And another thing, Emmie took over my bedroom knowing I would be coming back and forth. I saw her robe on my bed and it was unmade when I went up to the second floor to use the bathroom. Why isnât her own room good enough for her? Iâm angry, Hatch. I think I have a right to be angry, too.â
âNealy, you need to calm down and decide how important this is to you.â
âYou know what, Hatch? It is important to me. Did you see all that junk piled up out back? We have trash containers. How hard is it to toss something out instead of dumping it on a pile? Thereâs a soaking-wet crib mattress just lying there with all kinds of rusty junk. That doesnât look good. It all looks shabby and unkempt, and I will not tolerate it. If I have to boot her ass out again, I will. I mean it.â
Hatch cringed at his wifeâs tone. He swerved off the road and pulled into the nursery parking lot and parked alongside a bright red pickup that was being loaded with peat moss.
Hatch turned off the engine and pocketed the key. âIs this your way of telling me you want to stay here?â
âNo, Hatch. Not at all. If Emmie canât do the job, then I have to find someone to take over the farm. If you remember, I had misgivings from the beginning. On the surface, it sounded wonderful and right. Daughter taking over when mother retires, that kind of thing. I donât know, maybe she doesnât see things and needs glasses. I donât want to talk about this anymore. Letâs pick out the plants so I can calm down. My first day home, and itâs all been ruined.â
Hatch picked up on the word: home.
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âHow about some coffee, Mitch?â
âCoffee sounds good. I was just getting ready to head back to town. Would you like to take in a movie tonight?â
âSure. Letâs go out on the porch and drink our coffee. Great day, isnât it?â Any excuse in the world to sit down. She was one giant ache. Sheâd just swallowed three aspirin, and they didnât do a thing for her. She felt like crying. She hoped she could keep up her end of the conversation without gritting her teeth.
âPerfect for filming. I hope itâs this nice when your family gets here, and I sure as hell hope the sun is shining for the Derby. Wow, what happened here?â Mitch asked, pointing to the litter of yellow leaves and broken stems that were all over the porch. âI donât think Iâll sit down. Doesnât your housekeeper believe in cleaning the porch?â Mitch asked as he looked down at his khaki pants.
The porch was her motherâs favorite place on the farm. Emmie looked at it now through Mitchâs eyes and then her own. She groaned. âI hardly ever come out here anymore. I just assumed that Gertie took care of it. I see now that it doesnât pay to assume.â She looked over the railing at the flower beds and winced. No wonder her mother looked like sheâd swallowed a sour lemon. The flower borders, the little gardens, and the trellises with the climbing morning glories were her pride and joy. âDamn, I canât do anything right,â she muttered.
âListen, Mitch, Iâm sorry, but I think Iâll pass on the movie. I need to weed these gardens before my mother gets back. Sheâs about to pitch a fit. I could see it in her face. She likes things done a certain way, and I think I just screwed up.â
âDonât you have a gardener or some kid to mow and weed?â
âWe did, but he stopped showing up a while ago, and I never replaced him. Time got away from me, I guess. Iâm not going to see this in your movie, am I?â
âNo. How about dinner tomorrow night?â
âOkay. Seven?â
âSeven it is. Iâll pick you up.â
âNo, itâs out of your way to drive all the way back here. Iâll meet you in town. Where do you want to go?â
âHow about the rib