by Sara Mullins
“You leaving already?” Mama asked, watching them drop their bags near the foyer.
“No, I figured we’d bring our stuff down now. We’ll probably leave in a little while after we eat. I kinda want to get a head start back,” Mark told her.
“Okay, I understand, but you can stay as long as you want,” Mama insisted.
“I wish we could,” Nicole said. “I had so much fun. Thanks again for having me. And for all this great food,” she said, looking at the piles of bacon, biscuits, and fried potatoes.
“You’re welcome, honey, any time. Eat up before it gets cold.”
Nicole and Mark ate their breakfast. Mama and Ben took one last opportunity to get some quality time in. They finished their plates and Nicole helped Mama around the kitchen. “Thank you for helping me clean up, dear. It sure has been nice to have some company here,” Mama told her.
“It was my pleasure. We’ll be back soon, and we’ll stay in touch. You have my number, right?” Nicole asked Mama.
“I do. I might even call you once in a while just to chat. It’ll be nice to have someone to talk to. Mark isn’t much of a talker.”
“Eh, I just don’t like the phone much, Mama,” Mark said.
“I understand, your father’s the same way.”
“What am I?” Ben asked from the recliner.
“Benjamin, get over here and say goodbye,” Mama told him.
Ben got up and walked over to the foyer. He shook Mark’s hand and told him to call if he had any questions about the Mustang. Mama gave Mark a big hug around his chest and he bent down so she could kiss him on the cheek. Ben and Mama then took their turns hugging Nicole. “See you soon,” Nicole said.
“You guys be careful on your way back. We love you,” Mama said.
“Love you, too.” Mark grabbed both of their bags and they walked to the truck.
They headed down the driveway and began the winding drive back out to the interstate. Nicole enjoyed the view of the trees while she could, before they got too far. She began to feel a little sad that they had to leave. Mark looked over at her and noticed her staring out the window.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her.
“Nothin’. I had a lot of fun. Kinda wish we could stay a little longer.”
“We’ll come back soon. Just say the word and we can make the trip whenever you want. I guarantee they would love to see you, too,” he said.
“It felt really good,” she said.
“To meet my parents?” he asked.
“Yeah, that too. But I just mean it felt good to feel that love again; the love of a mother and a father.” Nicole looked out the window for a moment, then looked over to Mark.
He didn’t know what he could say to make it better, so he said the only thing he could think of. “Nicole, I know no one could ever replace your parents, but I hope that you can see my mom and dad as a mom and dad to you, too. And I know they look at you as a daughter.”
“Thanks, that’s really sweet. Maybe one day I can take you to see my mom and dad, too,” she said.
“I would be honored to go with you if you want me to.” He smiled at her and held her hand for a moment. She slid down the seat and sat next to him, just as she had on the way there. The truck rolled down the ramp onto the interstate and headed back toward Indiana.
Chapter 9
The next day, Nicole walked into work anticipating Sherrie’s usual line of questioning. Before Sherrie could even get a word out, Nicole began the storytelling process.
“It was so much fun,” Nicole said. “His mom and dad were such sweethearts.”
“Aww . . .” Sherrie began.
“And the land was so gorgeous! I have so many pictures. I forgot my camera, but I’ll bring it tomorrow.”
“Yes, I have to see them. So, the whole ‘meeting the parents’ experience went good, huh?” Sherrie pried.
“It was so nice, Sherrie. They treated me just like I was one of their own. I made supper with his mom, or Mama as they call her. And his dad took us for a ride around the property. They have their own cave, Sherrie. A cave!” Nicole stressed.
“What do you mean they have their own cave? How is that even possible?”
“They have hundreds of acres and it’s so rocky and hilly. It’s nothing but trees as far as the eye can see. Oh, then, as if it wasn’t already cool enough, Mark took me to their gazebo on top of the ridgeline.” Nicole clutched her chest and collapsed into a nearby chair. “We stood on this hill and watched the sunset. Then he danced with me,” Nicole told her.
