And yet, if he asked, she knew she would tell him. This was Bobby Tratelli, the chubby tagalong and persistent shadow who was now all grown up. She cut him a sideways glance. Yes indeed, he was all grown up.
“So, what happened in between?”
Thankfully, a gentleman with a large mustache and Elvis sideburns strolled up and settled into the chair between them. “I understand we have a wedding in the works,” he said as he toyed with the ends of his extensive but well-groomed facial hair.
“Yes,” Bobby said, “we have.” He glanced over at Bliss. “Bliss, this is our host, James Berlin. James, may I present Bliss Denison? She and I are childhood friends.”
“And I’ve known Bob since his cowboy days.”
“He was an extra on the movie I told you about.” Bobby elbowed James. “Now he fancies himself a restaurant owner.”
“Among other things.” James shook Bliss’s hand. “So, tell me. What does a lovely lady like you see in a fellow like Cowboy Bob here?”
“What?” She looked at Bobby. “Do you know what he’s talking about?”
Bobby chuckled. “James, I think you misunderstand. Amy’s getting married, not me.”
“Your baby girl? Impossible.”
“Sad but true. My baby girl’s vice president of Tratelli Aviation now, and much as I hate to admit it, in a few more years, she’s probably going to end up being a better pilot than her old man.”
“Is that possible?” James laughed. “What I don’t understand is how our children grow older and we don’t.”
“Let me know if you figure it out,” Bobby said.
Bliss’s phone rang, and instinctively she reached for it. “Would you two excuse me? This is my mother.”
“Of course,” James said.
“Tell her I’ll be back in the office soon.”
“Okay,” she said as she answered the phone.
“Bliss, are you all right?”
She cut a glance at the men, now engrossed in an animated conversation about a newborn colt. “I’m having lunch right now, Mama.”
“Well, can you step away from the table for a minute? I’ve got something to tell you that won’t wait.” Bliss moved to a quieter corner of the lobby. “All right, Mama, this better be good.”
“It’s good, all right.”
“Mama, please. Don’t you have to work?” She stepped farther back out of the way to let a trio of chattering customers pass. “Oh, and I understand congratulations are in order. Bobby said you struck a hard bargain before you agreed to work for him.”
“Pshaw, I would’ve done this job for nothing just to get out of the house, but I’d never admit that to him. Now let me tell you about Neecie before the phones start ringing again.”
Eleven
“Bliss, you’ve been quiet since you finished that call. Are you all right?”
What to say? The Latagnier city limit sign loomed large ahead. Another five minutes, ten at the most, and she’d be home. She risked a glance at Bobby. Unfortunately, he caught her looking.
“No,” she said slowly, “I’m not all right. That call from Mama? She had quite a story to tell, and I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
“Nothing wrong at the office, I hope.”
“Actually, no.”
“Home?”
“Can’t say. Sorry.”
Bobby shook his head. “Well, that’s pretty vague.”
“I know, but it’s the best I can do right now. I’m really sorry. I wish I knew more.” Bliss held her breath and waited for Bobby’s next question. When he chose silence, she exhaled and leaned against the seat. A few minutes later, he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the Cake Bake.
“Hey, looks like Neecie’s back,” he said. “Maybe I ought to go pick up Amy’s dress while she’s open.”
“Mama said she delivered it to the office.”
“She did?” He smiled. “That was real nice of her.”
“It was, wasn’t it?”
“I know I’ve thanked you a dozen times,” he said.
She held her hand up to silence him. “I enjoyed it,” she said “Really. And thank you for lunch. Your friend is quite a character.”
Bobby chuckled. “That’s the truth. Well, I suppose I should get back to the office.”
“I’m sure Mama’s got everything under control.”
“Oh, you know it,” Bobby said.
Bliss stepped out of the truck and waved as Bobby pulled away. Once he rounded the corner, she tossed her keys into her purse and headed next door to Wedding Belles.
