But that would have to wait. It was Monday. And she needed to make a list. First get Al’s room cleaned up. Get on down to the Salvation Army and look for some curtains. Or…she smiled…sew some new ones. Maybe a trip to Benson to visit the fabric store. She made a list and started thinking of Christmas gifts she could sew. Her and mama had always sewed Christmas gifts. Allison was totally nonplussed by homemade things and thought the two of them silly to spend so much time on such things when you could buy gifts already made.
Al forgot it was her and mom who sewed her prom dress and every one of the gowns she wore starting, with her eighth grade graduation. Lacy knew Al realized later how much she missed those hand-made gowns when she, as reigning Queen of Jackson County, had to spend her own earned money to buy them at Bensen’s expensive stores.
She ran upstairs and dug out the old sewing machine and set it on the bedside table Al had left behind. There were many miles on that motor and she hoped it still worked. After a few adjustments, a little oil from the miniature can, it was humming quite nicely. She found a scrap of material and was checking out the stitches when she recognized the pattern on the material; it was from a dress mother made for her in the seventh grade. She stopped sewing and smoothed her hand over the material, put it to her nose remembering the day and how proud she was to wear it.
What had she done with her life. Not much, mostly treaded water, she admitted. But what was past could not be relived.
When her eyes could not stay open any longer, she set the sewing aside and went to bed. Tomorrow she’d set everything up, including a cutting table. There was a long table in the barn that would suit perfectly.
* * *
The next morning, Lacy didn’t wake until nearly seven, an hour past her usual wake-up time. She jumped out of bed and then remembered -- it was another free day. Smiling and humming, she put on her old work shorts a paint stained-blouse and tennis shoes. “Workday.” she said aloud.
“Redd you hear me out now. Life changes, we have to change with it.” She laughed at herself and carried feed and water, then went digging into the back of the old barn. Yep, there it was, the old table. Problem was it was on the hayloft level and there was no way she could haul it down alone.
“Well, so much for that.” She wiped dusty hands on her shorts. “Could use a man around here once in a while. Today it’ll take two.” But today was Tuesday and every man she knew was either working their farm or at one of the manufacturing places in Marston.
Hands on hips, she wondered who to call and remembered Bobby. He might be around. She dashed in and called and sure enough he was available and bringing his two-man crew with him. And would she mind cooking up some of her good corn for lunch.
She laughed and hurried to the field to get fresh corn and then to the house; peeled a batch of potatoes, onions and green peppers in a frying pan and fried up some zucchini, sliced some tomatoes. That was her standard dinner that could be thrown together quick. An extra large pitcher of lemonade was waiting, too.
When she heard the rattle of Bobby’s truck, she laughed. Maybe Kippy had been wrong about a brand new truck. Bobby’s wreck was the same old red dump truck that held all his tools and paint stuff.
Bobby and his guys carried that table in and had it sitting up in her sewing room in six minutes, asking if there was anything else Miss Lacy needed moved. She could see their hungry eyes.
“Not a thing, fellas. Just sit and eat. Didn’t have time for dessert today.”
“No matter Miss Lacy. We haven’t eaten decent lunches for a long time. This’ll do just fine.”
“You find a fellow yet?” Bobby teased her.
“Nope. But I heard something about you finding a pretty girl. You know anything about that?” She plopped her hands at her waist.
She saw the guys grin and knew what Kippy said was true.
“Heard you got a new truck too.”
“Yeah, she’s a pretty one. Fire engine red Ford 250 with turbo engine, big tires and boy does she sound good. “
“Hmmmm…” Lacy sat down and ate with them.
Before she was halfway through her food, she heard all three chairs slide against the linoleum as they stood up thanking her for lunch.
“Anything else you need moved today?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“Well next time you do, call and we’ll right come over. Your cookin’s worth it.”
“Thanks Bobby, guys…Allison moved to a new condo and that means I may be needing some help every now and again.”
