by Unknown
Darla winked. “Eat up! I’ll check on you in a few.” She hurried off with her coffee pot.
Annie had to agree with Darla’s assessment of the fried chicken when she tasted it. It was crisp on the outside and almost melt-in-her-mouth tender on the inside. It was served with a small side salad, real mashed potatoes and gravy, seasoned green beans, and a hot buttered biscuit. Despite feeling anxious about Vera, Annie was able to eat quite a bit.
“That was a wonderful meal,” she said, when Darla picked up her plate. “Tell Flo and Patricia I want to be adopted into their family.”
“You’ll think twice about that if you ever witness Flo’s temper,” Darla said. “She threw a skillet at me once when I said her meatloaf was dry; and she got after Sam with a paring knife a couple of years back when he refused to give her a raise.”
“You don’t think she really meant to hurt either of you?” Annie asked.
“I think she probably acts tougher than she really is, but who knows? Just to play it safe, I’ve done nothing but praise her meatloaf ever since. Sam, on the other hand, refused to give her the raise.”
“That makes him stubborn or brave,” Annie said. “Which is it?”
“I would have to say both. He told Flo that nobody but nobody pulled a knife on him, and he threatened to have her arrested if she ever did it again. Anyway, he put her on thirty days probation. Well, Flo is just like the rest of us; we need a paycheck. So she changed her tune and became the nicest person you’d ever want to work with. She supposedly apologized to Sam after her thirty days, and a couple of weeks later, he gave her the raise.”
“So the moral of the story is . . .?”
“Sam is a fair man. He pays better wages than the other restaurant owners in this town, and we always get a nice Christmas bonus and cost of living increase in January. Just don’t push him.”
“I think it’s great he gives a cost of living increase,” Annie said, “what with the economy being on shaky ground.”
Darla laughed. “What do you know about the cost of living and the economy, Annie?” she teased. “That’s something you’ll never have to worry about.”
“Being rich isn’t always what it’s cut out to be,” Annie said.
“Spoken like a true rich person.”
“Um, Darla, I need a small favor,” she said, changing the subject.
“Name it.”
“I would like to text someone who is probably very worried about me. I was wondering if I could borrow your cell phone.”
“Sure, but you can call the person if you like. I’ve got unlimited minutes.”
“I’m afraid I’ll get emotional if I talk to her. Right now I just want her to know I’m okay.”
“I’ll grab my phone from my purse.”
Annie had just finished texting Vera that she was safe and had a place to stay when half a dozen chattering women walked through the front door.
“Good evening, ladies,” Darla called out. “I’ve already set up your regular table. I’ll have your drinks ready in just a sec.”
“No rush, Darla,” one of them said.
“Who are those women?” Annie asked.
“They are members of the Pinckney Social Club and Support Group,” Darla replied. “You must be widowed, divorced, or separated in order to join. I’m sure you fit in there somewhere. Come on over, I want you to meet them.”
“I’d rather wait,” Annie said, still feeling foolish after all that had occurred once she rode into Pinckney on a cloud of smoke. “I can meet them later.”
“Listen to me, Annie,” Darla said. “You’re going through a difficult time right now, and that’s what the support group is all about, helping each other through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Plus, you’ll be able to make new friends. As I see it, you need all the friends you can get right now.”
Chapter Three
“Hey, everybody,” Darla said, all but dragging a reluctant Annie with her to the table of ladies. “I want y’all to meet Annie Hartford from Atlanta. She arrived in town this afternoon driving a smokin’ limo and wearing a gorgeous designer wedding gown.” Darla hugged Annie to her. “She actually gave me the dress, the big sweetheart.”
“Heard you fainted, Darla,” a woman named Ira said, grinning.
“You would have fainted too, Ira, if you’d been me,” Darla said, “but I’d rather not talk about it right now because I’ll start getting all emotional. I just wanted to introduce Annie—she’s feeling a bit shy at the moment—I know y’all will give her a big Pinckney welcome.”
