Once Upon a Summer (17 page)

While the girls were gettin’ things set up on an outside table that Grandpa had put there for their use, the boys took care of the teams. Our barnyard was full of feedin’ horses, unhitched from their wagons and tethered to the rail fences.

It was noisy out in the yard. It seemed to me that no one really talked. The boys all yelled and the girls jest giggled.

After things sorta settled down, SueAnn started some outdoor games. I found a spot beside the honeysuckle bush where I could watch the goings-on without bein’ in anyone’s way. I sat there, cuddlin’ Pixie and wonderin’ what it would be like to be part of the action. Everytime a girl squealed or giggled real loudly, I was glad that I had no part of it. The fellas didn’t seem to mind though; in fact, I kind of got the idea that they deliberately did things that would make the girls squeal even louder.

The first game was one in which you needed partners. Auntie Lou was paired up with “Toad” Hopkins. He looked awfully pleased with himself. The game was a funny kind of a relay in which Lou and Toad almost won, but Burt Thomas and Nellie Halliday managed to beat them.

Several other games were played. It seemed to me that each one got a little louder and a little faster. Anyway, they sure seemed to be havin’ a good time.

I noticed Cullum Lewis. He wasn’t as rowdy as some of them, but he did look to be enjoyin’ himself. Poor Cullum. I didn’t suppose that he got to have a good time very often. His pa had been sick most of the time when Cullum was growin’ up. There were seven kids in the family and five of them were girls. Cullum was the only boy for most of the time, and then the final baby turned out to be a boy, too. He was still only about four and spoiled rotten.

Cullum had to take over the farm when he was jest a kid, quittin’ school early. At first the farm didn’t do much; anyway, everything that Cullum was able to scrape together had to go to pay off his pa’s debts. I didn’t s’pose he was totally clear of the debts yet, but as hard as he worked, I hoped that the day would soon come when he would be. He still had his ma, five sisters, and a kid brother to care for. With all of that restin’ on his young shoulders, no wonder he was more serious than the other young bucks his age. Now as I watched him, he joined in the games with the others but not with the same silliness. One thing I did notice though—he sure kept close track of Auntie Lou. His eyes followed her wherever she went with kind of a haunted, hungry look.

My teacher, Miss Martha Peterson, was at the party, too. Funny, I hadn’t thought of her as a young person before, but I guess she was only three or four years older than Auntie Lou. Some folks said that Barkley Shaw was sweet on her, but from what I saw, Barkley Shaw was sweet on anything in a skirt. I didn’t care much for Barkley.

Grandpa stood beside me for a while watchin’ the action. I could see him smile every now and then as though he heartily approved.

“Lou seems to be havin’ fun, don’t she?”

“Guess so.”

Grandpa stood a minute deep in thought.

“She oughta have fun more often.”

He pulled his watch out and checked the time. I could tell by the look on his face that it must be nine o’clock. I expected him to say, “Bedtime, Boy,” but he didn’t. Instead he said, “Tonight’s a little special”; then tucked the watch away. I knew that was my permission to stay up.

The games ended and the open fire was lit. People carried blocks from the woodpile and placed them around in a circle, side by side, with the fire in the middle. Amid much banter and teasin’ the corn roastin’ began. The other food was laid out, too, and it looked like they would have quite a feast.

Grandpa appeared again.

“Lou,” he called, nice and loud, “yer Uncle Charlie made a big pot of hot chocolate and it’s ready. Burt, would you mind givin’ Lou a hand?”

So there it was, I thought. I’d wondered how and when they’d weasel him in.

Burt walked off with Lou, grinnin’ rather foolishly. Barkley looked a little annoyed. He had placed his block right next to Auntie Lou’s at the fire and had busied himself with explainin’ to her the best way to roast a cob—or something.

Barkley was older than the other guys, but that sure didn’t make him any less a kid. After Lou had left, Barkley shrugged and busied himself with smearin’ butter on the block that Burt had jest been sittin’ on, tellin’ everyone in a loud voice to “jest you watch when the dummy gets back.”

Barkley had his back turned and was loudly teasin’ Nellie and SueAnn when one of the fellows switched the woodblocks. When Barkley took his seat again, he found that
he
was sittin’ in the butter. I don’t think that Barkley ever did know who did it, but I did. It was done jest as quietly and seriously as Cullum did everything that he did. No one else had even noticed him.

