“Good morning, Mom,” Becky Sue called out so she’d know who was entering the house.
“Good morning sweetie.” Her mom rolled to the doorway of the kitchen. Becky Sue walked over and kissed her cheek.
“You look perky this morning. Feeling good today?”
“Yes, I am. I’m not so sure about you though. I would think that after having dinner with the Burnett’s last night you’d look radiant this morning, but in truth you look like you could use a long winter’s nap and a bowl of soup.”
Becky Sue hadn’t told her mom about the dinner, but should’ve known it would get out. Undermining the gossip vine in this town was dangerous.
“Oh come on. Not you too. You know Ray is like my brother. You lived next to the Burnett’s until,” she waved her hand because she hated to say it, “until the divorce and your stroke. They’re our friends. Am I not allowed to go eat dinner with friends?” Her voice was rising, but she couldn’t seem to stop it. Exasperation oozed from every pore. Exasperation with the town gossips. Exasperation with herself.
“Don’t go getting all wound up on me young lady. I was just trying to be polite and stay in tuned with your life.”
Becky Sue sighed. “I know, Mom. I promise when I start dating someone you’ll be the first to know. I went over to the Burnett’s last night because I haven’t seen Ray since before I left for college. We caught up a little, but I don’t know how long he’s even going to hang around.”
“What did he tell you? Mary Beth seems to think he’s back for good.”
Becky Sue shrugged. “Nothing really. I guess it’s just the impression I got from him.” She should’ve kept her mouth shut, but she had to quiet the matchmakers in this town before she lost her mind.
Her mother gave her one last assessing look before she rolled out of the doorway. “I’ll go get in the shower if you have time.”
“Go ahead. I’ll inventory your food situation.”
A cursory evaluation of the pantry and fridge indicated that a trip to the grocery store would be in order in the near future. In all the trips she’d made to Harrison for Mom’s therapy and grocery shopping, she’d never run into Ray. In fact, she’d barely thought about him any time she went. It was funny how life worked sometimes.
Becky Sue left her mom’s after making sure she’d cleared the shower, drove back to her house, parked her pick up, and walked to work. She unlocked the back door and set her lunch box down on the shelf under the counter.
The patriotic star quilt was still folded neatly on the table awaiting her return. She estimated only seven more hoops to go before the quilting part was done. Every time she finished a quilt she felt accomplished. She was looking forward to finishing it in the next couple of days. She needed something to keep her grounded.
It was still a few minutes till open, so she walked around with her little duster, tickling the dust off the shelves and making sure everything was neat and tidy. As she moved down the center aisle, Uncle Melvin’s book caught her eye again. She set the duster on the shelf and picked up a copy of the book and flipped it open.
Another problem is the carrying of genes. Sparkers have a special gene that carries their power. It is held to the trait of blue eyes. A Spark must have blue eyes to hold any power. This is why some children who only have one Spark as a parent do not inherit the Sparker’s powers.
A Spark may also lose their power if a Quell takes it from them. While a Quell has no power of their own to speak of, they are quite efficient at completely diffusing a Sparker to the point where they cannot retain any of their abilities and become normal. Some say the Sparker may still pass on the gene to their children if they have been diffused, but there is no evidence to back this up.
Becky Sue shut the book and returned it to its place on the shelf. She’d forgotten about the Quell. There was even less written about them than there were the Sparkers. She picked up her duster. It didn’t matter. It was all just fun stories to tell the tourists, another selling point to draw interest to the town.
After the dusting was complete, she unlocked the door but didn’t prop it open this time. Clouds covered the sky and the breeze carried a chill. This afternoon she might regret not driving, especially if the clouds opened up like they threatened. She should’ve paid more attention to the weather, but she was abnormally distracted. It would cut down on the tourist traffic too giving her even more time to work on her quilt, and more quiet time to think about things she shouldn’t but she might have a solution for that.
A peek outside and there was no real movement yet. She walked over to Vernon’s and bought a newspaper from the outside dispenser. Vernon waved to her through the window. She waved back and hurriedly turned away before he could corner her like everyone else.
Becky Sue wasn’t very good at keeping up with current events past what the gossip vine provided, which usually was more than what was told in print. If there were things she didn’t know about in the paper it was usually because it didn’t pertain to her as it happened in other communities. After talking to Chester and Ray yesterday though it seemed like it was maybe a good time to start keeping up with more official news.
She hadn’t even made it back across the street from the park to her building when Cindy popped out of her shop, smiling and eagerly waiting for her to get within talking distance.
“Good morning, Becky Sue. How was your date?”
This was quickly becoming a mute point to argue. “It was fine.”
The smug look on Cindy’s face was more of an I-told-you-so. “So Ray’s home to stay? When are you getting married? How many kids do you think you’ll be able to have by the time your thirty five?”
Becky Sue looked up to the sky, concentrating on her breathing before she turned, smiling, to Cindy. “You know we didn’t discuss marriage so I doubt we will, but we think we can squeeze in about four kids in the next seven years.”
