The Magnolia Inn(67)

It turned out that Flossie lived right at the north edge of Jefferson on two acres of land. As Jolene and Tucker walked up the eight steps from the ground to the wide porch with its four huge columns, she could imagine Flossie, Sugar, Lucy, and Dotty as little girls sitting on a quilt and playing with dolls over there at one end.

She wondered what her life would have been like if her grandmother Victoria hadn’t taken Elaine away from Jefferson. Would Elaine have married someone local and been a different person? Would she have had friends to play on the porch with her? Jolene had kept her childhood friends until her father died, but they’d drifted away when she and her mother had to move to a trailer park. After that, she didn’t have time for friends, and besides, she could never invite people to her house anyway—not with Elaine’s problems.

It startled her when Flossie threw open the door. “I thought I heard someone knocking, but it takes me a minute to get from the back of the house. Sorry I kept y’all waiting. Come right in and make yourselves at home.”

Jolene and Tucker followed her and Flossie into the house and into a huge living room with a fireplace alight at one end.

“Y’all go on and have a seat. I’ve just got a couple of little things to do,” Flossie said.

“Can I help?” Jolene asked.

“Nope. Got it under control,” Flossie answered.

Jolene started to remove her coat, but Tucker was instantly behind her, helping her. He tossed both his and hers on a rocking chair and warmed his hands by the blaze in the fireplace.

Jolene waited for some emotion to overtake her, but nothing brought back memories of her mother or of Johnny Ray—thank God. The place made her think of Aunt Sugar, though. The fireplace drew her like a moth to a flame. She’d love to put one in the dining room of the inn.

Tucker turned to face her. “Nothing warms like an open fire. I’ve always wanted one of these.”

“So did Aunt Sugar.” Jolene smiled.

“Think we should put one in the dining room? That would be a nice addition if we had a winter wedding,” he said.

“And when Aunt Sugar comes to visit, she and Uncle Jasper could enjoy it, too.” Jolene’s smile widened.

“We’ll have to think about that while we’re remodeling,” Tucker said.

“Yoo-hoo!” Dotty carried in a long dish of what looked like a yummy cake of some kind. “Sorry we’re a little late. Lucy is right behind me with the salad and bread.”

“Can I help y’all carry anything?” Tucker asked.

“No, we got it,” Lucy said as she came in behind Dotty. “Glad y’all made it. Follow us to the kitchen and we’ll get dinner on the table.”

“Oh, my!” Jolene exclaimed when she looked out the kitchen window. “That is one huge garden. Do you sell fresh produce at the store or something?”

Lucy rolled her eyes toward the high ceiling. “If it wasn’t for Otis—that’s the neighbor who lives next door to her—she couldn’t have a half-acre garden. She’s only one person. She could grow enough vegetables to feed herself in a flower box, but oh, no, she and Otis have to harvest enough to feed half of Jefferson.”

Flossie yelled from the dining room, “Remember that when all y’all reap the harvest with me, so stop bitchin’ and come to dinner. Lucy, you can say grace, but it better not take forever.”

“Where’s the restroom so I can wash up?” Tucker asked.

Lucy pointed. “Down the hall to the left.”

The minute they heard the bathroom door close behind him, all three women circled around Jolene. Dotty was the first to whisper, “How’s it goin’ with Tucker?”

“We had a talk this morning. Things are lookin’ up,” Jolene said.

“Did he get drunk over the weekend?” Lucy asked.

Jolene shook her head. “Nope.”

Flossie whispered, “He’ll know we’re talkin’ about him if we’re all right here. So what did you talk about?”

“Pretty much everything,” Jolene answered.

“Did he kiss you?” Dotty asked.

Jolene blushed. “No, but I wanted him to. Is that wrong?”

“Of course not. He’s a good-lookin’ guy. If I was younger, I’d want him to kiss me,” Dotty said.

“Well, I’m never doing the relationship before friendship again,” Jolene said.

When they heard the door open and close, all the women suddenly took their places at the table. While Lucy said grace, Jolene opened one eye and glanced around the table. Tucker had his head bowed and eyes closed tightly. Lucy’s hands were clasped together under her chin as she prayed. Flossie looked over the table as if she was making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. When Jolene looked toward Dotty, the old gal winked at her.

“Sounds crazy but I had this vision of y’all as little girls when I walked up on the porch,” Jolene said when Lucy finished her short prayer.

“Oh, honey!” Lucy’s smile at the memory lit up the whole room. “All of our mothers were affiliated with the women’s church group, and they started a little book club here in town. So yes, we played together every week and always after church at one house or the other.”

“That’s because it gave our parents some personal time on Sunday afternoons. No kids. A bottle of wine. Some slow music. You get the picture,” Dotty said.