of voices yelled up from the foyer. “Jolene, where are you? We brought cookies.”
“Who—” Tucker started.
“Aunt Sugar’s friends.” She giggled as she rose to her feet. “Lucy, Flossie, and Dotty.”
She raced down the stairs. “What a wonderful surprise. How are y’all and how’d you get away at this time of day?”
“We’re on our noon break, and we decided to have cookies and milk today,” Flossie answered. “And Dotty don’t even start to work until evening.”
“And we’re mad at Sugar for going off on that trip. That’s the second stage of grief, you know.” Dotty yawned. “Sorry about that. I’ve only been up long enough to do my hair and makeup. But we’ve been talkin’, and Sugar going away hurts us almost as much as if she died. Thank God she didn’t, but it still hurts. And we’re going through the stages—so here we are with cookies.”
“We’re also prayin’ that she didn’t make a mistake. Who’s that up there?” Lucy pointed up.
“Now, Sister Lucy.”
“Don’t you sister me, Flossie. Just because I go to church don’t make me a nun.” Lucy shook her finger at her. “Is Reuben up there starting some remodeling?”
Jolene shook her head. “Reuben sold his half of the inn to Tucker Malone. He’s the one making all the noise.”
Lucy quickly made the sign of the cross on her chest. “Sweet Jesus in heaven. You aren’t lettin’ him live here, are you?”
“He owns half the place. What choice do I have?” Jolene asked. “Come on in the kitchen. We’ll have milk with our cookies while the coffee is making.”
“Of course.” Flossie removed a stocking hat and fluffed back her kinky hair. She led the way into the kitchen with Lucy right behind her.
Dotty fell in next and Jolene brought up the rear. “Don’t pay no attention to Lucy. She’s in another of her church phases,” Dotty whispered over her shoulder. “She always does this when she loses a boyfriend, whether by death or to another woman.”
“Another church phase?” Jolene asked.
“It runs in cycles. If she’s got a boyfriend, she don’t have time for church except on Sunday, when the only thing that’d keep us from sittin’ beside Sugar would be if we was sick nigh unto death. When they either break up or he dies, then she has to get right with the Lord for all her sinful ways with the boyfriend, and that means she’s at some church every time the doors open for services. Right now, she’s in the process of gettin’ right.”
“Catholic?” Jolene asked.
“Nope. She mixes all the religions up together so that she gets the right one.” Dotty giggled.
“How does that work?”
“Wait and see,” Dotty said out of the side of her mouth.
Flossie had taken the plastic wrap from the paper plate piled with chocolate-chip cookies and set them in the middle of the table.
“We remember Tucker from when he came to church with Melanie on occasion. He’s such a tortured soul. And he drinks on weekends.” Lucy brought out the milk and four glasses.
Dotty pursed her lips. “Gawd Almighty, Lucy. We’re livin’ in a brand-new world. If Tucker needs a little something to get him through the tough times, that’s his business. And if Jolene wants to sleep with him, then that’s her business.”
Lucy slapped her hands over her ears. “I can’t listen to you take God’s name in vain. I swear you didn’t used to be like this before you and Bruce left perfectly good jobs and went to keepin’ a honky-tonk.”
“Whoa, ladies,” Jolene said. “I’m not sleeping with my partner, and what’s this about a tortured soul?”
“He’s like my poor dead Ezra. He felt guilty because his wife died, too.” Lucy shook her finger under Dotty’s nose. “And don’t you giggle again, Dotty. I’m past the denial stage about our precious Sugar leaving, and I’m well into anger, so watch what you say to me.”
“Well, honey, you did your best to console Ezra when he was alive, so you shouldn’t have any regrets. He probably died with a smile on his face because he was dreaming about all the sex y’all had,” Dotty said.
“There’s that bar talk comin’ out again. You used to be a fine Christian woman before you owned the Tipsy Gator,” Lucy said.
“I’m still a Christian. I believe in God and Jesus, even though I run a bar. And I go to church almost every Sunday, so don’t fuss at me.” Dotty shook her head.
“We didn’t come here to argue and fight about religion or the Gator.” Flossie picked