Read Online Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles - Free Book Online
Authors: Jackie Lee Miles
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not of noticed her tears so good at first, but they run smack into the dirt covering her face. We was both kinda grubby from running through the dust we kicked up.
"It's all my fault! It is! I shoulda known Darla Faye would try somethin' like that and stayed clear a' her," Carolee said. She was sobbing now. Like to broke my heart.
"She didn't want that bike, nohow. She just didn't want you to have it, is all," Carolee said. She didn't seem to care she was crying in front of everyone there.
"It ain't your fault, Carolee," I said. "Don't blame yourself none. How was we supposed to know?" Carolee was still on the ground. I sat right down next to her and put my arm around her.
"Besides, it might coulda been an accident," I said. "She might not of meant it none."
"She did!" Carolee said. "I know she did!"
"Well then, let's not let her see it bothers us none, okay?" I said. It was bad enough losing. I didn't want Darla Faye gloating over Carolee's tears. I helped her up, then rubbed at my knees. They was all skinned up. Carolee's was, too.
"Look! We got us some good battle scars 'least," I said.
"You gals sure enough do, now!" It was Ray. He and Mama was at my side. "We're right proud a' you both. Done real good, ya' did," he said. They hugged me tight. And Ray, he ruffled Carolee's hair. See what I mean 'bout him being so nice? Like a regular daddy.
"Shame you didn't win that bike, Lori Jean," he said, "but don't you worry none; we're gonna get you a bike, now, hear?" I wasn't real sure about that, but I nodded my head like I was.
"Shoot—you ain't never asked for nothin'," he said. "You deserved that bike and I'm gonna get you one! That's final."
It was like a new man moved in and took over for Ray. Ain't that something? He didn't drink no liquor or nothing when he was like that. He was going to these meetings where everyone said their name and how many days it was since their last drink. He was up to fifty-eight days. Me and Mama liked him real fine.
Mama and Ray danced and had themselves a good time at the picnic. Then we all rode home in the back of Melvin's truck, singing songs and being a family. There was stars out and a moon even.
"It's almost time for the harvest moon. It's almost full," Ray said.
"See, girls?" He pointed up at it.
"By the time that harvest moon shines down, I'm gonna have me a new job," he said.
"Then we gonna get you a bike, Lori Jean. And we gonna take your mama shoppin', too. Some new clothes, real pretty ones," he said. "Things is gonna be lookin' up for us 'fore long."
It was so peaceful looking up at them stars that night. I smiled my way to sleep. Ray must of carried me in the house when we got home 'cause that was the last thing I remember, Ray being so happy—full of plans—and that almost harvest moon just shining down on us. It didn't matter none that I didn't win that bike.
Finally we was gonna be a family. Have ourselves some happy times to look back on. Git ourselves one a' them futures—just like regular folks.
Chapter Nine
That year the town folks and some of the church folks, too, give Ray a bunch of odd jobs to do. Morgan Thompson, that's Carolee's daddy, give Ray fifty dollars to work on his tractor to get it in shape so he could get his field ready for spring planting. And he give him ten dollars extra to get new parts. Ray, he give that fifty dollars, all of it, to my mama! We had ourselves some fine groceries, we did. Bought us a ham roast and some bacon from old man Hawkins. Cost two dollars and fifty cents. Mr. Hawkins took thick slices of bacon, a nice pork shoulder roast and three pounds of pork chops right out of his smokehouse. It was all salted down good from when he butchered one a' his hogs that winter. Mr. Hawkins had a lot of big fat hogs to butcher and they growed fatter every year. Somes he sold and somes
"It's all my fault! It is! I shoulda known Darla Faye would try somethin' like that and stayed clear a' her," Carolee said. She was sobbing now. Like to broke my heart.
"She didn't want that bike, nohow. She just didn't want you to have it, is all," Carolee said. She didn't seem to care she was crying in front of everyone there.
"It ain't your fault, Carolee," I said. "Don't blame yourself none. How was we supposed to know?" Carolee was still on the ground. I sat right down next to her and put my arm around her.
"Besides, it might coulda been an accident," I said. "She might not of meant it none."
"She did!" Carolee said. "I know she did!"
"Well then, let's not let her see it bothers us none, okay?" I said. It was bad enough losing. I didn't want Darla Faye gloating over Carolee's tears. I helped her up, then rubbed at my knees. They was all skinned up. Carolee's was, too.
"Look! We got us some good battle scars 'least," I said.
"You gals sure enough do, now!" It was Ray. He and Mama was at my side. "We're right proud a' you both. Done real good, ya' did," he said. They hugged me tight. And Ray, he ruffled Carolee's hair. See what I mean 'bout him being so nice? Like a regular daddy.
"Shame you didn't win that bike, Lori Jean," he said, "but don't you worry none; we're gonna get you a bike, now, hear?" I wasn't real sure about that, but I nodded my head like I was.
"Shoot—you ain't never asked for nothin'," he said. "You deserved that bike and I'm gonna get you one! That's final."
It was like a new man moved in and took over for Ray. Ain't that something? He didn't drink no liquor or nothing when he was like that. He was going to these meetings where everyone said their name and how many days it was since their last drink. He was up to fifty-eight days. Me and Mama liked him real fine.
Mama and Ray danced and had themselves a good time at the picnic. Then we all rode home in the back of Melvin's truck, singing songs and being a family. There was stars out and a moon even.
"It's almost time for the harvest moon. It's almost full," Ray said.
"See, girls?" He pointed up at it.
"By the time that harvest moon shines down, I'm gonna have me a new job," he said.
"Then we gonna get you a bike, Lori Jean. And we gonna take your mama shoppin', too. Some new clothes, real pretty ones," he said. "Things is gonna be lookin' up for us 'fore long."
It was so peaceful looking up at them stars that night. I smiled my way to sleep. Ray must of carried me in the house when we got home 'cause that was the last thing I remember, Ray being so happy—full of plans—and that almost harvest moon just shining down on us. It didn't matter none that I didn't win that bike.
Finally we was gonna be a family. Have ourselves some happy times to look back on. Git ourselves one a' them futures—just like regular folks.
Chapter Nine
That year the town folks and some of the church folks, too, give Ray a bunch of odd jobs to do. Morgan Thompson, that's Carolee's daddy, give Ray fifty dollars to work on his tractor to get it in shape so he could get his field ready for spring planting. And he give him ten dollars extra to get new parts. Ray, he give that fifty dollars, all of it, to my mama! We had ourselves some fine groceries, we did. Bought us a ham roast and some bacon from old man Hawkins. Cost two dollars and fifty cents. Mr. Hawkins took thick slices of bacon, a nice pork shoulder roast and three pounds of pork chops right out of his smokehouse. It was all salted down good from when he butchered one a' his hogs that winter. Mr. Hawkins had a lot of big fat hogs to butcher and they growed fatter every year. Somes he sold and somes
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