Read Gravel's Road for Free Online Page B

as I grabbed the menus he offered.
    “What’ll it be?” He asked, waiting for my drink order.
    “Two southern comfort old fashioned. One sweet, one sour.” I replied.
    “Those both better be for me,” Ethel said as she walked past me, straight to the jukebox that was behind me.
    “I can have a drink, woman,” I drawled, spinning my chair around to watch her. That was something I had been doing a lot of lately, just watching her. Even before we had called our truce this morning, I had watched her.
    She had changed into jeans and a loose fitting, dark burgundy tee and little ballet looking shoes. She was dressed casual, but she looked gorgeous. I had grown accustomed to the club pussy that always had makeup caked on and barely any clothes on. I liked Ethel’s make-up free look and having to imagine what she looked like under her clothes without her flaunting it in my face.
    Music started pouring out of the jukebox and Ethel plugged a couple more quarters into the machine and made her selections.
    “I’ve heard you play this song before. What is it?” I asked as she sat down next to me, and I swiveled back around to face the bar, seeing the bartender had made our drinks.
    “Fleetwood Mac,” she said as she glanced over the menu.
    “What’s the name of it?” I asked, not looking at the menu, but Ethel instead.
    “‘Leather and Lace.'” She answered as she set her menu down in front of her and took a sip of her drink.
    “Good?”
    “Mm, my favorite. How did you know?” She asked taking another sip.
    “We live in Wisconsin, doesn’t everyone drink old fashioneds?”
    Ethel laughed, her eyes dancing. “You’re probably right.”
    “So, what’s with the music?” I asked, draining half of my glass. I forgot to grab another pain pill, so I figured alcohol was going to have to work.
    “I like music,” She stated.
    “I know that, darlin’. You have it playing every second of the day. I meant, why do you always have it playing, don’t you need silence sometimes?”
    “I don’t know. I guess it was after Henry passed, and Lo was long gone from the house. It helped to make the house feel full. I suppose it became like a friend to me. All I had to do was hit a couple of buttons, and I wasn’t so alone anymore.”
    “Don’t you have some friends you can hang out with?” I asked, surprised by her answer. I had noticed Ethel never really got phone calls unless it was someone from the club, and no one ever stopped by. She was alone.
    “No. I only moved up here five years ago. Plus, my son is the President those ‘hooligans who run around on their bikes all the time’.” Ethel said, her fingers curved into quotes as she spoke.
    “You don’t have friends because of the club?” I asked, amazed that Ethel was running into problems because of the club. As far as we knew, the community had accepted the club well.
    “Oh, it’s not that bad. Everyone just seems to keep their distance from me,” she said, playing it off.
    “Does King know about this?” I asked as I plucked the menu out of her hands. Her head snapped to mine, her eyes pissed off.
    “There’s nothing really to tell, Gravel. They keep their distance; I keep mine,” she said, irritated.
    “Nobody should be keeping their fucking distance from you. I’ll talk to King about it,” I decided.
    Ethel threw her head back and laughed. “And what are you going to do? Make everyone play nice with me? I’m fifty-eight, Gravel. This isn’t the playground where you can go around and bully people to like me. Your gesture is appreciated, but please just leave it alone.”
    “You guys know what you want?” The bartender asked as he walked back up to us.
    “Give us a minute,” I gruffed at him.
    “No, we’re ready,” Ethel said at the same time.
    The bartender’s glance bounced between the two us, trying to decide which one to believe.
    “We’ll both have the mushroom and Swiss burger with fries and extra onions,” Ethel rattled