The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion Read Online Free

OOKIE WAS STANDING IN the “less than six items” checkout line when she heard someone call out her name. It was Janice, a pretty blond girl and one of Ce Ce’s bridesmaids, who rushed over from the produce department, still holding a head of lettuce, and hugged her. “Oh, Mrs. Poole, I’m so happy to see you! How are you? You must be exhausted from all the excitement … but I just had to tell you, that was one of the nicest weddings I have ever been in. And such fun, too! Ce Ce and Peek-a-Boo looked so cute coming up the aisle—and it’s always so wonderful to see your precious mother. I swear she never changes. She’s still the prettiest thing … and funny. I wish you could have been at our table—she had us all just screaming with laughter. And that hat with those birds! How does she come up with these things?”
    “I have no idea,” said Sookie.
    “What a character, and she was so sweet to bring her little Mexican nurse with her.”
    As Sookie moved one person closer to the checkout girl, Janice moved with her. “Oh, and listen, Mrs. Poole, I was going to drop you a note and apologize for Tinker Bell’s terrible behavior at the reception. I don’t know what got into him. He usually just loves cats to death.”
    Sookie said, “Oh, don’t worry about it, honey.… After all, dogs will be dogs.”
    Janice thought about it for a second and said, “Yes, I guess you’re right. They just can’t help themselves, can they?” Then she made a sad face. “How are you holding up? You must be so blue with Carter and all the girls gone—but thank heavens, you still have your mother to keep you company … and I’ll bet she just keeps you entertained twenty-four hours a day doesn’t she?”
    “Oh, yes, she certainly does,” said Sookie.
    Finally, it was Sookie’s turn at the cash register, and Janice said, “Well, I’d better run. ’Bye, Mrs. Poole, so nice to see you. Be sure and tell your mother I said hey.”
    “I sure will, honey.”
    When she came out of the market, she saw that the Elks Club ladies had set up a bake sale, so she walked over to see what they had. Dot Yeager, sitting behind the table, said, “Don’t they all look good?”
    “Oh, they do.”
    “Your mother looked so pretty at church yesterday in that bright blue dress with her silver hair. I wish I could wear that shade of blue, but it just fades me out to nothing. I had my colors done, and I’m a fall, but Lenore is definitely a spring, isn’t she?”
    “Yes, I believe she is.”
    Sookie was standing there, trying to decide between the lemon icebox and the pecan pie, when her friend Marvaleen walked up. “Oh, hi, Marvaleen. What do you think would go better with pork chops? The pecan or the lemon icebox?”
    “If it were me, I’d go for the key lime, but then, I’m a fool for key lime.” Sookie bought the key lime.
    Sookie was glad she had run into Marvaleen. She seemed so much calmer now. Marvaleen had recently gone through a divorce and, for a time, had been quite intense. She had been seeing a life coach over in Mobile named Edna Yorba Zorbra, and all she wanted to do when you saw her was tell you in great detail what Edna Yorba Zorbra had just said.
    A few months ago, Sookie had been at the store and in a hurry, and she had tried to hide, but Marvaleen had spotted her and cornered her in the frozen food department. “Sookie, do you journal?”
    “What?”
    “Do you journal? Write things down?”
    “Oh, like lists. Yes, I have to. I went to the store four times before I remembered to buy Parmesan cheese.”
    “No, Sookie, I mean seriously journal. Write down your innermost thoughts. Edna Yorba Zorbra says it’s essential to maintain a healthy psyche. I can’t tell you what a difference it’s made in my life. I would never have divorced Ralph if I hadn’t started journaling. I didn’t realize how much I hated him until I saw it written down in black and white. Oh, you must journal, Sookie. I didn’t