Shining Star

Clyde’s niece, Lucy, looked like a cute little plump hippie left over from the sixties. She kept her eyes to her feet. Muriel gave her a small wave.

“Hi, Lucy,” she said. The younger woman glanced up at her.

“Hi,” she mumbled. Clyde patted her niece on the back.

“Come now, Lucy!” she said aloud. “Cheer up, lass!” The niece nodded at her a bit. She held her hands together, tightly. Muriel, Pauline, and Lewis looked at her uneasily.

“Is she okay?” Muriel whispered to Lewis. The farmer shrugged at her. Clyde grinned at all of them.

“Why we still ‘ere?” she asked. “Let’s get goin’!” The dirty old biddy grabbed onto Lucy’s hand and let her out of the station. The other three friends looked on still uncertain as they followed behind.

Clover stood over William on the porch. The old man glanced up at her.

“Yes, little miss?” he asked. The younger sister straightened her skirt ironed shorts.

“I’m curious about something,” she told him.

“What?” he asked. Clover cocked her head at her uncle.

“Why don’t you like grandma so much?” she asked. William frowned to himself. He hated when Clover and Liz asked him this question. He did a good job dodging it with distractions, short answers, and round-about answering. It worked out while they were little girls. The situation changed when they got older. They kept asking questions. William tried to avoid it as long as he could. Well, no point of avoiding it now. William sat up and turned to Clover.

“Well,” he said. “She and I don’t get along.”

“But why?” Clover asked. Her uncle frowned at her.

“She’s a crazy old bag,” he replied. The younger girl narrowed her eyes at him.

“Why do you think that?” she asked.

“Long story,” he replied.

“And why is that?” Clover asked. William frowned to himself.

“You’ll understand when you’re older,” he said. The man laid back down on the porch. Clover still frowned at him. After many years, he’s still dodging questions about grandma.

The four biddies and Lucy came to the Sunny Plum Café. Clyde looked around inside.

“’Ello!” she called out. “We’re ‘ere!” Annie looked up and rolled her eyes. Clyde frowned. She turned her attention to Tucker behind the counter.

“’Ey, Tuck!” she called. “What’s wit ‘er?” He shrugged at her.

“I have no idea,” the man said. He looked and saw Lucy. “Oh, who’s this little lass?” he asked. Clyde took a step forward, grinning.

“This ‘ere is my darling niece!” she said. The old biddy turned to the girl. “Say hi, Lucy,” she whispered. The young hippie gave him a smile wave.

“Hi…” she mumbled. Tucker raised an eyebrow at her.

“What’s wrong with her?” he asked.

“Aw, don’t worry!” Clyde boomed. “I dunno, but we’ll find out.” The ladies all walked to a table. Tucker turned to his wife.

“Annie,” he said. “The customers are here!”

“I can see that!” she snapped. Then, she picked up the menus and dropped them on the table. The biddies and Lucy all watched her in silence.

Clover walked down the hall after the disappointing conversation with William. She knocked on her sister’s door. The Rolling Stones flooded from the outside. The younger sister tried knocking again.

“Lizzie!” she called. “Come out, I want to talk to you for a minute!” The music didn’t stop, but the older sister opened the door and poked out her head.

“Yes?” she asked. Clover shuffled her feet for a bit. Liz frowned at her.

“Spit it out!” she complained. “I want to go back to my music.”

“Why does Uncle William hate Nan so much?” the younger sister asked. Liz gave her a strange look.

“Huh?” she asked. “Why?”

“She called a couple of hours ago,” Clover replied.

“Oh,” Liz mumbled. Her sister nodded at her.

“Well, did you ask him?” the older one asked.

“Yes,” Clover said.

“And?” Liz asked. Her sister shuffled her feet again.

“Well…” she answered.

“It wasn’t a real answer, was it?” the older one asked. Clover shook her head.

“Thought so,” Liz said.

“So…” Clover said. Her sister shrugged.

“He’s not going to tell us even now,” she said.

“Guess not,” the younger sister said.

Clyde turned to Lucy at the table in the café. “So talk ta us,” she said. “What’s da matta?” Lucy looked down at her tea.

“Gavin dumped me,” she complained.

“Aww,” Clyde cooed as she rubbed her niece’s back. Pauline looked at the pair slowly oddly.

“Who’s Gavin?” she asked.

“’Er bloke,” Clyde whispered.

“Oh,” Lewis and Muriel murmured. The dirty old biddy turned back to her hippie niece.

“Why did ‘e leave?” she asked. Lucy shook her head.

“What?” her aunt asked. “Was it another argument?” Lucy’s eyes began to water as she nodded.

“Aw,” Clyde said. She hugged the younger woman. Pauline sneered at her as she did so. Yuck!, she thought. The aunt let go of her niece.

“There anythin’ ya need?” Clyde asked. “What about the stall?” Lucy looked up at her aunt.

“It’s fine,” she said.

“Ya sure?” Clyde asked. “We can come down and help ya if ya like.” Lucy glanced over at her.

“Is that okay?” she asked. “I mean you all have lives here and all.” Pauline tried to keep from laughing out loud.

“Oh please!” she said. “We’re not all doing anything here anyway!” Lucy looked at her with wide, green eyes.

“You mean…” she started to ask.

“Yep,” Lewis said. “We’ll help you.” The niece stayed quiet for a long second.

“Don’t,” her aunt said. Lucy drew her mouth closed and nodded.

“So, Muriel your stall?” Muriel asked. Lucy gave her a whole grin for the first time.

“South Key Hampshire!” she announced. The other three biddies looked shocked.

“That far?!?” Pauline gasped.

“That’s right!” the niece cheered. Pauline, Muriel, Lewis tried to keep on a brave face. Too late to turn back now.

Go Star Girl, Go!

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