And the girl who wouldn’t go with me.
I pushed the thought to the back of my mind as Mrs. Nelson sighed. “I understand what it’s like to want to see the world. I was young once. You know Alex went away to college, and he’s lived in Atlanta since. But he comes home to see his father and me.” Her eyes gleamed for a moment. “Now recently, he’s been back pretty often, and I’m not stupid. I know there’s another reason. Not even worrying about Ali could bring him to Burton that often.”
I tried not to react to her name, but the woman sitting next to me never missed a trick. I remembered that Alex used to call her old Eagle Eyes. She shook her head.
“Have you been to see her? I didn’t notice her at the church.”
“No. I haven’t been anywhere but with my mom and the girls. And I don’t think she came today. But there were a lot of people.” There was no way I would’ve missed her if she had. I made a stab at sounding nonchalant. “Been a lot of years since I’ve seen Ali. I’m sure she had better things to do than come to a funeral.”
“Alex said she didn’t come because she didn’t think you’d want her here. And you think she didn’t come because she didn’t want to. Y’all both need to grow up and remember what good friends you were before.”
I rubbed my forehead where a sudden headache had blossomed. I heard myself asking the question I hadn’t dared to mention to my mother or sisters. “How is she?”
Mrs. Nelson didn’t exhibit any surprise. “She’s good. I see her quite a bit, either at the stand or just around the farm.” She smiled. “Bridget is crazy for horses, so she talks either her mother or Sam into bringing her over to our place to visit ours. And Meghan, of course, she takes her on tromps around the woods and fields to sketch.”
I frowned. “Bridget?”
“Yes, that’s Ali’s little girl.” She cut me a sideways glance. “You knew about her, didn’t you?”
“I . . .” In theory, yeah. Maureen had mentioned the baby to me in the casual way my mother and sisters had of keeping me up-to-date on anything Ali-related without making a big deal of it. I’d been numb to the news at that point; the bigger hurt had come months before, when the girl I thought I’d love forever had married another guy and then announced her pregnancy. By the time their baby actually came, I’d shut away that part of my past. I didn’t think I’d ever heard her name. Odd . . . Bridget was my grandmother’s name. It wasn’t used very often anymore. I wondered what had inspired Ali to give her daughter that name.
“She’s a doll, that one is. Smart as a whip and pretty, too.” Mrs. Nelson went on as though I’d answered. “Ali’s a wonderful mama. And to think she’d done it all by herself.”
I thought I might’ve detected a hint of censure in her voice, which was also weird. Before I could say anything else, she kept talking.
“She and Sam work themselves ragged on that farm. But we’re all so proud of them. You remember they’d leased parcels out to a bunch of us after their parents died, but they’ve been taking them back, little by little. I expect this year, Sam’ll farm the land we’ve been keeping for them. Their mama and daddy would be proud. Those two sacrificed so much to make it all happen.”
As one of the sacrifices, I wasn’t sure I could jump up and join the applause. I might’ve said something to that effect, but Alex appeared at that point and sat down on my other side.
“Mom, are you torturing Flynn?” He winked at me. “Cut him some slack.”
His mother spread her hands wide, lifting her shoulders. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alex.” She patted my knee. “We’re just catching up.”
“Watch it, woman. I’m hip to your jive. I heard you.” He mock glared at her and then turned to me. “Flynn, the service was beautiful. Your eulogy . . .” He thumped one hand to his heart. “Your dad would be proud.”
“Thanks.” I picked up my plate again and scooped some potato salad onto my fork, keeping my eyes down so I didn’t have to look at my friend. Holding it together while speaking had taken everything I had. Talking about it after might just break me. “So how long do you think people will stay?”
“Depends. A bunch will eat and run, and then you’ll have those who just hang around, wanting to keep talking.” Mrs. Nelson paused. “Speaking of hanging around, how long are you in town?”
“Subtle, Mom.” Alex rolled his eyes.
“I’m hitting the road the day after tomorrow. At least that’s the plan.” I stabbed one more piece of macaroni and set down my plate again. “I’m supposed to shoot a piece in Los Angeles for an interview with the senator from New Mexico who’s rumored to be a presidential candidate in the next election.” I was just trying to explain, not brag, but Mrs. Nelson tilted her head at me, and I knew I was screwed.
“Excuseus.You haven’t darkened the doorway of your own hometown in over eight years, and now you want to bury your father and then run off again? Have you thought about what that’ll do to your poor mother, not to mention Iona and Maureen? You’ll break their hearts all over again.”
“Mom, seriously, maybe you should—” Alex looked from me to his mother, his face getting red.
“No, sir.” She held up one pink-nailed finger into her son’s face. “You just hush up, Alexander. I’m talking to Flynn. Now, your mother will never ask you to stay, because mothers don’t do that, but she needs you here. You can tell that senator to take one of those—what do you call them, the self-pictures.”
“God, Mom. They’re called selfies. And you need to leave Flynn alone. He’s a grown-up, remember? He knows what he’s doing.”
Mrs. Nelson stood up, leaning on my shoulder as she did. “I’ve said my piece. Now I’m going to see about helping with clean up. Alex, are you riding home with me, or with Sam and Meghan?”
Alex shrugged. “I think they left a few minutes ago. Meghan said something about needing to get back to Savannah for class tomorrow. I’ll just wait for you.” He was silent while his mother gathered our plates and hustled off to the kitchen, and then he turned to me. “Sorry about that. She means well.”
I leaned back, resting my head on the sofa cushion and closing my eyes. “I know she does. It’s just that . . . being back here reminds me why I left. I feel like I’m smothered, you know?”
Alex laughed softly. “Do I ever. Why do you think I maintain a nice distance by living in Atlanta?”