“Wow, that sounds so romantic, like a movie. Well, then what happened?”
“Funny you ask, actually. His dad kind of interrupted us. He didn’t mean to, but he showed up right at that moment to let us know that the fire was ready. Then we all just sat outside around the fire for a while, enjoyed the weather, and talked. It was amazing. The whole trip was amazing,” Nicole said with a glowing smile.
“I’m jealous. I’ll admit it. I’m so jealous. It sounds like a fairy tale,” Sherrie said.
“It feels like one, too,” Nicole said, fading off. She looked down at her dirty tennis shoes and shook her head. “Knowing my luck, this is all one big dream and I’m gonna wake up soon.”
Nicole spent the morning in a daze. She managed to work hard and, between patients, she filled in the girls on the magical weekend she had. Lunch break neared and the group began discussing what they had brought for lunch. Ashley walked over to Nicole, not resisting the urge to be nosy.
“Mark taking you out to lunch today?” Ashley asked her, with a nudge.
Nicole smiled. “No, Mark’s busy today so I brought a turkey sandwich.”
“I see. So you get to hang out here alone like the rest of us,” Ashley suggested.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Nicole made one last trip up the hallway to make sure all the rooms were clean and ready for the patients after lunch. The bell rang. She turned around and focused on the tall figure walking through the door. Mark looked at her and smiled, then he glanced down at his greasy shirt and threw his hands up in the air. “I’m filthy again.” He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up over his head to reveal his white undershirt. “That’s better.”
Sherrie smiled awkwardly. She looked at Mark, then turned to look at Nicole. Nicole grinned at him. “You made it,” she said, staring at him from the hallway. “Did you have a cancellation or something?”
“Nah, I just made time to see you,” Mark answered.
“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Sherrie said.
Nicole laughed at her and looked back at Mark. The butterflies made it hard to speak.
“Come on, girl, let’s go,” he said.
“Okay, let me get my purse,” she answered. She jogged to her locker and returned swiftly, hoping Mark wouldn’t be tortured by any of Sherrie’s questions. “Where d’you want to go?”
“Thought you might want to go to Joe’s today,” he suggested.
“Works for me. A shake and a burger sound so good.”
They walked hand-in-hand a few blocks until they reached the roundabout in the center of town. The courthouse stood in the middle of the circle and the perimeter was lined with shops and restaurants. Joe’s Ice Cream Shop stood on the corner of an intersecting street. There were a handful of picnic tables conveniently placed under a couple of shade trees. The streets were lined with flags and decorations that remained from the Independence Day celebration. Carolina traditionally left the décor up until the end of the fair a few weeks later.
The couple got in line for the counter at Joe’s, which had a completely outdoor, summertime only, setup. The line disappeared quickly while they kept each other company. Once it was their turn, Mark peeked through the window with a grin at the silver-haired man working behind the counter. The man looked at Mark and his face lit up.
“Mark, my man. I haven’t seen ya in a while. How’ve you been?” Joe asked him.
Mark reached in and shook his
hand. “Doin’ good, doin’ good. How are you?”
“Livin’ the dream, buddy.”
“How’s that beautiful girl of yours? What’s her name? Shirley, Sherrie . . .” Mark trailed off.
“Charlotte. She’s purring like a kitten, thanks to you,” Joe answered.
Mark looked down at Nicole who now looked thoroughly confused. “Charlotte is his Corvette,” Mark said.
“Naturally,” Nicole said.
“It’s a gorgeous car,” Mark told her.
“Here she is,” Joe said, whipping out his phone to show her a few pictures.
“Wow, it’s beautiful,” Nicole said.
“Mark got her all fixed up for me. He’s a genius.”
“Is that right?” Nicole said. “You coulda fooled me.”
“Hey,” Mark said, wrapping his arm around her head.
Joe laughed for a moment, then remembered he had a long line of customers waiting. “I better get your order before we have a riot out here.”
