ought to call up one of those 1-800-lawsuit lawyers that ’ s always advertising on the TV! Can ’ t be any worse picking a lawyer from a blind phone call, now can it? ”
“ This was not a blind anything, Mom. ”
“ Least with the TV fellows you can get a gander at what they look like, pick one out that looks successful but not flashy. Maybe the one with slick-backed hair and that gold and rhinestone tie tack. ” She patted his hand a little too hard. “ I ’ ll bet nary a one of them would let their personal feelings for you get in the way of things, no matter how much you turned on that ol ’ sawmill charm of yours. ”
“ Now you ’ re just being ornery. ” He pushed his rolled-up sleeves past his elbows.
“ That don ’ t change the fact that the devil you know is usually better than the devil you don ’ t. ”
Riley didn ’ t want to ask but clearly Momma wanted him to ask. “ By devil you mean...? ”
“ Lawyers. ”
Riley pulled away and stood straight beside the bed. “ I ’ ll keep that in mind when I go over to Fulton ’ s Dominion tomorrow morning. ”
“ Fulton ’ s Dominion? I thought that fell through. I thought we ’ d heard the last of you getting mixed up with that... that...that Fulton family! ”
“ What? You got some good gossip on them, too? ” Riley laughed. “ What do you use to gather your information, Momma? Computers? Satellites? Secret frequency radio waves? ”
“ You are not too old to be taken to the woodshed for sass- talking me, son. ”
“ Dinnertime, Mrs. Walker. ” A young woman in a brightly colored scrub suit and a hairnet came into the small room. She slid the large tray bearing a covered meal on the bed table while making small talk about the menu and the desert and how the patients might complain about the food but they seemed to eat it all every night then ask for more.
When she left, Momma leaned forward, peering at the steaming plate of portions in various shades of beige and brown. She wrinkled up her nose, then shook her head and stuck her hand out to him. “ Well, it ain ’ t the way I make meat-loaf and gravy but it ’ s what I ’ ve got. Best say my thanks for it. ”
Riley gladly took his mother ’ s hand and bowed his head.
“ Thank you for this food, oh, Lord. And for my health, such as it is right now. Thank you for giving me two wonderful children and a beautiful grandchild, even if we can ’ t all be together right now. I trust we ’ ll all be a family again in time, even if it ’ s not ‘ til we ’ re in heaven. ”
Riley started to murmur amen , but Momma wasn ’ t quite done.
“ And please guide my Riley as he considers this new business dealing. Don ’ t let him get drawn into a big, fat mess with those...with your good and faithful...and, um, interesting servants, the Fulton family. ” She gave his hand a squeeze. “ Amen. ”
“ Amen. ” But before he would turn lose of his mother ’ s hand he caught her with a hard gaze. “ I think maybe you ’ d better tell me just what it is you ’ ve heard about these folks, Momma, before I go getting myself involved in anything pertaining to them and their business. ”
“ I ’ ve never heard a bad word spoken against their business. ” She unfurled her napkin and tucked it into the round collar of her hospital gown. “ In fact, we owned a sofa made by that company for years and years. You remember that blue and gold one with the tiny floral pattern woven into— ”
“ What about the family? ”
She picked up her fork and plunged it into the glob of mashed potatoes. “ I always liked that sofa. ”
“ Mom. ” He crossed his arms and dipped his head. “ What aren ’ t you telling me? ”
“ Son, the truth is, I don ’ t know for sure what it is about that family. ” She put her fork down. “ They ’ re just peculiar, that ’ s all. Wealthy, though, and active in the community. Whether the community likes it or not. ”
“ I see. So it ’
“ This was not a blind anything, Mom. ”
“ Least with the TV fellows you can get a gander at what they look like, pick one out that looks successful but not flashy. Maybe the one with slick-backed hair and that gold and rhinestone tie tack. ” She patted his hand a little too hard. “ I ’ ll bet nary a one of them would let their personal feelings for you get in the way of things, no matter how much you turned on that ol ’ sawmill charm of yours. ”
“ Now you ’ re just being ornery. ” He pushed his rolled-up sleeves past his elbows.
“ That don ’ t change the fact that the devil you know is usually better than the devil you don ’ t. ”
Riley didn ’ t want to ask but clearly Momma wanted him to ask. “ By devil you mean...? ”
“ Lawyers. ”
Riley pulled away and stood straight beside the bed. “ I ’ ll keep that in mind when I go over to Fulton ’ s Dominion tomorrow morning. ”
“ Fulton ’ s Dominion? I thought that fell through. I thought we ’ d heard the last of you getting mixed up with that... that...that Fulton family! ”
“ What? You got some good gossip on them, too? ” Riley laughed. “ What do you use to gather your information, Momma? Computers? Satellites? Secret frequency radio waves? ”
“ You are not too old to be taken to the woodshed for sass- talking me, son. ”
“ Dinnertime, Mrs. Walker. ” A young woman in a brightly colored scrub suit and a hairnet came into the small room. She slid the large tray bearing a covered meal on the bed table while making small talk about the menu and the desert and how the patients might complain about the food but they seemed to eat it all every night then ask for more.
When she left, Momma leaned forward, peering at the steaming plate of portions in various shades of beige and brown. She wrinkled up her nose, then shook her head and stuck her hand out to him. “ Well, it ain ’ t the way I make meat-loaf and gravy but it ’ s what I ’ ve got. Best say my thanks for it. ”
Riley gladly took his mother ’ s hand and bowed his head.
“ Thank you for this food, oh, Lord. And for my health, such as it is right now. Thank you for giving me two wonderful children and a beautiful grandchild, even if we can ’ t all be together right now. I trust we ’ ll all be a family again in time, even if it ’ s not ‘ til we ’ re in heaven. ”
Riley started to murmur amen , but Momma wasn ’ t quite done.
“ And please guide my Riley as he considers this new business dealing. Don ’ t let him get drawn into a big, fat mess with those...with your good and faithful...and, um, interesting servants, the Fulton family. ” She gave his hand a squeeze. “ Amen. ”
“ Amen. ” But before he would turn lose of his mother ’ s hand he caught her with a hard gaze. “ I think maybe you ’ d better tell me just what it is you ’ ve heard about these folks, Momma, before I go getting myself involved in anything pertaining to them and their business. ”
“ I ’ ve never heard a bad word spoken against their business. ” She unfurled her napkin and tucked it into the round collar of her hospital gown. “ In fact, we owned a sofa made by that company for years and years. You remember that blue and gold one with the tiny floral pattern woven into— ”
“ What about the family? ”
She picked up her fork and plunged it into the glob of mashed potatoes. “ I always liked that sofa. ”
“ Mom. ” He crossed his arms and dipped his head. “ What aren ’ t you telling me? ”
“ Son, the truth is, I don ’ t know for sure what it is about that family. ” She put her fork down. “ They ’ re just peculiar, that ’ s all. Wealthy, though, and active in the community. Whether the community likes it or not. ”
“ I see. So it ’
Similar Books
