Finding Madelyn (7 page)

“We’ll take it.”

“Mama!” 

“You will only get to do this once, baby.”

Mrs. Vickers walked away before Maddy could object again.

The
y
walked home, leaving the dress at the shop until they finished paying for it. The realization that it was her
s
slowly set in. With
e
ach passing car she seemed to grow lighter. Biting her lip wondering how Galen would like it. Hoping Pa wouldn’t object.

The baby blue Ford coming toward them caused the swimming feeling in her stomach. It increased as the car slowed.

The man behind the wheel though wasn’t the blue
eyes that were
filling her mind.

“You want a ride the rest of the way?”
Galen’s Uncle Will smiled across the passenger seat.

“No thanks, Will.” Cassie answered through the ope
n window. “It’s not that much fa
rther.”

She pushed off the car and put her arm around Maddy’s waist pulling her along.

“And that’s why we normally make it home earlier.” Cassie smiled.

“You mean you are trying to stay away from Will, not keep me from Galen?”

“Oh, baby. Is that what you thought? Will just likes to talk to me and
I
would rather get home. I like you being around Galen. I don’t worry about him.”

Maddy almost laughed with the relief that Galen wasn’t the problem, but she didn’t want to give away that relief, even to Cassie.



The day of the dance Mama told her to leave early. She ran all the way to the dress shop.

“You’re here early, Madelyn.” Mrs. Vickers said from behind the counter. Her hair was up in a bun, her glasses around her neck, and stray strings hung from her a
rgyle sweater.

“Mama told me to go get ready.” She wiped the sweat from her palms on her jeans.

“You have the
rest of the money
for the dress?” The lady smiled.

She fished in her pocket, pulling out the change. Mrs. Vickers was sitting her dress on the counter as Maddy put back fifteen extra cents Mama had given her for the ice cream shop. Maddy grabbed the hanger and started for the door, wanting every minute to get ready.

“Don’t forget your shoes.”

She backtracked for the shoes and her manners. “Thank you, Mrs. Vickers.”

The woman waved as Maddy pushed out the door only to bump straight into Rita James. She and Mama cleaned the James home every Tuesday
.
Rita’s room was always a disaster with clothes, and makeup strung everywhere.
More discarded items than Maddy owned, or ever thought about owning.

“Why don’t you watch where you are going?” Rita spat. The girl stood a few inches over Maddy, little more than a year’s worth of growth
, plus a slight he
e
l
. Her light brown hair curled in ringlets.

“Didn’t see you sorry.” Maddy tried to keep the venom from her voice as she turned to go. Not that she hated the girl,
M
addy didn’t hate anyone. Rita just brought out the worst in her.

Rita laughed. “That’s what you’re wearing to the dance? I got my dress from Paris.”

Maddy smiled remembering what Mrs. Vickers had told her. “I’m sure you’ll look very nice, Rita.”

Not waiting for a response, she ran as much as she could on the way home
.

“What’re you doing home?” Bellowed from Pa when she walked through the door.

“Mama told me to head home. I need to clean up for the dance.” She edged back to the door. She could run and get ready at Aunt Vicky’s. For that matter she could go all the way back to the Langley home and save Galen the drive out to her.

“The dance isn’t for two hours.” Pa eyed her, but didn’t move to make her feel smaller.

“Yes, sir. I need a bath from cleaning all day and I have to set my own hair.” She tried to reason, keeping her voice calm.

His brows furrowed, “Get to it.”

She took a deep breath and breezed past him. Since agreeing she could go to the dance, Pa had been acting odd. Odd to the point that he had yet to send her running off for the woods. Also
he didn’t have his usual alcohol smell.
Everything around her seemed to be changing.

Her dress went on the back of the door in her parent’s room and she set water on the stove for a good bath. While the third bucket heated, she washed her hair in what she had. If she waited longer, it would never dry enough to set. The third bucket filled the tub to about half, but it would have to do.

While most homes had running water, they went without. It was far too expensive to change the house for that convenience. Each time she poured water into their tub she thought of someday having running hot water. Showers instead of baths. A new laundry machine like many of the homes they cleaned had.

Her skin was pink by the time she was done scrubbing and she’d nicked her knee when she shaved her legs. First time and only one cut, Mama would be proud. When she was dry, she stepped out of the bathroom, keeping her bare bottom, where the towel didn’t cover, to the wall. There was no need to embarrass her or Pa.

She went to plug in the hot rollers to find them already hot. All she could do was
shake her head
, it had been years since Pa’d thought about doing anything for her. Today she was probably more grateful than if he did something everyday.

The rollers had been yet another gift from Mrs. Langley. She’d give Mama something with the excuse o
f “It’d go to the church anyway.
”
S
ince the church gave Mama household items, she was just cutting out the middleman. They got an iron that way, and she
’d even offered one of the guest
beds to them a few weeks ago. If Mrs. Langley could get rid of the old bed, Mr. Langley had no choice but to let her put a larger one in there.

Maddy laughed at that logic while she slipped into her new undergarments. Mama had shown her how to clasp the corset by herself and then turn it around. With the war effort they couldn’t get her
stockings
so she
painted
eyeliner up her leg to make it look like they were there. Too bad there was nothing she would be able to do about the cool weather. 

