Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] (36 page)

Well, hell. The problem was
what was he going to do about it?
Maybe this
love,
he now identified it as such, wasn't as permanent as he thought. Tomorrow Andy would be home. He would see the two of them together. He wouldn't be tied so firmly to the garage and wouldn't be with her so much. Maybe he'd take a few days and go visit the Bluefeathers. Clear his head.

Maybe when you leave, you idiot, it'll be with a hole in your heart, and you'll wish that you'd never come here.

Chapter 29

L
EONA AND THE GIRLS BID MARGIE A TEARFUL GOODBYE
as she prepared to leave to catch the bus back to Conway, Missouri. Even Ruth Ann hugged her and told her she wished that she wasn't going. Yates put Margie's suitcase in the car, lifted JoBeth up onto the seat, turned to Leona and spoke tersely

“I'll not be gone long.”

“Take your time.”

“Do you need anything from town?”

“No. JoBeth, don't wander off, and watch out for cars.”

“I'll take care of her.” The black look on Yates's face kept her from saying anything more.

Margie thanked Leona for the hundredth time and got into the car. Leona and Ruth Ann stood in front of the garage and waved until the car was out of sight.

She felt a little uneasy about JoBeth going into town without her. Yates had asked the child at breakfast if she wanted to go with him to take Margie to the bus. JoBeth had jumped up onto his lap, wrapped her small arms around his neck and kissed him. Leona didn't have the heart to dampen her pleasure by refusing to let her go. She had no doubt that Yates would take care of her, but she'd had the sole responsibility for the girls for so long that it was difficult to relinquish it to someone else even for a short while.

The campground was empty. All was quiet except for the occasional car that passed on the highway and the caws of crows in the woods eager to make a meal of the small dead animal that lay on the highway. The campers had pulled out at daylight hoping to get some miles behind them before the heat of the day.

“Swing me, Aunt Lee,” Ruth Ann coaxed. Yates had fashioned a new board-seat on the rope swing, and the girls had taken a new interest in it.

“Just for a little bit. I'm going to clean house today. I want it to look nice when your daddy comes home.”

Leona pushed the child in the swing, but her mind was elsewhere. A few weeks ago she would have been elated that Andy was coming home. She still was glad, but sad, too. Now it meant that Yates would be leaving.

She hadn't gone out last night after he had surprised her at the pump. She had sat on the bed in the darkened room, toweled her hair and waited to see if he would come and get her as he had threatened. He hadn't come.

Long after she had gone to bed, she had heard Yates playing his guitar. She lay curled with her hands beneath her cheek and listened to the hauntingly beautiful music. He played most of the songs he'd played the first night she heard him and then a few more tunes.

When he played “I'll Be Loving You Always,” she had let the tears flow even though she knew he was not playing the tune for her. The tunes that followed were well known to her. “I'm Dancing with Tears in My Eyes,” “I'm Confessing That I Love You” and “Goodnight, Sweetheart.” She wished with all her heart that he was playing for her, but she knew that it was not true. She told herself that she should be grateful that he had come here and for the memories that would have to last a lifetime.

She had gone to sleep with tears on her cheeks.

It was nearly noon when Yates and JoBeth returned. Leona had been watching the clock and was on the verge of being worried, but she reasoned that the bus could have been late.

Ruth Ann had cleaned the back room, and she did the kitchen between the two trips she had made to the gas pump. She was in Andy's bedroom putting fresh sheets on his bed when she heard the sound of Yates's car returning. Shortly after that the front door slammed, and JoBeth burst into the house.

“Aunt Lee! Looky what Mr. Yates bought me.” She grasped the skirt of her dress, held it out and looked down at the shiny black shoes with six button straps and shiny red toes and heels. “Mr. Robinson said they're Roman sandals.”

Leona was startled speechless for a moment, then said, “For goodness sake!”

“They're a little big,” Yates said. “Robinson said if we got them to fit, they'd be too little by Christmas.”

Leona looked behind JoBeth, but let her eyes go only as far up as Yates's breast pocket, paused, then met his twinkling ones.

“She likes them.” He was grinning like a schoolboy. “She saw them in the store window.”

