Scratch that great feeling of belonging she’d had the night before. With that kind of talk flying around, she couldn’t wait to get out of town. But before she did, she had to go to the grave where Emily Grace was buried. She had to have closure before she left Bloom, or she’d never be able to get a fresh start.
Next week, she would definitely get some résumés written up and make a trip down to the Abilene employment office to see if anyone was looking for a woman with a business degree. Maybe she could even borrow Lettie’s truck and drive over to Dallas to one of those job fairs that was always listed over there.
Nadine took another sip of beer and went on. “They say that you goin’ to work for us has aged Charlotte ten years. I just want you to know that we didn’t mean to cause trouble like this. It isn’t a secret that the Wilshires and the Cliffords haven’t spoken a kind word to each other in decades, but we sure wouldn’t want to do you no harm. We like you, Jennie Sue.”
“Well, I like you, too, and this is my decision. Mama will come around. It might take twenty years.” The poor old darlings weren’t at all how her mother had drawn them all these years. She already dreaded leaving the funny, kindhearted sisters.
Nadine finished off the beer. “Honey, I’m ninety. I won’t be here in twenty more years. Oh, and the last little tidbit says that Dill has broken it off with Darlene. She’s heartbroken, but he’s probably got another woman in his eye. No one knows who it is right now, but there’s lots of betting goin’ on. I put five bucks on the new chamber-of-commerce secretary that just moved here from Midland. Dill kind of goes for red-haired women.” Nadine clamped a hand over her mouth. “That’s your daddy. I shouldn’t have told you that. Blame it on the beer and the heat. My brain ain’t firin’ on all the cylinders today.”
Jennie Sue patted her on the arm. “It’s okay. I’ve known about his ladies for years. What I’ve never been able to understand is why, with Mama’s temper, she puts up with it.”
Nadine laid a hand on Jennie Sue’s arm. “Your mama was in love with a really poor kid in high school, darlin’. His name was James Martin, and his folks lived between here and Rotan in a trailer house. Your grandma put a stop to that as soon as she found out, and she picked out Dill Baker for your mama. Theirs was the biggest wedding in the whole county—right when your mama got out of high school.”
“What happened to James?” Jennie Sue asked.
“He went right into the army when they graduated and stayed away from Bloom for six years. She married Dill and was faithful during that time and doted on you when you were born, but right after James came back to this area, well, that’s when Dill started having affairs.”
“Where is James now?” she asked. Had she blamed her father for everything all these years when part of the problem might lie with her mother?
“Cancer got him about five years ago, but until then, he worked at the airport in Lubbock. Charlotte disappeared for six weeks after he died. We all figured that she went to a private place to settle her nerves,” Nadine answered. “And I shouldn’t tell you all this, but maybe it will help you understand both of your parents.”
“I remember when Mama went to a place in Colorado for more than a month. She said she needed some time to rest. She did that pretty often with her Belles, but that time she went alone. Now I know why.” Jennie Sue was on her feet in a flash and began to pace back and forth across the floor. “On one hand, I’ve hated my dad for his affairs. On the other, I loved him just as fiercely. I’ve never been able to sort it out in my mind, how I could both love and hate him with the same heart.”
“We’re only human, child, and you didn’t know the whole story,” Nadine said.
She made two more trips from one side of the room to the other. “How could my mother do this? She loved someone else, but she couldn’t let go of that precious Wilshire bloodline and let me love whoever I wanted. She pushed Percy and me together—lookin’ back, maybe I married him hoping she would finally be happy with me.”
“I’m so sorry that I even brought it up,” Nadine said. “Let’s forget about it and get out the brisket and make us some barbecue sandwiches. We got enough of your good potato salad to go with them, and then we’ll take a little rest for an hour and watch a Family Feud rerun on television before you finish up the cleaning.”
