bad to happen to other people?” I said.
“Here, give me the carrots. I’ll peel them. Why don’t you ever ask for help?” she said, and I handed her a peeler.
“Sometimes it’s just easier to do it myself.”
“Well, it is not a sin to pray for the bad guys to get it. Go read the Book of Psalms in the Bible. There’s one where David asks God to pray his enemies home or something like that. People been praying for their enemies to die since forever!”
“If you say so.”
“Charlie called me this morning. Again,” she said.
“To talk about what?” I said.
“Nothing in particular,” Leslie said. “And that’s what’s so weird. He thinks everything between us is going to be fine. I told him he’s as crazy as hell.”
“Hmmm,” I said. “How could he think everything is fine?”
“Well, because we still love each other.”
My jaw dropped.
“How is that even possible?” I said. Boy, I really didn’t understand love at all. Not a bit.
“I don’t know, but it is.” She was peeling those carrots with a vengeance, long strands falling into the trash. Then she stopped and looked at me funny. “When’s the last time you had a professional haircut?”
“I trimmed it last year.”
“You cut your own hair?”
“What’s the matter with that?”
“I don’t know a single soul who cuts her own hair. Are you suffering with some kind of depression or something?”
“No.”
“You do realize you could make yourself more attractive than you do. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.”
“Why in the world would I change my looks? I mean, who’s looking at me?”
“Because, one, you never know who’s looking. And two, a good haircut and a little bit of makeup sends a message.”
“What does it say? For a good time, call Holly? Can we talk about something else?”
“No, you big dope. I’m just thinking, you don’t know who’s coming to the wedding. There might be someone there for you. And if you show up looking like hell, that fabulous guy will be lost forever!”
“I do not look like hell! And I’d be shocked if I liked any of Sharon’s friends.”
Momma waddled into the room and sat at the kitchen table.
“I don’t think I’d like any of her friends, either,” Momma said. “And Archie’s friends are probably too smart for you.”
“Momma!” Leslie said. “You couldn’t possibly have meant for that to sound as mean as it did.”
“What?” Momma said. “What did I say that was so terrible?”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m used to it. I think what she means is that they all have Ph.D.s and I’d feel inadequate around them. They’d be talking about some obscure stuff I couldn’t possibly know and I’d be embarrassed with my lowly B.A.”
“Just because someone has a huge amount of knowledge on a particular subject doesn’t mean they’re a genius,” Leslie said. “And for what it’s worth, I think you have as much raw horsepower as anyone I’ve ever met with a Ph.D.”
“Thank you, sister,” I said. “I think.”
“I’m just thinking that why not go get a great haircut, get your makeup done, buy a great dress, and let Archie know what he’s missing.”
“I don’t like to relive the past, but I did precisely that for your wedding, Leslie, and then your lovely father showed up with Lola,” Momma said. “What’s for dinner?”
“Seafood vegetable stew,” I said.
“Put in extra potatoes for me,” Momma said. “Never met a carb that I didn’t like.”
“Okay,” I said.
“But, Momma, you looked so great in all the pictures,” Leslie said. “Holly, it might be fun to get all glammed up. What do you think?”
What did I think? The thought of it made me nervous, that’s what. I felt like makeup and fancy clothes draw attention to you, and I wasn’t comfortable with attention. But how long had it been since I’d dressed up?
“Well, I might do it just for the fun of it, but I wouldn’t be doing it to try and get Archie’s attention on his wedding day. That’s for sure,” I said. “That would be gross.”
“Let me handle it,” Leslie said. “I still have some friends in the beauty business around here and I still have a few friends on King Street.”
“Okay, I’m going out to check on my bees,” I said.
“I want you to look fabulous in Archie’s wedding pictures,” Leslie said, calling after me.
“You’re such a good sister,” I heard Momma say.
Outside, I told my bees what was happening as I gave them some more water. They were buzzing all around me as though they