The preacher never missed a single beat, but Allie did hear a few snickers in the crowd. That brought out her protective nature and she would have marched forward and sat on the altar with her grandmother if Irene had wanted to do that. But instead Irene pushed past Blake and sat on his left. “You can sit on the other side of Everett. If he pulls your hair, kick him in the shins.”
Allie slid in beside Blake. He was freshly shaved and the smell of something woodsy, mixed with his soap, sent her senses reeling. She waited until Irene was settled and whispered softly, “Sorry, it’s not a good day. It started off good but it’s gone to hell in a handbasket.”
Blake smiled. “I’m not a bit sorry. I may buy her an ice cream cone after church.”
“And where would you get that?” Allie whispered.
“Shhh. Everett Dunlap, you know better than to talk in church.” Irene popped him on the shoulder. “And don’t you dare pull my hair.”
It was downright crazy: one man’s hand on her shoulder made her want to run; the other sitting a foot away almost made her hyperventilate right there in front of her grandmother, the preacher, and even God. Life and fate were both four letter words and both should be put on the naughty list with the other cuss words.
Allie breathed a sigh of relief when they made it through the benediction without her granny announcing to the whole place that it was about time the long-winded preacher shut his mouth so they could go eat dinner. Everyone was standing up and the noise level was rising by the second as folks talked about everything from the sermon to the weather and lined up in the pews to shake the preacher’s hand at the door.
Blake extended a hand to Irene. “Thank you, ladies, for sitting with me.”
She took it and nodded. “It was our pleasure, I’m sure. I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you Hilda’s uncle?”
“Isn’t this Everett, Granny?”
Her grandmother’s eyes went dark as she searched for a puzzle piece that would tell her who Everett was, then suddenly she clapped her hands. “Everett pulled my hair and I kicked him. He tattled on me but I didn’t care. I think he likes me.” Irene giggled. “But he didn’t come to church today. I’m glad your uncle is here, though.”
“I’m glad, too,” Blake answered with a smile.
“Are you going to Hilda’s for dinner, too? Her mama always makes fried chicken on Sunday and my mama made roast beef today so I don’t want to go to my house,” Irene asked.
“Your mama might want you to go home today since Lizzy has invited her boyfriend over for dinner,” Allie said.
Irene looked up, waved at Katy, and shouted above the noise of dozens of conversations. “Mama, I am going home with Hilda and her uncle today. I don’t like Lizzy’s boyfriend or that mean man that runs around with him.”
“Shhh, Granny,” Allie said.
“We are all going home. You can ride with Allie,” Katy said sternly.
Irene stopped in the middle of the aisle and glared at Katy. “When those two mean men go away I will come home. Besides I want fried chicken.”
“I’d planned on driving over to Olney to a little restaurant that specializes in fried chicken on Sunday,” Blake said quickly. “I’m sure my niece would enjoy her company and I could have her back at your place by mid-afternoon.”
“Yes, yes!” Irene clapped her hands. “Please let me go. I don’t get to go to a café hardly ever.”
“You put her up to this. You put the idea in her head,” Lizzy hissed at Allie. “I will never forgive you for ruining my entire weekend.”
“I did not. Next Sunday you can sit beside her and take her to the bathroom,” Allie said.
Katy slipped her hand around Allie’s arm. “This does not mean any more than taking care of your grandmother, does it?”
“No, ma’am,” Allie said. “She’ll make a scene if you don’t let her go with me and Blake. She thinks I’m her childhood friend, Hilda. They mentioned her name in the nursery and that’s probably what set her off.”
Herman Hudson stepped out from his pew and fell in behind Katy, separating her from Lizzy and the two guys. “Blake Dawson, I hear you’ve got wood to give away.”
“Yes, sir, I do,” Blake said.
Herman stuck out his hand. “I’ll be glad to take all you can pile up for my wood yard. You got a problem with me selling it?”
“No, sir, not one bit. I’d just be glad to get it cleared away and not have to burn it all up,” Blake said.
“Then me and my kin folks will be there soon as this snow stops. We don’t mind workin’ once it’s on the ground but when it’s fallin’, it makes it tough. Thank you, son,” Herman said.
Irene wiggled in the backseat like a little girl eager to get to her destination. “We’ll be there in a little bit, won’t we? Can I have ice cream if I eat all my chicken?”
“Yes, you can or whatever dessert you want,” Blake answered.
“I like your uncle,” Irene said.
The café had two empty tables when they arrived. The waitress waved them to one and said, “If you’ll sit there, we’ll save the bigger one for more folks. Be right with you.”
The waitress finally got around to them, handing out menus, which consisted of one laminated page with the listings for breakfast on one side and lunch on the other. “What are y’all having to drink?”
“Sweet tea,” Irene answered.