If Mama’s scoop was right, she would find her answer somewhere in the store. As it turned out, she had to go no further than the cash register. There stood Neecie with a diamond the size of a small rock on her left hand.
“All right, girl,” Bliss said, “what gives?” She pointed to Neecie’s ring.
The color drained from Neecie’s face, and she quickly slipped the ring into the front pocket of her jeans. “You didn’t see that,” she said. “Please just tell me you didn’t.”
“I did,” Bliss said, “and so did Mama when you went out to Tratelli Aviation to deliver Amy’s dress.”
Neecie gripped the edge of the counter until her knuckles matched her face. In the background, the sound system played “In the Garden.”
“It’s not a new ring, you know. It’s old. I just don’t wear it. Much.” Neecie’s eyes shut, and she sank onto a stool. “I can’t believe I was so stupid.”
“What’s going on, Neecie? First you disappear; then you come back with what’s obviously a diamond ring on your left hand.” She paused, sensing Neecie’s extreme upset. “You know what? It’s none of my business. It’s just that Mama was worried. She’s got some crazy theory about your ex that she refuses to elaborate on. Now personally, I don’t see what’s so wrong with this, but Mama, well, she seems to think it’s a disaster.”
Neecie pressed her lips into a thin line. She opened her eyes and stared at Bliss without expression.
“Suit yourself, Neecie. What do I know? I don’t even have an ex. Personally, I figure if a man’s worthy of it and God’s in it, there’s nothing wrong with returning to a love when the timing is a little more right.”
She turned to leave the shop only to hear Neecie call her name. When she whirled around, her friend had begun to make her way toward Bliss.
“I’m in trouble, Bliss.” She fell into Bliss’s arms and began to cry. “I love him,” Bliss thought she heard her say. “I’m so stupid.”
“You love whom?” Bliss patted her back and tried to think. “Neecie, is this the father of your children we’re talking about?” Bliss felt rather than saw her nod. “Then what’s the problem?”
“You’ve obviously been out of town, Bliss. Everyone in Latagnier can tell you the problem.”
“I’m not asking everyone in town. I’m asking you.” Bliss looked around the shop, then linked arms with Neecie. “Come on home with me, and let’s have some tea.”
“But the shop. I’ve already been away too much.”
“Do you still have that emergency sign?” When Neecie nodded, Bliss continued. “Then grab it and tape that thing on the door. What you need is a cup of tea and some girl talk.”
Neecie almost smiled. “Do you have any more of those pralines? They were really good.”
“Absolutely.” She urged Neecie to follow her. “Now, come on. Let’s get out of here before a wedding emergency breaks out.”
A cup of tea and a half dozen pralines later, Neecie was ready to talk. “So, when I married him, I thought it was forever. I mean, you don’t go into a marriage thinking you can just leave anytime you get ready to, right?”
“Right,” Bliss said.
Her friend reached for another praline and nibbled on it. “See, that’s what I thought, too, but people change. Situations change. Sometimes you have to let them go, right?”
“Neecie, what are you talking about?” Bliss reached for her napkin an
d dabbed at the tears streaming down Neecie’s face. “You’re not exactly making sense, honey.”
“I’m not, am I?” She blew out a long breath, then smoothed back her hair. “Okay, we go way back, right?”
“Right.”
“Then will you just do me one favor?”
Bliss’s face clouded with worry. “Is it legal?”
Her friend almost smiled. “Of course. It’s just that I have to get out of town for a few days.” She held up her hands as if to stop a response from Bliss. “I know I’ve already been gone, but, well, this is something I have to do.”
“How can I help?”
“This afternoon I delivered all the dresses with completed fittings. My mother will keep an eye on the kids, but I can’t ask her to do that and watch the store.” She gave Bliss a doubtful look. “Saturday’s my biggest day of the week, and I know you’re not open that day, so I was wondering if maybe you could. . .”
