Ill Will by J.M. Redmann

Author:J.M. Redmann [Redmann, J.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2012-02-20T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

We did need some groceries. Since I’d left early, I fit in a quick run to get the essential stuff, toilet paper and cat food, something to eat tonight. I decided on shrimp and cheese grits, one of Cordelia’s favorites, but not something she often indulged in since it wasn’t exactly hard-core healthy. And some salad stuff, so at least part of the menu would be virtuous.

Her car was already parked in front by the time I got home from the grocery run.

When I came into the house, I heard her on the phone.

“Micky just got home,” she said. “We’ll talk later, okay? And either you’ll come over this weekend or we go out—I’ll call tomorrow and work out the details.”

Whoever she was talking to answered, as Cordelia was silent for several moments.

While she finished her conversation, I carried the groceries into the kitchen. It was just a couple of bags, so it was only one load.

“Who was that?” I asked as she joined me.

“You’re spying on my phone calls?” she asked, her tone teasing.

“I think I distinctly heard you obligating us to either cook here or go out. Since that involves me, I have a right to know.”

“That was Alex. I told her that I have cancer, so she has to get her shit together.”

“You did not. Well, not like that.”

“Yes, pretty much like that. She’s gotten lost in her gloom and needs something to kick her out of it. If I have to have cancer, I might as well get as much mileage out of it as possible.” She started unloading the second grocery bag. “Shrimp and grits? You must think I’m dying.”

“No, not at all,” I said too quickly. “But…but it’s been a long day and it just seemed like a night for comfort food. So, how is Alex doing?”

“She spends about three hours a day driving back and forth from Baton Rouge, eight to ten hours at work, seven hours sleeping or trying to sleep, an hour in the morning getting up and ready to go, so that leaves, what, about three, maybe five hours a day for everything else, chores, eating dinner, catching up with people—we just spent forty-five minutes talking on the phone. Joanne was used to having a lot of Alex’s attention, a good hour or two talking about her day. Put those all together and she has not only no time for herself, but is skimming the other things as well.”

“I guess I hadn’t thought about the day-to-day of her working ninety miles away.”

“I’m not sure Joanne has either.”

“You mean Joanne is being an insensitive brute,” I said as I started to clean the shrimp.

“Not at all.” Cordelia gave my hip a bump with hers for me to make room at the sink. “I’ll peel, you devein.” She picked up a big shrimp and started peeling. “What I mean is that we’re all still struggling, with everything from a longer drive to the grocery store, a constantly changing city, to having to deal with people coming back and realizing they can’t stay.

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.