Shelby harrumphs.
“Bad blood?” Gran’s furious. She reaches out and slaps Dad on the back of his head.
“Ow! What did I do?”
“You’re a pussy. Knox caused bad blood when he broke up with my granddaughter. He doesn’t know a good thing when he has it. You never liked Kathy. Admit it.” Gran points a finger in Shelby’s angry face.
“No, I never likedher,” Shelby snaps, pointing at me. “My son deserves to have a big family. He deserves to have a fresh womb and fresh eggs.”
Now I really want to barf up my drink.
“Kathy can still have a child—she’s not that old.” My mom sounds hysterical. “She’s younger than Winnie, and Winnie, you still get your period, don’t you?”
“Why does everyone in my family talk so loud?”
The bartender slides me another drink.
“Now, Shelby,” my dad cajoles. “We told Knox that you could come stay with us while you’re in town.”
“No, Dad, there is no ‘us.’ It’s me,my house, and she’s not staying there.” I push off my stool, almost fall, then hurry over.
“Of course not. That’s one of the reasons I told Knox to get rid of Kathy. She’s a hop and a skip from turning into Winifred. A nag, a terrible hostess.” The troll scowls at me. “Thank god she doesn’t have children. She’d be a terrible mother.”
“Truly the troll calling the kettle black,” Carolina mumbles.
“Not like Brinley.” Shelby snaps her fingers, and a doe-eyed young woman who looks like she just barely graduated high school scurries over.
“Knox is so disgusting,” Carolina hisses.
“My son—he wants a real woman who is going to be a supportive partner.” The troll places two hands on Brinley’s narrow shoulders.
Kathy is sniffling. “I tried to be a good wife. I tried to be a good daughter-in-law.”
“You were distracting him,” the troll rages, spit flying out of her mouth. “All your talk of marriage and babies.”
“I thought he wanted a family,” Kathy cries. “I did everything you asked. I babysat your grandchildren. I deleted all my social media. I didn’t talk to the press. I even stayed out of pictures. I didn’t take a dime from him. I did everything right.”
“No, you constantly badgered him about not being engaged,” the troll roars.
“They were a couple—she’s allowed to ask about their future,” I snap.
“He never cared about you—he just felt sorry for you!” Shelby thunders, swinging her handbag. “My Knoxie is a soft heart. He kept trying to break up with you, then a few months later, you’d reel him back in with your feminine wiles. You weren’t in it for the long haul.”
Kathy gives a little sob.
“Honestly, girls, you’re making a scene. I’m so sorry, Shelby.” My mom pushes us back toward the bar. “You need to behave, both of you. This is embarrassing. Now, Shelby and Brinley are coming to stay at our house, and we aregoing to make it up to them. We don’t want Shelby Yandle as an enemy.”
“My house—it’s my house.”
Everyone ignores me.
Kathy looks bereft.
“Have some lobster,” Carolina offers. “It’s free.”
Kathy sadly takes a crab claw.
“These clam chowder soup muffins are fire.” Carolina takes a big bite. “You’re going to have to figure out how to copycat them, Winn.”
