A/N: Thanks to wjobsessed for asking about catfish. I prefer it fried…that's why they didn't grill it up at the cookout! But never fear...it's being cooked as we speak. So, pull up a chair and settle in for some yummy Southern Cookin'!
Disclaimer: Still only own the rednecks...
Sunday...
Lindsey, Danny, Bobby and Kimberlin sat in a booth at the local Cracker Barrel. Kimberlin and Bobby sat on one side, staring down at the same menu, talking quietly. Lindsey and Danny sat opposite. Danny had his arm around Lindsey's shoulders, which was making her feel a little uncomfortable. She tried hard not to notice that he wasn't looking at his menu, but at her. Suddenly he lend down and kissed her neck, making her give a little yelp. Kimberlin and Bobby looked up at them. Heat crept up on Lindsey's cheek. "Not in front of everyone," she said, giving Danny a scowl.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Kimberlin told her. "As long as you two don't start undressin' each other, and as long as hands still on decent body parts, we don't much care down here."
"Yeah, Montana," Danny said. "They don't much care down here." He lean toward her again and touched his lips to her neck, and he didn't miss the sharp intake of breath. Bobby and Kimberlin smiled at each other and went back to their menu.
Soon the waitress came and took their orders, leaving their drinks. Danny and Lindsey had sodas, and Bobby and Kimberlin had tea…sweet tea. "I don't know how you can drink that stuff," Danny said, shaking his head.
"Nothin' but God's nectar," Bobby told him with a smile.
"It's like…like watery sugar," Danny argued.
"What's so bad about it?" Lindsey asked. Kimberlin smiled and held out her own glass.
"Here, help yourself." Lindsey took the glass and looked at all the faces waiting for her to take a sip.
"Go on, Linds," Danny said. She brought the glass to her lips and took a drink. "Well?" Lindsey's eyes went wide and she gave a small cough.
"It's umm," she started handing the glass back to its owner. "It's umm, different." That made everyone at the table laugh.
"It's a taste most people don't have," Bobby told her.
"But there is a reason we drink it," Kimberlin put in.
"And why's that?" Danny asked.
"If you haven't noticed," Bobby said. "It gets hot down here. I mean, it's only May and we're already in the mid 90s. And with the heat index we'll be over 100 by mid June. That kind of heat makes you sweat, and sweat bad. Sweat all that good sugar right out of ya. Water is good for ya, but sweet tea helps put sugar back in ya. It keeps us from fallin' out from the heat."
"So sorta like Southern Gatorade," Lindsey said.
"Exactly," Kimberlin said. "Now you've got it."
Danny and Lindsey sat in the living room at the hosts' house. Bobby and Kimberlin had run to the store to get some things for dinner that night. Bobby's parents were coming over. Danny sat with his feet propped up on the coffee table, flipping through the many channels of cable TV. Lindsey sat beside him reading a book that she borrowed from Kimberlin entitled All Signs Point to Murder. "Hey, Linds," Danny said as he came to settle on ESPN.
"Huh?" He looked over at her. Her bottom lip was drawn between her teeth in thought.
"Good book?"
"Ah-uh." Danny smiled.
"Can we talk a minute?" Lindsey looked up from her book and turned toward him.
"What's up, Danny?"
"I, um," he began. He cleared his throat. "I, um, heard Bobby and Kimberlin talkin' this morning."
"What about?" Lindsey asked, setting the book aside. Danny turned his eyes back to the TV.
"Us."
"Us?" Lindsey echoed. Danny nodded. "What about us?" Danny flipped the TV off, and tossed the remote on the end table.
"About how they never see us…ya know, touch and, um, kiss and stuff." Lindsey gave a silent 'o'. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Lindsey dropped her eyes.
"What you did at the restaurant? That was because of what you heard." Danny nodded.
"I had to give them something," Danny said, running a hand through his hand. "Sorry."
"It's okay, Danny, but maybe…maybe you just need to come clean. Tell them the truth."
"No," he said, standing up. "I can't do that. You don't know these people like I do, Montana. You've never had to be on the end of their...constant teasing."
"Danny, do they really care as much as you think? If you told them the truth, what's the worst that could happen?" Danny walked over to the window and looked out.
"Oh, I don't know, getting' hell about hiring a girl to be my girlfriend."
"You didn't hire me, Danny."
