Chasing Lightning by Rachel York

Author:Rachel York [York, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Susurrus Publications
Published: 2014-10-01T03:00:00+00:00

LX

“It’s suppertime, Scarlett,” Ollie yelled to her daughter out on the front porch. “Get in here and wash your hands.”

“Okay, Momma,” said Scarlett putting down a copy of Modern Screen with Delores Sheridan on the cover.

Lately, Scarlett seemed unable to concentrate on anything except magazines “with all them nice pictures” and Delores did the trick. A big box office star, she was easy on the eyes, beautiful in fact, and she had a delicious sensuality about her. Scarlett remembered how Delores steamed the boys up back in high school. When she was up there on the drive-in theater screen, Skeeter never missed a beat. Scarlett smiled and ran her fingers over Delores’s face. Half her college fund had been inspired by this actress. Just ask Skeeter. No one else could make him pound his flounder like Delores did or, and thank God, finish faster.

“Scarlett,” yelled Ollie again. “Your supper’s gonna get cold.”

Scarlett finally went inside and sat down at the dinner table. She quickly served herself some meatloaf, okra and mashed potatoes.

“Don’t you want no gravy on your mashed potatoes, Scarlett Faye?”

“No, Momma. I’m watching my weight.”

“But you ain’t fat.”

“I will be if I keep eating meatloaf and potatoes every other night.”

“So what? A little meat on a woman’s bones is a fine thing. Gives a man somethin’ to hang on to.” She turned to Mitzi and chuckled. “Ain’t that right, Miss Polk?”

Mitzi blushed and looked down at her plate through those big Coke bottle glasses of hers. Scarlett wondered how she was able to see her string beans well enough to spear them.

“I’ve gained five pounds eating your mother’s cooking,” said Mitzi proudly.

“You’re looking just fine,” Jasper reassured her, ignoring the fact she was still skinny as a rail.

“Bein’ a skinny minny ain’t no way to attract a man, is it, Mr. Stubbs? Has to be the real reason why Scarlett ain’t got no boyfriends ceptin’ the one who gave her that there Timex watch.”

“Rolex,” said Scarlett. “I’m not interested in any man who needs ‘somethin’ to hang on to’ because he’s probably a big old pig himself with pants sliding so far down his behind his butt crack shows.”

“Scarlett Faye! How dare you go talkin’ like that at the dinner table.” Ollie thought about her reprimand and extended it. “Or anywhere else.”

Jasper and Mitzi twitched in their seats and pretended not to hear the exchange going on between Ollie Mae and her daughter.

“I’m the perfect weight for my height, mother.”

She was but Ollie decided to give the whole issue a little more consideration. “It’s them fancy clothes you been stickin’ yourself into, ain’t it? That’s why you’re turnin’ to bones justin’ so you can look like one of them mankins.”

“Mannequins,” said Scarlett. It was one of the few times she had ever corrected her mother.

“Where’d you get all them outfits anyway?”

“I told you, Bettelheim’s. Charleston’s most exclusive thrift shop.”

It was actually Charleston’s most exclusive and expensive department store, Sissy’s favorite. Scarlett quickly changed the subject. She didn’t want to talk about her clothes, her weight or her boyfriends.

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