Honey Tree Farm

by Brenda Spalding

  “Gram, I love you and stop kidnapping people. I’ll stop by in the morning and see if you need to do any shopping.” Travis stooped to kiss the old woman on the forehead, patted the dogs, and walked out the way he’d come.

  "Travis, take the dogs out with you."

  He gave a little whistle and patted his thigh. The three dogs hurried to his side. Travis waved once, shook his head with a smile and headed out the door.

  Maggie had calmed down. She picked up her glass and took a sip of the tea.

  "Oh my, let me put more ice in your glass." Katy put her knitting down and started to get up.

  "Let me. You stay there and be comfortable. Ice is in the freezer, I imagine," Josh said, walked around the table and opened the refrigerator door. The light came on immediately. He opened the small door at the top and found a bowl of ice. There were several rectangular pans with dividers and a handle. He pulled out the bowl and added ice to Maggie's and the other two glasses on the counter. He replaced the bowl and closed the doors.

  "Mrs. Sullivan. Our refrigerator has an ice maker. I'll bet Travis or Jesse could install one for you. They are a real time saver."

  "I'm used to the ice trays, and I don't want to bother the men. Thank you for the suggestion. I'm not good at learning to use new fangled things."

  "I love the things you've collected. You know how fond I am of antiques, and you have quite a few," Maggie said looking around. "What is that in the corner?"

  "We called it a mangle. It's a Kenmore ironing machine. Jesse bought that for me thinking it would make ironing easier."

  "It looks like a commercial unit with that large roller and the chrome cover." Maggie got up and went to it. "I imagine the roller revolves and the cover is the hot part that comes down over the piece you're ironing."

  "It would steam too. That saved having to dampen all the clothes ahead of time. It was nice, but I don't use it anymore."

  "You also have a coffee percolator and a clock radio. These must be from the 40s or 50s."

  "Some are older, but that's pretty close. A few were wedding presents, and others came from my parents or Jesse's."

  Maggie walked back to her chair and sat down. "You have taken very good care of everything. I'm surprised they still work."

  "Every now and then something will break or just stop working, but Jesse is very good at fixing things." Katy took a sip of her tea and then sat the glass on the floor beside her chair. She rearranged the colorful bundle that would soon be Jesse's afghan and began knitting again.

  “What happened next, Mrs. Sullivan?"

  “Oh right, the prom... Well, it didn’t quite go the way I’d hoped,” she said. “But first came the wedding.”

  Chapter 18

  When they weren't together, Katy and Jesse talked on the phone every night, sometimes just listening to the other one breath. The two families spent more time together. Ted would help Jim work on the rattletrap, and the women laid out plans for the wedding. Doris and Malinda scoured cookbooks for party ideas. They studied Bride Magazine, which Katy borrowed from the library. The two women would turn the pages, pick the dresses they liked best, and then laugh heartily to think anyone would actually pay those prices for a garment of clothing, especially one that would only be worn once.

  The third of April was Cora's birthday, and she had a small party at her house. She had invited five girls from school and Katy. The boys were from the football team plus Jesse. Janice had come early to help set things up.

  "Cora put a tablecloth on the card table in the den. We'll put the cake on it. Get the napkins from the linen closet and the silverware," her mother said, trying to think if she had missed anything. "Janice, ice cream bowls are in the upper cabinet and..." She stood thinking. "I'll get the punch bowl and cups. If you'll get the punch - it's in the refrigerator in the big pitcher - and there's a plate of finger sandwiches there too. Oh, and the ice rink is in the freezer."

  The three dashed off in different directions and at the stroke of two someones was knocking at the door.

  "Hank, Jesse, you're right on time, and you’re the first to arrive. Be careful, Mom might put you to work."

  Just then she came around the corner wiping her hands on a kitchen towel.

  "Hank, you're here just in time. Would you turn on the console and stack a couple 33 1/2s on? There is a Stan Getz and Guy Lombardo..."

  "Mom! No," she turned to Hank. "Find the ones by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and the Andrew Sisters."

  "Yes, ma’am," he saluted and dragged Jesse with him into the living room.

