bad people of all types. So when I say I believe my gut, it’s because I’ve had exposure and am a damn good judge of people.” He lifted his chin. “You’re no more bad than my Vanna is. You’re sweet and kind and young. So fuckin’ young, honey. I expect you’d cut off your hand before you did anything to hurt her or me. I’m seldom wrong about something like this, so don’t even think you can feed me a line of bullshit.”
“I don’t understand.” This was the best way to approach it, the way her mother had told her the schools used. A give and take of ideas, where admitting to ignorance was seen as the highest merit of honesty. Myrt’s mother had been educated, having gone to college a whole semester before her disastrous marriage. If she hadn’t died…
“We have a room. You need a room. Vanna’s alone in the house a lot now, and my…” He sighed softly. “My job means I have to be gone sometimes.” His slight hesitation was more pronounced because the rest of his words were so definite. His jaw firmed, and he stroked a hand down his beard. “I don’t like when she’s out here all alone. Kitt, our boy, had a dog, and havin’ an early warning system always made me sleep better. But the pup moved out with him, which leaves Vanna here by herself. If you could see your way clear to staying with us for a time, that’ll soothe my mind, honey.”
“Myrt, I hate I hurt you like I did.” Myrt’s cold fingers were covered by Vanna’s warm palm and gripped gently. “I started off wrong. What I was trying to say was, you and I had talked about a couple of days, but I wanted to extend our invitation indefinitely.” Vanna gave their joined hands a shake that Myrt felt to the soles of her feet. An emphasis to her words, a physical reassurance that this was a real offer. “We want you here, and not only because you make a mean breakfast.” Myrt looked up in time to see Vanna share a watery smile with Truck. “We want you here because we need you, maybe more than you can believe right now. But it’s the truth.”
Each breath was more difficult, her throat tight. Vanna’s kindness stirred something inside Myrt, eventually eliciting the kind of gratitude her mother had modeled. Myrt stared down at her lap, her gaze slowly coming into focus on the clothing she wore. Everything on her body was from the generosity of this woman who had crowded close to try to right an imaginary wrong. Myrt turned her hand inside Vanna’s grip, folding her fingers around the other woman’s and holding tightly.
“It’s been a long time since someone made me feel worth saving.” Her lips were dry, a condition hardly changed when she ran the tip of her tongue across the surface. “Since someone talked to me like I mean something. Just that right there’s worth nearly anything. Makin’ me feel like somebody. It’s hard to hold on to yourself when everything comin’ at you is ugly. You’re offering me a slice of sweetness right here, and I’m not stupid. I’m going to hold to it until you take it back.”
“We won’t.” Vanna’s fingers spasmed in hers, an expression of pain crossing her face. “Not takin’ anything back. Not ever. You’re part of the family now, honey.”
Chapter Three
Vanna
Unsnapping the clothespin, Vanna removed the towel from the line. Dropping the fastener into the bag hanging nearby for that purpose, she snapped the fabric away from the breeze, ensuring any creepy crawlies that might have taken up residence were forcefully evicted. Matching edges, she folded the towel into a square, then into a column, and then into thirds, dropping the finished product into the basket at her feet. Two steps along the line and she repeated the process, interrupting her movements only to bring the fabric to her face and sniff, the smell of detergent mixing with the rich pine of the surrounding trees.
The back door of the house creaked behind her, and Vanna glanced over her shoulder, smiling at Myrt, who was making her way outside with another basketful of wet things.
In the weeks since Myrt had come to live with Vanna and Truck, they’d settled into an easy routine that was comfortable and good. The girl was up way too early of a morning, but Truck had come to appreciate having coffee ready