while.”
Another car pulled up and then another as the families arrived for the Wednesday church meeting. Jeb greeted each respective
family and then waved at Will and Freda. She met up with two friends and they walked into the church, but not so talkative.
Jeb asked Will to take his spot greeting folks so that he could return to the platform and gather his notes. It would be a
brief service, but a good message from the New Testament.
“I hear you’ve taken in some trouble, Parson,” said Oz.
“Depends on how you describe trouble.”
“Folks are starting to wonder if you’ll ever get the hang of this job.”
“The truth is that she was dropped off without my consent. But I have her now. So I have to see to her needs.”
“You might want to remember the needs of those who pay your biscuit-and-coffee tab every week at Beulah’s.”
Jeb made a fist at his side.
“My opinion? You’re a fool for not dropping the kid off in Tempest’s Bog,” said Oz.
“Maybe she’s better off with me. Who are you to say?” He stepped toward Oz.
Oz held up both hands in mock surrender. “None of my business, Parson. Let’s go stand by the fire, boys. It’s cold on this
side of the room.”
Fern came through the door holding Ida May by the hand. Behind her, Angel stared hard into a worn pink bunting, like the contents
might break if she so much as sneezed.
Jeb brought his right hand into his left. He came two shakes from pummeling Oz Mills two feet from the altar. He took a breath
and mounted the platform.
Some of the women gathered around Angel when she showed up holding a baby. Mellie Fogarty asked to see the child. Angel said,
“She’s sleeping. She just had her supper,” and then walked away from the ladies. Ida May led the way to a pew one seat behind
Fern.
Fern smiled up at Jeb, but his thoughts wandered back to what he was about to say.
Oz and the young banking clerks took a seat in Fern’s row, right next to the schoolteacher.
Jeb opened with prayer and then said, “My children and I received a precious package on our doorstep this week. For those
of you who don’t know, someone dropped a baby off with us. Her name is Myrtle.”
Some of the women craned their necks to see Angel’s package.
“Being as how I don’t have a wife at my side, it don’t seem fitting that I try and take care of another child. Especially
a newborn baby.”
Many of the women cooed at the mention of a newborn.
Then from the middle of the church, Josie came to her feet and said, “You forgot to mention that baby’s not white, Reverend.”
She floated back down, quiet.
Each woman’s smile faded, like lilies losing their blush. Their eyes strayed from Jeb, no longer held spellbound by the news
of their minister. The church building held silence as well as it held music, but the silence paralyzed Jeb in a manner that
caused him to want to toss away the evening’s sermon. Finally he cleared his throat and said, “I guess the good Lord’s given
her to me then. Pray then that I won’t allow harm to come her way. Ask God to give me grace if he won’t give me a wife.”
His last comment caused some of the women and the men to laugh. Fern laughed without opening her mouth.
Jeb waited for her eyes to connect with his. He wanted to come down from the platform, take her by the hand, and walk away
from this troublesome place. But instead he opened his Bible and began to read.
7
S
CHOOL HAD BEEN OUT FOR TWO HOURS AND Fern’s automobile sat parked in front of her cottage. Jeb paced, treading out a one-by-three-foot path in front of her doorway
before he announced his arrival. Wednesday night after church, Oz had walked her out to her car.
The moon’s high and yellow mark beyond the paper shell pecan trees was too good a light to waste on Oz Mills. Oz had given
her a peck on the cheek, but it was too dark to tell if Fern liked it or not.
Today Jeb wanted answers from Fern once and for
Another car pulled up and then another as the families arrived for the Wednesday church meeting. Jeb greeted each respective
family and then waved at Will and Freda. She met up with two friends and they walked into the church, but not so talkative.
Jeb asked Will to take his spot greeting folks so that he could return to the platform and gather his notes. It would be a
brief service, but a good message from the New Testament.
“I hear you’ve taken in some trouble, Parson,” said Oz.
“Depends on how you describe trouble.”
“Folks are starting to wonder if you’ll ever get the hang of this job.”
“The truth is that she was dropped off without my consent. But I have her now. So I have to see to her needs.”
“You might want to remember the needs of those who pay your biscuit-and-coffee tab every week at Beulah’s.”
Jeb made a fist at his side.
“My opinion? You’re a fool for not dropping the kid off in Tempest’s Bog,” said Oz.
“Maybe she’s better off with me. Who are you to say?” He stepped toward Oz.
Oz held up both hands in mock surrender. “None of my business, Parson. Let’s go stand by the fire, boys. It’s cold on this
side of the room.”
Fern came through the door holding Ida May by the hand. Behind her, Angel stared hard into a worn pink bunting, like the contents
might break if she so much as sneezed.
Jeb brought his right hand into his left. He came two shakes from pummeling Oz Mills two feet from the altar. He took a breath
and mounted the platform.
Some of the women gathered around Angel when she showed up holding a baby. Mellie Fogarty asked to see the child. Angel said,
“She’s sleeping. She just had her supper,” and then walked away from the ladies. Ida May led the way to a pew one seat behind
Fern.
Fern smiled up at Jeb, but his thoughts wandered back to what he was about to say.
Oz and the young banking clerks took a seat in Fern’s row, right next to the schoolteacher.
Jeb opened with prayer and then said, “My children and I received a precious package on our doorstep this week. For those
of you who don’t know, someone dropped a baby off with us. Her name is Myrtle.”
Some of the women craned their necks to see Angel’s package.
“Being as how I don’t have a wife at my side, it don’t seem fitting that I try and take care of another child. Especially
a newborn baby.”
Many of the women cooed at the mention of a newborn.
Then from the middle of the church, Josie came to her feet and said, “You forgot to mention that baby’s not white, Reverend.”
She floated back down, quiet.
Each woman’s smile faded, like lilies losing their blush. Their eyes strayed from Jeb, no longer held spellbound by the news
of their minister. The church building held silence as well as it held music, but the silence paralyzed Jeb in a manner that
caused him to want to toss away the evening’s sermon. Finally he cleared his throat and said, “I guess the good Lord’s given
her to me then. Pray then that I won’t allow harm to come her way. Ask God to give me grace if he won’t give me a wife.”
His last comment caused some of the women and the men to laugh. Fern laughed without opening her mouth.
Jeb waited for her eyes to connect with his. He wanted to come down from the platform, take her by the hand, and walk away
from this troublesome place. But instead he opened his Bible and began to read.
7
S
CHOOL HAD BEEN OUT FOR TWO HOURS AND Fern’s automobile sat parked in front of her cottage. Jeb paced, treading out a one-by-three-foot path in front of her doorway
before he announced his arrival. Wednesday night after church, Oz had walked her out to her car.
The moon’s high and yellow mark beyond the paper shell pecan trees was too good a light to waste on Oz Mills. Oz had given
her a peck on the cheek, but it was too dark to tell if Fern liked it or not.
Today Jeb wanted answers from Fern once and for
Similar Books
