Chapter 22
Audrey stood in the doorway of the trailer and watched Bitsy park next door. Hettie looked absolutely spry as she got out of the old Cadillac and marched up the porch steps. She didn’t even use her cane, but she did shake her fist toward Brodie’s farm.
Brodie came up behind Audrey and put his arms around her waist. She leaned back against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.
“She wasn’t like this when I was a little girl, or when I was in college, or even later when I came home for holidays.
She was always so sweet and kind to me. I can’t help but wonder if she has dementia or if she has always had a mean streak like her brothers had. ”
“Mother always said that unhappiness can cause bitterness to come out,” Brodie said. “I’m sorry you have to go through this, but, darlin’, you have the right to walk right over there and talk to Hettie if you want to.”
Audrey said with a long sigh. “Your mama was right. Looking back, I can pinpoint when she got so cantankerous, but I thought it was brought on by grief when Uncle Amos passed away. When she threatened to leave the farm, I thought she was trying to win an argument. I had no idea that I was holding her back.”
“She’ll have a few days to figure it all out. Once she gets away from the forest, she may even see that the trees aren’t a bad thing,” Brodie said, and then backed away and took two beers from the refrigerator. “You probably need something stronger, but this is all I’ve got to offer.”
“Is it cold?” she asked. “After today, I don’t think I could handle warm beer.”
Brodie nodded, twisted the top off one bottle, and handed it to her.
“The generator is running. It can’t produce enough power to keep the place air-conditioned, but it keeps the refrigerator running and the little hot water tank going.
When Knox took the trailer with him on jobs, he always parked in places where he could plug in to electricity. ”
“Thank you,” Audrey forced a smile.
“Hey, now.” Brodie kissed her on the forehead. “I can always fill in for Hettie if you need a good argument.”
“I’m confused, Brodie. She has never had any trouble speaking her mind, so why didn’t she tell me she wasn’t happy?”
“She’s old, darlin’,” he answered.
“Old, yes, but—” she started.
“Hey, is anyone home?” Walter’s voice floated across the yard.
“Come on in,” Brodie called out.
Walter opened the door, wiped his feet on the welcome mat at the top of the stairs, and went inside. “I thought I might find you in here, Audrey. Did Hettie really have to go to the hospital?”
“She did,” Audrey moved over closer to Brodie and patted the seat beside her.
Walter sat down and raised an eyebrow. “Why is Bitsy over there?”
Audrey told him the whole story, from the time the ambulance showed up at the church to that moment. “I feel horrible. She’s blaming me for almost having a heart attack and for leaving Spanish Fort. This has been her home her whole life.”
“That makes sense, but you shouldn’t go on a guilt trip,” Walter said.
“Can I get you a beer or a bottle of water?” Brodie asked.
“I’d love a beer,” Walter answered, and then reached over and patted Audrey on the cheek.
“Even eating a nice, big, grilled T-bone steak gets old after a while if you have it on the table every day for a month. You’ll get to craving a bologna sandwich or even a peanut butter one just to have something different. ”
“I understand where you are going with this,” Brodie said.
“Well, I don’t,” Audrey declared.
“Your aunt has been in Spanish Fort on a ranch or a farm her whole life,” Brodie explained as he got a beer out of the fridge and handed it to Walter.
“She’s sick of the same old thing. Maybe getting out of this area is on her bucket list, but she feels guilty, like she is leaving her late husband.
So, she needs someone to blame for her move.
Also, if you have to shoulder the cause of her decision if it doesn’t go right, then that’s your fault, too. ”
“Yep, that’s it,” Walter said.
“Did you talk to her?” Audrey asked.
“That’s not just a no, but a hell, no, all in capital letters,” Walter answered.
“Her bedroom window was up, and I could hear her rantin’ and ravin’ and sayin’ something about not stickin’ in Spanish Fort until she had a stroke.
Bitsy told her that today was a wake-up call and that she needed to do what she should have done years ago.
I thought maybe you would be over here at Brodie’s place tryin’ to stay out of the way of flyin’ bullets. ”
“I feel like I’m still teaching school and having to listen to all the drama of high school girls,” Audrey said with a long sigh.
Walter took a long gulp of the beer and then said, “It’ll do her good to get away for a while. If she comes back, it will be with a new attitude, and if she doesn’t, she’ll be happy. It’s win-win either way.”
“But why did she have to make a big scene in church of all places?” Audrey asked.
“That way, she’s leaving on a win. She beat Bernie on the missionary thing,” Walter reminded her.
“And Bernie knows now that she didn’t run Hettie out of town but that it was your decision to date Brodie that caused the whole problem.
I’m going to leave now. Thank you for the beer.
I’ll just take the rest of it with me and sneak back over to the barn the way I came.
You kids enjoy the rest of the day. See you bright and early tomorrow morning, Audrey. ”
She wiped a tear from her eye and nodded. “Thank you for everything, Walter.”
He stood up, bent down, and gave her a tight hug.
“It might not seem like it now, but in a couple of weeks, you’ll see that you are both a lot happier.
In time she will be glad to see you coming around to visit, and”—he smiled as he opened the door—“don’t forget to take her a bottle of her favorite whiskey. ”
When Walter left, Audrey scooted over and laid her head on Brodie’s shoulder. “Thank you for being here with me through this.”
“Always,” he whispered.