Marilee jumped out and went to meet them and kiss them both. “Oh, I missed you so much!”
Willie Lee said school was okay, but that Munro did not want to go anymore.
Corrine said she would like a special planner notebook. “In lavender, if I can,” she added.
Tate said, “We need to celebrate today,” and cast Marilee a private smile. “Let’s go down to Blaine’s.”
They were greeted by Aunt Vella, who was once again manning the soda fountain, but only four days a week, with Fridays off. She said, “How are my shu-gahs today?” and kissed each of them, even Tate.
Willie Lee wanted a cherry ice-cream cone, and, “Mun-ro wants a dish of van-il-la, please.”
Corrine, after much deliberation, chose a dish of pecan ice cream.
Tate ordered a glass of iced tea, and Marilee, who had been about to get a chocolate shake, changed her mind. “I’ll take iced tea, too.”
The bell above the door rang out, and Parker entered. Tate welcomed him over. “Let me buy you a cold drink, buddy.”
Parker went behind the counter and got his own drink, then leaned on the counter to visit with all of them, the children telling about school, Parker telling about one of his patients, Aunt Vella talking about her latest rose catalog. Soon here came Uncle Perry and Winston from back in the pharmacy. The two, to everyone’s amazement, had taken up playing chess. They sat in chairs with glasses of lemonade and discussed the television channel that featured a chess instruction program.
Marilee’s eyes chanced to look up in the long mirror on the wall. She saw herself and Tate, sitting side by side, in the midst of her family and friends.
Quite suddenly she realized she was looking at today, herself as a full woman, the haunting of yesterday’s child nearly faded clear away.
Tate’s gaze met hers in the mirror. He leaned over and gave her a kiss, then said, “Good company, good tea…it doesn’t get any better than this.”
The Valentine Voice
Wednesday, August 23
Local Boy Struck By Fortune
By Tammy Crawford
Staff Writer
Willie Lee James woke up to find himself rich this morning, when the stock he owns in the Tell-In Technologies Corporation split two for one late yesterday afternoon.
It was reported early last week that Tell-In Technologies Corporation, a computer firm, had released a revolutionary new computer containing a more accurate and faster processor, in part powered by a chip developed within the company. Since that time, the corporation’s stock has been climbing in value.
Last spring, Tell-In suffered a theft of the new chip that enables their revolutionary processor. Willie Lee James was instrumental in finding the chip, and the president of Tell-In, Mr. Thomas Gerard, personally rewarded the boy with a gift of stock.
In the past weeks, beginning with rumors of the new computer, the young James found his stock already nearing triple its original value. With this split, and as of this report, his stock’s value is in excess of 115,000. The stock is expected to keep rising for some months to come.
When asked for comment, Mr. Willie Lee James said, “I am going to buy Munro a new collar. A gold one.”
Young James’s mother said they did plan to sell some of the stock and begin a trust fund for her son, as well as endow a learning-disabled program for the Valentine school district.
Tell-In president, Thomas Gerard, has said he is going to join in spirit with Ms. James by establishing an endowment for the learning-disabled nationwide.
Tate, upon making his normal rounds of town that afternoon, made certain everyone saw the article on Willie Lee. He said, “Just when you think it doesn’t get any better, by golly, it always can!”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-0281-1
COLD TEA ON A HOT DAY
Copyright © 2001 by Curtiss Ann Matlock.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, MIRA Books, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
MIRA and the Star Colophon are trademarks used under license and registered in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.
www.MIRABooks.com
Cold Tea on a Hot Day Page 34
