I'll Stand By You

by Sharon Sala

  Before Ethel could respond, the baby let out a wail, as if mirroring the shock and sadness in his mother’s heart.

  “Excuse me. I need to tend to the baby, and I’m not coming back. I’ve said all I’m going to say to you, lady, and you can tell Pansy Jones when you talk to her again that she is going straight to hell for what she’s done.”

  Dori left the room, and Johnny went to the door and opened it, then stood aside.

  “I believe we’re through here.”

  Ethel was angry. She was the one who said when it was over. She was the one who made the recommendations and filed the reports.

  “You might be, but I’m not,” Ethel said. “I’m the one who’s in charge, not you.”

  She gathered up her things, and the moment she crossed the threshold, Johnny shut her out.

  Ethel heard the lock turn behind her, and she headed for her car. Once again, Johnny Pine had been involved in making her feel like a fool.

  Johnny bolted down the hall and into Dori and Luther’s room. Dori was sitting on the bed, holding Luther in her arms, and sobbing.

  “What’s happening?” she wailed. “Why is this happening?”

  Johnny sat down beside her and pulled her close.

  “I’m sorry, Dori. I’m so sorry. I guess the complaint is what brought her back, but I know she was mad as hell the day the judge ruled in my favor and gave custody of the boys to me. I don’t trust her to deal in facts. I don’t trust her at all.”

  Dori buried her face in Luther’s neck. “I can’t cope with anything else. I just can’t do this. They can’t take my baby away from me.”

  Before he could answer, Dori’s phone began to ring. She took it out of her pocket and handed it to Johnny.

  “I can’t talk,” she said and began to cry.

  Johnny saw it was from Butterman and answered. “Hello, this is Johnny. Dori can’t come to the phone right now.”

  Butterman smiled. “Then I’ll wait. I have some very good news for her.”

  Johnny sighed. “We have a huge problem, Mr. Butterman. Pansy Jones reported us to DFCS, and the caseworker who showed up was Ethel Carter, the caseworker who testified two years ago that I was unfit to care for my brothers. I think she’s still holding a grudge. Nothing either one of us said seemed to matter. She even brought up the assault on Beep, inferring it happened because I was unfit.”

  “Shit,” Peanut said.

  “Exactly. She is going to try and take the kids away from us. I know it.”

  “Well, she tried before and didn’t,” Peanut said.

  “I’m not willing to risk losing my brothers again by assuming anything.”

  “Let me talk to Dori,” Peanut said.

  “Just a second,” Johnny said, then handed Dori the phone. “He wants to talk to you, honey. Give the baby to me.”

  Dori handed Luther to Johnny and then wiped her face before she answered. “This is Dori.”

  “Dori, I’m sorry about what’s happening.”

  Dori shuddered past a sob. “Sorry? Sorry won’t fix this if they take Luther away from me and the boys away from Johnny.”

  “I know. Poor choice of words, but I have news, and I might have a suggestion that would fix the problem.”

  “What news?”

  “We opened your grandfather’s safety-deposit box. There’s a diamond-and-ruby ring and some other family keepsakes.”

  “The ring belonged to Grandy’s mother. I knew it was there.”

  “Did you know about the stock portfolio in your name?”

  “The what?”

  “A stock portfolio he bought in your name the month you were born.”

  “No, I didn’t know about that,” Dori said.

  “Well, it seems he chose stocks wisely, bought and sold some through the years, and a few years back, at his stockbroker’s advice, bought some stock in what was a new high-tech company that is now a top-notch business. Bottom line, my girl, you are rich. As in millionaire rich.”

  Dori gasped and then started to cry all over again.

  “None of that will mean a damn thing if I don’t have my baby.”

  “And now we get to my suggestion. Do you like Johnny Pine?”

  “Yes, of course. He’s been wonderful to us.”

  “No, I mean, could you like him as relationship material?”

  “That possibility exists,” she said.

  “Good. Now let me talk to Johnny.”

  She handed the phone back to Johnny.

  “Now he wants to talk to you.”

  She took the baby and Johnny took the phone.

  “Yeah?”

  “I have a suggestion that could bring an end to your troubles with DFCS.”

  “Like what?”

  “Do you like Dori?”

  “Well, sure. She’s great.”

  “Do you like her enough to consider a personal relationship with her?”

  Johnny looked at Dori, then cupped her face and ran his thumb down the side of her jaw.

  “Yes, I like her enough to consider a personal relationship.”

  Dori shivered beneath his touch as she realized Butterman was asking Johnny the same question he’d asked her.

  “Put the phone on speaker,” Butterman said.

  “Just a minute,” Johnny said and then pressed a button. “Okay, you’re on speaker now.”

  “Here’s the deal,” Butterman said. “You two are very young to have such adult responsibilities. You’re both trying to take care of your families on your own, and now DFCS has their nose in your business and is threatening you with removing the children from your custody, right?”

  “Right,” they said.

  “So this would end tomorrow if you were married.”

