The Cherry Cola Book Club - By Ashton Lee Page 0,78
over how thrilled they were to see me in the flesh. One of them—I believe her name was Donna—said that putting my face with my voice made me seem all the more real. So I thought, ‘Why not meet more of my fans in person and help the library at the same time?’ ”
Maura Beth was nodding enthusiastically now. “I bet it’ll work out great. The only thing I’ll need to do is make sure you don’t conflict with ‘Who’s Who?’ and Miss Voncille. We don’t want to start a turf war, but I have to admit the idea of people fighting over using the library is something I’ve been wanting for a long time.”
Becca smiled pleasantly and then reached over to gently grasp Maura Beth’s hand. “There was something else I wanted to say to you. I’ve been meaning to for a while. You don’t know how much it meant to me—and especially Stout Fella—that you came up to Nashville to visit us in the hospital when you did. That entire balloon thing you invented just brightened our days and nights, and we needed something out of the ordinary to get us through it all.”
“Oh, it was nothing,” Maura Beth insisted, breaking her grip and waving her off. “I think that little trip helped me out as much as it helped you. I needed to clear my head.”
“But there was more to it than that,” Becca continued. “I was such a mess when Justin had his heart attack and I thought I might lose him. But all of you rallied around me and kept me going. Connie was the reassuring voice of medical authority, and she and Douglas piled me into the backseat of their car and wrapped me up in a blanket of kindness all the way up to Nashville. His brother and sister-in-law in Brentwood were just as soothing to me, and then you inspired all those balloon bouquets. I remember turning to Stout Fella one evening as he was propped up in bed and saying, ‘Nothing bad can happen with all these pretty, playful things floating around us. No one’s ever sad at a children’s party.’ ”
Then the two women hugged. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” Maura Beth told her. She glanced at her watch and gave a little gasp. “But I think we need to get started. Our big moment has finally arrived.”
After Becca had made her initial announcement about the upcoming “In the Flesh” meetings at the library to the delight of her fans, Maura Beth took back the podium and opened the program in earnest.
“I trust all of you have enjoyed plenty of this delicious food, courtesy of various members of The Cherry Cola Book Club,” she began after introducing herself. “It’s one of the perks you’ll enjoy if you join us, which we hope all of you will do. But the time has come for us to tackle our Southern classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. As everyone surely knows, this was her only work, but it won the Pulitzer Prize for her, and the film version won several Academy Awards, including Best Actor of 1962 for Gregory Peck.” She paused to point toward the Gregory Peck posters and waited for a ripple of female sighs and buzzing to dissipate before again consulting her notes.
“For those who are visiting us for the first time, we do things a bit differently here in The Cherry Cola Book Club,” she continued. “Anyone can summarize a plot and express emotions like admiration, disapproval, or even indifference as a result. Such is the subjective nature of literature. But we prefer to relate that plot to our own lives or even wider issues. So I’m going to suggest that we discuss To Kill a Mockingbird tonight in the context of the changes that have occurred here in our beloved South since its publication. That said, do I have a volunteer to go first?”
Jeremy’s hand went up immediately. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to propose that one of my students begins this discussion with a poem he wrote right after reading the novel.”
“I think that would be a lovely beginning,” Maura Beth replied, stepping aside and smiling at the fresh-faced New Gallatin Academy contingent sitting on the front row in their navy blue blazers and red ties.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Jeremy continued while getting to his feet. “I’d like to introduce to you Mr. Burke Williams