threatened. That application to New York University must have really set him off.
Esther put her hand gently on his, stilling him. John Henrysighed when he released her belt. Esther quickly finished the task and stepped from her jeans, looking over at John Henry as he fumbled with his buttons.
He was a long sideburn kind of man. With his easy manner and his handsome straight nose, not to mention the dairy farm that would someday be his, most every girl in town had set her sights on John Henry Thompson at one time or another. And he strayed from time to time over the years of their courtship. Yet, Esther always knew that John Henry would find his way back to her, so she never worried or got jealous. Some called her lucky. Others called her a fool.
John Henry looked up, caught her eye, and smiled wide. Even in this dark corner, his bright blue eyes twinkled.
Esther smiled back. She really did care for John Henry. She welcomed him in her arms.
Afterward, when they were putting their clothes back on, an uneasy silence fell upon them. Esther buttoned her shirt back up, watching John Henry thrust one leg into his jeans. His leg was long and covered with fine brown hair the same dark color as the hair that spread across his thin, well-muscled chest and massed upon his head and around his ears. Her hands stilled. How many times had they repeated this scene over the years, she wondered? How many more times till they realized that they could not go on like this forever?
As if he read her mind, John Henry shoved his other leg into his pants and said, “I’m getting pretty tired of pickin’ hay out’a my butt. What do you say we make some decisions? Get ourselves our own bed.”
Esther jerked her head down and her fingers began to fly on her buttons. “Don’t be silly, John Henry. You know I’m waitin’ on this scholarship.”
“You’re always waitin’ on something, Esther. After high school it was junior college. Two years later you wanted tofinish college in Burlington. Then your sister up and left her husband and you had to take care of her kids. Then your brother—”
“What does Tom’s death have to do with us?”
John Henry looked contrite. “Nothing Es, only…” He picked up some hay, sorted it a bit, then threw it on the ground. “Only you always have some excuse for why we can’t get married. Now you push this New York stuff in my face and expect me to sit back and wait some more.”
“I’m not asking you to wait.” She whispered it.
“I’m twenty-six years old!” he continued, not listening or hearing. “Tell me, Es. Tell me to my face. What am I waiting for?”
Esther felt more cornered by his words than the two walls she pressed against. She huddled over and hugged her knees.
“Please, John Henry, don’t push me.”
John Henry stood straight, his hands in fists at his side.
“It’s expected that we marry.”
“I’ve never done the expected,” she snapped.
John Henry looked as though he’d been punched in the stomach. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Esther instantly regretted her temper. “You know I can’t abide gossips. Oh, John Henry.” She rubbed both hands in her hair with frustration, undoing her elastic and sending the curls flying. When she looked up she appeared as disheveled as she felt.
“Maybe you should start seeing someone else. I’ve said so before.”
“Not this again.”
“I don’t want you waiting for me. I can’t promise my life to you. It’s still mine. Please, don’t ask me to.”
He knelt down before her and tugged gently at her hair.
“That’s just what I’m asking you to do. I know there areother girls, but I don’t want another girl. I want a dreamer who has two feet on the ground. I want someone who speaks her mind, and gives her heart.”
Esther looked at her knees.
“I want you, Esther. Only you.”
Tears filled Esther’s eyes and she reached out for John Henry. Her hand closed around the fabric against his
Esther put her hand gently on his, stilling him. John Henrysighed when he released her belt. Esther quickly finished the task and stepped from her jeans, looking over at John Henry as he fumbled with his buttons.
He was a long sideburn kind of man. With his easy manner and his handsome straight nose, not to mention the dairy farm that would someday be his, most every girl in town had set her sights on John Henry Thompson at one time or another. And he strayed from time to time over the years of their courtship. Yet, Esther always knew that John Henry would find his way back to her, so she never worried or got jealous. Some called her lucky. Others called her a fool.
John Henry looked up, caught her eye, and smiled wide. Even in this dark corner, his bright blue eyes twinkled.
Esther smiled back. She really did care for John Henry. She welcomed him in her arms.
Afterward, when they were putting their clothes back on, an uneasy silence fell upon them. Esther buttoned her shirt back up, watching John Henry thrust one leg into his jeans. His leg was long and covered with fine brown hair the same dark color as the hair that spread across his thin, well-muscled chest and massed upon his head and around his ears. Her hands stilled. How many times had they repeated this scene over the years, she wondered? How many more times till they realized that they could not go on like this forever?
As if he read her mind, John Henry shoved his other leg into his pants and said, “I’m getting pretty tired of pickin’ hay out’a my butt. What do you say we make some decisions? Get ourselves our own bed.”
Esther jerked her head down and her fingers began to fly on her buttons. “Don’t be silly, John Henry. You know I’m waitin’ on this scholarship.”
“You’re always waitin’ on something, Esther. After high school it was junior college. Two years later you wanted tofinish college in Burlington. Then your sister up and left her husband and you had to take care of her kids. Then your brother—”
“What does Tom’s death have to do with us?”
John Henry looked contrite. “Nothing Es, only…” He picked up some hay, sorted it a bit, then threw it on the ground. “Only you always have some excuse for why we can’t get married. Now you push this New York stuff in my face and expect me to sit back and wait some more.”
“I’m not asking you to wait.” She whispered it.
“I’m twenty-six years old!” he continued, not listening or hearing. “Tell me, Es. Tell me to my face. What am I waiting for?”
Esther felt more cornered by his words than the two walls she pressed against. She huddled over and hugged her knees.
“Please, John Henry, don’t push me.”
John Henry stood straight, his hands in fists at his side.
“It’s expected that we marry.”
“I’ve never done the expected,” she snapped.
John Henry looked as though he’d been punched in the stomach. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Esther instantly regretted her temper. “You know I can’t abide gossips. Oh, John Henry.” She rubbed both hands in her hair with frustration, undoing her elastic and sending the curls flying. When she looked up she appeared as disheveled as she felt.
“Maybe you should start seeing someone else. I’ve said so before.”
“Not this again.”
“I don’t want you waiting for me. I can’t promise my life to you. It’s still mine. Please, don’t ask me to.”
He knelt down before her and tugged gently at her hair.
“That’s just what I’m asking you to do. I know there areother girls, but I don’t want another girl. I want a dreamer who has two feet on the ground. I want someone who speaks her mind, and gives her heart.”
Esther looked at her knees.
“I want you, Esther. Only you.”
Tears filled Esther’s eyes and she reached out for John Henry. Her hand closed around the fabric against his
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