sweet tea

"He's a problem," Parker said to Mrs. LaBarron about Dan. "I'm beginning to think I'll never be alone with Kat, again."

"Well, he's not sleeping with you two, is he?" She brought him sweet tea that was a little too sweet for his liking, but as he drank it, he swore there might be rum in it.

Parker glared at the old woman wondering what she thought he was talking about.

"No, no..its just how could she take him in, like that, we hardly know him." She was suppose to be on his side about this. Parker winced. Was there something wrong with Mrs. LaBarron?

"Well, he's just an old fart, now isn't he? Probably needs a best friend. Hard to keep up with you young-uns." She looked at him seriously.

"What is that suppose to mean, Mrs. LaBarron?" He stared at her thinking she was talking about a TV show.

"He needs a cat."

"Well, he can't have my Kat!" Parker winced.

"Then I guess you'll have to do something about it." She gave him a silly smile.

"Like what?"

"I dunno." She shrugged sipping her tea.

Parker took a drink of it. It just about knocked his socks off. She'd spiced the tea.

"How much do you love her?" Mrs. LaBarron stared at him as if he knew the final answer to Jeopardy.

"Uh, uh.. a lot" Parker shrugged.

"You tell him he has to leave." She said matter of fact like. "If he must, he can always move into my guest house."

"You have a guest house?" Parker squinted.

She pointed out the living-room window on the side. It was a room over her garage.

"Seriously?" He wasn't sure if it were her or the alcohol making him smile so much.

She just nodded.

"I'm still not sure I want him that close?" He nodded.

"You have to learn to make compromises, or everything is just shit." She shrugged.

"Are you going to tell me whats in the tea?" Parker then asked.

"Good old Jack Daniels and lemon." She smiled.

Maybe if she fed Dan enough of these, he'd never want to come back to Kat's house.