Small Town Tango

by Jennifer LeJeune

  “Oh, you definitely don’t strike me as the judging kind. I’m not scared to talk to you. Actually, you are the first person I can say that about.”

  She gazes at him for a second, the light from the stars reflecting off of the water and onto his face. He looks different to her now, more vulnerable, and more human.

  “So, when I was in high school, my dad pushed me to get the best grades and play the best football games and practice. Even after practice I had to practice. I had to go home to my drunken mother every night who was a violent drunk at that; she would yell and throw things for no reason. I had to put on a smile and the right attitude every morning for school like everything was ok. At the end of my sophomore year, I pulled up at my dad’s office to surprise him with lunch and saw him getting into his car with another woman. That woman’s name is Cindy. It turns out that my mom had known about the affair for two years, which, ironically, is the same amount of time that she had made binge drinking her hobby. The day my dad told my mother he was finally divorcing her for Cindy and never coming home, she tried to kill herself and was institutionalized for a very long time. In that time, I stayed with my mammy. I was forbidden to tell my grandmother about the affair, just that they were getting a divorce because of my mother’s drinking and that I needed to stay with her for a while. During the time that my dad had me locked up at Mammy’s, it turns out that he had whisked his mistress off to Costa Rica for a lover’s getaway. I cannot believe that he did that to my mom. What a scumbag! That is also why I don’t talk to him anymore. I haven’t talked to him in years, since he gave me my college money. I told him I never wanted to see him again. He doesn’t understand that not only did he ruin my mom’s life, but he also made it really hard on me too. Now my mom lives in Austin with her boyfriend, and dad and Cindy moved to L.A. because there were better job opportunities for the both of them there, and that’s that.”

  “I am so sorry, Bo, I had absolutely no idea. I can’t even begin to imagine going through all of that, and having to hide it,” says Katy.

  “You are the only one I have ever told that to,” says Bo.

  “Is there anything I can do?” asks Katy.

  “Are you kidding me? That was years ago. There is not a thing anyone can do about it now, that’s dead and gone. Now, are we keeping score here? Because I think I am winning.” He cracks her a small smile, hoping to lighten the mood, seeing as how he just dropped a ton of emotional wreckage he has gone through on her.

  “You know, Bo, a lot of things can be lifted off of you if you just give it all up to God. Put all of your burdens at His feet and He will cast them away. I feel so much better after I pray and ask God for help when I am in unfortunate situations, and automatically, I feel lighter. I know He has it all under control. Then though, there are the times that I try to punish myself and stay miserable and wallow in my pain, because somehow, at the time, wallowing and crying and feeling sorry for myself seem better than getting over it and moving on. Sometimes you just can’t get over the pity party.”

  “Are you saying I am having a pity party?” Bo exclaims in an elevated tone.

  “No, for goodness’ sake, no. I’m talking about everyone in general, me mostly. I know I may seem like I have it all together and all figured out, but there are times that I just wish my dad was back. I’m grown and I have a life of my own, and I am completely capable of handling my own, but sometimes, no matter how many people are around me, I just feel alone. The strongest connection that I have ever had with anyone is gone, and then you come to town trying to take away the one person that I have grown the closest to since his death.”

  Her eyes start to tear up. She certainly did not mean to let all of that out, but the words came out of her mouth like a raging sea being held back by a weak dam that has been slowly breaking for a long time.

  “I’m sorry, Katy. I guess all I was really caring about was myself. I never thought about Mammy’s emotions, or your emotions, or what either of you want for yourselves, I have only been thinking about my own life. The truth is, I feel lonely too, and I don’t know how to fix it. Is this just something everyone goes through in their lives or are we having something like a quarter life crisis?” he laughs a little.

  “I think most people go through times in their lives when they feel lonely once they have left the ‘nest’, so to speak,” Katy replies. “I am lucky though, I have God on my side. I have your amazing grandmother, my dad’s diner to keep his memory alive, and here I am sitting here, complaining that I’m lonely, how lousy is that? I have so much to be thankful for.”

  “Hey Katy,” says Bo, “would you like to go out on a date with me?”

  “Umm, well, I… like a real date? With me? Sure, Sunday morning nine a.m.” she says.

  “Oh, so a breakfast date?”

  “Noooo, silly, a church date. I don’t date men who don’t go to church, so if you show up for church, we can go on a date afterward, how about that?”

  “Ok,” replies Bo, stunned by her manipulation to get him to go to church. “It won’t be that bad,” he thinks to himself, “it will please Mammy and I get to see her twice in one day. Not like I haven’t seen her almost every day since I got to town but, she is nice to look at, so sweet and innocent-looking, something you don’t see around Dallas every day, and with a real personality, not trying to be someone she is not, and I like that,” he thinks.

