The Magnolia Inn(19)

“Another church phase?” Jolene asked.

“It runs in cycles. If she’s got a boyfriend, she don’t have time for church except on Sunday, when the only thing that’d keep us from sittin’ beside Sugar would be if we was sick nigh unto death. When they either break up or he dies, then she has to get right with the Lord for all her sinful ways with the boyfriend, and that means she’s at some church every time the doors open for services. Right now, she’s in the process of gettin’ right.”

“Catholic?” Jolene asked.

“Nope. She mixes all the religions up together so that she gets the right one.” Dotty giggled.

“How does that work?”

“Wait and see,” Dotty said out of the side of her mouth.

Flossie had taken the plastic wrap from the paper plate piled with chocolate-chip cookies and set them in the middle of the table.

“We remember Tucker from when he came to church with Melanie on occasion. He’s such a tortured soul. And he drinks on weekends.” Lucy brought out the milk and four glasses.

Dotty pursed her lips. “Gawd Almighty, Lucy. We’re livin’ in a brand-new world. If Tucker needs a little something to get him through the tough times, that’s his business. And if Jolene wants to sleep with him, then that’s her business.”

Lucy slapped her hands over her ears. “I can’t listen to you take God’s name in vain. I swear you didn’t used to be like this before you and Bruce left perfectly good jobs and went to keepin’ a honky-tonk.”

“Whoa, ladies,” Jolene said. “I’m not sleeping with my partner, and what’s this about a tortured soul?”

“He’s like my poor dead Ezra. He felt guilty because his wife died, too.” Lucy shook her finger under Dotty’s nose. “And don’t you giggle again, Dotty. I’m past the denial stage about our precious Sugar leaving, and I’m well into anger, so watch what you say to me.”

“Well, honey, you did your best to console Ezra when he was alive, so you shouldn’t have any regrets. He probably died with a smile on his face because he was dreaming about all the sex y’all had,” Dotty said.

“There’s that bar talk comin’ out again. You used to be a fine Christian woman before you owned the Tipsy Gator,” Lucy said.

“I’m still a Christian. I believe in God and Jesus, even though I run a bar. And I go to church almost every Sunday, so don’t fuss at me.” Dotty shook her head.

“We didn’t come here to argue and fight about religion or the Gator.” Flossie picked up a cookie. “And I doubt that Ezra made it past the Pearly Gates anyway, so I don’t know why you’re all up in religion, Lucy. That old scoundrel never went to church in his life. If he went to heaven, he’d be miserable up there.”

Dotty reached for a cookie. “Flossie’s right. We didn’t come here to fight. We came to check on Jolene and tell her about the Easter Tour of Homes.”

Jolene busied herself making coffee, but not a word of what they said escaped her. “Why is Tucker a tortured soul? And I’d love to be included in the tour.”

Dotty lowered her voice. “I can still hear him upstairs. Come on over here so we can talk about him. He lost his wife, Melanie, a couple of years ago. She was from down in Marshall, but her daddy was raised here in Jefferson, so they came to church with Sugar and us.” She paused. “Anyway, she went away to college and made a teacher out of herself. She met Tucker once she went to work in Dallas. He was a cop there.”

“She was his whole life,” Lucy whispered. “Then she died in a car wreck, and bless his heart, he’s never got over it.” She clucked like an old hen gathering in her baby chickens. “I just can’t believe he bought half interest in this place. It takes a people person to operate a B&B, and from what I hear, Tucker is almost a hermit.”

“I guess we’ve all got our own emotional baggage,” Jolene said.

“Wait until he hauls his damn sorry ass home drunk and you’ve got guests in the place,” Lucy declared.

“She loves Jesus, but she still cusses a little,” Dotty said with a wicked grin.

“He’s a fantastic carpenter. He’s got money to put into the inn. And I’ll cross the drinkin’ bridge when it happens. And . . .” She glanced over at Dotty, who shrugged and winked.

“And just so y’all know.” Jolene took a deep breath. “I’ll be working at the Gator starting Friday night.”

“Lord have mercy,” Lucy groaned. “Have you talked to Sugar about this?”

“Visited with her last night and was going to tell her, but . . .” She went on to tell them how disappointed Jasper was with Reuben’s choice.

“I was afraid that would hit him hard,” Dotty said.

“Of course it did, but we’re not through talkin’ about this horrible idea of you working in a bar.” Lucy threw a hand over her forehead in a dramatic gesture and then shook a fist at Dotty. “You’re leading our sweet girl down the path of unrighteousness. Jolene, I’ll give you a job in my place of business. Full-time with benefits if you’ll quit the Gator right now.”

“I know bartending, and I can only handle part-time work with the inn, but thank you,” Jolene said and tried to change the subject. “Do I have the recipe for these cookies in Aunt Sugar’s files?”