Merry Anna pulled the door shut behind her and locked it just after six thirty. Hungry after the long day, she walked over to the Creekside Café for dinner.
Maizey spotted her as soon as she went in. “Good to see you. I’ve got a table right over there for you.”
“Thanks. I’m starving.”
“If y’all were as busy over at the store as we were here, I bet you didn’t even get lunch.”
“Come to think of it, I’m not sure I even had a sip of water all day.”
Maizey held up a finger. “That’s easy to fix.” She whisked behind the counter, then came back with a tall glass of ice water. “You having the special again?”
“As always.” In all the time she’d been in Antler Creek, Merry Anna hadn’t had a single bad meal. Even the liver and onions, which she’d about had a heart attack over when Maizey had set the plate down in front of her, had been delicious. It was that day that she decided to quit being so picky and let Maizey feed her whatever the special of the day was. She hadn’t been disappointed yet.
Maizey put the order in, and Merry Anna watched her busy her way through the crowded restaurant. Three waitresses couldn’t handle this place as well as she did single-handedly. Maizey stood talking to a young woman at the door, and then the two of them walked over.
“Have you met Ginger?” Maizey asked.
“No, I don’t think so. Hi, I’m Merry Anna. I work over at Hardy House.”
“Yes, Krissy and Liz were talking about you at the Spring Fling. I can’t believe we haven’t crossed paths. Do you mind if I crash your table? The kids are at ball practice. I just need a little grown-up time.”
“Sure. Join me.”
Looking a little frazzled, Ginger slid into the booth. “Thank you. I swear my life is always in high gear. Sometimes I just need to catch a breath. Do you have kids?”
“No, I don’t.”
She sighed. “I love ’em. I do. But sometimes between them and my husband, I am just worn out.”
Merry Anna really didn’t know what to say to that. Not only didn’t she have kids, but she’d never spent much time around them. Yet she did know how much stress a husband could be. Kids were probably at least three times that.
“I bet you love working with Krissy. She’s so great.”
“She is.” Merry Anna chuckled. “And just being around all that pretty stuff is hardly like work at all.”
“I bet.” Ginger smiled and took a big glass of sweet tea from Maizey. “Thanks, Maizey.”
“You probably need some kind of caffeine-free tea with no sugar to relax,” Maizey said. “But who can drink that stuff?”
“I know, right? No, I need this to get through the night. We’ll be out late.” Ginger turned to Merry Anna as if she needed to explain. “As soon as the kids get done at practice, we’re driving over to James County for the rodeo. The little ones love doing that mutton bustin’.”
“Mutton busting?” Sometimes it was as if these people spoke another language.
“Oh, they probably don’t do that where you’re from. It’s when the kids try to ride a big ol’ fat woolly sheep out of the bucking chutes.”
Merry Anna must have looked horrified, because Ginger immediately began to defend it.
“It’s not dangerous. They plop a helmet on their head. Basically, the kids cling to the back until they slide off. It’s harmless for them and the sheep. It does mean extra laundry for me, but they come home tired. That’s a plus.”
It sounded crazy to Merry Anna. “You’re not terrified they’ll get hurt?”
“No. Kids are rugged. It’s all in good fun.”
Maizey walked over and slid two specials in front of them. “How’s that for fast?”
“You’re the best,” Merry Anna said.
“Got that right,” Maizey said with a laugh.
