“Breakfast looks really delicious,” Maverick said. “You’re a good cook.”
“Can you please remove your baseball cap while at the table,” Delores cut in on the compliment. “It’s rude.”
“Oh, forgive me,” Maverick said. He took his hat off and put it on Noah’s head. Her son immediately took it off and inspected it before returning it to his head.
“Thank you, Maverick,” Delilah said to soften her mother’s irritation. “Do you eat grits in New York? It’s daddy's favorite, so I made it this morning. Have some.”
“I’m a country boy,” her father shrugged. “Fish, shrimp, crab, and grits are in my DNA.”
“Really? From where originally?” Maverick asked.
“Grew up on Kiawah Island,” he said, “Before it became a ritzy golf resort.”
“Daddy, you love going to Kiawah and playing golf,” Delilah teased. “Don’t pretend you don’t.”
“That’s because you spoil me. But when I was a kid, I was crabbing and working shrimp boats, not teeing off on covered swampland. That was all before I relocated to Falcon Cove and met your mother. I’m older than her, you know. By ten years,” her father said.
“No one asked for that information Henry,” her mother replied.
“I like Kiawah,” Maverick said. “I’ve done plenty of deep-sea fishing off of Sullivan Island.”
Delilah saw the light of interest in her father’s eyes. He began to run down the best fishing spots along the coast of Carolina and some of his most incredible catches. The men spoke in a shared language over the types of marine life they caught. Maverick fed Noah plenty of jelly and all the sugary things her son reached for on his plate. While coaxing him to eat some of his grits as well. She could see her mother on the verge of objecting. Mostly when Noah cried because the grits were too hot. Maverick over apologized and calmed his son with awkward pats to his back.
“Ma, you grew up here in Falcon Cove. Tell Maverick how you and daddy met,” Delilah quickly added.
“I rather not,” her mother replied.
“I love your pearls. My mother’s mother had pearls similar,” Maverick said.
“I thought you were a foster kid?” Delilah asked.
“Oh, good lord, were you?” Delores nose wrinkled in distaste. It was as if Delilah had just said he had some contagious disease. Maverick smiled and nodded. “Yep, grew up in foster care. My mom died when I was two. The only picture I have is of her mother, not her... wait a second.” Maverick shifted and removed his wallet. He tried to pass his wallet to Delores, but Noah snatched it. They all chuckled, except Delilah’s mother. She seized the moment to get a napkin and wipe his fingers and clean the jelly from the wallet. She looked a the picture and nodded that the pearls do look the same. Then she did the unthinkable. She began to look at the other pictures.
“Who is this woman?” Delores asked and showed the picture to everyone at the table. There was a stunning woman’s picture. She had deep-set eyes and a pretty smile. Immediately Delilah felt a pang of jealousy.
“That’s my wife.”
“You’re married?” Delores asked.
“Widowed,” he said.
“You must have loved her very much? You still carry her picture.” Delores said and glanced to her daughter to read her expression.
“I did. I do. Love her. She died in childbirth,” Maverick said.
“That’s terrible,” Delores muttered. “Delilah is in mourning too. She loved Charles very much.”
“Alright. That’s enough, mama!” Delilah snatched the wallet from her mother. She handed it to Noah and tried to suppress her anger. Not with her mother, more-so with herself. She hated being jealous of a dead woman because it made her look desperate or pathetic. Maverick accepted his wallet. When Noah reached for it again, he gave up.
“Could you not do that. He’s eating. He could get germs by handing a wallet that’s been in your back pocket!” Delores snapped.
“What is wrong with you?” Delilah asked her mother. Delores looked at her daughter and then at her husband. Embarrassed, she pushed away from the table and walked away. Stunned at her mother’s behavior, she didn’t know how to respond. “I’m sorry. She’s not normally this rude.”
“Hmm, yes she is,” her father chuckled.
“That’s enough,” Delilah sighed.
“I understand,” Maverick said to them both.
Maverick addressed Dalilah’s’ father. “Would you like to join Noah and me for lunch today?”
Delilah blinked in surprise. She nodded to her father as a signal that he should accept.
“Sure would. Get me out of this dead man’s house. Into this dead man’s cottage.”
“Oh my God!” Delilah said.
Maverick chuckled. Her father laughed, and so did Noah. Delilah was eventually forced to see the humor and smile with them.
“Let me get Noah’s coat and shoes, and you can take him Maverick.”
Delilah caught the look Maverick gave her, and she prayed her father didn’t notice. Because one look from him made her insides quiver. She hurried from the table and went and retrieved Noah’s bag and things. She saw her mother pacing in the television room, and Delores appeared to be crying. Delilah decided to return to Maverick and her father's laughter instead of the misery her mother often brought when she didn’t get her way. Maverick had on his hat again, and Noah was in her father’s lap. Maverick stopped smiling and stared at her. She did her best to not notice as she put on Noah's gloves and shoes. Her father helped him into his little snowsuit jumper. A walk outside always sent Noah running for the snow. She knew Maverick approved.
“He has his pull-ups in his bag, two cups, and all his snacks. Try today to make him go potty. I left one of his seats in the cottage from when we came by, uhm, the last time. I put his stuff for the bath you give him tonight. You know to make the bubble water like before.” She saw her daddy caught her reference and tried to cover it. “I mean, you know what to do. Call me, because uhm if you want me, uhm, at night I can come and check-in and help put him to sleep.”
“I’d like that,” Maverick said.
Delilah shied away.
“C’mon, son. It’s you and me today!” Maverick said to Noah.
“Me!” Noah said and touched his chest. Maverick got his bag and walked out with Delilah’s father, following them to the door. Delilah’s smile faded the moment they were gone. She turned and went to the television room. Her mother was sitting down.
“We need to talk!”
“Yes. Sit down. We need to talk,” her mother agreed.
Chapter Nineteen
MEAT AND POTATOES MEN
“I can’t believe the way you behaved. I’m so embarrassed! What is wrong with you? What is wrong with being civil? Maverick is my guest.”
“Stop,” Delores silenced her daughter. “I said, let’s talk. If you only want to chastise me, then walk away. I’m still your mother. I won’t have it. I deserve some respect.”
“Respect? Really mama? You do know that respect goes both ways?” Delilah asked.