Runabout (16 page)

}"Good to see you, Luther." Clyde Avery offered a friendly greeting.

}"It's sure a sight to see you in church," Ross Crenshaw admitted.

}Luther smiled in answer.

}"Titus, Mrs. Penny." He acknowledged Maybelle's mother, who held her ten-year-old son's hand securely in her own.

}Slowly Luther moved through the crowd with Tulsa May on his arm. There were nods and welcomes and greetings. But behind their backs there was plenty of whispering and speculation. Could it be true? What an unlikely couple! They've always been together so much. How long had it been going on? Did Doc Odie know about this? Was that what
really
happened to the engagement? Luther felt Tulsa May tremble nervously beside him. Glancing down, he saw that her cheeks were fiery red.

}"Steady, Tulsy," he whispered. "We're off to a flying start. Don't balk on me now. We're just going to walk right out of here and over to your front door."

}"They're all looking at us," she said in a hushed tone.

}"And that's just exactly what we want," he said. "Smile when you look up at me, Tulsy. You don't want them to think that you're unhappy."

}She did smile at him, bravely, and his answering grin warmed her somewhat.

}The crowd was behind them, lingering in the churchyard, watching, whispering, the preacher's admonition against gossiping completely forgotten. Tulsa May's hand lay gracefully upon Luther's arm as he led her to the parsonage and up the two wide steps to the porch.

}He turned to her and they both sighed heavily.

}"Don't you dare to look," he said. "Every eye in the congregation is watching this front porch."

}"I hate being the center of attention," Tulsa May said with a sigh.

}Luther nodded and placed his thumb beneath her chin, raising her gaze to his. "That's why we started this, remember? We can't stop the river from flowing, but we can dam it up and divert it in another direction."

}Tulsa May chuckled humorlessly. "Right now, I feel like we are in for a flood."

}"It's only temporary," he assured her. "I'd bet they've already stopped feeling sorry for you. We just have to keep it up long enough for them to stop talking about you."

}She agreed. "I just didn't think it would have to be so public."

}Luther grinned. "In a small town, Tulsy, everything is public."

}"I suppose you are right."

}"I
know
I'm right. People think they've got a personal interest in knowing everything about everybody."

}"But we're going to put one over on them," Tulsa May replied.

}"We sure are." He was too close to her again, he warned himself. He could smell the welcoming warmth of her and he was drawn to it. He should step away, he told himself. She was standing with her back against the porch pillar. Civility demanded that he give her more space. Somehow, he moved closer. "Let's give them something to think about."

}Before she had time to question him, he leaned forward, lightly touching her shoulders, and brought his mouth down to her own. He had meant it to be a sweetheart's kiss, swift and sugary. But he had not expected her lips to be so soft. He had not expected his body to immediately respond. He had not expected that they both would tremble.

}"Luther!" Tulsa May's exclamation was breathy against his mouth. As her lips parted, Luther took advantage. She surprised him. Somehow he'd thought,
if
he had thought, that the taste of her would be sweet and wholesome, like fresh sliced peaches or warm molasses. The spicy, exotic enticement of her lips was totally unanticipated. She was totally new and unknown. Not his familiar Tulsy at all. He moved his mouth eagerly across her own. Wanting more, wanting—

}Abruptly he pulled back and stared down at the woman in his arms. This was Tulsa May Bruder, his childhood playmate, his best friend, his Tulsy. How could she—? How could he—?

}She stared up at him wide-eyed. Shocked.

}Luther laid his head on top of hers and drew her warm body against his. He had to hold her close again, but he could not look into those familiar trusting eyes. What was happening to him? His heart was beating so loudly it nearly deafened him. Or was it her heart? They were so close, it was difficult to tell.

}"Greasy?" The sound of his familiar childhood name brought him to his senses.

}He took a deep cleansing breath and stepped back from her. "That should give them something to talk about this week."

}Tulsa May stared in surprise. Clearly, she had forgotten that the kiss was meant for an audience.

}

}Doc Odie pulled his team of bays up in front of the faded shotgun-style house on Second Street. The crepe myrtle in the front yard nearly obscured the tiny porch. But Emma Dix was already standing at the door by the time Doc Odie's feet touched the ground.

}"He's real bad, Doc," she told him quietly. "Getting caught out in the rain like that yesterday." The young woman shook her head. "I don't know what I was thinking about."

}Doc Odie stepped up on the porch, medical bag in hand, and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "You were thinking about having a good time and allowing your father to enjoy himself also. He seemed very happy to be out among friends yesterday."

}Emma nodded, but from her expression it was clear she had no plans to forgive herself.

}Doc Odie followed her into the house. The long, narrow front parlor was as neat as a pin. The handsomely upholstered furniture, although nearly a decade out of style, was impeccably clean and so carefully mended that not even the slightest fray in the material was visible. Ornate hanging lamps, augmented by delicate crystal prisms, provided the light for the parlor and were in perfect condition. Their glass chimneys sparkled, the wicks were trimmed, and the wells were full. The cream-colored silk draperies at the windows were perfectly pleated and sun-bleached for lightness. The room was filled to bursting with tiny bric-a-brac and fancy furbelows, each one the late Mrs. Dix's most prized possession. They were all carefully dusted and placed just so on the numerous tables, cupboard and knickknack shelves throughout the parlor.

