Page 41 of Rough Stock
“Well, seems to me they did a great job of teaching. This is amazing. Do you have the recipe? I’d like for Dora to make this sometime because?”
“You’d like for Dora to make what?” a female voice asked, and a very cross-looking DoraStrader sashayed into the room.
“This here casserole this girl has made, lawd, it’s delicious,” Roland said, then took a swig of coffee. “You make the coffee too?”
“Yes, sir,” Shyanna answered.
“You know how to make a good cup of coffee.” He went right back to eating as Dora stood and stared.
“Mrs.Strader, there’s plenty here. Would you like?”
“I’d like to know if you used the things I was planning to use to make dinner, that’s what I’d like,” Dora snapped. “I hadonions and peppers and all sorts of vegetables in there,” she said, pointing at the refrigerator, “and I see them in that casserole.”
Shyanna’s heart fell. The worst thing she’d thought could happen was unfolding right before her eyes. “I don’t know, ma’am. Maybe. But I can get more.”
“Come into my kitchen and rustle around. Take food and use it without asking. I never?”
“Dora, hush that. The girl was trying to do something nice for us. The least you can do is?”
“She could’ve asked first!” Dora almost yelled.
“I just wanted to surprise?” Shyanna started, but she didn’t get a chance to finish.
“Oh, we’re surprised. We’re surprised you’re still here, hanging around with our son. You’re nothing but a jailbird,” Dora spat as Shyanna stood there, trying hard to control her emotions.
Before she had a chance to say a word, Roland leaned back in his chair and gave his wife a tiny grin. “Wifey, did I ever tell you about the time I landed in the brig when I was in the Navy?”
Dora’s mouth dropped. “What? You never went to the brig!”
“Oh, but I did. See, I had leave and so did a bunch of other guys. We went to the nearest town to have some drinks. There were girls and there was dancing, and a lot of drinking. I woke up the next morning in the county jail. Seemed I’d busted out a window in the bar trying to get back in when they closed down for the night, then took a car I found parked out back and drove around for a few hours with some girl I couldn’t even remember.”
“RolandJensen Strader, you did not!” Dora shrieked.
“I did. And I got in a lot of trouble. A lot. They almost tossed me, but because my uncle was a state senator, they let me stay in. I never did anything like that again.” He leaned in toward his wife. “Dora, everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made ’em. Youhave too, although we won’t go into that right now,” he said as he watched her eyes flash in anger. “My point is, Shyanna hasn’t done anything to us, and she seems to care about our son.” Dora started to open her mouth, but Roland said, “Remember Colleen? And we thought she was so perfect! I’d say you should try some of this casserole. Trust me, when you’re eating it, you won’t be able to judge or insult anybody because it’s so delicious.” He motioned for Shyanna to bring some on a plate for Dora, so she scooped it up and gingerly slid the plate toward Jensen’s mother.
“Go on. Taste it,” Roland chided.
Shyanna watched Dora pick up her fork, take a tiny bit on it, and slip it into her mouth. She chewed for a second or two, then looked down at the tabletop. “I have to admit, it’s very tasty.”
“See? Now eat it and say thank you, wifey,” Roland said as he polished his off. “You know, missy,” he said toward Shyanna, “I think I’ll have a little more!”
“Coming right up!” she said, and wondered if she sounded a little too cheerful. In that moment, she didn’t care. Dora might hate her, but she had the Strader men on her side. And that was weird, because men almost never sided with her, but this bunch did. That was a revelation to her?and a huge relief.
Dora and Roland sat eating in silence until he finished and excused himself to go out and find Leo. Jensen’s mother wouldn’t even look up at Shyanna, so she didn’t know what to do. Should she try to talk to the woman? When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she said, “Mrs.Strader, I know you don’t like me, but do you know how I wound up in jail?”
Still not looking at Shyanna, Dora answered, “Yeah. Jensen told me.”
“Then you should know that I’m not out marauding around the country, beating up people and spending time in jail. It happened one time, and it was for a very good reason.”
“There’s no good reason to go to jail,” Dora hissed through clenched teeth.
“No, there’s not. It was a bad reason because what was happening to me was bad. And it was the only way I could make it stop. I don’t expect you to understand. Just know that I don’t see that ever happening again unless someone decides to really, really abuse me.”
“My son would never do that!” Dora said, her head tipping up and eyes locking with Shyanna’s.
“I don’t think he would, no. But people surprise me. They appear to like me and then they stab me in the back. Happens all the time,” Shyanna replied, working hard to make sure her gaze never wavered. “If you had any idea how many people have just used me and tossed me aside, you’d… No. I don’t want your pity. For all I know, you could be one of those people yourself.” Shyanna took the plates Roland and Leo had left behind, placed them gently in the sink, and started running water in with them.
“We have a dishwasher, you know,” Dora said, her voice not quite as acidic as before.
