was worried. The whole time she made biscuits, she wondered if she should tell him about Mary’s fears for Henry’s health as well. Maybe both of them should retire after this eight-week session instead of going straight into another two months with another set of girls.
“Hey, what are you doing in here?” Novalene asked as she came inside and headed toward the coffeepot. “I figured you’d be out there with Elijah and the girls.”
“I’m going to give the ladies a little rope and help Mary in the kitchen,” Jayden said.
“I’d offer to help, but I can’t boil water without the neighbors calling the fire truck.” Novalene laughed at her own joke. “Truth is that my idea of cooking is calling one of the two dozen numbers I have beside my phone and getting them to deliver my food. When I was teaching, I ate breakfast and lunch at school, and I picked up takeout on the way home. No wonder I’ve never been married.”
“There’s men out there who wouldn’t mind eating takeout.” Mary stuck a whisk into the bowl of eggs and began to whip them into a froth.
“Not when I was interested in marriage.” Novalene sat down in a chair and propped her feet up in a second one. “Speaking of guys, I saw Elijah on your porch last night.”
“Yep, he stopped by.” Jayden used a glass to cut the rolled-out dough into perfect circles. “We each had a beer, but don’t tattle on us.” She’d learned years ago to own up to whatever she did, even if it made the devil blush, as her grandfather used to say.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Novalene said. “So how did yesterday go for you? My girls were tattling about yours threatening to throw them in the hog lot.”
“Horseflies, horses, and hair,” Jayden told her, and then explained briefly what she meant by the statement. She told Novalene and Mary about the lock of pink hair and all the rest, including the part about the girls being sexually active.
“Sometimes I wish I’d lived in this era.” Novalene sighed. “In my day if we did it, we damn sure didn’t talk about it. I like that journal idea. Next time Elijah goes into town, I’m going to ask him to pick up some for me. Do you mind if I see if Diana wants to do the same? After all, it is your idea.”
“Not a bit,” Jayden said. “I just thought it would be good for them, and it is something they can take home. Sometimes if I’ve got a kid who needs help but can’t seem to tell me the problem, I have them write it down in a journal. I’ve started keeping one while I’m here, too. How about your day?”
“Let’s see if I can be as clever as you.” Novalene took a sip of coffee. “Cigarettes and . . .” She frowned. “Oh, hell, I can’t think of anything to go with that. I caught Lauren smoking. She’s got another demerit.”
“How did she get cigarettes past us?” Mary asked.
“Slipped a pack out of her bra and right into the new one without us catching her. She’s a sneaky little thing,” Novalene answered. “I took a page out of your playbook, Jayden. If it’s all right with you, she will be taking the slop out to the hogs every day for a week when Tiffany’s time is up.”
Jayden slid a big pan of biscuits into the commercial-size oven. “Maybe that should be the ultimate punishment for anyone who gets a demerit. Seems like they hate it worse than anything, except maybe catching horseflies right off the top of a pile of crap.”
Diana yawned as she came into the dining hall and headed straight for the coffeepot. She poured herself a cup and carried it to the table where Novalene was seated. “Good mornin’ to all y’all. I’m not fit to be around until I have my first sip, but now I can talk. How are things going in your cabins?”
“Our girls are fighting,” Novalene said.
“That may be a good thing if it makes them bond together and work as a team.” Diana blew on the top of her mug and then took a sip. “Ahhh, nothing better than the first cup in the morning.”
“So, who’s your alpha girl this year?” Novalene asked.
“Rita,” Diana answered. “She’s the one who set fire to her house because her stepfather beat on her.”
“Mine is Lauren,” Novalene said. “Hands down. But I do believe that she’s a