“You just call. And keep that good sweet corn coming…”
They hauled out the door, the screen door slamming after them.
She sat back down and finished her food, glad to have friends she could call on. Lacy also realized she could not keep asking Bobby and his crew to help her on the farm. Up to now she and Allison had done everything. Now things had changed. She knew one thing. Lacy Lee Linden was going to have to change too.
As soon as that thought went through her mind she remembered she’d promised Kippy she’d make a casserole. While the noodles were cooking she prepared the cake and strawberry Jell-O and put Cool Whip out to thaw.
In no time she was headed over with the food. Lacy remembered Kippy’s house looked just the same as when she was little. It was one of the oldest and finest homes in their small community. Some said builders came from Italy and Germany to do the work inside. History said, it was built by a man who had made his fortune in the 1849 gold rush. It boasted eight sets of pocket doors and six carved fireplaces, not to mention sixteen foot ceilings and half a dozen stain glass windows. She knocked at the door standing on the wraparound porch, balancing the cake in one hand, the small casserole dish in the other.
The young girl, Mei Li came to the door and held it open.
She looked so sad, Lacy found herself talking, hoping to make her smile. Kippy was upstairs in the shower from what she could understand.
“I’ll just leave this here. Maybe we could sit on the porch?”
The girl looked at her, so Lacy motioned for her to follow and took a seat on the wide veranda. The wooden summer chairs were handmade by Kippy’s father. He spent most of his life keeping the locals and the county citizens in porch chairs. They were actually comfortable. After a time, Kippy came out, a towel wrapped around her head.
“Oh Miss Lacy, it is you. I wondered who was out here talking.
“I brought food.”
“I smelled it as I came through. We are hungry. We’ve been working the green beans today. Mei Li likes to work, that’s for sure. I could hardly get that girl to sit down.”
“Well, think I’ll be going. I’m sure you girls have plenty to do. Got my sewing machine out.” She gave Kippy a look.
“You don’t say. Maybe we could have a quilting party like we used to do when I was little. I’m going to see if my girl would like to learn to sew. I will not force her, mind you, but a person never knows what they’re good at until they try. Would you say I’m right?”
“Of course you are. I’m going to make some curtains. You in need of material, Kippy? I plan on making a trip up to that nice store in Bensen, if you two want to come along.”
“Oh Miss Lacy, we’d love that. You know I don’t drive so it would be a treat. I’ll pay your gas.”
“Suits me.” Lacy knew Kippy paid her own way.
“Fine, let’s head up there tomorrow, if you’re free.”
“I’m always free.” Lacy let the words slip off her tongue. New words, new life. “Good, I’ll be back tomorrow. What time’s good for you?”
“Oh say nine o’clock. We want to get home so we can work on a project, what with all the material we’ll have.”
“Okay, I’ll be back at nine.” Lacy waved and left Kippy and Mei-Le to their dinner.
Chapter 15
By the time Lacy hauled her packages in the door, she could hardly breathe. The late summer temperatures had skyrocketed leaving everyone breathl
ess. But the bag she carried held a plethora of material for a dozen ideas that seemed to grow with each piece she picked up.
The rest of the day was decided. No outdoor work. With the overhead fan and an extra one Al left sitting next to her machine, she cut and sewed all afternoon. The radio was blasting tunes from the 50s and 60s from the other room, temperatures were hottest of the year, it said.
Her scissors cut and her lips held straight pins while she sewed and hung two new pairs of curtains. She stood back, and looked at them, beautiful shades of aqua and purple flowers barely visible on a cream background. They softened the look of the room. At the last minute she added a row of matching cream fringe on the bottom which just added to the look.
She stood back, sweat starting to drip down her neck and felt better than she had in a long time. Now for the perfect paint color for the walls. Dinnertime had long passed. It was too hot to eat so she went down to the kitchen, grabbed a tomato and ate it, slurping over the sink, also something she rarely did and drank ice water with a slice of lemon in it. Refreshed, she went back upstairs and cut out two table runners and four placemats. By the time she remembered to look at the clock, she knew why her eyes were hazing over.
