Page 118 of Rastor

"Gee Mom," Lauren Jane said, "aren't you gonna say 'you're welcome?'" Lauren Jane leaned her head close to mine and said in a loud whisper. "Parents can be so rude."

Loretta glared across the table. "So can daughters."

"Well," Lauren Jane said in a snotty tone, "at least I say you're welcome when someone thanks me."

After a long, tense silence, Loretta cleared her throat. "Lawton, I apologize. Of course, you are quite welcome.'"

"See?" Chloe's dad said. "Now honey-bun, was that so hard?" He pounded his fist on the table. "Now what do you say we rustle up some dessert?"

Shit. That's right. Dessert. The clock was ticking. How long had it been since I'd choked down that godawful gravy? Five, ten minutes? I glanced at my watch. In fifteen minutes, we'd need to get the hell out of here no matter what.

Chloe stood. "Dessert? I'll get it." She looked toward Loretta. "Unless you'd rather?"

Loretta waved a loose hand toward the desserts. "Go ahead. Whatever." She reached up to rub her temples with both index fingers. "I give up."

Chloe picked up the dessert dishes and started serving up cheesecake and cobbler to everyone at the table. When she got to me, I waved it away. I wasn't feeling so good, and there was no way I could choke down anything else, no matter how great it might've tasted otherwise. "None for me, thanks."

She gave me a worried look. "You sure?"

My tongue was feeling too dry and a little too thick. I nodded and reached for my water-glass. It was nearly full, but I downed the whole thing in one long, gulp. Chloe reached for the water-pitcher and filled my glass.

When I looked up, her eyes were troubled. I forced out a smile and said, "Thanks, dumplin'."

She snickered and then caught herself, turning it into a poor imitation of throat-clearing.

Lauren Jane stuck her head between us and smiled over at me. "Oh you," she said, giving me another swat on my arm.

Hey, it was better than a grab to the crotch.

Lauren Jane made a pouty face at me. "How come you never callmedumpling?"

Suddenly, Loretta blurted out, "Stop it! I don't know what's gotten in to all of you, but I've just about had it."

Chloe's dad eyed her with concern. "What's wrong, Sugar Cube?"

Loretta glared at him. "I. Am. Not. Your. Sugar. Cube." And then, as if realizing she was making an ass of herself, she gave him a tight smile. "Alright?"

He held up his hands, surrender-style. "Woah. Hear ya loud and clear, chief. No more sugar cubes." He looked around the table. "Got that, everyone?"

"Oh for Heaven's sake," Loretta muttered, reaching for her wine glass.

Lauren Jane ignored her mom and turned back to me. "So, you and my sister are just friends, right?"

I glanced around the table. They were still eating dessert. The way it looked, we couldn’t leave yet, so I might as well make it count. I grinned across the table. "Chloe? You wanna answer that one?"

She smiled back. "Not particularly."

Ignoring Chloe, Lauren Jane turned back to me and said, "So how'd you two meet? Was she your waitress or something?"

I leaned back in my chair. "Nope."

Chloe's dad gave another slap to the table. "Don't be shy, son. Go on. Tell us how you two met."

I looked to Chloe. "Chloe, you wanna tell the story?"

Her mouth opened, but no words came out. From the look on her face, she didn't know what story to tell. ButIdid, and it wasn't a story that Chloe had heard before.

But it was still the truth.