Southern Fried Christmas

by Marian Merritt

  Chelsea giggled. “Sorry, Dad. Somebody’s got to bring home the bacon.”

  Denny laughed to hear the same term he’d used so often come full circle back to him.

  Chelsea gathered her and Kelly’s dishes then walked toward him. “Dad, can I sleep here tonight?”

  Denny grabbed his chest and feigned a pained heart. “And leave me all alone?”

  “Yep.”

  When had his daughter stopped falling for his playful tricks?

  “Maybe you should ask Mawmaw first.”

  She turned her attention to his mother, who was already nodding. “Well, of course.”

  Denny looked at his daughter through different eyes tonight. “OK. Run home and get your things. There’s a flashlight on the counter.”

  Her reaction to Kelly surprised him. Made him see more in his daughter than a little girl he needed to protect. He saw a little girl who would one day grow up and start a family of her own. An inevitable truth he had refused to acknowledge.

  But thankfully, she was still small enough that he had to bend over for her to wrap her slender arms around his neck. He welcomed the gentle kiss she brushed against his cheek. “Thanks, Daddy.”

  His heart always did a little jig when she hugged him.

  When he glanced toward Kelly, he found her smiling at the exchange. Her sparkling eyes and warm smile made his pulse pound in a way it hadn’t in a long time.

  Quatre

  December 20

  Kelly drove to Bazet with Chelsea in Denny’s car. He’d left her the keys for his second vehicle so she wouldn’t have to rent a car. The thoughtfulness and consideration of the Labouve family amazed her.

  In Bazet, angels adorned each lamppost. Their gold wings constructed from iridescent garland sparkled in the sunlight. This must be how the residents know it’s Christmas. The weather sure wasn’t an indicator.

  “Miss Kelly?” Chelsea held the folder Denny had forgotten at home. He’d called just as they were leaving and asked her to drop it off.

  “What is it, honey?”

  “What’s it like to live in the mountains? To walk on snow?” Her eyes shone like blue crystals surrounded by long curly lashes.

  Kelly couldn’t imagine never knowing the crisp sound of walking on fresh snow or the breathing-taking beauty of gazing up at the snow-capped majesty of the Rocky Mountains. Again she wondered how she would ever feel the Christmas spirit here. She struggled to breathe in the thick humidity.

  “Well, hmm. Let’s see. I think living in the mountains is like God telling me every day, ‘Hey, look what I made, look how beautiful this is. I made this for you.’ And walking on snow is fun. It’s a little like walking on sand, but it’s puffier.”

  Chelsea giggled, “Puffier’s not a word, is it?”

  Kelly resisted an overwhelming urge to reach over and tickle the little girl. Her wide-eyed innocence drew her heart. “I don’t know. We’ll look it up later.”

  “I’m going to see the mountains one day. My dad said he would take me on a ski trip when I get older. Only, I don’t want to wait until I get older.”

  Kelly smiled. “I understand.” She remembered her first time on the slopes. She must have been four or five. It seemed so long ago.

  “There’s Uncle Carroll’s newspaper.” Chelsea pointed to an old brick building. The Bazet Daily Courier was chiseled in stone on the face above the door.

  The young girl acted as Kelly’s tour guide showing her the sights of the small town where Denny’s company was located. “My dad’s company is off the end of this street.”

  The image of Denny’s crooked smile came to mind. Her attraction to him had caught her off guard. The last thing she expected was to encounter someone who triggered a longing for romance. Brent’s unexpected breakup had made her wonder if she’d ever love again. Her chest clenched when she remembered that she’d agreed to be Brent’s date for the New Year’s charity gala his hospital sponsored. Why had she agreed to attend? Since their breakup last January, she’d only seen him twice—once when her father died and then a few weeks later when he’d taken her to dinner to see if she was OK.

  “Turn right here.” Chelsea’s pointed toward the upcoming intersection.

  Kelly turned around the corner and toward Denny’s business while Chelsea drummed her fingers against the folder.

  He greeted them at the glass door of Labouve Pipe and Supply. The large metal building stood next to acres filled with stands of pipe.

