“Let Marty take it to the dump?” Everett suggests, only half joking.
“You don’t mean that, Rhett.” Based on her serious tone, his mother will not be satisfied until they properly dispose of his dad’s ashes.
“Did you have something in mind to do with his remains?” he asks, peeling a pepperoni off his slice of pizza and popping it in his mouth.
She shakes her head. “Not really. He didn’t really have a special place.”
Everett can think of one—the Hotlanta Lounge, a seedy neighborhood bar where his dad hung out before his health failed. “Why don’t we take the urn with us? There are many beautiful spots in the mountains.”
“That would be perfect,” she says without hesitation.
“That’s what you had in mind all along, isn’t it? Your real reason for wanting to detour through Hope Springs.”
His mom gets up and takes her plate to the kitchen. When she returns, she says, “Is it so wrong of me to want to give my husband of thirty-four years a proper burial?”
“Not at all, Mom.” Everett knows his mom hasn’t loved his father in years. The good Christian woman in her wants to make certain his dad’s spirit is free from the alcoholic life that imprisoned him on Earth.
Mary, who hasn’t been outside the city limits of Atlanta in years, insists they make multiple detours and pit stops on their way to Hope Springs. In addition to numerous stops at quaint-looking gift shops, they have lunch at the Biltmore in Asheville and play the slot machines in the casino at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
His mom grows quiet after leaving the Greenbrier, and they’re almost at Hope Springs when she speaks again. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my family since I came out of the coma. I follow my brothers on social media, and I know my parents are still alive. After I start back to work and save enough money, I’m thinking of making a trip to Texas to see them. Would you be willing to go with me?”
Everett hesitates before answering. “As much as I want to meet your family, I think you should go alone this first time.”
She sighs. “You’re probably right. We have a lot to talk about that doesn’t concern you. Maybe I’ll test the waters with my brothers, to see if my parents would be receptive to a reunion.”
“That’s a good idea. But do it now, before you start back to work. I’ll pay for your plane ticket.”
Mary shakes her head. “I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve already done so much for me.”
“You’re not asking. I’m telling you, I’m buying you a plane ticket.”
She covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide and shining. “I love you, son.”
“And I love you, Mom.”
Even though they left Atlanta early this morning, they don’t arrive in Hope Springs until dinnertime. They stop at Town Tavern for dinner before going to the inn. The place is hopping with the usual Friday night crowd. Girls stare at Everett as he and Mary make their way through the crowd waiting for tables on the sidewalk. Is it possible they recognize him from the balcony? He smiles to himself. Is this what his future as a country music star holds?
Bar seating is first come, first served, and two stools open up as they enter the restaurant. Everett introduce his mom to Pete, and they order hamburgers without looking at the menu. They’re both exhausted, and even though she doesn’t admit it, he can tell Mary is overwhelmed by the noisy tavern.
As they’re leaving the restaurant, he pauses to look up at Presley’s darkened apartment. Is she working a party at the inn? Or is she out on a date with a new guy?
At the inn, Everett doesn’t recognize the guest services agent who checks them in, and he’s grateful not to run into any of the staff on the way up to his Mom’s second-floor room.
Mary gasps at the decor. “This is so pretty, honey. Are you sure we can afford this?”
He smiles at her. “Yes, Mom. We can afford it. Are you sure you’ll be okay here alone? I can have them bring up a rollaway.”
She eyes the fluffy bed longingly, and Everett knows she’s looking forward to spending the night here alone. “I’ll be fine, sweetheart.”
“Okay then,” he says, kissing her goodbye. He has his own agenda and sleep is not part of it. But his heart sinks at the sight of Presley’s still-darkened windows when he approaches his apartment building. Just as well. He should rest up before talking to her.
At nine the next morning, he joins his mom on the veranda for breakfast. Their mission for the day is to find a final resting place for his dad. But first, he needs to speak with Stella. And he’s glad to run into her as they’re leaving Jameson’s after breakfast.
“Everett, this is a surprise. I didn’t know you were back in town.”
“Just passing through, actually.” Stella gives him a quizzical look that he ignores. “Stella, this is my mom, Mary Baldwin.”
Stella extends her hand and smiles softly at Mary. “Very nice to meet you.”
“Do you have a few minutes?” he asks Stella. “I really need to talk to you.”
“Of course. I’m heading to my office now.”
“Let me get Mom settled in the lounge, and I’ll be there in a second.”
“Take your time,” Stella says to him, and to Mary, “I hope I see you again during your stay.”
Everett leads his mom to an empty chair by the window. “Are you sure you don’t mind waiting here for me?”
“Not at all, son. Clearing your name is the reason we came. I’ll have a good time watching the people,” she says, making herself comfortable.
He kisses the top of her head. “I shouldn’t be long.”
But he ends up talking to Stella for over an hour. She’s understanding about Carla, sympathetic about his family situation, and seemingly thrilled about his music career. He can tell she believes him about