When Nadine fell asleep in her recliner five minutes into the television show, Jennie Sue eased off the sofa and started dusting the dining room. She couldn’t get what Nadine had told her off her mind. How could she have lived in that house all through her high school years and not questioned why her father was cheating? At least now she had a sense of why Charlotte didn’t give a damn. Talk about a twisted marriage.
“How could they even be civil in public and live in the same house?” she muttered as she finished the dining room.
What difference would it have made if you’d known? Would it have brought peace or more turmoil?
“I’ll never know now, will I?” She headed outside to gather the sheets in from the line. Lettie was right about them smelling fresh. No amount of dryer sheets could give them that scent. She’d remade both beds nice and tight without a single wrinkle and was on her way to the kitchen when Nadine awoke.
“Hey, Jennie Sue, where are you?” Nadine called out. “Are you still here?”
“On my way to the kitchen. Want a glass of sweet tea? I was about to get one for me.”
Nadine yawned loud enough that Jennie Sue could hear it. “It’s three o’clock. How about some ice cream instead of tea?”
“I ate far too much dinner for anything right now, but I’ll get you some. One scoop or two?” Jennie Sue called out.
“Two, and you can sit with me while I eat it. What all is left to do?”
“Vacuum.” Jennie Sue headed to the kitchen. “Then take out the trash and mop the kitchen and utility room, and we’ll have you all fixed up for another week.”
“Okay, then. But, honey, the refrigerator is like an open bar anytime you come to my house. If you’ll tell me what you like, I’ll have it in there and ready for you.” She eased up out of her recliner and worked the kinks out of her neck.
“Thank you, Nadine. I’m sure I won’t starve.” Jennie Sue turned on the vacuum and made sure every inch of carpet was gone over at least three times. She didn’t want to talk or hear any more gossip. She just wanted to get the job done and go home to her apartment and try to sort out everything.
Rick parked the bookmobile at the library that afternoon, made sure everything was shelved and that the doors were locked, and then whistled all the way into the small brick building.
“This abominable heat must have kept the folks up in Longworth from getting out today. Didn’t have a single customer.” He handed the keys to Amos.
“I hope we don’t have to cut that little town from the route because folks ain’t interested.” Amos hung the keys on a hook behind the checkout counter. “We had a great time last night, didn’t we? Did I see a little spark between you and Jennie Sue?”
Rick had already gotten the third degree from his sister, so he tried to tease his way out of it. “Amos, you need your glasses changed if that’s what you were seein’. Had many customers today in here?”
“Nope, and I saw what I saw. Reminded me of the way I looked at Iris back before she said she’d go out with me. Jennie Sue is bringin’ cake tomorrow to the book club. What are you goin’ to say to her when you deliver the pecans? You could tell her that she looks right nice and maybe pick a bouquet of wildflowers,” Amos suggested. “Town is already sayin’ stuff about y’all. If you’re goin’ to have the name, you might as well have the game.”
“And what’re they sayin’ about us?” Rick asked.
“That y’all dated on the sly in high school and that you are the reason her husband left her. She’s run home to you.” Amos grinned.
“Bullshit!” Rick sputtered.
Amos raised a hand. “Truth. That’s just the way I heard it. So?”
“It’s just talk,” Rick said. “It isn’t even reasonable, but then gossip seldom is.”
“Amen,” Amos said. “But you better be careful, son. If they catch you holding hands with her, they’ll start polishing up the silver punch bowl at the church for a wedding reception.”
Rick threw a hand over his heart in mock horror. “Now that would be horrible, wouldn’t it?”
“For the ladies at the church, it would.” Amos nodded. “They’d be real upset if they was to go to all that work for nothing.”
Rick patted him on the shoulder. “Seriously, thanks for the advice. I like Jennie Sue and we might be friends, but you and I both know that’s as far as it could ever go.”
“Stranger things have happened. It’s closin’ time. Give me a minute to turn off the lights and I’ll walk out with you,” Amos said. “I also heard that Jennie Sue was seen out at the cemetery visitin’ her Baker grandparents’ graves. She didn’t go to the Wilshires’, though. I wonder what’s going on with that.”
