Oscar抯 red, curly hair poked out around a cap with a US Marine logo on the bill, and a matching, faded tattoo peeking out from under his shirtsleeve testified that he had spent time in the marines. His blue eyes were a little darker than Mary Nell抯， and they twinkled with happiness.
揟hat抯 awfully kind of you,?Risa said.
揥e all should have thought to offer you a place so you wouldn抰 have to move in with Stella. A band of angels couldn抰 live with that woman,?Oscar said and then tipped his hat toward the twins. 揃egging your pardon, ladies. That is your grandmother, and I shouldn抰 be saying ugly things about her.?
揘o problem,?Lily assured him. 揊orget the angels, though. Daisy and I don抰 think the devil himself could live with her.?
揕ily!?Risa scolded.
揟ruth is truth, no matter if you cover it in pig poop or chocolate.?Daisy took up for her sister. 揑抦 just glad neither me or Lily look like either of our grandmothers, and if we ever act like them, then, Mama, you should take a peach-tree switch to us.?
揑 never believed in whipping,?Risa said, 揳nd I don抰 intend to start now.?
揗e neither,?Oscar said, 揵ut I was sure tempted to lock Mary Nell away when she decided to quit college and move to Tennessee with that worthless piece of crap. I抳e always been glad that my daughter got my hair and eyes, but I was even happier that she got her mother抯 sweet disposition.?He finished off his tea and refilled his glass from the gallon jug. 揟hat抯 a good thing most of the time, but she抯 always been a little too trusting, as we all know from what happened with that low-down skunk she left in Nashville. But at least he抯 there and she抯 here, and he would do well not to cross over the Texas line if he values his life.?
揇addy,?Mary Nell scolded.
揑t抯 the truth. She should抳e married Danny Granger. That boy thought she hung the moon and stars,?Oscar declared. 揃ut that抯 water under the bridge, and we can抰 call it back.?
When Jessica glanced over at Wade, she found him smiling, but it didn抰 reach his eyes.
揃ut we can burn that bridge and move on, can抰 we, Mary Nell??Risa suggested.
Mary Nell nodded.
揑抣l drink to that and provide the matches and kindling.?Oscar raised his glass. 揑抦 going to view today抯 event as a positive thing. Let抯 talk about our new bar. I抎 be glad to buy in as a silent partner.?
揟hank you,?Wade said, 揵ut what we抮e really interested in is buying your local moonshine and wine.?
揂nd maybe letting this old Vietnam vet man the bar some of the time??Oscar asked. 揑 could swap stories with all these young whippersnappers from over at Fort Hood.?
揥e抎 be honored to have you behind the bar anytime you want to help out,?Jessica said.
揟hank you, darlin??Oscar抯 face lit up. 揑 sure do like the idea of helping make this old building into a bar and then spending time with all you kids.?
Wade finished off his tea, refilled his glass, and turned to focus on Jessica. 揙scar and your Uncle Elijah were best friends. They served together on the worst day in that Vietnam War. They hardly ever talked about it, except with each other.?
揓anuary 1968, but right now I want to know if these two young抲ns here敆Oscar nodded toward Daisy and Lily棑think they抣l be happy living with Haley? If not, then they can bring their mama and come to our house. It抯 pretty far out of town, but the school bus runs right past it. And speaking of that, any of you girls are welcome if you need a place, either for a few days or permanently.?He turned to nod at Jessica. 揟hat goes for you, too, if you get tired of living all cramped up in that little bitty trailer.?
揟hank you, Oscar. I appreciate that offer a lot,?Jessica said.
揙h. My. Gosh!?Lily fanned herself with the back of her hand. 揥e won抰 ever get tired of living here. This is like living in a fairy tale. Daisy and I each have our own room for the first time in our lives. I don抰 have to listen to Daisy whine about me taking more than half of the top of the dresser.?
揂nd I don抰 have to put up with Lily missing the dirty-clothes basket with her socks, and never making her bed. We even have each got a queen-sized bed in our rooms. I抦 sure I抦 going to feel like I抦 sleeping on clouds after having a little narrow, twin-sized one my whole life,?Daisy added. 揂nd the best part is that敆she took a deep breath and shot a look toward her mother棑we left all the tension behind in Granny Stella抯 house. We never knew when she was going to get mad at us, or start telling us how lucky we were that she took us in so that we didn抰 have to live on the street.?
揟hat抯 good,?Oscar said. 揘ow, you, Risa. Are you really all right with this move? It had to have stung for Stella to tell you to get out of her house. She is your mother, after all, and a mother should love her child unconditionally and support her.?