Snow on Magnolias

by Hattie Mae

“Lord, I hope so. After Ted dumped me, I thought no love existed like that. I gave up all hope of ever finding someone, and maybe I won’t. But now I know, for some people, strong pure love is there, and I’m not ready to give up hope that it exists for me.”

  Sam sat with his brothers and field hands enjoying the barbeque. He tried in vain to concentrate on what the rest were talking about, but his attention was drawn to Rose. Her jeans fit in all the right places, and her tee shirt pulled across her chest as she bent and straightened her body pouring tea and refilling empty plates. He hadn’t talked much to her since that night on the galley. Of course, she was right, he had no right to toy with her. He dropped his arms in his lap; they ached to hold her against him.

  Sam shook his head. What was he thinking? He didn’t go and fall in love with this woman, did he?

  Rose bent over and placed a plate of bread in front of Sam.

  “Where’s Odelia? Is she sick?” Sam knew his words had come out sharp, but she annoyed him. With her soft skin, large green eyes, and that slight smell of fresh peaches that lingered in the air long after Rose left the room. Ahh. She made him crazy.

  Sam looked around the table forcing his eyes away from her, settling in on Trudy.

  “Well, Trudy, you sure look pretty today. Can you tell me where Odelia is? Rose seems to be out of sorts.”

  “She has a visitor, and we told her we would take over this meal. Thanks for the compliment even if it was second-hand.” Trudy put her hands on her hips, daring Sam to make any more comments.

  Sam raised his head in time to see Preston give her a wink and a nod of his head in Sam’s direction.

  “Preston if you are through maybe you could help Randy put his combine up. Do you good to leave the table and food behind.”

  “I don’t need anyone’s help, I’m not a child.” Randy stomped out and climbed into his combine muttering all the way.

  The hands headed to their homes and Lewis fixed a plate for Susan and said his goodbyes.

  Sam stole a look at Rose and started in her direction when Preston stopped him.

  “We need to talk, little brother. We need to talk now.”

  Machinery put away, Sam and Preston walked toward the house.

  “Say what’s on your mind, Preston. I want to visit with my girls.”

  Preston stopped and faced Sam. “All right. As your family, we think you either have to come to grips about your feelings for Rose, or go away somewhere so we can get the harvest in.”

  “You’re crazy. And what do you mean we? Y’all have been talking about me behind my back?” Sam pulled his cap off and beat it against his leg. The heat in his face felt like a deep sunburn.

  “We think…”

  “Never mind what all of you think. I don’t have feelings for Rose. She just makes me uncomfortable. Always prancing around with her red hair and wide eyes. So stop this nonsense and let’s go wash this dirt off.”

  “Sam, wait. Why are you so bent on not admitting to yourself how much you like this woman? Everyone knows. Everyone can see. And besides that, you are making all of us miserable. What’s holding you back? She fits right in. The girls like her okay. And look what she did for Susan and Lewis. Hell, we are all very fond of her.”

  Preston smiled his slow smile, “If you don’t want her, let Randy know, he’s kind of sweet on her.”

  “Rose is not like an old baseball mitt that I would hand down to my younger brother. Randy gets a crush on anyone with a soft touch. I’ll tell him that Rose is way out of his league. Now that this crazy talk is over, let’s go clean up.” Sam shoved his cap back on his head and headed to the house.

  “Rose did look good today, didn’t she?” Preston asked.

  Sam heard the question, but knew this one didn’t need an answer, Preston was thinking out loud as he often did. Could Preston be looking at Rose in a different way these days? He’d had almost the same heartbreak as Sam, except he had only been engaged to his first love when she broke his heart. Since then, he’d never gave another girl a second look, except maybe the girl in Bon Amie that he refused to talk about.

  Sam knew that this big old teddy bear of a brother would make the best husband and dad of all of them. It would take that special woman. Sam stole a glance at Preston, trying to read his expression. Everyone deserved to be happy, didn’t they? At least once.

  “I guess I had my chance.”

  “What? Are you talking to me?”

  “No, I think we have talked enough tonight.”

  “All right Sam, I’ll let it go for now, but think about what I said and make sure whatever you decide you don’t hurt Rose in the process.”

