dug into his food and between bites, asked her, “So, what are you and the ladies improving now?”
She tried placing more lasagnaon his plate, but he blocked her with his fork. “I'm still working on this piece.” He smiled to soften the temporary rejection. “This is really good, by the way.”
Dot beamed with pride. “I know it's your favorite. Besides, I never know what you eat besides take out.” After a brief pause, she continued, “Anyway, we decided to put it to a vote on whether to use wood or rubber mulch around the swingsin the park. You know how kids tend to fall, trip, or push each other. This way, they'll have a softer landing. I suggested rubber mulch so the little ones don't get splinters. I'm fairly confident my idea will win. I spoke to most of the ladies and they're already seeing things my way.”
He nodded and chewed while his mom described the goings on of her meeting.
She nervously began fidgetingwith the salt and pepper shakers on his table. Reed had a feeling he wasn't going to like what was coming next.
Dot gave a nervous laugh. “I heard the most absurd rumor from Elaine Newman after the meeting. She said that you've been spending time with that Sophie Brandon at the Cookie Jar. She told me that you've been seen carrying on in there.”
She looked at him expectantly.
He didn't knowwhich part to address first, the fact that his mom called her 'that Sophie' or that some old biddy was cataloging his comings and goings.
Reed raised his hand to halt any more gossip. “First of all, 'that Sophie' is a nice woman.”
Dot gasped. “Reed, I don't know if you've heard, but Sophie Brandon isn't as nice as you think. She and that friend of hers called me a…” She stopped as if she couldn'teven say the word out loud. Instead, she spelled it. “B-I-T-C-H!”
Reed had a hard time believing Sophie would do that. “Mom, when was this?”
Dot looked away, effectively showing that she didn't want to elaborate. “It doesn't matter when! They insulted me!”
“ Why would they do something like that?”
She glanced up at him seeming embarrassed and insulted all over again.
“ All right, I'll tellyou what happened. Elaine and I ran into each other at the gas station and started chatting. We were next to the door when Sophie and that friend of hers barged out of the Gas N Go. I guess we must have been in their way because that Tracy King gave me the most scathing look I ever saw. I didn't know what to say! They got in their car and that's when I saw them say B-I-T-C-H!”
Reed was tryingto process this. “Wait. They spelled it or said it?”
Dot was indignant. “They said it!”
“ Okay. Now, what do you mean you saw them say it? You mean that you heard them.”
“ I read their lips! They were angry and talking about me!”
“ How do you know they were talking about you?”
“ They were looking right at me! I saw it plain as day.”
Reed sat back in his chair, knowing there had to be more tothe story. “Why would Sophie and Tracy do that?”
She looked indignant. “I don't have the faintest idea! They simply have no respect for their elders. Do you really want to spend time with someone who would treat your own mother so poorly?”
“ I'll have to ask Sophie about this.”
Dot stood up swiftly. “You can't do that!”
Reed was surprised by her reaction. “Why not, Mom?”
She sat back downand started to fidget with the salt shaker again. “It's so embarrassing. I'd rather you didn't say anything to anyone.”
Thinking she looked more nervous than embarrassed, he thought his mom might have misread things. “Are you sure? Don't you want to hear Sophie and Tracy's side of this?”
“ I don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me; is it true that you're carrying on with Sophie Brandon?”
Reed set his fork on his plate and wondered why it was anyone's business. “Like I said, Sophie's a nice woman.” Speaking over Dot's squeak of disbelief, he continued. “As for
She tried placing more lasagnaon his plate, but he blocked her with his fork. “I'm still working on this piece.” He smiled to soften the temporary rejection. “This is really good, by the way.”
Dot beamed with pride. “I know it's your favorite. Besides, I never know what you eat besides take out.” After a brief pause, she continued, “Anyway, we decided to put it to a vote on whether to use wood or rubber mulch around the swingsin the park. You know how kids tend to fall, trip, or push each other. This way, they'll have a softer landing. I suggested rubber mulch so the little ones don't get splinters. I'm fairly confident my idea will win. I spoke to most of the ladies and they're already seeing things my way.”
He nodded and chewed while his mom described the goings on of her meeting.
She nervously began fidgetingwith the salt and pepper shakers on his table. Reed had a feeling he wasn't going to like what was coming next.
Dot gave a nervous laugh. “I heard the most absurd rumor from Elaine Newman after the meeting. She said that you've been spending time with that Sophie Brandon at the Cookie Jar. She told me that you've been seen carrying on in there.”
She looked at him expectantly.
He didn't knowwhich part to address first, the fact that his mom called her 'that Sophie' or that some old biddy was cataloging his comings and goings.
Reed raised his hand to halt any more gossip. “First of all, 'that Sophie' is a nice woman.”
Dot gasped. “Reed, I don't know if you've heard, but Sophie Brandon isn't as nice as you think. She and that friend of hers called me a…” She stopped as if she couldn'teven say the word out loud. Instead, she spelled it. “B-I-T-C-H!”
Reed had a hard time believing Sophie would do that. “Mom, when was this?”
Dot looked away, effectively showing that she didn't want to elaborate. “It doesn't matter when! They insulted me!”
“ Why would they do something like that?”
She glanced up at him seeming embarrassed and insulted all over again.
“ All right, I'll tellyou what happened. Elaine and I ran into each other at the gas station and started chatting. We were next to the door when Sophie and that friend of hers barged out of the Gas N Go. I guess we must have been in their way because that Tracy King gave me the most scathing look I ever saw. I didn't know what to say! They got in their car and that's when I saw them say B-I-T-C-H!”
Reed was tryingto process this. “Wait. They spelled it or said it?”
Dot was indignant. “They said it!”
“ Okay. Now, what do you mean you saw them say it? You mean that you heard them.”
“ I read their lips! They were angry and talking about me!”
“ How do you know they were talking about you?”
“ They were looking right at me! I saw it plain as day.”
Reed sat back in his chair, knowing there had to be more tothe story. “Why would Sophie and Tracy do that?”
She looked indignant. “I don't have the faintest idea! They simply have no respect for their elders. Do you really want to spend time with someone who would treat your own mother so poorly?”
“ I'll have to ask Sophie about this.”
Dot stood up swiftly. “You can't do that!”
Reed was surprised by her reaction. “Why not, Mom?”
She sat back downand started to fidget with the salt shaker again. “It's so embarrassing. I'd rather you didn't say anything to anyone.”
Thinking she looked more nervous than embarrassed, he thought his mom might have misread things. “Are you sure? Don't you want to hear Sophie and Tracy's side of this?”
“ I don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me; is it true that you're carrying on with Sophie Brandon?”
Reed set his fork on his plate and wondered why it was anyone's business. “Like I said, Sophie's a nice woman.” Speaking over Dot's squeak of disbelief, he continued. “As for
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