Page 143 of Driftwood Daffodil 3

That was all she said before walking away.

I stared down the hallway after her and considered staying right where I was. It was safer here.

If only the smell of Maw Maw’s cooking didn’t lure me out of the room. Before I knew what was happening I found myself sitting down at the kitchen table, eyeing the various dishes. And I meant dishes.

Maw Maw liked to cook when she was angry. And based on this spread, she pissed right off. There was jambalaya, crawfish, sandwiches, red beans and rice, a cake, and some cookies.

I was at a crossroads. On one hand I wanted to dig in, but Maw Maw was staring at me from the other side of the table and Veda was nowhere to be seen. Meaning, she was sent away so Maw Maw and I could have some alone time. That was never agood thing. However, we couldn’t talk if our mouths were full. So, I began filling my plate.

One bite was all I got.

“Are you pregnant, Novalee?”

“What?” I coughed, choking on my food.

That I was not expecting.

“No?” I whispered once I was able to breathe again.

Why would she think I was pregnant?

“Don’t lie to me child,” she tipped her head to give me that eye that drew secrets out of a person’s soul. “If you’re in trouble we will figure it out.”

This was why my Maw Maw was the best. Her reaction to me being pregnant at seventeen, was we will figure it out. Not, what have you done, or how did I fail you, but we will figure it out. God, I loved this woman.

“I’m not pregnant, Maw Maw.”

Relief washed over her face for a fraction of a second before her brows knit and a slipper thwacked off the back of my head.

I had no idea how she did that. I swear the woman didn’t move. She was still sitting across from me, and yet the back of my head was aching.

“What were you thinking, spending the night with a boy?”

Oh, I knew the answer to that. “Clearly, I wasn’t thinking.”

Nor would I be anytime soon if I lost any more brain cells. Which I did when the dreaded slipper whacked me again.

“Ouch, damnit Maw Maw. What was that for?”

First rule to dealing with my Maw Maw was never question her motives. She was up and out of her chair before I could blink. That’s when the slipper was replaced with her hand. And all I could do was duck down and bob out of the way.

“What was that for?”

Smack.

“I’ll tell you what that was for.”

Smack.

“Sneaking around with a boy.”

Smack.

“You are seventeen.”

Smack.

“I am not having sex,” I tried while darting out of my chair and bolting to the other side of the kitchen.

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