  Sam huffed and hurried inside.

  Odelia met him at the bottom of the stairs. The man he and Rose had met in Mississippi at her side.

  “Sam, I think you have met my Wilson, but I needed to know if he could stay for a while? I put him in the spare bedroom by the sun porch.” She gazed up at Wilson. “We have much to talk about after all these years.”

  Sam held out his hand. “Good to see you again. I’m glad you took Rose’s advice. You are welcome in our home as long as you want to stay. Feel free to make yourself at home.” Sam hugged Odelia and headed up the stairs. “Night all. I think I have two little girls upstairs needing a hug.” Heaven help him, he knew he needed a hug too.

  The thought of Odelia and Wilson arm and arm still with him. After all this time love still danced in their eyes. Sam shook his head and opened the door to Bea’s bedroom.

  “Hey princess, did you have a good day?”

  Bea put her book down and pointed to the lump in her bed. “Hey, Dad. Yeah, but I think Lizzy isn’t feeling too good.”

  Uncovering the lump, he found Lizzy all curled up asleep, her cheeks flushed with fever. “Still crawling into bed with you I see.”

  “I don’t mind. She’s not ready to sleep in her own room yet. Don’t make her, okay?”

  Sam loved her ever bit as much as he loved Lizzy. When Lisa left, he thought Bea would never smile again. But there she sat smiling that sweet smile and caressing Lizzy’s hair like the small caregiver she was. He admired Bea. Rejected twice, once by her birth father and second time by her own mother. Never again. If he had to move heaven and earth. Never again.

  “All right, princess. But maybe we need to see about a bigger bed for you.” Kissing Bea on the forehead he headed for the bathroom. “I’ll be right back, let me get something to knock that fever down.”

  Lizzy opened her mouth and took the meds without a whimper turned over, hugged her doll and never opened her eyes.

  “What are you reading? It seems lately you always have a book in your hands.” Sam knelt beside Bea’s bed.

  “A book Rose bought me. I’m so glad she came Dad, she’s taught me a lot about books. I even think my reading is getting better. Rose says the more I read the better I’ll get.” Bea sat on her knees. “Rose says that I can be a writer too, if I want to. She said I could be anything I wanted to be. She also said someday she would like to take me on a trip to New York and take me to a show. A real life Broadway show.” Bea hugged Sam’s neck. “Do you like her dad? Lizzy likes her a lot. Do you?”

  Sam swallowed hard. “I think she’s a real nice lady. Lay down now and don’t forget to breathe. I think you said all that in one breath. If Lizzy feels bad tonight come and get me, okay?”

  “Okay, Dad. Love you.”

  “Loved you first.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Odelia was at the stove humming some song, and stirring something that smelled wonderful. She reached around for the pepper off the table as she spoke to Rose.

  “Lizzy is running a fever and her stomach hurts, do you mind saying at the house with her? Bea is old enough to help set up dinner for the guys, and Trudy is here.”

  “Not at all, Aunt Odelia. I have some catching up to do on email to fans, and I still have the last two chapters of my book that is due, past due.”

  Her aunt had a spri
ng to her walk and a glowing smile across her face. “Did you and Wilson get all caught up on the past?”

  “Ah, Rose, it’s like he never left. And if I have my say so, he won’t leave again. Not without me.” She straightened the bun on her head and sighed.

  “Are you blushing? Did he tell you the whole story? Can you share it with me?”

  “Honey child, he did tell me the story, and someday soon we will share it with you. He has some things to sort out first. Don’t you worry yourself, everything will be fine.” She bent and gave Rose a kiss on her cheek, then grabbed the plate she’d fixed and put it on a tray with a magnolia bud tucked in the napkin. “Now if you will excuse me, I think Wilson needs breakfast in bed this morning. He’s come a long way.”

  What are you hiding, Aunt Odelia? Something was behind that smile and it looked like sadness. Rose made herself some toast and a cup of that wonderful dark roast coffee, and headed upstairs.

  Lizzy was curled up in her bed. Bea was already helping Trudy.

  “Hey Lizzy. Why don’t you and Miss Abby come curl up in my bed and we can talk and tell stories, it’s very soft and big. Will you let me carry you?”

