reached the outskirts of Blessings, she had calmed down enough to breathe without wanting to scream.
“I’m driving into Blessings right now,” she said. “I feel sick. I don’t know whether it’s shock or the fact that I didn’t eat anything yet today. I think I’m going to go on to Granny’s and get a little food in me and see if it helps. Don’t mention anything about me being in any way involved in that shooting. It was a fluke that I was there, and let this just be between me and you, okay?”
“Yes, sweetheart. Very okay. And just so you know…the police have taken down both shooters and rescue is on the scene. I’m sure your early report helped. Just think about that. I love you,” Duke said.
“Love you, too,” Cathy said. “And thank you.”
“Always,” Duke said, and hung up.
She noticed the Christmas wreaths were all up now, hanging in place on the streetlights, and kept driving to Granny’s. She needed to displace the horrible emptiness she was feeling—to settle the ache of what she’d seen and heard, and maybe a little comfort food would do it.
But when she went to get out and saw the bullet hole in her purse, her composure slipped. She almost got back in the car to go home, but she was feeling too light-headed and sick to drive. Hopefully, a little food would help this.
The tables in Granny’s were filling up fast as Sully led the way to her table, but Ruby and Peanut were sitting at a table together, and when they saw her about to sit down alone, they waved.
“Is Duke with you?” Ruby asked.
“No, just me,” Cathy said.
“Then come join us,” she said.
“Yes…please do, and save me from talking about perms and hair tints,” Peanut said.
“Sounds like a mercy mission to me,” Sully said, which made Cathy smile.
The idea of not sitting alone was appealing.
“Then yes, I’ll sit with them,” Cathy said.
Sully seated her and left her menu.
“We haven’t ordered yet,” Ruby said. “Today’s special is a pork chop, mashed potatoes and gravy, one side, and dessert.”
“I think I’m going to go for breakfast food,” she said.
Ruby kept eyeing Cathy’s hair, and finally reached out and touched it.
“Forgive me, but you have the most beautiful head of hair I think I’ve ever seen. And it’s all you, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Born with this…curls and all.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Ruby said. “My hair has been every shade on the spectrum at one time or another, but I consider it advertising my wares.”
“My hair is sadly out of shape,” Cathy said. “I kept thinking I’d get down to your salon before Thanksgiving and never made it.”
“I have two whole hours open this afternoon, or I wouldn’t be here eating lunch with my husband. If you have time when lunch is over, come back to the shop with me and I’ll fix you up.”
“Really?” Cathy said. “I keep it all one length so I can at least keep it out of my face, but I am badly in need of a trim.”
“Yes, really…and it will be a ‘Welcome to Blessings’ hairdo on me.”
“Oh no, I’d want to pay,” Cathy said.
Ruby leaned over and patted her hand. “Sugar, I think you’ve paid enough in your life for a while. Let me treat you. I do it for all the newcomers to Blessings, so don’t take it as charity.”
“Then okay,” Cathy said. “I’ll be grateful.”
About that time, two women came in and were seated next to them. To Cathy’s horror, their entire topic of conversation was the shooting at the mall.
“Hey, Ruby. Did y’all hear about the shooting at the Savannah Mall this morning?”
Ruby gasped. “No! You’re not serious?”
“Yes, as a heart attack. It’s awful, just awful. People were shopping the leftover sales from Black Friday, and two men came in with automatic rifles and started shooting up the place. They say there’s dead people everywhere.”
Cathy swallowed past the lump in her throat as their waitress finally appeared with their drinks and a basket of hot biscuits. She smiled at Cathy.
“I saw you had joined them. Sully said to bring you some sweet tea.”
“Thank you,” Cathy said, and took a quick sip, hoping to settle her stomach and her emotions.
“We’re having the special,” Peanut said.
“I just want biscuits and gravy,” Cathy said, and then reached for a biscuit and buttered it before taking a bite.
By the time she’d eaten half of it, she was already feeling better and had zoned out of the conversation, just nodding now and