Page 79 of Cookout Carnage
Now he was laughing. Sherilyn stopped, distracted by the way the sound made her insides sparkle. She sifted through his words, then put her hands on her hips.
‘Is Crystal real?’
He faced her, laughter punctuating his sentences. ‘She’s a real gem. We met on a site for carbon dating.’
Sherilyn shook her head and couldn’t help but laugh with him. Everything felt right again. ‘How do you know so many dad jokes? Is this what your dad is like?’
An instantaneous change came over him, like a bucket of cold water had put out his light. He took off his glasses, stared at the pavement and wiped the corners of his eyes.
‘Not really,’ he replied, then raised his head and smiled as if nothing had happened.
‘So, where’s this rocking museum then?’
She groaned. ‘We’re nearly there. Come on.’
26
Attached to a white picket fence outside Lucille and Truman’s house, a sign glistened in the afternoon sun. The words ‘COAL MUSEUM’ adorned it in elegant letters. Underneath, as if added in hurry, ‘and other assorted rocks’ was scrawled. The paintbrush used to write the last bit had clearly been a little too full for the job, as some of the letters were running off the bottom of the sign and dripping onto the sidewalk.
Tristan took his phone out of his back pocket.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Taking some photos. Is that okay?’
‘There’s more interesting stuff inside. Come on.’
The front door to the house opened.
‘What y’all doing standing out there?’
Lucille Reynolds, a woman in her mid-sixties, was on the stoop with a pitcher in one hand and two glasses in the other. She wore a long dress with a loud floral pattern and smiled broadly at them.
‘Come on in out the heat.’ She shook the pitcher at them. ‘I got iced tea?’
Out of the corner of her eye, Sherilyn spied Tristan looking at her. She hurried up the small path to the front door.Please let this be okay. Please let this be okay.
‘Hey there, Miss Sherilyn, how lovely to see you again,’ said Lucille.
‘Hello, Mrs. Reynolds.’
‘Oh, call me Lucille. You’re all grown up now. Here, take a glass.’
She poured a tumbler for Sherilyn, then filled the other and handed it to Tristan.
‘Here y’all are. I’m Lucille. Welcome to the Coal Museum.’
‘Thank you,’ he replied. ‘I’m Tristan. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’
One hand now free, Lucille used it to fan herself. ‘Oh my, quite the gentleman. I thought my Truman was fancy, but he sure doesn’t have your accent.’ She looked at Sherilyn and winked.
Oh god.
‘Come on in, I’ll show you around.’
Sherilyn had never visited Lucille’s house before but knew what to expect. The front hall was spacious with a wooden floor. Two large rooms were on either side. Peering through the door on the left, Sherilyn took in pastel couches and a cream leather recliner.
‘Can I buy two tickets please?’