  Lizzy put her little arms around Rose’s neck and laid her head on her chest. She looked so small in Rose’s big bed. Rose fed her some of the toast and sips of water then watched as Lizzy snuggled down with Miss Abby and fell asleep.

  “You have come to mean a lot to me, little one,” Rose whispered and kissed the soft cheek of the sleeping child.

  For one so small you have wormed your way into my heart, as did the rest of this family. Rose put her thoughts to her work at hand.

  The morning flew by, and Rose felt good about the work she was able to accomplish. She was more pleased that her mind was engaged in her hero’s and heroine’s future, which kept her from fretting about hers.

  “Miss Rose, I feel better.”

  Rose crawled into the bed with Lizzy. “Push over. May I hold Miss Abby?”

  The well-loved doll showed soil on her face and yarn hair. “When did you get Miss Abby?”

  “Daddy gave her to me one Christmas. He said his mother made her for one of her children, but all she had was boys. So he said she saved it for me.” Lizzy gave the doll a big hug and handed her to Rose.

  “You can hug her if you want. Miss Abby don’t mind. She likes to love you back. Did you ever get a doll like Miss Abby for Christmas when you were a little girl?”

  “No, my mother gave me a doll every now and then, but not the kind you could play with. They were all dressed up in very fancy clothes and had porcelain faces.” Rose pulled the yarn hair out of Miss Abby’s face as she remembered.

  “My mother always reminded me not to mess them up. ‘They are to look at and to appreciate their beauty’ she would say.”

  “Did you get your dolls in a box wrapped in red paper and a big gold bow, under your Christmas tree?” Lizzy’s voice echoed the excitement of a child remembering a fun time.

  Rose handed Miss Abby back to Lizzy.

  “Sometimes they would come in a box with a bow, but I never had a Christmas tree. Mother said they were a waste of time and just made a mess. We had a tree at one of the schools one year when I couldn’t go home for Christmas. My mother was out of the country, so I stayed at the school. That year she sent me a hat that was too big. She said we would go shopping when she returned, but we never did.”

  “Yeah, my mommy gave me one of those dolls one time. She was real pretty, but she was cold and hard, not soft and warm like Miss Abby.” Lizzy climbed into Rose’s lap. “Mommy didn’t like Miss Abby. Just like she didn’t like me or Bea.” Lizzy contemplated Rose. “Do you like me, Miss Rose?”

  “Aw honey, I like you a whole bunch. I think you are a very special little girl. And don’t tell grumpy Bea, but I like her too.” Rose hugged Lizzy to her and smashed Miss Abby between them. “Neither of us deserved not being loved enough by our moms, Lizzy. Neither of us”.

  Rose thought she heard someone at the door but when she looked up no one was there, but she knew she heard footsteps as they walked down the stairs.

  “Well, did you check on Lizzy?” Sam asked Preston.

  Preston stood before Sam, hands stuffed in his back pockets as if to hold them at bay. “Lizzy is fine. Why wouldn’t she be, she’s with Rose? I’ll tell you this once, little brother, and only once. If you ever hurt that woman, you will have me to reckon with. You understand?”

  “What the hell is wrong with you? Hurt what little woman? You have been out in the sun too long.” Sam yanked his gloves off and tucked them in his cap. “Let’s eat some lunch.”

  “You heard me, Sam. Don’t you dare hurt Rose, she’s been hurt enough.” Preston turned and climbed back onto his combine, cranked the motor and headed back into the rice field without lunch, leaving Sam to puzzle over their brief conversation.

  Sam looked toward the house, should he check on Rose? He shook his head. If something were wrong, Odelia or Trudy would let him know. Being in the same room with Rose would tie his insides in a knot, and one good day of work would finish up the harvest. Then he would be free to explore the feelings he had about Rose.

  Trudy met Sam at the lunch table. “Where’s Preston? He’s usually the first to arrive and the last to leave.”

  “He’s got a burr under his seat about something. I’ll bring him a sandwich when I go back to the field.” Sam fixed his plate and sat at the end of the table.

  “Trudy, did you happen to see Rose this morning? Was she all right?”

