The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love - By Beth Pattillo Page 0,81
year. Eugenie missed Ruth a great deal. As unlike her sister as anyone could be, Ruth had provided the church with a calm, sensible presence. Cora Lee Bradford was more like a chicken on speed.
Eugenie admonished herself for the uncharitable thought and smiled as much as possible when she returned Cora Lee’s wave. She opened the glass door and entered the office area.
“Hey Eugenie.” Cora Lee’s bright red lips dominated her face beneath a shock of bleached blond hair. No one knew Cora Lee’s age for certain. She’d hopped from job to job in Sweetgum for as long as Eugenie could remember. When Ruthie left last year, Cora Lee had landed in her chair before anyone could say anything. Paul never complained about her, though, so Eugenie supposed she must be a good worker.
“Good morning, Cora Lee. Is my husband in?”
“He’ll be out in a tick. He’s got Hazel Emerson in there.” Cora Lee made a face. Eugenie had to school herself not to let her response to that bit of information show in her own expression.
“I don’t mind waiting.”
She didn’t have to linger long. A few minutes later, after she and Cora Lee had chatted about the weather and the new specials at Tallulah’s Café, Hazel and Paul emerged from the pastor’s study.
“Your wife’s here,” Cora Lee said unnecessarily. Paul’s face had lit up at the sight of Eugenie, even as Hazel’s darkened.
“I don’t want to disturb you,” Eugenie began, but Paul waved her words away.
“I’m free. Let me just see Hazel to the door.”
Hazel looked offended at the suggestion that she might need to be shown the door, but Eugenie recognized Paul’s strategy. She’d often employed it herself with problematic library patrons. Under the guise of politeness, you could nudge your problems right out the door.
“Just remember what I said, Preacher,” Hazel said, wagging a finger at Paul. “It’s not too late.”
“I’ll consider it,” was Paul’s only response, and Eugenie couldn’t tell what they’d been discussing. She was eager to know, though. Hazel certainly worked diligently to spread her poison around Sweetgum and its environs.
“Go on in and have a seat, Eugenie,” Paul instructed her as he moved away with Hazel.
Eugenie did just that, closing the door to the pastor’s study behind her so she wouldn’t have to continue her conversation with Cora Lee. She needed a minute to gather her thoughts.
A moment later he was back. He took her in his arms and kissed her. Eugenie especially liked that part of marriage and could only regret all the years she’d missed out on such simple but enjoyable displays of affection.
“So what’s on your mind?” Paul asked when he released her. He waved toward one of the chairs across from his desk. Eugenie sat down, and Paul lowered himself into the one next to her. “Must be important if you’re here in the middle of the day.”
His comment stung. It wasn’t intentional, she knew, but was he implying, as Hazel Emerson had more than boldly stated, that her job was more important to her than her new husband?
“I wanted to talk to you about your decision to go part time.”
He’d told her about it weeks ago, as part of a very brief, very casual conversation. She hadn’t reacted then. Now, though, she didn’t feel as if she had any choice in the matter. They might not be young and fragile, but their marriage was. Eugenie had kept her feelings for Paul a secret for forty years, from the moment they’d gone their separate ways after an early courtship. She didn’t want to keep secrets anymore.
“I should have said something sooner.” She tried to focus her thoughts so she could present a logical argument. “I guess I didn’t realize the implications. Didn’t want to realize them.”
Paul arched an eyebrow in surprise. “What’s bothering you about my decision?”
Eugenie took a deep breath. “I feel as if it’s my fault.”
“Your fault?” He looked even more surprised.
“The budget problems. They’re because of me.”
Paul looked at her as if she’d just sprouted a second head. “You think this is about you?”
“Hazel Emerson approached me last fall. She told me that many of the members don’t believe I’m a Christian. She said it made the budget problems worse.”
Paul was silent for a long moment, long enough to make Eugenie nervous. She’d hoped he would wave her worries away and assure her that Hazel was completely off base. Instead, he looked at his hands, clasped between his knees. Anywhere but at her.