Stella Jane had walked in. She dragged her dark sunglasses off her face, swung her hair behind her shoulder, and gave that big smile once she made eye contact with Grady.
It was like a celebrity was in town, and the people parted to let her through.
“Mr. Butler,” she cried out and practically ran over to our table. She threw her arms around him. “I was so happy to hear you called and wanted to meet for lunch. You have no idea how much I truly appreciate all you’ve ever done for me.”
She dropped down into the booth and let out a long sigh.
“I had no idea how hard it was going to be going to all these cities and signing books. Granted, Sugar Creek Gap is my first stop, but after this, I’m off to Texas.” She squealed. “I’ve never been to Texas.”
“Stella Jane, about the book.” Grady spoke on an even keel, and I was very proud of the way he handled himself. “You do realize the plot of the book follows closely to various relationships of our neighbors and friends?”
“Oh, Grady. I can call you Grady now that I’m no longer a student, right?” She sighed and threw her head back to look at him. “You told me to write what I know, and this is what I know.” She threw her hands up in the air.
“I meant write what you know meaning how you felt about a situation or something in your life that could be turned into fiction. Something like that. Not write about my mom and dad or even Iris Peabody. You’re hurting people.”
“I didn’t hurt anyone. If you think that my plot is about you”—she looked across the table at me—“or your dad”—she shot a glance at Grady—“maybe you’re feeling something that needs to be explored. I think we can all see ourselves in many things we read. But it’s all fiction, right? That awful woman at the bookstore. Piddy is it?” she asked when she knew good and well that was the woman in the bed with Bobby Peters that she’d written about. “She’s a terrible person. She had the nerve to tell me that I wrote lies and smut. I called my agent to get her fired. She embarrassed me when I walked in there just to make an appearance. She better be gone at the book signing, or I won’t sign.”
“Do you blame her?” I couldn’t keep my mouth shut anymore.
Stella Jane was awfully entitled, and she needed to be put in her place by me. Not Grady.
“Her life does seem to mirror some of the people in your book that Grady is talking about. She’s hurt.” I picked up the coffee mug and took a drink, forcing myself to stop talking.
“Take Piddy, for instance. You clearly took real-life hurts and made them into something for the world to see. I know you think what you did is okay, Stella Jane, but it’s not.” Grady had put that teacher hat on and wanted her to know exactly how he and the rest of the town felt.
Her brows furrowed. She blinked a few times before she yawned so big that I drew back.
“I’m sorry to be rude, but I’m dying to take a nap, and I can’t think clearly.” She had a worried look on her face. “I went to see my grandmother, and she doesn’t have a place for me to stay, so I really need to worry about that for tonight. Maybe we can talk about this after the football game because I don’t want you to be mad at me.”
“Honey.” My mom wasn’t too far away, and she stuck her head right on into the conversation. “If you’re tired, we have an apartment upstairs where you can rest and just walk on over to the book signing. Then you can stay as long as you want.”
“Mom,” I gasped.
“Grandma,” Grady gasped. He tried to run his hand through his curly brown hair, but his fingers got hung up. Looking at him reminded me of exactly how Richard looked when he was Grady’s age.
“Are you sure?” Stella Jane blinked a few times.
“You just head on upstairs, right through there, and I’ll bring you up something to eat.” Mom pointed the way.
And Stella Jane jumped at the opportunity.
“That’s wonderful. I’m going to head over to The Roasted Bean for a little pick-me-up and then head up to the apartment.” She looked at her fancy phone watch. “Which only gives me about forty-five minutes.”
She gave Grady a hug before she darted out as fast as she came in.
“Grandma, why did you do that after what we talked about?” Grady questioned her, leaving me to wonder what they did talk about.
“Grady, that poor girl has no one.” Mom shook a finger at Grady. “She needs a little guidance. And right now, if you’re her only ally, then you’re gonna have to swallow that lump of pride in your throat.” She slid her finger at me. “That means you too.”
Mom turned around and disappeared into the kitchen, almost knocking my dad over on his way out of the kitchen.
“Hey, you two.” He came over and kissed me and Grady on our heads. “It’s time for the noon news.”
Dad loved the news better than the newscasters. He watched as much as he could and wore me out. But it gave him and his friends something to talk about, and today, Stella Jane was still the top news alert.
Chapter 9
There was nothing like a home football to get everyone back into their right mind. Grady wasn’t able to stick around after Mom had offered Stella Jane the apartment. He had to get his head in the game.
“It looks like you’re all ready for a big snuggle.” I held my arms out and took Clara from Julia after Clara recognized it was me.
“Look at her little outfit.” Julia pulled back the zipper off Clara’s jacket and showed me the little Go Grizzly shirt she had made for her. “Grady loved it. He told me not to tell you but show you.”
The crowd was starting to gather in front of the post office like every Friday night home game, and we would walk behind the high school band all the way to the high school. Which really wasn’t all the way. We would walk down Main Street and past Short Street. There were woods that butted up to Short Street, and the fairgrounds were just beyond the woods. Right after that was the school campus that included all the grades.
Sugar Creek Gap wasn’t largely populated, so we didn’t have the need but for one school.
“There you are.” Iris found me and Julia in the crowd where we always met. “Give Auntie Iris some smiles.” Iris did the gitchy-gitchy-goo chin thing to Clara, which made Clara giggle.
“So, did you talk to Grady?” Julia asked.
“As soon as he saw me, he knew you’d called.” I handed Clara off to Iris, who wasn’t about to leave Clara alone until she got her hands on her. “I want her right back,” I warned Iris before I gave Clara up.
“Your maw-maw is so demanding.” Iris spoke to Clara in a baby voice.
“And?” Julia’s eyes had a look of deep concern.
“You know we didn’t get to talk about it much, but he did talk to Stella Jane. He told her she’s hurt a lot of people with her book. He was really mature about it. She did say that he made her think and that she’d talk to him once she’d gotten some rest.” I knew it wasn’t exactly what Julia wanted to hear from me. “It’s game day and he had to go, but I’ll come by tomorrow and chat with him.”