by T M Morris
“Fine.” Dusty stomped on the gas as the light turned green. Easing off the gas pedal, he struggled to maintain a suitable speed through the busy streets around the hospital. He couldn’t wait to get out of town and driving the winding back road that would lead them into Rebel Creek. If he were able to control the anger which was in danger of boiling over he wouldn’t get a speeding ticket. Slowing the truck to a gentle stop at the next red light, he looked over at Lilly dozing beside him and felt his anger dissipate. It wasn’t Lilly he was angry with, he was angry with himself, and he was angry because she was right.
Dusty eased the truck into a wide turn that was the beginning of the long one lane road that ended at Otter Caldwell’s door yard. He waved to Lilly’s aunt, Lorene Caldwell and pulled to a stop when she motioned to him. Rolling down the window, he said, “Miss Lorene. I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you?”
“I’m fine, Dusty, I’m fine. I’ve been having nursery duty at church that’s why you haven’t seen me.” Lorene leaned on the window frame and looked beyond him to see Lilly slumped against the other door. “Poor thing. Is she okay? Did she get through it well enough? How’s Addie?”
“They said she did wonderfully. Apparently, she’s a little too sensitive to anesthesia. She’s been in and out since they took her into the recovery room. Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine. Addie’s fine too.”
“If I didn’t have another commitment—I have a Ladies’ Day planning meeting over at the church—I would come up and sit with her. Are you sure she’ll be all right on her own?” Lorene craned her neck to get a better look at Lilly.
“She should be. I’m sure all she’ll do is sleep.” Dusty looked ahead to where he could just see the very top of Lilly’s roof.
“Are you going to stay with her?” Lorene raised an eyebrow.
Dusty stammered, “I—I, um, I’m supposed to be on call.”
Lorene nodded as if he had answered correctly and said, “I know what. I’ll send Eli to sit with her. He can take that little whirlwind of a girl with him. Don’t you know this is the second time he’s brought her home for the weekend? And he went home with her for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. I can’t help but wonder—”
“If it’ll make you feel better, Miss Lorene. Let me get her home and settled, okay? I’ll stay with her until Eli and Claire arrive.” Dusty barely lifted the pressure on the brake. He moved just enough to get Lorene to move away from the truck.
“I’ll send them up right after they eat. I’ll also send up a couple of plates for you and Lilly. You like chicken and dumplings, don’t you?”
Dusty favored her with a look of mock disbelief. “Really, Miss Lorene, you have to ask? Of course, I like chicken and dumplings. I’m looking forward to eating some of your famous dumplings.”
Lorene preened. “I’ll be sure there’s plenty for you then. Go on now. Take care of our Lilly, and I’ll get on those dumplings.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Dusty rolled up the window and continued down the road. He pulled to a stop in the side yard and turned off the engine. Sliding out, he grabbed Lilly’s bag and trotted to the back door to unlock it and turn on some lights. He tossed her bag on the kitchen table before going back out to retrieve her.
Dusty opened the passenger door. “Lillian, Lillian. We’re home. Come on, Lillian, wake up.”
“Stop calling me Lillian.” She yawned as she tried to get out of the truck. “Wait. Why—”
Chuckling, he reached over her and pushed the release button. “I think you need to unbuckle your seatbelt, sweetheart.” He was barely able to catch her as she practically oozed out of the truck. “Whoa, now, Lilly. Get your feet under you.”
“I know what I’m doing. I’m not helpless,” Lilly snapped.
“I know you’re not but you’ve had an operation, and right now you have jelly for legs.” He laughed.
“You’re not funny, and I can walk on my own. I’ve been doing it for years.”
“I know you have. For now though do you think you can just humor me? Let me help you.”
Lilly batted his hand away. “No. I can walk. I’m twenty-six years old. I know how.” She wobbled and began to lose her balance.
