expenses, of course.”
Rainey didn’t argue. He just looked satisfied.
After dinner was over and Chantry had washed up for Mama, he went outside to find her sitting on the top step in front. She wore a light sweater pulled tight around her, and stared up at the sky like she was counting stars.
“Why’d you do that?” he asked when he sat beside her. “I thought he was going to say no.”
“Now he thinks he has a good bargain. He’s more likely to stick to it. Keep a detailed list of your expenses. Oh, look at the moon. It’s nearly full.”
He turned to look. It was bright in the sky, still low enough, looking like a misshapen egg against the dark velvet night. Stars glittered, so many he’d never be able to count them all.
“I met your father on a night like this,” Mama said softly, and Chantry went still. She never talked about him. He always had to pull information from her a little at a time, and still never heard enough about his father. Mama went on:
“My car broke down and he stopped to help me. He had it fixed in only fifteen minutes. Then we went for coffee but ended up sitting in the park by the river and looking at the stars. Time passed so quickly it was nearly morning before we knew it.”
She said all that in a dreamy tone, as if talking to herself. He waited, holding his breath, the yearning to hear more so sharp inside that it hurt. Mama’s hair was softer around her face, looser than usual, and a faintly wistful smile made her look almost young again.
She turned to look at him. “I thought it would last forever. So did he. It turned out that only a few months was our forever.”
He wanted to ask what she meant, but inside the house Rainey shouted at Mikey to shut up and Mama quickly got up and went inside. He heard her speak sharply to Rainey, and then softly to Mikey, who must have had a bad dream again.
Disappointed, he got up and went around back to check on Shadow. He looked lonely in the empty pen, but leaped up when he saw Chantry. Bright clear eyes gleamed in light from the house windows, and he gave a quick bark. Chantry shushed him, afraid Rainey might come out and decide the dog was a nuisance.
Shadow’s fur had grown out soft and silky, a pretty coat for all that the dog was still so small. But he’d grow. Doc Malone had given him a bunch of vitamins and supplements for his food that would ensure it. Shadow gave Chantry’s fingers a good cleaning. He’d have to build a dog house before much longer so he’d have a warm place during the cold, wet months. Maybe he could find some extra wood in the garage that’d do for part of it. He’d keep helping Dempsey with autumn planting in the park, spreading mulch and putting in bulbs for spring and that would bring in a little bit more money. But he needed steady work.
After school and on weekends would be all he could manage and keep his grades up. Mama was really strict about that. She said he’d have to have good grades to get a scholarship to college, because they’d never be able to afford it. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go to college or what he wanted to do. He did know he wanted out of Cane Creek. He’d do anything he had to do. He wanted a job that’d pay enough to take Mama with him, and with insurance so he could get Mikey’s legs fixed. And his heart. The doctors here said Mikey needed a hole in his heart fixed in the next few years if he was ever to grow stronger.
He’d do it. He’d do it all. Mama always said a person could do anything if they wanted it bad enough and worked hard enough for it. He guessed maybe she didn’t want more than she had now, since she worked hard all the time and still didn’t have much that he could see. They got up early every day, and walked down to the end of Liberty Road to wait on Mama’s ride to school, where he and Mikey would sit in her empty classroom and do their lessons or read while Mama did all the stuff schoolteachers had to do before their day started.
Rainey didn’t argue. He just looked satisfied.
After dinner was over and Chantry had washed up for Mama, he went outside to find her sitting on the top step in front. She wore a light sweater pulled tight around her, and stared up at the sky like she was counting stars.
“Why’d you do that?” he asked when he sat beside her. “I thought he was going to say no.”
“Now he thinks he has a good bargain. He’s more likely to stick to it. Keep a detailed list of your expenses. Oh, look at the moon. It’s nearly full.”
He turned to look. It was bright in the sky, still low enough, looking like a misshapen egg against the dark velvet night. Stars glittered, so many he’d never be able to count them all.
“I met your father on a night like this,” Mama said softly, and Chantry went still. She never talked about him. He always had to pull information from her a little at a time, and still never heard enough about his father. Mama went on:
“My car broke down and he stopped to help me. He had it fixed in only fifteen minutes. Then we went for coffee but ended up sitting in the park by the river and looking at the stars. Time passed so quickly it was nearly morning before we knew it.”
She said all that in a dreamy tone, as if talking to herself. He waited, holding his breath, the yearning to hear more so sharp inside that it hurt. Mama’s hair was softer around her face, looser than usual, and a faintly wistful smile made her look almost young again.
She turned to look at him. “I thought it would last forever. So did he. It turned out that only a few months was our forever.”
He wanted to ask what she meant, but inside the house Rainey shouted at Mikey to shut up and Mama quickly got up and went inside. He heard her speak sharply to Rainey, and then softly to Mikey, who must have had a bad dream again.
Disappointed, he got up and went around back to check on Shadow. He looked lonely in the empty pen, but leaped up when he saw Chantry. Bright clear eyes gleamed in light from the house windows, and he gave a quick bark. Chantry shushed him, afraid Rainey might come out and decide the dog was a nuisance.
Shadow’s fur had grown out soft and silky, a pretty coat for all that the dog was still so small. But he’d grow. Doc Malone had given him a bunch of vitamins and supplements for his food that would ensure it. Shadow gave Chantry’s fingers a good cleaning. He’d have to build a dog house before much longer so he’d have a warm place during the cold, wet months. Maybe he could find some extra wood in the garage that’d do for part of it. He’d keep helping Dempsey with autumn planting in the park, spreading mulch and putting in bulbs for spring and that would bring in a little bit more money. But he needed steady work.
After school and on weekends would be all he could manage and keep his grades up. Mama was really strict about that. She said he’d have to have good grades to get a scholarship to college, because they’d never be able to afford it. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go to college or what he wanted to do. He did know he wanted out of Cane Creek. He’d do anything he had to do. He wanted a job that’d pay enough to take Mama with him, and with insurance so he could get Mikey’s legs fixed. And his heart. The doctors here said Mikey needed a hole in his heart fixed in the next few years if he was ever to grow stronger.
He’d do it. He’d do it all. Mama always said a person could do anything if they wanted it bad enough and worked hard enough for it. He guessed maybe she didn’t want more than she had now, since she worked hard all the time and still didn’t have much that he could see. They got up early every day, and walked down to the end of Liberty Road to wait on Mama’s ride to school, where he and Mikey would sit in her empty classroom and do their lessons or read while Mama did all the stuff schoolteachers had to do before their day started.
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