Well, now! That’s the coldest tone I’ve heard Jorja use,Clinton thought. Why was her face set like flint? Her eyes even had that deer-in-the-headlights look to them. Clinton could almost smell the fear. He’d seen that in soldiers too many times not to recognize PTSD, but Jorja had never served in the military and had lived a very sheltered life.
“Then maybe another day this summer,” Linda suggested and left the shop without looking back.
Clinton went back to the prep space and finished what he’d been working on. Half an hour later, the chatter had died down, and thecousins all returned to their places at the worktable. “Did you tell a big fat lie, Jorja Butler?” Taryn asked.
“It’s a sin to lie, and I do my best not to sin,” Jorja answered.
“What have you got to do that you can’t go to Sunday dinner with Linda and Kaitlin? And why did you do that?” Taryn asked.
“I plan to write get-well cards to send to the sick or shut-ins in my church at home on Sunday afternoon.” Jorja dropped a fistful of orders in the basket. “As for why—Kaitlin told everyone we could meet up at Amos’s barn for our graduation party and urged me to go. I knew it was wrong to drink, but I wanted to be included with the rest of the class.”
“And?” Taryn asked.
“And nothing,” she whispered and shivered at the same time. “I believe that she set me up ...” She stopped midsentence.
“Set you up for what?” Anna Rose asked.
“To go against my beliefs and to probably make a laughingstock of me,” Jorja answered.
The pinched expression on her face, the haunted look in her eyes, and the cold tone in her voice told Clinton that she was hiding something painful. She shook her head as if trying to erase a bad memory.
“I will forgive her because God says I have to, but He doesn’t say I have to like her. I don’t intend to spend time with her and her family or step foot in their church. I can go to another one. It’s not like that is the only place to worship in Shamrock—and besides, Nana Irene doesn’t attend services there, anyway.”
“And I thought you refused the invitation because we’re family and you love your cousins so much,” Taryn teased.
Clinton knew that they shouldn’t joke about the demons in Jorja’s heart and soul, but he understood. It wasn’t his place to say a word.
Jorja moved a small picture frame from the bottom shelf to the top one. “We are family, but that wasn’t the whole reason. I just don’t like hypocrites. At least you and Anna Rose are up-front about who you are. Now, let’s take care of these orders and forget about Linda Sullivan.”
“I dunno, you told a white lie up there, and that’s not easy to forget,” Anna Rose said with a grin.
“Did not.” Jorja reached over and grabbed the next order. “Three red roses in a vase with a get-well card to be taken to Ruby’s house. And just to be clear, it was not a lie. I do have plans for Sunday afternoon, even if I had to create them on the spot.” She slid off the stool and went to the cooler for the flowers she needed. “I may not even go to any of the local churches while I’m here. My church at home televises their services each week, so I can sit in the living room at the trailer and watch it in my pajamas.”
“You’re not even going to help with Vacation Bible School at Nana Irene’s church?” Anna Rose asked.
“Maybe I’ll do that, but I can get my dose of spirituality from the television,” she answered.
Anna Rose finished up a small wreath and set it aside for delivery. “If you do, you’re going to wear earphones. If you wake me up before noon to preachin’ on the television, Iwillthrow things at you.”
Jorja laid her flowers out on the worktable, chose a vase, and went to work. “A bit of spirituality wouldn’t hurt either of you, but so you won’t go tattling to Nana Irene, I’ll watch my church service on my laptop in my bedroom—with my earphones. Far be it from me to force religion on either of you.”
Taryn threw up her palms. “Don’t go clumping me into y’all’s argument. I’m just minding my own business here, putting together a bow to go on the last peace lily we’ve got in the building for Leona’s funeral.”
“I promise not to force you to go to a bar with me if you’ll use your earphones, but I seem to remember that you liked to dance when you were younger,” Anna Rose said. “And, Taryn, darlin’, you started this whole thing when you said that Jorja told a big fat lie. Looking back, I wonder how many arguments you instigated in the past just so you could step in and save the day.”
Clinton swallowed a chuckle. Things were back to normal, but he still wondered if Jorja hadn’t experienced something more than just setting aside her faith out at Amos’s old barn on graduation night.
“Don’t ever look back.” Jorja paled. “Just ask for forgiveness for the dark things that live in your past and keep your eyes forward.”
“No comeback on that?” Clinton whispered for Taryn’s ears only.
“Not today,” Taryn answered.
The bell above the door announced a customer, and Anna Rose pointed at Clinton. “It’s your turn. We took care of all the folks earlier.”
“I don’t wait on people. Ruby and Irene did that—and now it’s y’all’s jobs, not mine. I arrange. I deliver. I bring lunch when it shows up on my doorstep. I’ll even pick up burgers and fries for all of you, but I don’t go to the front,” he said.
“Yoo-hoo!” A high, squeaky voice floated from the front to the back room.
