Sweet Annie (20 page)

She
watched curiously as he reached into his trouser pocket and withdrew something
blue—a ribbon of some sort. He held the ribbon in both hands and placed it over
her head, around her neck, let it fall against her breast.

Annie
looked down at the ribbon fashioned into a first-prize award, the number one in
shiny gold paint.

"You're the winner
tonight, Annie," he said softly.

Her gaze rose from his
racing prize to the blue sparkle in his eyes, and she smiled hesitantly.

He placed her left hand on
his shoulder, took her right one in his and took two small steps toward her.
She was forced to move back. He took two small steps to the right. She
followed, then turned when he turned, the steps small and easy, but not too
graceful.

"Mind trying
something?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Put
your right foot on top of my boot."

"Step
on your foot?"

"Right
on my boot and put your weight onto it if you can."

"I
can."

"Okay."

She
tried it and he led again, her good leg first, taking the step, then his left
leg doing the work of her bad leg for her. She didn't have to lunge to correct
her gait this way, and with his agile steps and strong body doing the work, she
followed as gracefully as a princess in a fairy tale.

"Is everyone
looking?" she asked.

He glanced over her
shoulder and nodded.

"Are my parents
looking?"

A heartbeat and he nodded
again.

"Burdy?"

"He
looks like a rabid dog about to attack."

"Can
you take him?''

"I
think so."

"Then
don't stop until someone makes us or until the music ends."

His
smile whispered to her heart. "This was a big step."

"I know."

"You're a brave woman,
my sweet Annie."

"Not so brave. Just
sure of what I want."

"I think I like that
stubborn streak."

"We'll see if you say
that a year from now."

The
smile left his lips. His eyes took on a seriousness she found endearing.
"We're talking about a future," he said.

"A future together,
right?"

He squeezed her hand.
"Oh, yes."

Songs
changed, dancers moved around them, and they became part of the celebration.

“How
long can you dance with me on your foot?'' she asked.

"Until
there's a winter in the Rockies with no snow."

With
her heart full, she smiled. “Have you always been a poet?"

He
gave a half shake of his head and his ebony hair glistened in the light of
dozens of lanterns. One comer of his mouth edged up in irony.
"Hardly."

To
her he was a poet. And a dancer and a lover and a prince. He was everything
she'd dreamed of and more than she'd hoped for. When she was with him she could
do anything, be anyone. He gave her courage and optimism and made her feel
like any other woman of worth. This was the happiest night of her life.

Annie
Sweetwater was dancing with the man she loved. The crowd had folded around
them, their attention no longer focused on the unlikely couple.

Eventually
the warm evening took its toll and Luke asked her if she'd like a drink. He led
her to the row of chairs along the wall and she sat gratefully while he went
for two cups, then returned and sat close.

Annie
sipped tart lemonade, watching his eyes smile at her over the top of his cup. I
love you,
she wanted to say, but she
held it to herself for a while longer and touched the ribbon hanging around her
neck.

Luke's
attention shifted, and she sensed someone beside her. Annie looked up to see
Burdell standing over her. Luke stood slowly.

"We're going to
talk," Burdell said.

Chapter Ten

"
Outside
,"
Burdy added.

Luke
stood. "Do you really think now is the time for this?"

"You
chose the time, buster, not me," Burdell replied, anger making a vein
stick out on his temple. "Walk or I'll drag you."

"Burdy!"
Annie straggled to her feet. "Don't do this."

Diana
had appeared directly behind Burdell, and she, too, tried to reason with him.
"Maybe we could all have coffee at the house and talk this over."

Luke
clomped toward the door with Burdell on his heels. Annie grabbed Diana's arm
and they followed. Annie had to half run, an awkward stumble with Diana
supporting her, to stay behind the men.

"I
don't want any trouble with you," Luke said, stopping in the side yard and
facing Annie's brother.

"Then
you should have left her alone like you've been warned," Burdell replied.
"This family has had enough of your interference."

"Burdy,
please," Annie called. "Don't do this. This is a big mistake."

"The
mistake is his," Burdell hissed.

A
few more people came up behind the clinging women, and Annie recognized her
father's angry voice. "What did you think you were doing in there,
Carpenter? Haven't you caused enough trouble?"

"I
don't want a fight with your family," Luke said calmly. "I don't want
any hard feelings."

Burdell rolled back his
shirtsleeves.

"Don't do this,"
Luke warned.

"Burdy, don't!"
Annie called.

"You're
going to leave my sister alone," Burdell threatened.

Luke
drew a hand over his mouth, down his chin, then lowered it. "Why don't you
let Annie decide what's best for her?"

"She doesn't know
what's best for her!"