It seemed to take Auntie Lou and Burt an awful long time to get out there with that hot chocolate. I wondered jest what kind of a trick Uncle Charlie and Grandpa were usin’ to detain them. Eventually they returned, and Burt seemed to assume that he now had earned his place beside Auntie Lou for the rest of the evenin’.

I was sittin’ there studying all the commotion when there was a quiet voice beside me.

“Brought ya some grub, Josh.”

I jumped so that I woke up Pixie who was asleep on my lap. I was so sure that no one could see me there where I was sittin’.

It was Cullum.

“Thought thet yer stomach must be fair growlin’ eyein’ all thet food an’ not gittin’ any.”

“Thanks,” I said, takin’ it. I
was
powerful hungry.

“Got ya a dog, huh?”

Cullum reached down and picked up Pixie in his big man hands. He stroked her hair gently and chuckled to himself. I knew that he liked her. He didn’t even have to say so.

“Can I git ya some more?”

“That’s lots—thanks, Cullum. Me, I gotta go to bed soon anyway.”

Cullum laid Pixie back on my lap and stood up.

“Good party,” he said. He was lookin’ at Auntie Lou.

“Yeah,” I answered. I don’t know why but I got the feelin’ that Cullum might kinda like to talk about Lou for a while.

“We kinda had our own party before this one.”

“Ya did?”

“Yeah. We gave her our presents at supper time.”

“What’d
you
give her?”

“A hanky—handkerchief,” I corrected, “all lace and stuff.”

“Bet she liked it.”

“Yeah, she did. Said it was the prettiest she’d ever seen.

And Uncle Charlie gave her a new shawl. She’ll prob’ly wear it to church—maybe tomorrow. Maybe you’ll—”

I caught myself too late. None of the Lewises ever went to church. I hurried on.

“An’ Grandpa gave her a new dress. Boy, is it pretty. Looks real nice on her, too. She tried it on already. She hopes that somebody gets married soon or somethin’ so that she can wear it.”

Cullum was still watchin’ Auntie Lou.

“And Gramps gave her a jew’ry box and a locket on a little chain that used to be my great-grandmother’s.”

Burt Thomas was sayin’ something to Auntie Lou and makin’ her laugh. Cullum shifted his feet.

“Guess I’d better be headin’ home, Josh. Got a little further to go than some of ’em.”

He moved as though he was leavin’. I jumped up, almost forgettin’ to rescue Pixie from bein’ dumped on the ground.

“Jest wait a minute, okay?” I said hurriedly and shoved Pixie at him. “Here, hold her a minute.”

It was hard to get close enough to tug on Auntie Lou’s skirt.

I jest waved my head and she excused herself and followed me.

I could see her eyes askin’ me if something was wrong, so as quickly as possible I blurted out my reason.

“Cullum has to go home early. He has a long way to drive.

I jest thought that you’d like to thank him for comin’, that’s all.”

Her face relaxed then and she put her hand on my shoulder and we walked over to Cullum. He was standin’ there strokin’ Pixie. He was such a big man, holdin’ such a little dog, that it looked rather comical.

“Josh tells me that you need to leave,” said Auntie Lou in a soft voice.

“Thet’s right,” answered Cullum, still fondlin’ Pixie. “Takes awhile to make the drive an’ I need to be up early in the mornin’.

Not through with my own fall work yet, havin’ worked the threshin’ crew fer so long.”

Auntie Lou nodded and I could guess that she was thinkin’,
Tomorrow is the Lord’s day,
but she didn’t say so. She gave Cullum a warm smile and extended her hand. Cullum nearly dropped Pixie and I reached out to save her from impendin’ disaster.

“Thank you so much for comin’, Cullum. I know that you’re very busy, and I do appreciate your helpin’ me to celebrate my birthday.”

Auntie Lou spoke the words sincerely, and I knew that she meant every one of them.

“My pleasure,” replied Cullum, and I knew that he meant that, too.

Auntie Lou retrieved her hand.

“I hope that you get your harvest all cared for before a storm.”

He nodded. “Thank ya.”

Someone by the fire called for Auntie Lou.
If it’s Burt Thomas,
I thought,
I’ll wring his neck.
Auntie Lou looked around.

“I must go,” she apologized. “Thank you again, Cullum.”

“I was wonderin’—”

But she had turned and was leavin’ and she didn’t look back.

I was sure that she hadn’t caught the softly spoken words of Cullum. I moved forward to run after her but Cullum’s hand stopped me.

“Take good care of thet pup, Josh.” Then he was gone.