  Within a half hour, everyone was there. Janice, of course, Karen Oliver and Carol Wheatley were in Cora's English class, and Maize Goodrich was in her Algebra class. Hank and Jesse were joined by Carter Wentworth, Steve Fettig, Bill Brooster and Bob DeWitt, all but Jesse played on the football team. Some brought gifts. Hank gave Cora a box of three hand crocheted hankies, while other gifts included perfume, bath powder, a scarf, and a few Avon products. Everyone sang Happy Birthday and Cora had to blow out all eighteen candles if her wish were to come true.

  As they sat around eating ice cream and cake, there was a knock at the door. Cora's mother went to answer it.

  "Are you here for the party?" she asked the young man.

  "Yeah, I am," he said and brushed past her rudely. He went directly into the den where happy voices could be heard.

  "Brice Backlund! What are you doing here?"

  The whole room became silent.

  "I came to your party, of course." He strolled to the table and picked up a piece of birthday cake. "It wouldn't be a real party without me." He looked one by one at the other boys in the room as though he didn't want to forget who was there."

  "I think you'd better leave," Hank said and got to his feet.

  A blanket of apprehension fell over the room.

  "Are you telling me I'm not welcome here?" he said to Hank and took three steps toward him.

  "That's pretty much what I'm saying. Yes," Hank stood his ground, looked him in the eye and didn't flinch.

  "All my friends are here, but I'm not wanted? Is that what you're saying?"

  "You heard me right."

  Brice tried to jam the piece of cake in Hank's face but he ducked, and it fell on the carpet. Brice almost lost his balance. Angrier yet, he turned on Hank again.

  "You've been asking for it..."

  "Stop it," Cora yelled. "Get out of my house!"

  Brice heard but didn't take his eyes off Hank. Jesse jumped up and stood beside Hank.

  "Touch him, and you'll have to go through me, too." Jesse folded his arms across his chest and planted his feet, daring Brice to do anything.

  "I mean it, Brice. Get out!" Cora was shouting. Just then her father came into the room.

  "What's going on here?"

  "Brice wasn't invited, and he won't leave," Cora said.

  "I think you'd better go, son."

  Brice looked over the group again. "Who's going with me?" There was a long pause, and Bill started to get up. Steve grabbed him by his belt and pulled him back down.

  "I won't forget this!" Brice stormed out, not bothering to shut the door. He got in his car, gunned the motor causing the tires to squeal, sling gravel for yards and leaving gouges in the shale driveway.

  “I pity the girl he’s with tonight,” Janice said. “Maybe we should warn her.”

  “He's not dating anyone from our school,” Bob said.

  “I don’t know how we can stop him. He's such an ass,” Jesse said.

  “Someday he’ll go too far,” Katy said. “I feel kind of sorry for him.”

  “How can you feel sorry for a jerk like him, after what he's done?” Janice said.

  “He’s lost, like a little boy. I think he’s angry inside and doesn’t know how to deal with it,” Katy said.

  “I think he’s a bully and enjoys hurting people,” said Janice. “I’m sorry, I’ll never forgive him!”

  Katy hugged her friend.

&nbs
p; Cora picked up the cake and tried to clean the frosting off the carpet with a napkin. Hank started the record player again, and the kids began dancing. Soon they were having fun again and had all but forgotten Brice and the incident.

  Jesse and Katy danced until the clock struck five. Holding Katy close, Jesse kissed her deep and passionately.

  “Why, Jesse Sullivan, you can make a girl’s toes curl,” whispered Katy in his ear.

  “Someday I hope to curl more than just your toes,” Jesse whispered back.

  Jesse and Katy left the party and headed home. He wanted to have her back to his house by five-thirty. As they pulled out onto the road, neither saw Brice parked among a clump of trees and watching them leave.

  “Someday I’m going to get that goddam farm boy and his stuck up bitch, too,” Brice growled out loud and hit the steering wheel with his fist.