The six women at the table smiled and nodded, a couple of them stood and shook Annie’s hand, including a slender, middle-aged woman with a frosted pixie haircut, and wire framed glasses. “I’m Lillian Calhoun,” she said. “Welcome to Pinckney, honey.” She motioned for Annie to take the chair next to her.
Annie recognized the name. “My friend, Vera Holmes, told me to look you up,” she said once she had sat down.
“I’ve not seen Vera in a long time,” Lillian said, “but she is such a dear person.” Lillian paused. “But you, young lady, are an amazing woman. We all heard how you ditched your fiancé, jumped in your father’s limo, and hit the road. We think you were mighty brave to do what you did, don’t we girls?”
“I don’t understand why you didn’t just call off the engagement,” a dark-haired woman name Cheryl Camp said.
“I tried, and it did not work. You would have to know my father to understand. He does not play fair.”
“Her father has a hellacious temper,” Lillian said, “and he will go to all lengths to get his way. Trust me, Annie is better off without him.”
Annie looked surprised. “How do you know about my father?”
Lillian blushed. “Me and my big mouth,” she said. “I’ve just heard things about the man.”
“From Vera?” Annie asked.
Lillian hesitated. “Yes. Please don’t be angry with her for telling me. I think she just needed someone to talk to at the time. Like I said, we go way back.”
Annie found it odd that Vera had shared personal information about her with someone Annie had never even heard of until that day. “I could never be angry with Vera,” she said. “She raised my brother and me when our parents divorced.”
“Yes, I know,” Lillian said. “From the looks of it she did a fantastic job.”
Annie lowered her voice. “I suppose Vera told you about my twin brother.”
“She did. I’m so very sorry you had to go through that. Just don’t beat yourself up for leaving like you did,” Lillian said. “Some relationships are so unhealthy you have no choice but to walk away.”
Annie suddenly grinned. “Actually, I ran like hell.”
Darla caught the last comment as she arrived carrying a large oval tray with salads and beverages. She placed the tray on a metal tray stand. “I’ll never know how Annie was able to run in that dress or how she managed to climb into the limo to begin with.”
“Desperate times cause for desperate measures, right?” Lillian asked Annie and winked.
Annie nodded. “Absolutely.”
“We also heard how Sheriff Hester showed his behind,” she said. “If anybody needs to be hanged in the courthouse square he would be my first choice after the way he behaved. He will never get another vote out of me.”
“I didn’t vote for him last time,” an Asian woman sitting on the other side of Annie said. Her thick, shiny black hair hung straight down her back, not a strand out of place, making Annie think she would be perfect for a shampoo commercial. She offered Annie her hand. “I’m Kazue. I’m a seamstress. Lillian and I do a few jobs together.”
Annie looked at Lillian. “What is it you do?”
“Interior decorating,” Lillian said. “Kazue specializes in window treatments and bedding. She makes me look good.”
“Nonsense,” Kazue said. She looked at Annie. “The woman is gifted, and we get a lot of word-of-mouth jobs,” she added. “We get business f
rom Savannah, Atlanta, Athens, Albany, Columbus, you name it. And not just locations in Georgia,” she added.
“We finally had to hire extra personnel,” Lillian said.
Darla finished serving the drinks and salads. “I take it everybody wants the fried chicken dinner.”
“That’s why we’re here,” one of the other members said.
“And I thought you ladies came to see me,” a male voice said. Annie glanced around to find Sam Ballard standing behind her. He’d changed into dark brown dress slacks, a crisp white shirt, and a brown and beige stripe tie.
“Uh-oh, girls,” Lillian said. “Sam has discovered our secret.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “We only pretend we’re here for the fried chicken,” she said, “but the real reason we come is to get a gander at the best looking lawyer in town.”
“Hey, I can’t help being handsome,” Sam said. “I was born this way.”
