"Scott's at the building surplus supply store in Bonham, and they're giving me the runaround about setting up the account. Evidently, they want to make sure that I am me, and that my card is good. So I have to run down there to fill out some paperwork, then we'll be back. On the upside, they have everything we need, so we should have the cabins back in shape by this weekend."
"Probably next week," she pointed out. "In case you forgot, Thanksgiving is on Thursday. The kids get out of school early tomorrow, but Faith leaves tomorrow night to spend the holiday with her mom."
Yeah, she was not making this any better. "So, are we doing something?"
Violet just smiled at me. "Apparently Emily, Luke, and Cy will be cooking us a real meal, complete with dessert, and I will try every single dish they make."
"Oh, I like this idea," I told her, leaning in to kiss the top of her head. "I'm also very proud of you. Now, I'll be back in about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. Gotta go straighten out some bullshit."
I headed out to her car, sending a text to Cy to let him know what was going on. Once that was sent, I tucked my phone in my front pocket, then climbed in behind the wheel of Violet's car. As I headed down the driveway, I looked over to see that the damage wasn't really that bad this time. Yeah, they'd shattered the glass in the windows, but a little bit of sweeping and vacuuming, and that was easily handled.
Evidently, the wall they had decided was going to hold their message was on the back of one of the cabins in a place that would be easily seen from the street. That was what those punks had been doing when Darnell interrupted them. It was why he hadn't realized how many there were. Well, I hope they enjoyed seeing the fresh new paint the next time they went down the road.
When I left the property, I turned up the road and headed straight to the center of town. That was the fastest way to get to Bonham. While I fiddled with the radio, looking for something that wasn't country music, I allowed myself to just be frustrated. Southwind was Violet's dream. Her grandmother had been the cornerstone of her life, and this was all that Vera had ever wanted. Darnell had been beaten bad enough to spend the night in the hospital. Cessily had been scared - even if she would never admit it. Faith was confused, Zeke was getting frazzled, and all of us were feeling the strain.
But I was supposed to take care of these people.
No, nothing was bad yet, but I could see the writing on the wall. It wasn't going to get better unless a miracle occurred. That meant we needed to get a little inventive. Fixing the latest mess was my first step. That was why the windows were so important to me. It would remove the reminder of yet another attack on us, because it was the same kind of bullying that had nearly destroyed Violet as a girl.
Finally, I found a station that played the oldies. It was probably the same one Emily listened to, but I could deal with that. Luke and Cy might love their country music, but I preferred fewer minor chords at one time. Cranking up a song about driving Chevys into levees, I leaned back and... Shit. Violet's car didn't have enough gas to make it to Bonham.
"If it's not one thing, it's another," I grumbled, turning on my blinker just as I reached the four-way stop that made up the middle of Cats Peak.
Pulling into the gas station, I had to check to figure out which side the gas tank was on, then found a pump. The problem was that this ancient place didn't even have a card reader. Groaning under my breath, I got out and headed inside. Could anything else go wrong today? Granted, I should've noticed the car was low. I'd been the one driving it, but just back and forth to church! But how long had it been since the last time we'd filled it up? Months?
Opening the door made a bell chime, and Maisie's voice called out from the back, "Just a second!"
"No hurry," I yelled at her as I headed to the register.
A moment later, she hurried out from a door marked for employees only. "Hey, Ash," she greeted me, and then shivered. "Ugh, I hate stocking the freezer. But what can I do for you?"
"I need gas. Give me, I dunno, fifty?"
She looked over to the window to see my car on the other side. "Pump one. Ok. Is that all?"
I passed over my card. "Yeah. And how'd that date go with Mike the other night?"
The woman smiled, her eyes locked on the register while she ran my card. "I'm not sure it was really a date. I mean, I think he's just being nice."
"So you're not interested?" I asked, well aware that Mike was fawning over her.
"Mike?" She laughed. "Yeah, um, I'm interested, but he could have any girl he wanted. I think he's just been talking to me because I know about Luke, you know? Well, and because I don't think the four of you are crazy for trying to make your thing work." Then she passed me back both my card and the receipt.
I snagged a pen from the counter to scrawl my name at the bottom. "Well, I happen to know that he's been working up the nerve to ask you out. Made it clear that he wants to impress you, but sounds like the guy might be a little more shy than he wants to admit."
"Really?" she asked, sounding thrilled at the idea.
"Really," I said as I pushed the signed portion back. "You could always try asking him out instead. Trust me, it would definitely work." Then I turned for the door. "Have a good day, Maisie!"
"You too, Ash," she called after me.
I could only hope. Then again, bad things came in threes. So far, I was dealing with the bullshit over this account and the empty gas tank, so how much more could go wrong?
When I got back to the car, I put the pump in and got it started, then closed the door so I could lean against it and send Scott a text. The guy was probably pacing the aisles up there waiting for me. The least I could do was let him know that I was still half an hour out. I had just sent off the text and was putting my phone in my pocket yet again when a large white truck pulled up directly in front of my car. It seemed I was about to get my third bad thing of the day.
"Hey, faggot," someone said as three of the doors popped open and good-sized farm boys stepped out.
I glanced at the pump, seeing only seven dollars had gone in so far. I was debating shutting it off and driving away when a second truck pulled in right behind me, blocking me in. Trying to keep calm, I looked over at the Grill, then to the front of the store. Shit! Maisie was in the back!
