The Liar

“You listen to me now. We worked hard, your daddy and I, to send your brothers to college. They had to work, too, but we bore the brunt because that’s what parents do. We do what we can. We’d have seen you through college just the same. You took another path for a while. But if you’re looking to get more education, we’re paying. You’d do it for Callie, and don’t tell me different.”

“I wasn’t going to tell you because I knew this is what you’d say.”

“You ask your daddy what he thinks, and you’ll get the same answer you’re getting from me. You’re not sitting around looking for us to pay your way through life. You’re working, you’re tending your own child, and striving to . . . to hone a God-given talent. If I can’t give my own daughter a hand up, well, what kind of mother would I be?”

Opening her eyes, Shelby saw what she’d imagined in her head. Her tall, occasionally fierce mother, standing over her, face set. “I love you so much, Mama.”

“You’d better. You can pay me back helping me freshen up the living room. Now that we’ve done so much new upstairs, it’s looking tired to me.”

“You’ll get around Daddy on that telling him I need the experience.”

“And you’ll get it, while I’ll get a fresh look in that room.”

She slipped mittens on Shelby’s hands, went around, began a slow, glorious neck rub. “Now that I’ve got you where I want you, I’m going to say when Griff’s people come visiting, you should go over there one night, cook them dinner. Show them what a good cook you are.”

“Mama—”

“I know most women don’t like another woman in their kitchen.” In her cheerful way, Ada Mae rolled right over objections. “But she’ll be visiting, and working while she is. I know I’d appreciate somebody setting a good meal in front of me after a long workday. Don’t I appreciate when you do it for me?”

“You do, but—”

“You ought to make that pasta salad like you made for your daddy and me the other night, with those fancy chicken breasts and good fresh peas.”

“Mama, that’s weeks away yet.”

“Time moves whether we’re watching the clock or not.”

“I know it, and that’s why I’ve got Emma Kate’s engagement party this week when it seems like two minutes ago Matt put the ring on her finger. I’ve got so much to do yet, to think about doing.”

“I wish you’d let me treat you to a new formal for it.”

They’d been this round, Shelby thought, and she was grateful, but she’d rather spend the money on design classes and continuing her education. “I love that you’d want to, but I just don’t have call for that kind of dress now, so it’d be wasted on just one wearing. And I’m going to be running around all night, making sure everything goes just as it’s supposed to—and keeping Miz Bitsy in line, more or less.”

“Bless her heart, she needs someone to.”

“And that’s me this Saturday night. It’ll be easier for me doing all that if I’m not wearing a long dress.” She’d had enough long, fancy dresses over the last few years, and selling them had put some black ink in her ledger. “You think I ought to wear my hair up or down?” she asked, knowing that would carve a new avenue for her mother to travel.

“Oh! Mama could give you a wonderful updo, one that makes the most of your curls instead of hiding them.”

Since Ada Mae was off and running, Shelby just closed her eyes and enjoyed the rest of her facial.

She did have a lot to do, and a short time to get it done. Exchanging e-mails, calls, texts with the event manager at the hotel ate up considerable as the manager was grateful to deal with her rather than the bride-to-be’s “enthusiastic and creative mother.”

Shelby read that subtext clearly.

She had what she hoped would be the final conversation with the florist before the actual event setup, and yet another with Bitsy.

But she took a moment—with her new Winsome Wisteria toes—to sit on the little back patio with her grandmother at the end of the workday.

“You’re glowing, girl.”

Shelby took a sip of sweet tea. “Mama’s a genius.”

“She’s got a talent, but she had fine material to work with. You’re looking happy these days, and there’s no better beauty treatment. It’s hard to bring a glow out without the happy.”

“I am happy. Callie’s just thriving, we’ve got a new baby in the family to spoil and my best friend’s getting married. Working here’s brought back to me how much I love the Ridge. Then there’s the big bonus of my Friday Nights at the bar and grill.”

She took another sip. “And last but far from least, I’ve got myself a boyfriend who makes me glow even when he’s not around. I got awful lucky, Granny. Some second chances come too late.”

“You’re working for yours.”

“I won’t be stopping that anytime soon. Now that I’ve got my glow on, and my nails all pretty, I wanted to see if you’d have time Saturday to do up my hair before the party.”

Viola eyed Shelby over the rim of her glass. “And you’re going to let me have my way with it?”

“I’d never question the expert.”

“Good. I’ve got ideas there. Now tell me what’s really on your mind.”