“Guess she didn’t have the time.” Rick really did like Jennie Sue, and he’d felt more alive with her than he had in years. Maybe it was because he didn’t see pity in her eyes when she saw him walk with a limp or noticed the scar on his chin, or maybe it was a mutual love for gardening. Whatever it was—well, he enjoyed being with her.
He walked a couple of blocks up the road to the café. The truck was parked behind the building, so he went in the back door to see if Cricket was finished or if he needed to wait on her. His eyes took a minute to adjust from the blaring sunlight to the dimmer café, but when they did, he noticed that Jennie Sue was sitting alone in a booth toward the back.
The place was almost empty, but Cricket still had her hands full, so he took a seat in the next booth down from where Jennie Sue was sitting.
“Hello,” she said.
“Evenin’. What brings you to town?” Though he faced her, a bench and two tables separated them. Surely that was enough that it wouldn’t create more problems.
“I’m still full from dinner with Nadine, so I decided that a strawberry shake would make a wonderful supper,” she said.
“And here it is.” Cricket set it in front of her. “I’ll be another ten minutes, Rick. If you want to come sit at the bar, I’ll make you a shake, too.”
“I’m fine right here,” he said.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that was not the answer she wanted, but dammit, he was a grown man and didn’t need her constant meddling.
“So how’s your first day on the job?” he asked.
“Fine. I like working for the sisters.” Jennie Sue unwrapped a straw and stuck it down in her milkshake. “But I’ve told them that it’s temporary. I didn’t work to get my degree so I could clean houses. I want a job in a firm with benefits. So how was your day?”
“Did some weedin’ and harvestin’ this morning for tomorrow’s deliveries and for the farmers’ market in Sweetwater. Then drove the bookmobile up to Longworth this afternoon.” He wondered what folks did with false rumors. Did they go into a recycling bin? Change the names and the places and use them all again?
“What are you thinkin’ about?” Jennie Sue asked.
“Rumors.” He shared his recycling idea.
Her blue eyes twinkled with amusement, and his heart actually skipped a beat. “Think we could start a business reselling them? I could run the office and man the phones, bringing them to my attention. You could sort through them and decide what was real and what was false and then we could sell the untrue ones to other towns.”
Cricket brought an order of french fries and a tall glass of sweet tea with a wedge of lemon and set it down in front of Rick. “I’ve got to stick around a little longer. Elaine had to make a run home to see about her mother. You might as well have something to eat.”
“Thank you,” Rick said.
“What were y’all laughing about?” she asked.
“Gossip and rumors. We may go into business together recycling them. Want to partner up with us?” Jennie Sue asked.
“You are both crazy, and I wouldn’t go into any kind of business with you, not ever.” Cricket flounced off.
“Never say never,” Rick called after her.
“How long have you been home?” she asked.
“Two years. I was on the West Coast in a hospital and rehab center for nine months before they discharged me on a medical with full disability. My dad died right after I got home, so I just picked up the shovel and hoe and kept things going.”
“I admire anyone who goes into the service and who makes a livin’ working with his own two hands in the dirt,” she said.
“Well, thank you. I wish you weren’t leaving Bloom. I think we could be really good friends,” he said.
“I’m sure we could.” She hoped that their friendship would endure long-distance when she left Bloom.
Chapter Seven
A short Texas rain on Friday afternoon brought the temperature down into the low nineties but jacked the humidity up, so it seemed hotter than it had been that morning. Jennie Sue made the cake, and after a quick shower, she dressed in fresh jeans and a clean T-shirt and wished she’d brought along a sundress or two when she’d packed. Cricket had looked so cute in the one she’d worn to the Fourth party that Jennie Sue was a little jealous.
She’d seen a rack of brightly colored ones when she’d gone to Walmart with the sisters. Maybe she’d splurge and buy a couple when they went again. Lettie was waiting beside the truck when she arrived, and Nadine was doing the same by her van when she carried the cake down the stairs that evening.
