Spring Fever

“You’re being overly dramatic,” A

“Hey!” Pokey said, interrupting. “Oh my God.” She held her hand over her heart, as though she were having palpitations. “I just realized we’ve both overlooked one incredibly important fact.”

“That you can save a pony’s life by nagging your parents?”

“No,” Pokey said, a slow smile spreading across her round pink face. “I think we’re both forgetting how much my daddy loved you.”

“I’m not forgetting that,” A

“He sure did,” Pokey agreed, nodding her head for emphasis. “He loved you so much he gave you your own stock in the company as a wedding gift, didn’t he?”

A

“You never gave the stock back, right? Not in the divorce or anything, right?”

“I still have it,” A

“So there’s a chance Celia doesn’t know you own stock in Quixie,” Pokey said.

“It’s just five hundred shares,” A

“True,” Pokey said. “Still, down the line, that could be important. We won’t know until Mr. Thomas meets with us about that stupid trust agreement. Right now, we’ve got to figure out what Celia is up to. And then we have to get Mason to open his eyes and see her for the scheming, manipulative little bitch that she is. And get him to realize he still loves you.”

“In a week,” A

“We need to do some research on Celia,” Pokey went on, ignoring A

“Gingerpeachy,” A

Pokey was making notes on the back of her paper placemat. “And it sold to who?”

“I think the company is called Baby Brands,” A

“Do that,” Pokey said, scribbling. She put down her pen. “Who do we know that might know something we can use against Celia?”

“I don’t know anybody,” A

“Don’t be such a defeatist,” Pokey scolded. “Come on, think, A

“I think Celia is from Nebraska,” A

“We don’t know anybody who even knows where Nebraska is, probably,” Pokey said. “But I’ll google Celia’s name, just in case. Who knows? Maybe she’s a wanted murderess. In the meantime, one of my sorority sisters is a buyer for Belk’s. Maybe she’d know somebody who knows somebody. I’ll give her a call.”

“It’s too bad we can’t ask Davis what he knows about all this,” A

“Ha! He’s the one we have to thank for bringing that pit viper into the family bosom in the first place,” Pokey said. “Davis thinks Celia is ‘awesome.’” She made finger quote marks.

“And you can’t really ask Mason any questions about Celia,” A

Pokey toyed with a forkful of coleslaw. “Are you kidding? Celia’s the daughter Sallie never had! Let’s see. She’s beautiful and ski

“Hey,” A

Pokey blew her a kiss. “Back atya.”

“How do you think Sallie would feel about the company being sold, or moved, or whatever?”

“Good question,” Pokey said. “If Daddy were still alive, the answer would be a big ‘hell no!’”

“But he’s not.”

“I know,” Pokey said. “She’s always talked about Quixie being our family legacy. But if this were something Mason wanted, or if Davis convinced her it was a good idea, she might just go along with it.”

“But it’s not something you’d agree to, right?”

Pokey stared at her best friend. “Not in a million years. Not for a billion dollars. My brothers may think the grass is greener someplace else, but I don’t. Passcoe is home. We were raised here. I intend to raise my own children here. And I don’t intend to let anybody change that. Not without putting up a hell of a fight.”

“That’s what I thought,” A

“And what about you?” Pokey asked. “You’re supposed to be leaving town Friday. That’s what you keep telling me.”

“I’d hate to see anything happen to Quixie,” A

“And if she’s up to what we suspect?”

“I don’t know,” A

“Have you talked to Shane? Did you tell him about Mason’s wedding?”

“We talked late last night,” A

“I see,” Pokey said.

“No you don’t,” A

“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Pokey asked.

“Yes. No. I can’t explain how I feel. Something’s just … making me want to hold back. Maybe I’m just gun-shy about marriage, after what happened with Mason.”

“No,” Pokey insisted. “You are gun-shy because you don’t really love Shane. You’re still in love with Mason. And you’re scared to death to admit that Shane is rebound guy.”

“Oh Gawwwd,” A

“But what if I am?” Pokey asked.

15

Sophie’s eyelids fluttered. She yawned widely and looked around the room.

“You’re awake,” Celia said brightly. “Did you have a nice rest?”

“Where did A

“You were sleeping, and they had to leave,” Celia said. “But look what I brought you!” She propped the huge stuffed bu

“Thank you very much,” Sophie said politely, clutching the teddy bear the nurse had given her the night before and ignoring the bu

“You’re welcome,” Celia said. She whisked the plastic off the plate of wedding cake she’d placed on Sophie’s di

“It’s pretty,” Sophie said.

“Shall I get you a fork?” Celia asked. “We can ring the nurse and get her to bring one. And maybe some nice cold milk.”