Page 56 of Left Behind

“And you can have bites of my stuff, too, just to see if you like it, and then we’ll know what not to buy at the supermarket.”

“Sometimes I went to the grocery store with Miss Mattie,” Ava said.

“Oh yeah? What all did Miss Mattie buy besides mac and cheese in the blue box?” Wiley asked.

“Umm, Coca-Cola in a can. Soup in a can. Burglar meat, and ciggies.”

Wiley didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Well, I don’t smoke, but we can get soup in a can and burglar meat. I know how to make meat loaf and hamburgers, and spaghetti sauce for spaghetti noodles.”

Her eyes widened. “I had s’gettie in a can before.”

“Mine’s better,” Wiley said. “Promise.”

She nodded.

The waitress arrived with two glasses of water, one of which was in a small paper cup with a lid and a straw. “Hey, Wiley, look at you. A new girl on your arm, already.”

“Hi, Diane, this is Ava,” he said. “Ava, this is Diane. She’s a cousin, so she’ll be part of your family now.”

Diane blinked. “Is this your girl?”

“Half sister. She’s living with me now.”

Ava didn’t look up. She just sipped some water through the straw in her to-go cup.

Diane’s eyes filled with tears and then she looked at Wiley. He winked and shook his head and gave her their food and drink orders.

“Okay then. I’ll turn these in. It shouldn’t be long,” she said, and hurried away.

Ava sat for a few moments, then leaned over and patted Wiley’s arm.

“Bubba, I need to go to the restroom now.”

“Okay, honey,” he said. He got up with her and took her across the dining room to the hall leading down to the restrooms. But almost immediately, he realized he didn’t know if she was tall enough to manage what was in there, or if it was safe to let her go in alone. Wiley was still debating with himself when Linette walked up behind him.

“Hey, you!” she said, and smiled at both of them.

Fabulous! Just when I needed her. “Linnie! Sweetheart! I need a favor. Ava needs to go to the bathroom, but I don’t know if it’s safe, or if she’s too small to reach everything. Can you check for me?”

Linette looked down at the tiny blond clinging to Wiley’s hand and smiled.

“Hello, Ava. I’m Wiley’s friend. How about you and I go in together and I can help if you need me. Would that be okay with you?”

Ava glanced up. “Are you Wiley’s almost wife?”

“I suppose I am,” Linette said, and took Ava’s hand as if it was something she did every day.

Wiley sighed. Ava was so used to being dumped on total strangers that she had no concept of stranger danger, which meant she would be a prime target for all kinds of things he hadn’t thought about, but Linette had just passed her first meeting with flying colors.

***

There were six stalls in the ladies’ room, and three were empty.

Linette quickly checked the height of the toilet stools and then opened a door for Ava. “Can you manage or is that seat too high?” she asked.

“I can manage,” Ava said.

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