type than a farmer, huh?”
Nelda’s temper began to rise. She jerked away from him. “What do you care, Lute? You don’t want me.”
She left him without a backward glance, but she knew that he watched her climb back over the fence. Thank goodness, she managed to get to the other side without getting her jeans caught again. She untied Kelly, and they continued their walk down the road. Behind her she heard the tractor pulling the corn picker roar into action.
• • •
During the next couple of weeks the landscape around the farm changed dramatically. Gone were the fields of yellow cornstalks. When Nelda went to town, she no longer needed to slow down at the “corn” intersections; she was able to see for a quarter of a mile in either direction.
This morning she had called Linda and suggested they meet for lunch.
“I’d rather meet you at the library, Nelda.”
“The library will be fine with me. There are a couple of books I’d like to pick up anyway.”
The public library was across from the Congregational Church. The librarian was friendly and helpful. Nelda found the books she wanted and took them to a far table to wait for Linda.
Linda hurried in right on time. Her face was rosy from the cold.
“I didn’t think about your having to walk. I could have picked you up.”
“It wasn’t bad walking. I don’t even mind the snow, but I hate it when it’s all icy.” Linda took off her coat and put it on the back of a chair.
“I was hoping you’d call or come out.”
Linda sat down and put her hands over her face. “I was too ashamed.”
“Ashamed? Why?”
“The way Kurt was . . . that night. He’d had a little too much to drink.”
“I knew that. Forget it. I asked Mr. Hutchinson about scholarships, and he said that he thought one could be arranged.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. You made all A’s in high school. I’m sure that’s what will get you one . . . if you decide to go.”
“Oh, Lord. I do want to go. Eric’s in school a half a day. My neighbor would watch him the other half. Next year he’ll go all day.”
“Call the hospital and find out how to go about getting into a class, then go see Mr. Hutchinson. He’s really a nice man. He’ll help you.” Nelda reached out and put her hand on Linda’s.
“Yes, he is nice. If you don’t get back with Lute, he would be . . . right for you.”
“Hey, now. What are you, the town matchmaker?” Nelda laughed, trying to lighten Linda’s mood.
“I’m being selfish. I want to keep you here. I’ve not had a friend of my own for a long time.”
They spent the rest of their time together looking for books on nursing. The librarian helped and by the time they were ready to leave, Linda had picked out three books on nursing and two children’s books for Eric.
Nelda offered to take her home.
“No, but thanks. I passed the garage where Kurt works. He’ll be looking to see what time I go back home.”
“Linda?” Nelda tilted her head quizzically.
Linda laughed nervously, and her cheeks reddened.
“I’m used to him. Don’t worry about it.”
On the way back to the farm, Nelda noticed that she was low on gas and stopped at the service station on the edge of town. She saw several boys inside the building, and she waited for one to come out. When one did, he strolled leisurely, calling to his friends back over his shoulder. Nelda rolled down the window.
“Fill it please.”
He took off the gas cap, put the nozzle in tank, leaned close to the window.
“Does that dog bite?”
“Put your hand inside, and you’ll find out.”
“He’d get a load of buckshot if he bit me.”
“He’d not bite you unless you were trespassing.”
“You still out there on Lute’s farm?”
“I’m out there on
my
farm.” Surprised by the question, Nelda turned and met his eyes head-on. His traveled over her, then returned to her face. Nelda
wanted to laugh. The kid was flirting with her. “Why do you ask?”
“I
Nelda’s temper began to rise. She jerked away from him. “What do you care, Lute? You don’t want me.”
She left him without a backward glance, but she knew that he watched her climb back over the fence. Thank goodness, she managed to get to the other side without getting her jeans caught again. She untied Kelly, and they continued their walk down the road. Behind her she heard the tractor pulling the corn picker roar into action.
• • •
During the next couple of weeks the landscape around the farm changed dramatically. Gone were the fields of yellow cornstalks. When Nelda went to town, she no longer needed to slow down at the “corn” intersections; she was able to see for a quarter of a mile in either direction.
This morning she had called Linda and suggested they meet for lunch.
“I’d rather meet you at the library, Nelda.”
“The library will be fine with me. There are a couple of books I’d like to pick up anyway.”
The public library was across from the Congregational Church. The librarian was friendly and helpful. Nelda found the books she wanted and took them to a far table to wait for Linda.
Linda hurried in right on time. Her face was rosy from the cold.
“I didn’t think about your having to walk. I could have picked you up.”
“It wasn’t bad walking. I don’t even mind the snow, but I hate it when it’s all icy.” Linda took off her coat and put it on the back of a chair.
“I was hoping you’d call or come out.”
Linda sat down and put her hands over her face. “I was too ashamed.”
“Ashamed? Why?”
“The way Kurt was . . . that night. He’d had a little too much to drink.”
“I knew that. Forget it. I asked Mr. Hutchinson about scholarships, and he said that he thought one could be arranged.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. You made all A’s in high school. I’m sure that’s what will get you one . . . if you decide to go.”
“Oh, Lord. I do want to go. Eric’s in school a half a day. My neighbor would watch him the other half. Next year he’ll go all day.”
“Call the hospital and find out how to go about getting into a class, then go see Mr. Hutchinson. He’s really a nice man. He’ll help you.” Nelda reached out and put her hand on Linda’s.
“Yes, he is nice. If you don’t get back with Lute, he would be . . . right for you.”
“Hey, now. What are you, the town matchmaker?” Nelda laughed, trying to lighten Linda’s mood.
“I’m being selfish. I want to keep you here. I’ve not had a friend of my own for a long time.”
They spent the rest of their time together looking for books on nursing. The librarian helped and by the time they were ready to leave, Linda had picked out three books on nursing and two children’s books for Eric.
Nelda offered to take her home.
“No, but thanks. I passed the garage where Kurt works. He’ll be looking to see what time I go back home.”
“Linda?” Nelda tilted her head quizzically.
Linda laughed nervously, and her cheeks reddened.
“I’m used to him. Don’t worry about it.”
On the way back to the farm, Nelda noticed that she was low on gas and stopped at the service station on the edge of town. She saw several boys inside the building, and she waited for one to come out. When one did, he strolled leisurely, calling to his friends back over his shoulder. Nelda rolled down the window.
“Fill it please.”
He took off the gas cap, put the nozzle in tank, leaned close to the window.
“Does that dog bite?”
“Put your hand inside, and you’ll find out.”
“He’d get a load of buckshot if he bit me.”
“He’d not bite you unless you were trespassing.”
“You still out there on Lute’s farm?”
“I’m out there on
my
farm.” Surprised by the question, Nelda turned and met his eyes head-on. His traveled over her, then returned to her face. Nelda
wanted to laugh. The kid was flirting with her. “Why do you ask?”
“I
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