Page 26 of The Deadbeat Next Door

“No,” I said, my heart sinking into my toes.

Lance laughed just as Norma Jane walked up. She leaned in close and pecked my cheek. Then she took a bulletin from my hand and winked at me. “Very fine choice, Carrie. That Cody is a real gentleman and very easy on the eyes. Your parents will be pleased.”

Oh, no. This couldn’t be happening. I was in a nightmare. Or in hell. Maybe I’d died from alcohol poisoning and I was in hell. At church, in hell. I shook my head. “What do you mean?”

Norma Jane pursed her lips. “You know how I hate gossip, so I don’t put any stock in what Betty told me, but I saw you, with my own two eyes, leaving Cody’s house this morning. Then, he carried breakfast over to your house. What a sweet, caring young man.”

I widened my eyes at Lance, but he just laughed harder as he passed out more bulletins. “Norma Jane, what did Betty say?”

Norma Jane’s eyes sparked with excitement. She had lied in church and everyone knew it. She loved gossip. “Well, her grandson, you know, the mortician that you dissed?”

“I didn’t diss him—” Lord save me from gossips who tried to use slang they were forty years too late for.

“Well, he was at that club last night and he told Betty that you danced very provocatively with several young men and went home draped over Cody. Betty, of course, thinks such behavior makes you a right hussy, but I say more power to you girl. You’re young and you ought to be enjoying as much cock as you can.”

I choked on some renegade saliva and nearly hacked up the breakfast Cody had fixed me. “It’s not what you think,” I said, gripping Norma Jane’s hand a bit more tightly than I should have. “Cody and I are…The truth is I don’t even like him very much.”

Norma Jane frowned and shook her head. “I hope you’re lying to seem more ladylike, Carrie Harrison.”

“But I’m not,” I said. “I would tell you if I was in a relationship. Cody just helped me out last night.”

“That will not do,” she muttered. She pulled her hand from mine and pursed her lips in thought. “I will have to make some more calls.” I stared after her as she walked away, a sinking feeling of dread immobilizing me for a moment.

I looked over at Lance, who was still laughing at me, the rat bastard. “What is she talking about? Who is she going to call?”

Lance wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I’m sure I have no idea. She’s probably senile.” He pretended to be busy handing out bulletins and straightening the table inside the vestibule but I knew he was lying to me. I also knew I’d get nothing out of him. The man was like a bank vault when it came to secrets.

I finished handing out the bulletins. Before I went to take my seat with the kids, Lance wrapped an arm around my shoulders and looked over at them. “Everything okay, there?” he asked.

“I have no idea. I’ll call you later.”

Kayla smiled at me when I sat next to her. Jenny climbed into her lap, rested her head on Kayla’s chest, and stuck her thumb in her mouth. Kayla pressed a kiss to the top of the little girl’s head. Simon was sitting up straight on the other side of Kayla, watching as the acolytes took their seats and the service began. They all looked so young and so weary, and my heart ached. What was going on at home? How much of a mother’s role was Kayla taking on? She was just fifteen and she was bright and ambitious, but she also seemed sad and lonely.

By the time the service had ended, Jenny was fast asleep on Kayla’s chest. “Would you like me to take her?” I asked. “I can carry her to the car.”

Kayla forced a smiled. “She’ll freak out if she wakes up and doesn’t see me, I’ll take her.”

I led the kids to my car and Simon jumped into the back. Kayla woke Jenny up before she slid her into the back seat, and sat next to me in the front passenger seat. “Can I take y’all to lunch?” I asked. “Or would you rather go home?”

“I’m hungry,” Simon whined from the back seat.

“We have food at home,” Kayla said, her voice firm, though soft and sad.

“No, we don’t,” Simon said, his whine taking on a hard edge. “I’m tired of noodles.”

Kayla spun in her seat and glared at her brother. “We’ve imposed on Miss Harrison enough, Simon.”

“I’m hungry, too,” Jenny said, her voice small but insistent. “I want real food.”

“Noodles are real food,” Kayla said. “Dad’s home from work and he wants us home.”

I knew better than to argue with a parent’s orders and so did Simon and Jenny, apparently, because aside from a few mutters and grumbles, they quieted down. “How about we just go through the drive-through?” I said. “I’m starving myself.”

Kayla gave me a small nod, though her eyes were dark with emotions I could only guess at. “That would be nice. Thank you, Miss Harrison.”

I took them to my favorite fast food place. Kayla tried to pretend she only wanted an order of fries, but Jenny and Simon had no qualms about speaking up and requesting half the menu. I got a cheeseburger for Kayla and milk shakes all around. My car would be an absolute mess by the time I got them home, but it was worth it when I saw the smiles on Simon and Jenny’s faces and watched them dig in to their meals.

Kayla didn’t eat, but clutched her food tight while she texted hurried messages on her phone. I wondered if she had a boyfriend I didn’t know about.

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