mother’s eyes. “Did you even love Dad?”
Surprise rippled across Deborah’s face, followed closely by pain. “No child should be made to even think that question, much less ask it. Yes, Payton, I loved him,” she said, pressing on when Payton wanted to point out that she was no longer a child. “I loved him with my whole heart. I just didn’t love him as well as I should have.”
“I shouldn’t have come down on you so hard after the funeral.” She reached for her mother’s hand, at long last loosing the apology that had been festering inside her for years. “Some of the things I said were unforgivable. You’d just lost your husband.”
“And you’d just lost your father. And everything is forgivable.” With a sad smile, Deborah’s fingers tightened on Payton’s. “I’ve learned it’s best to move on and try to make each day better than the one before. It sounds simple, but come to find out the greatest things in life are usually the simplest.”
The bitter knot of resentment Payton had held on to for so long began to melt. “I’ve missed you, Mom.”
A shimmering glaze flooded Deborah’s eyes. “I’ve missed you too, baby.”
“Deborah, my dear! You look as lovely as always.” Both pairs of brown eyes looked up at the jovial voice, and Payton found a pudgy, balding man stuffed into an off-the-rack suit and wide floral tie had stopped at their table. “And who is this pretty young lady? I thought I knew just about everyone in town.”
“Ah. Prentice Fields, my daughter, Dr. Payton Pruitt. She’s in town for the high school reunion that took place a couple of days ago. Payton, Mr. Fields decided to share his vast banking expertise with the lucky citizens of Bitterthorn.” Deborah’s gaze glanced off of hers, and Payton wondered if the jovial Prentice had caught her droll tone. “He moved here a few years back from the Fort Worth area and was given the job of managing Farmer’s Bank.”
“How fortunate for Farmer’s Bank.” Curiosity piqued, Payton kept her smile firmly in place and waited to see the response.
“It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.” Ducking his balding pate modestly, he still managed to puff up his stout chest. “Little dot-on-the-map towns like Bitterthorn have a tendency to wither up and blow away if their financial roots aren’t deep enough. Heaven knows it was in terrible shape when I first got here from my vice-presidential position at one of the nation’s leading banks.”
When he paused, Payton obliged him. “Impressive.”
Her mother covered her mouth with her napkin.
“I do what I can.” Again, there was the modest ducking of the chin that was beginning to look more and more like he was taking a bow. “When I decided to retire out here in Bitterthorn, naturally I wanted to do my best to help out the community. Knowledge is only valuable when it’s shared.”
“Of course.”
“So when Mayor Weems herself begged me to take on Farmer’s, what could I say?”
“You really had no choice.”
“None at all.” Prentice Fields looked at Payton in satisfaction before offering Deborah a wink. “I have to say, Deborah, your daughter does take after you. Not only is she as pretty as a picture, but she’s sharp, too.”
“I’m very proud.” Deborah’s smile was an elegant work of art.
Prentice Fields seemed to think so as well. His jowly cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat explosively. “Well. A pleasure to bump into you, Deborah, as always. Enjoy the rest of your visit, sugar,” he added with a wink to Payton before strolling off to pay his bill.
“You have my sympathies.” Torn between compassion and hilarity, she turned brimming eyes to Deborah. “I do believe that man is sweet on you.”
“God help me, please.” At the fervent prayer, Payton dissolved into giggles as her mother glared at her. “Do you have any idea what it’s been like since he came here? I’m surprised he didn’t hire a brass band
Surprise rippled across Deborah’s face, followed closely by pain. “No child should be made to even think that question, much less ask it. Yes, Payton, I loved him,” she said, pressing on when Payton wanted to point out that she was no longer a child. “I loved him with my whole heart. I just didn’t love him as well as I should have.”
“I shouldn’t have come down on you so hard after the funeral.” She reached for her mother’s hand, at long last loosing the apology that had been festering inside her for years. “Some of the things I said were unforgivable. You’d just lost your husband.”
“And you’d just lost your father. And everything is forgivable.” With a sad smile, Deborah’s fingers tightened on Payton’s. “I’ve learned it’s best to move on and try to make each day better than the one before. It sounds simple, but come to find out the greatest things in life are usually the simplest.”
The bitter knot of resentment Payton had held on to for so long began to melt. “I’ve missed you, Mom.”
A shimmering glaze flooded Deborah’s eyes. “I’ve missed you too, baby.”
“Deborah, my dear! You look as lovely as always.” Both pairs of brown eyes looked up at the jovial voice, and Payton found a pudgy, balding man stuffed into an off-the-rack suit and wide floral tie had stopped at their table. “And who is this pretty young lady? I thought I knew just about everyone in town.”
“Ah. Prentice Fields, my daughter, Dr. Payton Pruitt. She’s in town for the high school reunion that took place a couple of days ago. Payton, Mr. Fields decided to share his vast banking expertise with the lucky citizens of Bitterthorn.” Deborah’s gaze glanced off of hers, and Payton wondered if the jovial Prentice had caught her droll tone. “He moved here a few years back from the Fort Worth area and was given the job of managing Farmer’s Bank.”
“How fortunate for Farmer’s Bank.” Curiosity piqued, Payton kept her smile firmly in place and waited to see the response.
“It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.” Ducking his balding pate modestly, he still managed to puff up his stout chest. “Little dot-on-the-map towns like Bitterthorn have a tendency to wither up and blow away if their financial roots aren’t deep enough. Heaven knows it was in terrible shape when I first got here from my vice-presidential position at one of the nation’s leading banks.”
When he paused, Payton obliged him. “Impressive.”
Her mother covered her mouth with her napkin.
“I do what I can.” Again, there was the modest ducking of the chin that was beginning to look more and more like he was taking a bow. “When I decided to retire out here in Bitterthorn, naturally I wanted to do my best to help out the community. Knowledge is only valuable when it’s shared.”
“Of course.”
“So when Mayor Weems herself begged me to take on Farmer’s, what could I say?”
“You really had no choice.”
“None at all.” Prentice Fields looked at Payton in satisfaction before offering Deborah a wink. “I have to say, Deborah, your daughter does take after you. Not only is she as pretty as a picture, but she’s sharp, too.”
“I’m very proud.” Deborah’s smile was an elegant work of art.
Prentice Fields seemed to think so as well. His jowly cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat explosively. “Well. A pleasure to bump into you, Deborah, as always. Enjoy the rest of your visit, sugar,” he added with a wink to Payton before strolling off to pay his bill.
“You have my sympathies.” Torn between compassion and hilarity, she turned brimming eyes to Deborah. “I do believe that man is sweet on you.”
“God help me, please.” At the fervent prayer, Payton dissolved into giggles as her mother glared at her. “Do you have any idea what it’s been like since he came here? I’m surprised he didn’t hire a brass band
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