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“Nah You know…too ood job and all”
“Right” Chantal works in the town hall as a secretary, one of four employees there She knows everyone’s business and is free with her gossip
“Hey, I went to church this ,” Chantal says with a sly se of one hundred and four, she’s going to church again “And guess what?” Chantal continued “I joined the bereaveroup”
I close h “Chantal…”
“For s and ers, you know There was an announcement in the bulletin” Chantal adjusts her shirt so that e shows Conversation at the bar stops briefly as the men admire the show Another inch and they’d be able to nurse
“And how long have you been a ?” I ask
“Oh, gosh…twenty years, I guess I was eighteen e got married, nineteen when he died”
Chantalout, that she ed ages ago It’s strange to think that Chantal was married; she’s only six years older than I am but has been amore than half her life “What was his name, your husband?” I ask
“Chris Cute guy”
“That must have been really hard,” I say
“It sucked,” she answers “At least we didn’t have kids”
“Did you want to?”
“Oh, shit, no No, Maggie, I’ of her drink, elass
“So you’re suddenly seeking the solace of a grief group?” I ask, raising an eyebrow
“Well, I guess I’d rather sit there and have Father Ti s He ”
I am simultaneously jealous and irritated with roup in order to be near Father Tisorrowfully and deeply into roup You’re so lucky,” I say without thinking, then blush “Sorry, Chantal That didn’t coht”
“Well, I’et another round?”
Dewey nearly soils hiain “Sorry, what did you say?” he says, staring down her blouse Chantal s very flat-chested indeed,co Dewey licks his lips My teeth clench
“Another round, honey Maybe on the house, what do you say? For your favorite girls?” Chantal tucks a finger into her shirt and pulls it just a fraction lower
“Sure,” Dehispers
“Chantal! Stop,” I say I’, even if she’s not Paul walks in a trance back to the bar “I’ll have a Grey Goose h-end stuff
“Burnett’s okay?” he calls back
“Sure, baby” Preening, she turns her attention back to me
“Nice floor show,” I comment
“We’re drinking for free, aren’t we?” she says s about? Oh, yeah, my husband”
Jonah comes in and does a double take when he sees Chantal She smiles back at hi my baby brother with her eyes, I ask, “So, did you love him?”
“Who? Oh, Chris? Sure I guess I ers Screwed our brains out, I’ll say that”
“God, that’s so romantic,” I say, unable to suppress a smile “I think Hall your brains out,departed husband”
Chantal laughs her big, rolling laugh “‘Baby, no one did me like you’ There’s probably a market for that Should look into it” She excuses herself to go to the bathrooo up to the bar to say hi to Jonah, despite the fact that it’s been mere hours since we last saw each other
“Hi,” I say “What’s up?”
“Hey, Mags Nothing How about you?” he says amiably
“Hanging out”
“Is it okay if I coht?” Jonah asks “There’s that crabbing show on Discovery Looked cool”
“Sure” I own one of the few satellite dishes in town The cable service frequently goes out way up here, and as a single woman, well, let’s face it I watch a lot of TV
Chantal returns “Jonah! My, how you’ve grown,” she purrs
My earlier arown man (officially, anyway), I don’t want him decimated by a man-eater like Chantal “Chantal, stop Not my brother Leave Jonah alone”
“No, no, no Chantal, stay Don’t leave Jonah alone,” Jonah says, grinning “Hey, Chantal, you know anyone Maggie here could date? We’re trawling for o out with her”
“Thanks sohim “A little louder, please? I don’t think they heard you in Jonesport”
“Hell, I don’t know,” Chantal says “The pickings are certainly slies closer to Jonah
I get up and wedge myself between them “If you sleep with my brother, I will be very mad at you, Chantal,” I say fironorrhea, herpes, syphilis…”
“Don’t believe her, Jonah Underneath all this, there’s a heart of gold” She gestures to her chest
“Is there?” Jonah asks “Can I see?”
“Stop, Joe!” I smack my brother on the back of his head
Chantal sie How about Malone?”
“God, you’re the second person today who’s said that!” I exclaim, jarred out of my irritation “First Christy, now you”
“Why not?” Chantal says “He’s kind of cute”
“This frooing on”