She Only Speaks to Butterflies Read Online Free PDF Page A

Karen Stainer’s girl, right? Little Lisa?”
    “That’s right. Denise is in Lisa’s class.”
    “Nice to meet you. Can I get you a coffee or tea?” Jenny said warmly. “I just started workin’ here the other day.”
    Sherry smiled. “Vern mentioned he’d be hirin’ since Mitchell’s goin’ away for the summer.”
    “He’s leavin’ tomorrow. Been trainin’ me the last coupla days.”
    Sherry spoke carefully. “Where’s your little one go to school?” She avoided eye contact by examining the donuts and pastries in the display case below.
    “Oh, mine ain’t little,” Jenny waved. “He’ll be twelve at the end of the summer. He goes to the public school on the other side of the hill.” Jenny’s face darkened. “He was real upset yesterday. To think they’d accuse my Kevin of settin’ a fire! Heaven knows where they got the idea from. He’s a good boy,” she insisted. “His daddy left five years ago and I’ve been on my own, but he’s stayed out of trouble so far.” Jenny looked at Sherry and cocked her head to the side. “Well, you know what it’s like raisin’ a young one on your own, right?”
    “I do,” Sherry agreed; feeling slightly uncomfortable with Jenny’s openness.
    Jenny continued. “Now, I don’t want to speak out of turn, but some people just get the wrong idea about my Kevin.” Her nose turned up slightly. “He sticks up for himself, that’s one thing his daddy taught him before he took off. If people take that as him being aggressive, well, that’s their problem.” Satisfied with her statement, Jenny patted the counter. She grinned at Sherry. “Now, enough about that, what can I get you?”
    “Coffee. Black, no sugar.”
    “Comin’ right up.”
    Sherry turned, hoping nobody was in earshot of Jenny’s proud declaration. She saw a familiar figure coming into the café: Lina Groves. She wanted desperately to hurry Jenny along, but it was too late, Lina spotted her and marched in with her nose in the air.
    “Greg couldn’t come by yesterday, he was makin’ a sale,” she announced; her chest puffing out.
    “Oh yeah? Which house did he sell?” Sherry asked with pasted-on interest.
    “The Berkshire’s,” she boasted. “Sold for twice as much as yours is worth.” Lina was smug. “He made enough commission to buy me ten of those damn dresses.”
    “Congratulations.”
    Lina bent over to fix the strap on her shiny leather sandal. “That’s the diff’rence between makin’ commission and livin’ on a retainer,” she said as a deliberate jibe to Sherry’s late husband, who was a lawyer.
    Sherry ignored Lina’s snide remark. “Tell Greg I said hi.”
    “I’m sure you’d love that,” Lina murmured under her breath as she walked away, purposely swaying her plump hips.
    “Here’s your coffee, Sherry.” Jenny handed her the Styrofoam cup and Sherry gave her the coin, “Keep the change.”
    “Thanks,” Jenny said as she dropped the change into the tip jar on the counter. “Have a nice day.”
     
    …
     
    Sherry pulled up to the church as Kate waved at her from a trestle table close to the parking lot. The table was full of cupcakes and cookies.
    “How ya doin’, love? Beautiful day, ain’t it?” Kate greeted.
    “Any hotter ‘n my cupcakes will melt,” Sherry said, opening the trunk of her Eldorado.
    “We should have a good turnout. Reverend Telly told the congregation at Clearview about it, too. Should go fast.”
    Reverend Telly recognized faces and waved. His gaze moved to Kate and Sherry.
    “Sherry!” he shouted. “Good to see you! Where’s Denise?”
    “Oh, she’s still at school. Martha’s bringing her afterward.”
    “Sounds good. Can I give you a hand?” he offered.
    Pandemonium started as families pulled up, selecting treats and then mingling with the volunteers. Everyone from Lina and Greg Groves to Marty and Liz from the Food Mart showed up to give support. Sherry stood behind the table, tending to the cash, and beamed