“Yes. They’re supposed to be at their most dangerous.”
“So you decided to come spend some time with one.”
“I was hoping maybe she’d cooled off a little.”
“I don’t think she did.”
“Me either.”
“And there she goes,” Remi said, looking through the interior kitchen windows, then through the dining room and through the exterior windows.
Richie turned around to see what Remi was seeing and tsked a few times. “She does not look herself today at all.”
“She’s still holding that sandwich I gave her. I don’t think it’s edible anymore.”
“There are pieces falling off as she walks,” Richie said.
“Should I go give her another one?” Remi asked.
“No! No, do not even approach her right now. Just give her a wide berth today. Maybe try again later tonight or tomorrow.”
“I did ask if we could maybe have dinner later tonight.”
“Oh, yeah? What’d she say?”
“She said no.”
Richie was still watching her as she made her way across the highway. “She really doesn’t look like she’s handling it well. She’s shook.”
“Was not my intention. I was hoping that I could find a way other than just showing up, maybe even hoping her dad told her I was coming. But, apparently not.”
“Speaking of, brace yourself,” Richie said.
“Why? What’s… oh, I see him.” Remi looked up and waved at an approaching Riley through the windows that opened onto the kitchen.
Riley smiled and waved back.
Remi went back to chopping five pounds of onions, five pounds of green bell peppers, and three bunches of celery.
“Remi! I was getting worried when you didn’t show up last night,” Riley said as he entered the kitchen.
Remi put down the chef’s knife he was using and wiped his hands on his apron before he embraced Riley. “I got in about three this morning but I didn’t want to wake anybody up. I just slept in my car out in front of your house. Richie found me there when he was coming to work and asked if I know how to cook.”
“Hell, yeah, he does. Avaleigh is his mother and I have yet to meet anybody that can out cook Avaleigh,” Riley said, reaching out to do a clap/slide dap handshake with Richie.
“The recipe he’s making now is Avaleigh’s. She gave me her crawfish etouffee recipe when she was here years ago for your wedding and when I make it, it’s good, but not quite like hers,” Richie said.
“But I know the secret,” Remi said.
“Oh, now I’m salivating. I can eat my weight in your mother’s etouffee,” Riley said, while smiling at Remi.
“It is good,” Remi said.
“So, you saw Cristie,” Riley said.
“Yeah, and she saw me. She’s so mad.”
“Yeah, she is. But she’s only that mad because she still cares. If you don’t care, you got no reason to be upset. Downside is because she still cares, she’s still hurting.”
