Sit! Stay! Speak!

by Annie England Noblin

  She couldn’t get what happened at Redd’s house out of her mind. It didn’t matter if her eyes were opened or closed. It didn’t matter if she was awake or asleep—it was always there, lingering, in the back of her mind. Jasper had tried to take her mind off it, and he had for a while, making love to her in the grass at the farm. His touch left her head fuzzy for a few days, but Addie could still see the gleam of Redd’s gun whenever something shiny caught her eye, whenever the sun was out. How could Jasper and Dr. Dixon be so nonchalant about it? How could they tell her to calm down? They hadn’t seen what she had.

  An hour later, she was jolted out of sleep by the ringing of the doorbell and the howling of Felix. “Be quiet and maybe they’ll go away,” Addie whispered.

  Instead of going away, the ringing continued. Felix, in an excited frenzy, jumped off the bed and ran to the front door.

  Addie pulled herself out of bed. Cursing, she made her way to the front door where Felix sat pawing and whining. “Traitor,” she said to him.

  She swung open the door to see her mother and Jerry standing in front of her. “Mom?” She blinked. “Jerry? What are you doing here?”

  “Well, that’s some greeting,” her mother replied. “Aren’t you going to invite us inside?”

  “Of course!” Addie said as she unlocked the screen door and held it open for them. “I’m sorry! I’m just surprised!”

  “You just sounded so depressed when we talked a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t stand it,” her mother replied. “So we booked a flight to Memphis, rented a car, and here we are!” She flung her arms out wide to embrace her daughter. “I tried calling you all morning, but you never answered. I thought I was going to have to call the police!”

  “I’m so happy to see you,” Addie murmured into her mother’s shoulder. From the corner of her eye, she could see Felix sitting on top of Jerry on the couch, both paws resting on Jerry’s shoulders as Jerry sat there with a mix of horror and amusement on his face. “Felix!” Addie yelped. “Get off of Jerry!”

  With one swift lick to the side of Jerry’s face, Felix leapt down and trotted to his bed, where he plopped himself down with a snort.

  “I couldn’t tell if he was going to eat me or lick me to death,” Jerry said finally, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe off his glasses. “You hear all these terrible things about pit bulls. I wasn’t sure what to expect when your mother told me you had one.”

  “He’s about as vicious as a gnat,” Addie replied.

  “He seems very sweet,” Jerry agreed. “If not a little excitable.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Addie said. “He forgets his manners sometimes.”

  “That’s okay.” Jerry grinned. “So do I.”

  “When was the last time you greeted someone like that?” Addie asked.

  “Last night when your mother told me we were boarding a plane to the Delta of Arkansas.” Jerry laughed.

  Addie leaned down to give Jerry a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m so glad you came. Thank you.”

  “Of course.”

  “I haven’t been here in so long,” Addie’s mother lamented. She walked into the kitchen. “But I swear it even smells the same.”

  “Some of the furniture and decorations are the same,” Addie said. “The kitchen table was Aunt Tilda’s and so were most of the pictures on the walls. The bed in the spare room was hers. Some of her belongings were donated when she died, mostly clothes and linens—but she left a few things with the house. Most of it was out in the old shed. I don’t think anybody ever thought to look there.”

  “Did you refinish the table?” her mother asked. “It looks lovely.”

  “I did,” Addie replied. She felt a surge of pride. “I’m working on an old dresser, too.”

  “Jonah would be so proud of you.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Addie looked away from her mother. “I haven’t exactly been doing things the way he taught me.”

  “No matter about that.” Her mother took Addie’s hands in hers. “I always thought you spent too much time trying to please him, anyway. Now, tell us, what are your plans for the day?”

  “I don’t have any plans.”

  “I wanted to take Jerry down to see the river. And maybe we could get some lunch?”

  “Sounds good.” Addie shrugged. “There is a cute restaurant over by the clinic.”

  “It’s been so long since I’ve been to a little southern town,” Addie’s mother said. “I’m so glad to be here.”

