Masie Adams

I never wanted to come back to Garden City. Everyone here hates me because I won't play by their stupid rules. As luck would have it, when I went to the Pig to pick up some essentials, I had the misfortune of picking the same shopping day as Betty Blanchard Johnson. You'd think being a Blanchard was an accomplishment, that it requires a special skill set to be a Blanchard even though there's more Blanchards in these parts than there are Pinckneys in Charleston.

Anyway, I was on hard times again, and I figured Lila would let me crash on her couch until I figured out my next move. The beer and butter were for Lila, inside joke that should melt away the tension about the reason I hauled ass out of here so fast last time, without saying goodbye to Lila, and that's a sore spot with her--I have no idea what caused her to have such a fear of abandonment, but it's more real than everything else in this town put together. If it weren't for Lila, I doubt I would have come back, except maybe to see Joshua.

So, there I was at the Pig, having just driven all night after leaving a party up in Baltimore where it was assumed that liberties could be taken. I took my liberty and left. It was bad enough having to drive in a cocktail dress and heels all night, but since I didn't even grab a bag of my clothes when I left (the party was at our house,my boyfriend hosting. Ex-boyfriend now), I had to go in the Pig like a Kappa Delta on her walk of shame home from the ASE house, but I damn sure wasn't showing up at Lila's without a box of Land o' Lakes and at least a sixer of Newcastle.

While I was on the beer aisle, I felt the eyes on me. I could already hear the tongues wagging at the Club: "You would not believe who I saw at the Piggly Wiggly. Oh, yes ma'am it was. As sure as I'm living and breathing, it was Masie Adams, looking like a hussy in broad daylight. Somebody better warn Mary Elizabeth."

Do not get me started about Mary fucking Elizabeth, although from what I hear from Joshua, that's definitely the wrong word. Lord, I still don't know what he was thinking when he took up with her. Yeah, we all grew up with it and had no way out as kids and teens, but to sign up for a lifetime of it? Cotillions and Social and golf parties and Christmas drop-ins. If you follow all of the rules Garden City has for women, you'll lose yourself completely. Stepford is Haight-Ashbury in comparison.

The Pig was fairly empty, just a few morning shoppers out. Must be the last day of the weekly specials, otherwise they'd be in here like BestBuy on Black Friday. It's crazy how all these people who spend every minute of every day trying to impress everyone else with their money go crazy over a bogo on a box of pasta.

Like I said, I felt the eyes on me in the beer aisle. I expected to see the St. Paul's altar guild behind me, but it was just Miss Betty and some guy I didn't recognize. He looked to be about my age, and he had the most amazing green eyes I'd ever seen. I hoped his eyes were the ones practically touching me instead of Miss Betty’s. She's always polite, but she's different with people she likes than she is with everyone else, and everyone else doesn't get the same treatment. She probably keeps an excel sheet of who's who. Hell, she probably decides who goes where on it as well.

When I finally got out to the parking lot, Miss Betty was lollygagging taking her cart back. Great. Here comes the inquisition. I only had the two bags, one with the butter and a dozen eggs and one with the beer. Chances of not getting cornered and interrogated were shrinking by the moment.

I had just opened my car door when she pounced.

"Masie? Masie Adams? Is that you?"

If I had been one of her chosen, she would have hugged my neck and told me I was a sight for sore eyes, but, as luck would have it, there was nary a drop of Blanchard, Boardman, nor Phinizy blood running through my veins. I was one of the few in high school who didn't have to worry about bringing a boy home only to have my parents tell me I couldn't date him because we're cousins. Not that I brought anyone home except Joshua.