A Collection of Stories

Some Things Never Change

"Why your brother up and married that girl only the Lord'll know," says Mrs. Glenn sewing furiously. "You heard what she said at Cole's wedding? Called it 'a poor man's event.' Straight an' true she did, Eva, straight an' true. An' right in earshot of the newlyweds, you know. Hope Cole an' Dedra don't think nothing much of it. So, what if it was a small wedding party? Dedra don't have much family here an' Cole only have his daddy, and two little sisters. Besides, your daddy and me had a little wedding when we were married and it was just as nice and simple."

The woman throws aside her sewing, rotating towards the door.

"Shianne if you don't stop causin' that boy to cry I'm gonna give you a good beatin' with Grandad's switch, you hear?" She shifts her ample weight on the rocker and listens for a minute. Satisfied, she picks up her sewing again.

"You heard what happened to your aunt Elva? Well, she gone out with Ms. Claire and your cousin Roonie's mama-you know the one with all that wig an' makeup? The woman I pointed out last time you came down here? The one who always showin' some skin? Well, they'd gone out together, you know, clubbin' an' partyin'-what you young things call fun... you being an exception, though," she thoughtfully adds. "And not that they're young, mind you. Anyway, Roonie's mama picked them up with her man, or some fella she said was her man, an' they all went to have their fun, or whatever they called it, an' poor Elva sprained her foot. How? she don't say. But I know it was somethin' foolish. Poor company'll always lead to trouble."

She pauses, then sniffs the air.

"Shianne! What's that burnin'? I don't believe you forgot 'bout the meatloaf!" then, " You eatin' with us, Eva? You look like you could use some meat on your bones."

She sighs. " I knew city life wouldn't agree with you."

Eva looks up from her laptop and opens her mouth to speak.

"And you wouldna guess who showed up last week for Mr. Simms little get-together," Mrs. Glenn says, eyeing her last stitch with crinkled brows.

"Who?" said her companion patiently.

"Daniel Mose, your old classmate, remember?"

Eva nods, staring at the bars on her screen, and wonders if the Wi-Fi cut out on purpose.

"Heard he's gonna be in town for a while to help his uncle." The woman shoots her a cautious glance.

"The tractor won't start and he plans to look at it come Monday. And you know Simms' own boys ain't into nothin' but pretty cars and a girl on their arm." She shakes her head and gazes at the sky as if searching for something.

"Shianne gone out with some friends last Saturday and one of his boys get keen on her."

Eva focuses her eyes on the plump woman, who slowly nods.

"I see them passin' here more often than usual an' I know what's up-they ain't smarter than me. I've lived life and seen things so I dunno who those boys tryin' to fool with their 'Hullo, Mrs. Glenn' and 'You look beautiful today, Mrs. Glenn' or 'How you doin' today Mrs. Glenn." Here she throws aside her work and rocks back and forth, frowning at the hedge of hibiscus growing along the porch railing.

A lonely wind slips over them, rustling Eva's papers and hair. She glances at the screen. The Wi-Fi's in.

"Since you're gonna be home for a bit, why don't you to monitor Shianne," the woman says with a nod at the house.

"She ain't all brains like you, and'll go runnin' to any fella who tells her she's pretty if we ain't careful."

Eva doesn't look up from her work, as her fingers dance across the keyboard, but satisfies the woman with a nod and a "Uh-huh."

"I don't know what they have you working so much for in that city, but you ain't gettin' any younger you, know."

The clacking of buttons continues.

"Perhaps you should take Shianne and Benji to the fair tomorrow night. That'd be good bonding for the three of you. Just keep an eye on that silly girl of mine, you hear? And Benji ain't to have no sugar before the ride, God knows what that'll do to him. Eva? Eva, are you hearin' me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. You were always a good one, though I never could understand you most times." She sizes the young woman up, her rocker never changing pace. Then with an impatient air she straightens herself, turning half annoyed, half angry eyes on her.

"Why'd you go to the city?"

"For my job, Ma."

"That's it?" It sounded accusatory.

"You just like your daddy, Eva," she said, throwing up her hands.

She throws the young woman a suspicious glance. "Why don't you marry him?"

Eva sighs. "Who?"

"Daniel Mose, girl, who else?! He ain't no poor man, and if I knew you were taken care of, I wouldn't have to worry so much. He's better off than all the men up here combined and stabler than most, too. Not to mention, hard workin, and takin' good care of his daddy, built him a pretty house too, and even Mr. Mose likes you! Why don't you marry his son?"

"He hasn't asked me to."

"And if he does, what'll you say?"

A voice calls out from the house as the clanking of porcelain reaches them.

"Mama, dinner's ready!" followed by, "Should I set a place for Eva?"

"Of course you should, she here, ain't she?" Mrs. Glenn rises, dusting her skirt.

"Come inside and have some dinner with us and stop actin' like a stranger here. You make me wonder if the city's makin' you sick. This your home too, you know."

The setting sun lazily flashes his orangey beams across the horizon as he crawls down among the distant trees. Eva knows what the conversation during dinner would entail, she's done this plenty of times before. She takes a deep breath, then looks at her computer screen.

The Wi-Fi is out.