Southern Comforts by JoAnn Ross

Author:JoAnn Ross [Ross, JoAnn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, General, Scandals, Georgia, Secrets, Murder, Suspense, Adult, Women authors
ISBN: 9780778320401
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2004-03-01T13:49:35+00:00

“I don’t understand,” Mildred Landis whined. “Didn’t you tell Miz Scarbrough that your mother was ill?”

“Yes, Mama,” Dorothy lied deftly as she cut the fryer into pieces.

“Then she should have let you come home early. So you could take me to the doctor.”

“Mrs. Wickersham already agreed to take you to the doctor, Mama.”

“But Mrs. Wickersham isn’t kin.” Mildred poured another two fingers of Johnnie Walker Red into her glass. Then, on reconsideration, added another splash. For medicinal purposes.

The glass was one of a set of crystal she’d inherited from her mother. The gold rims had been worn off over the years from heavy use. Mildred was not the first generation of Palmer women partial to spirits.

“It’s a daughter’s duty to take care of her mother.” She took a drink and enjoyed the warm feeling that flowed through her. She hadn’t gotten to the click yet. But it would come.

“Keeping my job is taking care of you, Mama,” Dorothy said. “Without it, we wouldn’t have the insurance that pays for all your doctor’s visits. And your pills.”

And the money for all the damn booze you guzzle down like tap water, she felt like adding, but having had to put up with Roxanne’s tantrums all day, Dorothy wasn’t up to arguing with her mother.

Ignoring the litany of complaints she’d been hearing all her life, Dorothy skinned the chicken, cutting away the pebbly flesh and fat. If she allowed herself to actually listen to her mama, she’d probably start to scream. And the problem with that was, she wasn’t sure if once started, she’d be able to stop.

She began dipping the chicken pieces in the milk. With her mother’s voice droning in her ear, she let her mind to wander to New York. And to Chelsea Cassidy.

The writer’s refusal to immediately succumb to Roxanne’s will was making Dorothy’s life a living hell. Roxanne was not easy to get along with at the best of times. When she wasn’t getting her way, she could make the Wicked Witch of the West look like unrelentingly pleasant Melanie Wilkes by comparison.

Even as she wished Chelsea would agree, so they could all get on with their lives, Dorothy secretly admired her gumption. It took a lot of nerve to stand up to Roxanne. Lord knows, she’d never been able to manage it.

Of course, if she didn’t have Mama…

“Are you listening to me, Dorothy Rose?”

“Yes, Mama,” Dorothy murmured obediently. The air seemed to be growing thinner by the minute. There were times when she found it difficult to breathe around her mother.

“Then why didn’t you answer my question?”

“I’m sorry.” She dipped the chicken into the bread crumbs. “I guess I was thinking about work.”

“That’s all you think about,” Mildred complained, her false teeth clacking. “Your precious work. If you thought half as much about your poor ailing mother as you do that fancy career of yours, all the time jet-setting up to New York City—”

“I’m Ms. Scarbrough’s personal assistant. I have to go where she wants me to go.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.