As Beth had previously surmised ... so far, her intuition seems to be spot on ... it won't be long before Mary reveals herself to her. And surely Chelsea might take it upon herself to also present her existence to Beth, as well. ... In actuality, in an indirect sort of way, Chelsea has already 'introduced' herself to the Lazinskis by means of those piercingly shrilling screams of a little girl that they heard the night before.
After all, while Mary has viewed Chelsea as her nemesis for years now ... as it should be apparent by their recent altercation ... Chelsea hasn't been particularly fond of Mary, either. ... And the reason behind their animosity all stems back to the town's deep, dark secret...
Which Beth is determined to uncover as soon as possible. Perhaps the napkin that Delilah stressed to point out to her holds some sort of clue that will help Beth start on the path to revealing the truth behind what's been happening at their new home. ...
If only the sheriff would just leave so she can inspectit.
************
Beth finishes cleaning Anna's face...
"All done. There's my one and only sweetie..." Beth delivers a quick, soft peck to Anna's cheek. ""Sugar-free'; but still just as sweet as ever."
Anna giggles. "Mommy."
"Now, go on and finish the rest of your pancakes ... but..." Beth raises her index finger up, inches from Anna's freshly cleaned, angelic-looking face, as she reminds her, "But ... remember to eat like a normal, well-mannered, six-year-old girl; and not a crazed shark in an eating frenzy." Beth lightly taps on the end of Anna's nose as she tells her, "And keep this face clean, you."
Anna giggles again. "Okay, Mommy; I will."
"You better." Beth gives her daughter a big, beaming smile; and Anna immediately reciprocates by giving her mom one of her own.
This display of loving interaction between mother and daughter has touched and melted Delilah's heart, making her totally forget about the initial fears and concerns she had while walking up to the table during Beth and the sheriff's conversation mere moments ago; and she's now feeling much more relaxed and at ease. ...
That is until he walks up behind her, speaking in his typical overbearing, gruff manner...
"What is this, a town hall meeting or something? Delilah, what are you doing here ... you're being paid to wait on tables and serve customers; not to stand around lollygagging."
Beth ... who has taken an instant disliking to this stereotypical 'hash slinging, Mel Sharple-looking' blowhard in his 'greasy diner' garb ... is clearly perturbed by this uncalled chastisement of Delilah, and boldly speaks her mind...
"Look here ... whoever you are ... not that it's any of your business, but just for your information, she was doing that; she just brought out my daughter and mine's order. So back off there, buddy." Beth looks to Delilah and tells her, "Hey, Delilah; why don't you tell 'Mel' here to 'kiss your grits'."
The sheriff laughs as he interjects by quipping, "First a 'Beverly Hillbillies' reference, and now 'Alice' ... well, Beth; looks like someone has an affinity for the 'Golden Age of Television'."
Not at all amused by her, what everyone else there found to be whimsical, remarks ... in fact, he's rather ticked off at her right now ... the blowhard in the 'greasy diner' garb gruffly starts to bark back...
"First of all, I'm not your buddy. And second, it is my business, you little..."
Delilah quickly cuts him off before he has the chance to finish what was more than likely going to be one of his typical offensively vulgar, disparaging insults. Not that she was worried about Beth being belittled or demeaned by whatever it was he was about to say; but on the contrary ... from what she can tell about Beth from what she's seen so far ... Delilah was more worried that Beth would totally emasculate him on the spot...
"Uh, Beth ... this is Gus, my boss. He owns the diner."
Gus 'puffs out chest like a proud rooster' as he haughtily proclaims...
"That's right, this is all mine, which makes everything that goes on in here my business." Then he tries to get smart with Beth. "And that's why it reads 'Gus's Diner' on that big sign out front; just in case you can't read."
He shoots Beth a crooked smile with slightly gnarled lips; what makes Beth instantly think to herself 'Talk about your 'shit-eating' grin; this guy takes the cowpie.'. Beth then shoots him a smile, and flippantly retorts...
"Wow; what a totally unique and original name ... one certainly becoming of such a prestigious establishment. Your mother must be so proud that her baby boy has reached such lofty heights."
"Now, now; Beth..." Sheriff Faulkner quickly intercedes before things escalate. "Remember what it was we were just talking about before ... you know ... about people making each other feel at home; and giving 'em a chance to warm up to one another?"
Beth raises her hands up in front of her shoulders, as if she were surrendering, and says, "Okay fine; I'll behave ..." She glances over at Gus and shoots him a 'shit-eating' grin of her own. "For now."
