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Meemaw rolled her eyes. “I knew I shouldn’t have sold him anything. Donny couldn’t keep a secret if it was embedded in his liver.”
Penny’s upper lip curled.
“Thank you for the vivid description,” I said. I took the mallet from Penny’s hand. “Apologize to Meemaw and be on your way.”
“Only if she apologizes to me.”
Uh-oh.
Meemaw’s eyes narrowed. “Only one of us got knocked to the hard concrete.”
Penny squared her shoulders and flipped back her ponytail. “I apologize for my behavior, and I would appreciate it if you would stop pranking me. It isn’t funny.”
“Maybe not to you, but I’m getting a lot of mileage out of it.”
Penny shot me an aggrieved look. “Did you torment Maya like this when she was the assistant director?”
“Of course not,” Meemaw replied.
“Then why are you being so hard on me?”
“Your perkiness rubs me the wrong way. Makes me want to punch you in the face just to see if you’re capable of not smiling.”
“I’m agreeable. People like that.”
“I prefer authenticity.”
I felt a stab of guilt. The Fates had done a number on Penny; I was sure of it. She was probably seeking Meemaw’s approval because the powerful crone was the closest thing to a Fate on the island.
“Okay, listen. I propose a truce.”
Meemaw’s face fell. “What? Why?”
“Penny is under my supervision. It’s my job to train her.”
“Then train her to be less sensitive.”
Penny folded her arms. “If you knew what I was truly capable of, it would turn your hair white if it wasn’t already.”
Meemaw advanced toward her. “Is that a threat, little girl?”
Penny lifted her chin. “Small in stature. Big in ass-kicking.”
I stepped between them, wielding the inflatable mallet. “Let’s go, Penny. I think we’ve outstayed our welcome.” I nudged Penny toward the golf cart.
“She certainly has. I’m on the fence about you,” Meemaw said.
“I hope the fencepost—”
I clamped my hand over Penny’s mouth before she could finish what should’ve been an inside thought. I strong-armed her to the golf cart, pushed her into the passenger seat, then paused to bang my head twice with the mallet settling behind the wheel.
“You seem frustrated,” Penny said.
I gave her a dark look but said nothing. I pulled out of the parking lot and drove us back to the office. Penny put in her earbuds to listen to music on her phone. I was grateful for the momentary silence.
Penny and Meemaw’s ridiculous beef was quickly escalating into a problem for Maya. I’d have to figure out a way to resolve it.
It was strange. The only relationship I’d had to manage as a fury was mine with the Fates. No gods. No colleagues. All my jobs had been solo, except for the occasional professional liaison. My mother sacrificed me, and now I was doomed to spend the remainder of my days making sacrifices in order to live.
