“Get who, Pauline?” Aunt Rachel asked. “You still mad at Bertha for sitting next to Frank at church? I told you—”
“Listen, old woman,” Momma Peach ground out, “I ain't got time to put up with you...so go eat a prune or something.”
Aunt Rachel let out a hearty, toothless laugh. “Pauline, my, but you're getting a mouth on you.”
“I'll deal with you later, Aunt Rachel,” Momma Peach said, hung up the phone, and walked back to the beach with her peach soda clutched in one hand. The ice clinked, and the liquid sloshed over the side as she walked fast. “Michelle, honey,” she said in a voice that caused Michelle to jump to her feet. “Baby, how did Aunt Rachel know where little ol' Momma Peach was at?”
“Now, Momma Peach,” Michelle said and began backing away down the beach, “I was just having a little fun...”
“Oh, we're going to have a little fun,” Momma Peach promised and set her soda down by her sun chair. Then she kicked her feet in the sand a little, the way a bull does before charging a rodeo clown.
Michelle held out her hands. “I was only paying you back for worrying me the way you did...”
“Oh, payback is gonna be all mine.”
Michelle let out a desperate laugh. “Momma Peach…please…be reasonable! I was only having fun...”
“Fun?” Momma Peach snorted, “oh, I love fun. Guess what? We're about to have all the fun in the world.”
“I better run, huh?” Michelle asked.
“Yes, you should run as fast as you can.”
Michelle bit down on her lip and looked at Able for help. “You put this on yourself, sweetheart,” he said and rubbed more sunscreen into his face. Michelle winced and looked at Sam for help. Sam shook his head no. Michelle looked at John for help. John shook his head no and told Michelle to run. Michelle swallowed and then took off running down the beach.
“It's on!” Momma Peach yelled and took off after Michelle like lightning. She pushed Michelle down to the water and dived at her legs. Michelle toppled down into a wave. “Help me!” Momma Peach yelled at Timmy.
“No!” Michelle laughed and spit salt water out of her mouth. “Timmy, please...”
Timmy ran up to Michelle and began splashing water on her while Momma Peach sat down on her legs.
Rosa shook her head and walked up to Sam. “What's that all about?” she asked.
“It's better we don't know,” Sam told Rosa, watching Timmy and Momma Peach torture poor Michelle. Michelle was crying out for mercy and then she grabbed Timmy and began tickling him. Timmy began laughing and fell into Michelle's arms. Michelle hugged and kissed him. Timmy embraced Michelle right back and even gave her a shy little peck on the cheek.
“Well,” Rosa said and shook the sand off her bathing suit, “I think I'll go get me an ice cream cone. Anyone want to come with me?”
“I'll go,” John told Rosa. Rosa smiled and stationed herself behind John's wheelchair and helped him off the beach.
Sam leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. “Able, life is good.”
Able watched Momma Peach let go of Michelle's legs and drag her out into a wave. “Yeah, life is good,” he agreed. “Except for this awful sunburn. And let me tell you how sick I got in China.” Sam listened to Able begin complaining about how a bowl of bad noodles had turned him—supposedly—deathly ill. Down on the beach, Momma Peach continued to exact her revenge on Michelle with the help of Timmy, who was having the time of his life. Yeah, life was good.
“Momma Peach...have mercy…I was just having a little fun...” Michelle's voice filled the air as she laughed at Momma Peach and Timmy who began dragging her back to shore by the hand, promising to bury her in the sand.
“Maybe I should go help Michelle?” Able asked.
Sam opened his eyes and saw Momma Peach and Timmy begin burying Michelle in the sand. “Able, it's best if we stay where we are.” Sam lowered his head and drifted off into a peaceful nap. He dreamed he was back in his desert town. Only, in this dream, his town was filled with his new family. He saw Momma Peach baking a peach pie, Timmy playing ball in the street, Rosa and Mandy talking under the shade of a tree, Michelle and Able sitting on the front porch of the hotel, Old Joe playing cards with Millie, and faces he couldn't recognize off in the distance. No matter, he thought in his dream, life was good, and dreams were meant to be enjoyed.
Far away in Georgia, a man wearing a gray overcoat walked up to Momma Peach's bakery, studied the closed sign on the front door, and walked away. “When you come home, Momma Peach, we'll play,” the man said in a menacing low tone. He walked to Mrs. Edwards’ diner and had himself a delicious lunch. “Thanks for the meal,” he told Mrs. Edwards and left a generous tip. “Hurry home, Momma Peach. I'm anxious to begin our game.”
Dear Reader,
Hi there. Thank you for reading.
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Thanks again,
Wendy Meadows
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About the Author
Wendy Meadows is a USA Today bestselling author of cozy mysteries. She lives in “The Granite State” with her husband, two sons, two cats and lovable Labradoodle.
When she isn’t working on her stories she likes to tend to her flowers, relax with her pets and play video games with her family.
Get in Touch with Wendy
www.wendymeadows.com
Also by Wendy Meadows
Maple Hills Cozy Mystery Series
Nether Edge Mystery Series
Chocolate Cozy Mystery Series
Alaska Cozy Mystery Series
Sweet Peach Bakery Cozy Series
Sweetfern Harbor Mystery Series
Candy Shop Mysteries
Not So Peachy Day Page 15
