“I’m sorry, I was thinking about that high chair. Didn’t Jorja sit in it when she was a baby? What did I miss?”
“All of my three kids and then all of you girls used that same high chair, but I was asking if y’all remembered to make small wreaths for the family members in the cemetery,” Irene answered.
Taryn shook her head. “I’m sorry, but we totally forgot—but we’ll get it done this evening and take them out to the cemetery tomorrow.”
“It’s kind of like the story of the cobbler’s kids’ shoes that you used to tell us about,” Jorja said. “He made shoes for everyone else and forgot his own children.”
Ruby nodded. “That’s right, but no worries. We’ve got a list made. Just a small wreath on the graves without vases on the tombstones will be fine.”
“And don’t forget to take a pail, a scrub brush, and some cleaner to shine up the tombstones,” Irene told them. “And I expect all three of you to work together on this. Anna Rose, don’t you run off to party. Jorja, don’t you try to get out of it by saying you have to go to Vacation Bible School.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Anna Rose and Jorja said at the same time.
“Zoe and I’ll be glad to help out,” Clinton offered.
Irene picked up the basket of hot rolls and passed them to him. “Thank you. They might need a referee.”
“I thought they all were doing better,” Ruby said. “I haven’t heard an argument since they arrived. That could be a record.”
“Either that or they’re trying to snow me.” Irene grabbed a hot roll when they came back to her. “If they aren’t bickering, then they might be thinking they could come over here every night.”
“We’re not trying to snow you,” Anna Rose protested.
“We’ll give it another week or two to be sure,” Irene said with a chuckle.
“Have y’all heard about the contest to get Clinton to the altar?” Jorja asked.
Bless your heart for changing the subject,Taryn thought and then wondered what Nana Irene would say if she found out about what Ford had done to Jorja.
“Oh, yes, we’ve heard,” Ruby answered. “And, Clinton, honey, I don’t meddle in other people’s lives, but my advice is to steer clear of all those money-hungry coyotes.”
“Hmmph,” Irene snorted. “You’ll still be meddling when you get to the Pearly Gates.”
Ruby pointed her fork at Irene for the second time. “That’s the pot calling the kettle black, for sure.”
Anna Rose giggled. “Just where do y’all think we learned to bicker?”
Irene narrowed her eyes. “At your age, you should have learned from old women’s mistakes.”
“I’m not old,” Ruby snapped.
Taryn giggled, and soon everyone was laughing. When she got control and had wiped her eyes with her napkin, she looked around at everyone. “I missed this so much. I’m glad we all came home to help out this summer.”
“Me too.” Anna Rose nodded.
They both stared at Jorja, who finally said, “Okay, okay! I’m glad to be here, too. But don’t expect me to agree with everything y’all say. Just because I’m the youngest doesn’t mean you can order me around.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Anna Rose whispered and then straightened up. “I want to talk about the cat with no name, Nana Irene. Do you care if I take her home with me when y’all are able to come back to the shop?”
“What home?” Ruby asked. “I thought you moved around a lot. That’s no way for a cat to live. They need a place that they can call their own.”
“I always rent an apartment for six months or a cabin in the woods or ...”
Irene threw up a palm. “You can’t have the cat with no name if you don’t have a permanent dwelling place. She might get eaten by coyotes or bears if you’re living out in the forest.”
“She has a name,” Jorja said. “Anna Rose named her Goldie.”
“That doesn’t sound like a cat’s name,” Irene argued. “She should be Queen or maybe Princess. She carries herself high and mighty. Goldie sounds like ...”
