Page 28

28

GEORGIA

W e’re all seated around the beautifully set table. Strands of twinkle lights are woven through the wisteria vines twisted around the arbor. It’s magical. August is seated between Mama and me with Cade to my left. The men grilled the Tomahawk steaks for the adults and hotdogs for the kids. Their chef did all sorts of sides which look and smell delicious. There’s mac and cheese, baked beans with big hunks of bacon, some fancy cabbage salad, grilled asparagus, potato gratin with creamy cheese, and chocolate-dipped strawberries and tiramisu for dessert.

Mama bumps me with her elbow, so I know something is coming. “Wendy,” she says, “I thought you’d be servin’ that wine I brought for y’all.”

Wendy smiles brightly. “Thanks for the reminder. I have it right here on ice.” She reaches down and grabs the ice bucket holding the berry wine and sets it on the table. Then she bends down again coming back up with a bag of the pork rinds. Tearing it open she takes one out and pops it in her mouth. The loud crunch is real! “Mm mm! Loretta, how in the world did you know pork rinds were my very favorite guilty pleasure? And dill flavored too, I feel like I hit the lotto.” Mama looks crestfallen. I want to laugh but I don’t dare. Wendy continues, “The wine’s already open. I was letting it breathe. Who wants a taste besides me?” She pours herself a glass, then reaches for Mama’s empty wine glass and does a healthy pour.

Wendy lifts her glass towards Mama for a toast. “Here’s to family, may our feuds be as short as our tempers.”

We all laugh and Mama holds up her glass, laughing the hardest of anyone. “Touché.” Mama takes a sip and grimaces. “Ugg! That’s terrible!”

The rest of the evening goes along without a hitch.

O n the drive home, we do a family recap. “I about busted a gut at Mama’s expression when Wendy complimented those pork rinds,” Ava says.

Mama chuckles. “You just know she was fibbin’. There is no way in hell that woman eats pork rinds.”

“She may,” I protest.

“What did y’all think of them potatoes? I could have eaten the whole casserole myself,” Ava says.

“I was partial to them fancy appetizers. That bread with mozzarella and fresh basil, it was almost worth puttin’ up with Wendy,” Mama says.

I roll my eyes. “That’s called bruschetta and Mama, you know you had a good time and Wendy and Mark were the perfect hosts.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. She did have to get in a few digs along the way.”

“You’ve met your match, Loretta,” Daddy declares.

She scoffs, “What, her and a flock of chickens?”

I snort. “Mama you’re terrible. You’re going to have to get used to the idea that they’re practically kin. Whether you like it or not, they share DNA with your grandbaby same as you.”

“Enough about Wendy Jennings. I want to know what’s brewing between you and Cade. He couldn’t take his eyes off of you. Did some hanky panky happen between the two of ya that I missed?”

My face flames and I’m thankful it’s dark out. “Mind your own damn business, Mama.”

“You are my business. Doesn’t matter how old you are, you’re still my baby.”

“Right now, we’re focusing on his relationship with August.”

“A huh. Sure, ya are. I wasn’t born yesterday. Where’d y’all go when we first got there.”

Ava jumps in to defend me. “Mama, this is Georgia’s life, not yours. I reckon you didn’t need any help making your own mistakes.”

“Don’t get lippy. The reason I’m talkin’ about it is so she can avoid mistakes I may have made. I don’t want any of my children to have to learn the hard way.”

Daddy says, “If we learned from others’ mistakes, life would be a whole heck of a lot easier but it don’t work that way, Loretta.”

“Thank you, Daddy!” I huff.

Thankfully we arrive back home and Mama and Ava go straight to the main house and Daddy carries my sleeping child inside and puts him in his crib. I walk him to the door and before heading out he says, “Don’t mind Loretta. If you decide to give Cade another chance, she’ll come around. She just doesn’t want to see you hurt again like before. I think it about killed her back then. We all felt so helpless. She’s scared is all.”

“I know. Truth be told, so am I.”

“You know you can always come and bend my ear. Judgment free zone. If you want my opinion, it’s time to let go of the past and see who he really is. He’s a father now and that changes everything. I think he loves you, Georgia.”

My eyes sting and I reach up on my tip toes and kiss his weathered cheek. “How in the world did I ever get so lucky to have you as my daddy?”

His voice gruff he says, “I’m the lucky one. Now get some sleep and pay no mind to your Mama. She likes her drama.”

I snicker. “Got that right. Night, Daddy. And thank you for everything.”

“I had a real nice time tonight and so did Ava and Loretta too, no matter how they spin it.”

“Could have been a whole lot worse,” I say. “See you tomorrow.” I shut the door and pad to bed.