The knock on the door caused one burn from the hot rollers, though it wasn’t too bad.

“I’m in here,” she said sucking on the red mark on her thumb.

“You need help?” Pa wasn’t happy to ask.

“I think I’ve got it.” She smiled. “Thank you.”

He mumbled, “Your Mama wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t ask.”

She heard him limping through to the front room making a mental note to make sure and tell Mama he asked. Now for the hard part, she opened the makeup case wishing Mama was here. By the time she was done, she had less than thirty minutes left, and the towel she had from her bath had multiple colors smeared on it. The curlers still in her hair
were starting to make her wonder if she’d be ready on time
. Not being ready when Galen knocked wouldn’t do.

Now she just had to get past Pa with the way she looked. The protective bag slid off her dress, revealing the pale pink sparkles in the fabric. The skirt and the cuffs where trimmed in a small white faux fur that felt good against her skin. The long sleeves would keep her warm though she wasn’t sure what Pa would think of how it fit to her form or the fact it stopped just short of her knees.

Mama had okayed it, so she hoped that was good enough for him. She tried three times to zip it before she figured out she couldn’t do that alone. She slipped on the shoes and walked out of the comfort of the bedroom.

“Cassie said okay to that dress?” He was sitting in the chair listening to football on the radio.

“Yes, sir.”

He took a deep breath. “She knows more about these things than me. Glad to see you don’t have skin everywhere.”

“No sir. I do have a problem with it though.” She hoped she didn’t look as scared as she was.

“Spit it out.”

“I can’t zip it.”

He stood up and she turned around. When he went around her and headed to the back of the house she wondered what she did wrong now, but knew better than to ask. She heard the water turn on and cringed. He was going to come wash off her face.

She was fine with that, as long as she was able to go. The towel was drying his hands when he came back in the room.

“You went and washed your hands?” It was her turn to be confused.

“I’ve been cleaning chicken houses and just wanted to make sure I didn’t leave a spot on that dress. You will probably wear it more than once.”

She turned around again. “Thank you.
I will probably we
ar
it a lot.
”

“I might not always think
.
S
ometimes I do.”

“The curlers, too,” she smiled
, thankful he couldn’t see
.

“Now that just kinda happened.” The dress zipped tight but she kept her back to him, afraid if she turned, he’d stop talking to her like a grown up. “I do it for Cassie every Sunday.”

She cleared the smile off her face before she turned around.

“You look alright, girl.” He watched the floor steadily.

“I’ve got a coat
,
too.” She tried to keep him talking to her.

“Good, keep it on all night.” He glanced at the wall behind her. “Go get those things out of your hair.”

She didn’t try to hug him when she went by
—he’d
just get mad
—
but she felt it.

The knock on the door this time was from the front door. She was just spraying some of Mama’s perfume. The mumbling from the front room made her grab her coat. She didn’t want Pa scaring Galen, or Galen saying something stupid.

She stepped through the doorway and almost tripped over the heeled shoes. Galen looked very handsome. His suit was dark gray, the tie had red and green specks in it, his hat circling in his hand. His eyes widened for a moment, but he recovered as quickly as she had.

“You’re in a dress.” He smiled. “And grew a little.”

“What’d ya expect me to wear?” She set the scowl to her face and swallowed the laugh.

He didn’t answer and Pa looked thoroughly confused.

“We better go.” She added quickly.

Galen held out his hand.
She felt petrified.
H
e couldn’t want her hand now.

“Your coat.” His eyebrows
rose
.

She handed it over, turning red because she missed that step. He slid it on and she buttoned it up.

“Bye, Pa.”

Galen turned for the door.

“Wait a minute.” Pa didn’t sound happy.

She cringed, they were so close, just a few steps and they’d be out the door.

“Cassie said I had to be nice.” His voice wasn’t set to a very good start. “You be careful with her. She’s her Mama’s heart and I don’t want her hurt.”

That was more like the man she’d grown up with for a father. More concerned with Mama’s feelings than hers. 

“I understand, sir.” Galen looked perfectly serious.

“I don’t think you do, but this is Cassie’s doing. Get out of here.”

Galen didn’t have to be told twice as he reached for the door. She still smiled at Pa as she went out the door and waved.

“Your
p
a can be very frightening.” The door had barely shut.

“That he can.” She grinned trying not to blush.

They stepped off the porch, Galen lowered his voice. “You look fabulous.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She bumped in
to
him trying to make him laugh.

“Don’t let your
p
a hear you say that.” His brows
rose
.

He held open the car door and shut it when her dress wasn’t in the way. Pa’s silhouette was visible at the edge of the front window. She waved, not expecting one back. She didn’t get one either.
Still, the difference in him was something she would have to think about.

Galen slammed the door on his side and then started the car. He pushed a few levers and heat poured out. “Do you want it warmer?”

“I’m fine,” she laughed.

“What are you laughing at?”

“This is all so odd.” Pa as much as being on a date with Galen.

He put the car in reverse and pulled out of the drive. “It might take a little getting used to, but I’ll wait.”

He smirked going down the road.

Did he mean getting used to the fact they were growing up and growing together or possibly something else? Her younger self would have asked, now she just blushed, wringing her fingers together.