The strong urge to say yes was tempered by the fact she’d made several promises to the contrary. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I just can’t.”
“I understand.” Neecie shook her head. “I shouldn’t have asked. It’s too much to—”
She promised her doctors and mother she’d stick to a part-time schedule, but Neecie didn’t need to hear about Bliss’s health problems at the moment. Bliss managed a smile. “No, it’s not that. But,” she quickly added, “I wouldn’t mind answering your phone and taking messages. Do you think you’ll be back by Monday?”
She nodded. “I promised Mama I’d be back for church on Sunday. It’s the only way she would watch the kids. If things go the way I expect, I could be back well before then.”
Bliss searched her friend’s face. “Honey, are you sure you’re doing the right thing?”
Neecie gave a wry chuckle. “Bliss, you don’t even know what I’m doing.”
“No, and I’m not asking you to tell me. What I’m asking is whether you’ve prayed about this.”
“Constantly,” she said as she rose to deposit her cup in the sink. “Actually, I’m looking forward to the day when I don’t have to pray about this.” Neecie paused. “I guess that’ll never happen.”
“The Lord does say we should pray without ceasing. I guess that pretty much means all the time.”
Neecie smiled. “I guess so. Anyway, I’ve got a few loose ends to tie up over at the shop; then I’ll be on my way.” She headed for the door, then called over her shoulder, “I’ll be sure Mama knows to drop the phone off here tomorrow when she leaves.”
“That’ll be fine,” Bliss said. “And, Neecie?”
“Yes?” she said from the door.
“I don’t know anything about what’s going on with you, but it seems to me that there can’t be a problem with a woman still loving the father of her children after all these years. I mean, how is that so bad?”
“You’re right about one thing, Bliss.” Neecie gripped the door frame. “You don’t know what’s going on.” She paused. “And if you don’t mind, I’d rather keep it that way. I like it that you still respect me.”
For a long time after Neecie had gone, Bliss continued to stare at the door and the activity on the street beyond. Her friend was in trouble; that much seemed obvious. What sort of trouble was definitely something Neecie could and should keep to herself.
Bliss turned the lock on the door and hit the lights, then hauled her aching body upstairs and kicked off her shoes. The walk this morning had her legs complaining, but it was a small price to pay for finding out she had more stamina than she expected. At this rate, Bliss decided as she padded across her tiny living room, she’d be running a mile before her birthday.
She sank onto the sofa and reached for the remote, turning channels until she found a news program. Maybe on Saturday she’d go to the Shoe Shack and pick up a new pair of running shoes.
“No,” she decided. “I think I’ll go to that place in New Iberia that fits them to your feet.” Bliss smiled. “Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll treat myself.”
All day Friday, as she filled orders for cakes and pastries to be picked up for weekend events, Bliss thought about her trip to town. New running shoes were a graduation gift, of sorts. She hadn’t bought a pair since the accident.
How long had she lived as if her life were over? In truth, much of what she knew to be normal was gone, but a few things remained: family, Latagnier, and the ability to run.
That last one would take a bit of effort and training, but with care and perseverance, she’d accomplish it. Of this, Bliss had no doubt.
Saturday morning, Bliss hurried through her oatmeal and toast, then set off for New Iberia. It was a glorious day, the first weekend in March, and she rode all the way with the sunroof open and the heater on. After she purchased a pair of runners in blue and white, she decided to break them in by doing some window shopping in town.
Depositing the bag containing her old shoes in her car, she set off down the sidewalk at a brisk pace. The shoes felt good, and so did the exertion. As always, she paid close attention to her heart rate and breathing.
She picked up her pace, shedding her jacket to tie it around her waist. By the time Bliss reached the city park, she knew a rest was in order, however, so she settled onto the park bench across from the old five and dime building to people watch.