“I got a button hook. See?” JoBeth dug into a bag and brought out the hook. Ruth Ann crowded into the room. “Look at my shoes, Ruth Ann. We got other stuff for you 'cause we didn't know what size you wore. We each got a sack of candy. Here's yours.”

“Don't eat the candy until after dinner,” Leona cautioned. “I'll get it ready as soon as I finish with your daddy's bed.”

“I hope you haven't started anything,” Yates said. “We stopped at the store and got a loaf of bread and a jar of the new Skippy peanut butter.”

“We got Post Toasties and cookies with icing in the middle and watermelon,” JoBeth added happily.

“That must have made Mr. White happy,” Leona said dryly. “Our melons won't be ready for a while.”

“Guess what, Aunt Lee. We saw Uncle Virgil and that man that he likes,” JoBeth said excitedly. “Mr. Yates was awful mad 'cause Uncle Virgil came up and started tellin' me 'bout him being my uncle. Mr. Yates said for him to get the hell away and stay the hell away, or he'd shove a telephone pole up his ass.” JoBeth put her hand over her mouth and giggled.

There was utter quiet. Even Ruth Ann was speechless. Leona's eyes flew to Yates. He grinned sheepishly, then with his hand on JoBeth's head tilted her face toward him.

“You weren't supposed to tell that, honey.”

“Oh…I forgot!”

In spite of her shock at the words that came from the five-year-old, a vision floated before Leona's eyes that forced a giggle. She couldn't have stopped it if it meant her life. Shining eyes met Yates's briefly, before she turned away to keep the girls from seeing her laughter.

“I'll fix your dinner, and you and the girls can eat on the porch. I want to scrub the kitchen floor, then bake a cake. We're going to have Andy's favorite things for supper.”

“He likes chicken and cornbread dressing.” Ruth Ann was busy with the fistful of ribbons, a card of barrettes, a box of watercolors and a large sketching pad.

“The chicken is ready to be plucked and dressed. I'll do that as soon as I scrub the kitchen.” She wished that Yates would move out of the doorway. “Girls, did you thank Mr. Yates?”

“I did. I kissed him, too.” JoBeth smiled up at Yates. “He let me pick out the candy.”

“Thank you, Mr. Yates.”

“You're welcome, Ruth Ann.” Then to Leona, “It looks to me like you've got plenty to do. I'll fix the meal and take it to the porch if you'll come eat with us.”

“I can fix it. I'm almost finished here.” She gathered up the soiled bedclothes. “Shoo, girls, outta the way.”

He followed her through the kitchen and waited, while she went out onto the back porch and placed the linens in a washtub. When she turned to go back into the kitchen, he stood in the doorway.

“Hold on just a minute, Leona.” His searching eyes caressed each feature of her face.

“I've work to do.” Her voice was low, strained.

His hands grasped her upper arms. “I've got to say this: I'm sorry I accused you of flirting with Fleming.”

“All right. I'm sorry I accused you of pawing me. Now we're even.” She spoke as calmly as her pumping heart would allow.

“Is there something I can do to help you get ready for Andy's homecoming?” Strong fingers reached out and looped a curl behind her ear.

“Nothing. I have it all planned.”

“Honey, don't be mad at me.”

“I'm not mad.” She shrugged as if what he said meant nothing. “I'll bake the cake, then put the chicken and dressing in your oven on the porch, so the kitchen won't be so hot.” She held herself stiffly. She couldn't afford to let him know that his tender words were about to melt her heart.

“You're glad he's coming home?”

“Why, of course, aren't you? You must be eager to get on down the road.”

“I'm not leaving for a while. The doctor said Andy should rest while he's taking the shots. I'll stick around until he's back to normal.” Then he said, quietly, “Why didn't you come out last night?”

The silver eyes were on her face. Hers were focused on the pocket on his shirt. She had tied her hair back with a piece of frayed black ribbon, her face was sweaty, her dress dirty. She was ashamed of how she looked, but glad, too. He had to think that she didn't care enough to try to make herself pretty for him.

“I was tired and went to bed. I heard you playing your guitar. Why don't you get a job on the radio or with a band? You're better than some I've heard on the
Grand Ole Opry
.”

“If you heard me play you didn't go to sleep right away. We could have sat on the porch for a while.”

“I didn't think it wise.”

“You were afraid I'd
paw
you? I told you I'd not do that. I've not broken my word to you yet, have I?”

