"Oh? I just thought you had decided to stay and have lunch with Belinda."
"I didn't eat lunch anywhere. Grandma Olivia didn't even offer me a glass of water."
Cary shrugged.
"That's Grandma. Go on and order. We'll wait and watch you eat," Cary said with a smile.
"Don't let me forget to bring home garlic for your mother," I said as I chose a sandwich from the menu. Then I told him about my literally bumping into Adam Jackson's father and family and how Mr. Jackson practically insisted I join them for lunch. Cary's eyes grew dark with anger just at the mention of Adam's name.
"Figures he'd want to show off. He was always like that," Cary said. "Like father like son."
"How do you know what Mr. Jackson was like when he was younger, Cary?" I asked, wondering at the venom behind his words.
"He went to school with my father and your stepfather. Dad's told me about him. He was always spoiled, arrogant. That's just the way the Jacksons are and always will be."
"He didn't seem to be just now."
"Well, he is," Cary insisted. "They ought to be known as the Snobsons and not the Jacksons," he added. Whenever he got very angry, his ears would turn red at the edges. They were that way now, so I dropped the subject and began talking about Grandma Belinda instead. I had to remember to sign as I talked so May wouldn't feel left out. I didn't sign everything, of course. Cary shook his head with disbelief when I described what Grandma Belinda had said happened between her and Grandpa Samuel.
"I never knew any details, but I knew she was saying outrageous things."
"Now I understand why Grandpa Samuel wanted me to come to him with any questions," I said. "Grandma Olivia has little love for her sister and I think some of what Grandma Belinda told me may be true."
"I don't know," Cary said, shaking his head uncertainly. "I could probably count on my fingers how often her name's been mentioned in our house or at Grandma's."
"That's just it, Cary. There's got to be more of a reason why she is persona non grata in this family."
"What? Persona?"
"Not wanted," I explained impatiently. "You don't disown someone because she's mentally ill, do you?" He started to shrug. "Your mother told me Laura went to see her once."
His smile froze.
"She told you that?"
"Yes."
"My father was very upset with her."
"She told me that, too. Don't you think that was wrong, to treat a sick old lady like the plague? Well, don't you?" I pursued when he didn't respond. May was signing question after question, but I didn't turn from Cary.
"All I know is my father said Belinda was very immoral when she was younger and he didn't want Laura around that sort of woman," Cary said, a bit sheepishly. "I'm sorry."
"Your father . . . infuriates me," I wailed. Cary laughed. "He does! What makes him so high and mighty? Isn't there something in the Bible about judging others?"
"Judge not that ye be not judged," Cary said softly, nodding.
"Well?"
He shrugged.
"Tell him that," he said.
"I will," I declared, amazed at my newfound conviction to stand up for my poor, defenseless grandmother.
Cary smiled, doubting that I had the courage. It added fuel to the fire of wrath building in my chest. He glanced at May and then he leaned toward me.
"When you're angry, you're about twice as pretty as you are normally and that's a lot," he said.