  As they walk off to get back in the car and make the drive home they are much more quiet this time than on the way out to Rock Creek. The feeling that Katy had earlier had just multiplied by one million, and now she had the butterflies in her belly and couldn’t stop staring at him out of the corner of her eye during the whole ride back to town. Bo was feeling the exact same way. Not knowing what to say or do, he just turned on the radio and drove in silence the whole way, with smiles across both of their faces, as they both know that the feelings they have been having are real, and mutual. This may be the beginning of something great.

  When they pull up to Viola’s house and get out of the car, they are both so tired that they can barely walk up the steps.

  “What time is it, Katy?” asks Bo.

  “It’s 1:45. Oh my gosh, I don’t think I have been up this late since I was at least fifteen!”

  “It is not like you need the beauty sleep,” replies Bo, which makes Katy blush and get that pitter-patter feeling in her heart all over again.

  “Grab me a blanket and a pillow, would you?” Katy asks Bo.

  When he walks back into the living room from down the hall, he finds Katy already laying down on the couch, sound asleep. He gently picks her head up and slips the pillow under it, and takes her shoes off ever so gently and covers her up. He brushes her hair out of her face and gives her a light kiss on the cheek and smiles. Yes, coming back to little hill might have just been exactly what he needed. He plops down in his grandfather’s old recliner. Many nights he watched his grandfather fall asleep there watching football games and old westerns. It was still the most comfortable chair he had ever sat in. He reclines back, puts his hands behind his head, and drifts off to sleep.

  The next morning, as they come up to Viola’s hospital room expecting her to be lying in bed, they find her standing up with her little pink purse on her shoulder, pink diamond-shaped earrings that perfectly match her pink sweater, a floral skirt and a pink watch that matches perfectly, her hair is nice and curly.

  “What are you doing, Mammy?” Bo exclaims. “You haven’t been discharged yet, have you”?

  “Oh yes, I have,” replies Viola, “it just took a little sweet talking to the doctor, that’s all. I told him I would make sure to relax and keep my feet up.”

  “Well, you look lovely, Mammy,” says Bo.

  “Oh I know, son. Now let us head on over to that little boutique on western called Fleur de Chic. There is nothing more relaxing than, what do you youngins call it these days, a little “retail therapy.” And I noticed y’all didn’t bring me the French toast that
I asked for, but that’s ok, we will stop out for breakfast too. I am feeling great today”.

  “Ok, Mammy, just let me go talk to your doctor once and make sure we are all good to go,” says Bo.

  “So, what did you kids get into last night that was so entertaining you forgot to make an old lady’s breakfast?” she asks Katy, laughing.

  “I’m so sorry, Miss Viola, we did bake the bread before we fell asleep but we… we actually had a lot of fun last night. We went out to Rock Hill Creek and skipped pebbles and talked a lot after going by Andersons Diner and stuffing ourselves with a super mega pile.”

  “Well, indeed, it does sound like you two have had fun, just like I suspected.”

  “You know, Miss Viola, your grandson is quite handsome, and can be such a gentleman.”

  “Oh I know, hunny, but don’t you dare tell him, his head doesn’t need to get any bigger. I am sure I have told you this before.”

  They both smirk as Bo comes back into the room and grabs Viola’s bags for her and whispers in Katy’s ear, “she voluntarily stayed overnight to be monitored, the doctor says she could have gone home last night.”

  Katy smiles, knowing exactly what Viola is up to, and they walk towards those big double doors for their morning out on the town. “This should be an interesting day,” Katy thinks to herself, darting a look in Bo’s direction to see if he is looking as utterly happy as she is.

  As they come up to Martha’s salon, Viola says to Katy and Bo, “I’m going in to get a manicure, you two run along and grab a cup of Joe or something. I should be done in about an hour.”

  “Mammy, you know you are supposed to be relaxing,” says Bo.

  “This is a woman’s way of relaxing, darling.”

  Katy and Bo just smile and shake their heads as they walk out of the door and across the street over to the coffee shop. They get their cups of coffee coincidentally made the same way - black with two sugars - and sit down.

  “You know what she is up to, don’t you?” Katy asks Bo.

  “No, what do you mean?”

  “She wants us to spend time together,” Katy replies.

  “Well, if that is her agenda, I have no complaints,” says Bo, with a crooked grin, and a sentimental gaze into her pale blue eyes. Sitting there sipping their cups of coffee, Bo slips his hand out on the table hoping that Katy will grab hold of it, and she does.

  “You know, Bo, I have been thinking, and I would really like you to come to church with us tomorrow.”

  “Oh Katy, I don’t know. I haven’t been to that place in years, I would just feel awkward, ya know?”

  “No,” replies Katy, “you have no reason to feel awkward.”

  “I know you are feeling some pain about your past, and maybe even some pain about the present. Your future didn’t exactly turn out like you had hoped for, did it?” she asks.

  “No, I thought I would be married by now and just have a more fulfilling life. I feel like all I do is work and sleep when I am back in Dallas.”

