies all afternoon.” Jancy stopped in the middle of the floor.
“Or maybe talk to your church ladies all day.” Emily came to an abrupt stop right behind Jancy.
“I can talk to people at the diner. I hate phone conversations. How on earth y’all keep those cell phones glued to your hands is a total mystery to me,” Nettie said. “So do I get out the vacuum, or are you going to let me walk to the diner with y’all this mornin’, Vicky?”
“I’ll stay home and watch her,” Emily said.
“You do and I’ll make you clean out all the cabinets. That means washing all the dishes, putting in new shelf paper, and—”
“Okay, okay.” Vicky’s palms shot up. “You win. But you aren’t lifting a single finger to do one thing. You can’t even fill a tea glass. I don’t care if it’s your glass. You can sit and visit.”
“I could sit on a stool and run the cash register. That wouldn’t hurt anything, now would it?” Nettie poured the rest of the coffee in the sink, rinsed the cup, and put it in the dishwasher.
“For what my opinion is worth, I think that would be a great job. It would help us out so much if we didn’t have to stop and tally up the bills,” Jancy said.
“I agree.” Emily nodded. “Now let’s get on up to the diner. We’ve got cupcakes to make. And no tarts, Nettie, not until Monday. If you even look like you are going to do anything other than take money today, I’ll handcuff you to the sofa and make you watch animated cartoons all day.”