  Addie grinned and wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck. “Me too, Mom.”

  Three Sisters was a diner located on the sole strip of highway that ran through Eunice. It was run by three women—sisters who had never been anywhere their whole lives except to the next town over, and any one of them would tell you that they didn’t like it much. They lived in the same house they were born in, in 1938, 1939, and 1941. The house was right behind the diner, the last remaining house left on the business side of the town.

  Patty Mae, Fannie Lou, and Opal Ruth were, in Addie’s mind, responsible for some of the best food she’d ever eaten in her entire life. The first time Wanda took her there she’d eaten until she was sick.

  “Addie!” Fannie Lou exclaimed when Addie, her mother, and Jerry walked through the door. “So good to see you.”

  “Hi, Fannie Lou,” Addie said, a broad smile crossing her face. “How are you?”

  “Oh, the usual.” She squeezed one of Addie’s hands. “And who do we have here?”

  “This is my mother, Miranda, and my stepfather, Jerry.”

  “Howdy,” Jerry said. He stuck out his hand to greet Fannie Lou.

  Fannie Lou raised an eyebrow at Addie. “Howdy.”

  “You’ve got a lovely place.”

  “Why don’t I show y’all to your table?” Fannie Lou beckoned them to follow her. “Where’s he from—that stepfather of yours?” she whispered to Addie.

  “Chicago,” Addie replied. “Where are Patty Mae and Opal Ruth? I’ve never seen you up front by yourself before.”

  “Patty Mae’s at home today. She’s under the weather,” Fannie Lou replied. “And Opal Ruth is in the back fixin’ up the usual for Mr. Smoot.”

  “Augustus Smoot?”

  “You know him?”

  “He’s my neighbor,” Addie said.

  “Lord, child.”

  “He’s not as crazy as people think.”

  “He’s a might younger than me,” Fannie Lou replied, “but I’ve known him all my life. He don’t speak to nobody now. Magdalene always answers the door. It’s the same thing every week—chocolate gravy and biscuits.”

  “What is chocolate gravy?” Jerry asked.

  Fannie Lou stopped dead in her tracks. “You ain’t never had chocolate gravy?”

  “I can’t say that I have.”

  “Well, bless your heart!”

  “Why do I feel like she’s insulting me?” Jerry asked Addie as they were led toward the dining area.

  “Because she is.”

  “But she was so nice about it.”

  Addie was about to respond when she saw Artemis Floyd waving at her. Artemis wasn’t alone. Both Jasper and his father were seated at the table as well.

  “Would you all like a booth or a table?” Fannie Lou asked.

  “Either is fine,” Addie’s mother piped up.

  Artemis stood up from her table and started to walk over to the booth where Addie, her mother, and Jerry were about to sit down. “Hello, Addie,” Artemis said. “How are you, my dear?”

  “I’m good, Mrs. Floyd. How are you?”

  “Call me Artemis. I know I’ve told you that before. Is this your mother and father?”

  “I’m Miranda,” Addie’s mother said. “And this is her stepfather, Jerry.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you both,” Artemis replied. “I’m Artemis Floyd. Your daughter and my son, Jasper, are good friends, I believe.”

  “I think I’ve heard Addie mentio
n a friend named Jasper a time or two.”

  Addie wanted to crawl under the nearest table and stay there. “Mom, we should probably sit down and look at the menu. The lunch specials will be over soon.”

  “Why don’t you all come over and sit with us? We’d love to have the company.”

  “We were actually thinking about taking our food to go.”

  “No we weren’t,” Addie’s mother said. “We’d love to join you, Artemis. What a nice offer.”

  Fannie Lou busied herself making the table ready for six people while Addie tried to ignore Jasper’s eyes on her. She knew how awful she looked after hardly any sleep, and she knew how awful it was going to be having to sit through an awkward lunch with four nosy parents.

  “Sit!” Artemis commanded.

