trot.
“Austin is quite a modern town, really,” Michael said
quietly. “There are a lot of artistic types here. I think you’ll fit in just
fine,” he said.
Ramona paused for a second before she nodded her head
quickly and smiled brightly. “Perhaps.”
They navigated their way through the construction site of
the capital building where Michael worked. He pointed out the area where he was
currently working, and told her a little about his job. He told her about the
foreman, and about Tony.
“Tony’s always been there for me, since I don’t have any
family in these parts. He’s Italian too, you know? Like you.”
“Oh?” she said. “I look forward to meeting him. You’ll have
to introduce us soon,” Ramona said.
Then, furrowing her brow a little she added. “Michael, you
don’t know anyone who works at the University of Texas, do you?”
Michael shook his head as the wagon left the construction
site and headed toward the neighborhood where Michael’s small house sat perched
on a crest. “No, sorry,” he said. “I don’t know anyone in those circles.”
“Oh,” Ramona said, leaning back against the seat. Michael
heard the disappointment in her voice.
“Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Ramona said quickly. “I was just curious,
that’s all. Never mind.”
“I can take you up there if you like,” Michael said, keen
to see her smile again. “We can go look at the university together. I’ve never
been, really, but I know there’s nice parks on the grounds, with fountains and
places to sit. We could sit, have a little picnic.”
Ramona nodded her head. “That sounds nice,” she said,
leaning her head back against the leather seat. “Right now, all I know is that I’m
awful tired after my trip. Let’s do it soon though.”
“You got it.”
“Michael, where are we going?”
“Uh. Oh, sorry. I should have told you. Back to my house.”
“Oh!”
“I mean, not just us – Fred and Mary will be there too.
They’re friends of mine. They’ve agreed to stay with us until the wedding.”
Ramona shifted in her seat, and coughed loudly, covering
her mouth with her gloved hand.
Michael frowned. “I thought about putting you up at a
hotel, but then decided you might be more comfortable at the house. ‘Course if
you’d rather…”
“No, no. That sounds fine. Really, please don’t trouble
yourself. I’m sure it will be wonderful.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence, Michael was too
nervous to broach the topic of the wedding again. When he’d mentioned it, she
had jumped in place, as though a bolt of lightning had gone straight through
her. There’s something on her mind. And I don’t know what it is. Maybe she
is just tired after all, like she said. Michael gripped the reigns tightly
as he steered the wagon home.
Now that she’s seen Austin, and seen me, it’s likely she
won’t want to go through with it anyway. I wonder what a girl like Ramona is
doing travelling across the country on her own to marry a stranger. A woman
like her, so beautiful and glamorous. She likely took one good look at me and
realized she’d made a huge mistake.
He turned to observe the girl curled up on the wagon seat beside
him, her large brown eyes already drooping closed, her head lolling to one
side.
I saw the disappointment on her face when I told her I
don’t know any university types. A girl like her, she must be used to spending
time with intellectuals and performers. I’ll likely never be enough for her.
When they arrived at the house, Ramona shook the sleepiness
from her limbs, and clambered out of the wagon on Michael’s arm. The cottage
was very cozy looking, and a soft light drifted from the front windows and
across the newly graveled garden path that led to a sturdy front door. Michael grabbed
Ramona’s luggage and helped her inside. A man and a woman seated before a
roaring fire jumped to their feet and hurried over to meet them.
“Ramona, this here is Mary, and
“Austin is quite a modern town, really,” Michael said
quietly. “There are a lot of artistic types here. I think you’ll fit in just
fine,” he said.
Ramona paused for a second before she nodded her head
quickly and smiled brightly. “Perhaps.”
They navigated their way through the construction site of
the capital building where Michael worked. He pointed out the area where he was
currently working, and told her a little about his job. He told her about the
foreman, and about Tony.
“Tony’s always been there for me, since I don’t have any
family in these parts. He’s Italian too, you know? Like you.”
“Oh?” she said. “I look forward to meeting him. You’ll have
to introduce us soon,” Ramona said.
Then, furrowing her brow a little she added. “Michael, you
don’t know anyone who works at the University of Texas, do you?”
Michael shook his head as the wagon left the construction
site and headed toward the neighborhood where Michael’s small house sat perched
on a crest. “No, sorry,” he said. “I don’t know anyone in those circles.”
“Oh,” Ramona said, leaning back against the seat. Michael
heard the disappointment in her voice.
“Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Ramona said quickly. “I was just curious,
that’s all. Never mind.”
“I can take you up there if you like,” Michael said, keen
to see her smile again. “We can go look at the university together. I’ve never
been, really, but I know there’s nice parks on the grounds, with fountains and
places to sit. We could sit, have a little picnic.”
Ramona nodded her head. “That sounds nice,” she said,
leaning her head back against the leather seat. “Right now, all I know is that I’m
awful tired after my trip. Let’s do it soon though.”
“You got it.”
“Michael, where are we going?”
“Uh. Oh, sorry. I should have told you. Back to my house.”
“Oh!”
“I mean, not just us – Fred and Mary will be there too.
They’re friends of mine. They’ve agreed to stay with us until the wedding.”
Ramona shifted in her seat, and coughed loudly, covering
her mouth with her gloved hand.
Michael frowned. “I thought about putting you up at a
hotel, but then decided you might be more comfortable at the house. ‘Course if
you’d rather…”
“No, no. That sounds fine. Really, please don’t trouble
yourself. I’m sure it will be wonderful.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence, Michael was too
nervous to broach the topic of the wedding again. When he’d mentioned it, she
had jumped in place, as though a bolt of lightning had gone straight through
her. There’s something on her mind. And I don’t know what it is. Maybe she
is just tired after all, like she said. Michael gripped the reigns tightly
as he steered the wagon home.
Now that she’s seen Austin, and seen me, it’s likely she
won’t want to go through with it anyway. I wonder what a girl like Ramona is
doing travelling across the country on her own to marry a stranger. A woman
like her, so beautiful and glamorous. She likely took one good look at me and
realized she’d made a huge mistake.
He turned to observe the girl curled up on the wagon seat beside
him, her large brown eyes already drooping closed, her head lolling to one
side.
I saw the disappointment on her face when I told her I
don’t know any university types. A girl like her, she must be used to spending
time with intellectuals and performers. I’ll likely never be enough for her.
When they arrived at the house, Ramona shook the sleepiness
from her limbs, and clambered out of the wagon on Michael’s arm. The cottage
was very cozy looking, and a soft light drifted from the front windows and
across the newly graveled garden path that led to a sturdy front door. Michael grabbed
Ramona’s luggage and helped her inside. A man and a woman seated before a
roaring fire jumped to their feet and hurried over to meet them.
“Ramona, this here is Mary, and
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