Darla was writing the order on her ticket pad and looked up. “You’re meeting a client?”
He nodded. “I shouldn’t be long. I trust you’ll hold down the fort.” He glanced at Annie and his smile faded, even as his gaze lingered. “I’ll leave you ladies to your dinner,” he said. “I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do since last week.”
Nobody spoke until he walked away. Finally, Lillian nudged Annie. “What was that all about?”
Annie could not get over how nicely Sam had looked. Not that he hadn’t looked good earlier in a pair of khakis and a casual shirt, she reminded herself, both starched and ironed. She noticed Lillian, and the others waiting for her reply; even Darla looked interested.
“I don’t think Mr. Ballard likes me very much,” she said. “You know, running out on my wedding the way I did. I think I remind him of the time he was, um—” She paused, trying to think of a polite way of saying it.
“I believe the word you’re looking for is jilted,“ Lillian said.
“Oh, good grief,” Kazue said. “That was how many years ago? Four? Five?”
“Five,” Darla replied, “and I don’t mind telling you, I’m sick of all the ribbing. It’s not funny. We need a new scandal. Right now people are talking about my new garter belt. Is that desperate or what?”
“Why did you buy a new garter belt?” Ira said. “Have you not heard of panty hose?”
Everybody at the table got a good chuckle, including Annie. Kazue shook her head sadly. “Where have you been, Ira? The garter belt is for after hours. I’ll bet Darla has a teddy to match.”
“Damn right,” Darla said, “both are black and red. And for those times when I really feel like getting kinky, I have a Tweety Bird outfit.” She was prevented from saying any more when the bell rang, letting her know her food was up.
“She was teasing,” Lillian said.
“Don’t be so sure,” Kazue replied. “This is Darla we’re talking about.”
The restaurant started filling up. “If Sam doesn’t hire someone to help Darla soon I don’t know what the poor girl is going to do?”
“Why is she the only waitress working on a busy night like this?” Annie asked.
“The last girl was kind of a smart aleck,” Lillian said, “which did not go over well with Darla or the people in the kitchen. Needless to say, she did not last long. There are two girls working the morning shift; one of them has been coming in most evenings to help. I don’t know why she isn’t here tonight. Don’t worry,” Lillian added. “Sam knows Darla is working alone tonight. He’ll cut his appointment short.”
“I know this is none of my business,” Annie said, “but what made him buy a restaurant when he has a law degree?”
Lillian looked at her. “Just like a lot of us, Sam couldn’t bear the thought of the city tearing down this building, but I think most people were overwhelmed at the amount of work it would need to bring it back to what Sam refers to at its glory days. Thankfully, a lot of people showed up to help; several retired contractors, as well as plumbers, an electrician, painters, you name it. All free of charge.
“As for the used cars, he wasn’t looking to start another business. An old friend of his showed up one day, asked if he could rent the empty lot next to Sam’s law office since Sam owns both pieces of property. When his friend went to auctions to buy cars or traveled out of town to pick up one or two, Sam ended up waiting on customers, and wouldn’t you know it, he is so well-liked in this town that he started selling them like lemonade on a hot day. His friend offered Sam a full partnership. The extra money suited Sam just fine because he was trying to build his practice. I’m sure all the expenses involved in renovating the restaurant took a huge bite out of his savings account.”
“Sounds like he has multi-tasking down to an art,” Annie said.
Lillian smiled. “I’m just guessing, but I think he’d like to get out of the used car business. Between the restaurant and his practice, he has his hands full.” She paused. “I don’t mean to change the subject, but where are you staying?”
“Darla has kindly invited me to crash on her sofa for the time being.”
“Hope you like Elvis,” Ira muttered under her breath.
“I heard that,” Darla said, coming by to pour fresh coffee and tea.
“How long do you plan to be in Pinckney?” Ira asked.
