We both had a glass of punch and my tension eased a smidge. He asked about my job at the bakery, my sisters, and my mom. The punch made me chatty. Or it was my nerves. I wasn’t sure which one. I should’ve probably downed another.
After I had answered all his questions he stood up and thanked me for the dance. Then he left. Nothing more. No promises of seeing him again. No kiss. No embrace. No wink. Hale Christopher Jude III simply walked away.
Chapter Twelve
It was all over town within a week. Everyone had seen it and if they hadn’t seen it they had witnessed the glow of pure joy on Jamie’s face when she passed. The tiny diamond wasn’t enough to sparkle, but her smile was fifty of them.
Ben and Jamie were engaged. He had asked her on her front door step two nights ago on his knee. She said yes and promptly got in her car and hurried to my house to show me the ring he had slid on her finger. The fear from last week was gone and in its place was hope and excitement, for a future yet unlived.
“I know this doesn’t sound appealing to you, but Sam, it’s all I’ve ever wanted. I’m getting to live my own fairytale,” she had said, tears welling in her eyes.
I hugged her tightly and told her she deserved this fairytale. I couldn’t think of a princess more deserving of her prince and then she bawled. I did not dread for her future, because she’d never wanted anything apart from this town and what it offered to her parents. I understood that and it was okay, my dreams being different, because we’re all unique, two people being rarely alike.
Now they were looking at houses for rent. He had gotten a second job working with his father and Jamie had gotten one too. That was the only way they could pay their own bills and she seemed happy going everyday. I wished she could work with me at the bakery, but they had all the employees they needed.
Gossip about the stranger in town had spread, but thankfully that ended with the news of the engagement, which halted everyone’s predictions about me running off with the man. Momma had gotten wind of it and drilled me with questions about him. All I had was his name, his residences and his smell. Maybe it was the punch, but he had asked me all kinds of things and not once had I thought to ask him something about himself. That could have been why he left like he did. He realized I was self-absorbed and he wanted more than that in a woman. I wouldn’t blame him if that were the case. Normally, I was more inquisitive, but with him I had been so focused on answering him properly I hadn’t thought about the fact the conversation was all about me. And let’s face it. I was boring. Hale probably had to stop and get coffee to wake him up and get him home after all my talking. Sighing, I picked up the bucket of corn that I had just shucked and headed for the house. Momma had the other girls inside making fried pies that she sold at the church auction last Sunday. People would start picking up their fresh pies this afternoon.
It was a fundraiser for the church. I figured momma should sell the fried pies herself and make her own money, but she frowned when I mentioned it, like I had just said a curse word. Henry was inside on a chair watching the others closely as they worked at the kitchen table and the counter tops.
“Get that corn put away, then help clean up in here. There’s flour all over the place. We don’t need it looking this messy when folks come to pick up their pies. I need you to take Mrs. Winters and Harriet and old man Garth their pies. They do good to make it to the church house on Sunday, God bless their shut in souls.”
I grabbed the broom and started sweeping after putting the corn in the pantry. The church auction happened about three to four times a year depending on how much money they needed if the tithing were insufficient. Folks may have a hard time putting their money in an offering plate the way the Bible tells them to, but they sure didn’t have a hard time buying momma’s friend pies with it. Or the other baked goods that were auctioned off. They liked getting something for their money other than a promise of blessings. That, they could not eat. For this momma would slap my face.
Momma always said this wouldn’t be needed if they’d all just read their Bibles and follow the rules as written. I figured if the Bible was full of rules then no wonder they didn’t want to read it. I liked the stories in it, especially the romantic ones, though often weirdly violent. I wasn’t much of a fan of the rules though.
“Give me a bite pwease?” Henry begged as he watched them spoon the blueberry and sugar mixture into the kneaded dough.
“Don’t you start that Henry. Those aren’t for us. Go get a rag and help Sammy Jo clean the counter tops.”
I didn’t understand why it was such a big deal. Henry should get at least one little pie. He didn’t understand all this giving to the Lord stuff. He was a baby. If momma didn’t have them so damndably accounted, I would sneak him a big pie later. But she’d know it was missing and I’d end up confessing and have to listen to he rant.
“You seen that rich man again since the barn dance?” Bessy asked, flashing a mischievous smile over her lowered shoulder. She knew bringing that up in front of momma would only cause me grief.
“I wish I could have seen him,” Hazel added wistfully.
Milly loosed a sigh then rolled her eyes. “He wasn’t a big deal. People talk too much. I doubt he was even wealthy. Just because he was dressed up don’t make him rich.” The annoyance in her voice was hard to miss.
“You’re just jealous he didn’t dance with you,” Bessy said.
“So he could run off and leave me alone at the dance for the whole town to see? No thank you. I was happy with my date who took me home and walked me to my door.”
This wasn’t a competition. But to Milly most things were. I ignored it and finished my chores.
“Everyone knows Sammy Jo is the prettiest girl in town. He’ll be back,” Bessy declared.
I didn’t look to see Milly’s reaction. She hated it when our appearances were mentioned. I thought Milly was pretty. I wasn’t anything special. We had a lot of the same features. But no one had ever acted as if they needed to protect Milly from the world of men. Me, on the other hand, momma had been different with. Like I required special protection.
“That’s enough,” Momma said, stopping the conversation before it got worse. “We’ve got pies to make and work to do. No talking about boys and dating. That’s nonsense unless you got a ring on your finger.”
“Like Jamie does,” Hazel chimed in with excitement.
Momma nodded. “Yes, like Jamie.”
Chapter Thirteen
Jamie was making wedding plans and Ben had stopped glaring at me in the way that made me nervous. He was marrying Jamie and respected that. I even saw affection in his gaze when he looked at her. It made things easier and more difficult for us all at the same time. I had suddenly become the third wheel or at least I felt that way. Our easy friendship was no longer. Jamie was my best friend and Ben was now her fiancé.
My world here was changing and it was time. It was time it changed for all of us. The idea of my best friends having a baby was exciting. Seeing them go from the kids we were to parents was something they both wanted and they were happy about it. Personally, myself, I was ready for something different, for my own selfish plans to unfold. Seeing them start their life anew made me want to do the same. That just meant getting out of here. Which was a lot more difficult without the means and the means meant more money.