  “So pray about it,” Katy says, “there is no one that loves you and wants to help you more than God. All you have to do is give it to Him and He will fix it. Don’t hold on to it, it’s like an anchor weighing you down. Trust me, I have been there before. When my mom passed away, then my dad passed away, I had a really hard time, but I just put it all in God’s hands and I couldn’t be happier, other than the fact that all the ladies in town whisper about me when they see me because I’m twenty-five and still unmarried, with no boyfriend, but I am focused on God and doing the things He has called me to do.”

  “So are you saying you don’t want a boyfriend?” Bo asks.

  “No, I’m not. I do, I just hadn’t met the right one yet.”

  “Hadn’t,” says Bo, “so are you saying you have met the right one?”

  “Maybe,” she replies.

  “Well, Katy, then I feel the need to ask you this question before that other guy comes and swoops you off of your feet. Will you be mine?”

  Katy turns beet red even though she had been expecting this. However, she wasn’t expecting it to come out like a second grade valentine card.

  “Of course, I would love to be. There is only one stipulation.”

  “What’s that?” says Bo.

  “Come back to church,” she says.

  “That’s it?” replies Bo. “Just come back to church?”

  “Come back to church and get right with God again. I told you, I cannot be in a relationship with someone who does not have a relationship with Christ.”

  “Done,” he says. “Now, let’s go see if Mammy is done with her nails and tell her the good news.”

  They walk back slowly to Martha’s salon, hand in hand. They both feel like they are in a fairy tale, walking on clouds. As they enter the salon, they see that Viola is sitting in a chair reading a magazine.

  “Mammy, I thought you said it would take an hour to get your nails done? We are fifteen minutes early and you are already done.” Katy and Viola laugh.

  “You don’t have to send us off anymore, Miss Viola, we are officially a couple.” They raise their paired hands up in the air and Viola clasps her hands over her mouth and gasps, “Oh aren’t you two so sweet? Well, how did this happen, and I knew nothing of it.”

  “Sure, Mammy,” replies Bo. “I think it’s time for us to go home now and put your feet up like the doctor recommended,” he says. “Katy and I will make dinner.” He looks at her and grins.

  “Oh good, and this time I don’t have to send you off to the grocery for a list of things I already have,” she giggles and slaps her knee.

  “What would you like for dinner tonight, Miss Viola?” Katy asks as they walk up the front steps.

  “What are you good at?” she replies.

  “Spaghetti.”

  “Then spaghetti, it is,” says Viola.

  They help Viola get all of her belongings that she had with her at the hospital put away and make her sit down in the recliner with a pillow under her feet and bring her a cup of tea.

  “Did you two stick me in this chair so I wouldn’t be bothering you in the kitchen? You know I can’t get up from here leaned all the way back like this.”

  “Nooo, Mammy, we are just trying to follow the doctor’s orders. They made you stay overnight for evaluation, this is serious,” says Bo.

  “Ok, ok,” replies Viola, “I fibbed a little, I am sorry. I just wanted you two to get to spend some alone time together and have some fun. You both needed to relax a little, sit back and smell the honeysuckle.”

  “You know lying is a sin, Mammy.”

  “Boy, I asked forgiveness before I even pulled that one out of my hat,” Viola snaps back. “It was for the greater good, anyway. Now bring me the clicker, I think it’s time for Wheel of Fortune and I feel a headache coming on.”

  He smiles and walks over to his grandmother and hands her the clicker, bends down and gives her a kiss on the cheek, “Thank you, Mammy,” he whispers in her ear.

  “Don’t mention it, stud,” she laughs and pats him on the hand. “Now get in there and ask her if she needs some help.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he says enthusiastically as he does a little jig on his way to the kitchen. He hasn’t felt this free in a long time. “I guess this is what being in love feels like,” he thinks to himself.

  He stands in the doorway of the kitchen staring at her from behind for a moment thinking that she must be the most beautiful, caring, loving woman he has ever met. Not every day do you come across a woman that has the selflessness to take care of someone on her day off and make her sole purpose in life to help others and please God.

  “Katy, what can I help with?”

  “You don’t have to help, silly, just sit down and keep me company.”

  “So...” says Katy, “are you planning on coming to church in the morning?”

  “I don’t know,” replies Bo, “I haven’t been in so long, I don’t want people to look at me funny.”

 
“Don’t worry about what other people think. You are the notorious Bo Brogan, big time lawyer, where is this self-consciousness coming from?”

  “Maybe I just feel bad for being out of the church for so long and being so self-centered. All I have thought about since I graduated was my next big win, whether it was an A on a college exam, or a case with a new client, winning the case, I haven’t prayed in so long that it is pathetic.”

  “It’s never too late to start,” says Katy.

  “Do you pray a lot?” asks Bo.

  “Umm, yes, I pray about 15 times a day, NOT including bed time prayers.”

  “What do you say?” he asks.

  “I say a lot of stuff. I thank God for everything that He has given me - my house, my job, my car, the sunlight and beautiful trees and plants, Miss Viola, and just recently, I thanked Him for you.”