A Man's Heart (23 page)

Crystal reached out to take the older woman's hand. “Oh, Lucille, shouldn't this go to your sons?”

Lucille dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand. “My boys have all they'll ever need. They're doctors and lawyers, you know. Very well off.”

“But your grandchildren …”

“Even more wealthy. Both mothers and fathers are professionals. Very high income. No, I want you to have the mattress for the goodness you've shown me.”

Jules felt a tinge of envy. She'd always been kind to Lucille, but Crystal had baked pies and casseroles, took a real interest in the older woman. She eyed the gift and her jealousy dissipated.

With a grateful smile, Crystal said, “Thank you, Lucille. That is so kind of you.”

“Glad I could do it, honey. You've been a real blessing in my life. Now.” The woman glanced at Olivia, who was now a twenty-pound dead weight on Jules's hip. “The tiny one needs to be in bed. Thank you so much for the pie. I'm sure I'll dearly enjoy every bite.”

On the way home, Jules glanced at Crystal and grinned. “Lucky dog.”

Shrugging, Crystal returned the smile. “It was a lovely thought.”

“What are you going to do with that hideous thing?” Jules could picture hauling the moth-eaten bedding to UPS to ship to Crystal in Florida when Lucille passed. It wasn't worth the price of postage.

“I don't know,” Crystal confessed. “I know it's Lucille's treasure, but I don't have anywhere to keep something like that.”

“Well.” Jules made a left turn onto the highway. “Maybe she'll change her mind and leave it to someone else. She's not that old. She could live to be a hundred.”

“Let's hope,” Crystal agreed.

At nine-thirty the following morning, a pick-up truck backed up to the back door and braked. Jules stepped out of the shed, shading her eyes to identify the new arrivals. Two men jumped out and released the tailgate.

Jules approached, eying Lucille's old mattress. “Can I help you?”

“Got a delivery for Crystal Matias.” The man extended a clip pad.

Jules eyed the moth-eaten gift.
Oh, Lucille!
“Ye gads. I thought she meant
after
she passed.”

“Beg pardon?”

“Nothing.” Jules signed for delivery. “Just prop it against the living room wall until I can find a place to put it.”

What was a ratty old mattress compared to a zillion Tin-kertoys scattered about.

“Thank goodness I didn't bake the cherry pie,” she murmured.

T
he crowded movie complex provided limited parking. John and Jules walked a couple of blocks and John purchased tickets. Inside the cool lobby, the smell of popcorn tempted Jules. Though she'd just eaten a large dinner, when John asked if she wanted a drink and some popcorn, she didn't refuse.

Both agreed that Clint Eastwood had never been better when they emerged later. Overheard conversations in the teeming lobby all seemed to support the actor's performance. When they stepped outside, a light rain fell. Jules glanced up, praying for a deluge. Tomorrow, she'd be forced to switch the pivot heads back to her fields. She supposed, though it was a lot of work and manpower, they'd share the irrigation system until harvest, which was coming up.

“I never thought to bring an umbrella.”

John grinned, opening his jacket to shield her. “I'll protect you.”

Ducking beneath the light wind-breaker, Jules laughed as they started off and bumped smack into another couple. When she looked up, her heart sank. Cruz and Midge Parker. She'd nearly bowled them off their feet.

“Sorry,” she murmured.

“Cruz, ole man!” John slapped the neighbor on his back.

“How's it going?”

“Couldn't be better. How about you, John?”

“Could use a week of this rain.”

Nodding, Cruz's dark eyes fixed on Jules. “That would be a real blessing.”

“Hi, Jules.”

“Hi, Midge. Have you been out of town this summer?”

“I've been back east to visit my grandmother for a few weeks. How about you? I'm so sorry to hear about Pop.”

“Thanks. I'm fine. Crystal's here, helping me run the farm.”

Midge's features softened. “I'm so sorry about Sophie. I know how close you two were.”

“Thanks.” Jules blinked back sudden tears, avoiding Cruz's eyes. Well, obviously he was dating now. Trolling for a mother for Sophie's children — at her suggestion.

“Guess we'll forge ahead.” John reached for Jules's hand, opening his jacket shield wider. “See you around!”

“Yeah.” Cruz draped his arm around Midge's trim waist. “See you around.”

Jules fixed on the natural gesture and struggled to keep from outright crying.

Later, she entered the kitchen door and tripped over a fire truck. Catching her fall, she picked up the toy and slammed the door shut.

Crystal bolted off the sofa. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing. I have a splitting headache.”

“Another one? You should get those checked out. That's the third one this week. Maybe you need glasses.” Crystal
sank back to the sofa and Jules noticed Adan, eating popcorn, his stocking feet propped all comfy on the coffee table. The perfect family portrait.