“That’s enough.” Dusty scooped her up and held her tightly as he strode toward the kitchen door. “I’ve had enough of your childishness. I’m putting you to bed, and that’s that.”
“Put me down.” She began to squirm.
“Hold still, or I’ll drop you.”
She stopped squirming and asked, “Will you put me down, please.”
“No.” He struggled to grasp the door knob. “Could you at least open the door a little? Please?”
Reaching for the knob, she said, “I don’t have to be carried.”
Glaring at her Dusty stepped through the door and into the kitchen letting the screen door slam closed behind them. He continued to glare at her until he reached the stairs. “You have to be still now. I don’t want us falling.”
“Dusty, I can walk. I told—”
“Shut up and be still.” He growled as he started up the steps. At the top, he paused for a second. He was panting, and grateful Lilly’s bedroom wasn’t much farther. She was heavier than she looked.
In her room, he set her down on her bed and bent over resting his hands on his knees. In between gasps for air, he said, “I’m out of shape.”
He expected Lilly to say something acerbic but was surprised when she said, “Thank you. You were right. I wouldn’t have been able to walk up the stairs. I’m light headed now as it is.” She looked up and smiled. “You could have put me on the couch in the living room.”
Dusty stared at Lilly blankly. “Why didn’t I think of that? Oh. I know why. Some stubborn woman was carrying on in my arms, and I was too busy trying not to drop her.” He turned toward the door. “Get under the covers and go back to sleep. I’ll wake you up when Eli and his girlfriend show up with our supper.”
“Eli?”
“Yeah. Your aunt Lorene stopped me down by the mailboxes. She said she’d send Eli and, in her words, ‘that little whirlwind’ down after supper with chicken and dumplings.”
“That’s sure is sweet.” She yawned. “I don’t have to be watched you know.”
“Go to sleep.” He closed the door between them.
Chapter Thirty Two
Lilly pushed her grocery buggy slowly down the aisle looking for Otter’s preferred packaged cookies. She stopped near the end of the aisle to bend down and retrieve them from the bottom shelf. She was reaching for them when she heard Maeve’s voice. “So how long have you and Lilly been an item?”
Lilly straightened. Was she talking to Dusty? She wasn’t going to eavesdrop, but for some reason, her feet weren’t moving, nor were her hands able to drop the box of treats into the buggy.
Dusty sputtered, “Real—really, Maeve I’ve told you before, over and over again, Lilly and I are just friends. Nothing more. Not that’s it’s any of your business. You need to put your attentions elsewhere. I have no idea why you are so obsessed with my relationship with Lilly.
“That’s not what it looked like a couple of weeks ago. And, from what I hear you’ve been spending most of your free time with her at the farm or the hospital—with her.”
Lilly desperately wanted to move. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Her stomach clenched. She willed her body to move, but it refused.
“You need to put your attention elsewhere. What difference does it make to you, Maeve? You know Erik, and I have always been friends, and in turn, his whole family became part of my family. I’ve been doing nothing more for them than I would do for my own family. Why Lilly is practically family.”
“So you deny having feelings for her?”
“I never—”
To spare her feelings another crushing blow Lilly forced her body into motion. Tossing the cookies in the basket, she pushed it around the corner startling Dusty. “Dusty. Maeve. What a surprise to see you here.” She wa
s proud that she remained as cool as she was. “I can see y’all are busy visiting, so I won’t interrupt. Besides, I have to get to the hospital. You understand.”
Maeve smiled and placed a possessive hand on Dusty’s arm. “Dusty and I were just talking about you. Fancy you being here too.”
Lilly wanted to claw Maeve’s eyes out. She had the sneaking suspicion that Maeve knew she was here. Instead, she favored her with a tight, sour smile. “Imagine that. Well, I have to go. Dusty, nice to see you.”
