Granny surveyed herself in the mirror. She put on her sparkly high-top tennis shoes. They went well with the flowing dress.
As she was leaving home, Granny noticed that the shysters and the cohorts weren’t around. Granny remembered that Mr. Pigster hadn’t been with them last night. She hoped he was fine. Maybe she should check to see if he was back out on the farm. If he was, she’d bring the pot belly pig back home, since Robert had apparently been taking care of him. Robert was like that, Granny remembered, kind and always taking care of strays.
Penelope and Butch were getting into their car to head to church as Granny came out of her house.
“Mom, why don’t you ride with us and we can chat?” Penelope gestured for her come over.
Granny made her way across the street. “Don’t trust me to go to church, Penelope?”
Butch answered for Penelope, “No, we’re saving the streets and potholes from your lead foot.”
Granny settled into the back seat and wrinkled her nose at her son-in-law, turning her attention to Penelope. “What do you hear from my adorable grandchildren?”
“Penny and Bernard are fine. They’ll be home for your wedding, whenever you and Franklin set the date. They were excited to hear it was finally on again.”
“As long as Amelia doesn’t get her hooks into him. Maybe I should lend her my umbrella so she can hook someone else.”
Penelope admonished her mother, “Can’t you let bygones be bygones, Mom? She’s your sister. What would you say if Starshine and I didn’t get along?”
Before Granny could answer, Butch put in his two cents worth, “I’d be more worried about Delight than Amelia, Granny. I think she likes Franklin. Don’t you see her gushing every time she’s around him? A man knows these things.”
Penelope swatted Butch’s arm. “Don’t give her any more ideas.”
The parking lot was full when they reached the church. Butch let the women out in front while he went to park the car.
“Granny, Granny, you’re here!” Angel skipped up to Granny, with Penelope, Thor and Heather following.
“I am, my sweet Angel!” said Granny to her granddaughter, “Are you going to sit by me?”
“I promised Aunt Amelia I’d sit by her so she wouldn’t be alone. Will you sit by us?” Angel asked.
Heather broke into the conversation, “Yes, Granny, why don’t you sit by us? Amelia brought Lars. Lars is also here with Starshine.”
“Did Starshine know? Is this a plot? I wonder. Did she know all along that Lars was Amelia’s stepson?” Granny asked with a scowl on her face.
“We don’t know,” said Heather. Thor looked at his pregnant wife and took her arm gently. “We have to sit, Mom,” said Thor, “This new grandchild of yours will be here soon and Heather won’t admit that she’s uncomfortable standing too long.”
Angel took Granny’s hand. “Come on, Granny, let’s go find Amelia.”
Walking into the church with Angel, hand in hand, Granny was surprised to see Tricky Travis Trawler sitting in one of the pews. Tricky always liked to pilfer from the collection plate, and Granny always made sure she had her umbrella along to hook him before his hand did any pilfering. She should have brought her umbrella or her pitchfork, but both were back in her car in the garage at her house.
“Um, Angel, you go ahead and find Aunt Amelia. I have to sit next to Travis.” Granny watched until Angel found Amelia, and then she moved to the pew where Tricky Travis Trawler was sitting and sat down next to him.
“Tricky, when did you get out of jail? I thought the milk caper at Pickles might have kept you away in the hoosegow for a while.”
“Um, well, I didn’t go to jail, I went to kleptomaniac rehab.”
“What?” Granny asked in disbelief. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Well, it exists and I’m cured. You don’t have to sit next to me.”
At that moment, Amelia, Angel, Lars and Starshine wove into the other side of the pew and sat down on the other side of Travis. Travis looked at Amelia and then looked at Granny. He reached over and pinched Granny’s arm.
“I’m having delusions. I’m seeing two of you! It must be the drugs.” Travis became agitated.
“Drugs,” Granny agreed.
“Yes, you know the marijuana-type thing. They told me it was incense and it would relax me. It must really have lasting effects.” He pinched Granny again.
“Ouch!” Granny jumped at getting pinched again. “Pinch her and see if she’s real!” she said, motioning toward Amelia.
