Page 115 of Unlikely to Stay
“What?That’s not fair!”
“It is.They like you the best out of all of us, anyway.You dye their hair to look like unicorns and mermaids.It should be an easy task.”
“Nothing is easy when Kelda and Madge are involved,” she muttered.
“Well, you better try your best, especially if you don’t want Kelda sneaking Burt in the back door and getting a jumpstart on some of that Kamasutra she plans on teaching all the seniors in that yoga room of yours.”
CC shuddered.“Thanks so much forthatimage in my head.”
Sadie grinned and took the pen out of her hair.“Anytime, sweetie.Now, I gotta go take Marty and Madge’s order.I’ve been getting the stink eye from their table for over a minute now.”
“Marty and Madge?”
“Rumor has it they’re on a date,” Sadie said with a wink.
“Heaven help.”
“So why is Sadie worried about Burt and Kelda doing…well…that one thing she was talking about…in the gym?”Brant tried, and failed miserably, not to think about what Sadie said Kelda wanted to do in CC’s yoga studio.“Won’t the gym be locked up?”
She shook her head.“Nope.We’re having the baby shower at the gym.”
“Really?Why?Wouldn’t it have been easier to have it at the senior citizen center?”
“Way easier.But they were booked up for July for a summer dance for the junior high kids, the Fourth of July bash, Christmas in July and the town garage sale.We wanted to have the shower before Breckin got too miserable and fat to move.She’s so small there’s not much room for a baby to go.And if this baby is as big as her daddy…well…let’s just say Breckin might resemble that girl who turned into a blueberry inCharlie and the Chocolate Factorybefore she pops her out.”
“She’s having a girl?”
“Shhh!Keep your voice down!”CC whispered.“No one knows but Sadie, Annie, and me.Sadie is making the cake pink inside so when they cut into it they’ll know.”
“My lips are sealed.So…the gym, huh?”
“Yep.Annie promised me she could make it look less…gym-y.And they have it in their brains that it is going to be the grand opening of the gym, too.You know, come to the baby shower, buy a membership to the gym.Killing two birds with one stone and all that.”
“That’s actually a really good idea.”
CC rolled her eyes.“You’re jumping on their drinking-the-Kool-Aid bandwagon, too?”
Brant shrugged his shoulders.“As long as it’s tropical punch.It’s the best flavor by far.”
He was rewarded with one of Freckles’ sweet smiles.“So, I don’t think I really believed you when you told me about how all-out Parker, Oklahoma, goes for the Fourth of July.”
“Told ya.We don’t do things small in our small town.”
“Obviously.So what constitutes a block party?Do we just eat?”
“Oh, no.There will be face painting for the kids.A dunk tank, vintage car show, talent show, a chili cook-off, pie contest, petting zoo...there may be more.Every year there are more and more booths.And of course, the fireworks over the lake.That’s the biggest thing.Mason Jones at the marina and some of the volunteer firemen in town go out to one of the islands in the middle of the lake and shoot them off.They’re really spectacular.And I told you the dance in the middle of Main Street ends the night.”
“A chili cook-off and pie contest, huh?That doesn’t seem fair for all the other people in town, what with Sadie being such a good cook and all.”
“Oh, she was banned from entering a long time ago.Her food always won and all the women started getting pissed for not getting the blue ribbon.She judges all the food contests now.I don’t know what’s worse…having her beat you year after year or having her judging your food.”
“That bad, huh?”
“I know I wouldn’t want the pressure.”
Brant shrugged his shoulders.He probably wouldn’t either…if he actually cooked.
CC placed her hand on his arm.“How’s your mom?”she asked, worry in her eyes.