Mallory and Chess Peavy had their twins, Heather and Feather, when Chess was a senior and Mallory was a sophomore. Jester and Kincaid wanted Chess to get an Associate’s in Kinesiology from Blane so he could coach at the District, but you know kids. Kenny Barfield, the JP, married them in his house. The commode had overflowed at the Precinct.

Sturgis McElroy got Chess a Tom’s Toasted Snacks route. He finally got on at the District, but in maintenance, not coaching. By then, Heather and Feather were in preschool. Rodeo, their third, was one-and-a-half, and stayed a lot with his grandmomma.

After Rodeo came, Mallory dropped out of school again and got on at Mustang Mart checking groceries. She’s pregnant with Bliss now, and having trouble staying on her feet for long periods. She wants to home-school the twins after she gets her GED. I hope she can get a sit-down job. Even after Bliss is born, she’ll have trouble standing for very long, what with that little bit of weight she’s picked up.

(Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.)