I went into the house then. I’d had enough. Burt Thomas was still hangin’ ’round Auntie Lou like a fly around molasses, and Barkley Shaw was still teasin’ all of the girls and showin’ off in spite of the melted butter on the seat of his pants.

I felt a little upset with Auntie Lou. She could have been nicer to Cullum—jest given him an extra smile, or a flutter of the eyelashes, or one of those tricks that girls use—but Auntie Lou never did those things. Maybe she
did
like Cullum. I didn’t know, but I sure could guess how Cullum felt about her. I felt sorry for Cullum. I would fight with every inch of me to keep Auntie Lou, but if the day ever did come when I had to lose her, I sure was cheerin’ for Cullum.

I ran to shut the chicken-house door that I had forgotten in all of the excitement, and then I went into the house. It was chilly outside by now and in the kitchen I leaned close to the stove to soak up a little warmth before goin’ up to bed.

Auntie Lou came in. She was alone.

“Like a piece of cake, Josh?”

I didn’t answer. I was still put out with her, and I wanted to be sure that she’d get the message.

“Cake, Josh?” she said again.

When I still didn’t answer she came over to me.

“Something wrong?” Her eyes checked Pixie to make sure that the dog was okay.

“Pa send ya to bed?” she tried again.

“Nope.”

“Then what—”

“I jest figure that ya coulda been a little nicer, that’s all. Here he comes all the way over here and all, and . . .” I really didn’t know what to accuse Auntie Lou of.

“I thanked him for comin’—and I meant it, Josh.”

“Yeah, but ya didn’t thank him very good,” I blurted. “Ya coulda—ya coulda giggled or something.”

Auntie Lou looked at me sharply. I think that she understood it all then.

“Josh,” she said. “I like Cullum, truly I do—as a man, as a friend; but, Josh,” she searched for words, “Cullum has never— has never had time for God. I don’t know that—that he even believes that there
is
a God.

“I’m happy, Josh, to have Cullum call, to be neighborly, to—uh—speak with and all. I like him. He’s a nice man; but,

Josh, I could never like Cullum in any other way—not as long as he chooses to leave God out of his life.”

“I didn’t say ya had to marry him,” I snapped; “jest sort of make him—make him feel good by bein’ extra nice.”

“Joshua!”

Auntie Lou hardly ever called me by my full name.

“Cullum is too fine a man to play games with. I wouldn’t mislead or hurt him for the world. I could never encourage him, and it wouldn’t be fair to pretend that I could.”

She was right, of course. I knew that. I was glad to hear that Auntie Lou thought that Cullum was a fine man. Maybe if he knew, he’d start goin’ to church, and then Auntie Lou would feel different about it. But even as the thought came to me, I knew that it would take more than just his
showin’
at church. Auntie Lou would want to be good and sure that he felt about God like she did before she committed herself in any way.

Auntie Lou suddenly realized that she should be outside. They were busy cleanin’ up now. They’d all soon be goin’ home. She wrapped her shawl tightly about her shoulders and went out.

“Good-night, Josh.”

“Good-night.”

I turned to go up to bed and then decided to get a little more warmth first. I sat down on the kitchen floor, curled up tightly against the wall and close to the big old stove. I got drowsy sit-tin’ there in the warmth. Pixie was sound asleep in my arms. I knew that I should move to my bed before I did fall asleep, but it was so warm and comfortable there. Uncle Charlie and Grandpa were both helpin’ with the clean-up and Gramps had long ago taken to his bed.

I tried rousin’ myself again and then I heard voices. It was Auntie Lou and dumb ol’ Burt Thomas. I supposed that Grandpa and Uncle Charlie had sent them in again. Burt was sayin’ something to Auntie Lou.

“Is that so?” she said, but she didn’t sound very excited about it.

“I’ve always thought so, an’ now tonight I realize it even more.”

Auntie Lou didn’t respond—jest started pilin’ dirty dishes on the kitchen table.

“Really, Lou,” Burt continued, and he sounded like he was in pain or something. “I care about ya an awful lot. You’re the only girl thet I’ve ever felt this way about.”

Lou was probably thinkin’ right then about Tillie White-comb, who’d been Burt’s girl last month, or Marjorie Anderson, who had been the one the month before.

“Oh,” she said—not even a “thank ya for the compliment,”

or “you flatter me,” or nothin’.

Burt suddenly seemed to feel that talkin’ was gettin’ him nowhere, and before Auntie Lou could even move he whirled her about, jerked her close and kissed her.