Watson - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,22
help out with this lovely town.”
“Do you mind not prattling on and on about things you do not know about?” Aunt Becky, he decided to call her, pinned him with a pointed stare. “You. What do you do for a living that makes it so you can afford this extravagant home? She said, doctor. Are you some sort of doctor that sells drugs made right here on the grounds? I wouldn’t put it past my niece to do something just that way.”
“What do you mean?” He turned down the cup of tea and glanced at Aunt Selma, and noticed that she was trying very hard not to laugh. Wats had had enough of women bullying him around. “I’m a doctor of medicine. My cousin, Mars, he’s a chemist. He is opening a compound drug store right here in—”
She cut him off. “Why do you think I’m going to care what your cousin does, young man? I asked you what you did for a living. And I don’t believe for one second that a doctor, as you’re claiming to be, would attach themselves to someone like my niece. She’s not what people would call refined.” Wats looked at the aunts, then at Rayne. She was pissed, and he wasn’t helping, he didn’t think. “I demand that you call this off, whatever you call this travesty that you’re pulling.”
“Aunt Selma, do you think I’m lying about my love for Rayne?” She shook her head and sipped her tea. When she put it down on the table in front of her, she picked up the scone that was handed to her and nibbled on it. “Good to know.”
Before he could toss the older lady out of the house, which he wanted to do badly, Mr. Oliver came into the room and looked hopping mad. The first thing he did was look at Becky and ask her what the Sam hill she was doing there.
“I’ve come to make sure you’re being taken care of.” Selma huffed this time.
“Shut your mouth, Selma. You know as well as I do that this is just a ruse to get all his money.”
“What money? Last I looked in my account I had less than enough to buy me a newspaper. Rayne here would have to lend me some money before she’d be able to rob me blind. Now, tell me what you’re doing here. And you’d better not be lying to me again, young lady. I’m still your father, and I’m not going to be happy with anything less than the truth. Talk.” She asked him what he was doing here. “I live here. Same as Rayne does. They’re getting together if my eyes are right. But this here young man has welcomed me with open arms, more than you ever did. He’s been taking good care of me too. Never had anyone worry so much about me as an old man as these here two have. Got me a cell phone. Someone to cart my hiney around too. I even got me some walking around money when I need it. Now, you get your butts right back home or wherever rock you slimed your way out from under, and leave the two of us alone.”
“It said in the newspaper that your home has been torn down.” James looked at Selma, who shrugged, then back at Becky when she continued. “I thought it would be just like her to toss you aside and fend for herself.”
“You get out of here, Becky before I have to take a switch to your backside. Don’t you think I’m too old to do it either. Of all the things to say—how much have you done for me? Answer me that. Since you left home, you’ve not done nary a thing for either of us. Even when your momma died, you didn’t bother coming around.” She said she was working. “Working that evil mind you have there. I don’t want you coming back here. I’m sure that Rayne and Wats here will agree with me when I tell you that if you darken the doorway here ever again, he’ll call the police on you. You’re a terrible person, Becky. You have an evil mind and a nasty mouth.”
Becky stood up, and Wats did as well. She looked over at Selma and told her they didn’t seem to be welcome here and that they were leaving. Selma picked up her scone, and Wats thought for sure she was going to ask if she could