9 #3
Though the reply was much as Rhett expected, she couldn't help but perceive that her mother seemed a little cagey about it.
In fact, it was odd that she hadn't berated her daughter already for her delay in mentioning the weight loss.
A preposterous idea burst into Rhett's head and almost made her spill her tea.
"Mother! Have you got yourself a man?"
"Rhett Marie." Bettina directed a withering glare across the table. "No, I don't. Besides," she added in an almost off-hand manner. "You know as well as I do that men my age are thin on the ground around here."
"Well, something's going on with you, I can tell." There was a mystery afoot, and Rhett was determined to dig it out.
"Nothing is going on with me, so get that look off your face. I was going to tell you anyway."
"Tell me what?"
A little sparkle came into Bettina's eyes. "I won a radio contest."
"A radio...What did you win?"
True to form, Bettina turned what should have been a brief answer into a narrative.
"Well, I was listening to that new country station out of Fort Worth a couple of months ago while I was doing the breakfast dishes, and they played a commercial about a big contest they were running.
So I picked up the phone and called their number, and I was the ninth caller, just like they were looking for. "
"And you won, just like that?" Rhett interrupted, but this time it did nothing to shorten the story.
"No, that was just to get registered to win.
The big drawing was at that new furniture store over by Hulen Mall, and that wasn't until last week.
So, I had to get up and drive over there, because you had to be present to win.
And the first name they drew wasn't there, so they drew my name next and that's how I won. "
"Mama, that's great." Rhett couldn't help but smile at the flush on her mother's cheeks. "What'd you win?"
"A week for two at a fancy spa in California." To Rhett's surprise, Bettina almost giggled. "I'm taking Patsy Murphy with me, and we're going to get massages and facials, and all kinds of stuff."
"Well, no wonder you wanted to lose some weight. You'll be lounging around in hot tubs all week. I'm happy for you. You deserve a nice vacation. When are you going?"
"Next week. It includes airfare and all our meals and everything, plus some money to spend any way we want."
Just the thought of her mother and her irrepressible friend Patsy let loose in a fancy resort spa made Rhett snicker. "Y'all are going to set that place on its ear."
After some more discussion about the impending trip, Rhett rose from her chair and took her half-full glass to the sink.
"Mama, I'm going to have to get going. I want to get back to Dallas before the bank closes so I can deposit that cashier's check I got for the house."
"No, don't wash that glass," Bettina said as Rhett reached for the blue bottle of dishwashing liquid on the counter. "I've almost got a full load ready in the dishwasher, and I'll just put these in there with it."
"Okay, then." Rhett put the glass in the sink and turned to her mother. "Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?"
"Can't think of anything. But you could tell Melanie to pick up the phone and call me once in a while. I haven't heard from her in over a month."
Not wanting to be put in the middle of that action, Rhett headed for the living room where she'd left her purse on the faded floral couch. "Well, you know she works really long hours."
"Maybe she needs a new job." Bettina followed in Rhett's wake. "It can't be healthy to be at work that much."
Rhett paused in the act of putting the purse strap over her shoulder. "It's not really like that," she tried to explain. "I mean, she does work a lot, but she loves it. She really looks forward to going to work every day."
Bettina's face creased in a thoughtful frown. "Well, I guess that's good. Not many people get to do something they love for a living. But it still doesn't mean she can't call her mother, does it?"
"I'll tell her."
"And speaking of jobs, when are you going to get one?"
Damn. She'd almost made it out of the house, too. With a resigned sigh, she faced her mother again.
"I don't know. This may sound stupid, but I've just recently realized I don't know what I want to be when I grow up."
Again her mother surprised her with her answer. "Well, you never did have much of a chance to find out, did you? You took what you could get, and there aren't a lot of exciting career opportunities here in Claiborne."
"It kept us out of debt." Rhett shrugged. "But now here I am in my forties and with no education, so an actual career has kind of passed me by."
"Don't take too long to find something," her mother advised. "You don't want to wake up one day and find out most of your money is gone."
"I won't, Mama." She leaned forward and kissed her mother on the cheek. "You and Patsy have fun in California and be sure to call when you get back and tell me how it went."
"I will," Bettina answered. "You drive safe getting home, now."
Just before the new storm door closed behind Rhett, her mother delivered her final parting shot.
"And tell Melanie to call me!"