green pines. I rub my palms together and sense a soft, electric thrill. I brush the dry back of my hand across my cheek and get comfort because there is Lily. How can it be, this quick, burning happiness where for so long there was nothing? Lily is my mantra, my prayer and my song. She is the long awaited answer to all my supplication. Tonight in the shining grass I’ll kneel before her and humbly thank God for sending the promised angel. I’ll ask His guidance as I pledge my ceaseless vigilance and unqualified protection.
10
Rose of Sharon
P eople like me live their whole lives in fear. People like Lily dance with danger every day and never seem to know it. I’ve got a situation here. I told that girl. I says, “Lily, you do what you’re going to do. But you keep it to yourself.” Lord knows she’s not the first married woman to carry on with somebody while her husband’s at work. Some people do that. Some people don’t. You’d have to walk a couple miles in their shoes before you could even offer an opinion. But she’s pushing me here. So is Dashnell’s nephew Heath.
Dashnell hired him to sod the backyard. But somehow he twisted Dashnell’s head around and got him to say he could paint the house too. It was painted eighteen months ago. We had a mild winter. It doesn’t need it. It’s just an opportunity for Heath and Lily to get together. In my bed! I came in from the grocery this morning and the bedspread was on sideways. I had no choice but to tell Lily I wouldn’t be taken advantage of that way. She tore off home in a huff.
That didn’t stop Romeo and Juliet. He’ll slap three strokes of paint on my house and then slip down to her place for an hour. I got tired of it. I don’t want the boy hanging off a ladder outside my windows all summer. I don’t want Glen pointing fingers at me if he catches on either. You can find more trouble trying to mind yourown business than you can out looking for it. I went down to Lily’s and knocked on the door and Heath answered it with his shirt in his hand, grinning ear to ear saying he’d be back up here in a few minutes. I said, “Well, all right. But I am not paying you by the hour!”
An hour later Lily was at my back door.
“I thought we were friends,” she says, tapping her foot like a spoiled brat.
“Friends don’t do each other the way you are me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t think you are.” I was making pickles. I didn’t have time to listen to how she was starved for love.
“I took advantage of you, Rosie. I’m truly sorry.”
I told her I wanted no part of it. I said I wasn’t about to incur the wrath of her husband when he got wind of it. There’s something touched about Glen Pembroke. I figured him for the very type to blame an innocent party. Apt as not he’d get Dashnell in on it. Lord knew what might happen then.
“You tell Heath I’ll get somebody else to paint my house.”
That’s when she told me she was trying to cut it off.
“Well, I’m glad of it,” I says, wondering how I’d get the pickle mess under control and make supper before Dashnell got home. I said that a little harder than I meant to. I’m twice her age and I wasn’t half that pretty when I was young. I couldn’t imagine having the chance to do what she had done. It never was an option. Lily’s eyes narrowed.
“Well, aren’t we sanctimonious?” she says, biting salty tears from her bottom lip.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, Lily. I’ve got twenty quarts of pickles going and supper to start.”
“Rose, I’m scared,” she said in a matter of fact tone that wasn’t asking for sympathy. I thought she was telling me that Glen had figured it out.
“I wish I’d never met Heath Lawler.” She was sobbing, shaking from head to toe. She looked about six years old.
“I know I’m an imposition, Rose. I know you’d like to see me out and latch the back door against me.”
“I like you, Lily. It’s just
10
Rose of Sharon
P eople like me live their whole lives in fear. People like Lily dance with danger every day and never seem to know it. I’ve got a situation here. I told that girl. I says, “Lily, you do what you’re going to do. But you keep it to yourself.” Lord knows she’s not the first married woman to carry on with somebody while her husband’s at work. Some people do that. Some people don’t. You’d have to walk a couple miles in their shoes before you could even offer an opinion. But she’s pushing me here. So is Dashnell’s nephew Heath.
Dashnell hired him to sod the backyard. But somehow he twisted Dashnell’s head around and got him to say he could paint the house too. It was painted eighteen months ago. We had a mild winter. It doesn’t need it. It’s just an opportunity for Heath and Lily to get together. In my bed! I came in from the grocery this morning and the bedspread was on sideways. I had no choice but to tell Lily I wouldn’t be taken advantage of that way. She tore off home in a huff.
That didn’t stop Romeo and Juliet. He’ll slap three strokes of paint on my house and then slip down to her place for an hour. I got tired of it. I don’t want the boy hanging off a ladder outside my windows all summer. I don’t want Glen pointing fingers at me if he catches on either. You can find more trouble trying to mind yourown business than you can out looking for it. I went down to Lily’s and knocked on the door and Heath answered it with his shirt in his hand, grinning ear to ear saying he’d be back up here in a few minutes. I said, “Well, all right. But I am not paying you by the hour!”
An hour later Lily was at my back door.
“I thought we were friends,” she says, tapping her foot like a spoiled brat.
“Friends don’t do each other the way you are me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t think you are.” I was making pickles. I didn’t have time to listen to how she was starved for love.
“I took advantage of you, Rosie. I’m truly sorry.”
I told her I wanted no part of it. I said I wasn’t about to incur the wrath of her husband when he got wind of it. There’s something touched about Glen Pembroke. I figured him for the very type to blame an innocent party. Apt as not he’d get Dashnell in on it. Lord knew what might happen then.
“You tell Heath I’ll get somebody else to paint my house.”
That’s when she told me she was trying to cut it off.
“Well, I’m glad of it,” I says, wondering how I’d get the pickle mess under control and make supper before Dashnell got home. I said that a little harder than I meant to. I’m twice her age and I wasn’t half that pretty when I was young. I couldn’t imagine having the chance to do what she had done. It never was an option. Lily’s eyes narrowed.
“Well, aren’t we sanctimonious?” she says, biting salty tears from her bottom lip.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, Lily. I’ve got twenty quarts of pickles going and supper to start.”
“Rose, I’m scared,” she said in a matter of fact tone that wasn’t asking for sympathy. I thought she was telling me that Glen had figured it out.
“I wish I’d never met Heath Lawler.” She was sobbing, shaking from head to toe. She looked about six years old.
“I know I’m an imposition, Rose. I know you’d like to see me out and latch the back door against me.”
“I like you, Lily. It’s just
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