Nadine laid a hand on Jennie Sue’s arm. “Your mama was in love with a really poor kid in high school, darlin’. His name was James Martin, and his folks lived between here and Rotan in a trailer house. Your grandma put a stop to that as soon as she found out, and she picked out Dill Baker for your mama. Theirs was the biggest wedding in the whole county—right when your mama got out of high school.”
“What happened to James?” Jennie Sue asked.
“He went right into the army when they graduated and stayed away from Bloom for six years. She married Dill and was faithful during that time and doted on you when you were born, but right after James came back to this area, well, that’s when Dill started having affairs.”
“Where is James now?” she asked. Had she blamed her father for everything all these years when part of the problem might lie with her mother?
“Cancer got him about five years ago, but until then, he worked at the airport in Lubbock. Charlotte disappeared for six weeks after he died. We all figured that she went to a private place to settle her nerves,” Nadine answered. “And I shouldn’t tell you all this, but maybe it will help you understand both of your parents.”
“I remember when Mama went to a place in Colorado for more than a month. She said she needed some time to rest. She did that pretty often with her Belles, but that time she went alone. Now I know why.” Jennie Sue was on her feet in a flash and began to pace back and forth across the floor. “On one hand, I’ve hated my dad for his affairs. On the other, I loved him just as fiercely. I’ve never been able to sort it out in my mind, how I could both love and hate him with the same heart.”
“We’re only human, child, and you didn’t know the whole story,” Nadine said.
She made two more trips from one side of the room to the other. “How could my mother do this? She loved someone else, but she couldn’t let go of that precious Wilshire bloodline and let me love whoever I wanted. She pushed Percy and me together—lookin’ back, maybe I married him hoping she would finally be happy with me.”
“I’m so sorry that I even brought it up,” Nadine said. “Let’s forget about it and get out the brisket and make us some barbecue sandwiches. We got enough of your good potato salad to go with them, and then we’ll take a little rest for an hour and watch a Family Feud rerun on television before you finish up the cleaning.”
When Nadine fell asleep in her recliner five minutes into the television show, Jennie Sue eased off the sofa and started dusting the dining room. She couldn’t get what Nadine had told her off her mind. How could she have lived in that house all through her high school years and not questioned why her father was cheating? At least now she had a sense of why Charlotte didn’t give a damn. Talk about a twisted marriage.
“How could they even be civil in public and live in the same house?” she muttered as she finished the dining room.
What difference would it have made if you’d known? Would it have brought peace or more turmoil?
“I’ll never know now, will I?” She headed outside to gather the sheets in from the line. Lettie was right about them smelling fresh. No amount of dryer sheets could give them that scent. She’d remade both beds nice and tight without a single wrinkle and was on her way to the kitchen when Nadine awoke.
“Hey, Jennie Sue, where are you?” Nadine called out. “Are you still here?”
“On my way to the kitchen. Want a glass of sweet tea? I was about to get one for me.”
Nadine yawned loud enough that Jennie Sue could hear it. “It’s three o’clock. How about some ice cream instead of tea?”
“I ate far too much dinner for anything right now, but I’ll get you some. One scoop or two?” Jennie Sue called out.
“Two, and you can sit with me while I eat it. What all is left to do?”
“Vacuum.” Jennie Sue headed to the kitchen. “Then take out the trash and mop the kitchen and utility room, and we’ll have you all fixed up for another week.”
“Okay, then. But, honey, the refrigerator is like an open bar anytime you come to my house. If you’ll tell me what you like, I’ll have it in there and ready for you.” She eased up out of her recliner and worked the kinks out of her neck.
“Thank you, Nadine. I’m sure I won’t starve.” Jennie Sue turned on the vacuum and made sure every inch of carpet was gone over at least three times. She didn’t want to talk or hear any more gossip. She just wanted to get the job done and go home to her apartment and try to sort out everything.
Rick parked the bookmobile at the library that afternoon, made sure everything was shelved and that the doors were locked, and then whistled all the way into the small brick building.
“This abominable heat must have kept the folks up in Longworth from getting out today. Didn’t have a single customer.” He handed the keys to Amos.
“I hope we don’t have to cut that little town from the route because folks ain’t interested.” Amos hung the keys on a hook behind the checkout counter. “We had a great time last night, didn’t we? Did I see a little spark between you and Jennie Sue?”
Rick had already gotten the third degree from his sister, so he tried to tease his way out of it. “Amos, you need your glasses changed if that’s what you were seein’. Had many customers today in here?”
“Nope, and I saw what I saw. Reminded me of the way I looked at Iris back before she said she’d go out with me. Jennie Sue is bringin’ cake tomorrow to the book club. What are you goin’ to say to her when you deliver the pecans? You could tell her that she looks right nice and maybe pick a bouquet of wildflowers,” Amos suggested. “Town is already sayin’ stuff about y’all. If you’re goin’ to have the name, you might as well have the game.”
“And what’re they sayin’ about us?” Rick asked.
“That y’all dated on the sly in high school and that you are the reason her husband left her. She’s run home to you.” Amos grinned.
“Bullshit!” Rick sputtered.
Amos raised a hand. “Truth. That’s just the way I heard it. So?”
“It’s just talk,” Rick said. “It isn’t even reasonable, but then gossip seldom is.”
“Amen,” Amos said. “But you better be careful, son. If they catch you holding hands with her, they’ll start polishing up the silver punch bowl at the church for a wedding reception.”
Rick threw a hand over his heart in mock horror. “Now that would be horrible, wouldn’t it?”
“For the ladies at the church, it would.” Amos nodded. “They’d be real upset if they was to go to all that work for nothing.”
Rick patted him on the shoulder. “Seriously, thanks for the advice. I like Jennie Sue and we might be friends, but you and I both know that’s as far as it could ever go.”
“Stranger things have happened. It’s closin’ time. Give me a minute to turn off the lights and I’ll walk out with you,” Amos said. “I also heard that Jennie Sue was seen out at the cemetery visitin’ her Baker grandparents’ graves. She didn’t go to the Wilshires’, though. I wonder what’s going on with that.”
“Guess she didn’t have the time.” Rick really did like Jennie Sue, and he’d felt more alive with her than he had in years. Maybe it was because he didn’t see pity in her eyes when she saw him walk with a limp or noticed the scar on his chin, or maybe it was a mutual love for gardening. Whatever it was—well, he enjoyed being with her.
He walked a couple of blocks up the road to the café. The truck was parked behind the building, so he went in the back door to see if Cricket was finished or if he needed to wait on her. His eyes took a minute to adjust from the blaring sunlight to the dimmer café, but when they did, he noticed that Jennie Sue was sitting alone in a booth toward the back.
The place was almost empty, but Cricket still had her hands full, so he took a seat in the next booth down from where Jennie Sue was sitting.
“Hello,” she said.
“Evenin’. What brings you to town?” Though he faced her, a bench and two tables separated them. Surely that was enough that it wouldn’t create more problems.