Sunshine Valley

The Ledbetter’s

     Rebecca’s first reaction was no. But Simon was all smiles and excepted the offer for both of them. Which got him a dirty sideways glance. 

     “I’ll holler at you when it’s ready.” Dillon offered. 

     Once alone in the barn she scolded, “what is wrong with you?” 

     “Nothing. Being polite.”

     Dillon and Evie had set everything up on the back porch. A ceiling fan was running. The heat of the summer day hadn’t cut over the hill behind his house, outside still felt nice. 

     There was an iced tray in the middle of the table with milk, orange juice, and tomato juice?

     Evie offered Rebecca the tomato juice. “I don’t drink.” She blushed. 

     Evie smiled, “neither do I. Forgive me, I should have told you; milk, orange juice and vegetable juice.”

     The overall silence was killing Simon, “how does it feel to be back home?” 

     “It’s a mixed bag. But I get to be closer to dad if something happens.” Evie answered.

     Dillon watched Evie eat for a moment, she just nibbled. Why? What was with the nibbling? What had that bastard done to her?

     Rebecca blurted out, “sheriff, what do I need to do to get out of a speeding ticket?”

     Dillon looked up from his plate, “speedin’ ticket?”

     She blushed, I was runnin’ late for work and got a ticket on Mill Street right before that turn onto School Street.”

     “My office doesn’t do that. You will have to take it up with the judge when you go to court.”

     “I have to go to court?” She squeaked. 

     “You can come to the office and pay it out right, mail it in, pay over the phone, or you can go to court and fight it.”

     “I have to take a day off work? I can’t just take a class or something? Forgive it altogether?”

     “That’s up to the judge. We just write’em.”

      “What if it was your mom?”

     “That is why it’s set up this way. There is no need for my deputies gettin’ divorced over a speeding ticket. We don’t and won’t be part of that.”

     Simon changed the subject. They chatted about the weather, Teka, and Sunday dinners. 

     “I assume you will be taking some?” Rebecca asked while looking at Evie. 

    Evie glanced at Dillon, “have you ever hosted one?”

     “No, I work so that the others may if they want too.”

     Rebecca scoffed in her mind, easy way out.

     “Who do I talk to?” Evie turned her attention back toward Rebecca. 

     “Della.”

     “I’ll look into that.”

     Dillon and Evie were cleaning up the kitchen, “well,” Evie sighed. “That was awkward.”

     “That’s being polite.”

     “Does she not like us?”

     Dillon was shocked. “I don’t know her. When I put the roof on your home place, that was the first time I ever met her, officially. Jack hired Simon. He’s a handyman.” He paused, “why wouldn’t she like you?”

     “No clue. But I get the impression she doesn’t like one or both of us.”

Sunshine Valley