  Addie said nothing as her mother and Jerry made small talk. After a few seconds Jasper cleared his throat. “Hello, Addie.”

  “I thought you said your parents were out of town,” she whispered.

  “They were out of town. They came home unexpectedly last night.”

  “Oh.”

  “Why are you acting weird?”

  “I’m not.”

  “Yes. You are.”

  “I didn’t even know your dad went out in public.”

  Jasper put the menu in front of his face. “He’s paralyzed, not dead. Besides, where did you think ‘out of town’ was? The barn next door?”

  “So, Jasper,” Addie’s mother said, drawing their attention back to the group. “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard how the two of you met.”

  “I was there the night she brought that disaster of a dog into the clinic,” Jasper replied.

  “You don’t work there, too?”

  “No, no,” Jasper said. “I was there talking to Doc about something or other when Addie came rushing in.”

  “I see.”

  “She saved that dog’s life,” Jasper continued. “He would have died without her.”

  “That’s what we heard,” Jerry said.

  “He’s quite a dog, especially considering all he’s been through.”

  “He sure gave me a hero’s welcome.” Jerry chuckled. “I told Miranda I was worried about Addie having a pit bull . . . you know, because of all the terrible things you hear about them.”

  “I’ve seen animals endure less and come out meaner than a bag of snakes,” Jasper replied. “He’s got some kind of spirit.”

  “Some of us see more than our fair share of cruelty in life,” Addie spoke up. “The only difference between people and animals is that people are cruel on purpose.”

  “Well,” Jasper began. “Felix is lucky to have you, then. I don’t believe there’s a cruel bone in your body.”

  Jasper’s gaze was on Addie, searing into her. It was the same look he’d had in the hallway of his loft in Memphis, and the same look he’d had that night in the kitchen at her house.

  “How long will you folks be in town?” Artemis asked, breaking the awkward silence between Addie and Jasper.

  “Just until tomorrow,” Addie’s mother replied. “I’m a nurse, and I’ve got to be back at work for the weekend shift.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad. The Delta Blues Festival downtown starts this weekend.”

  “That sounds like fun,” Jerry said.

  “It is,” Artemis said. “Isn’t it, Jack?”

  “Huh?” Jack grunted. “Oh, yeah. A blast.”

  “Sometimes Jasper even plays in a bluegrass band,” Artemis continued. “Jasper, honey, have you decided if you’ll play this year?”

  Addie choked on her water. “Jasper plays in a bluegrass band?”

  “He plays the harmonica. It’s a family tradition.”

  “Really?”

  “Oh, yes,” Artemis said. She grinned at Jasper. “We always have a get-together at the farm with some of the musicians after the first night of the festival. Addie, honey, you ought to come. I’m sure Jasper would love that.”

  The scraping of forks against plates was the only response as Jasper stared down at his food. Everyone was silent, waiting for a response. “Yes. I would like that,” he said finally.

  Addie concentrated on the menu in front of her. What had taken him so damn long to respond? She was so busy being irritated that she didn’t even hear Artemis talking to her until the entire table was staring at her.

  “Addie, honey?”

  “Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry. What was it? I didn’t hear you.”

  “I was just asking you about your job. Jasper tells me you’re working at the clinic with Dr. Dixon?” Artemis asked.

  Addie nodded. “Yes. I’ve been there a few weeks. I really like it.”

  “Doc said you’ve brought the whole place up to date electronically.”

  “It’s nothing fancy,” Addie said. “But they were working with a few older programs, and it was causing some trouble.”

  “You have some kind of degree in computers?” Jack Floyd spoke up, looking at Addie for the first time.

  “No. I have a degree in fine arts. But I know a thing or two about computers.”

  “That what those two paid for while you were at college?” Jack pointed at Addie’s mother and Jerry with his fork. “You want to work there for the rest of your life?”

  “I have no idea what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, Mr. Floyd,” Addie replied. “No idea.”

  “Nobody’s ever been able to tell Adelaide that she has to do anything,” her mother said. “She gets that from me.”

