had lagged as soon as he saw Adam wasn’t looking for a mill job, but now he pulled out a chair for Adam and sat down opposite him. “That’s something to consider. Her momma never came back.”
Momma touched my arm and sighed sympathetically. She ladled ham and beans onto our plates and pushed the skillet of corn bread closer to Adam.
I shook my head. “I could use the help.”
Adam took a piece of the corn bread. “It’s a small place, but more than one person can do. I’d be happy to work for room and board for the time being. Until you know what the situation is. I’ve done farming, too.”
There was a beat of silence, then Daddy turned to Momma. “Lily Mae, why don’t you offer the boy some of your sweet pickles?”
Momma got the pickles and some of her corn relish, opening a fresh jar of each and presenting them on the little flowered dish she reserved for company.
Adam added a generous portion of each to his plate and moaned appreciatively when he had a mouthful of pickles. “These are great, Mrs. Roe. Did you can them yourself?”
“I did,” she beamed. “With Evelyn and Addie. They grow the best pickling cucumbers. That land is good for corn and peppers, too. Call me Lily Mae.”
Adam spooned the relish onto his corn bread and took a big bite. “Mmm . . . this is really good!”
“So, Adam. Horses? I wouldn’t think there would be much call for horses now with everybody in cars and filling stations on every corner.” Daddy searched his pants pocket and pulled out his pipe in preparation for his after-dinner smoke.
“Rich people will always have horses. Keep them as pets and investments,” Adam replied.
“Investments. I imagine that’s so.” Daddy tapped his pipe on the edge of his plate.
“Some people just like them.” Momma nodded her head.
The porch door slammed and Joe walked in. I introduced them. While they shook hands, Adam pointed to Joe’s newly purchased truck parked in the yard and asked, “How’s that one running for you?”
Joe’s face lit up. He’d saved for months for that old Ford. He launched into a story about it as the men went out to the porch. I realized, with a shock, that Adam was courting my family. And succeeding.
Momma and I cleaned the table. Over the noise of the running water and the dish-washing, all I could hear of the men were indistinct words, punctuated by occasional laughter.
“Evelyn, honey, you haven’t heard anything from her?”
I shook my head and turned away to slip a stack of dried plates into the pantry.
“That is peculiar,” Momma said.
I nodded, but did not offer anything.
“She can take care of herself, Evelyn. Don’t worry about her.”
I didn’t want to make Momma complicit in my lies. But I didn’t know what to say.
“Adam seems like a nice fellow.” She stopped wiping the counter and looked at me quizzically.
“He would be a big help, Momma. Now that Joe has a family. And Bertie never helps anymore, even Rita wants to stay in town with her friends. And Cole is full-time at the mill. Now with Addie gone . . .” I shrugged and tried to look convincingly sad and tired. “All he’s asked for is food. He can’t eat much more than Addie.”
Momma smiled at my reference. Addie was known for her appetite at family dinners. “I know you miss her. And it looks like you’ve been eating less up there by yourself.” She pulled at the waist of my dress. “I don’t see how it could hurt for you to have some help. He’d eventually want to find a paying job, so don’t get too used to it.”
Before I could think of anything to say, Daddy, Joe, and Adam came in from the porch. Momma squeezed my arm and asked them if they wanted coffee.
“I can’t, Momma,” Joe said. “I gotta get back to the house soon. Mary’ll be looking for me.” He turned to Adam. “So what were you, army, navy? Not air corps. You haven’t said a thing about flying.”
I felt a surge of panic.
But Adam just sighed and said, “I didn’t serve, Joe, sorry to say. Maybe if the war had lasted a little longer . . .”
“I didn’t quite make it either, buddy,” Joe commiserated. “Momma made me finish high school, and by the time I was ready to sign up, they were starting to turn ’em loose. Some say I’m lucky, but I don’t know.” He looked at