Another woman about the same age as Georgie, Barb, and Gus peered back at him with a puckered smile that didn’t quite travel from her wrinkled cheeks to her eyes. DidVeggieTaleshave a sour pickle character? He couldn’t remember.
She was still looking him over through her wire-framed glasses when a young woman with dark hair and light brown skin seated next to her spoke up. “So nice finally meeting you, Nate. I’m Evie.” She rested a pair of knitting needles on her extremely protruding stomach so she could offer a handshake. Nate guessed she was pregnant. But he also learned long ago to never guess that sort of thing out loud.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, stepping over to shake her hand.
“Alicia’s been talking about your visit nonstop for weeks,” Evie said when they dropped hands.
“And I’m Lottie,” said the sour pickle, who marched over and gripped his hand inside both of hers like she was running for mayor and counting on his vote. “I lived here long ago, then moved to Franklin. I was very active in the community there, so I’m glad I can bring all that experience back home to Bugle in my shining golden years. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a couple urgent matters that need attending. It appears my work is never done.”
“Okay,” Nate said, not sure what else to say about shining golden years and urgent matters in a town with a population of less than a thousand.
“Come on. Let’s get you some food,” his mom said as soon as Lottie left.
“Okay.” That was the only thing to say when it came to his mom and food. She’d always been a wonder in the kitchen. She could whip up something delicious with nothing more than a mustard packet and a package of saltines.
“Oh, hey, Nate?” Gus said as they started for the kitchen. “Don’t worry about the wacky lady. I think she finally got fed up. Hasn’t tried calling for at least two hours now.”
“What wacky lady?” His mom screeched to a halt.
“Nobody,” Nate answered, hoping Gus would drop it.
“Your son’s got a stalker,” Gus said, apparently not ready to drop it, as his bushy eyebrows bounced up and down.
“Is she cute?” Mom said.
“Do I know her?” Georgie said.
“Did she get one of my flyers?” Barb said.
“She works at a hospital in Nebraska,” Nate said, knowing that would shut them down since they not only wanted to see Nate married with dozens of babies, they wanted to see Nate married with dozens of babies inTennessee.
They all wrinkled their noses and swatted their hands. “Sounds terrible,” Barb muttered.
“Awful,” added Georgie.
“Probably doesn’t even garden,” said Barb.
“You want someone with roots,” said Georgie.
“Someone local,” said Evie, young but obviously catching on quick with this crew.
“Someone like Dolly.” Georgie snapped her fingers.
“Parton?” asked Gus.
“Golly,” Barb and Georgie said at the same time as if he should’ve known better.
Now Gus was wrinkling his nose. “You want Nate to marry one of the Golly twins?”
“Why not?” Georgie said. “Dolly’s a peach.”
“Or is it Molly that’s the peach?” said Barb.
“No, Molly’s the lemon. I think.” Georgie frowned. “I have such a hard time telling them apart until they start talking.”
“They’re both lemons once they start talking,” said Gus.
“Not Dolly. She’s adorable,” Georgie said. “Or is it Molly?”