“I shouldn't have used the word. I was just as much to blame as you. I had a lapse of judgment, or I would have stopped you.” She pushed on his chest. “Now, let me by. I've got a lot to do.”

“I'll fix peanut butter sandwiches. I bought bananas to go on them.”

“Bananas on a sandwich? I never heard of such a thing.”

His smile was boyish and endearing. Leona was sure that she would remember it forever, like the smell of his breath on her face and the touch of his hands on her arms.

“Wait until you try them.”

“All right, but don't put a banana on Ruth Ann's sandwich until you ask her. She's a picky eater. And Yates,” she said with a sassy grin, “wash your hands first.” She suddenly felt light and gay, young and full of happiness.

The meal was ready. The chicken and dressing were being kept warm in the kerosene oven. The table was set with the cloth that was saved for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The girls were wearing the dresses they wore to Sunday school. Ruth Ann had pinned one of the new barrettes, as well as a ribbon bow, in her hair.

Leona had hurriedly washed and put on a fresh dress. She slipped a ribbon beneath her hair and tied it in a bow on top. After a thin dusting of powder on her face she applied a touch of Tangee lipstick to her lips. She refused to admit even to herself that she wanted to look nice more for Yates than for Andy.

A truck, with a sturdy stock rack on the back and covered with a tarpaulin, and an old, fully loaded touring car with a mattress strapped to the top were parked in the campground. The two families shared one campfire. The children played together, the men discussed jobs, cars and road conditions, while the women shared stories and prepared a meal. The young folk, if they were of different sexes, eyed each other, as adolescents are wont to do. Most people on the move were friendly and often helped one another out when they came upon a breakdown or an accident.

The Connors girls, waiting for their daddy and Mr. Fleming, were getting impatient. After sitting on the porch for an hour, Ruth Ann came into the house where Leona was emptying the used tea leaves from the strainer.

“He's not coming.”

“Of course he is, or Mr. Fleming would have sent word.”

“It's supper time.”

“Supper time is anywhere from six o'clock to dark in the summer. Where's JoBeth?”

“She's at the garage with Mr. Yates. I think she likes him better than Daddy.”

“She likes him in a different way than she likes her daddy.”

“When he goes, are you going with him?”

Shocked by the question, Leona made an effort to make her voice light. “Now why would I do that?”

“You like him.”

“You and JoBeth like him, but that doesn't mean you'll go with him when he leaves here.”

“You like him different,” Ruth Ann said stubbornly. “You like him …like when you want to marry.”

“I don't know where you got that idea, but get it out of your head right now.” Leona's voice was stern, and she was immediately sorry when she saw the crestfallen look on the child's face.

“Honey.” She put her arms around Ruth Ann, hugged her and rested her cheek on the top of her head. “Are you worried that I'll leave you? Don't be. I've no intentions of leaving you as long as you want me. Maybe when you are grown up and have a home of your own, I'll go somewhere else. But that will be a long time from now.”

“Why don't you marry Daddy? You like him.”

“That's it, honey. I like him, but your daddy and I don't love each other the way he loved your mother. We are friends and that is all.”

“You got cleaned up for him—”

“He's here!”

Ruth Ann broke from Leona when she heard her sister's shout and raced for the door. By the time JoBeth reached the garage, Ruth Ann was behind her. Leona stood on the porch and watched Andy get out of the car and open his arms. The girls ran to him. He hugged them to him, leaning against the car to keep his balance. After kissing each one, he looked toward the house with a broad smile on his face. Leona's eyes filled with tears of thankfulness that he was home. Why couldn't she have fallen in love with this wonderful caring man instead of a man who roamed from one end of the highway to the other? One who, after seven years, would probably never be satisfied to settle in one place and love one woman.

Yates lifted Andy's crutches and the box containing his clothes from the car and stood with Mr. Fleming, while Andy greeted his girls. Leona came down the path from the house. Andy held his hand out to her. The little group huddled close, happy to be together again.

Raw yearning erupted inside of Yates, a yearning to belong to someone who cared for him as Leona and the girls cared for Andy. If ever a man deserved such a family it was this man, who stood so precariously on his wooden peg. Yates's worldly goods far exceeded Andy's, yet Yates knew that Andy was far richer.