Travis reached over and pinched Amelia who pretended not to have heard the conversation.
Amelia didn’t flinch or utter a word.
Travis turned back to Granny, “She didn’t say anything. She must not be there.”
Amelia leaned over and whispered to Travis, “I’m here, but no one else can see me and so I feel no pain. I’m your guardian angel sent to see that you have changed your ways.”
Granny coughed to cover the laughter that was bubbling up in her throat. She leaned over to Travis, “Shh! Pastor Henrietta is starting the service. Do I need to watch you with the collection plate?”
Tricky Travis Trawler looked at Granny and then he turned and looked at Amelia and shook his head, “I promise; I’ve repented. I will steal no more.” Travis then raised his hands to the air and bowed his head as if in prayer.
Granny glanced at Amelia at the same time that Amelia glanced at Granny. Granny glanced quickly away, but held Amelia’s glance long enough to see her wink. Granny winked back before picking up her hymnal.
After the service, Granny shook Pastor Henrietta’s hand before leaving the church. “Outstanding sermon, Pastor Henrietta, I especially liked the part where you reminded us that we are our brother’s keeper. I should call my brothers and tell them we weren’t called to be our sisters’ keepers.”
“Ah, Granny, that isn’t exactly what it meant.” Pastor Henrietta was going to say more but decided to save it for another time.
“Granny, will you take me out to your farm?” Angel begged.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Angel, I don’t think your mom or Thor would approve.”
Thor, having overheard the question as he and Heather moved to join the two answered, “I think it’s fine. You should take Franklin along, just in case, but the crime scene is clear.”
Angel frowned. “The seen is clear? What did you seen, Thor?”
Heather laughed. “That’s not quite what he meant, but if Granny wants to take you, that’s fine, but only if Dad goes along.”
“Where am I going?” Franklin asked, joining the group.
“Grandpa, will you and Granny take me out to see her farm?”
Franklin caught Granny’s eye and saw her nod in agreement. “I guess we can do that. We can go right now and when we get back, we can stop at the Pink Percolator for ice cream.”
“I’m going for ice cream! I’m going for ice cream!” Angel sang in a sing-song voice while skipping to her grandfather’s car.
Franklin took Granny’s arm and turned to Thor, “I’ll see they both get home safely.”
“And I’ll see that Franklin stays out of trouble,” Granny added. Tricky Travis Trawler happened to be walking by. “Just like Tricky Travis. He’s never going to be in trouble again.”
Travis looked at Granny and then past Granny to where Amelia was standing underneath an apple tree, “An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Travis muttered, looked at Granny and looked at Amelia. “Do you see you over there?” he asked.
Granny’s eyes met Amelia’s across the parking lot. “I think that incense got to you, Travis, or maybe you’re seeing your guardian angel come down to take you home. There’s only one of me. Come on, Franklin, Angel’s waiting.” She tugged Franklin’s arm so he’d walk with her.
Frowning, Franklin asked, “What was all that about?”
“Just Tricky Travis going straight,” Granny said with a smile, “nothi
ng for you to worry your handsome head about.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Granny, did you have horses and pigs and dogs and cats and sheep and chickens?” Angel asked, standing outside the car and surveying the yard of the abandoned farm.
“A few, and some cows too,” Granny answered, walking toward the house, stopping underneath the tree that she and her brothers used to climb when they wanted to sneak out of the house.
“Is this the tree you used to climb, Granny?”
“I wouldn’t ask her that, Angel. She might think she can still climb it,” Franklin challenged.
“Can you, Granny? Can you? Can I climb it?”
“Maybe another time, Angel; we’ve still got our church clothes on.” Granny pointed to one of the windows on the second floor of the house by the tree. “That used to be my room. It was right over the porch. That’s why we could get to the tree. I used to climb out on the porch at night and wish on the stars.”
“Did Aunt Amelia wish too?” Angel asked.
In a faraway voice Granny answered, “Yes, Angel, Aunt Amelia wished too.”
“What did you wish for?”
