the store, then turned to view Bea Dot in the kitchen as well as Netta in the bedroom. Bea Dot poured too much soap into the dish pan. He smiled, then turned his eyes to Netta, who sat at a small table, writing a letter to Ralph, a slight frown of concern across her forehead. Will’s gut flushed with dis-ease at the thought of Netta’s worry for her husband. Then he turned his eyes back to Bea Dot and wondered why she had never even mentioned her own husband back in Savannah.
CHAPTER 10
Bea Dot turned her back to the ledger and leaned on the counter to relieve her aching back and feet. With Will on his mail route, she hustled to assist the flux of customers. California had always said, “All the nuts come out in the rain.” That might have been true in Savannah, but in rural Georgia, everyone came out after the rain, like ants swarming to repair their damaged nest. She hadn’t realized how much effort went into operating a store until she’d taken on the task herself. Now she admired Will’s ability to recognize a need in this rural community and work hard to fill it. The customers who came to the crossing always asked after Will, and their questions spoke of the same admiration for him that she was developing.
She had sold out of coffee and was running low on kerosene. Will would have to make another trip to town to restock, and he’d just come home from Pineview yesterday. She’d mentioned once or twice already that a truck would make his work more efficient, but he’d rejected the suggestion soundly. She knew not to make it again.
Every person so far had tracked in red mud so that Will’s beautiful pine floors looked just like the road outside. At first, Bea Dot occasionally swept up with irritation, but she eventually gave up that battle, hating the idea of the heart pine floors quickly growing dull with wear.
She peered out the window at the rumble of an engine. Several motorcars had passed by, but none had stopped. Customers at the crossing typically arrived on foot or by horseback. Several folks came in asking to call in telegrams. Not knowing whether Will charged for those services, Bea Dot wrote down the messages for Will to call in when he returned. One family had just had a baby. Another—bless their hearts—had lost a son in France. Bea Dot’s chest ached for the heartbroken man who left that message. A third family had canceled a trip to Atlanta. Though she didn’t ask why, she wondered if the flu had any bearing on their decision. Was the outbreak isolated to Pineview? Or had other towns been afflicted as well? Should she and Netta call in a telegram to Aunt Lavinia? She put her hand to her mouth at the next thought: What if Ben caught influenza?
The telephone rang again, interrupting Bea Dot’s musings, so she pushed herself away from the counter and stepped on aching feet to the telephone stand. “Dunaway’s Crossing,” she answered into the mouth piece.
“Bea Dot? Is that you?”
“Yes, yes it is.” Bea Dot frowned. No one who called there knew who she was.
“It’s Ralph calling, Bea Dot.”
“Ralph, it’s so good to hear from you.” Her heart danced with simultaneous relief and excitement “Are you well?”
Netta’s face appeared in the bedroom door, and with her arm Bea Dot beckoned her to the phone. Netta waddled over, anticipation lighting her face. Bea Dot didn’t even hear Ralph’s answer to her questions. “I know someone who wants to talk to you,” she said before Netta grabbed the ear piece and pushed herself in front of the phone, edging Bea Dot out of her way.
“Ralph, oh darling, how are you? I’ve missed you so.”
Bea Dot stepped out to give Netta some privacy, understanding her cousin’s urgency, but also a little annoyed at being pushed aside. Apparently, Ralph had received the letter Will had left for him. Thank goodness he’d called. Maybe now Netta would stop chewing on her lip and sighing into her teacup.
Bea Dot rubbed her lower
CHAPTER 10
Bea Dot turned her back to the ledger and leaned on the counter to relieve her aching back and feet. With Will on his mail route, she hustled to assist the flux of customers. California had always said, “All the nuts come out in the rain.” That might have been true in Savannah, but in rural Georgia, everyone came out after the rain, like ants swarming to repair their damaged nest. She hadn’t realized how much effort went into operating a store until she’d taken on the task herself. Now she admired Will’s ability to recognize a need in this rural community and work hard to fill it. The customers who came to the crossing always asked after Will, and their questions spoke of the same admiration for him that she was developing.
She had sold out of coffee and was running low on kerosene. Will would have to make another trip to town to restock, and he’d just come home from Pineview yesterday. She’d mentioned once or twice already that a truck would make his work more efficient, but he’d rejected the suggestion soundly. She knew not to make it again.
Every person so far had tracked in red mud so that Will’s beautiful pine floors looked just like the road outside. At first, Bea Dot occasionally swept up with irritation, but she eventually gave up that battle, hating the idea of the heart pine floors quickly growing dull with wear.
She peered out the window at the rumble of an engine. Several motorcars had passed by, but none had stopped. Customers at the crossing typically arrived on foot or by horseback. Several folks came in asking to call in telegrams. Not knowing whether Will charged for those services, Bea Dot wrote down the messages for Will to call in when he returned. One family had just had a baby. Another—bless their hearts—had lost a son in France. Bea Dot’s chest ached for the heartbroken man who left that message. A third family had canceled a trip to Atlanta. Though she didn’t ask why, she wondered if the flu had any bearing on their decision. Was the outbreak isolated to Pineview? Or had other towns been afflicted as well? Should she and Netta call in a telegram to Aunt Lavinia? She put her hand to her mouth at the next thought: What if Ben caught influenza?
The telephone rang again, interrupting Bea Dot’s musings, so she pushed herself away from the counter and stepped on aching feet to the telephone stand. “Dunaway’s Crossing,” she answered into the mouth piece.
“Bea Dot? Is that you?”
“Yes, yes it is.” Bea Dot frowned. No one who called there knew who she was.
“It’s Ralph calling, Bea Dot.”
“Ralph, it’s so good to hear from you.” Her heart danced with simultaneous relief and excitement “Are you well?”
Netta’s face appeared in the bedroom door, and with her arm Bea Dot beckoned her to the phone. Netta waddled over, anticipation lighting her face. Bea Dot didn’t even hear Ralph’s answer to her questions. “I know someone who wants to talk to you,” she said before Netta grabbed the ear piece and pushed herself in front of the phone, edging Bea Dot out of her way.
“Ralph, oh darling, how are you? I’ve missed you so.”
Bea Dot stepped out to give Netta some privacy, understanding her cousin’s urgency, but also a little annoyed at being pushed aside. Apparently, Ralph had received the letter Will had left for him. Thank goodness he’d called. Maybe now Netta would stop chewing on her lip and sighing into her teacup.
Bea Dot rubbed her lower
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