Free The Sweet Potato Queens' First Big-Ass Novel by Jill Conner Browne Page B

hand and said, “Come on. I just got it today, and it’s just so beautiful.”
    I followed her into her room, which looked like a shrine to Dr. Dick. Photos of the two of them covered her dresser and were thumbtacked to a bulletin board. In all of them, Tammy had her hand pressed to Dr. Day’s chest, as if claiming him as spoils.
    There was a small table near her bed where she kept all her Dr. Day mementoes—movie ticket stubs, matchbooks from restaurants, dried flowers, and a stack of greeting cards he’d given her over the years. I also knew that her two top drawers were stuffed with teddies, panties, and nighties that she donned exclusively for his benefit. Around the house she wore an oversized “Archie Bunker for President” T-shirt, holey granny-panties, and a ratty butt-sprung bathrobe.
    Despite sleeping with a gynecologist, she wasn’t having any orgasms either. I’d asked her about it a few months after I first started having sex with Sonny and she’d said, “I’m not sure. Sometimes I get a pleasant tingling during sex. That’s probably an orgasm, don’t you think?”
    â€œNo,” I’d said. “I think it’s like sneezing—you’ll know it when you’re having it.”
    â€œLook!” Tammy said, holding a long white dress encased in a see-through plastic garment bag. “I have to take it out for you to really appreciate it.”
    I blinked in confusion. “Is that a fuckin’ wedding gown?”
    â€œNot just any wedding gown,” she said, unzipping the bag and pulling free the dress. “It’s my wedding gown, and it’s the most beautiful one they had at Marla’s House of Brides. Look at the detailing. There must be a million seed pearls.”
    â€œOh, my God,” I said, sinking onto her twin bed and knocking to the floor a three-foot pink teddy bear, a Valentine’s gift from Deke. “He did it. Dr. Dick actually left his wife. I’ve been wrong all along.”
    â€œI told you not to call him that!” Tammy said, spreading out the train. “Of course, it’s not exactly official, but I know —”
    â€œWait a fuckin’ minute. Whaddya mean it’s not official? Has he left her or not?”
    â€œJill! Deke’s still in Boston at that medical conference,” she said, with a thin laugh. Dimples dented her cheeks. “I told you that when he comes back, I’m positive he’s going to give me an engagement ring.”
    â€œSo why in the world do you have a wedding dress?”
    â€œWell, it’s inevitable that Deke and I are going to get married, so I’m just thinking ahead. Marla’s was having a sale, so I bought it.”
    â€œTammy—”
    â€œI’ve decided that when he comes home, I’m going to wear it.” She shook the gown at me. “It looks so pretty on. I’m convinced that when he sees me in this dress, he’ll understand how badly I want to be his wife.”
    â€œOh, God, Tammy,” I said softly. “I think he already knows that.”
    â€œHe wants to marry me,” she said, stroking the dress with her hand. “I know he does. I can hear it in his voice.”
    â€œLet’s put the dress up,” I said gently. “You don’t want to spoil it.”
    â€œI know you have doubts, but you just don’t know him like I do.” Her eyes were bright and hard, like quartz crystals.
    â€œI bought some Little Debbies, and Laugh-In ’s on tonight,” I said. Tammy had clearly crossed some line that made it impossible for me to argue with her. “You wanna watch it with me?”
    â€œNo, I think I’ll tidy up in here,” she said, tugging on the sleeve of her blouse. “Besides, I don’t want to get involved in a show because Deke is gonna call tonight.”
    I left her alone and ended up reading the latest issue of Good Housekeeping (Sonny