Riverbend Reunion(19)

“I’m so sorry, Risa,” Jessica said.

“We’re not,” Lily and Daisy chorused together.

Risa motioned toward an empty rocking chair right beside her. “It’s not your fault, and probably for the best all the way around.”

Jessica sank down into the chair and set it in motion with her foot. Risa didn’t look or sound upset, but being tossed out of two homes like a bag of garbage couldn’t be good for her. She must be putting on a brave front for her girls. If Jessica had daughters, she would certainly do the same thing.

“Welcome to the party,” Haley said as she poured two glasses of sweet tea and handed one to Jessica and the other to Wade. “This solves a lot of problems for all of us. The twins have a home that’s not in the back of a bar. I don’t have to rush to make a decision about the house, and even if I go back to Alabama in the fall, someone will be living here to take care of things for me. And I’ll have time to help with the renovations at the bar.”

“Mary Nell tells me things went well at the lawyer’s. When do we start to work?” Oscar asked as he came out of the house and sat down in a lawn chair beside Wade.

Oscar hadn’t changed much. He still wore what Jessica called his signature look—bibbed overalls and a faded T-shirt. She could have hugged him for starting a new conversation about the renovations on the church. Risa needed to think about something other than her mother right then.

“Tomorrow morning too soon?” Wade took a long drink of his tea.

“Not one bit. Mary Nell tells me you’re moving your trailer and equipment out there. I’m free this afternoon if you want help doing all that,” Oscar said and then looked over at Jessica. “Girl, you ain’t changed a bit since high school, and you ain’t gained a pound, neither.”

“Neither have you.” Jessica smiled. “I was sorry to hear about Miz Nellie passing.”

“She was a good woman, more wife than I deserved, and a good mama to Mary Nell.” Oscar sighed.

“I miss Mama so much and more here lately than ever,” Mary Nell said.

“I miss her every day, but I’m glad to have all you girls back in town and going into business together.” Oscar took a drink of his tea. “My Nellie would like that. Most of all, I’m happy that Wade is going to be working for you so that I can be in the middle of all the fun. Elijah would have been happy to see you use that old church for something rather than letting it just sit there and rot. He probably should have made it into a bar rather than a church in the first place. He would have had a helluva lot more success. Folks have enough religious places in Riverbend, but they ain’t got a good bar and grill.”

“Thank you. When I heard that Stella had . . . ,” Jessica stammered and took a long drink of her tea. “Well, you know.”

“Hey, if Haley didn’t have a place for Risa and these girls, I would have insisted they come live with me and Mary Nell. We’ve got lots of room. Nellie wanted a house full of kids, so we built a big house,” Oscar said.

Oscar’s red, curly hair poked out around a cap with a US Marine logo on the bill, and a matching, faded tattoo peeking out from under his shirtsleeve testified that he had spent time in the marines. His blue eyes were a little darker than Mary Nell’s, and they twinkled with happiness.

“That’s awfully kind of you,” Risa said.

“We all should have thought to offer you a place so you wouldn’t have to move in with Stella. A band of angels couldn’t live with that woman,” Oscar said and then tipped his hat toward the twins. “Begging your pardon, ladies. That is your grandmother, and I shouldn’t be saying ugly things about her.”

“No problem,” Lily assured him. “Forget the angels, though. Daisy and I don’t think the devil himself could live with her.”

“Lily!” Risa scolded.

“Truth is truth, no matter if you cover it in pig poop or chocolate.” Daisy took up for her sister. “I’m just glad neither me or Lily look like either of our grandmothers, and if we ever act like them, then, Mama, you should take a peach-tree switch to us.”

“I never believed in whipping,” Risa said, “and I don’t intend to start now.”

“Me neither,” Oscar said, “but I was sure tempted to lock Mary Nell away when she decided to quit college and move to Tennessee with that worthless piece of crap. I’ve always been glad that my daughter got my hair and eyes, but I was even happier that she got her mother’s sweet disposition.” He finished off his tea and refilled his glass from the gallon jug. “That’s a good thing most of the time, but she’s always been a little too trusting, as we all know from what happened with that low-down skunk she left in Nashville. But at least he’s there and she’s here, and he would do well not to cross over the Texas line if he values his life.”

“Daddy,” Mary Nell scolded.

“It’s the truth. She should’ve married Danny Granger. That boy thought she hung the moon and stars,” Oscar declared. “But that’s water under the bridge, and we can’t call it back.”

When Jessica glanced over at Wade, she found him smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“But we can burn that bridge and move on, can’t we, Mary Nell?” Risa suggested.