AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mama, I’m at work, so I can’t talk right now.”
“You’ve avoided me long enough. Marlow Agatha Walker…Hennessy,” she corrects herself to say my married name. “Divorce is a sin. What a terrible example you’re showin’ your daughter, boltin’ at the first sign of trouble.”
“It is not the first sign of trouble,” I say, but she’s still talking.
“God strike me dead if I’m about to have a daughter who not only had a daughter out of wedlock but is now divorcin’ the man. Marlow Agatha, you should be ashamed of yourself—”
“Mama, I’m sorry you’re ashamed of me, but I’d only be ashamed of myself if I kept putting up with him. I should’ve left the first time I thought he was cheating or when he didn’t show up when I was having Dakota because he was out drinking and overdid it. It took seeing him in bed with someone else to knock some sense into me. So, I wouldn’t threaten God with striking you dead because the second I can be free of Cash Hennessy will be the happiest day of my life.”
I’m shaking and hold the phone out to see if there’s still a connection or if my mom hung up on me. It’s silent.
“Mama?”
“I just think y’all could do with some counselin’,” she says in a much quieter tone.
“I tried that during our first year of marriage and we went to two sessions before Cash cussed out the therapist and told her we didn’t need her psychobabble BS.”
Cash didn’t say BS, but the quickest way to shut Mama down is to saybullshitin the middle of the day. She wouldn’t be able to hear another thing I said.
“Well, that was uncalled for,” my mom huffs. “I bet he’d be open to it now though…”
“I’ve gotta go, Mama. Love you.” I hang up before she can say anything else and roll back from the desk, fanning my face.
It’s only then that I remember Linda is sitting right there, and she’s looking at me with wide eyes.
Dammi-dalmatian.
Might not be long before the whole town knows my business.
CHAPTERTEN
GIVE ME MY MUFFIN
WYATT
Grinny calls as I’m parking and I answer as I linger outside the hospital.
“Are you able to make it to the family dinner tonight?” she asks.
“I’ll be a little late, but I’ll be there. Start without me and I can eat whatever is left.”
“I’ll make extra. We’re having Marlow and that sweet little girl of hers, Dakota, over too. Have you straightened things out with her yet? I sure hope you’re not still being a bear. That is not like you, and well, she is just a doll. And don’t get me started on Dakota…”
I grit my teeth before answering. “Yes, we’ve worked things out. She’s actually started working at the hospital recently.”
“Oh, is she the one who took Helen’s place?”
“She is.”
“Helen is so happy to have her days back.”
We’re quiet for a moment.
“Are you there, honey?” Grinny asks.
“Sorry. Yes, I’m here. I’m just walking into work. Do you want me to bring dessert? I could stop by Happy Cow on a break and get something for all of us.”
“No, don’t go to that trouble. I thought I’d make a couple of apple pies. Does that sound good?”
