Read Online Wish You Well by David Baldacci - Free Book Online Page B

cooking had been done there before the Sears cookstove had come. The brick ran to the ceiling, and iron nails were driven through the mortar all over; tools and kettles, and odd pieces of other things Lou couldn’t identify but that looked well-used, hung from them. In the center of the brick wall was a long rifle resting on twin braces angled into the mortar.
    The knock on the door startled them both. Who would expect visitors so far above sea level? Lou opened the door and Diamond Skinner stared back at her with a vast smile. He held up a mess of smallmouth bass, as though he was offering her the crowns of dead kings. Loyal Jeb was beside him, his snout wrinkling as he drew in the fine fishy aroma.
    Louisa came striding in from outside, her brow glistening with sweat, her gloved hands coated with rich dirt, as were her brogans. She slipped off her gloves and dabbed at her face with a sweat rag pulled from her pocket. Her long hair was pulled up under a cloth scarf, wisps of silver peeking out in spots.
    “Well, Diamond, I believe that’s the nicest mess of smallmouth I ever seen, son.” She gave Jeb a pat. “How you doing, Mr. Jeb? You help Diamond catch all them fish?”
    Diamond’s grin was so wide Lou could almost count all his teeth. “Yes’m. Did Hell No—”
    Louisa held up a finger and politely but firmly corrected, “Eugene.”
    Diamond looked down, collecting himself after this blunder. “Yes’m, sorry. Did Eugene tell you—”
    “That you’d be bringing supper? Yes. And you’ll be staying for it seeing you caught it. And get to know Lou and Oz here. Sure y’all be good friends.”
    “We’ve already met,” Lou said stiffly.
    Louisa looked between her and Diamond. “Well, that’s right good. Diamond and you close in years. And be good for Oz to have another boy round.”
    “He’s got me,” Lou said bluntly.
    “Yes, he does,” Louisa agreed. “Well, Diamond, you gonna stay for meal?”
    He considered the matter. “I ain’t got me no more ’pointments today, so yep, I set myself down.” Diamond glanced at Lou, and then he wiped at his dirty face and attempted to tug down one of a dozen cowlicks. Lou had turned away, however, completely unaware of his effort.

    The table was set with Depression glass plates and cups, collected over the years by Louisa, she told them, from Crystal Winter oatmeal boxes. The dishes were green, pink, blue, amber, and rose. However pretty they might be, no one was really focusing on the dishes. Instead, tin fork and knife clashed as they all dug into the meal. When Louisa had said the meal prayer, Lou and Oz crossed themselves, while Diamond and Eugene looked on curiously but said nothing. Jeb lay in the corner, surprisingly patient with his portion. Eugene sat at one end of the table, methodically chewing his food. Oz absorbed his entire meal so fast Lou seriously considered checking to make sure his fork had not disappeared down his throat. Louisa dished Oz the last piece of lard-fried fish, the rest of the cooked vegetables, and another piece of cooked-in-grease cornbread, which, to Lou, tasted better than ice cream.
    Louisa had not filled her plate.
    “You didn’t have any fish, Louisa,” Oz said, as he stared guiltily at his second helping. “Aren’t you hungry?”
    “Meal by itself seeing a boy eating his way up to a growed man. Et while I cooked, honey. Always do.”
    Eugene glanced questioningly at Louisa when she said this and then went back to his meal.
    Diamond’s gaze kept sliding between Lou and Oz. He seemed eager to make friends again, yet seemed unsure how to accomplish it.
    “Can you show me some of the places my dad would go around here?” Lou asked Louisa. “The things he liked to do? See, I’m a writer too.”
    “I know that,” she said, and Lou gave her a surprised look. Louisa put her cup of water down and studied Lou’s face. “Your daddy he like to tell ’bout the land. But afore he done that he done something real