Page 87 of Ugly Duckling
Our pace slowed to a slow walk, barely moving one foot in front of the other.
“This is getting ridiculous,” she muttered. “How are they even getting in here?”
“That’s a damn good question, because every other time they’ve served me it’s been at work.”
We walked up the length of the driveway, and I was unsurprised to see the woman get out in her sharp power suit.
“Ms. Sway?”
Sutton’s eyes caught mine, and her laugh was comical as she said, “Oh, it’s my turn!”
Sutton turned as the woman walked across the yard, her red-bottomed heels sinking into the grass as she moved toward us.
“That can’t be good for those shoes,” I muttered as she got closer.
“No,” Sutton agreed. “Why don’t you head inside and…”
“I’ll be fine right here,” I disagreed with her before she could finish.
The woman finally made it to us and handed the papers in her hand to Sutton.
Sutton took them with a serene smile and said, “Have a nice day, ma’am.”
The woman was obviously surprised by Sutton’s cordial tone, because she didn’t know how to react at first. She eventually smiled and hurried away, this time taking the long driveway back to her car that was parked near the curb.
Sutton headed inside with me while she ripped open the manilla legal envelope.
“Ahh, just as I suspected. Trash.” She handed the papers to me.
“Guess they weren’t kidding,” I said as I read the paperwork. “I feel like for this to have been filed so fast, they were planning on taking this route anyway. So why visit you where you work? Not to mention, how did she know where you were?”
“That’s a good question, because it’s not like I’ve shared where I’m working on any given day. I make up my schedule the night before. Not even the funeral homes really know when I’m coming.” She pushed through the front door of my house, and the smell of pancake syrup and waffles greeted us. “And how did she know that we were here? And why does it smell like…”
“Paka!”
“Hey there, Beanie Weenie,” my Uncle Parker cooed as he walked toward us.
The biggest, gruffest, scariest man I knew was a goner for my little girl.
Then again, he was a sucker for his own kids as well.
“Ahhh, if it isn’t little Sutton,” he said as he saw who I was with. “I’d heard you’d moved in.”
“Among other things,” Sutton scrunched up her nose. “It’s nice to see you again.”
He took the hand she was holding out and shook it once before he said, “Was in town, so I thought I’d run by. Passed y’all on the road running, so I figured I’d come back and cook waffles. Hungry?”
“Starving,” Sutton admitted. “It’s been a long day.”
“It’s only seven in the morning.”
“Yeah, but a lot of shit has happened since I woke up two hours ago,” she admitted. “I’m gonna go get changed out of these clothes. I’ll be right back.”
She disappeared without another word, tossing the papers onto the counter as she moved past it to her room.
I watched her go, and when I finally returned my gaze to my uncle, he was staring at me with a knowing smile.
“Knew you’d always had a thing for that girl.”