Nicole turned to look at the nearly eighty-year-old woman standing behind them. Then she turned back to Joe and replied, “Yes, it could get rowdy.”
“What can I get you guys?” Joe finally asked.
Mark looked at Nicole. “Go ahead.”
“I’ll take a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. Mustard and mayonnaise, too, please. And a small chocolate shake,” she said.
“Alright,” he said jotting it down. “And for you?” Joe asked looking at Mark.
“Give me the same without the tomato, and I’ll take a large fry with mine,” Mark said.
“We’ll have it done for ya in a few minutes,” Joe said. He jotted the order down and slid it down the counter to his wife Maggie, who helped him run the restaurant. “That’ll be . . . eleven fifty.”
Mark handed him fifteen dollars and told him to keep the rest. They walked over and sat down at a nearby picnic table to wait on their food. “I’m so excited about the fair this weekend,” Nicole said. “I’ve looked forward to it every year for as long as I can remember.”
“Should be fun,” he said. “Supposed to be great weather. I think they’re calling for rain Friday, but Saturday is supposed to be perfect,” he added.
“I can’t wait,” she said. “I love everything about it – the food, the people, the whole atmosphere. The whole community comes together to relax and have a good time.”
“It seems like it’s pretty fun, but I’ve never really stayed long. I usually just grab something to eat and go. It’s not much fun when you’re alone.”
“Well, you won’t be alone this year. I will make sure you have fun,” Nicole promised.
“We didn’t go to the county fair a whole lot when I was young. We lived so far away from everything. And when we did go, it was just okay. It wasn’t anything like the fair here. It’s like a religion for the people here.”
Nicole laughed. “That’s true, it pretty much is. It gives everyone something to look forward to, I guess.”
“It’s like a giant family reunion. The entire town is like one big family.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she said.
“Mark!” Joe hollered from the shack. “Your order’s ready.”
“Oh,” Mark said as he jumped up. He walked up to the window. “That was fast.”
“Lunchtime, we keep the grill hot and the sandwiches ready,” Joe said.
“Thanks a lot, Joe, it looks great.”
“Come back and see me more often,” Joe insisted.
Mark smiled, “We will. See ya Saturday?”
“We’ll be there,” Joe said.
Mark carried the tray back to the table and sat down to eat with Nicole. “Thanks, baby,” she told him.
“You’re welcome,” he replied.
She held her sandwich up and took a giant bite. “So good,” she mumbled.
He mumbled back, speaking their own language, “The best.”
They finished eating lunch and Mark walked with Nicole back to the clinic. “Thanks for lunch. It’s really cool that you got to come eat with me. Much better than eating my turkey sandwich and listening to Ashley talk about her nails.”
“God, I hope so,” Mark said. “I’ll call you later,” he said.
“Alright, hon,” Nicole said.
He leaned in and kissed her before turning to run back across the street.
Nicole walked back inside and was immediately greeted by Sherrie’s grin. Nicole rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah . . .”
Saturday morning, Nicole woke up earlier than she anticipated, no doubt from the excitement of going to the fair. She made some coffee, grabbed a bowl of cereal, and plopped down on the couch to watch TV. After two rounds through the channels, she had no luck finding anything interesting. Finally, she settled for the local news, hoping to get a last-minute update on the weather.
“. . . expecting cloudless skies for the day today, topping out in the mid-90s; clear skies tonight with a low of 72. It’ll be a beautiful evening to be outside tonight in southern Indiana,” the weatherman reported.
Nicole turned the TV off and decided she couldn’t sit there and wait. She took a shower, then headed to the closet to start the excruciating process of picking out a shirt to wear. Hanger after hanger she slid to the side, until she came upon a red, plaid, country top that she almost forgot she had. Perfect, she told herself. Having plenty of time to spare, she spent a little more time curling her hair and scrutinized her make-up. Once she got everything the way she wanted, Nicole grabbed her keys and purse and headed out the door. She rolled all the windows down and enjoyed the warm sun and fresh air on her way to Mark’s house.