  “Welcome to my world, Kelly Shepherd.” He stepped aside for her and Chelsea to enter the reception area. “And how’s my lovely daughter today?”

  “I’m good. I’m taking Kelly for a tour of Bazet.” Chelsea returned his hug.

  Denny nodded with arched eyebrows. “Are you now? That should take all of one hour or less.”

  He glanced up toward Kelly, the left side of his lips curled into his signature smile and his left eye closed slightly as he laughed. The sight did crazy things to her heart.

  She calmed her turbulent emotions. “So far it’s been nice.”

  Chelsea handed him the folder then turned toward a glass jar of Christmas mints on the receptionist’s desk. “Hello, Miss Earline. You have different ones today.”

  “Yep, just bought them yesterday. Here, take a couple.” The black-haired receptionist held the jar out to Chelsea.

  She grabbed two of the mints, told Earline thank you, and then headed down the hallway.

  Denny pointed with the folder to the woman sitting behind the desk. “Kelly, this is Earline. She’s our receptionist.”

  She shook hands with Earline whose hand sat limp in Kelly’s while offering a less-than-welcoming smile. Earline gave a quick hello then turned her gaze back to Denny.

  “Earline’s made a fresh pot of coffee. Let’s grab a cup, and you can tell me what you think of south Louisiana so far.” He led her down the hallway where Chelsea had disappeared.

  Earline’s nasal voice trailed after them. “Don’t forget, Denny. You have an appointment at ten o’clock.”

  “Thanks, Earline.” He directed his attention to Kelly. “The kitchen is just to your right.”

  Against the far wall, a large stainless-steel gas stove with six burners, flanked by ten-foot granite counters and a commercial-grade refrigerator filled the space. Chelsea stood with one of the double doors of the refrigerator opened while reaching for a soft drink from the full shelf. The kitchen seemed more like something in a restaurant than in a business. She glanced around shaking her head. “This kitchen is beautiful.”

  He grinned, obviously amused by her astonishment. He lifted the coffee carafe and poured dark brown liquid into a paper cup then handed it to her. “Most people are a little surprised when they walk in here. I cook often for our employees and have crawfish boils for our customers. So I like to have good equipment.”

  Did she hear him correctly? He cooked? Was this guy for real? The more she learned about him, the more her admiration grew.

  He pointed to a chair at one of the five rectangle tables. “So what do you think of Bazet so far?”

  “Seems like a nice place.” She sat and placed her sunglasses on the table.

  “It is. Carroll likes living here. You couldn’t get him to move to Caneville for anything.”

  A glance at the clock showed ten minutes to ten. “Well, perhaps we should get going. There’s touring to do, and you do have that appointment in ten minutes.” She stood.

  “How about lunch? Ya’ll could meet me at The Shack.”

  She glanced toward Chelsea who stood grinning. “If it’s OK with Chelsea. I promised her lunch today.”

  His gaze darted toward his daughter and the smile in his eyes dimmed slightly. “Well, I wouldn’t want to interfere with a girls’ day out.”

  “It’s OK, Daddy. You can come.”

  “You sure?

  “Yep.”

  “Then it’s a date. I’ll meet ya’ll at The Shack at noon. My treat. Chelsea do you remember how t
o get there?”

  Chelsea started for the door. “Sure do.”

  Kelly followed, and Denny walked behind her toward the front door. When she turned to say good-bye to Denny, she met the receptionist’s glare.

  “I’ll see you both at twelve.” He blew Chelsea a kiss and nodded toward Kelly.

  There was no imagining the contempt in Earline’s eyes. Especially the way they’d narrowed when Denny revealed their lunch plans.

  Somehow, like his mother, Denny had the uncanny ability to make her feel like she’d known him much longer than a day. It surprised her how comfortable she felt around this man and his daughter. Not a good thing.

  Cinq

  “Is this it?” Kelly maneuvered into the gravel parking lot. A faded sign hung on the building. Its name described its appearance. The Shack’s cypress planks, stripped bare of paint, appeared gray from age and weather. The front porch held two handmade benches crafted from the same weathered wood.

