“Nope.”
“What do you make of that?”
“I think they see a kid here and they don’t want to come in,” I said.
“Nah. Hey, if nobody comes by, I’ll try to buy somethin off ya when I get there.”
About ten minutes before I expected Lucky, a middle-aged woman stopped at the window, looked at the door, looked through the window again, then knocked tentatively, her eyes on me.
“It’s open!” I called.
She pushed the door slowly, ringing the bell. “You’re open for business?”
“Yes, ma’am. May I help you?”
“You’re open then?”
Was she deaf? “Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you might want to turn your sign around then.”
“Hm?”
“Your sign. It says Closed.”
“Oh, man!”
I hurried over and turned the sign around. I smacked myself in the head.
After looking around she thanked me and passed Lucky on her way out.
“I see you noticed the sign,” Luke said.
“Not till that woman showed me. You do that?”
What was different about Luke?
“Yeah. Sorry. I figured if you noticed, okay. If you didn’t, well it was just a slow day and I didn’t do something stupid by leaving you here alone.”
“Lucky, what’d you do to yourself?”
“You can’t tell?”
“Your beard is gone!”
Lucky had had some gray in his red beard, but now with it gone, including his sideburns, he looked younger. He was red-haired and freckle-faced, just like my mom, and he was a good-looking guy. He had left only a bushy mustache.
“I like it!”
“Really?”
Luke looked self-conscious as he took the apron from me and slid a crisp, new manila envelope under the counter.
“What’s that?” I said.
“Personal. Listen, don’t feel bad. You know we don’t get much business in the morning.”
“Yeah, but I feel like you don’t trust me.”
“Elgin, listen. You’ve been great. I know you won’t be here much longer, but if you ever need a job, you’ve always got one here.”
“You mean if I go into a slump?” We both laughed. “You were gonna try to buy something off me.”
“Right! Where’s that glass bowl, that ugly one I couldn’t get rid of?”
“You know as well as I do,” I said. “You think Mom wouldn’t show me that?”
“You never know.”
“You guys in love?”
Luke looked at the floor. “I can’t speak for her,” he said finally.
“Then speak for you.”
“I like her an awful lot. She’s a wonderful woman.”
I chuckled. “Well, you’re awful pretty together; she’s pretty and—”
“I know, and I’m awful. Great junior high humor there, Elgin.”
“You gonna get married?”
“Slow down, cowboy,” Luke said. “She doesn’t even know how I feel about her yet.”
“The heck she doesn’t. Guy gives a woman a present like that—”
“Shut up.”
I giggled. “Ugly thing.”
“I know, but she loved it.”
“So you gonna get married or not?”
“You’re way ahead of me, pal.”
“Going to our church was smart, Lucky.”
“Hey! I went to that church long before you did. Don’t accuse me of that. That is something I’d never do.”
“I know. Mom knows too. You mean a lot to her.”
Luke couldn’t hide his smile. “I do?”
I nodded. “So what’s the deal? You guys serious, or what?”
“We haven’t even talked about it yet.”
“Honest?”
“Honest.”
“What’d you cut the beard off for?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“That’s what I’m asking you.”
“C’mon, Elgin. I cut my beard because I’ve had it more than twenty years.”
“That’s a reason to keep it. You cut it for Momma, didn’t you?”
“Didn’t she like it?” Luke said.
“She’s never said, but you must think she didn’t.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then why’d you cut it?”
“I don’t know.”
“C’mon.”
Lucky moved around to the front of the counter and leaned back on it. “Don’t you have some sweeping or somethin to do?”
“With all that free time you gave me this morning?”
“Sorry. I owe you.”
“Tell me why you cut the beard and we’ll be even.”
“Man, Elgin, if Billy Ray Thatcher could play ball like you can pester, you two could trade jobs.”
“I’m waiting.”
“Your mom said something about never having seen me without the beard, so I thought maybe she deserved a peek.”
When I arrived home late that afternoon, I was disappointed to find that Elgin had nothing on the stove for dinner. “I had it all ready in the refrigerator. All you had to do was—”
“I had some of it, Momma. And you don’t need any.”
“Elgin, I’m famished! All day interrupted by everybody stickin that newspaper under my nose, asking me how much longer I was gonna be working there. I am so glad to be home, but what am I supposed to do for dinner?”
“You’ve got a date.”
“Mr. Thatcher’s not coming by till nine-thirty. I can’t wait that long to—”
“Not that one. You’ve got another date.”
“I do?”
“Yeah, Lucky told me to tell you he’s coming by for you at about six.”
“You’re supposed to tell me or ask me?”
“C’mon, Momma. You know you want to go out with him.”
“Well, maybe I do and maybe I don’t. But that’s no way to ask for a date.”
“So stand him up.”
“What do you know about standing anyone up? Why didn’t he call me at the office?”
“He said he didn’t want to embarrass you. He knows how you hate having people know your business.”
“He said that?”
Elgin nodded.
“How sweet.”
