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"Buster will never retire.”
"Don't be too sure. Diabetes is tough on the body and he's been having issues with his legs." Fancy stared out at the winter-weary branches of the roses she loved to tend. "So what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"I've known Calhoun Everett Orgeron ever since he drank his first sip of milk. He's the kind of man who leans on people to get what he wants." Her mother looked at her, eyes soft and sympathetic.
"What?"
"He wants you back?"
Abigail clutched the arms of the chair, worry clawing her insides. "Why would you think he wants me back?"
"I just told you. I know Calhoun. He'll want his old life. He thinks he deserves it because he's an Orgeron ...and because he has a pretty smile. He blew through y’all’s savings living in California, played footsie on the beach with a veritable child, and now he's home. He's not going to sign up for eHarmony, so he' ll be over at Laurel Woods sweet-talkin' you.”
"Well, he can bark up another tree."
Fancy reached over and patted her hand. "You never could resist Calhoun."
"The hell I can't." Abigail sat up straight. "He broke my heart. I spent years with my self-worth pancaked, so I'm done with Cal. His smile doesn't work on me anymore."
"Good girl. I've been worried. I saw Birdie yesterday and I swear that child could not stop talk ing about Daddy this and Daddy that. She's going to make it harder to say no to Calhoun. Birdie will want to be a family again."
"We are a family. Just not a family who lives together. Birdie understands that. I just need to come up with some guidelines."
"It won't be just Birdie who'll press this. Be prepared, daughter of mine. Be prepared."
Abigail nodded as her cell phone rang. The clanging bells signaled the ringtone for St. George's. "That's the school. Hope Birdie's sore throat hasn't turned into strep again."
Abigail stood, answering her phone. "Hey, Lelah, don't tell me Birdie's running a fever."
Lelah Carter, the most efficient school secretary this side of the Mississippi said, "Oh, no. She's good. Just thought you should know Cal checked her out thirty minutes ago. Said he was taking her to the Dairy Maid.He's on the checkout list so I let her go with him, but after I thought about it, I figured you should know."
Abigail closed her eyes. This was why she needed to clear her head of fluff and attend to Cal and what his return meant for their lives. ''Thanks, Lelah. I don't want her to miss any instructional time, so I'll have a word with Cal." She clicked the end button and collapsed into her chair.
"Everything okay with Birdie?" her mother asked.
"Yeah, she's fine. Cal checked her out to take her to lunch. The man didn't even bother to call and tell me. I would have told him no."·
Her mother made a face. "Well, heisher father. But this confirms what I said earlier. Things are about to get complicated."
"Yeah," Abigail said in monotone, knowing it was important she sit down with Cal to create some rules regarding Birdie. Having Cal in town, something she'd wanted years ago, felt like being pooped on by a bird. She didn't want him here, throwing her life into chaos. She didn't need him bribing Birdie with hamburgers and ice cream and suggesting he could make up to her what he'd destroyed so long ago.
She was tempted to call Morgan and beg her to take Cal back... for the good of everyone.
"I've been praying for a little excitement in your life, but I don't think you want Calhoun Orgeron to give it to you," Fancy said.
"Lord, no," Abigail said. "It's like he's trying to rattle me. Provoke me. That's not the excitement I need."
"Calhoun's a man obsessed with himself, so don't make this about you. He wanted to spend some time with his daughter today and didn't think about how it might affect anyone else. He's all about treats and giggles. Always has been."
"Maybe he didn't mean to ruffle my feathers, but it was irresponsible of him. And what is he teaching Birdie? That it's okay to shirk school for a root beer float?"
Fancy chuckled. "Oh, come on, Abigail. You're mad because you didn't give your permission. I've sat by for several years watching you exercise such firm control over your life that wiggle room is nonexistent."
"Oh, God, Mom. Please don't start this now. Not when I have to go deal with Cal and Birdie."
Fancy crossed her legs Buddha-style and shrugged. "Maybe that's why I mentioned it. Yes, you and Cal need to lay some ground rules, but he hasn't seen his daughter since last summer. Missing a few hours of school won't hurt her. Birdie needs you to give her a break every now and then."
