Read Online Always by Jezebel Jorge - Free Book Online Page B

dresses.
Odessa was quite the seamstress, having whipped up both the dresses
herself, probably sometime over the weekend while he’d been on the
road.
    “That dress really suits you,” he said. “My
girls look cute as can be all matched up.”
    “Your girls?” Odessa’s lips curled into a
snarl. “Such a shame you didn’t get your girl anything for her
first Mother’s Day after giving birth to your child.”
    “Maybe I was waiting to give you your
present after dinner.”
    “What did you get your wife?” Odessa
sniped.
    So much for her change of mood. “Flowers,”
he mumbled.
    “I’m so glad you didn’t kill any flowers on
my behalf.”
    “I know better.”
    “I wonder what Roger got his wife de jour?”
She pursed her lips as if disgusted by just saying his name.
    That name on her lips always felt that way
to him. “As far as I know he’s still happily married to Debbie, but
then again you always seem to keep yourself up to date on all
things Roger Rohde.”
    “Roger always did have exquisite tastes in
jewelry,” she said twisting her pearl necklace around her
finger.
    Were those the pearls he’d gotten her for
Christmas or was that an earlier gift from Rohde? Graham wasn’t
sure. He hadn’t exactly been sober when he’d bought two pearl
necklaces at the last minute on Christmas Eve. If Dess had known
that she and his wife had gotten identical gifts he never would
have heard the end of it. All of a sudden that gin in the diaper
bag started to sound mighty appealing. He ran a hand through his
hair, fighting the urge to reach for that liquor bottle.
    “No,” she said, at first making him think
she’d read his mind. “No, no,” she said, prying baby Amalie’s
fingers away from her necklace.
    Taking a chance, he asked, “Are those the
pearls I got you for Christmas?”
    “Of course,” she said, glaring at him with
one of those ball-shriveling looks of hers. “Roger never gave me
pearls. They’re a little too matronly for his liking.”
    “I think they suit you.”
    “You would.” She unclasped the pearls and
dropped them in her purse before pulling out her pentacle pendant
and slipping the thin silver chain around her neck. “I’m a witch.
It’s who I am. If your mother can’t accept me the way I am, then so
be it.”
    “Now, Dess.”
    Before he could say anything else she
reached and turned on the radio, flipping through the stations
until she came to Patsy Cline singing Always . She turned up
the volume and proceeded to butcher the song as only Dess could.
For a girl as pretty as she was, Dess had a horrible singing voice
under the best of circumstances. Mocking the sentiment of the song,
made her screeching just about unbearable.
    Amalie must have been just as annoyed since
she started squalling right along with her mama. Graham looked over
and saw that her face little face was beet red and twisted up in a
determined frown. He smelled the shit right before Odessa belted
out her last always.
    “What a crock of shit,” Odessa said, fanning
herself with her free hand.
    “I believe that’s baby shit,” Graham said,
smiling despite the stench.
    Odessa dangled the child over her lap,
shrieking as if she’d never encountered a dirty diaper. “You better
pull this car over and fix this.”
    “Da da da da,” Amalie cooed and reached her
arms for him.
    “Told ya, she knows who I am.” Graham made a
sharp left and turned into the parking lot of the first gas station
they passed.
    “Okay, Da Da, change her.” Odessa thrust
Amalie at him before he could cut the engine.
    “Go ask for the key to the ladies room,” he
said.
    “I’m not changing her.”
    “If I’m going to do this,” Graham held
Amalie at a safe distance, “the least you can do is go wet me a
wash cloth to wipe her with.”
    “Fine,” she said, getting out of the car and
slamming the door behind her.
    “You could have waited to fill your britches
after meeting your grandma,” he said.
    Amalie grinned and