“I poured you a wine, Belle.”
Annabelle took the glass from her friend and took a sip, enjoying the tart taste as it slid down her throat.
“Is that your dad talking to Ellen Todd?”
Bran and Annabelle followed Jake’s hand to where Declan O’Donnell was standing. Beside him was a local teacher, Ms. Todd.
“Whatever they’re talking about, it looks intense. She’s frowning and he’s gesturing with his hands about something,” Branna said. “When he waves his fingers like that, it means he’s heated up about something.”
“Maybe he’s thinking she’s a sweet woman, Irish,” Buster said, joining the conversation.
“Do you think?” That didn’t seem to upset Branna; in fact, she looked quite pleased about the prospect.
“Mother of God, what the hell does she want?” Annabelle said, watching Millie Lawrence stomp towards them, face formed in its perpetual scowl.
“See ya.”
“I’m out.”
“Got a ball to catch.”
“Like rats on a sinking ship,” Branna muttered as the men behind her disappeared to escape the coming storm.
“I stopped in to see Macy and Billy on the way here. She said to pass on that she’s not going to make it, because the boy was unwell through the night.”
Millie’s mouth was turned down in a scowl as she spoke. Her short, spiky hair was jelled upright on her head, her clothes were dark as always, and serviceable; on her feet she wore heavy black boots, which Jake said ensured she was ready to stomp over people at any given moment.
“Do I need to get over there, Ms. Lawrence, to check on Billy?” Annabelle made herself smile. Damned if she was going to be mean just because Millie was.
“Teeth, Macy said. Nothing you or God can do about it.”
“Well, thanks for telling us, Millie,” Branna said with a forced smile. “I’ll give Macy a call when we leave here, just to make sure she’s okay.”
Rather than leave, the woman just glared at Annabelle.
“I’m not happy about your driving the van, Annabelle Smith, but as there was a consensus I can’t stop you. I was happy to do it, but for some reason that idea was vetoed.”
“Maybe they wanted to arrive in Brook the same day they left,” Annabelle muttered.
“I heard that, and I do not drive slow. I drive within the speed limits set by the local authorities, young lady.”
“Of course you do, Millie,” Branna soothed. “But I want you to enjoy the trip too, and if you have to drive that would take some of the enjoyment away.”
“Foolish idea anyways, going on a field trip at our age.”
She spoke like Annabelle imagined a drill sergeant would, snapping out each word as if it were a command. She’d been scary in school, and not much had changed in the years since. The woman could still reduce Annabelle to feeling like a ten-year-old with just a look.
“I promise to drive carefully, Ms. Lawrence,” Annabelle said, hoping the woman would leave.
“Just see that you do!”
Branna and Annabelle stood hip to hip watching as Millie Lawrence stomped back to where she’d come from, head high, feet squashing any insubordinate that stepped in her path.
“Why’d she stop in on Macy and Billy?”
“It’s weird, Belle. Macy said she’s gentle and sweet with the baby, and is all kinds of nice to her now that she’s alone, and after all that stuff with Brian.”
“Ha, who knew that Millie understood how to be kind? She made me eat the gum that I threw on the ground once, and that was after she’d stepped on it and peeled it off the sole of her work boots.”
