First Page-Leaving Carolina-Author Tamara Leigh
First Page
Family is rarely convenient. Case in point: Uncle Obadiah Horace pickwick. Despite his summons to discuss his will, likely brought on by hospitalization for chest pains, I won’t be flying to Pickwick, North Carolina. As I explained to his ancient attorney before he put me on hold, as much as I like my uncle, I can’t get out from under my workload on such short notice.
Of course, neither am I ready to return to the town I escaped twelve years ago.
Staring at the phone on my desk, I will Artemis Bleeker to return to the line, but the music continues to drone from the speakerphone. Whine, whine. “Oh ma darlin’….” Groan, groan. “You left me standin’ here…” Wah, wah. “Left me starin’ after you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I flop back in my chair. “Cry me a river.”
“Well, ma dear,” the nasal voice drops several octaves, “I’m back.”
I roll my eyes. “Nice lyrics.”
“What’d ya say, Piper?”
It’s him! I grab the receiver. “Mr. Bleeker—“
“You’re no longer a little girl, Piper Pickwick. Do address me by ma first name.”
As he asked me to do when I took his call, after which I politely informed him I had dropped the “Pick” part of my name. Though he spluttered over the “butcherin’” of the family name, I didn’t defend myself. But had I, my defense would have been based more on the Pickwicks’ scandalous reputation than on the nursery rhyme alliteration that plagued me through my school years.
Piper Wick clears her throat. “Thank you, Artemis. I’ll try to remember that. So you said the doctors are running more tests to determine the cause of Uncle Obe’s chest pains.”
