“I’ll get it later after school when everyone is gone. I can’t go back into that room with all those people.”
“I knew somethin’ was wrong. Come on May, tell me what happened, honey.”
“The judges looked at me like they pitied me, Maw. They looked at me like I was deformed.”
“You sure you ain’t imagin’ all this?”
“I’ve been living with it all my life. No, I am not imagining it. I wish I was. There are two types of people in this world, the ones who feel sorry for me, and the ones who make fun of me.”
“What about us? What about your family? We’re people too. And we’re people who loves you.”
“That’s different. I have no place in this world. There is no boy who wants to date me. Except for Caroline, I have no friends. I don’t know Maw…I sometimes want to give up.”
“Don’t you be talkin’ like that. You are the smartest one of all of us. Caroline’s a pretty girl, but she sure aint got the grades you done got in school. Your paw and me are so proud of you. Ain’t no Hunt never been a scholar before you.”
“I’m not a scholar, Maw. I’m a pathetic teenage girl that is ugly and deformed and let’s face it. I’m destined to be alone forever. No one will ever love and marry me.”
May went to her room and closed the door. Alice overheard the conversation. She was standing in the doorway.
“What am I gonna do with her, Maw?” Viola said distraught.
Alice bit her lower lip. She was afraid of what May might do to herself but she didn’t know what to say or do. She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t rightly know, but I am going to go and ask your paw what he thinks.” She left and went to find Aiden who was out working on his potato patch.
“I don’t rightly know what to do with her either, Alice,” Aiden said. “But I’ll pray to God, and I’ll see what he prompts me to say to the child. Come on, honey, let’s go back to the house and see how we can help our granddaughter.”
But when Aiden knocked on the door to May’s room she didn’t answer.
“I’m scared. We cain’t lose our girl, Aiden. We gotta do or say somethin’ to make this right.”
Viola was standing beside her mother, her face blotchy from crying.
“How we gonna help her if she won’t let us in?” Viola asked.
“You gonna have to break down that door. She ain’t answerin’ when you knock. She could be layin in there dead or she could be needen our help,” Alice said, wringing her hands. “This rocket thing she done built meant a whole lot to her. Now I don’t know what happened at that school, but sure as rain, something bad happened.”
Viola took her mother’s hand.
Aiden was about to break down the door to May’s room with an ax when there was a knock on the front door of the cabin.
“Who’d be comin to visit us now?” Aiden said. He was worried and frustrated.
Alice walked to the front door. “Yes?” she said.
“My name is Mr. Henry. I’m the principal of the high school and also the head of the science department where May Hunt is a student. This is May’s home, isn’t it?”
“Yes sir, it is,” Alice answered.
“I have come to speak with her about the science fair,” Mr. Henry said.
Chapter Forty-Six
Nashville
Caroline and Tommy were walking downtown one afternoon when they saw a handsome fellow in a pink convertible Cadillac whiz by.
“Do you know who that is?” Caroline asked.
“Course I do,” Tommy answered. “Everyone knows him. He’s only the biggest star that music has ever seen.”
“Don’t you just love living here in Nashville?”
“I really do,” Tommy smiled. “And … since I met you, well, it’s even more special.”
Caroline stopped walking as if her feet would no longer move. She turned to look up into Tommy’s soft brown eyes.
“What exactly does that mean?” she stammered.
“It means that I am crazy about you.”
“You are? You never gave me a clue. You haven’t even kissed me.” Her eyes were wide with surprise.
“I haven’t kissed you because I never wanted you to think I was after one thing. I didn’t want to risk losing the friendship we’ve built. You are not only the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, but you’re the greatest friend I’ve ever had.”
Caroline didn’t know what to say. She had spent her entire life pushing away the boys from Mudwater Creek and the men from Nashville away. Until she met Tommy, she thought of them all as just disgusting, groping animals. Now, for the first time, here was a man telling her that he valued her too much to pressure her for sex. And, to make it even sweeter, it was a man she genuinely cared for.
Caroline smiled at Tommy. “I would like for you to kiss me.”
His hands were trembling as he reached up and took her face in his palms then gently pressed his lips to hers.
“Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to do that?” His voice was husky as he looked into her eyes.
She giggled. “I’m glad.”
“Glad I wanted to or glad I did?”
“Both…”
Chapter Forty-Seven
June 1st, Nashville Tennessee
As Caroline and Tommy fell in love, their musical talent came alive. Perhaps it was the passion they shared for each other that gave their sound a special something it hadn’t had before. They were even able to land a gig playing at one of the small bars on Club Row. And once they started working as professional musicians, Tommy felt bolder. He scheduled an audition with a genuine, well-known, and highly respected record company. The audition was two months in the future because the agent they were meeting with was currently on tour with one of his bands.
Caroline was nervous. This was their big shot at fame and fortune and she wanted it badly, but Tommy wanted it even more than she did. Although she never mentioned her fears to Tommy, she was worried that Tommy would be devastated if they were rejected.
