His Regret

Dead Man Walking

I was headed towards the bathroom, when I saw Darien's mother taking another large bowl of potato salad out of the fridge. I could have sworn I left her talking to Darien. Then I remembered I did stop to speak to Mr. Hendrix before coming inside.

Nonetheless, this was the perfect opportunity to finally get her recipe. As much as I tried, I could not get the dill flavor to seep into the potatoes the way she did.

Her back was turned, so I grabbed a spoon and I almost scooped out a handful, before the spoon was out snatched out of my hand.

"You think you are so slick!" She laughed. "I saw you when you walked in girl.

I sighed. "Oh C'mon! Doesn't being your favorite future daughter in law count for anything?" I pouted.

She let out a loud chortle. "You are my ONLY future daughter law!" She was aware that Darien planned to go down t the court house the Friday after my divorce and get hitched.

I smiled. "I know which is why I should get first dibs."

She rolled her eyes and returned the spoon to my hand.

I grinned triumphantly.

"What am I going to do with you?" She said shaking her head while removing a platter of cheese and meat from the fridge.

"Love me of course. You know if you would just give me the recipe I wouldn't have to bother you so much." I teased.

"I gave you my hibachi chicken and my garlic knobs recipe last Saturday. Every week you try to squeeze one out of me. Sooner or later I won't see you or Darien at Sunday dinner after you all have figured them all out."

"That would never happen for two reasons. No matter how we try, we never make those dishes as well as you do, and secondly we don't just show up for the food. We love spending time with you" It was the truth.

I held my stare for a while and reluctantly said, "Pickle juice."

"What?"

"I boiled the potatoes with half a cup of pickle juice and three teaspoon of pepper. It soaks in all the flavor."

I beamed. "No wonder!"

"I better see you both this Sunday."

"You know I will be the first one there. With my doggy bag ready!"

She shook her head. "You know you always been obsessed with my cooking since you were a baby."

"Well with the way mom cooks why wouldn't I be?"

Clarice was gifted with cooking, and because of that, she was one of the most sought out caterers in our county. She had built her business from the ground up by creating a meal service that prepared, cooked, and delivered home cooked meals for locals. Busy parents, single parents, single adults, and people like my mother who were not gifted on the stove flocked to her services. Once the mayor of our town had one of her meals delivered, it was nothing but success from then on. She not only catered the City's Annual Christmas Ball, she was the Mayor and all the Mayors after that first choice for personal events.