Nadine started talking before she even got the door closed. “I heard about you having dinner with Rick Lawson yesterday evening. He’s a good guy—kind of broken since he got back from wherever to hell they sent him, but he’ll come out of it.” She fastened her seat belt. “Now, wagons, ho! Let’s go argue with Amos about Scarlett O’Hara.”
“It wasn’t dinner or a date.” Jennie Sue backed the van out and started toward the bookstore. “He sat in one booth and I sat in another and we had a conversation. That’s all there was to it. We had to talk so loud that everyone who was in the place could hear us.”
“Did he pay for your strawberry milkshake?” Lettie asked. “I heard that he did.”
“He did not. He didn’t pay for his fries and tea, either. Cricket must run a bill in there or else she gets free food for her and Rick, because I didn’t see either of them pay, and they left before I did.” Jennie Sue pulled in behind a cute little red Smart car. “Who owns that?”
“It’s Amos’s new toy. He says he gets almost fifty miles a gallon with it. I wouldn’t have one of them things, no matter how cheap it is to run,” Lettie said. “Get hit with a big car and it’s lights out.”
Nadine unfastened her seat belt. “I been meanin’ to tell you that I ain’t never had a housekeeper that cleans like you do. I couldn’t find a speck of dust on anything, not even the rungs of the rockin’ chair in the spare bedroom. I hope you can’t find a job.”
“Nadine!” Lettie scolded. “That’s not nice. But we love havin’ you close by.”
“I really like workin’ for you and havin’ you for friends, too, but I told you in the beginnin’ that I was going to look for another job,” Jennie Sue said.
“Listen to her, Nadine,” Lettie said. “Only been in God’s country for a week, and she’s already gettin’ her Texas accent back.”
“Wonderful, ain’t it? Let’s get on inside and get the discussion done with so we can get down to the serious business. I’ve got a couple of juicy tidbits, and I ain’t talkin’ about whiskey bacon and that delicious-smellin’ cake in the back of this van.” Nadine undid her seat belt. “Y’all hurry up and get in out of this god-awful heat before we all melt.”
Jennie Sue held the door open and then followed the two ladies into the used-book store. She set her cake with the other food and sat down at the discussion table beside Cri
cket. Rick, Lettie, and Nadine were all across the table from them, with Amos taking his place at the head.
“Okay, this meeting is officially in order,” Amos said. “For your information, Jennie Sue, we usually have about five or six more, but they called in today with one excuse or another. We really should make a rule that says if a person misses more than two discussions a year, they’re on probation, but we can decide on that later. Everyone welcomes you, Jennie Sue.”
“Thank you. I’m excited to be here. I love books and I love to read.” She shot a sideways glance at Cricket, and the look on her face said that Amos hadn’t taken a poll before he spoke.
“And here’s the first question on my discussion list. Do you think that Scarlett is a good sequel to Gone with the Wind? Did it bring closure to you when you read it?”
“Yes, I love a happy ending,” Jennie Sue said.
“I liked it, but I liked Scarlett better in the original book,” Cricket said. “She was her own person in both books, but in the first one she had more grit and sass.”
“Which brings me to the next question,” Amos said. “Do you think that having that child tamed her wild spirit? I realize that none of us here has a child, but we all know Scarlett O’Hara pretty good. What do you think?”
Jennie Sue couldn’t speak past the lump in her throat, so she let Lettie and Rick take that question. She focused on keeping the tears at bay as their unheard responses washed over her. She couldn’t answer, not when she didn’t have the power to even get out of the truck and go visit Emily’s grave.
Jennie Sue had tried her best to make her mother happy, and that always meant things had to be perfect. She didn’t know why her mother had wanted to keep the baby a secret. After all, she was married when she got pregnant, and there was no shame in having a stillborn baby, but Charlotte always had her reasons. Jennie Sue vowed that the next time she went home or saw her mother, she would make her explain why Emily Grace had to be such a big secret.
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