#616
Don drove as close as possible to the address Gary shouted to him. Perplexed, they drove around to the back door to avoid the crush of people standing on the front lawn.
"Hey Ma," Gary bellered as he opened the back door, "what's going on out there."
"Good heavens Gary, we're all right here," Clora mildly complained. ""We have a crazy lady out there that thinks she's going to force us to give up. or sell her this house. She was there when we got up this morning, the newspapers are here, and Dad called the authorities. They should be here soon. Well hello, who are you?" Clora finally noticed Mercy Rose, standing back behind Don.
"Ma, this is Mercy Rose. I'm sorry MR, I don't know your last name," Don felt awkward for his oversight.
"Mercy Rose Jenkins, pleased to meet you Ma'am." Mercy Rose had a very direct gaze and manner, but very charming and polite.
"I brought Mercy Rose by to meet the family," Don explained. "She's going to stay at her Uncles and go to school at the university?" Don was unsure of the relationship, he felt it had never been fully explained to him.
"Shirttail relation," Mercy Rose said with a smile.
"I stayed at her Grandparent's motel and we got to talking and I volunteered to bring MR down to school." Don explained to Clora's lifted eyebrow. The eyebrow went down and Clora smiled.
"Welcome, have you had breakfast?" Clora asked, knowing that Donny was a bottomless pit when it came to food.
"We ate a long time ago," Don tried to sound pitiful.
"I'm starving," Gary announced almost as an after thought.
"I figured that," Clora said with a small laugh, "sit down, it's pancaked, as that's the only thing I could find in the closest open box."
"Let me help" MR offered and went to wash her hands. In a few short minutes, the three of them were awash in golden brown pancakes.
Mark came from the room he claimed as his office. "The police should be here soon. Hello, I didn't realize we had company."
Introductions were made and MR explained that Don had helped her grandparents around the motel. "We sure appreciate all that he did for us. They need to retire, but sadly, they can't. Granddad won't take Social security from the government, he's an independent old cuss." MR smiled to take the censure out of her words, but what she said was fact.
"I'm gonna take Mercy Rose over to her...?" Don looked at MR for the correct word to call her relative.
"Cousin," MR laughed at the face Don made. "That's good enough."
"I'll be back in an hour or so," he told Gary, "have some more to eat, that'll keep you occupied and out of trouble."
Tess smiled as the two went out the door.
id you hear Ma? She called him Don. I guess our Donny has graduated up."
Clora just smiled, and flipped the pancake. It was number six for Gary.