Miss Lola.

Chapter 16.

She looked young enough to be his daughter and frankly I was flummoxed that Chuck would date someone like this chippy but then again there was no accounting for a man's taste in women.

So anyway, there I was, in the middle of the Piggly Wiggly supermarket, staring my ex-lover's new girlfriend down like she was some exotic creature from Mars and I must have missed the moment when Chuck spotted me.

"Hey, Lola." He said affably.

I jumped when he said my name, quickly recovered myself and plastered a fake smile onto my face.

"Oh, hi Chuck."

He acted like he wanted to approach me but his "date" possessively clamped onto his arm like a vise and our eyes locked, hers were a swampy green and definitely hostile.

"Doing some grocery shopping?" Chuck asked.

Duh, what does it look like?

"Well, I'm expecting some company this weekend." I was trying to mess with him and it seemed to be working because Chuck didn't look too happy after I said that.

"Is it someone I know?"

Like I would tell him if it was.

"I don't think so, Chuck." I said.

"Baby, let's focus on why we're here." Blondie said, tugging on his arm to get his attention.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry...Marybeth." Chuck was obviously embarrassed to be caught red handed and he stood there staring at me with a sheepish grin on his face until Marybeth firmly dragged him in the opposite direction.

I casually fluttered my fingers at him a second before he was jerked around the corner of another aisle and out of sight.

Well, well, well.

Good thing I hadn't been suckered into believing that he'd actually missed me otherwise this little scene right here would have hurt my feelings and I probably would have cussed his lying behind out in Piggly Wiggly so it's lucky for Chuck that I have some dignity.

Shaking my head, I pushed the cart down the meat aisle and picked up a couple packages of chicken and beef sausages and then quickly finished my shopping and got the heck out of there because I didn't want to risk running into Chuck and his new boo again.

I rushed home and put the groceries away and then changed the sheets on the bed in the guest room, set out new soap, toothpaste and fresh towels in the second bathroom before showering and putting myself together for my evening with Hollis.

My phone rang just as I was backing down the driveway. It was Rhonda.

"Hello, daughter of mine, and I can't babysit for you tonight so please don't ask."

"I wasn't going to ask you to babysit." Rhonda said. "I was just calling to see how you're doing."

Now, this was a first and as always when my daughter does something out of character, I'm instantly suspicious.

"You don't usually call just to check on me. What's wrong?"

I clearly heard my grandkids yelling and screaming in the background. They sounded like a bunch of savages.

Rhonda sounded annoyed.

"Why must something be wrong with me every time you and I speak on the phone? Nevermind, don't answer that question."

"If you and the kids are fine then good, Rhonda. I'm so happy to hear that. And I'm fine too."

"Now you're just being petty. Well, I also called to let you know that Dad called me today."

I almost ran my car in a ditch when she said that.

"Merlin senior called you?! Well what did that joker want and I didn't know that y'all kept in touch."

"We've been talking off and on for a couple of years now and he's doing real good in Texas. Has a wonderful job at the University." Rhonda was gushing, and since when had she become a cheerleader for her Father?

"Umm..humm. Well since he doing so good and everything the next time you talk to him tell him to run me some child support."

"Mother."

"He owes about twenty-seven years worth of back child support. I wants my money."

"You know that man ain't studying about paying no child support." Rhonda said.

"Well, what did he want?" I was displeased with this entire conversation.

Why was Rhonda telling me about Merlin s.r anyway because both of my children know exactly how I feel about their dead beat daddy.

"They're driving down here to visit some of his family next month and so I offered to let them stay with me instead of having to go through all the trouble of booking a hotel room and I was wondering if you wanted to see him."

"Them?" I nearly hollered. "Merlin's married"

"Yes ma'am and his wife sounds like a real nice lady. So would you like to see daddy? Alone?"

"H to the E to the L. L, no!"

"Mother, all of that stuff that happened between you guys is ancient history. I think y'all should just let bygones be bygones."

"Did he ask to see me? And how might his wife feel about that?"

Rhonda hesitated.

"Well, I kinda mentioned you but he asked about you the last time we talked."

"Rhonda, it ain't his business how I'm doing one way or the other. I really wish that you hadn't brought his name up."

I was irritated and quickly tipping towards genuine anger and why was my daughter discussing me with Merlin s.r anyway?

"I wasn't trying to start trouble, Ma. I was simply trying to give you a heads up. But it's up to you to see dad or not."

"Not." I huffed.

"Right, so anyway. The kids are excited about seeing their grandpa for the very first time."

"That's lovely. I hope they run him ragged just like they do everybody else."

"My kids ain't that bad."

"Says who?" I scoffed. "But anyway, I'm driving and so I gotta hang up..."

"Oh? Where are you going?" Rhonda asked.

"I have something to do and that's all you need to know. Oh yeah, your brother will be staying with me for a few days."

"Is he? Well, that's nice. Did something happen between him and Gwen?"

"How should I know? All Merlin j.r told me was that Gwen's daddy is sick and so she's spending some time with them in Alabama and has taken Haley with her and Merlin said that he didn't want to be in that house alone."

"Oh. Well if that's what Merlin told you." Rhonda said.

"Wait a minute. Do you know something about him and Gwen?"

"Merlin and I don't discuss personal things like that anymore. We barely even talk since he's married that witch."

10/22/21.