Pie Town by Lynne Hinton Read Free Book Online Page A

Alex’s mother in a long time. The news never seemed to change, and it always appeared to be an uncomfortable topic for Oris, and Angel’s parents, Roger and Malene. At first, everyone in town thought she would give up whatever she was chasing and come home. They all agreed it was just that she was trying to figure things out, needed a little break from Pie Town, suffered from postpartum depression, or was trying to find the baby’s father. But that was ten years ago. Frank, like most of the others in town, quit asking about Angel once Alex was old enough to understand the questions and understand his family’s embarrassment or discomfort in answering them.
    He nodded at his older friend.
    “Ah, but that’s the way of being young, isn’t it?” Oris asked, not expecting an answer. “Lord knows I did my share of stupid things when I was a teenager.” He laughed and shook his head. “And if my memory serves me, seems like you did a stint in the army. Doesn’t look like it screwed you up too bad.”
    Frank glanced down at the ground. “There wasn’t a war when I signed up,” he said. “The worst thing I saw in four years was some of the recruits suffer from heat stroke at boot camp. I was stationed in North Carolina and Georgia. It was just boarding school for me. Raymond’s likely to face a whole lot more that I don’t think he’s cut out for. He’s soft.”
    Oris considered Frank’s assessment of his son. “The boy might surprise you, Frank,” Oris concluded. “Could turn out to be a hell of a soldier. My boy’s done okay.”
    Frank just looked at Oris.
    “ ’Course, it doesn’t matter anyway, everybody has to find their own way. Seems like I remember you telling Roger that a few years ago.”
    Frank nodded, remembering the conversation he had with the sheriff when Angel left town after Alex was born. He and Roger had been friends since they were kids.
    “I suppose you and his mother have carried him strapped on your backs for as long as you can,” Oris added.
    “I guess you’re right about that,” Frank responded.
    Neither of the men spoke for a few minutes, and then Frank glanced up at the sky behind Oris. “Looks like yesterday’s storm is finally coming in,” he noted. “Or bad company.”
    Oris didn’t even turn around to look at the sky. “I’m not falling for that Indian crap. If you can’t hear the rattle in my engine, I’m not going to believe that you can read the sky for a weather report or ghost sighting.”
    Frank shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
    The two men glanced at the street. A car was turning in their direction.
    Following it with their eyes as it stopped and pulled in, they both recognized the car and the driver.
    “Mrs. Romero needs her tires rotated,” Frank said, acknowledging his next customer.
    Oris watched as the car pulled in behind his Buick. He turned back to Frank. “Mrs. Romero has had those tires since the 1980s,” he commented. “Seems like to me they need more than just rotating.”
    Both men waited as the woman steered her car around them and then stopped beside Oris’s, parked, and stepped out. “Hello, Oris,” Mary said as a greeting to the man she had known all of her life. She was carrying her purse on her arm. She was wearing a pink dress and high-heeled shoes.
    “Mary,” he said in reply. He made a slight smile. “You going to a wedding?” he asked. “Or did you get dressed up for Frank here?”
    “It’s Wednesday, Oris,” she replied.
    He waited, not understanding her reference. “What? Nobody gets married on a Wednesday?” he finally asked.
    She made a humph and turned to Frank. “Can you fit me in?” she asked the mechanic.
    “Of course,” Frank replied. “Oris, always a pleasure,” he said as he nodded at his other customer. “You should get out of this heat,” he said to the older man, whose face was reddened by the sun. “It’s not good for white skin.”
    Oris wiped his forehead but stayed where he was. “I’ll