}The pristine perfection of the room was somewhat spoiled, however, by the sick bed near the potbellied stove. Willie Dix lay small and pale against the worn, graying bedsheets. His thin steel-colored hair was damp from the cool cloth that lay across his brow. His wheeled chair sat empty at the foot of the bed like an admonition.

}"Morning, Doc Odie." The old man's greeting was rasping and hoarse. "What brings you here on a bright Sunday morning?"

}Doc Odie knelt beside the old man's bed. He pulled a large sheepskin bag out of his case and removed his stethoscope. First the doctor adjusted the earpieces upon his head, then he laid the broad, horn-shaped scope against Willie's chest. Doc Odie listened quietly to the raspy breaths, his expression not betraying whatever thoughts might be in his head.

}After a moment, he removed the horn and helped Willie to raise himself to a sitting position. "What do you think I'm doing here on a Sunday morning?" the doctor asked him with a smile. "I've come to get a closer look at that pretty daughter of yours."

}Willie smiled feebly. "My Emma is a precious girl, Doc. I don't blame you for trying to impress her, but if you're here counting on making a miracle cure of my old-age affliction, I think you'd have better luck just buying one of them fancy gas buggies."

}Doc Odie smiled affectionately as he moved the scope horn along the old man's back listening to the sounds of his heart and lungs. "I'm not sure I agree with that," he told Willie. "I'm more likely to understand how to get you going than one of those noisy automobiles."

}Gently, Doc Odie laid Willie back down in the bed. The old man's breath came quickly, as if the exertion of sitting up was overwhelming.

}"Your chest is pretty heavy this morning," the doctor said.

}Willie waved away the concern. "Ain't nothing that one of my Emma's mustard plasters can't fix."

}Doc Odie nodded gravely. Turning to Emma, he gave her a hopeful smile. "Why don't you fix your father one of those plasters he sets such store by."

}With a timid smile, Emma hurried to the kitchen.

}Doc Odie returned his attention to his patient, his expression serious. "There's not much left of those old lungs, Willie."

}The old man nodded. "I'm ready to meet my maker, Doc," he said. "I ain't gonna be begging for more time here below."

}The two men stared silently at each other for a long minute.

}"It's going to be rough on your daughter," Doc Odie said quietly.

}Willie shook his head. "It'll be the best thing in the world for her. She shoulda never come back here. Folks is not good at forgiving in this town. Always blame the woman, they do. Even when she's little more than a shirttail kid, like Emma was."

}"It was a long time ago," Odie soothed.

}"People got long memories," Willie replied.

}The doctor only nodded.

}"I never hated a soul in my life, till my Emma took up with that Bateman." Willie glanced toward the kitchen sadly. "You know, Doc, they's just some men in the world that can't be happy without making some fine, decent woman miserable."

}"Emma has turned out fine, despite her past," the doctor said.

}"Not despite it," Willie corrected. "Because of it. She's a fine woman, and I'm proud of her. She's seen the worst life can dish out, and she's come through it with her soul as her own. Some lucky man, somewhere, someday, is going to be right fortunate to capture her attention."

}Doc Odie smiled down at the old man. "I'm sure you're right."

}"I know I'm right," Willie said. "But I don't think just being right is going to be enough this time. I think I'm a-going to have to make some plans."

}Doc Odie raised one graying eyebrow in question. "What kind of plans are you talking about?"

}"I got some money saved up," Willie told him. "I want Emma to have it to start a new life. Doc Odie, you see that she uses it for that."

}"Emma's your heir, Willie," Doc Odie answered. "Of course everything you have will go to her."

}The old man shook his head. "But she's like to spend it on a fancy funeral and a ticket out of town."

}"Perhaps leaving town would be the best."

}"Nope, Doc," he said. "It ain't the best. Once you start running from life, well, you just can never run far enough. Emma's got to stay here. She won't never get away from the gossip following her if she don't turn on it and face it down."

}The doctor considered the old man's words and nodded slowly in agreement.

}"I love that girl, Doc," Willie continued. "I know what she's got to do. But once I'm gone, I don't want her having to do it alone. You've got to help, Doc. I'm counting on you."

}"Me?" Doc Odie was incredulous.

}"You got to tell her what to do."

}"Miss Emma does not generally ask for my counsel."

}"She'll accept it just the same when you tell her it's come from me," he said. "I won't have her wasting her life running from town to town. Or being wasted on some useless ne'er-do-well who can never appreciate her for what she is. She deserves a good marriage, Doc. And a man who'll value her."

}"Yes, Willie, I think she does."

}The old man smiled. "I want you to see that she gets that man."

}"What?"

}"You don't fool me, Doc. I know you can get just about anybody to do just about anything when you set your mind to it. I'm counting on you to set your mind to finding my Emma a husband."