Read Online All for a Song by Allison Pittman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Allison Pittman
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the theater.”
“I don’t think Brent likes them either.”
“Well, you don’t have to obey him . . . yet.”
Dorothy Lynn felt a spark of intrigue at the thought of a rebellion, even one this small.
“C’mon, Dot. The theater’s air-conditioned. And it’ll give us a chance to talk more along the way.”
“All right,” she said, as if talked into a great sacrifice.
“Wonderful!” Darlene got up from the bed only when Dorothy Lynn herself had stood and was able to pull her up. “And don’t worry. I’ll loan you one of my dresses so you’ll have something decent to wear.”
They left just after eight o’clock, after it had turned full dark. Darlene had applied fresh powder and lipstick, but it was Dorothy Lynn who felt truly transformed. Darlene had brushed and brushed Dorothy Lynn’s hair, smoothing it at the crown and pinning it in loose coils all around the nape of her neck. She wore a dress of pale-green cotton jersey that felt as cool and light as water against her skin—and a hat that looked somewhat like a mixing bowl turned upside down on her head. And for her feet, the most delicate pair of shoes she’d ever worn, made of soft leather the color of oatmeal, with two thin straps crisscrossed over the top of each foot.
“Well, look at you.” Darlene spoke in a reverent half whisper.
“I can’t believe how comfortable the shoes are,” Dorothy Lynn said. She’d fully expected to break her neck coming down the stairs.
Roy was in the front room battling an oscillating fan to read his evening paper. He barely acknowledged Darlene’s good-bye, much less the kiss she blew to him.
“He don’t mind?” Dorothy Lynn asked as she opened the front door.
“Goodness, no. He hates the movies, unless it’s Buster Keaton.”
It was a short walk to the nearest streetcar. Darlene dropped two nickels in before Dorothy Lynn could open her purse.
There was an empty seat three rows back, and Dorothy Lynn slid in first, eager to be near the open window to catch the breeze and watch the city fly by. “I think I would like the city.”
“I think it would break Ma’s heart if you moved away. No wonder she’s so thrilled about you marrying the preacher.”
“That’s the way it feels,” she said, softly enough that her words were carried on the wind.
The car dropped them off three blocks away from the theater, and from the way the crowd reacted, everybody on board was going to the pictures. They moved in one mass, with the sisters caught up in the wave at first, but Darlene was in no shape to keep up, and soon they’d fallen behind.
“We’ve plenty of time,” Darlene reassured.
“Oh, I’m not worried a mite.” In fact, she was glad to have the chance to take in the sights. The entire population of Heron’s Nest would fit in this single stretch of street—ten times over. Her mind raced to take in all the faces bathed in the light coming from the flashing signs atop all the buildings.
“I wanted to show you something.” Darlene sounded slightly winded, so Dorothy Lynn slowed her steps as her sister retrieved a postcard from her purse. “I just got it last week.”
“From Donny?”
“Yes. I didn’t say anything earlier because you seemed upset. And I guess he hasn’t written to Ma, or you’d have mentioned it.”
They stopped under a streetlight.
“Where’s it from?”
“California. Culver City. It’s where they make the movies.”
“What happened to Seattle?”
Darlene shrugged. “Beats me. What happened to New York, or Memphis, or any of those places?”
The image on the front of the card didn’t look like anything special. A wide boulevard against a bright-pink sky. Dorothy Lynn flipped to the back to read the inevitably short message.
Making seenery for movies. Good stedy work and beutiful girls. Never hot. Never cold. Tell Ma not to worry, I found heaven.
Don
She read it three times over, looking for more. “Still can’t spell,” she said, bathing her
“I don’t think Brent likes them either.”
“Well, you don’t have to obey him . . . yet.”
Dorothy Lynn felt a spark of intrigue at the thought of a rebellion, even one this small.
“C’mon, Dot. The theater’s air-conditioned. And it’ll give us a chance to talk more along the way.”
“All right,” she said, as if talked into a great sacrifice.
“Wonderful!” Darlene got up from the bed only when Dorothy Lynn herself had stood and was able to pull her up. “And don’t worry. I’ll loan you one of my dresses so you’ll have something decent to wear.”
They left just after eight o’clock, after it had turned full dark. Darlene had applied fresh powder and lipstick, but it was Dorothy Lynn who felt truly transformed. Darlene had brushed and brushed Dorothy Lynn’s hair, smoothing it at the crown and pinning it in loose coils all around the nape of her neck. She wore a dress of pale-green cotton jersey that felt as cool and light as water against her skin—and a hat that looked somewhat like a mixing bowl turned upside down on her head. And for her feet, the most delicate pair of shoes she’d ever worn, made of soft leather the color of oatmeal, with two thin straps crisscrossed over the top of each foot.
“Well, look at you.” Darlene spoke in a reverent half whisper.
“I can’t believe how comfortable the shoes are,” Dorothy Lynn said. She’d fully expected to break her neck coming down the stairs.
Roy was in the front room battling an oscillating fan to read his evening paper. He barely acknowledged Darlene’s good-bye, much less the kiss she blew to him.
“He don’t mind?” Dorothy Lynn asked as she opened the front door.
“Goodness, no. He hates the movies, unless it’s Buster Keaton.”
It was a short walk to the nearest streetcar. Darlene dropped two nickels in before Dorothy Lynn could open her purse.
There was an empty seat three rows back, and Dorothy Lynn slid in first, eager to be near the open window to catch the breeze and watch the city fly by. “I think I would like the city.”
“I think it would break Ma’s heart if you moved away. No wonder she’s so thrilled about you marrying the preacher.”
“That’s the way it feels,” she said, softly enough that her words were carried on the wind.
The car dropped them off three blocks away from the theater, and from the way the crowd reacted, everybody on board was going to the pictures. They moved in one mass, with the sisters caught up in the wave at first, but Darlene was in no shape to keep up, and soon they’d fallen behind.
“We’ve plenty of time,” Darlene reassured.
“Oh, I’m not worried a mite.” In fact, she was glad to have the chance to take in the sights. The entire population of Heron’s Nest would fit in this single stretch of street—ten times over. Her mind raced to take in all the faces bathed in the light coming from the flashing signs atop all the buildings.
“I wanted to show you something.” Darlene sounded slightly winded, so Dorothy Lynn slowed her steps as her sister retrieved a postcard from her purse. “I just got it last week.”
“From Donny?”
“Yes. I didn’t say anything earlier because you seemed upset. And I guess he hasn’t written to Ma, or you’d have mentioned it.”
They stopped under a streetlight.
“Where’s it from?”
“California. Culver City. It’s where they make the movies.”
“What happened to Seattle?”
Darlene shrugged. “Beats me. What happened to New York, or Memphis, or any of those places?”
The image on the front of the card didn’t look like anything special. A wide boulevard against a bright-pink sky. Dorothy Lynn flipped to the back to read the inevitably short message.
Making seenery for movies. Good stedy work and beutiful girls. Never hot. Never cold. Tell Ma not to worry, I found heaven.
Don
She read it three times over, looking for more. “Still can’t spell,” she said, bathing her
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