Page 6 of Home Body
When Rover went to the door, Rose took him out. Once the child left the room, the real conversation began.
“You’re sure you feel okay? Not hung over?” Mamie went to the stove and brought back the coffee pot to refill all their cups. “I’ve got aspirin if you need it.
“Thanks, but I feel fine. Who knew? I’ve never had that much to drink before so had no idea how it would affect me. I’m so sorry…” she looked at Dalia “…that last night I turned into a total idiot who had to be taken care of.” Dalia shrugged as if it hadn’t been a big deal. “But surprisingly, I feel fine this morning.”
“Is there somebody you should call?” Mamie asked. “Someone who’ll be looking for you? Last night you said no, but you weren’t exactly thinking clearly.”
“Nah. I’ve been living with Chad for six months, the guy I’m marrying, and he sure as shootin’ wouldn’t have expected me to go home to him last night. I’m sure he thinks I went to my parents’ and he’s afraid to call their house. I’m certain they have no clue anything is wrong. If they do know, Chad is dead by now. My dad would see to that.”
The other two tittered.
“You have one of those dads, huh?” Mamie asked over the rim of her cup before taking a sip.
“Oh yeah. He thinks I’m twelve and need constant protecting. And I love him for it.”
Interrupted when a man arrived to pick up the two loaves of bread and two pies he’d ordered, the women went right back to their chat as soon as he left.
Dalia said, “You probably don’t remember this, but you told me the whole story on the way home. I was busy serving customers, the restaurant being so busy and all, so I didn’t see what all happened.” She fed Kenyon their cover story. “So, your best friend – your matron-of-honor, no less – and your fiancé have been having an affair, as well as he’s been cheating on you with Crystal. That’s the name of the, um, waitress he was with. In fact, he comes in about once a week and they, um, meet up. You had every reason to cry like you did. I’ve never seen so many tears.” She shook her head in sympathy and took a sip of her coffee.
Kenyon had listened carefully, picking up the cues as to what to say. “Aw, geez. I’m so sorry. I ruined your night at the restaurant. You probably lost tips.”
“No, I’d finished my tables and was on my way home when I picked you up.”
“Good.” Kenyon nodded, going along as best she could. “I’m glad I didn’t lose you any money. I’m such a putz. But this was supposed to be the start of my new life. I just graduated from U. of M. with a degree in communication with an emphasis on journalism,TheDetroit Newswants an ‘exciting’ article from me to see if they’ll hire me, and I was going to be a new bride. New beginnings all around. What a crock.”
“Maybe this is your news story.” Mamie’s eyebrows shot up with the idea. “Interview other women who’ve made heartbreaking discoveries just before their weddings. There are plenty of men who deserve to be skewered and roasted over a big, hot fire. What makes a woman decide to get married or not in that situation.”
“Ha. Interesting idea. I like it.”
“Although, that has the potential of getting depressing.” Dalia took another teaspoonful of sugar for her coffee as ifwarding off depression. “Or it could turn into a rollicking romantic comedy.”
“True,” Mamie agreed. “Do you have other ideas?”
Kenyon swallowed the last bite of her second piece of bacon. “Not a one.”
“Well then, when you have no idea what to do, that leaves every possibility open to you.”
“I like that. You sure are a positive person. So are you.” Kenyon turned to Dalia.
“When a girl is raised by Mamie Blackburn, there’s no other choice than to look on the bright side of things.” Dalia’s face lit up with adoration for her mother.
“My mom’s a lot like that, too,” Kenyon noted. “My mom is Llayne O’Brien. Maybe you’ve seen her on TV.”
“Of course! My-oh-my, she’s the best news anchor in the state, if you ask me,” Mamie said. “Why, she’s been at Channel 5 for a very long time.”
“Yeah, most of my life. She started out in Lansing but got the Detroit job when I was six. My dad works in Lansing, so we moved in-between to Farmdale. But we’re just across the county line, so I went to school in Chelsea. That would be why Dalia and I never met before. But we actually live closer to Farmdale and that’s what we consider to be our town. It’s easy for my parents to get to work, to Lansing and Detroit, from this area.”
“What’s your dad do?” Dalia wanted to know.
“He was a state senator for a long time but a few years ago the job of state Director of Military and Veterans Affairs opened up and he jumped on it. He was in the Vietnam War and he’s all about helping veterans. In a round-about way, him being in that war is how I came to be adopted by them. I’m Vietnamese, as you can see.” She circled a hand around her head. “When you see me with my parents, it’s obvious I’m adopted.” She hoped thatwould open the door to the story of this family, a black woman with a white daughter.
“Well, it’s pretty obvious that I’m adopted, too.” Dalia took the bait. “In fact, my mama here isn’t even my real adoptive mother. She took me in when I was four.”
“Best day of my life!” Mamie beamed. “Listen, I want to hear more about this, Kenyon, but these are stories for another day. Right now you have a wedding to consider. When is it, dear? Next weekend?”
Kenyon glanced at the schoolhouse clock on the kitchen wall. “Hmmm. Let’s see. It’s in three-and-a-half hours. Eleven o’clock.”
“Today?” Her hosts yelped.
