“She’s picky. Lots of guys ask her out but Sammy Jo never goes,” Bessy said, frowning at me. “She’s the prettiest girl in this town but she never dates any boys.”
I had heard this before and I was tiring of defending myself on the subject.
“No guy in this town can get me away. I want to see the world. I don’t want to set up house in Moulton and spit out babies till I’m old.”
Bessy rolled her eyes. “Ain’t nothing wrong with that. Your looks got you all high falutin’. You think you deserve more than me and it ain’t fair you know. If I’d been born with your blonde hair, big boobs and dancer’s legs, I’d have me a man already with a house all to myself.”
I wanted Bessy to dream bigger than that, but like Milly that wasn’t possible.
“I don’t just want a man. I want an epic romance.”
Bessy laughed and tossed an empty shell into the trash with disgust. “You’ve been reading too many books.”
“That’s enough,” momma said. “I’m tired of hearing this.” She handed me a gallon sized bucket of peas already shelled. “Go on inside with these. Vilma lent me her fancy pressure canner. Said it’s safer to use than the old one. Go figure it out. Get it going. She left directions beside it.”
This was momma’s way to get rid of me. She wanted quiet on the subject of marriage. Not once had she ever corrected me for wanting out of here. She seemed to agree with me. And I think she believed I’d achieve it. I would. Yes, I would.
“Me ont to go too,” Henry said, running toward me and smiling.
“That’s fine. Stay away from the canning. You could get hurt,” momma told him.
I returned little Henry’s grin. “I’ll let you help me fill the jars with peas.”
He clapped like that was exciting and I guess to him it was. Funny thing was I hated peas. Every jar we canned meant I’d have to eat them at some point along the way. I’d much rather be canning fruit. Or making strawberry preserves. Then I could appreciate the hard work.
When I stepped inside the phone was ringing. I sat the pot of peas on the table and hurried to pick it up.
“Hello”
“Hey, Sam, Jamie said you couldn’t go tonight. Thought I’d call and see if I could change your mind. I got that ticket for you. Hate to give it to someone else.”
Ben was the sweetest guy I knew. He had moved to Moulton to live with his dad when he was in the fourth grade. Jamie and I had been best friends since kindergarten. We saw the shy little boy with glasses and I pulled him into our pack. The three of us had been close ever since.
Except sometimes I felt like Ben might want more than that. At least lately I felt that way. He treated me different than Jamie. She had brought it up a few times and I had tried to change the subject. But she wasn’t the only one picking that up. Ben was definitely acting interested. Like he had a spotlight on me.
“Momma has us canning peas tonight. You know how much I love that.” I added sarcasm to my voice so he would understand that I had really wanted to go with them.
“That sucks. You don’t think I could talk her into letting you go?” he asked with hope in his tone.
If I tried to get momma in here to chat she might put me in the pressure canner. “Uh, no. She already has me inside starting the canning process. Milly May is on a date and that’s the only child momma can spare tonight. She needs me here. I really wanted to go. Thank you for the invite.”
Maybe it was best that I wasn’t going. I didn’t want Ben to get the wrong idea. He’d always just be my friend. One of my best friends ever and there’s something to say for that.
“Yeah, okay. I understand. Jerry’s wanting to go so he can have your ticket. I’ll miss you though, I will.”
Not a “we will miss you,” but an “I will miss you.” Yikes…I had to get us back to the way we were. Maybe I could fix Ben up with a girl in town or something like that?
“That’s a good idea. Jerry will love it. Y’all have fun,” I told him.
“Bye, Sam.” His voice held a touch of sadness. Me not going was that sadness in his voice. That frightened and scared me I tell you.
“Bye,” I replied, then quickly hung up. I had to talk to Jamie about this. We needed to fix Ben up with someone else and fast. I didn’t want to lose a friendship because Ben might think there was more to us in the future. He was my buddy. He needed to remember that. Ben was Moulton. He’d never leave. I had dreams. And they weren’t in this town.
Chapter Four
I hadn’t expected to see Ben and Jamie walking in the door of the bakery the next morning. Although it was almost lunchtime it was still early for them. I was sure their night had been a late one. I wanted to hear what had happened, but not with momma around.
“Hey y’all,” I said, happy to see them.
Jamie immediately chimed in about the smell: “God it smells like heaven in here. I’d weigh two hundred pounds if I worked here. I struggle enough as it is. How you work in this bakery and don’t get fat is unfair you precious thing.” Jamie always fussed about her weight. She wasn’t fat, Jamie was curvy. She always battled to shed fifteen pounds but I thought she was fine like she was.
“If you had my momma you’d not gain weight,” I whispered, cupping my hand over my mouth.
Ben frowned and looked at the lemon cupcakes alongside the blueberry muffins. Beside them were the apple tarts. “Shame she won’t let you eat that.”