Riverbend Reunion(16)

Daisy bore up under the heated glare pretty well—for about five seconds. Then she turned to her mother and raised a shoulder in a shrug.

“Yes, it’s the truth.” Risa pushed back her chair and stood up. Stella Sullivan—mother or not—was not going to intimidate her or run her life, either. Sleeping on a floor wouldn’t be so bad if it meant getting away from her mother’s self-righteous, overbearing, controlling issues when it came to Risa and her girls.

“Then get out of my house.” Stella pointed toward the door.

Risa held her head high and kept her back ramrod straight. “Wade Granger and Jessica Callaway are going to partner up on the deal. Mary Nell and I are going to work for them, and possibly Haley if she doesn’t go back to Alabama in the fall. I’ll be cooking since it will be a bar and grill.”

Stella’s finger shot around to point at Risa. “It’s bad enough that I have to explain to my friends that your husband and his family kicked you out, and now this. I’ve tried to convince folks that it wasn’t your fault, but it was, wasn’t it? Were you working on the sly in a bar there, or doing something even worse?” Her face got redder, and her voice got higher and squeakier with every word. “Your father would rise up out of his grave if he knew this. He was so proud of being a deacon in our church. I’m glad he’s gone and can’t see what our only child has become.”

“What happened in Kentucky wasn’t Mama’s fault.” Lily came to her mother’s rescue.

Stella’s finger found its way to her in a split second. “Don’t you speak to me in that tone. I’ve given you a home when you didn’t have one, young lady. What’s going to happen is this, Risa Sue. You are going to call—”

Before she said another word, Risa’s phone and the landline rang at the same time.

“Saved by the bell.” Daisy’s giggled words were thick with nerves.

Poor kid had heard a tirade like the one Stella was giving them as they left Kentucky a few weeks ago. Their paternal grandmother, Martha, had yelled and screamed at them, but she had given them twenty-four hours to get off her property and out of her son’s life, not half an hour at the most. Stella grabbed the phone and went into what Risa called her mother’s martyrdom voice as she talked to one of her friends.

“Hello, Haley, bad time,” Risa answered her call in a whisper. “Can I call you back?”

“Give me just a minute first,” Haley said. “I’ve got a wonderful idea. Why don’t I keep this house, and you and the girls can live here? There’s lots of room, and that way they wouldn’t be teased at school about living in a bar.”

“Are you serious?” Risa didn’t even realize she was holding her breath until she let it all out in a long whoosh. “Mama just found out the news, and she’s throwing us out. If we could even stay there for a few days, it would be wonderful.”

“Yes, I’m serious. I don’t know why I didn’t think about doing this before. I guess it was because I was so upset over that damned letter,” Haley said. “Can I expect you in a little while? I’ll make some sweet tea and open a pack of cookies.”

“Yes, you can.” Risa had lost her belief in miracles years ago, but right then she began to believe again.

Stella put the phone back on the stand once again and turned to face Risa. “I’m giving you an ultimatum. Either call Jessica Callaway and not only tell her you will not be working in her bar, but that you won’t be talking to her anymore, either.”

“Or?” Risa continued to stand even though her knees felt weak. Living with her mother wasn’t any better than being under Paul’s and his mother’s thumbs.

“Or you and these girls can find another place to live,” Stella said.

“I heard that,” Haley said. “Pack your things and come on over. You and the girls can have the three bedrooms and bathroom on the second floor. I’ve been using the master bedroom right off the foyer, anyway, because I’m too lazy to climb the stairs several times a day.”

“Are you sure? What about rent when you go back to Alabama?” Risa’s clammy hands trembled so badly she almost dropped the phone.

“We’ll discuss all that kind of stuff tomorrow,” Haley said. “This is today. You and the girls need a place where you don’t feel so much tension. I’m sorry I didn’t offer sooner, but with all that’s been going on, my mind has been off in la-la land. I’ll be waiting on the porch and heaving a sigh of relief that we don’t have to move anything to the old church.”

“Thank you. Be there as soon as we can get things packed and in my truck.” Risa ended the call and closed her eyes for a second to give a silent prayer of thanksgiving for her good friends.

“Mama?” Daisy looked like she was about to cry.

“This is bull crap,” Lily said through clenched teeth.

“No, it’s your grandmother’s house, not ours,” Risa said in a calm voice. “She has the right to decide who lives here and who doesn’t, just as much as your Granny Martha in Kentucky had the right to be mad at me and kick us out. Go pack your bags, girls. Don’t forget anything, not even a hair clip.”

“Are we going to live in the bar?” Lily asked.

“No, Haley has offered to let us live in her house,” Risa answered.