“Gee that’s too bad…well, it’s not necessarily fatal…at his age though…but Mrs. Harcourt has a son living in Norville…at least she won’t be alone…give her my best next time you see her…
“Did Brandy Tyson take first place at the flower show this year?…I’m not surprised…she has the greenest thumb…yes, I’ve seen her Prince Jonathon…I can’t imagine a more beautiful rose…
“Say, have Brandon and Denise ever married? They’ve been engaged forever…really?...she did?...well I guess long engagements aren’t that great an idea…
“How’s the town band doing?...all the way to Kingsport…wow…they’ll put Norville on the map yet…of course I know it’s on the map; I was just saying…
“Oh by the way…(and Brooke paused the slightest bit, so slightly that Pearl didn’t even notice)…have you seen Kelvin Summers?...did he say anything about me?...no, that’s not the reason I called…I really do want to know all the local news…but please, Pearl, did Kelvin?...he did?...he said that?...you’re sure?...”
Brooke’s grip on the phone was white-knuckled by now, but in a calm voice she dutifully asked about the football team, the basketball team, the mayor’s nine-hour operation, the new Methodist church and Chief Reardon’s retirement. Then she said a careful good bye and put down the receiver—oh so gently.
Brooke leaped up, threw her fists into the air and brought them down. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Then she sat down, trembling a little with excitement, and made another call. “Southwest Airlines? I want to book the next possible flight to Norville, Ohio. Oh, that’s great.” She gave her credit card number and made the reservation. “I’ll be there. Yes, one-way is just fine…”
Lela Marie De La Garza has had work published in “Behind Closed Doors”, “Pound of Flash”, “ChickLit”, “Daily Romance”, “Creepy Gnome,” “Passion Beyond Words”, “Black Denim.” and “The Western Online”. She was born in Denver, CO. in 1943 while her father was serving in WWII. She currently resides in San Antonio, TX. with three and a half cats, some stray kittens, and a visiting raccoon.