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"Thank you" Jacqueline bit her tongue to keep fro that one day Tammie Lee would be expected to hold similar parties of her own She could only hope that when the time came, Tammie Lee would’ve learned a lesson or two froracious hostess," Ta with her second load of bone china plates

"Thank you" Jacqueline fought the ihter-in-law that each of those plates cost more than Tammie Lee’s entire summer wardrobe "Where are Reese and Paul?" she asked curiously Jacqueline was tired; the party had drained her and she was ready for bed She wanted Paul and Tao ho" All the dishes must be in the kitchen now, because Tammie Lee sat down and propped her feet on the opposite chair She planted her hands on her round belly and rubbed gently It was nant Jacqueline hadn’t yet forgiven her son and his wife for keeping the news to themselves for nearly six months

Jacqueline wondered what Reese and Paul were discussing that could possibly take this long She scraped off the plates and set the the mayor the blanket you made for our baby," Ta to do for your first grandchild"

Jacqueline scowled but kept her head averted so Tammie Lee couldn’t see her reaction "No, that was fine"

"Paul and I are so thrilled you knit soirl"

Jacqueline nodded rather than respond verbally She continued to scrape leftovers into the garbage disposal

When she’d finished, she clailass of wine If she was going to be trapped in the kitchen with her daughter-in-law, she needed fortification

Tammie Lee studied her "Did I ever tell you about the time my mama ran over the roan "I don’t believe I’ve heard that one," she said as she swirled the wine around in her goblet

If Tanore it "It’s the only tiinto the house in tears and I went, too, outraged that my daddy would raise his voice to her"

"Men tend to speak their er on her tongue At fifty dollars a bottle, she was taking the time to appreciate the finer qualities of this merlot

"Later Ma was because the tractor ht have toppled on her He didn’t care one bit about that ht have been crushed getting that close to the irrigation ditch in the tractor His yelling was a sign of how much he loved her"

Jacqueline was sure there was a point to this story, but at the moment it escaped her She sipped the wine

"I hope I didn’t speak out of turn earlier," Taed carelessly "I believe the mayor was…amused"

"Not the mayor," Ta was all right between you and Reese"

"Everything is perfectly fine between my husband and me," Jacqueline primly informed her She downed the rest of the lass on the table

"Good," Tammie Lee said, "because Paul and I love you so randpa"

Soed a smile "So your mother actually ran the tractor over the mailbox?"

"Twice"

"Twice?" Perhaps it was the wine, but Jacqueline laughed out loud

"Daddy wasn’t any happier about it the second time, either"

Jacqueline would bet not

"But my daddy loves Mahing Reese hadn’t truly loved her in years Their e was one of convenience and coht appointments and he didn’t mention the balance on their credit cards They had a reeable relationship, but whatever real love they’d once shared was dead

"Ta rooh and ani the connecting door between the kitchen and the dining roo in their wake

"Youdown on her with such love it was painful to watch "Are you ready to head home?"

Tammie Lee nodded and Paul helped her to her feet Then, to Jacqueline’s shock, her daughter-in-law bent down and threw her aring her warmly

Jacqueline wasn’t sure how to respond She placed her ared back It’d been so long since anyone had touched her with so much affection that she found herself close to tears

"You’re such a wonderful mother-in-law," Tammie Lee told her "I think I’azed at Reese over Ta in his eyes Could Reese possibly still have feelings for her? Was it the reason he’d been so angry about her parking the car in the alley? That apparently was the point of Taht seemed almost inconceivable

CHAPTER 28

CAROL GIRARD