Small Town Rumors(50)

“Yes, I do.” Her blue eyes glimmered. “But don’t tell Mama. Mabel and I’ve kept it a secret for years.”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “I can just see Charlotte Baker if she found a possum in her living room.”

“We keep them in the garage.” Jennie Sue continued the joke as she laid her head back on the sofa and shut her eyes. “Frank feeds them.” She yawned and her eyes fluttered shut.

He stared at her for a long time, not wanting to wake her and yet knowing that he should. He wanted to look at her a little longer, so he moved to a recliner and carefully popped up the footrest. Several hours later he awoke to find Cricket glaring at him with a hand on her hip.

“What in the hell is going on in here? Don’t you have a lick of sense, Rick? People are going to see you takin’ her home at daybreak. She’s going to make a complete fool out of you.” Her voice was so shrill and loud that no one could ever sleep through it.

“That’s enough,” Rick said calmly. “Nothing happened. We fell asleep, and if you’ll stop worryin’ about what people think or talk about, you’d notice that we are both fully dressed and that she’s on the sofa and I’m in a chair.”

Jennie Sue sat up and put her hand over a yawn. “Is that sin so big it’ll keep me out of heaven? Is it really mornin’?”

“And if something did happen, which it didn’t”—Rick popped the footrest down on the recliner—“we are two consenting adults, and it wouldn’t be a bit of anyone’s business.”

Cricket tried to stomp her good foot and almost fell before she got her balance back. “It’s my business. I live here in this house, too. And for your information, brother, I was the one who stayed here and helped out while you went off to your precious military and secret missions. I picked beans with Daddy and kept house and held down a job,” she said.

Rick stood and headed toward the bathroom. “Yes, you did. Where shall I send the gold medal? Or would you prefer platinum?”

“Don’t you leave when I’m talkin’ to you,” Cricket shouted.

Jennie Sue sat up and put on her shoes.

Cricket turned on her. “Where are you going?”

“If I want to listen to bitchin’ and yellin’, I can move back in with my mother,” Jennie Sue answered. “I’m going out to the truck. When y’all get through with this fight, I’d appreciate a ride home.”

“Why did you have to drag us into your messy life? We were doin’ just fine without you in town,” Cricket groaned.

“Cricket, I’d love to be your friend, but it looks like that’s impossible. Since I’ve embarrassed you so badly that you rant at your brother like that, I won’t be coming back out here. I never want to be the cause of such mean things being said to Rick,” Jennie Sue said.

“I’m so sorry.” Rick came out of the bathroom. “I could hear everything. Let’s get you home. Thanks for all you’ve done. It would have been a tough week without you.”

He tried several times to start a conversation on the drive from the farm to Lettie’s place, but he had no idea how to even begin. Jennie Sue probably hated him for not waking her and for getting so personal with that foot massage. And if that wasn’t enough, Cricket had been horrible. When they finally arrived, and he’d parked outside the garage, he turned to face her.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“No need for you to apologize. You did nothing wrong.” She opened the door. “Let’s—” she started.

“Let’s not let my sister spoil what we have,” he finished for her. “I really like spending time with you.”

“I would never knowingly cause trouble between y’all,” she said.

He rested a hand on her shoulder. “I know that. You’ve got a good heart, Jennie Sue. I’ll call you this evening.”

She nodded and was gone before he could say anything else.

He slapped the steering wheel of the old truck. “Dammit! Why did we have to be born on opposite sides of the tracks? If she’d been in the same social class as me, this wouldn’t be a problem at all.”

He backed the produce truck out of the driveway and sat for a full minute at the stop sign before turning onto Main Street. There wasn’t a single car in sight, but he couldn’t make himself turn north toward the farm and his sister.

Finally, he turned south toward Sweetwater, glad that he’d loaded the truck the night before. It would do Cricket good to stew in her own anger for the whole day. He’d have to do double duty at the market, keeping the display on the table and taking money both, but it would be worth it.

By the time he arrived at the market, Cricket had called three times and sent four text messages. He waited until he got his display set up and had waited on two customers before he returned her call.

“Where in the hell are you?” she asked.

“I’m at the market,” he answered.

“Did you take Jennie Sue with you?”

“I did not.”

“Then you are punishing me, right?”

He thought about her question for a few seconds before he answered. “No, I’m not. I just don’t want to be around you today. Not after that fit you threw. I think it’s best if we spend the day away from each other.”