“But, Lil-eeee!” Sheila whined. “You absolutely have to make him buy you a ring. That’s one ofthe fun parts of being married. And let me tell you, you better enjoy the fun stuff while you can, becausemost of the time, being married’ll just make you wanna tear your hair out!” Despite Sheila’s words ofdoom, a smile was plastered across her face as she studied the enormous diamond that winked like a thirdeye on her hand.
“Well, I guess I’m just not that interested in material things,” Lily said.
Sheila and Tracee wouldn’t have looked at Lily with more shock if she had just confessed to beinga serial killer.
Jeanie and an old woman Lily assumed was Ben’s grandmother were arranging a buffet on afolding table. “Wayne!” Jeanie hollered. “I reckon you’ll have to put the ribs on the grill. There’s notelling when your daddy’ll get home.”
The old woman stuck a serving spoon in a bowl of potato salad and then made her way to the tablewhere the McGilly wives were seated. “Oh, lord,” Tracee muttered, “here she comes.”
“Honey,” the old woman said to Lily, “I just wanted to welcome you to the family. I’m BennyJack’s Granny McGilly.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McGil —”
“Now, there ain’t no sense in you calling me Mrs. McGilly when your name’s Mrs. McGilly, too.”She grinned, revealing a mouthful of sparkling dentures. “Lily McGilly — that’s a real humdinger of aname, ain’t it? You must love my grandson something fierce to let yourself get saddled with a name likethat!”
Lily laughed. “Well, that was the first thing I thought of when he proposed — if I could actuallystand to go through life as Lily McGilly.”
The old woman smiled back at her. “Well, Lily McGilly, you just call me Granny, you hear?”
“I will. Thank you.” Granny McGilly was a stout old woman with soft white hair cut close to herhead. She wore a plain blue T-shirt, sweatpants, and a pair of expensive white running shoes. Far frombeing a prissy old lady, she had an easy, comfortable manner about her that was almost butch. Lily likedher immediately.
“Well,” Granny said, glancing over at the food table, “Wayne’s got the meat on the grill andeverything else is ready. I reckon I could sit a spell.” She sat down at the table next to Lily and acrossfrom Sheila and Tracee.
Sheila and Tracee exchanged glances, and Sheila said, “Excuse us. I think we’re going for aswim.”
When Sheila and Tracee got up, Granny said, “Lord, Sheila, that bathing suit you got on’scrawling right up the crack of your hind end!”
“Everybody’s wearing suits like this, this season,” Sheila said defensively. She turned to go to the