"I just wanted, ya know, to show them that I could have a steady relationship. I know, it sounds…stupid and all, but…" he trailed off. Lindsey stood from the couch and walked over to him.
"It's not stupid, Danny," she told him, placing a hand on his arm.
"I've known these people for so long. Always the butt of their jokes. Don't get me wrong, their all good people. But I'm always the one without a girl. Always the 'playboy' and frankly, Linds, I'm sick of it."
"Sick of what?" Bobby asked from the doorway. Danny and Lindsey both turned to look at him.
"Sick of all the Southern food you've been feeding us," Danny threw out.Bobby chuckled.
"Now come on, Danny Boy," Bobby said. "You know you love it. And tonight...you get a treat."
"A treat?" Lindsey asked.
"Yeah, fried catfish." Danny and Lindsey exchanged worried look.
Later on...
"Can I help with anything?" Lindsey asked, coming into the kitchen. Kimberlin and Betty, Bobby's mom, looked up at her.
"I think we've got it," Kimberlin said. "But you're welcome to sit in here with us."
"Yeah," Betty said. "The boys can be a bit much. What are Bobby and Jerry doin' to poor Danny now?" Lindsey laughed as she took a sat at the kitchen table.
"Planning a fishing trip," she told the other two women.
"Oh, no, the last time they took Danny fishin', he ended up with a hook in his leg," Kimberlin told them.
"That's way he's trying to get out of it," Lindsey said, almost to herself.
"So, um, tell me, Lindsey," Betty began. "How are ya liking it down here?"
"I'm having a really good time," Lindsey said. It wasn't a lie. She had been having a blast.
"We had a cookout yesterday," Kimberlin said. "Lindsey got to meet all the gang."
"Oh, that sounds like fun," Betty said.
"It was," Lindsey answered. She watched Kimberlin dip small pieces of catfish into an egg and milk mixture. Then she rolled it in flour and corn meal. Finally she dropped it into hot grease. Betty was cutting some red potatoes into small cubes. When she was done she dumped them into a frying pan with a small amount of oil. To the potatoes, Betty added chopped onions and peppers. A wonderful smell began to fill the kitchen. "That smells really good."
"Just wait 'til ya taste it," Betty said with a smile. It didn't take long for the catfish to fry and the potatoes and onions to brown. The women placed everything on plates and brought them over to the table. From the oven, Kimberlin pulled homemade biscuits.
"Lindsey, would you mind going and getting' the boys?"
"Of course," Lindsey answered. She smiled to herself at the way they both referred to Bobby and Danny and Jerry as 'the boys'.
Soon they were all sitting around the table. Plates filled with catfish, potatoes and biscuits. Lindsey looked at the food and then glanced around the table. She noticed something different on everybody's plate. "Is that honey?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah," Bobby said. "It's for dippin' your fish and biscuit in." Lindsey wrinkled her nose but took the offered bottle. "Try it." So she did.
"So what do ya think?" Kimberlin asked after everybody had taken a few bites. They all nodded.
"Who knew I liked catfish," Lindsey said and everybody laughed.
"I knew you would," Bobby said. "It took us years to get Danny to try it."
"Still not my favorite thing," Danny said between mouthfuls.
"Maybe not, but ya like it better than fried green tomatoes." Danny nodded his agreement to that.
"True, those things are nasty."
"Fried green tomatoes?" Lindsey repeated. "I don't think I've even heard of those."
"We've got some green tomatoes on the brushes out back," Kimberlin said. "We'll have them tomorrow." Danny gave a low growl.
"Thanks a lot, Montana." Everybody laughed.
I hate to beg...no I don't...PLEASE review. I'm gettin' alot of hits...but very few reviews. Don't you guys like me? I'm I not worth a moment of your time? You don't have to say anything...just a simple smiley face...or anything. I'll make you a deal (or give you a bribe, depends on how you look at it)...If this chapter and the next chapter gets a really good number of reviews...then I'll move up Danny and Lindsey's first kiss. Deal? (yeah, I know...I'm evil)
Oh, BTW, yes, I do eat everything in this chapter. Fried catfish dipped in honey. Potatoes, with chopped onions and peppers; fried. Homemade biscuits are too good...and nothin' beats a warm biscuit dipped in honey. Sweet tea is a no brainer...I AM a Southern. Even Fried Green Tomatoes grace my table. Great...I just made myself hunrgy...
One more BTW, Betty and Jerry are the names of my own parents.
TBC...