Flustered, Gus's face instantly flushes to a beet-red complexion; while the sheriff simply lowers his head and slowly shakes it. Delilah is secretly fighting trying to hold back and keep from busting out laughing. Luckily Anna manages to momentarily create a distraction...
"Excuse me ... Mr. Gus, sir; did you make these pancakes? They're delicious ... so yummy."
Not even the slightest bit touched by such an endearing endorsement ... not that he was the one responsible for them ... Gus gruffly tells her...
"No, I didn't make those pancakes. I've got more important things to do with my time than make some pancakes for every little 'snot-nosed kid' who comes in here."
This of course instantly sets off Beth, causing her to flippantly retort...
"And what would that be; spreading you 'sunny disposition' around to all your customers? ... Or are you plotting on how you're going to break into everyone's house on Christmas Eve and steal everyone's decorations, presents, and Christmas dinners? ... I mean fall is just a few months away, and then Christmas will just be right around the corner; 'Mr. Grinch'."
Gus is ready to blow his top. "Look here, you..."
Once again, the sheriff quickly intervenes. "Hey, Gus; do me a favor, will you? You mind going and fixing up me and the boys some coffee to go? The usual order, if you would, please."
Gus's complexion is an even deeper shade red than before; and the veins are starting to bulge out at his temples. He takes in a deep breath, then rapidly dispels it as he huffs...
"Yeah ... okay ... I'll have them right up. Just give me a few minutes."
"Not a problem; I'll just be hanging over here for now. I'm not in any particular rush, so take your time."
Gus grumbles, "Whatever." Then shoots Beth one last rebuking glare before spinning around and stomping off...
And when almost at the counter, without bothering to turn around and look back towards their table, he shouts out across the diner...
"Hey, Delilah; will you get a move on it and hurry back to work already. ... Like I said, I ain't paying you to hang out and flap your gums with some smart aleck mother and her kid all day!"
And with that, a fuming Gus stomps behind the counter and starts preparing the sheriff's to-go-order.
Delilah looks to Beth with apologetic eyes. "Sorry about that, Beth. I didn't mean for you to..."
Beth reaches out and takes hold of Delilah's hand. "It's fine, Delilah; it's not your fault that you work for such an obnoxious, pigheaded boss."
Delilah lets out a small chuckle, "Yeah ... thanks for understanding. ... Well, I better get going before old Gus there has a heart attack."
Beth looks over towards Sheriff Faulkner and quips, "Don't worry, Delilah; I'm sure the sheriff over there knows CPR."
The sheriff raises an eyebrow at Beth and quips back, "Now the last thing this good ol' boy wants to have to do is go and lock lips with that ornery, old miser over there."
"A 'penny-pincher' too, huh;" Beth emits a chuckling huff, "now why doesn't that surprise me?"
Before leaving, Delilah goes around to Anna, and bends over and wraps her arm around Anna's shoulders, giving them a loving squeeze as she tells her...
"Now don't you go minding that grumpy, old man, cutie; that's just the way he is ... but he's harmless; so, don't let him scare you."
Anna turns into Delilah and gives her a loving squeeze back...
"Okay; I won't."
Delilah laughs, "Good." Then she let's go of Anna and stands back upright; then tells...
"And be glad that that old meanie wasn't the one who made your pancakes, because you're lucky that he didn't. You just go and ask anybody who's eaten his pancakes, and they'll all tell you the same thing ... that they're more 'pan' than 'cake'."
They all laugh together one last time; then Delilah leaves. And Anna goes back to eating her pancakes. ... There's a momentary silence before Beth picks up where they left off during their previous discussion...
"So, Sher..." She quickly catches herself; but not before getting another quick raised eyebrow from him. "I mean, Lloyd ... sorry, it's just hard not to keep referring to you as Sheriff while you got that uniform on."
"That's alright."
"Anyway ... you mentioned that you only got here about a year and a half ago?"
"That's right."
"So, I suppose that means that you're relatively new to the area yourself, then."
"I reckon you can say that. But why are you bringing that up?"
"I was just thinking ... I guess that means that you wouldn't know that much about the town's history then?"
Beth takes a sip of her coffee, while also taking a quick glance down at the set aside napkin.
"Beth; do you mean this 'podunk' town's history?" The sheriff laughs, "Heck, between you and me, I don't reckon enough goes on in these parts for this town to make history."
"Oh ... you might be surprised." Beth takes another sip of coffee, while looking over the cup's brim to take in another glance at the napkin.
Just then, Gus's typical overbearing, gruff tone ... emanating from behind the counter ... is heard resounding across the diner...
