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Authors: Cheryl St.john
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her fingers to her cheek. “You are the
most special person I know, and I love you. Please don't belittle
yourself."
Annie caressed Charmaine's
soft cheek. "You're my best friend, you know that."
"Mama could make you a
dress like this if you'd like one."
Annie
looked to her aunt hopefully. "Would you, Aunt Vera?"
Vera
dropped her gaze to the basted fabric on the table. "I'm not a seamstress,
girls. Annie, your clothes are exquisitely made by professionals. My sewing
doesn't hold a candle."
Annie's
initial hope ebbed back into complacency. "And you're busy, I know. You
have many important things to do, as well as things to make for Charmaine. It's
all right, really." She drew her hand from her cousin. "What can I do
to help? I can sew a straight seam, or I could iron the hem for you."
Vera
and Charmaine exchanged a glance. "Annie, would you really like a dress
like this?" Vera asked.
Tears smarted behind
Annie's eyes at the fierce longing for something so normal and grown-up looking.
Somehow it symbolized a passage to adulthood that she longed for. Keeping her
eyes averted, she nodded.
"Well
then, we'd better have you stand up here and let us measure you."
Annie
met her aunt's eyes. Understanding passed between them. A lump formed in her
throat and she swallowed past it.
"Better
yet, let's go into your room and measure you without your dress. I'm sure those
ruffles add inches."
Annie
laughed and wheeled herself toward the modestly furnished room she used when
she stayed at the Renlows'. Vera measured and jotted numbers, while the girls
discussed colors and fabrics. Annie planned to buy fabric during their visit to
Copper Creek.
The
following day after Charmaine returned from school, she and Annie set off for
town in the wagon.
"Missy
Sharpe is such a flirt," Charmaine called over her shoulder. "She had
all the boys gathered around her today because she brought lemon tarts to
share."
"Maybe
we could bake something for you to take," Annie suggested.
"Oh,
they're just silly boys," her cousin replied. "I'd much rather bake
something for someone more mature. Say, Luke Carpenter, for example."
Annie blinked her surprise,
but said nothing.
"He's ever so
handsome, don't you think?"
"I
guess so." He was so handsome, she could hardly breathe when she looked at
him.
"And
ambitious, with his own business, even if it's a livery."
"Yes,
he's ambitious." Not enough for her parents' standards however.
"He's
become the best part of coming into town, don't you think?"
She'd thought of little
else and knew without a doubt that Luke was the best part of coming to town. He
was the best part of any week in which she saw him, and thinking about him was
the best part of the numerous days she didn't see him. She looked toward town
in anticipation and said, "I haven't really thought about it."
Chapter Five
They
entered Copper Creek and Charmaine guided the horse to the livery. To Annie's
disappointment, a fatherly looking man with a dark beard greeted them and
assisted Annie and the chair from the back of the wagon.
Charmaine
stood beside Annie's chair. "We were expecting to see Mr. Carpenter."
"Guess he had business
this afternoon."
"Do you work for
him?"
"I help him out once
in a while."
"We'll
be back for the wagon when the library closes."
"I'll be here."
The
library was only a short distance from the livery, but the building itself had
several stairs. Annie stood by while Charmaine wrangled her chair up the stairs
and inside the library, then came back for her.
She clung to Charmaine's
arm, managed the steps, and went inside. It didn't matter that her cousin
couldn't lift and carry her, because Charmaine didn't mind her awkward
stumblings, and was always ready to offer her strength as support.
"Good afternoon,"
Mrs. Krenshaw said in the loud whisper she used even when not in her natural
habitat. She stood behind the loan desk, a pencil tucked into the lopsided
graying bun on the top of her
most special person I know, and I love you. Please don't belittle
yourself."
Annie caressed Charmaine's
soft cheek. "You're my best friend, you know that."
"Mama could make you a
dress like this if you'd like one."
Annie
looked to her aunt hopefully. "Would you, Aunt Vera?"
Vera
dropped her gaze to the basted fabric on the table. "I'm not a seamstress,
girls. Annie, your clothes are exquisitely made by professionals. My sewing
doesn't hold a candle."
Annie's
initial hope ebbed back into complacency. "And you're busy, I know. You
have many important things to do, as well as things to make for Charmaine. It's
all right, really." She drew her hand from her cousin. "What can I do
to help? I can sew a straight seam, or I could iron the hem for you."
Vera
and Charmaine exchanged a glance. "Annie, would you really like a dress
like this?" Vera asked.
Tears smarted behind
Annie's eyes at the fierce longing for something so normal and grown-up looking.
Somehow it symbolized a passage to adulthood that she longed for. Keeping her
eyes averted, she nodded.
"Well
then, we'd better have you stand up here and let us measure you."
Annie
met her aunt's eyes. Understanding passed between them. A lump formed in her
throat and she swallowed past it.
"Better
yet, let's go into your room and measure you without your dress. I'm sure those
ruffles add inches."
Annie
laughed and wheeled herself toward the modestly furnished room she used when
she stayed at the Renlows'. Vera measured and jotted numbers, while the girls
discussed colors and fabrics. Annie planned to buy fabric during their visit to
Copper Creek.
The
following day after Charmaine returned from school, she and Annie set off for
town in the wagon.
"Missy
Sharpe is such a flirt," Charmaine called over her shoulder. "She had
all the boys gathered around her today because she brought lemon tarts to
share."
"Maybe
we could bake something for you to take," Annie suggested.
"Oh,
they're just silly boys," her cousin replied. "I'd much rather bake
something for someone more mature. Say, Luke Carpenter, for example."
Annie blinked her surprise,
but said nothing.
"He's ever so
handsome, don't you think?"
"I
guess so." He was so handsome, she could hardly breathe when she looked at
him.
"And
ambitious, with his own business, even if it's a livery."
"Yes,
he's ambitious." Not enough for her parents' standards however.
"He's
become the best part of coming into town, don't you think?"
She'd thought of little
else and knew without a doubt that Luke was the best part of coming to town. He
was the best part of any week in which she saw him, and thinking about him was
the best part of the numerous days she didn't see him. She looked toward town
in anticipation and said, "I haven't really thought about it."
Chapter Five
They
entered Copper Creek and Charmaine guided the horse to the livery. To Annie's
disappointment, a fatherly looking man with a dark beard greeted them and
assisted Annie and the chair from the back of the wagon.
Charmaine
stood beside Annie's chair. "We were expecting to see Mr. Carpenter."
"Guess he had business
this afternoon."
"Do you work for
him?"
"I help him out once
in a while."
"We'll
be back for the wagon when the library closes."
"I'll be here."
The
library was only a short distance from the livery, but the building itself had
several stairs. Annie stood by while Charmaine wrangled her chair up the stairs
and inside the library, then came back for her.
She clung to Charmaine's
arm, managed the steps, and went inside. It didn't matter that her cousin
couldn't lift and carry her, because Charmaine didn't mind her awkward
stumblings, and was always ready to offer her strength as support.
"Good afternoon,"
Mrs. Krenshaw said in the loud whisper she used even when not in her natural
habitat. She stood behind the loan desk, a pencil tucked into the lopsided
graying bun on the top of her
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