  Johnny took a quick breath, started to speak, and then found himself staring at Dori instead, waiting for her reaction.

  Dori already knew Johnny cared for her because he’d told her. What he didn’t know was that she was very attracted to him.

  “Well? Did both of you faint or what?” Butterman asked.

  “I’m game if she is,” Johnny said.

  “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep our boys,” Dori said.

  Butterman chuckled. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. If it were me, I wouldn’t waste any time. Go get the license and find a preacher, and your trouble with Miss Carter is a thing of the past. I assume I am invited to the wedding.”

  “We’ll be in touch,” Johnny said and disconnected. Dori was still staring at him as if she’d seen a ghost. He started talking fast, desperate for her not to back out. “It can be in name only for as long as you need. I understand how you must feel about men and—”

  Dori put her fingers across his mouth.

  “I do not have a blanket hate on the male species. I was drugged. I barely remember what happened—only the face of the man and feeling like I was standing outside my own body, watching it happen. I do not fear you in any way. I like you, Johnny Pine; even if this sinful relationship is only five days old, I really like you. I think we can do this. We owe it to the boys to give it a try.”

  Johnny rubbed the back of Luther’s little baby neck and then kissed Dori squarely on the mouth.

  “I don’t have to try. It’s a dream come true for me. I think we’re both due some happiness, honey, and you and buster here make me very happy.”

  Dori blinked. Johnny had just called the baby buster, which was Granddaddy’s nickname for Luther Joe. It was like she’d just gotten permission from Granddaddy to do it. She shivered, remembering what Butterman had just told her about that stock portfolio—and the life insurance, the money for the house, and the money for a new car. She was sure Johnny was going to pass out when she told him.

  “Oh, Johnny, you have no idea how happ
y you’re going to be.”

  He pulled her and the baby into an embrace and then held them.

  “This is certainly going to set the gossip wheel rolling,” he muttered.

  “Let it roll,” Dori said. “Once we’re married, there will be all kinds of new gossip for them to chew on.”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  She smiled. “You’ll find out soon enough. What I want to know is, what do we do first to get this started?”

  “We get a marriage license and find a preacher. No waiting period in Georgia and no blood tests required.”

  Luther’s patience finally wore thin. He threw back his head and let out a howl.

  “I need to change him and feed him,” Dori said.

  “You do the diaper; I’ll heat the bottle. We’re in this together, honey, all the way.”

  Chapter 18

  Johnny heated up the bottle and then called his boss. Clawson answered quickly.

  “You guys okay? What’s up with DFCS?”

  “We will be okay. I’ll explain it later. Is it cool with you if I take my lunch hour now? I’ll work even later tonight to make it up,” Johnny said.

  “Well, good news is, you can take more than the lunch hour. That part we put on your dozer didn’t fix it. It’s still leaking transmission fluid somewhere else, and we’ve had to order another part, which won’t be in until sometime tomorrow.”

  “Okay. I will be there later, and thanks, Boss. This crazy part of my life is about to smooth all the way out. I’ll see you after a while.”

  Dori came in carrying a very dissatisfied baby. Johnny grinned and handed her the bottle. The moment she plugged it in his mouth, the fussing ceased.

  “Magic stuff,” Johnny said. “Come sit down with me until he’s through.”

  Dori followed him into the living room and sat right beside him.

  Johnny touched her arm, then the side of her face. The urgency of this wedding was frightening, but at the same time, he was so worried about how this would make her feel. He’d always heard that the wedding ceremony was a great big deal to girls, and now she was going to be cheated out of all the preparation.

  “We don’t dare wait to do this, agreed?” he asked.

  “Agreed.”

  “What about tomorrow? We can keep the boys out of school, and they’ll be my best men. Is there someone special you would like to be there?”

  Tears blurred her vision as her granddaddy’s face slid through her mind.

  “Not really. My so-called friends at school dropped me when I dropped out. I could ask Lovey and Ruby. They’ve been so helpful and sweet.”

  “I told Clawson I was taking my lunch hour now. We can go to the courthouse and get the license. I don’t know how much it costs, but I’m sure it’s under a hundred dollars. I think I have about thirty dollars on me.”

  “I have some money too. I cashed a check this morning when I got groceries. I was going to make a special supper tonight and a special breakfast tomorrow.”

  “You still can,” he said. “And if that breakfast is anything but oatmeal, I’m first in line.”

  She laughed. “There is nothing wrong with oatmeal, but I wanted to do this for you guys. Oh wait! I have to find out if Preacher Lawless can marry us tomorrow.”

  “I’ll call him. You can talk,” Johnny said and looked up the number. He made the call on her phone and then took the baby so she could talk.

  It rang twice before the call was answered.

  “First Baptist Church, Ron Lawless speaking.”

  “Preacher Lawless, this is Dori Grant.”

  “Dori! How are you, my dear?”

  “Oh, we’re okay. Thank you. It seems I am going to need your services once more.”

  “Certainly. What can I do for you?”

  “Can you marry me and Johnny Pine tomorrow?”