Nicole pulled into the driveway and was immediately greeted by Bentley’s wagging tail and excited bark. She opened the door and reached out with both hands behind the dog’s ears and gave him a gentle rub. “Hey boy. How you doin’? I missed you,” she told him.
“He missed you, too,” Mark said, leaning against the door frame. He looked at Nicole and laughed. “You couldn’t wait, either?” he asked her.
“No.” She smiled.
“Neither could I. How about we head over and walk around for a while? We can check out the exhibits, grab a bite to eat . . . whatever you feel like doing,” Mark suggested.
“Sounds great,” Nicole replied.
“Come on, boy,” Mark called to the dog as he motioned him toward the gate. Bentley ran in and headed toward the barn to lay down. Mark closed and locked the gate. Nicole locked her car and climbed in the passenger side of the truck. “I’m gonna close up the house real quick,” Mark said.
“Okay.”
He ran back inside and returned a few moments later wearing his dress boots and hat. He locked the door and ran to the truck. “You ready, girl?”
She looked back at him and raised her eyebrows. “Definitely.”
He noticed the expression on her face and asked, “What?”, looking down at his clothes. “Is something wrong? You want me to change?”
“No, no. Hell no. You look . . . amazing,” she said.
“Thanks, so do you.” He leaned over and kissed her, then started the truck and left the driveway.
The wheels of Mark’s truck left the pavement and rolled onto the freshly cut grass in the field across from the fairgrounds. He pulled in next to another pickup truck and parked it. They could hear the sound of the music blending with the laughter of children.
“Let’s go have some fun,” he told her.
He took her hand and she slid off the seat behind him. The smell of fried pickles and elephant ears overwhelmed them. “What do you want to do first?” he asked her.
“I wanna see the animals. That’s my favorite part.”
“That’s what I was gonna guess,” he said.
They walked into the first pole barn. Long rows of cages sat upon tables that stood in a line from one end to the other. Nicole went from cage to cage smiling at the cute rabbits and clucking chickens. “I don’t kno
w why I love them so much. I guess it’s because they are simple. They don’t hurt each other like people do.”
“Yeah,” he replied.
They walked up and down the aisles of each barn. Nicole’s stomach started to remind her of all the tasty fried food that waited for them outside. “You hungry?” she asked him.
“I’m always hungry,” he replied.
“Let’s go find something to eat,” she said.
They walked into the crowd of people hovering near the food stands. “Holy cow,” he said. “Where did all these people come from?”
“Everybody loves the fair,” she reminded him.
“Apparently,” he said, looking around in shock. “What sounds good?”
“Everything,” she replied. “That fried fish looks good.” Nicole eyeballed another woman’s food.
“Yeah, it does. Wonder where she got it.”
“I think it’s down here at the end,” Nicole said, pulling him in the direction of the last truck in the aisle.
“Lord, look at the line.”
“It’ll go fast,” she insisted.
“I’m not worried. I just can’t believe how many people are here.”
Nicole was right. The line moved quickly, and they received their fish baskets in a matter of no time. “There’s some picnic tables over here,” she said. They walked to the nearby grassy area. It was fully shaded by the towering oak trees that had been spared years ago when the fairgrounds were created. By some miracle, they found an empty picnic table and sat down to eat.
“Look at all the tartar sauce they give you,” Mark said in amazement. “That’s so awesome. No one ever gives you enough tartar sauce.”
“I know, and if you ask for more, they look at you like you’re a criminal or something.”
“Yeah, I gave up asking for more,” he said, shaking his head. “Damn, this is good,” he mumbled with a mouthful. “Why can’t they just stay open all year? Why does it only have to be a week? They could make so much money.”
“’Cause that’s how they suck you in,” she said. “They get you addicted, then by the time the next fair rolls around you have to have it. Otherwise, you’d probably get tired of it.”