Mind Games

When he giggled, the weight on her heart lightened.

“You said she had a fat ass.”

“I did, and I don’t know if she does or doesn’t, but it’s what came to me at the time. I said cruel things, and lord help me, I’m not even a little bit sorry for it.”

“Grammie?” Thea’s hand tightened on Rem’s. “Do we still have to call her and talk to her?”

“No. There’ll be times I have to make you do what you don’t much want to, but that’s not gonna be one of them.”

“We love you, Grammie.”

“Oh, Rem, I couldn’t love you more if you were covered in chocolate.”

She held them both in the kitchen where she’d once been a young wife, a young mother, a young widow.

Now, not so young, she’d need to be mother, father, and grammie to two precious children.

“How about the two of you go out and pick some green tomatoes, and I’ll make some batter? We’ll fry them up. And after, if you’ve thought of things, we’ll start making that list of what you want.”

“Dad’s drawing board.”

“Top of the list.”

“When they get them back, can I have the earrings Dad gave Mom when I was born? I got my ears pierced last year, and I could wear them for special.”

“Those are good wants.”

“You can have the ones he gave for me, Grammie. I’m not getting holes punched in my ears.”

“I’d be proud to wear them, for special. Go on, get us a couple good tomatoes.”

On the way out, Thea paused at the door. “They didn’t really want us.”

“No, baby, they didn’t. But I do.”

Lucy got out the cornmeal, her container of saved bacon grease. Then just took a moment before getting the rest.

The burning mad had cooled to a steady calm.

They’d get through, she thought. Through today and tomorrow and all that came after.

Chapter Six

Ray slept until nearly two in the afternoon. And why not, the way he figured it. He hadn’t checked in until around four in the freaking morning, so he’d paid for the crap room.

He had that nice new ride, plenty of cash. He’d take a hot shower to get himself going. Then he’d hit a Mickey D’s for a Big Mac, some fries, a jumbo Coke.

He only had a couple more hours on the road, and that would hold him.

But he lay a few minutes more.

He didn’t like he’d dreamed somebody watched him sleep. Gave him the fucking creeps, and the creeps pissed him off.

He rolled over to pick up the picture he’d taken from the MFM in Virginia, the one of the girl.

“Don’t know why I took this, and that’s another pisser. Except you piss me off, little blue-eyed bitch. Too bad you weren’t there when I took care of Mommy and Daddy. Maybe I’ll see if I can hunt you up one of these days and take care of you.”

He smashed the glass against the bedside table. Shattering it made him feel better. Feel good.