also suspected he’d had a dentist add a couple of extra teeth to his blindingly white smile. I’d seen him standing outside the groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital, and though there was a heavy wind, his hair didn’t move an inch. Ruby Green, our local beautician and purveyor of beauty, he was wearing a wig.
She was probably right. His hair was too perfect.
Rocky continued. "Then our other contender is Drummond Struthers, the town tow truck driver and president of Pastor Green’s congregation. This right here is what I hate to see happen. An honest man going into politics. They’ll have him shape-changing within the hour."
Drummond’s entry into the race was a surprise. He had never struck me as the political type, but you just never knew. Most of the low-income families in town appreciated his kindness. Drummond Struthers typically offered a special discounted rate for the broken down jalopies he was always towing for them. He genuinely cared for his fellow man, but the idea of asking a glorified mechanic for a grilling recipe might not be such a good one.
"So that’s all there is to it Betsy. I just know you can make this sing for us. Once you get this little set of interviews done, just feel free to have yourself a baby. Have I mentioned what a good name Rocky is?"
"Yes. I believe you have."
"If it’s a boy, you can name him Rocky, and if it’s a girl, you can name her Rockette." He grinned, pleased with himself.
"Now you’re sure you’re okay with me taking some time off for the baby?"
"Not only am I okay with it, I’m looking forward to it," Rocky said. "You’ve been doing so much nesting around here, it’s driving us all crazy. Who said you could put curtains in my bathroom?"
"You have to admit it looks a lot better now."
"I like them," Nicholas said.
"Besides, every time I used the restroom I worried somebody walking down the alley might be looking in the window at me. You need to think about the women in your life, Rocky."
"Something I try not to do too often. It tends to lead to alimony checks."
CHAPTER THREE
"May I help you?" The receptionist asked. She sat behind a glass-topped desk held up by a curved steel frame. I waddled up to the waiting area. The rush of the air conditioner hitting my body caused me to stop for a moment. I took a breath and regained my composure. The woman's eyes widened as if she were afraid I was going to go into labor right there on the polished marble floor.
"I need to see Baxter Digby." Her look of astonishment continued as she noted my hand resting on my protruding belly. She gulped.
"Oh no! I'm from the Pecan Bayou Gazette and I just need to get a recipe from him for a feature we're doing on the candidates."
"Of course," she smiled, unable to hide her relief. She picked up the phone and punched in a number. "Someone from the paper is here to see you, Mr. Digby." She listened and then set down the phone. "Mr. Digby will be with you in just a moment."
I glanced over at a picture of Digby with his wife and two children. "That's Mr. Digby's family?"
"Oh yes. That's Dana Digby. She's wonderful. She studied nursing of some type, but when she had the children, decided she would be better at home raising them. I really admire her for deciding to do that. When is your baby due?"
"In a couple of weeks."
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"Yes."
A hand reached out from nowhere. "Baxter Digby at your service." Digby squeezed my hand while pumping my arm up and down.
"Uh. Nice to meet you. I'm Betsy Fitzpatrick. I'm writing a piece on you and Drummond Struthers for the paper."
"Well, this is excellent, just excellent. I really admire how your paper has jumped in to give the candidates a voice. If we can't get our platforms out there on community issues then the people have no idea who to vote for. Today I just have to say — God bless America and its media outlets."
"Actually…."
"No, you
She was probably right. His hair was too perfect.
Rocky continued. "Then our other contender is Drummond Struthers, the town tow truck driver and president of Pastor Green’s congregation. This right here is what I hate to see happen. An honest man going into politics. They’ll have him shape-changing within the hour."
Drummond’s entry into the race was a surprise. He had never struck me as the political type, but you just never knew. Most of the low-income families in town appreciated his kindness. Drummond Struthers typically offered a special discounted rate for the broken down jalopies he was always towing for them. He genuinely cared for his fellow man, but the idea of asking a glorified mechanic for a grilling recipe might not be such a good one.
"So that’s all there is to it Betsy. I just know you can make this sing for us. Once you get this little set of interviews done, just feel free to have yourself a baby. Have I mentioned what a good name Rocky is?"
"Yes. I believe you have."
"If it’s a boy, you can name him Rocky, and if it’s a girl, you can name her Rockette." He grinned, pleased with himself.
"Now you’re sure you’re okay with me taking some time off for the baby?"
"Not only am I okay with it, I’m looking forward to it," Rocky said. "You’ve been doing so much nesting around here, it’s driving us all crazy. Who said you could put curtains in my bathroom?"
"You have to admit it looks a lot better now."
"I like them," Nicholas said.
"Besides, every time I used the restroom I worried somebody walking down the alley might be looking in the window at me. You need to think about the women in your life, Rocky."
"Something I try not to do too often. It tends to lead to alimony checks."
CHAPTER THREE
"May I help you?" The receptionist asked. She sat behind a glass-topped desk held up by a curved steel frame. I waddled up to the waiting area. The rush of the air conditioner hitting my body caused me to stop for a moment. I took a breath and regained my composure. The woman's eyes widened as if she were afraid I was going to go into labor right there on the polished marble floor.
"I need to see Baxter Digby." Her look of astonishment continued as she noted my hand resting on my protruding belly. She gulped.
"Oh no! I'm from the Pecan Bayou Gazette and I just need to get a recipe from him for a feature we're doing on the candidates."
"Of course," she smiled, unable to hide her relief. She picked up the phone and punched in a number. "Someone from the paper is here to see you, Mr. Digby." She listened and then set down the phone. "Mr. Digby will be with you in just a moment."
I glanced over at a picture of Digby with his wife and two children. "That's Mr. Digby's family?"
"Oh yes. That's Dana Digby. She's wonderful. She studied nursing of some type, but when she had the children, decided she would be better at home raising them. I really admire her for deciding to do that. When is your baby due?"
"In a couple of weeks."
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"Yes."
A hand reached out from nowhere. "Baxter Digby at your service." Digby squeezed my hand while pumping my arm up and down.
"Uh. Nice to meet you. I'm Betsy Fitzpatrick. I'm writing a piece on you and Drummond Struthers for the paper."
"Well, this is excellent, just excellent. I really admire how your paper has jumped in to give the candidates a voice. If we can't get our platforms out there on community issues then the people have no idea who to vote for. Today I just have to say — God bless America and its media outlets."
"Actually…."
"No, you
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