Franklin took Angel’s hand. “Don’t you know you aren’t supposed to tell your wishes, Angel, or they won’t come true. Let’s go look in the silo.”
“Hmm, the door’s open. The police must not have closed it the other night,” Granny guessed.
Franklin moved into the silo with Angel still holding his hand. Turning to Granny and giving her a warning look, he said, “Angel, I think you and Granny should get in the car. It’s time to go get some ice cream.”
“But I want to play in the haystack!” Angel announced as she broke away from Franklin’s grip and ran toward the hay.
Franklin made a quick grab and caught Angel up in his arms at the same time that Granny made an observation. “Hay? The last time I was here, they took all the hay away.”
All of a sudden at the noise, the hay began to ripple.
“Get Angel out of here, Franklin! I’ll take care of this,” Granny announced, picking up the pitchfork that was sitting by the door.
Before either of them could move, the mound of hay parted and Mr. Pigster shook the hay off his body, waddled up to Granny, and snuffled her dress.
Granny laughed and put the pitchfork down. “What are you doing back here? I was going to look for you.”
“Granny, be careful, he’ll snort you!” Angel warned while cuddling closer to her grandfather.
“Come here, Angel,” said Granny. “This is a pot belly pig; we’re going to take him home with us.”
“We are?” Franklin asked, lowering Angel to the floor.
“Yes, we are,” replied Granny. “Baskerville has taken a shine to Mr. Pigster, and since he’s here, he must not have an owner. I think he may have belonged to Robert Blackford or that Dickey Lee Hatchet. And now that they’re . . . um . . . visiting another land––” improvised Granny, not wanting to announce their demise in front of Angel.
“We’re going to have to build them their own house on my property, Hermiony, if you keep acquiring more cohorts,” Franklin warned.
“Did you not hear that I’m building a home for them as an addition onto my house, Franklin? Where did this hay come from anyway? Do you suppose the police returned it? And the pitchfork was back. I looked for it the other night and it wasn’t here.”
“It’s a good thing I brought my Escalade. It’s big enough so your Mr. Pigster will fit inside. He better not use my vehicle for a litter box,” Franklin answered, ignoring Granny’s questions.
“He can sit next to me by my car seat. See he likes me!” Angel suggested as Mr. Pigster gave her a kiss on her nose with his snout.
Franklin was about to get into his car when he spied something red in the bushes. “That couldn’t have been there the other night. The police scoured this property.” Walking over to the bush, he plucked out a red wig and brought it back to the car.
Holding the wig with one hand, he shook it in front of Granny’s face. “Did any of you women by any chance lose your wig when you were partying out here the other night?”
Granny’s face turned white. She grabbed the wig out of Franklin’s hand. “Gram Gramstead! She’s behind this. This is her wig, remember! She must be back and out to get me. She’s up to her old tricks. She’s probably the one who stole my car and left it at Amelia’s. Maybe she and Amelia are in cahoots.” Lowering her voice so Angel wouldn’t hear, she whispered, “Maybe they’re a team and murdered Robert and his brother.”
Franklin shook his head. “Can’t be, Hermiony. She’s in prison. All locked up. This wig probably blew in from the neighbors. And your sister Amelia does not have a conniving bone in her body. You need to get over your paranoia.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Pink Percolator was filled with families treating their kids to ice cream on the warm Sunday afternoon. Not only did Delight serve coffee and confections, in the summer time, she opened an ice cream counter and served the most unique ice cream brands and flavors she could find.
Franklin led Angel and Granny to the patio where there were still some seats available because people were taking advantage of the air-conditioning inside, but Angel always liked to sit on the donut-shaped patio and watch the fountain that made the center of the donut. Today it was running pink cream water, reminding people of an ice cream soda.
“Hi, Granny! Franklin and little Angel! Specialty coffee for you, Granny? Rickety tea for you, Franklin? And a marshmallow, chocolate and raspberry delight malt for you, Angel?” Ella, Delight’s daughter, asked when she came to take their order.
Granny skewered up her nose in thought, “No, I think I’ll have a triple delight chocolate, strawberry, banana, raspberry, butterscotch whirlawhip.”