“Hey, Adan.”

“Hey, Jules. Good movie?”

“Terrific.” Now Adan was trolling? For Crystal. Sophie, I hope you're happy! You're up there walking streets of gold, but down here you've started a stinkin' matrimonial war!

Edging past Lucille's ratty old mattress, Jules went in search of the Bayer. Somewhere between May and now, she'd lost control of her life.

T
he battle for temporary custody had only begun. Two could play this game, Jules decided, when she bumped into Cruz literally everywhere she went the following week. The brief conversations went this way:

“Hi, Carol.”

“Hi, Jules. What's happening?”

“Nothing.”

“We need to have lunch and catch up.”

“Let's—as soon as harvest's over.”

“Hey, Cruz.”

“Rick. How's it going?

“Holly. You're looking great!”

“Hey, Jules. It's been ages.”

Jake nodded. “Cruz.”

By week two of one-up's-man, Jules was exhausted. Her body couldn't take this grueling dating regimen. She longed to stay home and curl up with a hot water bottle, but instead she was out most nights on dates she didn't want to be on. She couldn't keep teenage hours and work in the fields too. Something had to give, but it wasn't going to be her. If Cruz
thought he was getting on her nerves by taking her friendly advice to date, then he was sadly mistaken. She poured a cup of stiff black coffee and mashed the lid into place. There were plenty of men in her life. True, most wanted her potato — and there was no magic plant; still, they didn't know that, and if they were dating her solely for mercenary reasons, then shame on them.

Shame on everybody.

She glanced up, thinking she heard God's booming voice chastising her for the childish game. Marriage wasn't a game; it was a serious proposition, one Jules would never take lightly and she prayed Cruz felt the same. Of course he felt the same; he was a good, decent man. She was the one turning him into a basket case.

Tilting her head to see if God had anything further to add, she was met with silence. Shaking her head, she walked out of the door.

B
lue Bayou began harvest anywhere around July fourth until late October; today was the last day of August. Ten days prior to sending the big, complicated machines to dig potatoes out of the ground and separate them from other plant material, dirt and rocks, the workers had to be gentle enough to prevent bruising. Bruised potatoes would inevitably occur, so those were left in the field to cure.

Today the killing process began. Two fields would be sprayed with special chemicals that would kill the leaves and stems, and potatoes would be left in the ground for at least twelve days before harvest, allowing time for the skins to thicken. Thicker skins help to prevent infectious diseases, which can destroy thousands of tons of stored potatoes.

Jules spent the morning in the east field spraying. The big machine sent rivets of killing spray over the mature plants. She loved this time of year, when the proof of the long summer was tangible, when she could hold a large, thick skinned Russet in her hand and see the evidence of hard work.

Thank you, God, that I could help Cruz salvage one field.

The yield will keep him going another year, and I'm thankful that I had the machinery to help.

If Pop were alive, he would be grinning today. The crop looked to be the best ever. If profits were as high as she thought, she could buy a new irrigation and a laser-guided planter next year; a tractor that navigated fields using satellites, and irrigation that would deliver exactly the needed amount of water.

She stopped at noon and went to the house to refill her water thermos. Crystal was working in the garden, wearing a large brim hat, looking the picture of domesticity. The children played nearby with a batch of new kittens. It hit Jules that Crystal would make some man a very good wife. She took to motherhood and home life like a moth to a flame. When her sister saw her, she smiled and waved, propping the hoe on a tomato stake. “Hey.”

“Hey. Just stopped by to refill my water jug.”

“I thought about coming to the field to find you, but the kids are so content.”

Jules turned on the hose, took a long drink, and then doused her head. “What's up?”

“Lucille passed away this morning.”

Jules let the hose dangle. “She did?”

“They found her in her chair. She must have passed away sometime during the night.”

Jules sighed. “That's the way I want to go.” She thought of Sophie and the indignity and suffering she'd endured.

“Me too. It's sad. I'll miss her.”

“She lived a good long life.” Jules started into the house and then turned back. “I don't mean to be insensitive, but now that Lucille's gone, can you get rid of that old mattress? We
honestly don't have anywhere to keep it, and it's an eyesore sitting in the living room.”

“Oh.” Crystal's expression drooped. “Poor Lucille. She had that mattress most all of her life.”

Jules knew the selfish request came too soon, but she'd stumbled over that bedding long enough. “I know she treasured it, but she's gone now. Call the junk man and have him haul it to the dump.”

Crystal nodded. “Of course. It is in the way.”

Pausing beside the kitchen door, Jules softened. “Lucille will never know — and it's useless.”

Nodding, Crystal reached for the hoe. “Often it is the least valued thing in life that brings the most happiness.”