She looked down at her hands. He watched her exhale while rubbing them and shake her head. Finally looking up, she smacked her mouth as though she had gleaned something of great importance. “When we going on? It’s going to rain soon.”

“You reckon it will?”

“I reckon it will.”

Without slamming it, he closed the door and looked around him. This was a small town with a filling station, a tiny grocery store, an antique shop run out of someone’s home. A post office. Smaller than Tims Creek. He got into the driver’s seat.

“I expect Uncle Zeke will apologize.”

“Do I care?”

“Now, Aunt Ruth. It ain’t Christian to hold grudges and to carry on like the two of you been doing. I expect you two to do the right thing.”

“You expect?”

“Shoot.” He chuckled and looked back at her. “You two should be setting an example for me.” She gave him an unflinching and icy stare. Closing her eyes, she turned away.

Jimmy began rubbing his temples. He was getting a headache.

Zeke shuffled out of the restaurant, picking his teeth with a wooden toothpick. He got into the car with a grunt and rubbed his thigh with one hand, continuing to pick his teeth with the other. “Well. We ready to go?”

Jimmy’s hand paused at the ignition. The right thing, he thought. He turned back to them both. “Now look at you. Look at you both. I declare. It’s a shame. You know I’ve been proud of you both all this time. Proud of the way you’ve . . .”

“Lord, boy.” Ruth’s stare was still icy. “I ain’t in the mood for no preaching, now. Just drive me home. I’m ready to go to bed.”

“But Aunt Ruth, I mean it. I—”

“Boy, don’t waste your time. You heard her. Trying to talk to her is like trying to get through to a stone wall. She—”

“Ezekiel Cross, you just keep your mouth closed.”

“You close it if you want it closed, you—”

“If you don’t believe I’ll try, keep talking, you—”

“I—”

“Listen to you! Listen to you both. A deacon and a mother of the church.” Jimmy put his elbows on the steering wheel. “I don’t believe it. I just don’t believe it. That two people who’ve lived as long and who have been through as much as you two can act so petulant and childish. It’s ridiculous.”

Zeke rolled his eyes and exhaled mightily. “Okay, I ain’t behaving like I ought to. I beg your pardon, Ruth. I—”

“You don’t have to beg no pardon from me, mister.” Ruth raised her hand. “No. Cause the truth will come to the light. One way or the other. I’m right in my soul, but—”

“Well, I tried, damn it. Ain’t no talking to her.”

“That’s right. Ain’t no talking to me.”