Dusty frowned. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s just fine. Thanks for asking. Bye now.” Lilly gave her buggy a shove to get it moving and stalked off to the checkout counter. She was barely able to control the seething anger. She wasn’t hurt. They weren’t a couple, right? That’s what he said. She vaguely realized she was slamming her items onto the belt. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she continued to gently place the remainder of her purchases without severely damaging the bananas or the bread.
“Lilly,” Dusty walked up behind her carrying bags of apples, carrots and peppermint candies in his arms.
Doing her best to hide her feelings, Lilly nodded. “Dusty. Are you visiting some horses this afternoon?”
He looked at the items he’d set on the counter and chuckled. “Crazy enough, no. These are for Miss Hazel. She asked me to pick them up for her. It’s on my way home so…”
Glancing at him Lilly handed the cashier the money she owed before saying, “It’s awfully nice of you to do that for her.”
Nodding he said, “You would have done it too if she’d asked you.”
“You know I would,” Lilly pushed her buggy toward the door as she continued, “That’s what friends are for, right?”
“Lilly, wait.” Dusty handed the cashier a ten dollar bill for an eight dollar tab, grabbed his sacks and chased after her.
“Sir. Your change.”
“Argh.” Spinning around, he grabbed the money from her, said thanks and rushed out. He found Lilly loading her groceries into the cab of her truck when he caught up with her. “Lilly, I don’t know what you heard, but—”
“What does it matter Dusty? You’ve made it quite clear we’re friends—practically family.”
“It’s not like that, and you know it.”
Slamming the door Lilly spun the buggy around, nearly striking him, and pushed it toward the nearest cart corral. She was irritated even more to find him standing by the driver’s door. Stalking over to meet him there she said, “I’m not interested in what it’s like, obviously, you can’t decide where we stand. Until you can figure it out, there’s nothing to discuss.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t want you to say anything.”
“Well then, tell me what you do want.”
“What do I want? I want a good man to love me, and I want that love to last until the stars fall from the sky, as the song goes. I want to fall asleep in his arms feeling safe and secure in that love. Is that too much to ask?”
Her answer caught him flat footed. Dusty stared at her for a moment before answering, “No.”
“And yet I can’t seem to find it. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a flight to catch.”
“Flight? Where are you going?”
“New York. I have business I need to attend to.” She flung the door open letting it swing wide. She climbed into the seat and leaned out to catch it. Before the door closed, she tilted her head slightly and said, “Bye.”
Dusty was forced to take a step back to avoid being hit by the side mirror when Lilly drove out of her parking place. Scratching his head with his free hand, he turned to walk to his vehicle. He looked up to see Maeve standing in the door of the store with her buggy. She wore a wickedly self-satisfied smile. He could have kicked himself. She’d orchestrated the whole thing.
Sitting at the only traffic light in Rebel Creek, Lilly fished around in the bottom of her purse for her cell phone. Pulling it out, she opened the screen and punched the icon she used to buy airline tickets. She pulled into a parking place in front of Kelly Family Pharmacy and Soda Fountain. Scrolling through she found a ticket for a flight leaving out of Knoxville that evening. With one tap she was booked for a New York City flight.
Pulling out of the space Lilly nodded as she muttered, “I don’t need to hang around here when Dusty can’t figure out what to do with me. I know when I’m not wanted.”
Chapter Thirty Three
Lilly stomped up the stairs and into her bedroom. Bending over, she retrieved her suitcase from under the bed. Flinging it on the bed, she flipped it open and began to throw her clothes into it not caring if they would wrinkle.
“What are you doing?” Otter asked as he leaned against the door frame.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m leaving. I’m going back to New York. I’ve done what I came here to do, so I’m going back to New York.”
“But you can’t go yet. Your brother will be home by Christmas or no later than the end of the month.” He inched into the room and looked around.
“I’ll be back at some point. It’s not like Erik’s going to go anywhere for a while.”
Otter raised his eyebrows. “That’s a bit cold, don’t you think?”
