The only breeze that blew through Nannie Dee’s front yard carried a miasma of malt liquor fumes and hyacinth perfume, Millicent’s step-mother’s favorite and thereby unavoidable. Nannie could count the number of real Christians in her front yard with the fingers on one hand, and the rest of them could have the back of the other one. Still, she would be polite. She would offer refreshments and compliment them on their new shoes (or their new blouses, or their fashionable ties, if they bothered to wear one), and her countenance would not change. This was Millie’s day, and none of their frowny-face pantomimes were going to change that.
“She’s with God now,” proclaimeth Judith Meyers, the new-ish teacher who taught Millie ‘Northern History’ and was likely from someplace like Boston or Newport, but who had tamed her accent to fool the local folk. Oh, she probably came from good stock, alright, raised in some third or fourth generation Italianate style home, on her second marriage at the tender age of thirty-four, and, no doubt, already eyeballing her next Mister. There were stories about her, but Nannie Dee would be charitable: “Thank you, honey, God bless.”
Next up was Courtney Everding, Millie’s Academic Advisor, and her husband Darryl, a stately-dressed cowboy-type — a mustached goober, really — and the man who most likely raped Millicent. He was currently squeezing a sausage biscuit to death. “So sorry for your loss, Missus Dee,” she said, and offered her a hug. The goober nodded, distracted by all the young women wandering the yard. Millie’s friends.
“Appreciate the kindness,” said Nannie, then whispered: “And if you was to cut your husband’s throat and cock when he falls asleep tonight, I would gladly alibi you without any complaint from my conscience.”
Missus Everding acknowledged her with a crisp nod as her husband squeezed that biscuit until crumbs started to fall on his shoes.
Next up didn’t matter. They were all cotton flowers from the same patchwork quilt around here. Oh, she would judge them in her old-style way, everyone did that, always judging each other until that judgment didn’t even matter any more. This was Millicent’s day, and if Nannie Dee — the girl’s grandmother, after all — made a sour face for just the tiniest of seconds, it wouldn’t be more damning than if her dentures had slipped a little. And who would fault her for that?
“God bless you, honey,” she heard herself say to a boy who rode over on his tractor. She would complain to his grandfather tomorrow, because the boy tore up a small patch of her sweet alyssums. Things like that did not sit right with her. Boys had to learn early, or look at all the trouble they’d cause later. “Give my best to your mama, you hear?”
Ordinary Handsome 
I love how you capture characters and their distinct voices. This was such a vivid glimpse of Nannie Dee and all her bottled-up judgment. I could picture the whole scene. And so interesting that you only hint that this is taking place after Millie’s funeral, and never told us how she died. Wonderful writing.
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I agree, Diana. Nannie Dee jumped right off the page from the first paragraph!
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Thank you, Liz!
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You’re welcome, Steven!
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Steven is wonderful at characterization. His posts are like a master’s class in writing,
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Yes, I agree!
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I don’t know about that, but thank you. 🙂
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You’re welcome, Steven. 🙂
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Oh, what I don’t know could sink a ship. I’ve just been worrying that particular bone for a long time. Cheers. 🙂
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🙂 😀
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Thanks, Diana. I was purposely ambiguous about the ‘how’. This was a quick write and I thought ‘why’ was the more significant question, if that makes sense. So glad that you liked it. 🙂
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I was sure it was purposeful. I enjoy “studying” what you do. Lol.
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Thanks again, Diana. To quote the great archeologist Indiana Jones, “I’m making this up as I go.” That’s pretty much my method. 🙂
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Love “cotton flowers from the same patchwork quilt.” It’s so descriptive.
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Thank you. 🙂
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I agree with Diana and Liz. The characters are living and breathing
Your writing should be taught in classes.
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That’s so kind, thank you.
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So good. The way you create these characters and their interplay is incredible.
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Thank you so much.
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