"Hey, Lloyd ... your order's ready. Come get them while they're still hot. Sheriff, or not, I ain't giving you a discount on the price if they're cold when you pick them up because you were jibber-jabbering with the 'newcomer'."
The sheriff rolls his eyes and shakes his head...
"Alrighty; I hear you. ... And I wouldn't expect a discount from you; even if they were cold if I were standing right there waiting on them the entire time."
Beth chuckles; then quips, "Wow ... he really is an old miser; isn't he?"
Then they hear Gus bellow out, ""Well, I ain't got all day to wait around for you to come and pick up your order. You coming to get them, or not?"
Sheriff Faulkner shoots Beth a wink, then shouts back out, "I'm a coming, Gus; hold on, don't go getting your britches all in a knot. I'll be right there."
The sheriff puts his Stetson cowboy hat on his head and starts fiddling to adjust it...
"Oh, and Beth; about what you were just saying ... about me being surprised ... I certainly hope that you're wrong about that. Because when you've been in my field for as long as I have, you learn to deal with surprises; but you don't really like 'em much."
"That's perfectly understandable; Lloyd..." Beth quickly glances back down at the napkin while taking another sip of coffee. "I'm not too fond of them myself."
Once again, Gus is heard bellowing out across the diner...
"Tick-tock, Lloyd; I'm a busy guy. Got things to do here."
And once again, the sheriff rolls his eyes and shakes his head; then shouts back out to Gus...
"You know what, Gus; it's fine. I don't mean to hold you up; so, why don't you just go and tend to them things you got to do. I'll have Delilah ring me up when I get there; sound good to you?"
Gus shakes his head and lets out an exaggerated huff, "Yeah ... whatever." He stomps back off into the kitchen.
Beth muses as she mumbles under her breath, "Whoa ... maybe I should offer Gus some of my meds. He looks like he needs them more than I do."
Not hearing what she said ... but hearing enough to know that she had said something ... the sheriff asks Beth...
"I'm sorry, I missed that, Beth; what did you say?"
Beth feels like she could just give herself a good smack in the head for having a momentary lapse and forgetting that the sheriff was standing beside her when she blurted that out. She tries to cover her blunder by quickly responding...
"Oh; it wasn't anything important, really. I was just saying that it looks like someone needs to take a 'chill-pill'."
The sheriff laughs and quips, "Actually, what that ornery ol' boy needs is a dart shot into his keester with enough tranquilizer to put a rampaging rodeo bull out to sleep."
Then the sheriff takes a look down at his watch...
"Well, suppose I ought to be moseying along now." He tips his hat to Beth. "It's been a real pleasure meeting you, Beth. I'll have to meet up with ... Martin ... I believe that's your husband's name; isn't it?"
Just as she was finally feeling totally comfortable around Sheriff Faulkner, those 'red flags' once again start popping up in Beth's mind; and she warily looks at the sheriff as she inquires...
"Yes; that's right. ... Um ... you seem to know a lot about us; Lloyd."
The sheriff can instantly tell that he has raised Beth's suspicions of him again; and she's got her guard up. He gives her a friendly ... and hopes disarming enough ... smile to hopefully put her at ease as he replies as diplomatically as he could...
"Well; really not that much, Beth ... but being sheriff of a small, quiet town; it's always good practice to at least make it a point to try to know the names of the people in your jurisdiction."
Beth's not really fully buying that; but she now answers as diplomatically as she can...
"Well, yes; I suppose. ... Especially those of the 'newcomers' who suddenly move into your jurisdiction. ... Isn't that right ... Sheriff Lloyd Faulkner?"
Beth takes another sip of her coffee, while innocuously glancing down over at the napkin.
And now he briefly looks at her warily before finishing up his goodbye...
"Anyhoo; I suppose I'll meet up with Martin another time. You have a good day now, Beth." He turns and tips his hat to Anna. "Ms. Annabeth; it was a true pleasure meeting you, as well. You take good care of your folks now."
Anna replies, "I will."
The sheriff wraps it up with a simple, "Good day, ladies."
He goes to the counter, pays Delilah for the coffee, and leaves the diner; without bothering to look back over at Beth as he does this.
Beth sits there for a couple of minutes nursing her coffee, while Anna finishes both her and her mother's pancakes.
Then, Beth takes a subtle look around the diner to see if anyone is watching them now. It doesn't look like it. So, she nonchalantly picks up the napkin and carefully pretends to wipe her mouth; in the process turning it around to examine the other side.
She notices writing on it. It reads...
Woodland Falls.