The crowd started to swarm in Augusta’s direction, and the chatter grew louder once again. Left to their own devices, the nephews stood in the center of the room, looking for all the world like they wished they had anywhere else to be.
Holly, seeming all grown-up in a dark skirt and light blue V-neck blouse, and her mom called us over to a table. Since there were only two empty seats and three of us, Holly jumped up and offered her seat to Ophie, gaining a well-mannered ladies nod of approval. I signaled Holly to sit and swung an empty chair from the next table.
Bubbly as always, Holly bounced in her seat. She looked around to see who was nearby, and then she whispered as though we were coconspirators about to pull off a bank heist, “This was my first funeral service. I’m really glad it was for Miss Delia. She was slammin’.”
I looked at Maggie, who translated, “Awesome.”
“If we were at the Classic Book Club meeting together, she would always slip me a couple of hard candies. Butterscotch. My favorite. Once when I stopped by her house to drop off a book I borrowed, Miss Delia invited me in for cookies and she gave me this.”
Holly held out her arm to display a bracelet with tiny shells threaded on delicately woven fishing line. While we were admiring it I stole a glance at Bridgy, who read my mind and nodded in agreement. The bracelet looked an awful lot like Skully’s work.
One of the apron-wearing ladies invited us to the buffet sumptuously laid out on the long tables. As we stood up, I looked around. Augusta still had a crowd buzzing around her, each one wanting to give personal condolences. At first I didn’t see the nephews, and then I did—off in the corner with Rowena, Judge Harcourt and the vice president from the resort. I was incensed. I thought about marching over and breaking up their “meeting,” but out of respect for Miss Delia and especially Miss Augusta, I decided to ignore them.
Miss Augusta made a different decision. I didn’t see her get up from her chair, but clearly her energy was renewed. By the time I noticed, she was marching, spine straight, shoulders back, directly toward the group that included the nephews. I jumped from my chair, hoping to head her off, but she didn’t wait to get up close.
Still half a room away from them, she yelled, “Vultures. That’s what you are, a thieving bunch of vultures.”
The silence in the room was louder than a sonic boom. Pastor John and I, both on the move to head off Augusta, froze in our tracks.
Rowena took what I’m sure she thought was a conciliatory step toward Augusta, which only increased her rage.
“Stay away from me and mine you biggety troublemaker. I know what you’re fixing to do. Talking those foolish boys into throwing away everything that was important to Delia. For shame.”
Rowena opened her mouth but seemed to have thought better of getting in a battle with Augusta in front of half the town. She clamped her jaw shut and backed away, trying to slide behind Judge Harcroft.
Augusta shook her finger at the judge. “You’re no better. In cahoots with the likes of her. Stealin’ Delia’s land for money. Honorable judge! Ha!”
Judge Harcroft’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, but he, too, decided that only discretion would save his reputation, and he stayed silent. When I looked around, the resort vice president and Delia’s nephews had completely disappeared.
Pastor put his arm around Augusta’s fragile shoulders and led her back to her seat. Blondie Quinlin broke from the crowd of gray-haired ladies, moved closer, leaned over Augusta and whispered. Augusta nodded, a little smile playing on her lips, and she seemed to regain her composure. Deciding I wasn’t needed at that exact moment, I turned back to my table.
“‘Biggety’! Miss Augusta called the Emporium lady ‘biggety.’ What does that mean?” Holly shrugged her shoulders and circled her hands from side to side, beside herself with excitement for having witnessed so much spectacle among the adults.