Maudie nodded.“You bet it would.People here don’t like outsiders coming in and making a de’ pouille here.A mess.Dis be a peaceful place in the long run, but outsiders don’t realize how things run here and dey only come to muck things up.Most people round here know the moment outsiders step foot in dis swamp and if dey know they’ll send us word about it.”
Shay nodded.“Then get the word out, maybe someone knows something already.Maybe if we can get ahead of them we can stop them before they bring their chaos in.”
Maudie smirked.“Don’t you worry sha, everyone dat lives here will protect dis place.”She reached for her phone, then she began making calls.
The men all gathered around the kitchen table and discussed possible places this group mighty try to hide in.
Mindy drank some juice and had toast.It seemed like Maudie fed her every hour.Considering she had been starved to the point of illness...Maudie wanted her to take in all the nutrition she could.
When Maudie was done and finally put the phone down she looked over at Shay.“I called the heads of each family in the swamp, dey’ll tell their families and everyone will keep their eyes open.If dose couillions come here looking for trouble, dey might just find it.”
Shay nodded then he smiled.“Part of me hopes they’ll come here, Maudie.I know that’s not something I should even say but you all have a way of protecting this place and you do it so well...like it’s nothing, yet it really is something to see.”
Maudie smiled back at him.“Why Mr.Shay, you ain’t just handsome, you be smart.”She laughed.
King shook his head and poked fun, “Hello?”He waved his hands.“Husband present!”
Everyone laughed.
Maudie grinned at him.“Weh,husband.You got me knocked up.So how can ya be jealous?”
The men were chuckling.
Mindy looked around at them all.Then she looked up at Jordy.
He cocked his head at her.
She slowly shook her head.“I’ve never seen...family laugh together before.It’s sooo.”She sighed.
“...Natural,” he said.“I cannot wait for you to get used to it as being normal.What you lived with was not.Life can be sunshine and blue skies and yeah it’s hot here but there are five months of the year that are just the perfect weather.When we don’t have intruders, we have huge dinners and even TV nights.We snack and enjoy card games.Sometimes, we just go on a vay ya, like a hike through the swamp to a good place to fish.Just for fun.”
Mindy had her mouth popped open in surprise.“Just for fun?”she repeated as if she hadn’t ever heard the expression at all.
The room went quiet as they all stared at her.
Her cheeks reddened as she dipped her head in embarrassment.
“Don’t feel like dat,” Maudie said.“Many of people living here now, didn’t have it happy in childhood.You aren’t alone in dat, you’ll see.I promise ya, things will get better, chile.Dis swamp protects us and in turn we protect it.Dat’s just the way we live.”Shaking her head she added, “Don’t get me wrong, dis place can be dangerous as living in a big city, only there you have men with guns and unsavory attitudes.Here, you got gators, wild hogs and snakes.But they are easy to figure out.Den of course, dere’s us swamp people.”She grinned.“We may be beta come tout...a bit cray cray, but we are good people.”
Shay agreed as he snorted.“Yes, you are both good people and a bit crazy for sure.I’ve seen things here...”He paused and rolled his eyes.“That only fiction is made of.Yet, I saw this stuff with my own eyes.Despite the circumstances that I come under, I always love coming here.It’s like...home.”
“Aww, Mr.Shay.You do know that I’ve been waiting to meet your missus.”
He stared at her.“You have?”He looked like he did not know.
“Sure,” King agreed.“We all need to meet the woman that tamed theEverywhere Man.”
Shay blinked his eyes at him.
They all laughed at the look on his face.
Shay motioned at them then sighed.“I’m always here when there’s dangerous men around though.”Then he scoffed.“Hell, my wife is as dangerous as the women here.What was I thinking?”
“See?”Leeza came into the room.
Rhetta agreed, “Us girls would love to meet her.”
Renee nodded in agreement as she came in too.“Boomer told us she is a lady biker and a badass to boot.”