Way past bedtime. A quick shower to wash off all the sweat, she sat in front of the fan to dry her hair then went to bed, turned out the light and never felt better. Her last thoughts were of Thad and Gannon, wondering when Gannon was going to move to his new place.
* * *
When her cell rang next to her ear the next morning, she had the answer.
“Hey Lace, did I wake you?”
“Oh, Thad, yeah, that’s okay. I was up late sewing.”
“Wondered why you didn’t answer the door.” He laughed.
“You downstairs?” Lacy jerked up in bed.
“Yep. I’ll go feed and water Redd. He’s stomping around in the barn.”
“Thanks, I’ll be right down.”
“Stay inside, it’s too hot. Make us some breakfast. I’m starved. You got orange juice.”
“Yep. I’ll see you in a few.” She was glad to hear a voice and to have some company. The house had been way too quiet and it had only been a couple of days. She dressed quickly in shorts and a sleeveless summer top, then ran barefoot down the stairs. Humming she snatched two cans of frozen orange juice concentrate and squeezed half a lemon in the pitcher then added ice.
“No eggs. I looked. Even the hens are too hot.” Thad said as he came through the door, stopped at the old sink in the mudroom and washed up. “Smells good in here.”
“We’ve got plenty of eggs and since I’m the only one eating them, I’m going to have to make egg salad for dinner.” She laughed, hearing the chair screech as Thad took a seat.
“That bother you?”
She turned to look at him. “Why should it?”
“Aw come on Lace. You know you’re gonna miss Al and Gannon.”
“I know.” She wanted to smack him. Did he have to come in and ruin the day right off.
“Heard you wrote a book.”
Lacy dropped the metal spatula she was about to turn his eggs with and bent to pick it up, washed it off and kept her back to him, because if she turned around right now Thaddeus Galen Gannon would see the worst side of her.
“No comment Lace?” He teased.
She hated being cornered.
“Aw come on. Remember we passed on the road early a couple days ago? I was at Al’s. We happened to run across each other in Bensen, she was looking for antiques and I was looking for a place to take some of Gannon’s antiques, since he can’t take them all with him. We went to her place and spent the night talking.”
“So?”
“You jealous?” He teased again and helped himself to a glass of OJ.
Lacy kept her lips pinched together and shook her head. What a dumb bucket, like her dad would say. Dumb bucket wouldn’t even hold water. Thad was a dumb bucket.
“You’re mad aren’t you?” He sounded surprised. “Why would you be mad? It’s at the local library.”
“That’s not the point, Thad.”
“Well, what is the point, Lace?”
“The point is.” She turned to give him a look. “That my sister was not supposed to tell anyone that I wrote it. THAT’S the point.” She reiterated in case he didn’t get it the first time.
“She didn’t tell me that you wrote it. I guessed and when her face turned three shades of red, she didn’t have to say anything else. So stop figuring people are talking behind your back, okay? You wrote a book. Big deal. What’s your problem anyway?”
Lacy tossed the eggs on his plate and hers, set a dish of bacon on the table hard. She fell into her chair and before she could stop them, hot tears began falling. She swiped at them but they kept coming.
“Hey, sorry if I hit a nerve. Guess I’ve been gone longer than I realized. I don’t have any right to judge what’s been happening around here. I haven’t been in touch. Sorry, Lace. When Al told me about the book and her pic in the newspaper, I asked her straight out if you wrote it. I remember you telling me at the bus stop you always wanted to be a writer. She didn’t have to say another word.”
She swiped the back of her hand across her face and said, “It’s not you. It’s me. I’m not used to people getting in my business that’s all.”
“Maybe it’s time someone who cares about you did. I know we didn’t get off to a good start right from the get-go and I think we might want to get that out of the way.”
