Page 91 of Spilling the Tea

Ms. Felicia didn’t respond for a moment, and then she said, “Yes, Waylon and Victoria loved each other very much, and the reason that caused their breakup was a tragedy. Victoria was my best friend since we were teens. I knew how much she loved Waylon, and keeping her father’s promise, breaking up with Waylon, and leaving the country to get over him was hard on her. It nearly destroyed them both.”

“Did she ever get over him?”

“No. Victoria lived in Paris for eight years, only coming home on occasion to see her parents and meet my babies. It seemed like I was having one every year. I think she would have made Paris her home if her uncle Quantum hadn’t died. She brought his body home and decided to stay. However, instead of remaining in Houston, she left to work at a hospital in Ohio.”

“My great-grandmother wrote about a time Waylon and Victoria saw each other when she returned home.”

“Yes, I remember that day. It was at Ma Etta’s funeral. Deedra attended the services with Waylon. Victoria, Milton, and I were standing together and talking when Waylon and Deedra approached us to offer their condolences. I believe Waylon wanted to talk to Victoria alone, but would not have disrespected his wife to do so. Deedra, being the kindhearted, loving, and understanding person she was, knew and understood her husband’s heart. She surprised us all when she suggested to Waylon that he and Victoria probably had a lot to talk about as old friends. She gave them that time by holding a conversation with Milton and me while Victoria and Waylon stood under a huge tree in front of the church.”

Zoey nodded. “She wrote in her diary that she did it because she understood true love, since she had experienced it herself.And she also believed that no matter what, Waylon would honor his wedding vows.”

“Like I said, your great-grandmother Deedra was a special woman and a good wife to Waylon, and he was a good husband to her. They were good for each other.”

“My great-grandmother also wrote why they didn’t live in the cabin he built—the same one I’m staying in now. He had built it with his own hands for him and Victoria, and he refused to share it with any other woman.”

“Yes, Waylon was adamant about that. When he and Deedra married, they moved into the family house,” Felicia said. “It worked out well since Mr. Kurt had taken ill. Penny was happy that Waylon was married to anyone other than Victoria.”

“That is so sad, and it all started because of Charlotte Satterfield’s lie. She was a mean and hateful person. I hope her sons and daughter didn’t turn out like her.”

“I know she had two sons, one from her husband and another from some man she took up with years later. What makes you think she had a daughter?”

“It was written in Deedra’s diary. After Kurt Satterfield died, Penny felt emboldened to reach out to Charlotte without Waylon knowing it, although Deedra didn’t think he would have cared one way or the other. He’d even tried reaching out to Charlotte himself, but she cursed him and said he hadn’t stood for her with their father. He told Deedra that he had but it hadn’t done any good. She didn’t believe him.”

Zoey continued after bringing the car to a stop at a traffic light. “Deedra further wrote that Penny had confided in her about Charlotte’s daughter that she had from a man she met after her second divorce. She didn’t want the baby and gave it to a couple who couldn’t have children.”

“I didn’t know that,” Ms. Felicia said in a low voice.

“I finished Deedra’s diary yesterday and will start reading Arabella’s tonight. It’s almost three times the size of Deedra’s.”

She turned the car into the shopping center’s parking lot. “That’s the store over there, right?” she asked Ms. Felicia.

“Yes, dear. That’s it. There’s a nice café next door to the knit shop. They make the best sandwiches, if I must say so myself. If you’re not in a hurry, maybe we can go there for lunch to finish our talk.”

Zoey beamed. “I’d love to.”

***

“Ms. Felicia. It’s been a while.”

Felicia Laverne gazed up from her meal. “Ravena. I heard you were back in Houston. Let me introduce my lunch companion, Dr. Zoey Pritchard.” To Zoey she said, “This is Ravena Boyle. She used to be Chance’s friend.”

“I was more than a friend. I was Chance’s fiancée,” Ravena replied, narrowing her eyes and turning them to Zoey.

“Nice to meet you, Ravena,” Zoey said, extending her hand.

Ravena did not accept Zoey’s hand, saying, “I recall seeing you at Vance’s Tavern a couple of weekends ago.”

“Yes, you did,” Zoey said, pulling back her hand since it was obvious Ravena wouldn’t shake it.

“That’s a lovely necklace you’re wearing,” Ravena said, sounding more like a sneer than a compliment.

“Thank you,” was Zoey’s cool response.

“I think I’ve seen that necklace before.”

“Have you?” Zoey asked, looking back at her. Ravena was attractive, and she could see how Chance could fall in love with her. But the woman’s attitude was deplorable.

“I doubt you’ve seen that necklace before, Ravena. It’s a family heirloom. Now, if you don’t mind, Zoey and I would like to finish our lunch.”

---