  “This is it. They have the best fried shrimp. I get it every time. It’s my favorite.”

  When they approached the front, Chelsea opened the tattered-framed screened door. Its high-pitched creaking sound matched the setting. The aroma of fried food awakened Kelly’s hunger. How could she be hungry after the large breakfast of bacon, eggs, and biscuits Eula had fixed? But then again, that had been several hours ago.

  A young woman about Kelly’s age greeted them with large menus balanced in the crook of her arm, their bottoms resting on her hip. Her long dark hair was pulled away from her face by a half ponytail, emphasizing her high cheekbones and dark eyes. “Well, hey, Chelsea. Table for two?” Her Cajun accent matched Denny’s mother’s.

  “Hey, Miss Lorrie.” Chelsea held up three fingers. “My daddy’s gonna meet us.”

  “Really? I’ll personally show him to your table when he gets here.” She shot Kelly an appraising look, twitched her thick red lips in a halfhearted grin, then darted her gaze back to Chelsea and smiled. A real smile.

  “Right this way.” She pointed toward the back of the building.

  Kelly trailed behind Chelsea who followed the hostess past a wall of autographed pictures of celebrities, many popular in the fifties and sixties. The photographs’ colors were long dulled by the sunlight filtering through the windows. Next, they walked along the perimeter of a room where diners filled each table and antique farming tools hung from the walls. Aged and rusted tin signs advertising various brands of carbonated beverages and oil company logos also hung among the antiques.

  The hostess led them down two steps into another larger room. From its tall ceiling hung six fans, each swirling through the densely scented air.

  The hostess pointed toward a table next to the jaw of a huge stuffed snaggletooth alligator perched on a tall table in the center of the room.

  Kelly sat in the chair facing the doorway and tried not to stare at the large reptile.

  Chelsea pointed to the beast. “That’s how big Gaston is. You’re gonna love seeing him.” Her wide-eyed excitement made Kelly laugh. “My dad lets me drive his boat when we go out there. I can find him all by myself.”

  “Really.”

  “Yeah, one time we even visited the swamp lady, Miz Orphelia. We brought her some snap beans and okra.”

  “Someone actually lives in the swamp? Why?”

  “She lives in an old camp not too far from our fishing camp. I don’t know why she lives there, but Daddy said she’s lived there all her life. I know it’s been a long time because she’s very old. I feel sorry for her. I’d be lonely living out there all by myself.”

  Kelly perused the menu and decided, with Chelsea’s insistence, to order the fried shrimp. She glanced up in time to see the hostess show Denny to their table. His easy-going style and intriguing smile captured her gaze. His charm had also worked on the hostess. The grin plastered on her face looked nothing like the brief smirk she’d given Kelly earlier. The familiar way the hostess laid her hand on his arm made Kelly wonder if they had a history together.

  When Denny approached, he slid into the chair next to her. His closeness caused a ripple in her spine. She repressed the sensation not wanting to give in to its pleasure. Denny seemed to have an entourage of women clamoring for his attention.

  Another woman walked to the table. “Hello, Denny, how’s it goin’?” She flashed Denny an engaging smile then stood poised with pen and pad in hand. “You havin’ your usual?”

  Denny pointed to Kelly. “Take her order first.”

  After they’d ordered, the waitress retrieved their menus. Was it Kelly’s imagination or had the waitress winked at Denny? He seemed unfazed by the gesture, but Chelsea’s reaction proved otherwise. She rolled her eyes then shot her Dad a glare. “Puhleez. Does she ever give up?”

  Denny laughed and shook his head. “Be nice, shortcake.”

  Kelly wanted to ask but didn’t want to pry.

  “So, Kelly how did the rest of the tour go?” Denny turned to her. His brown eyes just inches from hers.

  “Good. Chelsea took me to the sugar cane museum back in Caneville. Now I know how the town got its name.” She sipped from the large glass of sweet tea while Chelsea detailed their morning route.

  “Are you guys headed back home after lunch?”

  “Yes. Your mom is showing me how to make a Jum-ba-la-ya. I’m not sure what that is, but I’m sure it will be fun.”