Annie was too embarrassed to admit that she had no idea what she was going to do, that she had been in such a hurry to escape her wedding that she had forgotten her purse, meaning she was indeed flat broke at the moment, so broke she was having to borrow Darla’s clothes.
“I don’t have transportation to leave at the moment,” she said. “My father’s, um, limo is in the shop. I’m not sure what I’m going to do,” she said. “I just want to stay as far away from Atlanta as I can.”
“So stay in Pinckney for a while,” one of the other women named Cheryl said. “You could rent an apartment for a few months, see if the town suits you. You should look at Hillcrest Apartments,” she added. “They’re really nice; all high-end appliances and granite countertops. They can even furnish them for you. I could drive you over tomorrow since you don’t have transportation at the moment.”
“I think I need to find a job first,” Annie said, “before I look for a place to live. I don’t have much cash on me since I left my purse at the church in my mad rush to escape.”
“Where do you bank?” Cheryl asked. “I can take you there first.”
Annie blushed. “I’m afraid that’s not an option.” All eyes were on her. Annie figured they would find out the truth before long so there was no sense keeping it a big secret. “I did not want to discuss my personal problems,” Annie said, “but all my accounts are frozen, and my credit cards canceled.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Lillian said. “Your father is a real bastard.”
Annie was surprised by Lillian’s harsh comment, but she suspected the woman knew more than she was saying.
“I can give you money until you get on your feet,” Lillian said.
Annie shook her head. “No. This is my problem. I should have guessed what my father would do once I tried to call off the engagement. I think it’s safe to say he has washed his hands of me.”
“Okay, so you have a place to stay, at least temporarily,” Cheryl said. “You’ll need to find some kind of job. Problem is, this is a small town and jobs are scarce. But I have a good friend who runs an employment agency, so who knows? What kind of work have you done?”
Annie wished she had an impressive resume she could whip out, but that was not the case. “I’ve never really worked,” she said. “I did not attend college. I had hoped to go to join my brother at Duke University, but that was not to me. After I graduated from high school, my father sent me to finishing school.”
“Finishing school, huh?” Cheryl said. “Isn’t that the same thing as charm school?”
“Not like the charm school of yesteryear,” Annie said, “where the student’s GPA was based on how well she married. The school I attended emphasize
d personal growth. I was taught etiquette and poise, of course, but we reread all the classics, stayed on top of current affairs, attended plays and operas, took cooking and nutritional classes, studied early childhood education, and—” She paused and look about. “What?”
“All that sounds great,” Cheryl said, “but did you learn any job skills?”
Annie shook her head. “Unfortunately, no,” she said.
“So what have you been doing since you graduated from this school?” Ira asked.
“I take care of the estate and plan dinner parties for my father,” she said. “I run a lot of errands for him.”
The women at the table stared at her but remained silent.
“I’m sure there’s something you can do,” Cheryl said. “You may have to start at the bottom and work your way up,” she added.
“What would the bottom be?” Annie asked, hoping it wouldn’t entail taking off her clothes.
“You can make beds, can’t you?”
Annie smiled. “I’m sure I could if somebody showed me how.”
Ira dropped her fork. Cheryl stared back at her, mouth agape.
“You’ve never made a bed?” Cheryl whispered.
Annie chuckled. “I’m teasing. Of course I know how to make a bed. I had to train housekeepers.”
“What’s wrong here?” Darla asked, arriving with their fried chicken dinners. “Everyone looks so serious.”
“Oh, we were just discussing what kind of job Annie might be able to find in Pinckney,” Cheryl said. “She doesn’t have much experience.”
“I’ve already thought about the job situation,” Darla told them. “I’m going to get Sam to hire her.”
Darla barely got the words out before Sam came through the swinging doors leading from the kitchen. He had dispensed with the tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He quickly looked around as though assessing the situation, grabbed an armful of menus and met a party of four who stood just inside the front door.
Annie was having trouble finding her voice. “You mean as a waitress?” she asked. When Darla nodded, she went on. “But I have no experience.”
