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“Don’t overestimate the decency of the human race.” - H. L. Mencken

“Ms. Johnson, aren’t you just a little concerned about Darla Lynn?”  The sheriff’s officer leaned-in slightly, finding himself suddenly surrounded by Carolynn’s cigarette smoke cloud.

Carolynn finished exhaling some smoke, laid her cigarette in the ash tray, methodically picked up her cup of coffee from the table, took a sip, placed the cup back down on the table, inhaled, looked at the sheriff’s officer, and said, “Ryan, stop calling me Ms. Johnson.”

Ryan’s patience was reaching the end.  He felt his blood boil, and his temples felt hot.  His upper lip curled a little.  “Carolynn, I know you’re basically a good person.”  Ryan suddenly began speaking with uncharacteristic clarity and conviction.  “It is NOT NORMAL for a mother not to have concern for the fact that her daughter is missing!  Carolynn, she’s barely fifteen!”

Carolynn glared at the sheriff’s officer and leaned back slightly in her chair.  “If I wasn’t worried about her, why did I call yer office?”

“DAYS LATER, Carolynn… DAYS LATER!”  Ryan stood up.  “You called nearly a week after she didn’t come home from school!”

“I know why she didn’t come home.”  All expression left Carolynn’s face.  “She missed her period.”

“What?”  Both the sheriff’s officer and the counselor said the same word at the same time.

“She missed her period.”

“Carolynn, do you believe your daughter to be pregnant?”  The counselor spoke with a percussive accuracy.

“Yes… I… b’lieve… she’s…. pregnant.”  Carolynn mocked her.  “That’s why she didn’t come home in the first place.  The school called me and said she went home early that day ’cause she thowed up.  Since she wasn’t at home, I knew she run away with that Harley character.”

The sheriff’s officer recomposed himself and took a breath.  “Carolynn, we’ve already spoken with Harland Baskin.  He told us he hasn’t seen her since before she went missing, and we believe him.”

Carolynn put out her cigarette.  “He’s lyin’.”

“Carolynn, you are one cold woman.  Ms. Dixon, are you ready to leave?”

“Officer, may I ask just one more question of Ms. Johnson?

“Go right ahead, Ms. Dixon.”

The counselor turned to Carolynn and smiled.  “Carolynn, earlier you said that you didn’t know if your daughter and Harland Baskin were intimate.  Now you talk about it as though it were a foregone conclusion that he has gotten her pregnant.  Do you…”

Carolynn interrupted.  “Are you callin’ me a liar?”

The counselor paused, then smiled, then looked at the sheriff’s officer.  “Officer, I’m ready if you are.”

“Let’s go.  Carolynn, we’ll be in touch.”

*  *  *

The counselor and the sheriff’s officer got out of the patrol car and walked towards the sheriff’s station. “Officer, what are your thoughts on this?”

“I think Carolynn is still the coldest, meanest, most selfish bitch ever ta walk the face of this earth, and I do NOT believe she gives a damn what happens ta Darla Lynn Storm er Jesus Christ hisself, as long as she can have her damn coffee ‘n cigarettes ever day.”

“I think you’re right, officer.”  The counselor shook her head.  “She appears completely detached from her daughter, and unconcerned.”

“I don’t think that Harland knocked Darlynn up, neither.  He’s a good kid, and I think he’s still a virgin.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m gonna find Darlynn.”

The counselor nodded her head, took a pause, then asked,  “So, what’s next then?”

“We gotta find out who got Darlynn knocked up.” 

*  *  *

Darlynn awoke to the sound of the bus door opening and a rush of cold air.  “Darlynn?  Git up, Darlynn, It’s Deannie.”

“Hey, Deannie!  I been awake for a hour already.”  She lied.  “What’r you doin’ here so early?”

“Darlynn, I’m sorry I couldn’t be here yesterday fur thanksgivin’.  I brought some turkey an’ cornbread stuffin’ an’ some sweet potato pie for ya!”  Nadine carried two grocery bags, completely loaded with food, and completely tattered from the long walk from home.  “Damn, I’m tired from carryin’ these bags!”

“Turkey fur breakfast?  Deannie, yer crazy!”  Darlynn laughed for the first time that Deannie can remember in months.

“Well, yeah, fur breakfast!”  Deannie laughed with Darlynn, and the girls tore into day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast.

Tune in agin next week, y’all.