Page 42 of A Shared Mind

She hurried into the entry hall, a big smile in place, and walked up to Justin, who put the two bags down that he’d been carrying and pulled out the small bouquet, presenting it to her. “Mrs. Fines, it’s a pleasure to meet you. These are for you.”

He extended the flowers, but Mama dodged them to hug him instead. “Oh, uh, thank you.” He didn’t look put off the way Hunter had when he met her.

Mama pulled back and held his biceps. “Please call me Pansy. Let’s get these flowers in a vase. Clay, bring the groceries into the kitchen.”

Justin picked up the two bags before I could and followed her, and I chuckled. “Hi, Mama. I’m doing well, thanks for asking.”

My mother hissed at me. “I know how you’re doing, son.”

We went into the kitchen and I started putting away the groceries while Mama rushed to the stove to turn on the front burner. “I didn’t want to start the potatoes until you got here. Did you find everything on the list?” Mama asked while clipping the stems and putting the flowers in one of her vases. She put the vase on the kitchen table and went about finishing the preparations.

Justin pulled the ice cream out of the freezer bag the clerk had put it in and squeezed it, winking at me and mouthing, “Still frozen.” That was one less thing to get me on Mama’s bad side.

“We found everything on the list, and if you don’t like any of it, Justin picked it out, not me. Oh, and I got apples, but I’m gonna take them home with me because Justin said he makes a good apple pie.”

Mama’s face lit up. “Oh, Justin, you cook?” And they were off.

Justin didn’t stutter once, and he had Mama in stitches by the time we sat down for dinner. He’d even mashed the potatoes for her. I could tell the two of them would get along very well, which made me happier than I could say.

Dinner talk was lively as Justin explained to her about his job with Korr Financial Services. He then asked her questions about her pottery, and I could see the two of them going on to talk for hours.

When we finished the meal, I started clearing the table while Justin told Mama about Eve Murray, his best friend and neighbor. Thankfully, he didn’t elaborate on the trip to New Orleans where he picked up an unwanted spirit that possessed him, not that Mama would have thought he was lying. She wasn’t a religious person, but she did believe in a higher power and that the energy of the human spirit didn’t disappear when the body gave up. However, if I told her about EZ and his hell hounds, I was sure she’d wonder if I’d started doing drugs.

“And your parents, Justin, where do they live?”

Shit! I hadn’t told her much about Justin so I didn’t jinx my chances with him, but maybe that was a mistake. “Uh, Mama—”

I walked over to the table and raised my right eyebrow at her. For someone who didn’t want to be part of the gossip grapevine, she sure would fit right in with that crowd with her interrogation techniques.

I put my hands on Justin’s shoulders. “Mama, Justin’s parents—”

Justin put his hands over mine and squeezed gently. “It’s okay, Clay. My parents are deceased, Miss Pansy. My mother had a heart attack when I was twenty and in college. Two months later, my father had a stroke. I had them buried in Willow Creek Cemetery instead of the small cemetery in Spring Creek where I grew up. I knew I wasn’t staying in Spring Creek after college, so I sold the house there.”

Mama stood. “Oh, honey, that’s a lot for young shoulders to carry. I’m so sorry.” She hugged Justin again, and he appeared happy to feel her embrace.

“Thank you, Miss Pansy. Now, may I get a tour of your pottery studio? I saw some of your mugs on a stand in Clay’s kitchen and they were quite lovely.” Justin stood and took Mama’s hand, threading it into the crook of his elbow as he escorted her toward the back door.

“Y’all go ahead. I’ll just finish cleanin’ up by myself.” I pretended to be offended, but I wasn’t. I was happy as a pig in shit to see the two of them so comfortable with each other.

Mama giggled and Justin blew me a kiss, winking before he closed the door. Having the two of them like each other would be my dream come true. Mama hadn’t exactly taken a shine to Hunter or his parents. The term “uppity city snobs” had been used more than once when referring to the Korr family.

I finished loading the dishwasher, turned it on, and ran sudsy water to clean the pots and pans the way Mama always did. The happiness I felt was starting to illuminate the darkness that had hung over me since Hunter died. My love for him hadn’t dimmed, but it had settled into the place he would always hold in my heart, leaving room for my love for Justin to grow. I hoped he had room in his heart to love me in return.

“Your mother is an amazing woman, Clay.” Justin was holding a paper bag with a mug that matched the ones on my counter, a gift from my mother. We were heading down the hill to my house and I was a bit nervous about how the night would end.

“She is. She’s pleased to meet you. She thought I’d never be interested in anyone again, so you’ve given my mother a lot of relief that I’m not the broken toy she worried I might be.” I chuckled.

Justin put his left hand on my thigh and squeezed. “I don’t think you’re a broken toy, sweetheart. I think you’re the most incredible man I’ve ever met.”

He called me sweetheart. Nobody except Mama had ever called my anything other than my given name. My heart pounded in my chest. The urge to tell him I was in love with him was strong, but it was too soon... I thought... Wasn’t it?

“We can watch a movie when we get home or we can—”

“Oh, hell no. Unless we’re gonna watch gay porn for creative tips, I think we have better things to do beside watching a movie.” His voice was strong and demanding, which sent a thrill up my spine.

I quickly parked the truck in front of the house and hopped out. I grabbed the tote Mama sent with us containing the leftover meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and tomato salad, along with the apples I’d bought at the store. I wanted the apple pie Justin had mentioned he could make. I knew I’d eat it even if it tasted terrible because I never wanted to do anything to hurt his feelings.

Rushing around the truck, I opened his door and grabbed his hand, nearly dragging him behind me and into the house through the back door. I shoved the whole tote bag with leftovers into the fridge and pulled him with me to the bedroom.