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Chapters (53)
  1. Cover
  2. Everyone loves the ladies of Covington!
  3. Also by Joan Medlicott
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Dedication
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. Discussion Questions

Smile. Nod. Get out of here fast. “That’s right. We’re finished.” She picked up her purse and started for the door, her legs acting on their own volition. “Thanks for your time, Pastor.”

“Certainly,” he replied.

May started down the hall, veered right, and barely made it to the restroom. She kneeled by the toilet and heaved until she thought she would die. Hugging her stomach, she rolled onto her side and lay on the cold tile floor for what seemed an eternity, until suddenly she realized that the men might leave the church, might have already left the church and locked the doors, unwittingly trapping her inside.

May hauled herself to her feet. Leaning against the sink, she dashed water on her face and rinsed her mouth. In the glare of fluorescent lights, she looked frightful, her hair mussed, her face paste white, her jaw trembling, her mouth pursed to cry. She ran a comb through her hair, opened the door, and peered down the hall. Light from the office fell across the narrow hallway. Low male voices, a cough, a laugh issued from the office she would never enter again. She couldn’t let them see her.

Removing her shoes, May sneaked into the church sanctuary. Light spilled through stained-glass windows. Holding her breath, May hastened down the aisle and stepped into the foyer.

Dear Lord, let the front door be unlocked.

The knob turned easily. The front door of the church swung wide. After a furtive look in both directions, May dashed across the grass to her car.

From her kitchen window, Alma Craine across the road noted May’s departure from the church. Alma’s eyes narrowed. “She’s been with the pastor and Charlie,” Alma muttered. “What were the three of them doing in there? I bet Charlie caught them red-handed, and he stepped in to put a stop to it.” That is what Alma presented two days later to the ladies at the beauty parlor.

14

Under Wraps

For several days, May remained in her room. When she did not leave the house, and no one called or came to see her, Mrs. Bourne, always concerned that a boarder might take ill and die under her roof, tainting her home forever, broke her own rule and used her key to enter May’s room.

The shade was drawn. She yanked open the curtains and raised the bamboo shade. In one corner May huddled in a large leather armchair, clutching her knees to her chest, head on her knees, her hair straggling over her face and shoulders.