Halley (14 page)

17. Christmas

None of the married Franklin children came for Christmas. Among them all only Ralph sometimes had the use of a motor vehicle, and his boss’s truck cab wasn’t big enough to hold all Ralph’s family. Only during warm weather could passengers ride in back.

Gid arrived on Christmas Eve, but he hardly looked like his old self. He had become good-looking. He’d gained weight and put on muscle. He even looked taller. He was full of stories about life in camp and all he was learning in his classes. Pa Franklin grunted and snorted about waste of time and the devil’s work, but everyone else was interested.

Ma Franklin finally dared bring up the question Halley had been wanting to ask: “Is it as good as if you’d gone to Miss Berry’s school?”

Gid studied a moment and then nodded. “Sometimes you just have to wait till it’s the right time for a thing to happen.”

Halley knew he was thinking about more than school. He was thinking of Bootsie, too.

After a short while Gid kissed his mother and announced he had to go see his girl. “Got to make wedding plans,” he said. “Can we make room for Bootsie here tonight? Maybe her and Halley can share a pallet.”

“You know she’s welcome,” said Ma Franklin.

Christmas morning came, and Robbie was beside himself with joy over his gifts. In addition, Bootsie had bought him a jigsaw puzzle.

“
Your
present is coming a little later,” Gid told Bootsie when they sat down to the breakfast table.

Bootsie squeezed his arm. “I already got all the present I want,” she said.

“Well, I figure old mule ears ain’t coming,” Pa Franklin said to Kate when the meal was nearly over. “Probably too cheap to buy you a present. Or maybe he’s off braying sweet nothings to some other widder woman closer to home.”

Kate ignored him, but Pa Franklin’s good cheer continued right on up until Garnetta arrived.

“I didn’t know
she
was coming,” said Pa Franklin.

“I invited her,” said Gid.

Garnetta was alone this time. She brought food. There were two cakes—one coconut and one chocolate. There was candy, and there was fruit. The oranges smelled like Christmas to Halley.

“The fruit is from Bud Gravitt,” Garnetta said, “a special gift for Kate.”

Pa Franklin quickly put down the orange he had just picked up.

“Bud said he wished he could be here, but he’s having Christmas with his young’uns at his sister’s house.” She slipped a small box into Gid’s pocket.

Gid cleared his throat. “I got a little something I want to give my bride-to-be while ever’body’s here to admire it.” He pulled the box from his pocket, opened it and took out a ring. It had a ruby and what looked like diamonds on either side.

“Oh!” Bootsie said, clasping her hands. “For me!”

Gid nodded. “It was Garnetta’s from her late husband, Barney, and she wanted us to have it.”

“It’s beautiful!” Bootsie said. “Put it on my finger, Gid.” He did, and Bootsie kissed him, and then Garnetta.

Deacon Pruitt arrived to pick up Pa Franklin for church.

Garnetta let Gid drive her car, and she stayed to help Halley while the rest went to church. “I think Mama is going to marry Bud Gravitt,” Halley whispered when Ma Franklin dozed off in the sudden quiet.

Garnetta continued cutting up chicken. “Your mother could do worse. Bud is a good man and a good provider.”

Halley began peeling potatoes. “But Daddy’s only been dead five months, and Bud’s wife has been gone three.”

“Do you think waiting will bring them back? Seems to me Kate and Bud need each other.”

After a long silence Halley confided her hopes for going off to school.

“I’ve heard of that school. You go.”

“I’ve not been invited yet. But, if I am, what about leaving Robbie? Pa Franklin is too hard on him.”

“And everybody else,” said Garnetta, setting her mouth in a deep frown. “Dimple told me about the money he took from you. I sometimes wonder if that man has any good left in him.”

Halley nodded. She felt the same. “So who’ll look out for Robbie, if I’m gone?”

“I think that’s going to work itself out. Anyway, you need to let that boy handle some things for himself and take some knocks. How is he going to learn to be a man?”

Just like Clarice had said, thought Halley.

Ma Franklin roused up. “Who you talking about?” she asked.

“I’m talking about everybody,” said Garnetta. “I was just telling Halley that the way we get strong enough to make it in this world is to learn to take hard knocks and go on.”

“That’s the Lord’s truth,” said Ma Franklin. “And I’ve had many a knock in my life.” She looked hard at Garnetta. “But I didn’t figure
you
had. Seem like to me you’ve had it pretty easy. And you look mighty handsome to boot.”

“I’ve had my own hard knocks,” Garnetta said. “And whatever looks I have, I’d trade in a minute to have some children and grandchildren like yours.”

Ma Franklin’s face softened. She wiped her eyes on her apron. “Yes, I’ve been blessed.”