“Granny, my dad wouldn’t approve,” Angel advised. “He said you have to eat healthy so we can keep you alive.”
“Angel, did you hear the strawberry, banana, raspberry part of it? That’s all very healthy.” Granny nodded her head in agreement with her statement.
Franklin raised his eyebrows. “When did Delight get a WhirlaWhip machine? I haven’t had one of those since Hanson Drug Store had its Soda Bar in the ‘60’s back in my old home town. I haven’t seen one since. I’ll have a chocolate whirlawhip!”
“I didn’t even know what it was until Mom got one,” Ella explained. “But it’s all the rage now here in Fuchsia. That Hanson Drug Store had something back then. Their WhirlaWhip machine must have been gold.”
“You haven’t seen someone who looks like Gram Gramstead or Mrs. Shrill around here lately have you, Ella?”
At the words Gram Gramstead and Mrs. Shrill, Ella dropped her order pad and pencil on the floor. “Why would she be here? She’s in jail, right?” remembering how she had been kidnapped and nearly killed at the hands of Gram Gramstead.
Franklin shook his head and picked up her pad and pencil. “Calm down, Ella. Granny is just paranoid; that’s all. Put it out of your mind.”
Ella walked away, muttering to herself. “Breathe, breathe, breathe; no more crooks.”
Granny waved to Starshine and Lars, who’d just come out onto the patio. “Yoo hoo! Come and join us!” she cried.
Starshine came over to the table, kissed her mom on the cheek, hugged Angel, nodded to Franklin and turned to say something to Lars when she noticed that he wasn’t behind her. Frowning, she said, “I wonder where he went?”
“Looks like he’s over there, talking to Ella.”
“Yes; you know he helped out here for a while until the factory was built.”
“Starshine, you didn’t tell me that Lars was my step-nephew, and your step-cousin,” Granny scolded.
“What? My step-cousin?” Starshine asked, confused.
“You didn’t know? He lied to you?”
Glancing over to where Lars was talking to Ella, Starshine shook her head. “She’s probably imagining things again. Do you know that I heard from Penelope that
she forgot her car in front of Aunt Amelia’s the other night?”
Franklin squirmed in his seat and cleared his throat before saying, “Starshine, it…..appears…..that your fiancé is Amelia’s stepson.” Leaning back in his chair he waited for Starshine’s reaction.
Starshine was silent for a minute. She looked over at Lars. Then she looked at Granny and said in her usual calm, hippie-child fashion, “The stars have spoken. Lars and I have found each other and, you, mom, have found a nephew. I’m sure that he was just waiting until the universe felt it was right to tell me.”
Granny tipped her head and gave Starshine a skeptical look. “Well, what do you suppose the universe is saying that is causing your fiancé or, if you will, my step-nephew, to be so engrossed in conversation with Ella? Perhaps there are more things he’s not telling you.”
Granny stood up and marched over to where Lars was talking to Ella. “Ella, is our order going to be ready soon or do I have to whirlawhip it into shape myself? Lars, outside! We need to have a few words.”
Lars, looking confused, nodded his head at Ella and followed Granny to the front of the Pink Percolator and out the door.
Starshine, seeing what was happening, got up to follow Granny. Franklin stopped her. “Sit down. He’s going to have to learn how to handle his aunt or his mother-in-law––or should they turn out to be one and the same––both.”
Angel, listening to the entire conversation, finally piped up with her thoughts, “Lars is Dad’s step-step cousin because Dad is my step-dad, and he will be my step-uncle because he’s marrying my Aunt Starshine and she’s my step-aunt. That’s a lot of steps!” Smiling, she turned to her grandfather. “But you’re my real grandfather and Granny will be my step-grandmother too. I wonder if she likes steps?”
Franklin and Starshine laughed. “Yes, it is,” said Franklin, “but we’ll figure it all out, Angel! Look! Here’s your ice cream and here comes Granny and Lars.”
Granny sat back down while Lars pulled up a chair.
Granny Forks A Fugitive (Fuchsia Minnesota Book 4) Page 8