She shrugged. “I have to go back anyway. I have things I need to take care of there. I need to deal with the rest of my things. I need to find a place to live. I have to figure out what I’m going to do next. I have to—” she stubbed her toes on the bed post, “Ouch! Dang it all.”
Otter pulled out the desk chair and sat down. He rubbed his leg as he said, “Why are you in such a hurry? Can’t you do that here? Just send for your stuff and figure out what you’re going to do next from home. You belong here.”
She closed the lid and zipped it up. She sat on the bed next to it and sighed. “I’m going back. My lease on my storage unit is up at the end of the month.”
“All the same, I’m betting a dollar to a doughnut you can take care of most of your business from here. Why don’t you just renew your lease on the storage unit for another six months?”
“Dad.” Lilly sighed and slapped the dust from her knees. “I understand you want me to stay so we can work on our relationship. I want to also. It’s—I can’t stay where I’m not wanted. I don’t want to spend my days getting my heart broken because someone is too thick in the head to decide for himself what he wants.” She swiped at a tear that dared to escape her eyelashes.
“I see. You aren’t going to fight for what you want this time?”
“This is different.”
“Is it? Really? You were willing to be disowned to take a chance, a chance, on modeling and now you have a chance to fight for love or run away and you choose to run? That’s not like you.”
“I’m tired of hurting. I’m tired of not being loved.”
“Lilly, I’m sorry you grew up believing you weren’t loved. I loved you from the first time I saw you. I resented you for what I thought you were.”
I think I can understand your reasons, Dad, but Dusty has a choice. He’s chosen not to make one and I’m not waiting around until he does. I have business to attend to that I’ve put off for too long anyway.”
Otter nodded. “How are you planning to get to the airport?”
She smiled hopefully. “I was hoping if I asked you nicely you would drop me off on your way to the hospital to see Mom.”
Slapping his knees, Otter shrugged. “If you’re intent on going, I guess I’ll have to take you. Even if I think you’re making a mistake.”
“Thank you, but I seriously doubt it.”
He slowly rose to his feet and hobbled to the door. “I wish I could help you with your baggage—”
“It’s okay, Dad, I got it.” Lilly grasped the handle and pulled it off the bed and almost dropped it. She carried it to the top of the stairs and stopped. “If I had time I’d take some of this stuff out,” she said as she laid it down and shoved it to the edge of the top step an
d let it slide to the floor below.
“Let me grab my crutches, and I’ll be right out.” Her father called from his bedroom door.
Lilly picked up the luggage and carried it out to the driveway. She was about to wrangle it into the bed of Otter’s truck when she heard a vehicle racing down the drive. She straightened to see Dusty slam on his brakes and slide to a halt a few feet from where she stood.
Dusty jumped down from his seat and strode over to her. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m leaving. I’m going back to New York.”
Dusty shoved his hands into his pockets. “What about us?”
“There is no us. You won’t do a damn thing to let anyone know what you want. I doubt you even know yourself. I’m not putting my life on hold waiting for you to figure it out.” She lifted her heavy suitcase and flung it into the truck bed and slammed the tailgate into place. “Everything’s loaded, Dad. Let’s go.”
He looked at Otter who was hobbling out the door for help. He only got a shrug from the other man as he put his crutches in behind the seat and climbed behind the wheel. Dusty looked back at Lilly in disbelief. “You really are going?”
Lilly jumped into the passenger seat and reached for the door. “I don’t have any reason to stay.”
“What will you do then?”
“I don’t know. All I know is I‘ll be in New York until the end of the year. Who knows where I’ll go after New Year’s Day.” She slammed the door on any response he may have given.
Otter put his old Ford into gear and drove down the long drive. As he was pulling out onto the highway, he said, “Are you sure you’re doing what’s best for you? I mean, I can see plain as the freckles on your nose that you all are completely and wholly in love with each other.”
Lilly sniffed, trying not to cry and failing. “If he loved me he wouldn’t let Eric get in the way.”