Grandma Dottie used to bring her to this very park, this very bench, years ago. As a child she hadn’t appreciated the time spent sitting on the bench. Rather, she preferred to race across the grass-covered divide, chasing imaginary friends and making real ones. Often, when Mama was busy at the sawmill, she and Grandma Dottie would make bologna and mayonnaise sandwiches and pack them in the hamper along with homemade dill pickles.
Her grandmother didn’t much care for store-bought food, but the one exception was the bags of potato chips they’d purchase at Mulatte’s Corner Market. Bliss had two jobs on these outings: purchasing the chips while Grandma Dottie waited outside and pressing the wrinkles out of the old tablecloth so Grandma Dottie could set out the meal.
The only item she’d requested from her grandmother’s estate had been the old tablecloth they had used to spread on the grass for their feasts. It now rested in a place of honor on her cypress sideboard.
Maybe someday she would find a use for it again.
Bliss sighed. The odds were certainly not with her on that.
Lord, it’s a silly request—nothing like finding world peace or saving souls—but would You consider sending me someone who likes an occasional picnic?
A check of her watch told Bliss it was time to head back to Latagnier. If Mama found out she’d gone to New Iberia without her, Bliss would never hear the end of it.
Better to slip back into town undetected than to have to explain why she ventured to the site of Mama’s favorite shoe shop without her. Bliss smiled. What other middle-aged woman had to hide a trip to town from her mother?
Funny how normally she would’ve welcomed her mother’s company. Today, however, she craved the quiet. On the return trip to Latagnier, she turned off the radio and enjoyed the silence.
It wasn’t until she got back home that she realized she’d left without grabbing Neecie’s phone. Sure enough, there were three missed calls.
Bliss kicked off her shoes under the front counter and reached for paper and pen. “What am I thinking? I don’t have a clue how to retrieve her messages.” She reached for the phone book to call Neecie’s mother, only to find that Mrs. Trahan didn’t know how to retrieve Neecie’s voice mail messages, either.
The only thing she could do was record the numbers for Neecie, then return the calls. The first number belonged to a woman who needed to schedule a fitting, and the second was a wrong number. The third, it turned out, belonged to Bobby.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t recognize your number, and neither Neecie’s mother nor I could figure out how to pick up her voice mails.”
“I just wanted her to know that the ladies from
Divine Occasions were going to call her one day next week. Something about matching the flowers to the bridesmaid dresses, I think. Or maybe it was the tuxes.” He laughed. “Anyway, I figured Neecie might want a heads-up on that since Isolde made it sound like this was a big deal.”
Bliss joined him in his laughter. “How about I just leave Neecie a message that she’s going to be getting a call from your new wedding coordinators next week about color details?”
“Sounds good. And, Bliss?”
She stopped scribbling. “Yes?”
“I really appreciate you going with me to Lafayette. Isabelle told me yesterday that they agreed to do the wedding because they remembered you and your mother.” He paused. “Evidently you made quite an impression on them.”
“Well, isn’t that nice?”
“Yes, but there’s just one thing that confused me.”
Bliss set the pen down and leaned against the counter. “What’s that?”
Bliss felt her shoulders slump.
“Why do they call you the crippled girl?”
Bliss felt her shoulders slump.
“Bliss?” Bob leaned against the fender of his truck and waited for her to respond. “Hey, are you there? Did we get disconnected?”
“I’m here.”
Uh-oh. He hadn’t been a husband for a long time, but it didn’t take much man sense to know that he’d ventured into dangerous territory.
Staring at the back of the house, he tried to figure a way out of the quicksand he’d just stepped into. No way to do it but through it—that was his dad’s motto. Best make his apologies, then change the subject.
He’d had Bliss on his mind anyway, as much for her opinion of Amy’s latest stalling tactics as for the need he had to hear her voice again.
Bob cleared his throat and took a stab at saying he was sorry. “Look, that was a dumb question. Either they’re remembering the wrong person or I’m out of line in asking. In either case, forget I said anything, okay? I actually could use your advice on something, so I’m really glad you called.”
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