Chapter 44

She didn’t call ahead. She knew they’d all be there, Johnnie Sue, Moses and Luthor included. That wouldn’t add much shock to what she was going to expose him to and she also wanted to make sure there were no surprises down the line that might throw a wrench in the works.

She also didn’t tell him what was about to happen. That he was curious about this sudden impulse of hers to take him to her home, was obvious. But patience with this woman had yielded almost unimaginable happiness, so he bit his tongue and just rode. This time they were in her dusty old station wagon.

For those reasons, the populace of Whitworth Farm were as unprepared for him as he was for them. When Marian walked him between the houses, and into the courtyard, there was already the smell of cooking meat on the outdoor grill. Nathan, Luthor and Curtis Lee were tossing a football back and forth. Jesse sat with Luthor’s baby on his lap, rocking him on his knees, while Johnnie Sue nursed Jesse’s baby. The bassinets had been lined up outside in the shade, and Flossie, Bernadette and Hilda Mae were setting a table. It already had a big covered bowl of potato salad on it, and a pot full of corn-on-the-cob, the lid on, keeping it warm.

Flossie looked up in surprise that a man was with Marian.

“There you are!” she said. “We were beginning to think you’d be late.”

Marian smiled. “I’ve brought someone for you to meet.”

It took a few minutes to get them all in one general place, during which Bob looked around curiously. Nathan, and his brothers in law enforcement, displayed an almost disturbing reaction. They looked Bob over like he was going to get a pass or fail grade, and that was before they even knew who he was.

“Everyone ... this is Bob.” said Marian simply.

“You’re joking!” Flossie’s breath exploded with the two words.

Marian arched an eyebrow. “And why would I be joking?” she asked.

“Because he’s color...” Flossie stopped. She looked at Bob, then at Marian, then at Curtis Lee, who was peering at Bob closely. “He’s so different than you described him,” Flossie amended her comment.

Bob had a goofy look on his face, like he was very confused, and Marian just let him have it.

“Bob, this is Flossie, my daughter-in-law. She’s married to Nathan there, and their children are Nathan Junior, here, and that’s Abraham over there.” She didn’t give him a chance to comment. “And then we have Bernadette and Hilda Mae, my daughters, who are married to Curtis Lee, over there, and Moses, respectively. Bernadette’s daughters are over there together, Juliet and Elizabeth. Hilda Mae and Moses only have one child, so far, Elijah, who is right next to Elizabeth.”

She turned to Johnnie Sue, who was still holding Jeremiah, who was still suckling.

“That’s Johnnie Sue. She’s sort of an adopted daughter, close friends with my children. She’s holding Jeremiah, who is Jesse’s baby. He’s standing next to her, but he’s holding Thomas, the baby she had with Luthor, who is standing over there by Nathan. Their relationship is complicated. We can talk about that later if you like.”

Bob’s mouth opened and closed several times.

“It will take you a little time to remember all the names,” said Marian, waving a hand negligently. “But maybe you can get started on that during lunch.”

Bob turned to her, his eyes still wide. “You’re a very interesting woman, Marian.”

“I hoped you’d think so,” she said. “But I swear to you I didn’t know what you told me this morning. Not until you told me.”

Nathan took Bob’s elbow, and he and Curtis Lee showed him around the place. Flossie dragged Marian into a corner.

“You know he’s colored, don’t you?” she whispered.

“Not until he told me this morning. How did you know?”

“It’s obvious!” said Flossie. “I knew, the minute I saw him that he was one of ... us.”

“Well I didn’t. When I told him I was falling in love with him, he confessed. I thought he was going to cry. I think he expected me to curse at him and throw things. I just brought him here instead.”

“What are the chances this could happen?” asked Flossie, amazed.

“I can’t do that kind of math,” said Marian. “You’re the teacher. You tell me.”

It was a good party. Once everyone got used to Bob, and he to them, they welcomed him with open arms. On the way to take him back home he was quiet at first.

“You remember the question you asked me before you brought me over here?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said simply.

“Well, I can say honestly, now, that my answer is that it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Marian told him the story of how things had happened, over the next week, as she saw him, both at his house and in her newly-finished bungalow. He thought it would make a great book. He said that knowing she could use new eyes to look at things, helped him feel like she might be able to use those same new eyes when he did something stupid.

“I have an announcement,” he said, when he arrived to pick her up to take her out for dinner one night. “I need to make it before I get you where I want you later.”

“Oh?” she asked.

“I’m falling in love with you too,” he said. “Or I fell in love with you. I mean I love you.” He looked confused. “I had to tell you that before I was making love to you. It’s a rule, you know.”