Lousiana Hotshot

said, ‘Look. Did something happen to Talba when she was little?’”
    “Ha. What’d she say to that?”
    “She narrowed her eyes and gave me the mother look— you know that look? All kids know that look. And she said, ‘Chew mean, boy?’ I know that ploy. I do it with my students all the time. And so, plunging boldly into the abyss, I said, ‘Did Talba see someone shoot her father?’”
    Talba heard blood pounding in her ears. Whizzing through her temples.
Zing. Zing!
An artery was probably going to burst. “Oh, my God. I’ve got to sit down.” Instead, remembering the man who’d kept her from fainting, she leaned over and touched the grass, as if stretching her back. That was no good— what she needed was less blood to the head.
    She did sit down, and Darryl with her, rubbing her back, sharing his warmth. Gradually, her runaway heart began to subside. “What did she say?”
    “She said,
‘Oh,
no. Didn’t see
no
such thing. Sandra didn’t see
no
one shoot her daddy— you crazy as she is, boy.’”
    He did such a perfect Miz Clara that Talba, in the midst of a near heart attack, burst out laughing. “You shouldn’t make fun of my mama.”
    He was laughing too. “I know. I hate myself when I do it. But you think maybe she’s protesting too much?”
    “Sounds like it, doesn’t it? But I’m halfway relieved you actually asked her. See, Mama doesn’t lie.”
    “She was lying. Maybe you had to be there— I was as sure of it as I am of… of…”
    “Of what?”
    “Oh, you know. Sky’s blue, water’s wet— that sort of thing.”
    “Your baby loves you?”
    “Does she?”
    “Does he?” She was feeling better, but after the night before, looking for a little reassurance.
    “Can’t. Sorry.”
    The blood started to
zing
again.
    “A common man is not permitted to love a Baroness.”
    She relaxed. “How about if commanded?”
    “Maybe if commanded.”
    “I so command.”
    He laughed. “Pushy, aren’t we? Listen, I need to talk to you about something.”
    “Oh, God. I definitely need to lie down. Can I lie down for this?”
    “No. Sit up, damn it. This is serious. I had kind of a revelation last night.”
    “Oh, shit.” She put her hands over her ears. “I don’t need to hear this. Not
today,
Darryl.”
    But when she looked at him, he was laughing. “Don’t be silly. I’m not trying to break up with you— is that what you think?”
    She executed five or six whole-body nods.
    “Well…no. Not that I didn’t consider it for a while— there in the restaurant. You know how sometimes you can think you know a person and yet…” He didn’t have to finish. She was doing nods again. It was exactly what she thought he’d be thinking.
    “And then, one look at Corey’s face, and I knew something was badly wrong— and not with you. Your brother loves you very much, Talba.”
    “He does not. If he did, he wouldn’t have married that… that marshmallow fluff.”
    “Oh, come on. Michelle isn’t so bad.”
    “She is. You know she is.”
    “Just because she doesn’t dress like a baroness…”
    “Okay, okay.” She wanted to get to the meat of this, whatever it was.
    Darryl stood up. “Come on, let’s walk some more. I want to walk.”
    She sensed that he wanted her beside him, so that they weren’t looking into each other’s eyes. “Fine with me.” She dusted off her butt.
    They were quiet for a few minutes. Talba was afraid to speak, but the suspense was so severe she had to take giant breaths to keep from hyperventilating.
    It was getting late now, low sun glinting on the lake. The world was still, except for a faint lapping, and the occasional pelican’s dive. She tried to absorb the calm.
    When the words came, they glided to her out of nowhere, seeming not to be in Darryl’s voice at all. “I wanted to protect you. I wanted you home with me.”
    The sentiment was so unexpected she blurted “What?” in a loud, outraged-sounding whine.
    He put his arm around her waist. “It’s okay. I’m not pushing you. I’m not asking you for anything. But I was thinking… maybe I will someday.”
    Talba’s throat started to close. A turtle attack was coming, and she wasn’t sure why. She loved Darryl. Why should she be afraid of this? This was what women wanted.
    Darryl said, “Hello?”
    “I, uh… sorry. My software’s slow or something. I’m still downloading.”
    She could feel him withdrawing from her, knew it was a response to her own aloofness. “Look,