“Webb did a good day’s work when he got you to marry him.”

Ma Franklin shook her head. “I was nothing special then. Ain’t now.”

“Oh, yes, you are,” said Garnetta. “You are giving and loving and kind. And you believe in Webb Franklin even more than he believes in himself. I don’t think he could manage without you.”

“Thank you,” said Ma Franklin.

Christmas dinner was ready when Pa Franklin and the rest returned from church. The meal was just as good as Halley had expected it to be. And when they had eaten and washed dishes, Garnetta declared that it was time for Robbie to play the piano. “I think we need some Christmas carols to finish off the day.”

“That would finish it all right,” Pa Franklin said, but nobody paid him any mind.

Robbie practically ran to the piano. “First, I’m playing ‘Beulah Land’ for Ma Franklin,” he said. “I practiced one day when Pa Franklin was gone.”

They all sang together except for Pa Franklin. It seemed to Halley that some knot deep inside her heart was loosening a little.

18. Everything Changes

Halley knew the week following Christmas was bound to be miserable. Bootsie and Gid planned to leave to get married on December twenty-sixth, and Kate was off from work without pay until the first Monday in the new year. Pa Franklin made no secret of his displeasure with both circumstances.

He was muttering and fuming Monday morning when Bootsie’s cousin Royce Cox arrived in his car. Royce was taking the happy couple to Calhoun for the wedding. Bootsie and Gid shook Pa Franklin’s hand and hugged the rest of the family before heading out to the car. Their bubbling over happiness only served to further rankle Pa Franklin. He went to the porch with the rest, though his glowering face was enough to dampen all joy.

“Git out of the way, Golly,” he said, kicking at the dog. Golly was sniffing his way toward Robbie, the best source of petting and food.

“Fetch some stove wood, Robbie,” Halley said, to head off trouble.

Pa Franklin grunted. “What little there is to fetch, you mean. Reckon the ones of us staying home where we orta be are near about down to splinters and logs too big to git in the stove.”

Gid laughed. “Pa, I split some yesterday and I’ll split more when I get back.” He opened the car door for Bootsie and bowed. The suit Garnetta Miller had given him from her late husband’s wardrobe was a little big, but Halley thought he looked grand anyway.

Bootsie giggled up at him and smoothed the skirt of her new dress. Then she turned her radiant smile on her future father-in-law. “Turn loose some of that CCC money and hire some help, Mr. Franklin.”

Pa Franklin grunted with disgust. “I don’t have no time to git out and hunt no labor. Not with ever’thing else I got on me.”

At that moment Sukie, the cow, gave out a bellow from the barn. She’d been acting up since the night before. “Hear that fool cow?” Pa Franklin said. “She can’t wait for a warm spell to come into heat. No-siree! She’s got to be took over to Temp Little’s house to be serviced today, when they’s near about ice on the ground.”

Halley caught the look Ma Franklin shot her husband. Things like breeding animals just weren’t discussed in front of women and children. Especially not in the Franklin household.

Royce snorted with laughter. “From what I hear about that cow, preacher, you could just turn ’er loose. I s’pect the old gal would likely find ’er own way over to Temp’s pasture.”

Gid got into the car. He and Bootsie were both laughing behind their hands as they drove away.

“Why does Sukie want to go to Temp Little’s house?” asked Robbie.

Ma Franklin’s face was as red as Kate’s. “Never mind,” they both said together.

“Fetch the wood, like I told you,” said Halley.

They were hardly back in the kitchen when Golly let out another volley of barking.

“Gid and Bootsie musta forgot something,” said Ma Franklin, shuffling toward the front window.

Halley heard footsteps and ran to the door just in time to let Robbie in with a load of wood. “Mr. Gravitt’s here,” he said.

“
Again
?” said Pa Franklin.

Moments later Bud Gravitt was in the kitchen, shaking Pa Franklin’s unwilling hand. “I’ve brung you a truck load of split wood as a Christmas present,” he said, “and I’ll bring you another load next time I come.”

Ma Franklin thanked him profusely. “Ain’t that just like an answer to a prayer, Old Man,” she said to her husband.

“I reckon,” Pa Franklin muttered. “Much obliged.”

Bud smiled as if he’d received an enthusiastic thank-you. “I’m going to unload it for you before taking Kate over to my sister’s house.”

Pa Franklin stiffened. “Taking Kate where?”

“I’m going to see Bud’s baby,” Kate quickly explained, “Will.”

“Can I go, too?” asked Robbie.

“Sounds like a good idee to me,” Pa Franklin said, but Kate shook her head.

