The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,59

reckon I owed him.”

Isaac’s expression softened. “So you reckon you owed him a candy?”

Pearl nodded. “Yes sir.”

Baby Boy couldn’t quit staring. Something was going on, but for the life of him, he couldn’t bring himself to care enough to figure it out. All he knew was his worst enemy had just bought him a peppermint stick and his pa was grinning like a possum in a persimmon patch.

“See you at school,” Pearl shouted, and ran out of the door.

Isaac sighed. At least when he went home Minna wouldn’t take that stick to him.

“That’ll be a dollar and twenty-three cents,” John Calley said, as he plopped the last of the items onto the counter from Minna Jessup’s list.

Isaac dug into his pocket and pulled out the hard-to-come-by coins.

“Pa, look!” Baby was pointing toward a colorful poster on the wall behind the counter. “What does that say?”

Mr. Calley grinned. “It says, minister of the faith. That means there’s a bonafide preacher from back East coming to Lizard Flats. I hear tell they’re planning a wedding and a revival and who knows what else.”

Isaac’s thoughts took a sudden turn. “Hey, John, when does it say that preacher is comin’?”

The storekeeper squinted at the date then counted on his fingers, estimating today’s date against the printed date of the preacher’s arrival.

“In a week and two days. Yes sir, an honest-to-goodness preacher from back east is coming to Lizard Flats.”

Isaac grabbed at the two largest packages. “Baby, you get the rest and hurry on out to the wagon. We’d best be gettin’ on home.”

“Yes sir, Pa.” Baby Boy poked the candy to the side of his mouth like a fat cigar and did as he was told.

By the time Isaac and Baby Boy were home, his idea had taken firm root. When Minna came running out to meet them, Isaac jumped down from the wagon and caught her in his arms.

“Why Isaac Jessup, what on earth?”

And when he kissed her behind both ears before claiming the spot dead-center on her lips, she gasped.

Baby Boy grinned. He’d seen his momma and his pa kissing before, but he’d never seen them do it in broad daylight. He giggled behind his hand and tied the reins of the team to the hitching post near the porch.

Minna was still blushing when Isaac set her on her feet. “I swear, what will Baby say?”

Isaac tweaked her nose just to see her blush. “It doesn’t matter, ’cause we’re goin’ on a trip.”

Minna couldn’t have been more shocked if Isaac had asked her to strip naked and run to the creek with a bucket in each hand just to see if she could do it. “A trip? Where’bouts are we goin’?”

“We’re goin’ to Lizard Flats.”

Minna was trying not to get excited by the prospect of seeing new territory after eighteen years of seeing nothing more than their farm and Crawler’s Mill. “But why? What’s in Lizard Flats?”

“A preacher from back East is comin’ to Lizard Flats, and we’re gonna be there when he arrives.”

“Whatever for?” Minna asked.

“We’re gonna have our son christened! I ain’t never gonna give another child of mine a name without the blessin’ of a man of God to keep him safe.”

Minna burst into tears. Isaac smiled. He knew the difference between happy tears and sad tears, and these tears were full of joy.

Baby Boy couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“You’re gonna give me a real name, Pa? I ain’t gonna be called Baby Boy no more?”

“That’s right, son.”

“What is it?” Baby asked, his voice full of excitement. “What are you gonna name me?”

The look Isaac gave his son was one he would have given an equal.

“I reckon you’re about big enough to pick one for yourself, don’t you?”

Minna cried even harder.

Baby Boy couldn’t believe his ears. “Are you sayin’ that I can pick out my own name?”

“I reckon so.”

Baby started running.

“Hey, boy, where are you goin’? We ain’t unloaded the groceries.”

“I’m a goin’ to pack my things, Pa. I want to be ready when that preacher comes.”

Charity Begins At Home

During the day, Letty was like a bear with a sore tooth. She griped and complained about everything to Eulis and Will the Bartender, and at night, gave the men hell that came to her for a dance. She teased them and taunted them and laughed when the fights over her favors broke out and was talking about upping her price for a poke.

Will knew that a reprimand was in order, but the truth was he feared she would