  “Well, then it sounds like your kid and my kid are two peas in a pod.”

  “Oh?”

  “If I told Jasper the sky was blue he’d spend all night tellin’ me that it was green.”

  “Well”—Addie’s mother shrugged—“you know what they say—you can’t put an old head on a young body.”

  Jack Floyd smiled and gave a hearty laugh that turned into a cough so loud that Artemis had to clap him on the back. Addie had never seen Jack smile. She’d never seen him laugh, and judging from Jasper’s reaction, he rarely saw it, either. He was giving her one of his very own lopsided grins, and it occurred to Addie how much Jasper looked like his father. For a second, everything was perfect. Addie resisted the urge to reach underneath the table and take Jasper’s hand in hers.

  “Actually,” Jasper began, “Addie knows a lot about furniture, too.”

  “Moving it?” Jack grunted.

  “No, Dad.” Jasper rolled his eyes. “She took some of the old barn wood from the Jones place and”—Jasper paused—“what is it that you call it, Addie?”

  “Repurposed,” Addie finished.

  “I saw some of that kind of thing on HGTV,” Artemis said. “It was really quite interesting. Have you been doing this a long time?”

  “About six years.”

  “What got you started?” Artemis asked. “I just love learning new things.”

  And there it was. The question. Talk of furniture always led back to Jonah. When was it going to be easy to say his name? “I had a fiancé back in Chicago. He taught me. We owned a furniture store together.”

  “Oh?”

  “I sold it before I moved here. I managed to save a little from the sale, but not much,” she continued. “That’s one reason I’ve started to work on projects while I’m here. I’m hoping to get back into the business.”

  “What made you decide to leave Chicago?” Artemis wanted to know.

  “Well,” Addie began tepidly, “my aunt died.”

  “Yes, honey, and we’re all so sorry.”

  “That’s okay.” She knew what Artemis was really asking. She was asking, “So, you were practically married and had a business. Why would you pick up and move and leave all that?” Addie couldn’t stand it. She knew what was coming next, and she waited.

  “And your fiancé, he was okay with you moving all the way down here alone?”

  Addie could feel her mother shifting uncomfortably next to her. Jerry was looking at her sympathetically. Part of he
r wished that Jasper had told them so that she wouldn’t have to, so that they wouldn’t be having this conversation. But she knew he never would have violated her trust like that. She was going to have to explain it. All of it. “He’s dead,” she blurted.

  The table fell silent.

  “My fiancé died,” Addie repeated. “We owned a store together, but I sold it alone because he died in a car accident.”

  “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”

  They were all staring at her. She knew what they were thinking, even her mom and Jerry, and it made her sick. They felt sorry for her. They felt sorry for asking questions. They would go home and talk about it with each other. They’d ask her how she was doing the next time they saw her. “I’m not feeling very well.” Addie stood up, the chair scraping against the concrete floor. “I think I’m going to go outside and get some air.”

  “Are you okay?” Addie’s mother asked. “Do we need to go home?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You look green.”

  “I just need some air.” Without waiting for her mother’s response, Addie hurried out of Three Sisters.

  CHAPTER 35

  “HOW ARE YOU FEELING, HONEY?” Addie’s mother put the back of her hand up to Addie’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”

  “I’m better.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “That’s the last thing I want to do,” Addie replied. “I’m fine, but I’m sorry I ruined our afternoon.”

  “You didn’t ruin anything,” her mother said. “We came here to see you.”

  Addie flipped absently through her aunt’s recipe box. She was looking for something, a recipe she’d seen earlier with chocolate and coconut. “I would have cooked something if I’d known you were coming.”

  “You would have what?” her mother asked, in shock.

  “I would have cooked for you.”

  After a few stunned seconds, her mother burst out laughing. “When you moved down here, you couldn’t boil water.”

  “You’re the one who suggested I bake when I needed to apologize to Jasper,” Addie replied indignantly.