As soon as Kate and Bud Gravitt left, Pa Franklin began criticizing them both. “Looks like Kate’s done lost ever bit of judgment she ever had. As for that long hungry she’s a-going with, he don’t have enough sense to know he ain’t welcome here.”

Ma Franklin ventured a meek defense. “Well, he brung wood.”

“Not enough to pay for half the groceries he puts down. And in the meantime he’s blackening Kate’s reputation.”

“I guess that’s so,” Ma Franklin admitted.

Halley felt her grandfather’s eyes turn in her direction, willing her to say something, compelling her to line up on his side. It was the same almost hypnotic power he used when he asked sinners to come to the altar and repent.

Halley steeled herself to resist. She could not do what he wanted. She
would
not. Though she had no great affection for Bud Gravitt, she would not be her grandfather’s ally. Not ever.

In silence, Halley put the sweet potatoes in the oven to bake for dinner and stirred the turnip greens and beans. Then she returned to the ironing she had begun right after breakfast. All without meeting her grandfather’s gaze. All without saying a word.

Finally, he gave up and spoke. “You’d think Gravitt would consider Kate’s reputation. Fur as that goes, you’d expect
Kate
to think of it. What kind of example is she setting—strollicking all over the country with a man just widdered, and her own husband barely cold in the ground! Her own husband that she
claimed
to love. The man her young’uns claimed
they
loved.”

Halley felt the old man’s gaze again, but Sukie saved her. From the barn came the cow’s insistent bellow, and at last Pa Franklin stood.

“I can tell Temp Little one thing—I ain’t paying him nothing until I see a living calf out of that heifer. And if Sukie proves good at calving, it’ll be the first thing she’s good at.”

Ma Franklin put out a hand to her husband. “Now, Old Man, it ain’t fair to expect ’im to keep the cow three days, and feed her, for nothing. And Temp might not be so willing next time you have a cow needing serviced.”

Pa Franklin seemed as astonished as Halley at Ma Franklin’s boldness. “Who’s boss around here,” he asked, “you or me?”

Pa Franklin left a few minutes later and peace descended on the household. While knitting socks Ma Franklin began talking about when she was young and going to long ago singings and corn shuckings. “Did I tell you about when me and Webb won first prize at a square dance?”

Robbie yawned and nodded.

“I went hunting with him, too, sometimes,” she went on. “One time, I recollect, I held some of the dogs so your grandfather could go look for his lead dog. It was sort of scary being in them dark woods by myself except for the hounds . . .”

Robbie yawned again and headed outside. He slipped a biscuit out of the warming oven and grabbed the knotted keep-away rope from behind the wood box before opening the door, so Halley knew he was going to play with Golly.

While Halley worked her way to the bottom of the ironing pile, Ma Franklin talked on. It seemed to Halley that the young man in the stories was a different person from the one Ma Franklin now claimed as a husband. The young Webb Franklin sounded like
fun
. Once he had even taken part in a horse race.

“He didn’t make no bets, understand,” said Ma Franklin, looking at Halley over her glasses, “though we did hear tell of other folks gambling on it. And the ones that gambled on my Webb won.” She smiled shyly. “I reckon you might say I won my bet on him, too.”

The arrival of Mr. Calvin and his daughter Lacey put an end to the stories.

“Lacey and me have come to invite Halley to a little Christmas social my girls are giving at our house today,” Mr. Calvin said after an exchange of greetings.

Lacey winked at her, and Halley’s heart lifted for a moment before sinking again. There was no chance in the world she would be allowed to go.

“Me too?” asked Robbie, who had followed the Calvins in. “Can I go?”

Nobody answered Robbie. Ma Franklin’s eyes darted to the chair where her husband usually sat and then to Halley. “I don’t know.”

“Halley’s been working mighty hard,” said Mr. Calvin, “especially since you’ve been ailing.”

Ma Franklin nodded. “That’s so.”

“Me and my wife’ll be there the whole time, and I’ll fetch Halley home by sundown.”

Ma Franklin looked toward the door, shaking her head. “I wish the Old Man was here to say.”

“Please let her come,” said Lacey. “We’re going to sing and play games and make candy. We’re going to play the victrola Daddy got us for Christmas. We may even do some square dancing.”

Square dancing? Halley wondered if that meant boys would be there too? She dared not ask.

“Pa and Ma Franklin used to square dance when they was young,” said Robbie.

Ma Franklin smiled. “I hadn’t thought of it like that. I reckon it wouldn’t hurt.”

“Can I go too?” Robbie asked again.

Ma Franklin shook her head. “I’ll need you to fetch wood and water.”

“And I need you to check the mailbox,” Halley reminded him. Robbie was under strict instructions to put any mail in his pocket until Halley could go through it looking for her answer from Martha Berry.