“So, you’ll be ready at six?”
“I might. What am I supposed to wear?”
“Dress up.”
“He said that?”
Elgin nodded. “Maybe he’s gonna pop the question tonight, huh?”
“Elgin! Lucas and I hardly know each other! We’re a long way from that serious, so don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried. Should I be?”
“I don’t know, El. Do you like him?”
“Sure I do, Momma. Do you?”
“You know I do.”
“Do you love him?”
“Well, that’s none of your business.”
“It is if you’re gonna marry him.”
“I’m not going to marry him! Now will you quit sayin that?”
“Don’t marry him if you don’t love him.”
“Elgin!”
“At least tell me if you love the guy.”
“I certainly wouldn’t tell you before I tell him!”
“So you do.”
“I’m not saying another word.”
“Don’t you think I deserve to know?”
“Not before he does.”
“You kissed him yet?”
“Elgin!”
“Well, have you?”
“No! And I wouldn’t tell you if I had!”
“Mom, this is my business.”
“It most certainly is not.”
“You’re my business, aren’t you?”
I shook my head and pressed my lips tight. Actually, I was amused. I had worried what Elgin would think if Lucas and I grew more serious. He had to be wondering what it would be like to have
a male figure in the family, whether he was going to be adopted by a new father. He didn’t seem apprehensive.
But I was anxious about my date.
57
I headed for the basement, not wanting my mother to feel embarrassed about answering the door to the new Luke Harkness. She might want to hug him or something, but not with me there.
She had argued that I should be there because it wouldn’t look right, a man coming to our place when she was alone.
“Well, Momma, he’s more particular about that than you are.”
I set the machine closer to the plate than ever, hoping what was happening to my career would heighten my senses. I forgot to double-check the aim of the thing before getting into the batter’s box.
There was no time to even flinch. I took the first pitch on my right wrist, an inch above my hand. I dropped to the floor and scooted to my right, settling back against the wall where I was safe. I was within four feet of where the next fifty-six pitches slammed off the wall, and I covered my ears against the noise.
The spot where the ball drilled me was hot. I held it tight with my left hand, but every time I let go to look at it, I nearly screamed with pain. It didn’t feel broken, but I had no experience with such injuries. I’d been hit enough times, but now all I cared about was how long I might be out.
“Lucas! You shaved your beautiful beard!”
“You’re kidding, right? I thought you hated it.”
“I never said I hated it,” I said as I pulled the door shut and we started down the hall. “I just said I had never seen you without it.”
“Well, here I am,” he said.
“I like your face,” I said.
“You should. Your son says I look like you.”
I let out a laugh. I noticed he was carrying a manila envelope. “Now what’s tonight all about?”
“I just thought we ought to have a formal date,” he said. “We never really have, you know. You didn’t have to accept.”
“How could I have refused?” I teased. “Sent our courier back to you?”
We boarded the el a few blocks away. I had dressed as if for church. Luke wore a tie and a corduroy jacket. He looked great, but I had complimented him enough for one evening.
He took me to a family restaurant a few miles west. I felt like a teenager. And that envelope intrigued me.
The food was plain and moderately priced. I worried about Lucas spending money on me. Because he was frugal and careful, he seemed to have discretionary income. He was not in the least extravagant, but this meal alone would have been a burden for my budget.
Cradling my wrist in my other hand, I went upstairs to the flat. I held it under the cold water tap.
I turned on the Cubs and sat on the couch with a large bowl full of ice cubes, my wrist throbbing and my head aching. The cubes turned to water as the Cubs lost big. I rummaged for some change and headed to the pay phone to call Mr. Thatcher at the Hyatt.
I was impressed when Lucas paid the waitress and asked if she minded if we sat and talked awhile. The girl noticed the generous tip and smiled as she left.
“Well,” Luke said, focusing on me. “I can’t put this off any longer.”
“You make it sound like bad news.”
“Oh, it’s not. At least I hope it’s not. This morning, I visited Mr. Thatcher.”
I squinted, my mind racing.
“I just wanted to make a few things clear to him and ask him to help me make them clear to you. One of the things I like so much about you is how unselfish you’re being with Elgin. It’s great that you’re worried about the money and what people will think of you because of it. And Billy Ray’s, uh, Mr. Thatcher’s working for just his hourly fee, well, that’s incredible.”
“Mr. Thatcher is wonderful,” I said. “Of course, his hourly fee is about half a week’s salary for me.”
“But he’s not going to charge you unless there’s some income for Elgin.”
“I know that,” I said evenly.
“And he’s not charging you expenses, like his car and hotel and travel and all that.”
Something about Lucas’s having thought all this through bothered me. I knew he had overheard much of it and I had told him the rest, so why was he reminding me?
“I’m aware of that too,” I said.
