to her. " 'Cause she left it to me instead of Arthel and me."
}He took a long deep breath as if releasing his anger.
}"We didn't need her help!"
}Luther's head jerked up as if he had every intention of saying more. But his expression suddenly changed. His eyes wide, his mouth open, he stared.
}"What is it?"
}Luther made a little choking sound and attempted to clear his throat. But he did not look away.
}Tulsa May followed the direction of his gaze and stared too. Her crepe de chine bodice and the white muslin camisole beneath were both dripping wet, plastered against her body as if she were completely naked. The shape of her breasts were not disguised in any way and her dark nipples stood in stark relief to the paleness of the surrounding skin.
}"Oh!" Tulsa May immediately folded her arms across her bosom. Blushing furiously, she looked up in horror and shame at Luther, still sitting stunned at the table.
}With some difficulty, he dropped his glance finally to the floor and loudly cleared his throat. "Is that tea about ready, Tulsa May? It's getting late and I should be getting home." He shifted awkwardly in his chair as if he were sitting in a clump of bull nettles. "I wonder where your parents are?"
}His bland comments gave Tulsa May a moment to recover her wits. She grabbed her mother's bib apron from the hook near the door and hastily slipped it on. "I'll have that tea for you in one minute," she told him with deliberate cheerfulness. Her hands were fumbling as she tried to tie her sash.
}The silence in the kitchen was almost tangible. Tulsa May was beyond mere shame, she was furious at herself. Other women always seemed to have the good sense to glance in the mirror, so that they knew to straighten their ruffles or fluff their skirts. Tulsa May always avoided mirrors and this humiliation was the price that she paid. She wouldn't make that mistake again.
}She chanced a quick glance toward Luther. Oh, how she must have embarrassed him. To have to see a woman sticking out like that, especially a woman who was his best friend. How awkward for him! How mortifying for her!
}She shook her head, still horrified. First she'd spent the whole evening bouncing her bosom against him on the dance floor and then she'd practically shown him her naked breasts. It was too distressing to even think about.
}Fortunately, the water began to boil and she could concentrate on making tea. She kept her eyes determinedly on her task and didn't glance in his direction until the tea was steeping.
}"Here we are," she said, smiling brightly at him, hoping to dispel the tense atmosphere.
}"Thank you," he answered cordially.
}She seated herself across from him at the table and smiled with determined nonchalance as she struggled to think of a fit subject for conversation.
}"Didn't little Maybelle look pretty tonight?"
}Luther raised his gaze from the walnut wood grain of the kitchen table. "She is a pretty girl, all right," he answered. Then with a grin he added, "Pretty spoiled."
}They chuckled lightly for a moment since they both recalled Maybelle's childhood reputation for tantrums and tirades.
}"She's sweet though, inside, and she will grow out of that pettiness."
}He shrugged in tacit agreement.
}She could think of nothing further to say about the Spring Blossom Queen.
}"The merry-go-round was such fun." Tulsa May tried again. "I could have gone round and round forever. And then to catch the ring!" Her enthusiasm brightened her face attractively.
}"The rain didn't do that feather much good," Luther pointed out.
}Tulsa May glanced toward the dripping hat. "It does seem a bit worse for the weather," she admitted as she gazed at its sodden disrepair. "But I'm sure it will dry perfectly fine."
}"You are being optimistic again," he said, teasing her.
}"Guilty," she confessed, but she still did not quite feel as comfortable with him as she had before.
}"Try to think of something not so cheerful," he challenged. "I dare you to
}He took a long deep breath as if releasing his anger.
}"We didn't need her help!"
}Luther's head jerked up as if he had every intention of saying more. But his expression suddenly changed. His eyes wide, his mouth open, he stared.
}"What is it?"
}Luther made a little choking sound and attempted to clear his throat. But he did not look away.
}Tulsa May followed the direction of his gaze and stared too. Her crepe de chine bodice and the white muslin camisole beneath were both dripping wet, plastered against her body as if she were completely naked. The shape of her breasts were not disguised in any way and her dark nipples stood in stark relief to the paleness of the surrounding skin.
}"Oh!" Tulsa May immediately folded her arms across her bosom. Blushing furiously, she looked up in horror and shame at Luther, still sitting stunned at the table.
}With some difficulty, he dropped his glance finally to the floor and loudly cleared his throat. "Is that tea about ready, Tulsa May? It's getting late and I should be getting home." He shifted awkwardly in his chair as if he were sitting in a clump of bull nettles. "I wonder where your parents are?"
}His bland comments gave Tulsa May a moment to recover her wits. She grabbed her mother's bib apron from the hook near the door and hastily slipped it on. "I'll have that tea for you in one minute," she told him with deliberate cheerfulness. Her hands were fumbling as she tried to tie her sash.
}The silence in the kitchen was almost tangible. Tulsa May was beyond mere shame, she was furious at herself. Other women always seemed to have the good sense to glance in the mirror, so that they knew to straighten their ruffles or fluff their skirts. Tulsa May always avoided mirrors and this humiliation was the price that she paid. She wouldn't make that mistake again.
}She chanced a quick glance toward Luther. Oh, how she must have embarrassed him. To have to see a woman sticking out like that, especially a woman who was his best friend. How awkward for him! How mortifying for her!
}She shook her head, still horrified. First she'd spent the whole evening bouncing her bosom against him on the dance floor and then she'd practically shown him her naked breasts. It was too distressing to even think about.
}Fortunately, the water began to boil and she could concentrate on making tea. She kept her eyes determinedly on her task and didn't glance in his direction until the tea was steeping.
}"Here we are," she said, smiling brightly at him, hoping to dispel the tense atmosphere.
}"Thank you," he answered cordially.
}She seated herself across from him at the table and smiled with determined nonchalance as she struggled to think of a fit subject for conversation.
}"Didn't little Maybelle look pretty tonight?"
}Luther raised his gaze from the walnut wood grain of the kitchen table. "She is a pretty girl, all right," he answered. Then with a grin he added, "Pretty spoiled."
}They chuckled lightly for a moment since they both recalled Maybelle's childhood reputation for tantrums and tirades.
}"She's sweet though, inside, and she will grow out of that pettiness."
}He shrugged in tacit agreement.
}She could think of nothing further to say about the Spring Blossom Queen.
}"The merry-go-round was such fun." Tulsa May tried again. "I could have gone round and round forever. And then to catch the ring!" Her enthusiasm brightened her face attractively.
}"The rain didn't do that feather much good," Luther pointed out.
}Tulsa May glanced toward the dripping hat. "It does seem a bit worse for the weather," she admitted as she gazed at its sodden disrepair. "But I'm sure it will dry perfectly fine."
}"You are being optimistic again," he said, teasing her.
}"Guilty," she confessed, but she still did not quite feel as comfortable with him as she had before.
}"Try to think of something not so cheerful," he challenged. "I dare you to
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