Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
K athy jogged into the diner on Monday morning. Last night, she’d had a nightmare about rattlesnakes and not being able to get to Barry because of them. She woke in a wash of sweat and just couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that seemed to squeeze the air out of her lungs. But she was going to help Kate, and hopefully, the fun of decorating the community center would give her something else to think about.
Edna waved her over to her normal booth. “You’re early. Kate isn’t even here yet.”
Corrie came out of the kitchen. “Hey, sweetie, coffee?”
Kathy smiled at Barry’s mom. “Yes, ma’am, I’ll grab one from the cart, but I’d love a sausage biscuit, please.”
“You got it. Barry called me last night and told me what was going on. I don’t agree with it, but there’s no arguing with that young man when he gets something into his head. If you haven’t learned that, you will.”
“Oh, I know he means what he says, but I’m going to do everything in my power to make him think twice.” Kathy felt her face heat.
“That’s my girl.” Corrie laughed as she went back into the kitchen.
Kathy poured herself a cup of coffee and then fixed it with sugar and cream before returning to the booth.
“So … I don’t want to be intrusive, but what were you and Corrie talking about?”
Kathy smiled. Of course, Edna didn’t want to be intrusive, but she sure as heck wanted to know the scoop. “I’ll tell you, but we’re supposed to keep it under wraps.” She took a sip of her coffee and watched as Edna leaned in.
“What?”
“Yesterday, Barry found two rattlesnakes in his bunkroom at the Hollisters’. The thought is someone put them there, but he was with me, not in the bunkhouse.” Barry had cautioned her not to talk about his thoughts about Fish, and she assumed the information about his brother fell under the same umbrella of secrecy.
With a gasp, Edna placed her hand over her chest. “Do they think it’s someone out at the ranch?”
“No, ma’am. I think they’re still connecting it to whatever is happening around the area.” Kathy put her cup down when Corrie came out of the kitchen with her biscuit. “Thank you. ”
“You’re welcome. I’ve got to get back to the kitchen and get ready for the next wave of customers. Are you two set here?”
“Kate will be here shortly. Could you bring her a caramel roll when she comes in? And I’m paying for it this week. No arguments.”
“Ah, she already paid for this week, last week.” Corrie shrugged. “Sorry.”
“That girl.” Edna shook her head, but the smile was huge. “I’m never going to win with her, am I?”
“I think between Kate and Melody, you could eat free here for the rest of your life.”
“Oh, Melody is such a sweetheart. I adore her boys, and I love popping over to give her a break every now and then.”
“You go over three times a week, twice during the week, and you babysit on Monday nights so she and Declan can have some time alone. You’re a saint in their eyes; mine, too.” Corrie winked at the woman and headed back into the kitchen.
“You do that for Mel?” Kathy cut her biscuit in half as she spoke.
“It started out as helping her when the boys were young. But I love those little guys so much that I do it now to get my fix in.” Edna chuckled. “Mel has a special place in my heart.”
Kathy took a bite and watched as Edna cut off a chunk of her humongous cinnamon roll. When she finished chewing, she asked, “So, how do you know Kate?”
Edna’s eyes widened. “What?”
“How do you know Kate? I met her when she was here for the summers and when she was dating Tegan before she entered the military. How do you know her?”
“Oh, through her father when he was alive. He was such a pleasant man.” Edna looked down at her food. “They don’t make many like him.”
Kathy lifted an eyebrow. What an odd statement to make. Edna looked up and out the window. “Oh, there’s Kate now.”
Kathy took another sip of her coffee as Kate parked her truck. “How are the ladies? Belinda and Doris? It was really nice of Belinda to speak for Barry like she did. Unusual, too.”
Edna shook her head. “Not really. Belinda got bullied a lot when we were kids. When you grow up dirt poor and live off hand-me-downs and the kindness of strangers, life tends to beat you down, and people being mean brings you down even more. Belinda’s mom had, well, let’s call it a reputation, and Belinda was born out of wedlock. Now, that don’t mean much at all. But back then, well, Belinda had a lot to live down. She’s always been horribly shy unless you get her protectiveness aggravated. She has boys, and let me tell you, no one, not a single person, dared tread on those boys. She made sure they were respected. I suspect she sees some of herself in Barry. The anger with no place to go, I mean. I think she had a lot of that with no way to get or ask for help.”
“I had no idea.” Kathy put her coffee cup down. “Wow.”
