Riverbend Reunion(51)

Risa pushed back her chair and got in on the hugging business. “Whatever you decide, we’re behind you.”

Haley grabbed a napkin from the pizza place and wiped tears from her eyes. “I don’t want to be the cause of his new marriage failing. That woman that I helped choose a cake is a nice person, and she doesn’t deserve to have her life turned upside down. I wouldn’t marry him if he was the last man on earth. Marriage means trust, and after what he did, I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. Mary Nell, I know Oscar has been fussing at you about a grandchild. You can tell him that he can be grandpa to my baby since the little critter won’t have any grandparents.”

Jessica, Risa, and Mary Nell moved back to their chairs, and the twins rushed over to hug Haley.

“This little baby will be like us now that we’ve been tossed out, but Oscar is a wonderful grandpa role model, and he’ll be so good with this new little girl or guy.” Daisy finished hugging Haley and went to the refrigerator, where she took out a couple of Popsicles. She handed one off to her sister and went on to say, “We’re proof that kids can get along just fine without a daddy.”

“You are so right,” Risa agreed.

“Daddy will be elated, and believe me, he will be first in line to babysit for you,” Mary Nell said with a smile. “Look at us, solving problems.”

“God, I’m glad to get that off my chest.” Haley sighed and paused for a moment. “Thank you all for your support. Guess it goes to prove that the one percent chance of getting pregnant on the pill is a reality.”

Risa nodded toward her girls. “I hope you are hearing this loud and clear.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.

“What if the baby is a boy? None of us have brothers or know anything about boys,” Jessica asked.

“We’ll learn, and besides, Paul has five brothers and all of them have sons. I’ve got a pretty good idea about how not to raise boys,” Risa told them.

“And we’ve got Wade and Daddy to help us out in that area,” Mary Nell said. “Now that the shock is over, I’m excited for you and for us. I’ll be your birthing coach.”

They all began to offer their services for coaching at the same time, and then Lily stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled. For the second time everything went quiet in the kitchen.

“We’re happy about a new baby, but that’s not going to happen for a while. Daisy and I have come up with a plan that we would like to talk about right now concerning the protest Granny Stella is threatening us with,” Lily said.

“We’re all ears.” Haley nodded, glad to have the conversation turned to something else so she could catch her breath. She had expected support, but the extent of what she had just gotten put a lump in her throat as big as a grapefruit.

“You’ve got the floor,” Mary Nell said.

Daisy pulled out a chair at the end of the table and sat down. “We figure that they’ll show up in the parking lot with their hymnbooks. So we thought we’d set up a table on the porch with bottles of cold water and some store-bought cookies on a pretty plate.”

“That’s sweet of you,” Jessica said.

“Not really,” Lily told her as she dragged a chair across the floor and sat down beside her sister. “Way we figure it, we don’t want any one of those old folks having a heat stroke out there in parking lot, so we’ll make sure they have water, and the store-bought cookies are kind of a slap in the face.”

Risa refilled her tea glass. “How is giving them water and something to eat an ugly gesture?”

“Well,” Daisy said with a giggle, “me and Lily are going to put another table out back between the church and the barn. We’re going to make cookies all day tomorrow and have the good-tasting ones on our table, right next to a tub full of cold soda pop and beer. Then the two of us are going to play the banjo and fiddle for the folks who come around to the backyard. We’ll entertain them until the last one leaves.”

“Oh. My. Goodness.” Risa gasped. “Mother will have a fit.”

“Yep, and no one will even see her have it”—Lily nodded—“because she’ll be the only one left in the parking lot when the evening is done.”

“I love it. Bravo to you girls for coming up with this amazing idea.” Haley clapped her hands.

“The bar will foot the bill for the drinks, and we can take the microphones from the church out to the backyard so that your music will be heard all the way to the river and beyond. Please make peanut butter cookies. They’re my favorite,” Jessica said.

“I want chocolate chip,” Haley said. “That’s what I’ve been craving all week, and now I know why.”

“Any other requests?” Daisy asked. “We know that Mama likes sugar cookies. What about you, Mary Nell?”

“Cookies and doughnuts are my absolute weakness, so I’ll eat whatever you make, but Daddy loves snickerdoodles,” Mary Nell answered.

“Okay, Sister, we’ve got our orders and permissions,” Lily said. “Now let’s go upstairs and practice our cheer moves, and let these old ladies talk about babies.”

“Old!” Jessica’s voice went up an octave.

“You’re lookin’ forty right smack in the eyeball,” Daisy said. “That’s old.”