Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter Read Online Free Page B

threw my head back and sighed.
    “Why not? If Richard ever came home with a lamebrain idea like that I’d tell him to have fun, call us every week, and be sure to set up a direct deposit account for his paycheck at First Tennessee Bank. And that ”—she paused for effect and flipped her French-manicured hand in the air—“would be the end of that.”
    “I’ve got it!” Virginia said, like she had solved the problem. “I’ll go home and tell John, who can mention it to his father, and once he does that, I’m sure his father will be happy to call Mr. Satterfield.” (John’s father and Baker’s father had been tailgating near one another at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville for years.) “We’ll just nip this crazy idea in the bud before he has the chance to take it one bit further.” She tore open a melba toast and smeared it with butter.
    “No, Virgy. Thanks, but . . . I couldn’t let you do that. I’d feel like I was betraying Baker.”
    “ Betraying Baker? You would not. But have it your way; it was just a suggestion.” The light blue V-neck tee she was wearing looked so pretty next to her brunette hair. Virginia’s always hated her figure because of a few extra pounds, but we all think she’s beautiful.
    “This is just wrong. I’m surprised at Baker,” Mary Jule said. “He has never, to my knowledge anyway, ever let on to Al that he’s unhappy. And Al tells me everything.”
    “You’re in a mess,” Alice blurted out before I could respond to Mary Jule. “All I can say is thank God it’s not me. I wouldn’t move up north for all the tea in China.”
    “Why not?” I asked, now strangely taking Baker’s side. “Maybe you would if you could see how beautiful it is. Baker showed me the pictures last night, and I have to admit it’s perfectly gorgeous up there.”
    “So is Jamaica, but you’d never move there, would you?” Virginia wanted to know.
    “No, I mean probably not,” I said.
    “Then why on earth would you consider moving to Vermont?” Alice looked over at the other two for backup. Virginia raised her eyebrows and Mary Jule shrugged her shoulders.
    I paused a moment before answering her, honestly giving her question serious thought. “I guess to make Ba—”
    “Baker happy,” Virginia interrupted, finishing the sentence for me. “Believe me, you do that enough. Don’t you see that? Think back to your wedding. You didn’t want to get married in the Catholic church. You wanted to get married at Grace St. Luke’s. But you did it anyway, because Baker wanted you to.” She threw her arms up in the air and sat back in her chair. I could tell she was getting riled up at Baker. It had happened many times over the years.
    “That was actually Mr. and Mrs. Satterfield who insisted on that,” I told her. “You know how Catholics are about marriage. I don’t think Baker really cared all that much.”
    “But you still did what he wanted. How about your honeymoon? Would you call a trip to Montreal to see some car race a honeymoon? Not to mention the long layover in New York with just enough time to make it to a Yankees game. I still don’t know why you didn’t tell him to drop you off at Saks.” Virginia ripped open another melba toast and glanced around for the waiter.
    “It was my honeymoon . I didn’t want to be away from him. And for y’all’s information Montreal is a very romantic city. There’s a whole lot more going on there than just that car race. We stayed at a fabulous hotel, went to great restaurants. Baker even shopped with me some. I had a good time,” I said, studying each of their faces for any sign of support.
    Obviously they were in unanimous agreement with Virginia.
    “All right. I get the message. Y’all think I’m crazy. But try to put yourselves in my place for a minute.” I took a long sip of the Coke my friends had already ordered for me.
    Mary Jule jumped to my rescue. “I don’t know, Leelee, it’s a tough call, but if Al really wanted