His
words infuriated Annie. "I do so! I know exactly what I want! I'm the one
who asked him to teach me to dance, remember? Did you see me, Burdy?"
Holding Diana's arm, she spun around and found her mother and father only three
feet away. “Did you see me, Mama? I walked over there and I asked him to dance!
That was what I wanted!"

Charmaine
and her parents had come to stand at the front of the gathering crowd.

"We
can work this out without any violence," Uncle Mort said sternly.

Charmaine
covered her mouth with her hands and stared.

"He's
got a lesson coming." Burdell took an angry step toward Luke.

Luke
sidestepped. "Don't do this, Burdell. Think of your sister."

Burdell's
face contorted. "Don't you tell me to think of my sister. This is for
putting your hands on her, you good for nothing—" He jabbed a fist.

Luke
ducked the blow and faced him, looking truly wary now. "Don't do this. You
don't want to do this."

"You
know what I want now?" Burdell gave a terse laugh.

"You know what Annie
wants?" Luke countered.

That
angered Burdell more. He swung and Luke raised an arm, warding off the punch.

Overhead
a burst of color fell from the night sky and the gathering on the other side of
the building made appreciative noises. The fireworks had started.

"You're
going to leave her alone," Burdell growled.

"I'm sorry, but I
can't do that."

"Why
you son of a—" He swung again and this time his fist caught Luke's jaw,
snapping his head back. "You'll leave her alone!"

An
ache gnawed at Annie's belly. A loud burst of firecrackers startled her.

Eldon
edged forward. "Burdell, maybe this isn't the right way to handle
this."

Diana
released a little sob at Annie's side and Annie put her arm around her.

"I'll
handle this," Burdell shouted. "And he'll leave her alone."

"Hit
me all you want, but I won't leave her alone," Luke said. "I'm going
to marry her."

A collective gasp came from
the assembled townspeople.

Tears
spilled down Annie's cheeks. "Luke," she whispered, the nightmare of
this confrontation erasing the joy she deserved to feel over his words.

Charmaine
moved to her side and rubbed her back comfortingly. Overhead, colors radiated from
the ongoing fireworks display. The smell of sulfur filled the air.

Luke's
declaration had infuriated Burdell even further, and with narrowed eyes, he
lunged.

Prepared
for the attack, Luke caught Burdell's weight and they wrestled for a moment
before toppling to the dirt and rolling while both grappled for dominance.

Luke pulled away and got to
his feet. Burdell scrambled up next, breathing hard. He charged at Luke and
this time Luke caught him squarely in the chin with a right uppercut, then
followed that hit with a blow to Burdell's midsection that crumpled him to the
ground.

Luke
took several steps back to stand clear of the man.

Holding
his stomach, Burdell glared up. "This isn't finished."

Luke
beckoned. "Get up and let's finish it then. I'm not gonna fight you every
time I dance with her or talk to her. I'm not gonna fight you on the steps of
the church when I marry her. Let's get it over right now."

"You
sorry son of a—" Burdell staggered to his feet.

"Burdell,
stop!" Diana cried. Pulling away from Annie, she rushed forward.

Charmaine
wrapped her arm around Annie's waist, lending her support.

"That's
enough," Diana said to her husband. "Stop this."

Burdell glanced at his
wife, then over at Annie and back to Luke. "All right," he said.
"There are other ways."

Annie pulled away from her
cousin and limped over to Luke. He didn't really look any worse for the wear,
though it was too dark to see if he bore any scrapes or cuts. Impulsively, she
moved into his arms and he hugged her.

"I'll get your pretty
dress dirty," he said.

Taking
his hand, she led him to where her brother stood. "Are you all
right?"

He glared past her at Luke.
"I'm fine."

Her
parents joined them and Mildred took Annie's hand and tried to tug her away.
Annie resisted.

"Annie,
you've caused enough of a spectacle tonight." Her voice and words, laced
with censure and criticism as always, twisted the knife blade of hurt in
Annie's chest.

"I'm
sorry you're embarrassed, Mother, but if you'll notice, your son was the one
who started a fist-fight. Luke tried to talk him out of it."

“But
you brought it on, Annie, with that exhibition inside."

"Yes."
She looked from her mother's pinched expression to her father's sorrowful one,
and back. "You've certainly warned me enough about staying in my chair,
haven't you? I guess the fact that I can walk and that it makes me happy is
beyond the point. The point is, I shouldn't have even a tiny measure of joy if
it makes me appear in the least bit clumsy and embarrasses
you.'"

"You've been
walking?" her mother asked.

Annie
nodded. “Everyone has seen me and is happy for me. Everyone except you."

Mildred
glanced at Charmaine, at her brother and sister-in-law who nodded reluctantly.
Her glare lit upon her husband.
"You?"

"Daddy
didn't know, Mother," Annie assured her.

"They obviously don't
understand or care what's best for you," Mildred denied.