Riverbend Reunion(46)

He’d growled something offensive and then left. She had quit all three of her jobs that day and was on her way to Texas by dark.

“It wasn’t the boots,” Risa had told her when they FaceTimed after she made it home to Riverbend the next day. “That was just the excuse he gave for putting you out of his life.”

“What are you thinking about?” Oscar butted into her thoughts.

“I might ask you the same thing.” Mary Nell opened her eyes and took a drink of her tea.

“I was thinking of ways to get rid of Stella so she doesn’t hurt those girls’ feelings ever again,” he said, “but they were all illegal, and would land me in jail. Just in case you ever do give me a grandchild or two, I don’t want them to see me in an orange jumpsuit. Orange doesn’t go with our red hair.”

Mary Nell reached up and touched her flaming-red hair, which was so much like her father’s. “It really doesn’t, does it? But we could ship her off to a remote island somewhere and make sure she could never get back. Maybe the folks there would have church services twice a day and she would love it.”

“Or maybe she could start her own church,” Oscar said with a serious nod. “But for now, you better finish your tea so we can get to the parking lot about the same time as the other folks.”

“I’d rather be going to the old church bar this morning,” she grumbled.

“Me too, but even God rests on Sunday”—Oscar got to his feet—“and that don’t change even if I’m angry with Him. And, honey, it don’t matter if our bar is named Back Home, Danny’s Place, or even the Honky-Tonk. Folks are always going to call it the Old Church Bar.”

“I imagine they will.” Mary Nell didn’t really care what they called it as long as it prospered and she had a job. It had been a very long time since she’d been as happy as she had since Jessica and Wade decided to make a bar out of the building.

She slung her purse over her shoulder, crossed the kitchen and living room, and locked the door behind her when she left the house. Oscar had the truck started and the AC going, but in ninety-degree weather, the cab hadn’t cooled down much by the time they reached the church parking lot. Haley, Risa, and the girls were standing beside Haley’s car. Jessica and Wade were just getting out of his truck.

When Oscar had parked, Mary Nell opened the door and waved at the rest of the folks as she slid out of the seat and put her feet on the ground. Everyone started moving toward the front of the church, but no one entered until they were all there.

The building wasn’t as big as the one they were remodeling into a bar, and it had a redbrick exterior instead of peeling white paint, but the steeple was still on the top of it, and the windows were stained glass. Mary Nell wondered if it had an evangelist room and who might sleep there. Churches could hide all sorts of things.

Oscar nudged Wade with a shoulder. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Had to drive Jessica anyway, and I can’t let you go in there alone for the first time in years.” Wade clamped a hand on his shoulder. “I’m here to support Risa and the girls, and to shove you out of the way if lightning starts flashing.”

“Thanks, partner.” Oscar laid a hand over Wade’s. “I’ll do the same for you.”

“That’s what friends and partners do,” Wade said and removed his hand. “Are we ready to go face the devil?”

“If you mean Stella, I believe we might be,” Oscar answered. “I’ll bring up the front, and you can fall in at the back. We’ll put the ladies between us in case there’s a battle right here before services start.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Wade said.

“It does not!” Risa stomped her foot in protest. “I’m leading the way with my girls right behind me. My mother does not need to think that I can’t stand up for myself.”

“That’s my mama!” Lily patted her on the shoulder.

“Then get after it, girl,” Oscar said. “Lead the way and we’ll follow.”

“Shall I call cadence as we march in?” Jessica asked.

“I’m wearing high heels, and I never was real coordinated,” Mary Nell said, “so let’s just parade in and sit beside Risa. The front two pews are always free, so I imagine that’s where she’s headed.”

“You got that right,” Risa said and opened the door.

Haley walked down the center aisle beside Risa. Both girls followed, and Wade and Jessica fell in next, leaving Mary Nell and Oscar to bring up the rear. The choir director had stepped up behind the podium when they paraded down the center aisle. The buzz of whispered conversations stopped abruptly, and a deafening silence filled the whole sanctuary. Usually Jasper, the choir director, had to clear his throat several times and maybe even tap the microphone to get everyone’s attention, but not that morning.

Mary Nell could see folks digging in purses and pockets, bringing out cell phones. Folks’ thumbs were doing double time as they sent messages to people who hadn’t come to church that morning. She could easily imagine what they were typing: Jessica Callaway has the nerve to come to our church this morning. Or maybe it was: Poor Stella will be humiliated that Risa has come to her church, and you should see the way her girls are dressed.