felt as though it would explode. “I wish he would visit more often, but I wanna live with you, Mama.”
Relief catapulted through her, leaving in its wake sorrow that her son should be put in this position. “Oh, baby, that’s what I want, too,” she said, squeezing his arm. “Can you just trust me that I’m going to make sure of that?”
He looked up at her and nodded. And Annie was grateful and relieved for the love in her son’s eyes.
Krispy Kreme offerings in arm, she and Tommy landed on Clarice’s front porch an hour ahead of schedule.
Clarice answered the door with hot curlers in her hair. “You’re early?”
“Ah, you know how important it is to be early for the bake-sale setup.”
“It is?”
“It is.”
Tommy shook his Krispy Kreme bag. “Mama, can I eat my doughnut now?”
“Sure can.”
“Kitchen’s all yours, Tommy,” Clarice said.
Tommy bounded down the front hall. “We got you whole wheat, Aunt Clarice,” he threw over his shoulder.
“You know better than to use my jokes!” she called after him.
Tommy giggled.
Clarice turned to Annie and whispered, “Couldn’t stand another minute with J.D.?”
“He’d better break fast.”
Clarice smiled and headed upstairs, tugging curlers from her hair as she went. “I guess we’ll be early for the bake sale.”
* * *
THEY COULD NOT have ordered a more perfect day.
The sky was a beautiful blue, not a single cloud marring its surface. The air held just enough of a nip to make a sweater comfortable.
The Lord’s Acre Sale was one of the most anticipated events in Langor County. All the churches participated, regardless of denomination. Standing under the tent set up by Macon Point’s First Baptist, Annie felt newly grateful to be a part of a community like this one. All around her, women from the congregation were busy pulling cakes and pies from Tupperware containers, setting them up on the tables at the edges of the tent.
Clarice had offered to operate the cash register, since baking was not in her repertoire. Pitching was, though. She’d already sold more than a dozen cakes in add-on sales. And she was at it again. “Mrs. Teal, these cookies look wonderful, but did you see that apple-walnut over at the corner of table one? Honest to goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cake that moist. And it’s so nice to stick in the freezer for unexpected company.”
“What a good idea, dear. Well, maybe I’ll just take a quick look.”
“You go right ahead. I’ll hold on to these cookies for you.”
Watching, Annie smiled, grateful that she and Clarice had cleared the air between them.
Annie scanned the crowd as far out as she could see. Tommy to her right with a group of boys and girls playing Red Rover. J.D. coming through the front entrance.
No sign of Jack. He wasn’t here. To her discredit, she’d been watching from the corner of her eye all morning. Disappointment hung inside her like a water-filled balloon.
She glanced at her watch and made her way over to the register, where Clarice had just rung up another cake sale. “Dunking-booth time.”
Clarice shook her head, taking Mrs. Teal’s money. “You’re really going through with that?”
“Part of the mayor’s job.”
“I’d resign. Effective immediately.”
Annie smiled. “It won’t be that bad. I get to wear a wet suit.”
Clarice laughed. “May your customers all have bad aim.”
* * *
PETE ARRIVED in Macon’s Point just after eleven. He’d called Jack on the way, and they’d agreed to meet in the high-school parking lot.
He pulled up in the old white Suburban he used for hunting trips, window rolled down. He was wearing a Redskins baseball cap and small-lensed sunglasses. He’d given up smoking six months ago and taken up bubblegum, his jaw working it like a weight lifter building biceps.
Leaning against the door of his car, Jack folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. “Afraid you were going to get ambushed on the way?”
Pete got out, chuckling. “West of D.C., it’s travel at your own risk, isn’t it?”
Jack clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll buy you lunch for the added risk factor.”
“So what is this, anyway?”
“Lord’s Acre Sale. County’s been having them every fall as far back as I can remember. Come on, you’re in for a treat.”
They walked the perimeter of the parking lot, ending up outside the Second Presbyterian tent, where they were selling chili faster than they could put it in bowls.
“Man, that’s good,” Pete said after they’d gotten theirs and headed back through the crowd.
“Let’s see if we can find a spot