  The waitress interrupted with their orders. She placed a plate overflowing with fried seafood in front of Denny. “Denny, I hope you enjoy your lunch.”

  “Miss Rita, can I get some ranch dressing for my fries.” Chelsea tried to get the waitress’s attention.

  “Yeah, sure, sweetie. Be right back.” She tousled Chelsea’s hair. As Rita walked away, she gave Denny a lasting glance.

  Kelly watched Denny. He lowered his gaze and doused his fries with ketchup. The action seemed to hold his attention more than the flirting waitress. Was he embarrassed by her boldness? Or just uncomfortable because she had flirted in front of Kelly? Or was Denny the hometown playboy? The thought made Kelly wince. Surely not. She pushed the thought from her mind. What did it matter to her anyway?

  She turned her attention to her plate and bit into one of her fried shrimp and immediately understood why it was Chelsea’s favorite. The lightly breaded jumbo shrimp melted in her mouth.

  “Dad, when ya gonna take Kelly out to see Gaston?” Chelsea shoved a large french fry covered with ranch dressing into her mouth.

  “I’m taking the day off Friday.” He turned to Kelly. “So, how about it? Sounds like a great day?”

  “Sure.” She glanced at the monstrous gator towering next to her. “I think.”

  Kelly wasn’t sure a day alligator hunting in the swamp would be what she’d call a great day. But she couldn’t write about the Cajun culture without firsthand experience with at least one live alligator. Could she?

  ****

  Denny enjoyed seeing Kelly’s response to the alligator. He couldn’t wait to take her out to meet Gaston. A day on the bayou would be fun and allow him to share his culture with her. His insides had cringed when Rita had winked at him. What must Kelly think?

  He’d never gotten accustomed to women chasing him. Since Andrea’s death, he’d become the target for many of the divorcees and single women in town. He’d tried to be polite while making it clear that he had no interest. He couldn’t decide if he’d not been clear enough or if a few of the women couldn’t take no for an answer. He sent a silent prayer to heaven that Kelly didn’t think he was the type to play the field.

  “Daddy, too bad we can’t have boiled crawfish while Miss Kelly’s here.”

  “She’ll just have to come back during crawfish season.”

  Kelly looked from him to Chelsea. “How would that be different than what we had last night?”

  Denny pushed his empty plate toward the center of the table. “We boil a sack of crawfish in a huge pot filled with water and spices. I like to add a mesh bag f
illed with potatoes, corn, garlic, lemons, onions, whole mushrooms, and celery. Pretty much everything but the pirogue paddle—that’s what we use to stir the pot with.” He loved watching her face as she tried to understand all he told her. Her smile gripped him in a way that surprised him. He couldn’t believe how much he wanted to get to know her and to spend time with her. To share his culture with her. What was her story? He began to look forward to Friday and their visit to Gaston.

  As much as he didn’t want to leave, he had to return to work. He had a few appointments lined up for the afternoon and had a lot of work to do if he wanted to take Friday off.

  “Ladies, I have enjoyed the food and especially the company, but I have to get back to work.” He picked up the check Rita had left.

  He paused next to the table as Kelly stood. The shine from her long brown hair caught his attention. When she glanced up toward him, he melted in her eyes. He had enjoyed sitting close to her and couldn’t wait to see her again tonight.

  He walked with Kelly and Chelsea to the car. “I hope you have a good afternoon with my mama. Remember, my house is available if you need some peace and quiet.”

  She laughed. “Your mother is very nice. I’ve enjoyed being with her.”

  “I’m sure you’ll have a great time. Oh, I almost forgot, you left these at my office.” He handed Kelly her sunglasses.

  “Thank you so much.” She brushed his hand as she reached for the shades. He hoped she hadn’t noticed how the contact made him pause. He did notice a slight tremor in her hand as she slid her glasses on.

  He turned his attention to Chelsea and blew her a kiss across the car. “Babe, be sweet. I’ll see you when I get home.” He walked to his Suburban and sat for a moment. Watching the six-year-old Accord drive out of the parking lot brought back the familiar aching in his heart. He should have sold his wife’s car a long time ago.