  She heard a slight gasp, and then Lawless quickly cleared his throat.

  “Did you say marry?”

  “Yes, sir. Are you free? If not, we can always find a justice of the peace, but I—”

  “No, no, of course I can perform the ceremony. I just had no idea you were—”

  “It’s a long story, sir. We’ll tell you tomorrow. Will the church be free in the afternoon?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, it will. Did you have a time in mind?”

  Dori looked at Johnny. “What time?”

  He shrugged. “Noon?”

  She smiled. “Would twelve o’clock, noon, be okay with you?”

  Lawless chuckled. “I think I can delay my lunch for this.”

  “Thank you so much,” Dori said. “See you tomorrow.” She laid the phone down and then looked at Johnny.

  He started smiling.

  She grinned.

  Luther took advantage of the silent moment to fill his diaper.

  Johnny looked startled.

  Dori laughed. “Give him to me. As soon as I clean him up, we can go get the license.”

  * * *

  Johnny and Dori went into the courthouse, got the license, and walked out without explanation or conversation. The clerk who waited on them immediately told her coworkers, who also shared the news when they went to lunch. Before the noon hour was over, half the town of Blessings knew Johnny Pine and Dori Grant had applied for a marriage license. The news was like pouring water on a flame; if they were no longer living in sin, there was nothing to gossip about.

  Pansy Jones had decided to make herself scarce for a couple of weeks and left to visit her sister in Savannah early the same morning. There would be no follow-up call to Ethel Carter regarding their change in status because Pansy wouldn’t know.

  Johnny drove Dori to the Curl Up and Dye to ask Ruby if she’d be a witness in their wedding, then waited in the car with Luther, who’d done them all a favor and gone to sleep.

  “I won’t be long,” Dori said.

  “We’re fine,” Johnny said. “Take your time.”

  She got out, careful not to wake the baby, then hurried inside the salon while Johnny called Peanut Butterman to tell him about the time of the ceremony and where it would be held.

  Every stylist in the shop had someone in their chair, and Mabel Jean was cleaning off her workstation from the last manicure when Dori walked in.

  Mabel Jean went to the front to greet her.

  “Hi, Dori. Do you want to make an appointment?”

  “No, ma’am. I just need to speak to Ruby for a second if that’s okay?”

  Mabel Jean turned and yelled, “Hey, Ruby! Got a minute?”

  Ruby saw Dori and waved.

  “Sure, just give me a minute.”

  She put a bouffant cap over the color job she’d just done on her client and set the timer, then patted her on the shoulder and headed for the front.

  “Dori! Great to see you, honey. How are you doing? Did you get any rest last night?”

  “Some,” Dori said. “I’m sorry to bother you when you’re so busy, but I wanted to ask you something. Johnny and I are getting married tomorrow at noon at the Baptist Church and—”

  Ruby threw her arms around Dori. “What? Oh wow! I am so happy to hear this! I can’t think of any two people more deserving to have some good news in their lives than you guys. Congratulations.”

  Dori smiled, a little embarrassed.

  “I wanted to know if you would be one of the witnesses for me. I’m not doing a big wedding, so technically you wouldn’t be a bridesmaid, and if you’re busy, I’ll totally understand.”

  Ruby’s eyes widened with undisguised delight.

  “Oh my sweet Lord! I have never had the pleasure. I would be honored. What time and where did you say this would be?”

  “The Baptist Church at noon tomorrow. Just come as you are. We’re not doing anything fancy. We just
need to get married really fast.”

  Ruby frowned. “I know it’s none of my business why, but are you two in trouble in any way?”

  Dori’s eyes welled with tears. “Yes, ma’am. Someone called DFCS and implied that we were unfit to care for the children and that they should take them away. Even if I moved out right now, the damage was already done to Johnny’s character. They even brought up Beep getting beat up at school as if it was Johnny’s negligence that caused it to happen. Our lawyer suggested the marriage as a solution, and we both agreed it was the quickest way to bring the accusations to an end.”

  Ruby gasped. “Who turned you in?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Dori said. “It can’t be taken back.”

  Ruby glared. “It was Pansy, wasn’t it?”

  Dori shrugged. “I have no way to prove who I think did it. But I thank you for agreeing to be at the services. You have been so good to me, helping us after the fire like you did. I was hoping you would say yes, so I’ll see you at noon tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely,” Ruby said and then hugged her again. “Bless you, child. You don’t know it yet, but I think you two are going to find that this turns out to be quite a blessing.”

  “I’m already blessed,” Dori said. “I’ll see you tomorrow, and thank you very much.”

  Ruby watched her get back in the car, saw Johnny touch her shoulder in a gesture of comfort, and nodded.

  “They’re going to be just fine,” she muttered. “On the other hand, Pansy Jones is going to be a long time living this stunt down.”

  She strode back to the work area with a smile on her face and quickly announced, “You will not guess who is getting married tomorrow or why.”

  * * *

  Dori called the restaurant to see if Lovey was there, but she was not.