The slate-blue aluminum building hardly looked like the source of a family fortune. On thebuilding’s side was a block-lettered sign reading THE CONFEDERATE SOCK MILL. Next to thelettering was a line drawing of a cartoon Confederate soldier, who resembled a Civil War-era BeetleBailey, leaning against a cannon, asleep in his sock feet. “Well...” Lily searched desperately for somethingto say.
“I know it doesn’t look like much,” Ben said. “But we do an incredible international business. Yousee, back when he was playing sports in high school, Daddy got frustrated because he couldn’t find anysocks that didn’t start sagging after several washings. So after he graduated from technical school, hedeveloped a special kind of elastic and patented it. Confederate Socks never lose their elasticity, andwe’ve made millions off ’em. Daddy always gives free socks to the Faulkner County High football andbasketball teams, since that was where his idea began.”
“It’s quite an American success story,” Lily said. “Growing up with a self-made man like that for adad, no wonder you vote Republican.”
“Hey, it’s in my best interest to make sure business is protected.”
“Well, it may be in your best interest financially, but I still think that gay Republicans are likegazelles who try to make friends with lions.” She and Ben had had this argument umpty-dozen times.
“But I guess there’s no need for us to argue politics on our wedding day, is there, honey?”
“I guess not... pumpkin.”
Lily laughed. “So, how are your parents gonna take this— you showing up with new wife andbaby in tow?”
“Oh, they’ll be thrilled, once they get over the initial shock. I mean, you’re certainly not who theywould’ve picked out for me if they had had the choice, but as far as their gay-boy son goes, any woman isbetter than no woman.”
Lily looked up from gnawing her nails. “You sure know how to flatter a girl.”
Right past a run-down store advertising live bait and sandwiches, Ben pulled into a long driveway.
The driveway ended at a huge monstrosity of a house — a red brick mansion with antebellum columnsand a cupola on the roof. “When Daddy had this house built, Mom couldn’t decide if she wanted Tara orMonticello,” Ben said, “so they kinda built both.”
Lily wondered what she would do if she had the money to build a house like this. The only thingshe knew for sure was that if she did, she definitely would not use the money to build a house like this.
“So,” Ben said, “you ready to meet the folks?”
“Sure thing, Benny Jack.”