“You can come over tomorrow,” Mr. Calvin promised Robbie, “or the next day.”

Halley practically danced her way to the far room to change clothes and comb her hair. If only she had known earlier, she could have tried to curl her hair a bit. She pinched her cheeks and bit her lips for color. Minutes later she was in the truck.

Music and singing were pouring out of the Calvin house when they arrived, and when the truck pulled to a stop, young people swarmed out of the house to the porch. Richard was among them. It seemed his smile was for her alone.

“It’s Halley!” Clarice said.

Then they were all in the Calvin parlor and Halley was singing with them. It had been a long time since her heart felt so light and happy.

The happiness continued through dinner. When they were finishing their apple pie, Clarice said, “Richard learned ballroom dancing in Atlanta.”

A murmur ran around the table. “Atlanta!” “Ballroom dancing!”

“And as big a flirt as you are, I know you charmed ever’ woman in the ballroom,” Eva said.

Everyone laughed while Richard shrugged and put on a “who me?” face.

“Richard promised to teach
us
ballroom dancing,” said Lacey.

Richard smiled modestly. “I’ll show what little I know.”

Back in the parlor a short while later, Clarice’s boyfriend, Homer, wound up the victrola while Clarice chose a record from the collection stored in the bottom of the cabinet.

“The main thing is to listen to the music and let it tell you when and how to move your feet,” Richard said as everyone circled around.

“It won’t tell
me
anything,” said Halley.

“Yes, it will.” Richard reached for Halley’s hand. “Let me show you.”

At his touch Halley felt the same warmth and wanting she had felt the week before—and the same fear. She also felt clumsy and awkward. She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of everyone. She pulled away, folding her arms. “I can’t dance.”

Clarice nudged her forward. “Come on, Halley. Don’t take it so serious. None of us know, either.”

Unwillingly, Halley allowed Richard to take her hand and pull her to the center of the room, facing him. His right hand encircled her waist and his left hand took her right. “Put your left hand on my shoulder,” he instructed.

Halley became very aware of the smell of shaving soap and hair tonic and starch. She was aware too of how damp and sweaty her hands had become, and how hot her cheeks were.

The music started. “Step-step, slide.” Richard said, maneuvering Halley to move with him. “Step-step, slide.”

Halley lurched and stepped on his foot. “Sorry,” she said as she stepped on his foot again. She felt as stiff as a two-by-four.

Richard smiled encouragingly. “Step-step, slide.”

“Sorry,” Halley said again, her face burning. “Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing,” he whispered. “Step-step, slide.”

“I’m going to sit down,” Halley whispered, trying to tug her hand free.

“No, you’re not,” Richard answered, tightening his grip. “Step-step, slide. Step-step, slide. You’re getting better.”

Sure enough, she’d moved several times without stomping on his feet. Some tension inside her began to loosen. Then Clarice and Homer began dancing beside them, and Halley relaxed more, and then a little more. Suddenly it did seem as if her feet
were
learning from the music where to go. She and Richard were moving mostly together around and around the room. Step-step, slide. Maybe someday they would dance together in Atlanta and she would wear a long gown then. Richard would wear a tuxedo, of course. Step-step, slide.

Time passed, and the record changed, but Richard asked no one else to dance. She could feel the other girls in the room looking at her with envy. She heard, without really hearing, the Calvin dogs barking out in the yard, the front door opening, heavy footsteps coming down the hallway.

Then a loud voice demanded, “What is going on here?”

Halley swung around to see her grandfather standing in the doorway. His face was furious. Halley backed away from Richard. If only she could disappear.

The older Calvins came running from the kitchen. “The young folks are just dancing,” said Mr. Calvin.

“I
seen
what they’re doing with my own eyes,” said Pa Franklin. “The devil’s work! I don’t know about your girls, but my granddaughter ain’t going to take no part in such doings.”

He stopped and looked hard at Richard. “Who
are
you?”

Mrs. Calvin stepped forward and put one hand on Richard’s shoulder. “This is Richard Bonner—a fine young man. He and his father hire people to tuft bedspreads.”

“And you’re letting him carry on with my granddaughter!”

Mr. Calvin’s face turned to stone. “I don’t call this carrying on.”

“We were
dancing
,” Halley said.

Richard stepped forward. “Sir, you don’t have a thing to worry about. Halley and I are just friends. I have a sweetheart already, and I’m not looking for another one.”

Halley felt her face blaze. She’d made a bigger idiot of herself than her grandfather had. She shoved her way by Richard, her grandfather, and Mr. and Mrs. Calvin. Grabbing her coat from the bench in the hallway, she rushed out the front door into air so cold it stung her cheeks. She didn’t care. She wanted to be cold.