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"Well?" she asked

"They will complain, but I like it"

She shot a scowl in their direction now "Bunch of old geezers I alh school sweethearts Jirandpa’s farm and that was it One look and I was sunk Can’t thank oat!" she hispering too loudly I had also heard this story more than once

"Go on, feed it to ‘em," she said with a look of determination She turned to the kitchen"Serve it up, Netty!" she ordered the cook as also Jier cousin by a couple years Mr Roy would come in at lunch, but Netty noronna pitch a fit," Netty replied, but did as she was told I agreed with Netty on this one Ji Ethel to leave the menu alone She’d curse him They’d yell at each other, and at the end of the day they’d hold hands as they walked back behind the diner to the house they’d lived in for thirty-five years

I waited while Netty served up the plates and prepared ht theot a batch of the other in the fridge When they bitch just tell ‘em if they stay until lunch I’ll have the other"

I nodded, relieved, and headed toward their table However, I only made it three steps whenback at me caused me to pause A reminder A piece of that life had invaded et He was a reminder of his older brothers, of Moulton, of a town that never accepted me Dallas Sutton shouldn’t be here Today he should be at howhen our eyesI expected I had potato salad to deal with and had no ti If that hy he was here, he asting his time And possibly messed with et to a steady place withincustoer" Ethel nudgedfor their food

I focused on my task and did as I was told

Not one second later, Billy said, "Good LORD this potato salad is warh to carry across the entire building

I didn’t even cringe My thoughts were on table five

"It has over one thousand five stars on Pin-tur-est!" Ethel called out even louder "Stop being so damn difficult!"

"It’s WARM! When was potato salad ever supposed to be waro stick it in the freezer for you!" Ethel said stalking toward us

I stood there knowing this argument was only a short distraction Soon, I’d have to face him I’d have to tell him to leave But he’d seen me Seen this And he could tell the I didn’t want that I had h away so this wouldn’t happen, but he had found e closed door One I wanted locked

"Get the stuff they want from Netty I’ll deal with Ethel," Jim said as he walked up to where I stood at the table

I didn’t look at Dallas while I cothe wedding, the regret I couldn’t be strong enough for Dixie, and the reer my safe place

Bray Sutton

"HAVE YOU SEEN Dallas?" Brent askedan apple

Mo ht change in her expression She knehere Dallas was

"Naw, I ain’t seen hi our mother as she didn’t reply or look up

"He didn’t work out thisHe’s the only one unaccounted for He caht, didn’t he? Last I saw him was at Jack’s"

I nodded my head I knew he had come home I’d driven him home from Jack’s before I left to fuck a new distraction Mo to keep them shut