Cornelia glanced at Rae Lynn, frowning, and said, “Wonder who it could be? Might be Del Reese. He ain’t been around lately.”
Rae Lynn said, “Want me to get it?”
Cornelia was about to lift some jars from the pot of boiling water and said, “Would you?”
Rae Lynn wiped her hands on the front of her apron, smoothed her hair back off her forehead before going to the door. She stopped short, immediately crossed her arms at the sight of Crow staring at her through the screen. In the heat of the day came an uncommon chill, as if he’d blocked the sun.
He said, “I come to see what the real Cobb looks like.”
Rae Lynn managed to keep her voice steady. “Well, you seen me. What do you want?”
Cornelia had come to stand behind her, and she felt better with her there.
Cornelia said, “Mr. Sweeney, what can we do for you?”
“Considering what I recollect, I don’t see much difference than the scrawny boy you was playing, if you ask me.”
Cornelia said, “I don’t recall nobody asking.”
Crow said, “Your husband must not be around for you to be acting so smart.”
His eyes swiveled back to Rae Lynn, and the heaviness she used to get each morning when she had to worry about making numbers returned. She had to remind herself he couldn’t do nothing to her anymore, and she owed him nothing. Let him say what he wanted. She fought against showing any reaction. Why couldn’t he go on and leave them alone?
His eyes bored into hers. “I got a question’s been bothering me. Was what you done pretend, or real? Acting like a man?”
What he was implying went in a whole other direction, and she found herself flummoxed by the question.
Cornelia nudged her aside. “I don’t see as how it’s any of your business.”
“Ain’t you the mama hen? Can’t she speak for herself?”
Rae Lynn touched the back of Cornelia’s arm.
“Come on, Nellie. We got work to do.” But Cornelia continued staring him down.
Crow said, “It don’t matter. I seen enough to make up my own mind as to how things is. Sure, I can see it real clear. Y’all have a nice day.”
He went down the steps whistling off tune and meandered off toward the distillery.
Rae Lynn mumbled, “He scares me.”
Cornelia said, “He scares everybody. Even Otis, though Otis says they’s friends. If you can call sitting around agreeing to whatever the man says being friends. Come on. Let’s not let him ruin the day.”
They went back to the kitchen and resumed work, but Crow’s sudden appearance and comments left Rae Lynn unnerved. She stopped wiping out ajar and turned away from Cornelia.
Cornelia said, “Rae Lynn, you all right?”
Rae Lynn stared at her shortened finger, thought how it wasn’t so long ago she’d lived in a little shotgun house under the whispery pines in North Carolina alongside a loving husband who’d provided for her, took care of her. They’d loved each other the best they knew how, and were certainly devoted, without a doubt. Since coming to Swallow Hill, she’d made an effort at keeping her thoughts on the present, not the past. She didn’t want to dwell on what happened, it made her too sad, and she’d hoped the worst part of her memories would fade eventually. She’d never figured much beyond getting here and making do. She’d not counted on someone like Crow making it harder than it already was.
Rae Lynn sorted her thoughts while her friend stayed quiet. If she told Cornelia the real reasons she was here, what would she think? For a split second she considered it. How she and Warren met, got married, what they’d accomplished, or tried to, and how it had ended. As was habit, she rubbed her half finger, worrying the stub over and over until Cornelia grabbed her hands and held them still.
She said, “Aw, honey. It’s gonna take time for you to get over what all you been through. It’ll get better. Main thing is, don’t worry about him. He can’t do nothing.”
Rae Lynn let Cornelia think that’s all it was.
“I reckon you’re right.”
“About this, I am.”
The women stood quiet, both caught up in their thoughts when the slow creaking of a wagon drawing near came to them, and they raised their heads simultaneously and looked toward the window at the front of the house. There went Otis, trundling down the main path, his shape like a giant tree perched in the seat. Cornelia dropped Rae Lynn’s hands and without another word, hurried to the stove and began dragging out cooking pots. Rae Lynn could hear her mumbling something. She looked out the window again, at Otis heaving himself down off the wagon. The sight made her gut clench almost as bad as when Crow appeared at the door. Rae Lynn could only imagine what it did to Cornelia.