Chapter 8 #2
This was Knox’s second year as a part of the Easter celebration, and he loved it all.
The excitement of the kids made him wish he had a child big enough to carry a basket all over the yard.
All the elderly folks sitting in the shade and talking about the good old days brought back memories of visiting his grandparents on Sunday afternoons.
He had never heard of a leftover potluck until he came to the Paradise, but he loved the idea.
He was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn’t hear or see Tripp until his brother was right beside him.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” Knox snapped.
Tripp nudged him with an elbow. “Seems to me like we are switching personalities. You are becoming the introvert that I used to be, and I’m getting more outgoing. What were you thinking about anyway?”
“Grandpa, and how we used to go to their house on Sunday for dinner. We would sit in the backyard with him until Nana called us to come in and wash our hands,” he answered.
“I loved those times, but what on earth brought him to your mind?” Tripp asked. “This looks nothing like his house or yard.”
Knox smiled and nodded toward a group of old farmers sitting under a shade tree. “No, but that did. Different place. Different time. Not as fancy or as enormous, but people are people whether they are rich or poor.”
“You are so right, and it is a beautiful day for this, isn’t it?” Tripp said. “Did Geneva find you after church?”
“Yes, she did, and I’m glad you think my idea is a good one,” Knox answered. “The lawyers will take care of all the paperwork, but I have the keys to the place, and she said for me to feel free to move in anytime.”
“I guess that means you have a real house of your own. You won’t even have to stay at the Paradise when you come home for weekends,” Tripp said.
“Does that make you happy or sad?” Knox asked.
“A little of both. We won’t see as much of you because you’ll be busy with your new project, but I’m happy that you will be doing what you love and that you’ll be back close to the rest of the family. What did you do wrong?”
“That was an abrupt change of subject. What are you talking about, anyway?”
Tripp pointed.
Knox followed his brother’s finger to see Aunt Bernie marching toward them like a soldier on a mission.
She held down her big pink hat with fake flowers scattered around the brim with one hand.
Her flowing skirt printed with bunnies swished from side to side, and the expression on her face said that she had a bone to pick with someone.
“What makes you think I’m in trouble? It could be you!” Knox whispered.
She reached the two grown men before Tripp could answer and popped her free hand on her hip.
“I should have put ribbons on my hat so I could tie it down. Tripp, you can go. Willa Rose is having trouble keeping Nicky happy. I think he’s teething.
I told her to rub some whiskey on his gums, but she won’t do it.
Knox, you stay put. You and I are going to have a come-to-Jesus talk. ”
“What’d I do?” Knox muttered.
She dropped her finger and clamped a bony-fingered hand around his upper arm. “Follow me to the front porch. Everyone is congregating in the backyard, so that’s a private place right now, and this is between us.”
“Can we do it later?” he asked. “The hunt starts soon, and Lottie has already spread a quilt out on the ground for us to watch the kids.”
She clamped a hand on his arm and pulled him along like a puppy on a leash. He felt like a petulant child who had disobeyed his grandmother and was about to get a good, solid tongue-lashing or maybe even a switching.
They hadn’t taken two steps when the wind blew her hat off her head. It twirled around in the wind like a kite and finally landed beside the huge, wooden Easter basket. Knox tried to break free from her grasp, but she held on like she was a hound dog and he was a big, old soup bone.
“Aunt Bernie, I will come back. I’m just going to go get your hat before the kids all trample it flat,” he said.
“It looks good layin’ there, and I’m tired of fighting with it. If it gets ruined, I’ll make another one next year,” she declared. “We are going to have a visit right now, this minute.”
“Where is that gorgeous hat you wore to church this morning?” June Mason said as she passed them with a casserole dish in her hands.
“It’s part of the decorations,” Bernie answered in a saccharine tone. “But thank you for the compliment.”
Knox got a whiff of sauerkraut and hoped he still had an appetite when Bernie got through fussing at him. June hurried on out to the barn, and Bernie kept dragging him toward the porch. “Was she serious about that hat?”
“No, she was not!” Bernie growled. “She told Bertha Langford that it was hideous. Bertha told Minnie Tolbert, and she whispered it to me. Don’t you touch that sauerkraut she brought.
Minnie says that she lets her six cats sit on the kitchen counter while she cooks.
There’s probably enough cat hair in that dish to choke you.
And don’t get me talking about Bertha’s food. She always has the spring sniffles.”
“Is that what you wanted to tell me?” he asked when they were on the porch.
She let go of his arm, and he sat down in a rocking chair. “Do you want me to clear off a bigger space for you to throw your hissy fit?”
She plopped down on the rocking chair right next to him and set it in motion with her foot.
She smoothed back her red hair and then stared right into his eyes.
“I want to know the real truth about you and Lottie. I think this is all just a show, and you are going to tell me what is going on between you two. If you aren’t really dating, then why are you pretending? ”
Knox laid a hand over his heart and sighed dramatically. “Aunt Bernie! Why would you say that? If I failed in some way in my job of being a good boyfriend, then please tell me what I did wrong.”
“You are trying too hard for a relationship to be so new. I can feel a touch of chemistry from her, but not so much from you. I was friends with her kinfolks for years before you ever came into the picture. If you are just using her for sex, I want you to break it off before you shatter her heart.”
“I am not using her for sex.” Knox’s voice shot up several octaves with each word.
“Well, that much is a good thing, but I can smell a rat two miles away. And something ain’t right between y’all.
I’m tellin’ you right now, she is a good person and comes from good people.
You don’t mess around with folks like that.
Sweet Jesus!” She slapped her thigh. “You are using her so I won’t fix you up on blind dates, aren’t you? ”
Knox was so stunned that he couldn’t speak.
“If that’s the case, you will tell her on the way back to the construction site, or else I’ll call her tonight, and she’ll know the truth before I hang up. I would wager that her uncle will fire your sorry ass for toying with her like this.”
Knox finally found his voice. “I’m hurt that you would think that.”
Bernie shook her head. “You either break up with her, or I’ll tell her what you told Tripp about getting a fake girlfriend.”
“How did… Why… I was only joking,” he finally spit out.
“Nothing escapes me, and I won’t have you messing with my matchmaking record in this family,” she said.
“I’ve heard the stories about that, how you forbid Tertia to see Noah, and look where they are right now,” he argued.
“I did, but I could see the vibes between both of them and used a little reverse psychology in that situation,” she declared.
“Are you doing the same thing now?” Knox asked.