  “Odelia saw her and told me she was chipper as always and seemed kind of excited about spending the day with Lizzy. Why?”

  “No reason. Something Preston said.” He stuffed a bite of mashed potatoes in his mouth and tried to settle the spot in his stomach that was tied in a knot.

  Bea came over with a full glass of sweet tea. She wore one of Odelia’s aprons that had to be folded over several times to fit her tiny frame.

  “Who’s the new help, Odelia? She sure is a pretty little thing,” Sam teased.

  “Ah, Dad. Don’t make me spill this tea in your lap.”

  “I’d tip you extra to see that, Bea,” Rusty said.

  “You would have twice as much to do today if that happened, Rusty.” Sam took another bite. “Think we can finish up today boys?”

  “We might have to work a little later, but I think we should give it a try. I would love to spend a full day with my baby and wife.” Lewis smiled through the grime on his face.

  Trudy appeared with a covered plate full of food and a thermos of tea. “Don’t worry about bringing Preston a sandwich. I fixed him a plate.”

  “Time’s a wasting, let’s go.” Sam loved every bit of this life. The hard work just yielded success. And this time of the year brought them all together.

  The harvest dance was a bittersweet ending. They would have brought in a good crop, this year better than last year, and would have a few months off to re-group. But it also meant the twins would be heading back to college, and who knew where Preston would go. The harder he tried to hold on to things the way they were, the more things changed. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe Rose was right. Everyone deserved his own dream.

  “Come on, Sam. You going to daydream all day?”

  “I’m not daydreaming, just thinking. Let’s get this crop in.

  “How do you feel Lizzy? You sure look better.” Aunt Odelia sat on the rose chintz chair in Rose’s room and watched as Rose and Lizzy put a puzzle together. “Bea’s home and I know she would love to tell you about her busy day, and from the looks of things, it appears that you and Rose had a busy day yourself.”

  “I feel good. Rose made me all better. Is it okay if I go and see Bea, Miss Rose?” Lizzy pushed one of Rose’s curls out of her face.

  “You bet. We can work this puzzle another day. Maybe Bea would like to help us.” Rose pulled Lizzy in to a hug. “See you later. Oh, and you almost forgot Miss Abby.”

  “I di
dn’t forget her, I think she needs to stay with you until bed time.” Lizzy skipped out the room like she hadn’t felt bad all day.

  “Well you must have scored some points today with Lizzy. She never lets Miss Abby stay over with anyone. I’m glad to see you are getting along so well with the girls. They needed someone like you to fill their cup with joy.” Aunt Odelia leaned back in the chair. “I think I’m going to go to my room and rest for a while. Dinner’s easy tonight. Cold fried chicken, potato salad, green salad, and some other leftovers, that way they can eat when they are ready. This might be a long day.”

  Aunt Odelia stood and moved to the door, hands on her hips. “Rose, I just left Wilson on the gallery down stairs. He said something about a walk. Why don’t you join him, you’ve been cooped up all day.”

  “I think I will, it looks so beautiful outside. Will you need me for anything?”

  “No, child, I think Wilson needs you more than I do at this moment.” Odelia kissed Rose on the cheek and walked down the hall humming her made up tune.

  Why would Wilson need her? Rose tied her shoes and bounded down the stairs. She found Wilson on one of the porch swings with his legs stretched out and his eyes closed.

  The sound of her footsteps caused him to open his eyes and he met her gaze with a timid smile.

  “Hey, sunshine. What are you up to?”

  “Aunt Odelia said you might want company for a walk.”

  Wilson shook his head. “That woman. She always knows what other people need before they do. Mind walking with a slow old man?”

  “Not at all, the slower the better. That way we can see more.” They walked down the lane leading away from the plantation. The same lane Wilson had walked down a week ago.

  “Are you sorry I found you, Wilson?”

  “Sorry? Heavens no. I found my sweet Odelia again because of you. The only regret I have is that it took me so long to face my fears. The time I wasted being prideful. If you see happiness within your reach, grab it, Rose. Don’t think about if it’s the right time or if you deserve it, grab it.” Wilson bent and pick up a long stick and used it as a walking stick. They walked in silence.