“See,” Bessy said, pointing at me. “She got all the looks. Don’t be too mesmerized, or expect the rest of us to stun you, because none of us look like her.”
Momma sighed in exasperation and gave Bessy a warning: “that’s enough from you and that mouth.”
I glanced at the clock above the table and it was exactly seven. My nerves were already frayed. But this made it worse, because he was near, and would be here any minute. What if I wasn’t dressed nice enough? These were the nicest clothes I could assemble.
“Oh my lord! Would you look at that car!” Bessy blurted and ran to the window. She peered outside at the vehicle that we could all hear approaching the house. I was relieved he had found my home and equally ready to vomit from the wad that rested in my stomach. Before Bessy opened her mouth I wanted to get him away. That was my main goal.
“That’s enough. Heat the oven and grab the biscuits. They’re on the iron skillet in the freezer. Put those vegetables into the crock pot,” Momma told Bessy rudely. She was making her busy to soothe me.
“Go on and get the front door and I’ll be there in a minute to meet the man.”
I wanted to go hug momma and thank her for being completely awesome. She knew Bessy was going to act ridiculous so she kept her occupied.
“Thank you,” I murmured, hurrying past them into the living room where the front door was. We never used that door. We always came through the back, directly into the kitchen.
I watched from the window as Hale walked the sidewalk and managed the worn wooden steps of my porch. Although momma stained and sealed them once a year they were still aging. Daddy built that porch when I was just a kid. The shade the old oak provided kept the sun from wearing it completely. Otherwise it would have fallen apart.
I expected him to be in slacks or something fancy. The jeans and cotton polo he was wearing came as a surprise. A good one. That meant I wasn’t under dressed. I figured his jeans probably cost a fortune, but they were still jeans. The pink and yellow roses in his hand made my cheeks flush. I’d never been given flowers like that. Sure, I’d had a rose or a daisy given to me at school on Valentine’s Day or when someone asked me to the prom, but nothing that extravagant. There had to be two-dozen roses in there, like I had won a pageant.
He knocked and I went to the door to open it. This was it, the possible beginning to my new present and distant future, or maybe neither one. Tonight was important either way.
The instant look of appreciation when he saw me made my heart flutter.
“You are breathtaking,” he said, with a sense of awe in his voice.
“Thank you,” I replied, not sure what else to say. Then I stepped back so he could come inside and once inside I informed him. “Momma is coming. She’s getting my younger sister’s started on making dinner. Then she’ll be in here.”
He was still looking at me. “I’m in no rush.”
I kept waiting on him to hand me the roses. Was I supposed to offer to take them and put them in water? Perhaps I should yank them away? I’ve seen this happen in movies, though I wasn’t sure what I should do. I thought the man handed the woman the flowers and then commented on her looks.
Momma walked into the room before I could decide and her attention went directly to Hale. He immediately responded, shifting his body, giving momma a respectful distance.
“Good evening, Marjaline Knox,” she said, holding out her hand.
Hale took it in the hand that was free: “Hale Jude, ma’am.” Then he handed the roses to her. “These are for you. A way to thank you for trusting me with your daughter this evening. It’s obvious where she gets her looks from.”
He was good at this. As cliché as that had sounded I think my mother blushed. Jude’s attractiveness was hard to ignore. Even for a woman my mother’s age. You simply had to look at the man.
“Thank you. I expect her home by eleven thirty. She’s a good girl, Hale Jude. I want her to return that way.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
I, on the other hand, wanted to crawl under the table and hide. This sounded like a talk a mother would give a high school prom date. Not a grown man. I wasn’t a child anymore.
“Well then, it’s good to meet you,” she said, then turned her attention to me. “Have a good time.”
That was code for don’t do anything stupid and be home when I said.
“Yes ma’am,” I replied.
“Momma, Bessy won’t let me eat a cookie!” Henry cried as he ran into the room. He saw Hale and froze, his eyes growing large, unaccustomed to a man being present.
“That’s because it’s almost dinner time. Get back in that kitchen and set the table like I told you.”
Henry responded “okay,” his eyes never leaving Hale’s. My brother backed away as if he alone knew something we didn’t beforehand. Henry then turned to run. I would remember this happened later. Then it all went back to normal. “Gwirls! There’s a man in yonder!”
I grinned and looked at Hale. He seemed rather amused. “That was Henry my little brother. He’s cherished the cupcakes you bought.”
Hale chuckled. “I’ll have to remember to stop by the bakery more often.”
Momma frowned at that. I wasn’t sure if it was because the idea of Henry eating more sugar was a bad one, or that Hale smothering me was a bother. Either way I decided we needed to get out of there before Bessy made up a reason to come in the room or Milly got home from work.