  “Oh Brice, why don’t you just forget about them?” Nancy Crawford asked as they left the movie that evening. Quick as lightning, Brice lashed out and hit her across the face, “Don’t you ever tell me what to do!” Brice sneered and turned the key to start the engine. Nancy cowered in the corner, shocked at his sudden change.

  “Brice you should take me home." He didn't respond but stomped on the gas pedal and squealed away from the curb. "Please!” Nancy asked.

  “You’ll go home when I’m ready to take you. Now shut up and let me think!”

  Monday morning Janice and Cora were standing beside the lockers in the hallway when Alice Mountcastle walked toward them.

  “Hey, did you hear about Nancy Crawford?”

  “Do I know her?" Cora asked.

  "She's from Murdock High and had a couple dates with Brice.”

  “What about her," Janice asked.

  "My neighbor goes to that school and is good friends with her. She said they were walking on the Jetty and Nancy slipped and fell over the rocks. She's badly cut up, and she sprained her ankle."

  “Did you say Brice was with her at the time?” asked Janice.

  “Yeah," Alice said. "She told my neighbor it was an accident. She told her he kept her from getting hurt worse. I understand that her clothes were torn and she had blood all over her. What an awful thing to happen."

  "I'll bet," Janice said. She pulled a book from her locker and slammed the door hard.

  “Did he do anything else? Did he try anything?” Cora asked.

  “When my neighbor asked, Nancy, told her she doesn’t want to talk about it. She told her 'just forget it. I have'. Wasn't that a queer thing to say?” Alice hurried away to her next class.

  Cora grabbed Janice's arm. "What do you think?"

  "You know what I think!

  “I wish we could do something. He’s hurting girls and threatening them to keep quiet about it,” Cora said.

  “They’re all afraid, just like me. I couldn’t tell anyone but you. Come on, or we’ll be late for class.”

  As the girls hurried down the hall, they had to pass Brice and a group of his friends. When they passed, Brice jumped out and yelled, “Boo.” The girls jumped and scurried away. Brice and the others howled with laughter.

  Saturday, May 8th arrived. Ted drove Doris to Jim's, picked him up, and they left for the church. Flowers had been tied to the first six church pews. A white cloth ran from the altar to the double doors at the entrance in the back of the church. As friends and family came in Jesse and Ted ushered them along the white carpet to their pews. Jim stayed out of sight. He was so nervous he paced back and forth on either side of the baptismal font. When he tired of that he paced around it for a while.

  The wedding was scheduled for five o’clock, and the women planned to arrive only five minutes early. This way Malinda would not have time to be nervous or have second thoughts. But the waiting was killing Jim.

  Malinda’s car came into view. Her brother, George, had driven the girls to the wedding. The car was festooned with streamers that fluttered in the breeze. George got out and opened the back door. Doris and Katy got out first. Katy wore a lavender sleeveless dress that complimented her blond hair. She carried a small bouquet of yellow roses and baby’s breath, trimmed with a lavender bow. She stood to the side and waited for Malinda.

  As the second hand moved closer to the twelve, Ted looked in on Jim. He clapped his friend soundly on the shoulder, “There's still time to back out, old man,” Ted said with a grin.

  “You probably shouldn't say that right now,” Jim said and wiped perspiration from his brow.

  "Take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other. It will all be over in a few minutes. Before long you'll be living happily ever after. I think it says so in Grimm's Fairy Tales or somewhere."

  Jim hesitated. "No one in those stories lives happily ever after!"

  "Whatever... You go first," said Ted. "I'll walk behind in case you faint."

  Jesse joined them, and the three men walked out of the baptistery and through the sacristy to the sanctuary. The red sanctuary lamp flickered joyfully overhead. Jim hesitated for a moment, and Ted gently guided him to his rightful place in front of the communion rail. He looked out over the pews and saw that all six pews on either side of the aisle were filled with familiar faces. He sighed deeply and felt better.

  The priest came out of the sacristy in his festive white vestments and book in hand. He nodded and somewhere in the back organ music began. A strong clear voice warbled a hymn of happiness and thanksgiving. Suddenly Jim felt uncomfortable in his new clothes. His shoes felt too tight, and the suit made him too warm.