They had two months to prepare. All they could do was keep practicing and hone their sound. Three weeks later, after sharing a dinner of spaghetti and canned sauce, they were sitting on the sofa in Tommy’s apartment writing songs. Tommy leaned over his guitar and kissed Caroline. Then he put the guitar down, leaning it against the wall. He then took her guitar out of her hands and stood it up beside his.
“They look good together, don’t they?”
“Our guitars?” she asked.
“Yep. They look like they should be a couple, husband and wife, just like us.”
She wasn’t sure if that was a proposal but before she could ask, Tommy lifted her in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. He laid her on his bed. She didn’t resist. She didn’t want to. Caroline Hunt never really understood why women made love to men until she met Tommy. She never felt the desire before but she felt it now, and it was powerful. That warm June night, they made love for the first time.
“I was a virgin,” Caroline said.
“I would marry you right now on the spot,” Tommy answered. “I love you more than anything.”
They lay in his bed that entire night, embracing, talking in soft whispers and sharing sweet tender kisses. The following day when they were having toast and coffee, Caroline said, “Maybe we should think about moving in together. After all, we’re both paying rent. Might as well get one place. Maybe we could afford to rent a flat at the Maxwell House?”
“Maybe we could. Let’s look into it. I would love to move in with you. And maybe when you’re ready, we can get hitched.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Mudwater Creek
Mr. Henry’s face was grave as he stood outside the front door to the Hunt’s home. He’d never ventured this far up into the mountains before because very few of the mountain folk ever sent their children to school. As he looked around the outside of the small cabin, he was stunned by the primitive way of life that still existed in Mudwater C
reek. His initial impression was that he had never seen such poverty. He never suspected that May came from a home like this. The house was a very small and simply-built wood structure that was chipping. However, he could see that it was recently painted. There was a well for water only a few feet from the door, and a structure that might be an outhouse in the backyard.
These people don’t even have running water. How do they get along? Poor May. She is an exceptional girl. She is kind and gentle and as pretty as a little doll. Besides all of that, May is one of the brightest students in our school. It’s such a shame that she was born a dwarf and so poor too. I wish there was some way I could help her.
Just then a pretty young woman opened the door.
“Can I help you?” Viola asked.
“I’m Mr. Henry. The principal and head of the science department at Meadow High School. I’m here to talk to May about the project she submitted for the science fair.”
“Come on in, sir,” Viola said. Her lips were trembling. She was hoping that May had won. “I’m Viola, May’s mother.”
“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Mr. Henry said.
“Why don’t you set down and I’ll just go and get May fer you.”
Mr. Henry sat on the old sofa and waited.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Alice asked as Mr. Henry waited.
“No, thank you.”
“Well, I’m Alice and this here is my husband, Aiden. He’s the preacher up here in Mudwater and we’s May’s grandfolks.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Mr. Henry said.
“Likewise, I’m sure,” Alice said.
May walked into the room. Her eyes were bloodshot and it was obvious she’d been crying.
Mr. Henry hated what he had to do. “May, I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t win. It’s all right. I knew I wouldn’t win.”
He nodded.
Damn, it’s worse than just that, he thought. But I have to tell her. It’s my responsibility to tell her.
He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid someone has destroyed your project. I don’t know how or when it happened. But your rocket has been smashed. I am so terribly sorry.”
May gasped. “What? How could that happen? I left it in the auditorium. I thought it would be safe. All of the teachers and the judges were there.”
“It should have been safe. But with all the chaos and excitement, I guess no one was watching and …”
“OH NO!” She groaned like a wounded animal.
“I’m so sorry,” he repeated shaking his head. His eyes were filled with sympathy.
May didn’t let her eyes meet her mother’s, her grandparents’ or Mr. Henry’s eyes. She just slowly turned from all of them, leaving them standing with their hands at their sides. Then with her head down, May walked back into her room.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Graduation day arrived. Viola and Alice saved their money to buy fabric to make May a special dress to wear when she walked up to receive her diploma. But she refused to try it on and then informed her family that she had no intention of attending graduation. Aiden tried to convince her to go. He told her that later in life when all of her pain faded, she would regret not attending. She just shook her head and said, “Sorry, Grandpa. I’m not going.”
Aiden hated going into town. He was happy in his small world of Mudwater but he felt that it was his responsibility to do so for May. He climbed down the steep hill and headed over to the school. He walked into the principal’s office and asked for Mr. Henry.
“Who can I tell him is here?” the receptionist asked
“Aiden Hunt. May Hunt’s grandpaw.”
“Have a seat please, I will let Mr. Hunt know you’re here.”
“Mr. Hunt.” Mr. Henry said as he walked out of his office and extended his hand to shake Aiden’s hand.. “How can I help you?”
“I’ve come to pick up May’s diploma. She’s feelin’ a might poorly.”
