one hand, her reticule swinging from the other. Jason followed, his package carried in front of him, like an offering. Several townsfolk nodded and eyed the two of them surreptitiously as they made their way home. Alicia breathed a sigh of relief when they turned the corner and walked along the line of picket fences that fronted the properties to the south of Main Street.
“Today was quite an ordeal for you, wasn’t it?” she asked, slowing her pace a bit.
“I didn’t have much fun, if that’s what you mean.” He kicked at a clod of dirt and frowned. “I won’t have to do that again for a long time, will I?”
She thought his words were hopeful, and could not resist a smile. “I know how you feel,” she said.
He looked up at her in surprise. “You do?”
“I dislike shopping for clothing myself,” she confided. “In my case, it’s because I’m not as small as most other women, and I feel uncomfortable choosing things that are the largest size the store has to offer.”
“Being small isn’t so great,” he told her, as if to boost her confidence.
“It is if you’re a woman,” she said, wondering how she’d gotten into this conversation with a child.
“I think you’re a nice lady,” he told her staunchly. “I don’t think you’re too big at all.”
They turned at the open gate and walked to the front steps. “When are we gonna fix this thing?” Jason asked as he stepped carefully on one side of the broken board.
“How about this afternoon?” She waited as he opened the door and then followed him inside the house.
“Pa?” Jason’s voice echoed in the empty hallway, where no carpet muffled the sound. “We’re back, Pa.”
The wheelchair rolled from the back of the house toward them. He eyed their purchases and then waved toward the parlor door. “Let’s go take a look,” he said.
They spread out the clothing over the couch and Jason waited silently as his father inspected each item. “Is it okay, Pa?” he asked hesitantly. “I told Miss Merriweather it was a lot of stuff to get, and I really didn’t need new shoes, but she said you wanted me to have it all.”
Jake looked at Alicia. She sat on a chair, watching as he picked up the shoes they’d chosen. “I think Miss Merriweather did exactly right,” he said finally. “I couldn’t have done better myself.” Then, as if the words he’d spoken registered with him anew, he looked away from her.
“I couldn’t have done as well,” he amended. “It would have been a day-long venture, just getting me to the store and back home. Thank you, ma’am, for helping Jason today.”
She felt the flush of color rise to her cheeks as heexpressed his appreciation. It was the next best thing to a compliment, she decided, both his approval of her actions and his appreciation of her efforts. “I enjoyed it,” she said. “Well—” she smiled at Jason as if they shared a secret “—all but the haircut part. That was an experience I’m not willing to repeat.”
Jake frowned. “Did anyone give you a problem?” he asked harshly. “Did someone say something out of line?”
She shook her head. “No, I just felt uncomfortable in the barbershop with a whole row of men looking me over.”
His eyes narrowed and then he made his own once-over of her appearance. “I don’t see anything about you that would warrant undue interest,” he said, his mouth twisting into a seldom seen smile.
“Well, that certainly put me in my place, didn’t it!”
“You mistake my meaning,” he told her. “You look like a decent, well-dressed woman to me.”
She was silent. Decent and well-dressed. The epitome of womanhood . Somehow she would have preferred pretty, or elegant.
“I’ve hurt your feelings.” It was a statement of fact. Jake rolled his chair closer to where she sat. For the second time in their brief acquaintance, he touched her. He reached out his hand and his long fingers grasped hers. Again she felt the warmth he
“Today was quite an ordeal for you, wasn’t it?” she asked, slowing her pace a bit.
“I didn’t have much fun, if that’s what you mean.” He kicked at a clod of dirt and frowned. “I won’t have to do that again for a long time, will I?”
She thought his words were hopeful, and could not resist a smile. “I know how you feel,” she said.
He looked up at her in surprise. “You do?”
“I dislike shopping for clothing myself,” she confided. “In my case, it’s because I’m not as small as most other women, and I feel uncomfortable choosing things that are the largest size the store has to offer.”
“Being small isn’t so great,” he told her, as if to boost her confidence.
“It is if you’re a woman,” she said, wondering how she’d gotten into this conversation with a child.
“I think you’re a nice lady,” he told her staunchly. “I don’t think you’re too big at all.”
They turned at the open gate and walked to the front steps. “When are we gonna fix this thing?” Jason asked as he stepped carefully on one side of the broken board.
“How about this afternoon?” She waited as he opened the door and then followed him inside the house.
“Pa?” Jason’s voice echoed in the empty hallway, where no carpet muffled the sound. “We’re back, Pa.”
The wheelchair rolled from the back of the house toward them. He eyed their purchases and then waved toward the parlor door. “Let’s go take a look,” he said.
They spread out the clothing over the couch and Jason waited silently as his father inspected each item. “Is it okay, Pa?” he asked hesitantly. “I told Miss Merriweather it was a lot of stuff to get, and I really didn’t need new shoes, but she said you wanted me to have it all.”
Jake looked at Alicia. She sat on a chair, watching as he picked up the shoes they’d chosen. “I think Miss Merriweather did exactly right,” he said finally. “I couldn’t have done better myself.” Then, as if the words he’d spoken registered with him anew, he looked away from her.
“I couldn’t have done as well,” he amended. “It would have been a day-long venture, just getting me to the store and back home. Thank you, ma’am, for helping Jason today.”
She felt the flush of color rise to her cheeks as heexpressed his appreciation. It was the next best thing to a compliment, she decided, both his approval of her actions and his appreciation of her efforts. “I enjoyed it,” she said. “Well—” she smiled at Jason as if they shared a secret “—all but the haircut part. That was an experience I’m not willing to repeat.”
Jake frowned. “Did anyone give you a problem?” he asked harshly. “Did someone say something out of line?”
She shook her head. “No, I just felt uncomfortable in the barbershop with a whole row of men looking me over.”
His eyes narrowed and then he made his own once-over of her appearance. “I don’t see anything about you that would warrant undue interest,” he said, his mouth twisting into a seldom seen smile.
“Well, that certainly put me in my place, didn’t it!”
“You mistake my meaning,” he told her. “You look like a decent, well-dressed woman to me.”
She was silent. Decent and well-dressed. The epitome of womanhood . Somehow she would have preferred pretty, or elegant.
“I’ve hurt your feelings.” It was a statement of fact. Jake rolled his chair closer to where she sat. For the second time in their brief acquaintance, he touched her. He reached out his hand and his long fingers grasped hers. Again she felt the warmth he
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