“Not many do anymore. Just us old-timers.” Edna smiled as Kate came in and stopped at the coffee cart. She picked up a mug and yelled into the back, “I’m here, Ciera!”
“Ciera’s off today. It’s me, and I’ll be there in a second,” Corrie called back.
Kate walked over and slid in beside Edna. “Sorry, I’m late. Doodle spilled his feed in the laundry room, and Tegan had already left for the stockyard. So, I spent fifteen minutes cleaning under the washer and dryer while fending off the little dickens. He listens to Tegan. To me? Not so much.”
“The laundry room?” Kathy cocked her head. “Why is his feed in the laundry room?” She’d seen Doodle before when Tegan first rescued him from somewhere west of there.
“He’s kind of a house horse,” Edna said, chuckling before sipping her coffee. “And where did you get off paying for my roll already?”
“Ha! I knew you’d try to pay before I got here; that’s why. I’m glad Ciera told Corrie.” Kate laughed when Edna shrugged. “So, I may have ordered some of those Edison lights for the community center. I love them, and there was a sale.” Kate leaned forward. “I figured I’d donate them to the center; if I ever need them, I could borrow them back. Do you think they’d be okay with that? ”
“Sure. Declan and Mel are super sweet about anyone using the center and decorations, although, as we said, Stephanie has the inventory of what’s there. Do you want wedding decorations?”
“I should, shouldn’t I?” Kate shook her head. “I’ve never been a real girly girl, so having a big reception isn’t on my bucket list. I just want everyone to have a good time—music, alcohol, dancing. Tegan is going to rent a big barbecue, and we’ll do hamburgers, hotdogs, and all the fixings.”
“So, no white paper wedding bells?” Edna chuckled.
“Ah, no.” Kate laughed. “I would prefer the Edison lights I ordered and whatever stuff Stephanie has.”
“That sounds like fun.” Kathy took another bite of her biscuit when Corrie brought out Kate’s roll.
“Oh, yeah, there it is. My weekly sugar fix.” Kate rubbed her hands together. “Thank you, Corrie.”
“You’re welcome.” Corrie filled Edna’s and her cups before she left.
Kate looked at her. “Can I tell you something that could very probably be weird for both of us?”
“I teach for a living. Believe me, you can tell me anything, and I won’t think it’s weird. My kids come up with the darnedest things.”
“I’m not so sure about that, but here it goes. I have a friend who has a gift of knowing what will happen in the future.” She held up her hand. “I know some people don’t believe in the sight, but I do, and I’ve seen firsthand what this woman can do. ”
Kathy frowned. “I totally believe in people having premonitions. My dad calls it gut feelings, but I think people can be extremely sensitive to future events.”
“Oh, thank God.” Kate sighed. “Blessing, that’s her name; she called me this morning while I stood on my head trying to get Doodle’s feed out from under the dryer. She told me the young woman I was having breakfast with needed to wear her running watch from now on out. Don’t take it off. Wear it; it’s important.”
“My running watch?” Kathy frowned. “You mean my fitness tracker? I do wear it when I run.”
“That has to be it.” Edna nodded. “Kate has told me all about Blessing. I believe in her. If she says you need to wear it, wear it.”
Kathy stared at Kate. “Am I going to have a heart attack or something?”
“That’s just it; she didn’t know. She just knew she had to tell me that this morning.”
“Are you having chest pains?” Edna paused with a bite of roll halfway to her mouth.
“No, I feel fine. I just had my annual appointment. I have a clean bill of health.”
Kate leaned forward. “Just do me a favor and wear it, please?”
“I can do that.” Kathy shrugged. “Are you sure it’s not Edna who’s supposed to wear it?”
Edna snorted. “Like I’d have a running watch, and I’m a titch out of the ballpark when it comes to the young woman description.”
“She knows I have Monday coffee with Edna. She would have said Edna’s name.” Kate took a sip of her coffee. “I promise you I wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t believe in her one thousand percent.”
“I’ll wear it.” Kathy nodded.
Kate breathed a sigh of relief. “Great. Now, I can demolish this platter-sized portion of sugar.”
Edna snorted. “Maybe you’re the one who’s going to have a heart attack.”
“Nah, I work it off.” Kate winked at her. “You know, like you used to do when your husband and you first got married. It's a nightly activity.”
Edna’s smile was huge. “The best type of exercise.”
Kathy laughed at the woman’s response. She really needed to let Gen know Edna may not be as strait-laced as they thought.