Lacy was glad he grabbed his fork and started cutting up his eggs and eating. She took a long swig of her juice and tried to eat. She was more angry at herself for being weak than anything. She had always been the strong one and lately it seemed she was feeling sorry for herself.
“Sorry Thad. Why don’t we start over. Why did you call this morning? You guys need dinner?”
“No. I can cook. No matter what you read in the movie mags I do cook for myself. Pretty darn good at it too. I’ll make dinner for you one night to repay you….” He shot her a look.
“What do you need? Spit it out. I hate beating around the bush. I always think the worst.” She put her fork down.
“Gannon wants you to help us move. I told him we could hire someone but he insists that you go through the house before anybody comes. Wants you to have anything you want. Then, he’ll let the movers come.”
“Is that all? I thought you were going to tell me he has cancer or something.”
“No, thank God nothing like that.”
“Well, for one thing I have enough stuff and you’re going to want to sell anything you can to help pay for his new place Thad.”
“Gannon has enough to pay for another life, Lace. He doesn’t need the money. And what he doesn’t have I’ll supply.”
“Which means he’s not going to take no for an answer is he?”
“That’s why I’m here.”
Lacy laughed, glad to move to a different topic. “Stubborn isn’t he? I’ll come over, pick out a few pieces and make him happy, but when he’s moved you can take them back. I can’t keep anything. It belongs to you and your family.”
“Since my dad is long gone, there isn’t any other family, Lace. That’s the problem. Just me. And what in the world am I going to do with an old farmhouse full of antiques.”
“Sell them? People love antiques you know. I love watching the Antique Road Show. People get big money for things that we’d throw away. Why don’t you have someone come in and go through and pick out things that would be sellable at the antique market. You may want to have some pieces shipped to your place, too. You may not think it’s important now, but you can’t get family heirlooms back once their gone.”
“You’re right.” He finished his juice and poured another.
“May not always be right. But practical is what I do best.”
“Yep. Practical Lacy.” He laughed with her.
He stood, cleared his dishes and set them in the sink. “Can you com
e today? He’s anxious to get moved. By the time we go through everything I’m going to have to get back to work. I’ll pay you for your time.”
“You will not.” She stood and gathered her dishes and set them in the sink.
“Then I’m rescinding my offer. You come. I pay. Deal or no deal?”
She ignored him and put the juice pitcher in the fridge and felt him right behind her. Awkward.
“What are you doing Thad? Just because you’re some big star out in Hollywood doesn’t give you the right to boss people around.” She sidestepped him.
“Why is your face turning pink if you are so in charge of everything, Lace?”
“Stop cornering me. I like my space. And…you didn’t even give me time to think before you made your ‘offer’. How can I take money from your grandfather. I can’t that’s all.”
“It’s not coming from his estate. It’s coming from me. I’m in charge here, not you. You come. I pay. You don’t come, Gannon will be hurt beyond words.”
Lacy found him standing, backside against the counter, his blond hair mussed, and looking every bit the actor he was in his worn blue jeans and white t-shirt.
“I’ll come, but I’m not accepting some ridiculous amount to do something I already planned on doing.” She stomped out the door. “You coming?”
He shrugged and drove her down to Gannon’s place, watching her squirm the entire time.
“What is with you?” He finally asked. “You nervous or something?”
“Because of you?” She laughed. “What for?”
Lacy enjoyed his chuckle.
“Just what I need. The skinny teenager with two freckles on her nose at the bus stop and no time for the likes of me.”
“You were stuck up.”
“You were anti-social. Still are.” He shot back.
“Well at least I’ve got the ground under my feet and…” Suddenly she couldn’t think of anything else important in her life.
“Oh now, there you go. Backtracking. Keep focused Lace. Gannon’s going to make you stay all day, you know. I’m going to have to take you to dinner to make up for the time you spend over here.”
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