She left an open mouthed Cindy staring after her as she walked back into her shop. Let the gossip mills chew on that for a while, she smirked to herself. This could be fun. Why didn’t she think of this years before? The look on Cindy’s face had been priceless. For once, she’d left the woman speechless. Granted it wouldn’t last for long, but she could enjoy it for the next few minutes.
Less than ten minutes later, the phone started to ring.
“Becky Sue’s handmade quilts, how can I help you?”
“You can start by telling me what exactly it is you and Ray are planning on doing. You haven’t eloped with him have you?”
“Cindy called you didn’t she,” Becky Sue asked her mom. Maybe stirring the gossip mills wasn’t so much fun after all.
“Of course she did. You failed to mention any of this to me this morning when you were here.”
“Mom, look. I was just mouthing off. None of its true. First thing this morning Cindy cornered me and started her interrogation. It was the first thing that popped out of my mouth.”
“Becky Sue Hocking, I taught you better than to lie. Why would you do that to poor old Cindy and me, your own mother!”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it being a lie. I just wanted to be left alone. Everyone is always trying to match make for me and I’m tired of it.”
The bell above the door jangled. “I gotta go Mom. A customer just came in.”
“Alright. But I don’t want to hear about you lying any more, you hear me?”
“Yes mother.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.” She returned the phone to its cradle and greeted her customer. Maybe Ray had it figured out. Maybe moving to a bigger area was the answer. Nobody to match make. Nobody to scold her if she let slip a little white lie. But then again if she left, she’d have to take Mom with her to care for her. If her Mom was dead, she wouldn’t have to worry about caring for her either, but then she wouldn’t have to worry about half the problems she had anyway. It was a vicious cycle and she didn’t want her mom to die anytime soon, even when she was
being a pain.
Amazingly enough, Cindy had made herself scarce. Becky Sue assumed she was in no hurry to be made a fool of again which made the day surprisingly quiet and slow feeling. She could guarantee that her mom called Cindy back and told her it was all a lie.
That’s why when the bells above her door jingled again sometime later she jumped and pricked her finger with the needle.
“Hello, how are you today?” She called out without looking up as she tried to stop the pinprick of blood on her finger.
“I’m good. How about you?” Ray had crossed the short distance through the shop and leaned over the counter.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“You don’t sound excited to see me.”
She shrugged noncommittally.
“I would think someone you were planning to have four kids with in the next seven years would get a more enthusiastic greeting.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. How did you hear about that so fast?”
“Mom sent me over to pick up some soap from Cindy and she asked me about it. It seems you have a lying problem and I should probably choose differently if I’m going to settle back down here.”
Becky Sue laughed outright then. Ray grinned at her. “I’m so tired of these old buzzards always trying to match make. I could’ve been married fifty times over by now at the rate they’re going.”
His face turned serious. “That’s okay. It’ll help serve our purpose.”
Yeah, our purpose. Strictly business. But it appeared she would have to act the love struck spinster after all. She glanced over at the newspaper she’d picked up this morning. It’d been a waste of fifty cents. There’d been nothing of interest in it today, no new updates about the girl who’d overdosed and basically everything past that was irrelevant.
“Well, what have you got in mind to start with?”
His mischievous grin was back, his eyes sparkled. “First, we have to make believers out of the town’s people that I’m now courting you, so they believe I’m here to stay, to keep my cover. Just in case any of them have heard rumors about my real job. If they think I’m settling back down they won’t think I’m still active.”
She was having trouble getting excited about this. “Alright, what do we need to do? Go have sex in the park?” She gestured out the window.
“Maybe nothing quite so blatant and drastic. I was thinking dinner at Claire’s tonight. But if you want to speed things up a bit you could let me spend the night at your place.” He winked.
“Keep dreaming, big boy.”
“Becky Sue.” She looked directly at him. “Relax, have some fun with this. You’re the only one I could pull this off with, and don’t worry, no matter what, we’ll always be friends.”
“Yeah, I know.” But after he was gone again, she’d be the one picking up the pieces of her broken heart if she relaxed too much.
He walked around the counter to where she sat. “You’re the best.” He kissed the top of her head and a spark of static electricity pulled a few hairs straight up. Then he was gone.
Chapter 6
Claire’s diner was practically empty. The rain shower an hour ago had definitely put a damper on things, but the rain could do nothing to squelch the town’s gossip vine.
Claire herself seated Becky Sue and Ray near the window. She was putting them in full view of the town so no one could say the rumors weren’t true.
“I feel like one of Bill’s pieces in the display window,” Becky Sue whispered to Ray as soon as Claire was out of earshot.
“Keep whispering like that and you will be.” Point taken.
Becky Sue didn’t bother looking at the menu. She knew it by heart. Ray glanced at the front, flipped to the back and set it back down.
“Literally nothing has changed,” he said.
“Nope.”
“You think I could convince her to run a special once a week just to try something new?”
“You’d give the poor woman a heart attack.”
“Who had a heart attack?” Claire asked as she walked back with their drinks.
