Cannot Wait to Get to Heaven - Fannie Flagg [101]
“Norma, of all the women in the world, to me you are the best-looking. And I can see fine, just like Aunt Elner says…all the way to the moon.”
Norma sat and stared at him for a moment, then said, “You know what?”
“What?”
“I think I just heard church bells…. Did you?”
“What?” Then it dawned on him what she meant. “Oh, yeah. I hear them.”
“Let me go and have my bath. Can you hold that thought for thirty minutes?”
“Barely, but I will.”
As he sat waiting, he thought, “Marriage. Isn’t it great? Each time you fall back in love with your wife, it gets better and better.”
As she sat in the tub, Norma was so relieved and happy. She knew Macky like the back of her hand, and she could tell by the way he looked at her that he was finally once and for all over that Lois. He thought that she hadn’t known about it, but she had.
The Letter
9:18 AM
A few days after Easter, Elner went to the mailbox and pulled out a letter, postmarked Kansas City. She did not recognize the handwriting. She opened it, and read what was written.
Dear Mrs. Schrimfinkle,
I want to thank you for that mighty fine cake recipe you sent to my daughter. I enjoyed it to the highest.
Yours truly,
Mrs. Teresa McWilliams
Elner laughed at the way her named was spelled, and sat down and wrote her a note back.
Dear Mrs. McWilliams,
I am so happy you are enjoying the recipe. If you are ever over close to Elmwood Springs, please drop in and see me.
Sincerely,
Elner S.
A Surprise for Linda
6:31 PM
A few months later, Linda Warren was making dinner for herself and Apple when the phone rang. She almost didn’t get it. When the phone rang at dinnertime, it was usually a telemarketer, but it kept ringing.
When she picked it up, a man’s voice asked, “Is this Linda Warren?”
“Yes?”
“Who works for AT&T?”
“Yes?”
“Oh, well, I don’t know if you remember me or not, it’s been a while, but I was one of your aunt’s doctors, Brian Lang the neurologist. I spoke to you when she was in the hospital?”
“Oh yes, of course.”
“How is she doing?”
“Just fine.”
“I hope you don’t mind me calling you like this, but I was just transferred to St. Louis, and…well, I wondered if I could take you to dinner or lunch…or something.”
“I see, well, I think that would be very nice.”
After they had set a date for that Friday night, she hung up and was strangely excited. Of course she had remembered him. She remembered thinking that he would be someone nice for Apple to get to know. He was one of the best-looking Chinese men she had ever seen. She wondered if he knew she had a Chinese daughter.
Of course he knew. Elner had told him. Besides, when he’d first met Linda, he’d thought she was one of the best-looking girls he had ever seen.
A daddy for Apple. What a happy thought.
He sat in the phone booth at the airport and thought, “I hope she likes me.”
She thought, “I liked him right away.”
He thought, “Maybe I’ll find out what area of town she lives in, and get an apartment nearby.”
She thought, “I need to lose three pounds before Friday.” It would be hard. It was already Thursday.
He thought, “I liked her right away.”
She thought, “Don’t get excited, it’s just dinner.”
He thought, “I’ve been looking so long, maybe she’s the one.” Maybe they were supposed to meet.
Someone knocked on the door of the phone booth.
“Are you finished?”
“Sorry,” he said, and he picked up his bag and walked out, thinking, “I could be just starting.” He looked around the St. Louis airport. It suddenly looked so nice. June was suddenly bursting out all over!
“Oh, dear,” he thought, “I am in trouble.”
Going on a Trip
5:00 AM
Elner had a plan: she knew better than to ask Norma if she could go, so she left a note on the front door.
Norma, have gone with Luther and Bobbie Jo to get married. Will call when I get home.
Love, Aunt Elner
At around twelve that afternoon when Norma found the note, she called Macky immediately. “Macky! Aunt Elner’s gone off with Luther to get