Queenie Baby: Pass the Eggnog Read Online Free PDF Page A

with a blowtorch was beyond me.
    "Mom this is Kyle. He lives next door on the farm, remember?"
    My mom squinted at Kyle. "I think I can see him under that beard. My how you have grown," she gushed.
    My stepfather shook his head. He must know about her thing for mountain men. But he greeted Kyle warmly and shook his hand.
    "Why, isn't this fun for you, Diana!" she said fixing a frosted, shadowed eye on me. "Just try not to get stuck on the roof this time, Kyle."
    Kyle gave my mom a sheepish smile and took a swig from his beer. Leave it to my mom to bring up the roof incident. Kyle's get away from our make-out session in the attic through the attic window had almost worked. If not for the loose gutter, he might've made it. Instead, Dave had to get him down with a ladder. That was the last time I'd seen Kyle.
    "Shut it, mom," I snarled.
    "Sounds like you two young'uns have some unfinished business," Aunt Pearl cackled from the doorway. "It reminds me of how Dub used to chase Babs around." Her voice had gone soft.
    We all turned at the reference to my dead grandmother.
    "We all grew up together, building forts in the woods and fishing in the streams. When we got to high school and Babs started gettin' interested in the boys, Dub was fit to be tied. She ignored him all through high school, but he was persistent. They were married a year after graduating. I think Babs always intended to marry him, but she'd decided he was going to have to earn it. Dub had a harsher life than us, of course. His daddy was about no good." Her eyes narrowed at the thought. "Don't excuse what he did when Babs died, though," she added firmly.
    "I never heard that story before, Aunt Pearl," my mom whispered.
    Aunt Pearl shook her head. "Don't know why I decided to share it now. Mammaw you tell those haints to stay outta my head!"
    Mammaw made soothing noises and patted her arm.
    The rest of the Grands were standing behind her waiting for the okay to proceed to the dining room. Victoria rose and ushered everyone in. Kyle and I were the last to leave the living room.
    "Sorry about that," I said with an embarrassed smile.
    "Maybe your Aunt's right. Maybe we do have some unfinished business." A smile played on his lips. Then he added, "Man, when you opened the door, you could've knocked me over with a feather. I thought there was an angel standing there. It was like there was a light shining down on you, and everything else was dark."
    Wow, that was quite a compliment. I wasn't sure how to take it. Or if I even wanted to encourage this reunion.
    "Yeah, I couldn't believe it was you either," I agreed.
    He touched my arm lightly. "You're here until Thursday, right?"
    I nodded.
    "So maybe we could do something together tomorrow? I could take you on a guided tour and show you the mountain."
    He was so sweet and earnest that I couldn't resist. "Sure, Kyle. I'd like that."
    He beamed and offered me his arm the way Granddaddy sometimes did on our way into dinner. I took it and wondered what else this trip had in store for me.
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    "So stop jawin' about it an' jest ask the man," Granddaddy said, taking a stab at his roast beef.
    "Ask what?" I said as we took our seats at the big old-fashioned table. The kids were seated in the kitchen, and I'm sure Max was stationed under their table waiting for the inevitable spills and scraps.
    My dad cleared his throat. "Well, we thought we might ask Kyle if he'd heard anything about Brandy's father."
    Everyone looked at Kyle. He had his plate in his hand and was looking longingly at the food-laden buffet table next to us. "Ask away."
    After a long-winded explanation of the situation with each of my relatives adding their own—often incoherent or nonsensical—two cent's worth, Kyle was allowed to reply.
    "I haven't heard anything about Mr. Wilson being back in town, but I know where to ask." He turned towards me. "Is it okay if we stop by the post office on the way to our hike? If he's in a