“That young boy usually comes in to pick up lunch, doesn’t he?”

Phillip reached in, took out a carton at random. “He’s in school today. It’s Friday.”

“ ’Course it is.” Nancy laughed, playfully patting the side of her head. “Don’t know where my mind is. Fine-looking young boy. Ray musta been right proud.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“We’ve been hearing that he’s got some blood relations close by.”

“There’s never been anything wrong with your hearing, Mrs. Claremont, that I recall. I’ll need a couple of large coffees to go, Mother.”

“We’ll fix you up there, too. Nancy, you got more than enough news to blow around for the day. You keep trying to squeeze more out of this boy, you’re going to miss your hair appointment.”

“I don’t know what you could be meaning.” Nancy sniffed, shot Mother a furious look, then fluffed at her hair. “But I have to be going. The husband and I are going to the Kiwanis dinner-dance tonight, and I need to look my best.”

She flounced out, making a beeline for the beauty shop.

Inside, Mother narrowed her eyes. “The rest of you got business, Junior’ll ring you up. But this ain’t no lounge. You want to stand around and gawk, go stand outside.”

Phillip disguised a chuckle as a cough when several people decided they had business elsewhere.

“That Nancy Claremont’s got less sense than a peahen,” Mother proclaimed. “Bad enough she dresses herself up like a pumpkin from head to foot, but she don’t even know how to be subtle.”

Mother turned back to Phillip and grinned. “Now, I won’t say I don’t have as much got-to-know as the next, but by God, if you can’t try to jiggle a little information out of a body without being so blessed obvious, you’re not just rude, you’re stupid with it. Can’t abide bad manners or a soft brain.”

Phillip leaned on the counter. “You know, Mother, I’ve been thinking maybe I’d change my name to Jean-Claude, then move to the wine country of France, the Loire valley, and buy myself a vineyard.”

She tucked her tongue in her cheek again, eyes bright. She’d heard this tale, or one of its variations, for years. “Do tell.”

“I’d watch my grapes ripen in the sun. I’d eat bread that was hot and fresh, and cheese that wasn’t. It would be a fine, satisfying life. But I’ve got just one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“It won’t be any good unless you come with me.” He grabbed her hand, kissing it lavishly while she roared with laughter.

“Boy, you are a caution. Always were.” She gasped for breath, wiped her eyes. Then she sighed. “Nancy, she’s a fool, but she’s not mean, not deep down. Ray and Stella, they were just people to her. They were a lot more than that to me.”

“I know that, Mother.”

“People got something new to talk about, they’re going to gum it to death.”

“I know that, too.” He nodded. “So did Sybill.”