  At the end of the hymn, the organ music changed to another hymn and Jim saw Katy come forward on the white carpet. A few steps behind Doris followed, and then he saw Malinda. She held the arm of her brother George as they walked slowly up to join the men.

  “It’s okay to breathe,” Ted whispered to Jim, who hadn’t realized he was holding his breath.

  Malinda looked like a model from the pages of Vogue magazine. Her ivory dress complimented her voluptuous curves. The hat and veil adorned her dark hair. The bouquet was a larger version of Katy’s with yellow roses and lavender ribbons that cascaded down almost to the floor.

  Jesse was stunned when he saw Katy. He had never seen her look more beautiful.

  The bride was handed over to Jim and the wedding the ceremony began.

  Jesse couldn’t take his eyes off Katy and found himself imagining what it would be like if they got married.

  The priest talked and talked, but Jim didn't hear and certainly wouldn't remember anything but Malinda's smile. He recited when he was told to, exchanged rings on cue and heard the priest said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jim waited to hear 'You may now kiss the bride,' but he never did.” The priest announced to the guests, “I’m pleased to introduce Mr. and Mrs. James Hailey.” And then it was over, and Malinda took Jim's hand, and they led the procession out of the church.

  Once outside the guests began clapping. The wedding party stood along with the steps and shook hands with family and friends who congratulated and wished them well. A few even kissed them.

  Everyone got into their cars and waited till the last of the well-wishers came through. Katy gave Jesse a shy smile and walked to Sullivan's truck.

  Jim and Malinda got into the car with George. He and the newly married couple led the parade of guests, who yelled and honked horns all the way to Malinda's house.

  Jesse and Katy rode in the truck bed on a bale of hay loaded for that purpose.

  “You look great,” Jesse said, shouting over the clamor. Katy had to lean close to even hear him. They were happy just holding hands and sitting close.

  All the trees around Malinda's bungalow had been decorated with streamers, and candles in glass bottles that hung from the branches. In addition to the recipes Doris and Malinda made, their friends and neighbors brought additional food. There were bowls of potato salad, platters of fried chicken, corn on the cob, homemade biscuits with apple butter and honey, rolls and sliced meats. There
were platters of cold vegetables and bowls of hot vegetables, and like the miracle of the loaves and fishes, when some platter or bowl went empty, another would appear miraculously from the kitchen.

  A band had set up on the open back porch, and tables of all sizes peppered the yard.

  The weather was perfect, and the sunset promised to be amazing. Magnolia and Jacaranda trees were bursting with color, and Camellia blossoms filled the air with their heady fragrance.

  Katy and Jesse walked along the path through the tables under the trees. They were decorated with fresh flowers matching the bride’s bouquet. The center table held a three-tier wedding cake. The kids took a seat at one of the tables and watched Jim and Malinda speaking to one and then another of the guests. The small band began to play softly.

  After a while, Malinda and Jim took their places at a table in the front. Jim was so happy and looked lovingly at his new bride.

  He stood up and asked for quiet, “I want to thank everyone that helped us put this wonderful celebration together. Thank you for all the food you all brought, but no one can go home until every morsel is eaten."

  The crowd laughed.

  "The band is Midnight Madness, and they know a lot of songs. I hope you will stay and dance. They promised to play a few slow ones for you old folks out there."

  The guests roared again with laughter.

  “Most of all I want to thank Malinda for becoming my wife today. We’ve spent a lot of years together - Katy and me - and Malinda is taking us both. I am so happy to be a whole family again.”

  Everyone stood clapping and cheering.

  "I see most of you have found the nice assortment of honey brewed liquors and wines. For you Sissies, we also have some nice homebrew. The crowd applauded heartily.

  Ted stood up. "As best man, I'd like to make a toast to the newlyweds." He held up his glass. "We all know Jim as the county beekeeper. He finds the bees and builds the hives and shuttles them from farm to farm - great bees we will attest, but you'll have to agree that today he married real honey and we wish them both the best!"

  Everyone cheered, shouted, and drank from their glasses.