“No one had a heart attack. We’re just talking theoretical,” Becky Sue said.
“You should stop talking about theories and stick to facts. That’s probably why you’re not married yet Becky Sue, all that college got to your head and gave you too many ideas.” Ray sat there grinning at her. She looked at him and hoped he could read her mind. Do you see what I have to deal with here?
“Ya’ll ready to order?”
“I’ll have the country fried steak with the mashed potatoes and okra. I sure have missed your cooking Claire. Ain’t nobody cook okra like you do. ” Ray said still smiling. He was turning his charm on Claire and she was falling for it. No wonder Becky Sue wasn’t married yet, she could usually spot these bullshit lines a mile away.
“I’ll take the Cajun chicken with a loaded baked potato and corn.”
Claire wrote down her order then leaned over and whispered in her ear, “come by sometime and I’ll teach you the secret of how I cook the okra. It’s a sure fire way to catch that man just in case you run into trouble.”
Becky Sue almost choked. Claire ambled off to the kitchen, probably to instruct the cook on how exactly to make Ray’s okra.
“What was that all about,” Ray asked.
Becky Sue repeated what Claire had told her, but could barely contain her laughter. Ray grinned.
“I honestly can’t tell a difference in her okra and anyone else’s.”
“You’re such an operator.”
“I got skills. How do you think I made it so far?”
“Yeah, you got so many skills you’re back here again.” She said it without thinking. “Nevermind.”
They managed to make small talk over the rest of dinner without Becky Sue blundering any more. Claire looked like she was trying to stay a discrete distance away, but Becky Sue felt she was hovering on the edge of hearing distance, hoping to pick up a morsel to share on the gossip vine.
“Thanks for dinner. It was good.”
“You’re welcome. Would you like a ride home?”
Becky Sue looked out the window. The sun had set and she’d walked over, straight from work, to meet him. At first she thought to refuse, but remembered the truck that nearly ran her over that morning. “Sure, I’ll take you up on it.”
Crawling into his Ford F-150 felt a drastic change to her little Chevy s-10. All she had to do was tell him it was the old Briggs place and they were to her house before their conversation started back up.
It didn’t feel right leaving such a pleasant evening so early, and for all their talking so far, Becky Sue felt like there was a lot Ray wasn’t telling her because of eavesdroppers.
“Would you like to come in,” Becky Sue asked, opening the truck door.
“This isn’t a ploy to get me drunk and take advantage of me is it?” He grinned.
“No. I don’t usually keep any of your dad’s special in stock.”
“You know if I come in, tomorrow our mom’s will be on the phone with each other planning a wedding right?”
“Good point.” Becky Sue went to get out.
Ray killed the engine. “Too late. You already invited me in.”
Becky Sue opened the door and Sherlock was in his customary spot on the back of the couch. He opened one eye, realized she wasn’t alone, then stretched and jumped down to come investigate.
“Ray this is Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock this is my friend Ray.”
“Hi Sherlock.” Ray bent down and scratched behind Sherlock’s ears. “You’re a friendly little guy.”
“Sherlock is the only one I can talk to and not worry about it getting spread about town. He’s pretty good company.”
“Where did you get him?”
“Actually he found me. It was maybe a year after I moved in here and he wondered up shortly after the fourth of July. I thought he was somebody’s pet that’d been scared by the fireworks, but nobody claimed him. He must
’ve been a tourist’s cat and they lost him. He’s been here ever since.”
Ray walked over to the couch and sat down. Sherlock followed him and jumped into his lap.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him take to anybody else quite like that though,” Becky Sue observed.
“You have many people over?” The look Ray gave her wasn’t asking about friends and acquaintances. He was asking about men.
She shrugged noncommittally. It was none of his business. “Sometimes, but I’m not really much of an entertainer.”
He picked up a piece of thread that clung to the couch, rolling it between his fingers distractedly. “No, didn’t think you were the type. You seem married to your work, like me.”
“I guess, but sometimes I try to get out and live a little.”
A skeptical look said he didn’t believe her. “Have you thought about what you’re gonna do once your mom passes? I know that’s why you’ve stuck yourself in this town and haven’t moved on. There’s nothing really for you here.”
Becky Sue paused. “I haven’t really thought about it. I have my business.”
“I know the whole town thinks you’ve officially hit spinsterhood for good despite the fact they keep trying to find you a husband. You don’t strike me as the type that would stay single forever.”
“I’ve dated a few times, just haven’t found anyone who fits me.”
“I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about an actual relationship.”
“And what do you know about real relationships? How many times you been married since you left?”
“Once.” Becky Sue stopped short. She’d heard rumors a couple times that he’d remarried.
“Let me rephrase that, how many women you been with since you got divorced? How many of them were real relationships?”
“It doesn’t matter. We’re not talking about me. I’ve shown I can be marriage material before.”
In other words he couldn’t count the number of women that’d crawled into his bed and he kept trying to deflect her questions by poking at her.
Legend Of The Sparks Page 5
