Catch As Cat Can

                "He's always had this crush on you, Lottie. I wish you could see past his exterior. Roger is a good man and he'd be a good provider, solid. He needs a woman to anchor him. He drinks because he's lonely."

                "This is said by a man still single." Lottie thought Sean the better-looking of the brothers.

                "The business has taken up so much of my time, a lot more than I thought. I'll tell you, I've sure learned to respect my father and grandfather. They started the business and they changed with the times although at the end Dad was set in his ways. Rog and I lave to put everything we've got in the business. But you know, I like the challenge." He exhaled a long deep breath."But I do have to get out more. I'm not going to find a wife in the junkyard."

                "Oh, if BoomBoom, now the artiste, comes to your lot I imagine other women do, too."

                "You'd be surprised at the people who come out there." He grinned in semi-agreement."BoomBoom surprises me. She really is

                welding." He held up his hand."Honestly. She's making sculptures jut of scraps and they aren't bad. Kind of whimsical. But I still don't think I'm going to meet the love of my life at the salvage yard."

                "BoomBoom with a welding torch." Lottie's eyebrows rose.

                Aunt Tally followed her guests into the garden as the marching- band members served drinks and hors d'oeuvres."Where did all these children come from? Have people been reproducing behind my jack?"

                "Ned Tucker called forborne extra help," Big Mim told her."He should run for office. He's a smart man." "What kind of office?" Big Mim wanted no interference for her laughter's career. She was relieved that Marilyn finally had some did

                reaction in life."Congress."

                "Yes, he'd be good but let's see how Little Mim does." "She's vice-mayor and she's young. Give her time." "But Ned's young, too," Big Mim said.

                "He's in his late forties. Marilyn's in her thirties. Let Ned pave the way." Aunt Tally rapped the brick path with her cane, betraying her impatience as well as her intelligence. If Ned ran for Congress and won, then Tally and others like her could push him toward the Senate someday and Little Mim could inherit his seat. It would be less of a fight and that way they'd have two politicians in their pockets. A lot of ifs but most endeavors started that way and Tally paid little mind to ifs.

                "May I have this dance?" Reverend Jones held out his hand to Aunt Tally.

                "I thought you'd never get me away from her." Tally laughed as they stepped onto the floor."She hovers around me. What does she think? I'm going to keel over in her presence because I'm older than dirt?"

                "She hovers over you because she loves you."

                "Oh, that," Tally answered the Reverend.

                Diego held Harry. She felt a chill run down her spine. Fair, dancing with Lottie, glared.

                Thomas Steinmetz made the rounds of the lathes, always returning to BoomBoom, as was proper.

                "You're making a lot of women happy." BoomBoom smiled at him.

                "So long as I make you happy." He smiled at her as one who is accustomed to getting his way with women.

                Roger wandered over, a bit more sober."Are you really an ambassador?"

                "Thomas Steinmetz, Roger O'Bannon, proprietor with his brother of O'Bannon Salvage," BoomBoom said.

                "Pleased to meet you." Thomas held out his hand.

                Roger blinked, then shook it."Likewise. You guys have tin mines in Uruguay?"

                "Bolivia has more of those than we do." He noticed Aunt Tally being led back to a table."If you will excuse me, it's my turn to dance with Aunt Tally."

                "Lucky dog," Roger replied noncommittally.

                Lottie passed by BoomBoom and hissed."You're a real shit to fix up Harry with Diego. You want Fair back."

                BoomBoom turned on her heel."Lottie, you are so small and so off course. I ought to smack you right in the mouth."

                "You've got a violent streak. You had it in high school. Go ahead. Just go ahead," Lottie baited her.

                Roger grabbed Lottie by the elbow."Come on, Lots. Let's talk."

                "No." She shook him off.

                Roger stood there for a moment, indecisive, then walked away, a slight sway to his gait.

                "Lottie, don't be an ass. I put Harry and Diego together because I knew he loved farming. How was I to know they'd hit it off? Because you're unhappy you don't want anyone else to be happy."

                "Bitch." Lottie's voice rose a bit.

                "Yes," Susan answered as a joke for she could overhear part of the exchange."I can go from zero to bitch in three point six seconds. Ask my husband."

                Lottie fixed her gaze on Susan standing with Cooper, then decided to allow Roger to lead her away. The two women joined BoomBoom.

                "You certainly have an effect on women." Cooper laughed at BoomBoom.

                "Usually negative." She smiled, though, as Thomas was returning to her.

                "She'll wear us all out." He indicated Aunt Tally.

                "First woman to fly a plane in Albemarle County as well as other things," Susan remarked.