Luke reached for my hand. “I’m sorry, Miriam. I don’t mean to be telling you anything you already know. It’s just that I’ve become more and more impressed with Mr. Thatcher.” He pulled back, producing a folder from the manila envelope. “I asked Mr. Thatcher to draw this up today, but only if he let me pay him. It was hard to talk him into it, but I finally did get to pay for the typing and copying and notary public stuff done by a service in the hotel.”
I was at a loss. What in the world? Lucas handed me the folder with a smile.
Two pages were filled with legal mumbo jumbo, but I recognized my name and Elgin’s name and “To all parties concerned as of this date and following re: present and future earnings of one Elgin Neal Woodell, etc., etc.”
The thing carried “whereases” and “wherefores” and “there-fores,” and a “Be it known to all—“ and my heart sank. My eyes darted back and forth over the pages until the words swam. I wondered if I could speak. My impulse was to jump and run, to leave the document, to find Billy Ray. How could Lucas reduce our relationship to paper and try to benefit from it?
Mr. Thatcher’s line was busy, and I didn’t have much change.
“Is this an emergency?” the Hyatt operator said.
“Um, yeah. It sort of is.”
“If it’s an emergency I can interrupt the call he’s on. If it’s just sort of important, I can keep an eye on when he hangs up and ring him right away.”
“That would be good.”
“Let me have that number.”
I hung up and slid to the floor under the pay phone. I stayed there even when smelly, old Mrs. Majda gave me a dirty look while using the phone to order her nightly smelly, old pizza. I was still sitting there when Mr. Bravura’s holler came that she had a delivery. She gave me the same dirty look on her way down to get it.
I only hoped Mr. Thatcher had not tried to reach me while she was on the phone.
58
I gradually regained my composure, placed the documents back in the folder, and handed them across the table. Luke was still smiling.
“Lucas, why don’t you just tell me in your own words what this thing says? I don’t understand the language, and I want to hear it from you.”
“Okay,” he said, ‘just so you know I went about it the right way, got it done up legally, and that it’s binding with my signature.”
“You can’t bind anything that has to do with Elgin or me without our signatures.”
Luke’s smile froze. “You don’t understand,” he said.
“No, I don’t. That’s why I want to hear it from your own lips.”
He stalled, opening and closing the folder, then opening it again and perusing the document. He replaced it in the envelope.
“Well, this is not easy for me to say,” he began. “I wasn’t very good about romantic stuff, even when I was married.”
Romantic stuff? I had not imagined I could become more uncomfortable.
Lucas continued. “That was one of Lucy’s complaints—that I didn’t know how to express my feelings for her. But I told you once I wouldn’t even hold your hand unless, unless I, you know, really cared for you.”
“And you’ve since held my hand.”
“Right.” He was smiling again.
“Your late wife was right,” I said. “You don’t express yourself well directly.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, sobering quickly. “I’m trying. Don’t make it more difficult for me.”
Difficult for him?
“I held your hand,” he said, “because I was falling in love with you.” He spoke quietly, haltingly. How I had longed to hear those words. They begged a response, one I thought I had
been prepared to give.
“I thought maybe we felt the same about each other,” he said. “I didn’t know where our relationship might lead.”
I hated to be so passive, but if he had made some huge assumption about how Elgin’s future would impact his, I wasn’t prepared to encourage him.
“The last thing I wanted,” Lucas said, “was for you to think I was, what do they call it, an opportunist.”
“That’s the last thing I’d want to think,” I said.
“I know, even though we really don’t know each other all that well yet.”
“We sure don’t,” I said. I so wanted him to get to the point. Would this be the end of us? If it had to be, it had to be.
“So, anyway, I got to thinkin about that stupid little gift I gave you. I wasn’t trying to mock you. I just wanted you to know that I hear you when you talk. And when you said that about not ever seein me without my beard, I thought, Hey, why not? Girl I’m in love with wants to see what she might be getting herself into. I don’t want you to have any surprises—not that I’m saying we’re gonna wind up spending the rest of our lives together.”
“And thus this legal thing here, related to me and Elgin.”
“Right.”
I took a deep breath and had to fight to keep from shaking my head. “So are you ready to tell me what it says?”
“What’s up, son?” Mr. Thatcher said, and I had never heard a more welcome voice. Half an hour later I had left a note for my mother and was in Billy Ray’s car.
“You did the right thing,” the lawyer said. “Doesn’t look like the ulna or the radius is broken, but you’ve at least got a deep bruise on either the tendon or the membrane.”
“Nothing’s gonna keep me out for long,” I said. “I can’t slow down.”
“I hope you’re right, Elgin. You want to know why?”
“Sure.”
“You, my young friend, are about to meet the commissioner of baseball.”
“I was hoping you’d get the drift from the paper,” Luke said, “but it was hard for me to understand too. What it says is that no matter what happens between you and me, this thing still stands.”
“Which is?”
“Which is that I don’t now, never have, and never will make any claim on any money your son or you get from his career. I mean, if he wants to give you something, that’s his business, but I want it legal and clear that I would never ask, expect, demand, or even think I was entitled to anything.”
The Youngest Hero Page 29