The Strawberry Hearts Diner(57)

“Every single mornin’ since my divorce,” Nettie answered. “And he ain’t led me wrong a single time. Let’s go on back outside. Fresh night air is wonderful.”

They followed her to the porch, where she sat on the swing, polished off the sandwich, and picked up a cupcake, bit into it, and smiled. “I bet the folks really liked these. They’re good.”

“They’ll do for a substitute, but everyone misses your tarts,” Emily said.

Jancy sipped her glass of tea and listened to the discussion of what was happening over the upcoming weekend. Cleaning the cemetery the next day. Church on Sunday.

Then the bomb would explode. She had to grip the tea to keep from dropping it as she imagined all the emotions, the disappointments, the fears, and the anger that would be in the house. It would be so different than the festive feeling wrapped around them that evening.

“Where’s your head, Jancy?” Nettie asked.

A couple of fast blinks brought her back into the conversation. “Thinking about how things work out, I guess.”

“For the best.” Vicky smiled.

Hopefully, she’d remember those three words on Sunday night.



Vicky stumbled into the kitchen on Saturday morning to find Nettie, a cup of coffee in one hand, dressed for work. “Oh, no! The doctor said you are going to rest for the weekend and maybe you can work an hour or two on Monday.”

“You got a choice. You can let me go to the diner and sit in a booth or on a stool in the kitchen, or I’ll stay home and run the vacuum, dust, and clean all day,” Nettie said. “I’ll abide by whatever decision you make.”

“Nettie! You were supposed to sleep until noon and then watch movies all afternoon.” Jancy stopped in the middle of the floor.

“Or maybe talk to your church ladies all day.” Emily came to an abrupt stop right behind Jancy.

“I can talk to people at the diner. I hate phone conversations. How on earth y’all keep those cell phones glued to your hands is a total mystery to me,” Nettie said. “So do I get out the vacuum, or are you going to let me walk to the diner with y’all this mornin’, Vicky?”

“I’ll stay home and watch her,” Emily said.

“You do and I’ll make you clean out all the cabinets. That means washing all the dishes, putting in new shelf paper, and—”

“Okay, okay.” Vicky’s palms shot up. “You win. But you aren’t lifting a single finger to do one thing. You can’t even fill a tea glass. I don’t care if it’s your glass. You can sit and visit.”

“I could sit on a stool and run the cash register. That wouldn’t hurt anything, now would it?” Nettie poured the rest of the coffee in the sink, rinsed the cup, and put it in the dishwasher.

“For what my opinion is worth, I think that would be a great job. It would help us out so much if we didn’t have to stop and tally up the bills,” Jancy said.

“I agree.” Emily nodded. “Now let’s get on up to the diner. We’ve got cupcakes to make. And no tarts, Nettie, not until Monday. If you even look like you are going to do anything other than take money today, I’ll handcuff you to the sofa and make you watch animated cartoons all day.”

“I can make tarts sitting on a stool, and it’s no more trouble than taking money,” Nettie argued.

“Baby steps.” Jancy slipped an arm around Nettie’s shoulders. “Little bitty steps, and by this time next week, you’ll be right back in your rut.”

“Y’all are bein’ almighty difficult,” Nettie grumbled.

“It’s for your own good.” Jancy shortened her stride to keep up with Nettie’s as they left the house. “Just like it was for my own good when my car burned up in the diner parking lot. You can’t fight fate, Miz Nettie.”

“You’d do well to remember that,” Nettie said.

Vicky chuckled. They’d come a long way since that first day when things were so awkward. Whether it was bad luck or good settling in for the summer, nothing had been boring.

“Maybe it’s all in how you look at it whether it’s bad or good,” she reflected under her breath.

“What did you say, Mama?” Emily asked.

“Just muttering to myself,” she said and then quickly changed the subject. “Everyone is going to be so glad to see Nettie. Get ready for a busy day.”

“Feels like I’ve been gone a month,” Nettie said.

“Yes, it does.” Vicky opened the back door and switched on the kitchen lights.

Nettie stepped inside and inhaled deeply. “Ahhh, my sweet, sweet diner. I hope I never leave you again. Now let’s get busy.”

Vicky pulled up a stool. “This is as busy as you get until the doors open. Then you can move to the cash register.”

“Run, Jancy! Get out of here in a hurry. You are working for a tyrant,” Nettie joked.

“I’m not going anywhere until you are one hundred percent well,” Jancy said. “I’ll start the sausage gravy, Emily, if you’ll do the cupcakes this morning.”

“Nettie is supposed to start a heart-healthy diet today,” Vicky said. “We’ll make her an egg-white omelet with mushrooms and tomatoes.”

“You will get shot if you do. I will eat what I want and die when I’m supposed to. I want a sausage-and-egg biscuit. And the whole egg, not just the white,” Nettie declared. “I have my family, my church family, and my food. That’s my holy trinity, and I’m not giving up any of it.”