Mamie dug in her voluminous handbag and produced a credit card. “So what brings you back to town? We haven’t seen hide nor hair of you since your parents passed. God rest them. I know it must’ve been so hard for you to stay after the accident.” She laid a hand on his arm and squeezed. She was the only one who’d cut him any slack for that. God love her.
“Thank you,” Brody squeezed back, not missing the carefully blank look on Tyler’s face as she continued to ring up the sale.
“Have you been out to see them yet?”
That right there. That was why he’d gone, why he’d sat and talked to a damned rock. So people would know he’d paid his respects as they expected. “A couple weeks ago.” He hadn’t been able to make himself go back again. He hadn’t seen the need; his parents weren’t there.
“I hope you found the site well-tended. Tyler makes sure to take fresh flowers every time she goes.”
Distress and embarrassment flickered over Tyler’s face before settling into resignation.
“The dahlias,” murmured Brody, thinking of the bright pink blooms he’d found neatly arranged by the headstone. “They were you?”
She jerked one shoulder, staring at the receipt printing out rather than meeting his eyes. “I take them flowers when I go see Mom.”
Every other week since her mother died of breast cancer back in high school, she took flowers to the gravesite. She found comfort and closeness there as he had not at his own parents’ graves. But the idea of her showing that same dedication and devotion to them all this time made Brody’s throat tighten. “That’s really kind of you.”
“You weren’t the only one who lost them,” she said softly.
No, he wasn’t. Maybe he hadn’t remembered that so much at the time. Tyler had been his rock, taking care of the details and picking up the shattered pieces of him after the accident. She was still taking care, even after all these years. Be
cause they’d mattered to her. Because she knew the value of remembering.
Mamie stepped cheerfully into the awkward silence. “So you’re here on the super secret project downtown. What’s all that about?”
Brody struggled to pull himself back, to play the game social niceties dictated. “I’m surprised someone as well informed as you doesn’t already know.”
Her famous dimples flashed. “Well you know I was hoping for an inside scoop.”
“No can do, Mrs. L. I am bound to secrecy.” Brody softened the refusal with a smile he hoped came off as charming.
Undeterred, she turned back to Tyler and took the pen to sign her receipt. “Maybe you can weasel it out of him. Always could get this boy to do anything.”
“Oh, he’s better at keeping secrets than you might think. Thanks for stopping in today. And if you have any trouble with that pumpkin carving kit, you let me know. I also put in a handout with some websites that have patterns you can print off for free. It’d be a good project for y’all to do with the grandkids.”
Brody recognized the redirect and noted Tyler’s face fall out of the corner of his eye as Mamie stayed right where she was.
“I hear you two are headlining in White Christmas.”
“Alongside Piper Parish and Myles Stuart,” Brody said, nodding.
“It’ll be so good to see the pair of you on stage again. Why, as soon as I heard, my Harold pulled out the DVD of that performance of Oklahoma so I could watch it again. Pure magic.” Mamie clasped her hand over her heart and heaved a romantic sigh. “I can’t wait to hear you sing again.”
“Well you don’t have to wait until December. Come by Speakeasy tonight and you’ll get your chance.”
“Beg pardon?” asked Tyler.
“They’re having a karaoke fundraiser for the theater. Nate canceled rehearsal for the night so the whole cast and a bunch of other past community theater performers can be there. People can pay to have any of us sing anything they want.”
“Oh, what a marvelous idea! I’ll be sure to be there. And I’ll spread the word!”
She would, and it would be more effective than taking out an ad in the local paper, a highway billboard, and a TV commercial combined. With a cheerful wave, Mamie took her bag and left the shop.
“Why didn’t anybody tell me about this?” Tyler’s voice was just a shade too cool for polite.
“I’m telling you now. It was a last minute thing. Tucker’s idea. He’s taking the whole transition to Assistant Director a mite serious. You wanna ream somebody, ream him.”
“I’m not gonna ream the injured guy.”