“I understand. Wait here and my secretary will bring it to you,” Mr. Henry said. Then he added, “Give May my regards.”
“Yes, sir,” Aiden said. He didn’t like saying that May was not feeling well, but she was heartsick. May stayed locked inside her room for two weeks. She refused to eat and sometimes Aiden could hear her weeping through the door. He mentioned that he heard her crying to Alice.
“We gotta do something fer her,” Alice said. “This done broke her. I’m afraid she aint never gonna come back to herself. When I tried to talk to her about gettin a grant to go on to college, she said she don’t want to go. I’m awful worried. She ain’t even opened that letter Caroline sent to her last week. She’s in a mighty bad way.”
“I got an idea. Maybe we outta send her to Tennessee to visit with Caroline. Caroline could always cheer her up.”
“We ain’t got enough money to be sendin’ her so far away.”
“I’ll ask Cyrus if’n he might help us out some. And if’n we pool all our cash together, him and us, we might could swing it.”
Chapter Fifty
Nashville
For the first time in her life, Caroline finally understood what people meant when they said they were on cloud nine because they were so in love. She was mad about Tommy and he was nuts about her. They auditioned for the record company but did not receive a recording contract. However, the producer was very encouraging. He told them they just weren’t ready yet. They needed a little more work.
Tommy wasn’t as devastated as she feared he would be. Instead, he was more than willing to work even harder. But playing music with Tommy never felt like hard work to Caroline. She loved it and so when he insisted that they increase their practice sessions she was very willing. Caroline and Tommy were both still earning money at the coffee shop and from the gig in the small club three times a week. Pooling their cash together, they were able to just afford a one-bedroom apartment in the Maxwell House hotel. The room Caroline was renting had been furnished so she and Tommy only had a few pieces of second-hand furniture that Tommy had purchased when he rented his previous flat.
Together they went shopping at a resale store and bought a couple of additional things. Once they put them in their apartment, the place began to look like a home. Caroline was never one to sew, but now that she had a place that she loved she went out and bought fabric to make curtains and a matching bedspread.
“I didn’t know you knew how to sew, by hand no less.”
“My maw did all her sewing by hand. She learned from my Auntie. My auntie taught me too. I just never had an interest before,” Caroline said.
“You are a woman of many talents,” Tommy said.
“I am.” She smiled and winked at him. “You have no idea how many you have yet to discover…”
“Show me…” he said and pulled her onto the bed. She giggled. They spent the remainder of the afternoon making love until it was time for Tommy to go into work.
“I hate it when they won’t coordinate our days so we can be off work together. You’re off today while I am working. I’ll be off tomorrow while you’re working,” he said as he was getting dressed.
“I know.” She smiled and turned over in bed, her long red hair gracing the pillow like a blanket of fire. “But truth be told, you wore me out. I am going to sleep like a baby until you get home.”
“Well, you better get your strength up because when I get home …”
She giggled then said teasingly, “Go on, you silly fool. Get out of here. Get off to work before you’re late.”
Tommy leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. “I love you,” he said and then he left.
Caroline didn’t fall back to sleep. Instead, she lay in bed glancing lazily around her new apartment. Tommy had proposed again last night and she was thinking about accepting.
We get along so well together. This whole life we share is like a dream. Granted, we don’t have a lot of money. But we will. I know it. We’ll become famous and be like the other cou
ntry music married couples I’ve always admired.
She was humming the tune to the latest song they’d written when there was a knock on her door.
I’m not expecting anyone, she thought. For a moment, she considered ignoring the interruption to her peaceful morning and just going back to sleep. But then there was another more insistent knock. She got out of bed and put on her cotton robe. She went to the door and without opening it she said, “Who is it?”
“It’s me!” May said.
“May?” Caroline was immediately flooded with a mix of contrasting emotions. Part of her was thrilled that her cousin was in Nashville, while another part was upset at the intrusion into her life.
“Come in,” she said flinging the door open.
May almost jumped into Caroline’s arms. “I have missed you so much.”
“How did you find me? I just moved in here a few days ago. I haven’t had a chance to send you a letter with this new address yet.”
“I went over to your old address and the woman who rented you the room told me that you moved to the Maxwell House hotel. I came over here and gave the desk clerk your name. She sent me right to your room.”
“That’s great. I’m glad you found me,” Caroline said.
“So have you missed me?” May asked.
“Yes, of course, I did.” It was partially true. She had missed May when she first moved to Tennessee before she met Tommy. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“Not yet. I am just so glad to be here with you,” May said. May was smiling but then her face cracked and she burst into tears.
“What is it? Is something wrong with one of the folks, yours or mine?” Caroline asked.
“No, they’re all fine. In fact, they got together and pooled all their money to buy me a ticket to come here.”
“Then what is it? Why are you crying like that? Are you okay? Are you sick?”
May shook her head. “I’ve just missed you is all. I’ve been miserable since you left. Everything I’ve tried to do has been a complete failure.”
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