Previous chapters of the River Road story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!

Last time, the DeLorcas were introduced to Mia Duomo—a former high fashion model and past visitor to Vista Falls. Mia, known for her self-centered behavior and very high opinion of herself, appeared not to have changed much since Mrs. Conn had last seen her. Mia and the DeLorcas met when Mia expressed interest in buying a building that the DeLorcas also wanted to buy. Upon meeting the DeLorcas’ son Eben, Mia Duomo made fun of the man’s name and pressed him to tell her his middle name. When she learned that Eben had a very unusual middle name, Mia Duomo roared with laughter. Mia’s mockery angered Mrs. DeLorca who was proud of her son and his name. What did Mrs. DeLorca do? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 2:
Building Emotions

“Pie Crust.” Eben frowned. “My middle name is Pie Crust. My name is Ebenezer Pie Crust DeLorca.”

“It was my father’s name.” Mr. DeLorca smiled proudly.

“Pie Crust!” Mia Duomo howled with laughter. “What a ridiculous name! You poor, poor man.” She continued to shriek with laughter.

“Mia, please. The DeLorcas are my friends.” Mrs. Conn said gently.

“Oh, but really, how utterly absurd!” Mia guffawed.

“I like my name.” Eben said. “It reminds me of my family.”

“How sad!” Mia hooted. “How awfully sad!”

Mrs. DeLorca listened as Mia Duomo made fun of her son. She became angrier and angrier.

“Miss Duomo.” Mrs. DeLorca said after drawing in a deep breath. “I realize that we have only just met. However, I feel that I should explain to you that we DeLorcas are a proud family. We are committed to our family traditions. Thirty-three years ago, we named our son after my husband’s father and my father. My father’s name was Ebenezer; my husband’s father was called Pie Crust.”

“My mother’s name was Blueberry Cobbler.” Mr. DeLorca nodded.

“You’re not serious?” Mia laughed.

“Very much so.” Mrs. DeLorca continued. “It’s a DeLorca family tradition to name our children after things we love.”

“Yes, yes.” Mr. DeLorca smiled. “My middle name is Dumpling and it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.”

“So, you see,” Mrs. DeLorca patted her husband’s hand as she continued to speak to Mia Duomo, “we are proud to keep the tradition of starch-based foodstuff names alive in our family. And, I’ll thank you to show the respect for that tradition that it deserves.”

With that, Mia Duomo frowned. She pointed to her face. “Do you see this? I’m frowning. Just look at my lips—my perfectly painted, beautifully formed lips. Me! I’m frowning. I don’t like to frown. It causes wrinkles. And, really, I wouldn’t risk a wrinkle if I didn’t feel very strongly about something.”

“About what do you feel strongly?” Mrs. DeLorca asked.

“I am risking wrinkles on my sumptuously smooth, gorgeous face to show you how deeply sorry I am if I’ve offended you. I do understand the importance of tradition in a family. Why I’m named for someone special, too. So, I do understand.”

“For whom are you named?” Eben asked.

“Well, me, of course. I’m named for me. Mia!” Miss Duomo answered, smiling again. “Ah, so much better to smile. And, look the world is so much brighter for it. Can’t you just feel the light glinting off of my naturally white teeth?”

“Was that an apology?” Eben whispered to Mrs. Conn.

“From Mia Duomo, that’s about as much of an apology as you’ll get.” Mrs. Conn whispered back.

“Thank you for understanding, Miss Duomo.” Mrs. DeLorca smiled.

“Well, look, you have lovely teeth, too. Isn’t this just a grand day. Speaking of teeth, where are the Trotters?” Mia Duomo asked. “You know, they have some very attractive teeth. No matter that the majority of them are false!”

Mrs. Conn cringed. She wasn’t looking forward to the reunion of the Trotters and Miss Duomo. Violet Trotter had often clashed with Mia during Mia’s last visit to town, and Mrs. Conn knew that Violet Trotter was still upset that Mia’s daughter had caused a terrible explosion that had destroyed the Trotter Wildlife Sanctuary and seriously injured some of their friends.

“The Trotters are over by the gazebo.” Mrs. Conn said honestly. “They’re congratulating Chief Colbert on his engagement to Jenny Littlepoole.”

“Oh, so that handsome Sam Colbert is getting married. How lovely. Perhaps they can have their wedding reception in my new building.” Mia smiled and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

“If you are able to buy the building.” Mrs. DeLorca reminded the former model.

“Of course, of course,” Mia Duomo said flatly. “Just who owns that building?”

“Which building?” A young voice asked.

Mrs. Conn turned to see Sarah, Nancy, Isaac and Kathy join their little group. It was Sarah that had spoken.

Suddenly, Sarah realized that it was Mia Duomo that had asked the question.

“Oh!” Sarah gasped. “Miss Duomo.”

“Look, look, look! It’s all the little children!” Mia gushed.

“Hi, Miss Duomo.” Sarah forced herself to smile. “Nancy, Isaac, Kathy, say ‘hello’ to Miss Duomo.”

“Hi.” The three answered in unison.

“You all look the same.” Mia said to the kids. “Don’t I?”

“Yes, Miss Duomo, you never change,” Nancy nodded nervously. She was a little afraid of Mia Duomo because Miss Duomo had often been cruel to her when last they met.

“Why change perfection?” Mia Duomo asked.

“Oh, but nothing’s perfect.” Mr. DeLorca spoke up. “I say, that reminds me of the time I thought I had discovered the perfect recipe for cherry pie.” He smiled as he remembered the pie. “Yes, yes. Good pie that. But, it was made even better when I added figs. Indeed, a tough battle with the squirrels to get the figs from the fig trees in our yard. But, Shakuntala helped, didn’t you, my nautical fowl? Grabbed the figs right from the squirrels’ greedy little paws, she did. Pelicans are very helpful.”

“Father,” Eben began.

“Oh, don’t worry, Eben,” Mr DeLorca interrupted. “We left enough figs for the squirrels to enjoy, too. But, yes, adding figs to that pie was just the ticket. So, I do believe you can improve upon perfection. Yes, yes. Is anyone hungry?”

“I am!” Isaac raised his hand. Mr. DeLorca was Isaac’s hero.

“I’m confused.” Mia Duomo said. “And confusion is bad for the complexion. I believe I had asked who owned that lovely building on the corner.”

Nancy looked up at Mrs. Conn with questions in her eyes. Nancy knew that Mrs. Conn owned the building. Mrs. Conn owned most of the buildings on the old town square.

Mrs. Conn looked back at Nancy nervously as she thought to herself. Kitty Conn didn’t really like the idea of selling her building to Mia Duomo. She’d much have preferred that the DeLorcas bought the building. If Mia knew that Mrs. Conn owned the building, the former model would continually pester Mrs. Conn until she got what she wanted.
What should Mrs. Conn do?

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Voting results for how the story continues:

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River Road Ch. 2: What should Mrs. Conn do? Confess that she owns the building? 65.4% Change the subject by asking where Mia was staying? 26.9% Lie and say she doesn’t know? 7.7%   Version 2.03