Chapter 66 Georgia
Georgia
The next day, Junie and I are sitting on the sofa at the Clementine debating which Real Housewives cast is the most entertaining, and she’s hammering home her final arguments for the Beverly Hills crew when the front door
bangs open.
Tina tumbles over the threshold, hiccupping between sobs. “Girls, I need reinforcements.”
I set down my coffee mug and rush to her side. Junie shuffles in on her other side.
“It’s Randy. I told him he needed to leave—now—and he told me to get lost. Laughed in my face and told me to make him.”
“Let me call Cece,” I say. “We can help.”
“But isn’t that the problem?” Tina looks up from where her head was set in her palms. “Here I am marching around planning
massive bakes and pouring drinks on people, and all it takes is a few harsh words from Randy to level me. This is who I am.”
“You better hush about that,” Junie says. “You are a pie-baking, beer-dumping, no-nonsense woman.”
Tina looks down at herself. “I’m not so sure.”
“Truly,” I say. “Don’t let him take anything else away from you. Randy being a scumbag doesn’t mean a thing about you. He’s mean and lazy and probably ticked that you’re finally standing up to him.”
Tina swallows hard and puffs a breath. “You’re right, girls. So right. To hell with him.” She pulls us into her sides for
a group hug. “And you’re living proof that part of your mama will always be around.”
When she releases us, I look between them. “Am I clear to call Cece?”
“You betcha,” Tina says as she hops in excitement and claps her hands.
Junie and I throw on tennis shoes and I grab a ball cap, and the three of us head to the truck.
Cece picks up on the second ring. “It’s time,” I tell her. “Randy.”
“Be there in five,” she says and hangs up.
I’m cranking the engine when Junie asks, “Don’t y’all need disguise wigs for this? Kinda feels like a wig expedition.” She
pats her own locks that she’s styled into a cute half-up twist.
“Pretty sure he’ll know it’s us, honey,” Tina replies.
Junie shrugs. “True, but wigs make everything more fun.”
I whip the truck out of the driveway, and the oak flutters in the rearview.
The four of us plow through Tina’s front door, and Randy leaps off the sofa.
“What are y’all doing here?” he asks. Like he has any right.
“Time’s up, son,” Cece announces.
Tina passes out black garbage bags to each of us. “Randy, you best tell the girls what you’re taking with you or it’ll be
up to them.”
“This way?” Junie asks, already halfway down the hall to the primary bedroom.
Randy skips behind her to catch up. “Hey, slow down.” He whirls back and bends over to plead with Tina. “Honey, please don’t do this. You know I love you. Let’s work this out.”
Tina crosses her arms, looking like she’s thinking it over. Don’t even consider it. Stop. Keep this eviction going. If I could telepathically send these messages straight out of my mind and into hers, I would. But this is Tina’s deal, and
I trust her. She’s got this.
“You know what’s interesting?” Tina asks Randy, then goes on without waiting for a response. “This is the first time since
I mentioned you moving out that you’ve tried to fight for me. And I don’t believe a word of it. You were peachy keen to suggest
living as ‘roommates,’ and now the moment we’re here to physically remove you from my house, your heart’s miraculously in
the right place. Sounds a little too convenient to me.”
“After all this time, you won’t give me another chance?” Randy asks.
Tina blinks once. “You’re already on the last chance. In fact, the last chance was two chances back.”
“That’s right, time’s up!” I announce. “Come on.” I wave for him to follow us.
When I glance behind me, I see Tina’s got her glow back.
The packing doesn’t take long. Most everything in the house belongs to Tina because Randy never cared enough about making
this place a home to contribute to. Of course, that also would’ve required him to get up off his tail and work a job.
We fill six garbage bags with the clothing and toiletries that are his, and I don’t see anything else.
“Take a couple last laps to grab anything that’s yours,” Tina calls behind Randy. “Then we’ll help you to your car with the
bags.”
Randy looks around nervously. “Guess I’ll grab a hotel till I can figure something out.”
Tina flushes a little, and I can tell she feels bad about the idea of Randy riding out time at a hotel. We all know he can’t
afford it.
“I gave you plenty of notice,” Tina says.
“I told you this was happening, and rather than make a plan to get a job or stay with someone else, you planned to just bleed me for as long as I’d let you.
If you were working on finding a place or even applying for jobs, I’d be willing to work with you.
” Tina sounds kinder than I would be when she says the last thing.
“But now it’s time for you to stand on your own two feet.
You can do it. It just won’t be with me. ”
I let Tina be the one to help him out with his bags. She’s so good at this. All we need to do is fall back and let her close
it out. She stands in the drive and waves as he pulls out, and when she spins around to walk back up to her quiet little house,
she cracks the widest grin.
“So long, Randy the Worst,” she says. “You ladies want to order some food and rechristen the place while we wait on the locksmith?”
Of course, she already has him scheduled.
Tina the Queen.