The Saints of Swallow Hill(66)

“My daddy, he caught a catfish big as me when I won’t but five years old. Our whole entire family, and that’s saying something ’cause momma had ten other kids, ate off that one fish that day.”

After they’d shared a few more stories, Del put his hat on and stood to leave.

He said, “I’d like to stay longer, but I need to get some sleep. Thankee kindly for supper.”

He left them still chatting, and as he walked home, his thoughts turned to Rae Cobb, who was never far from his mind anyway. He thought about her more than was warranted, and in a way, it made him feel odd because he was still trying to get past who he’d thought she was initially. He thought maybe he ought to go see her. Maybe it would help in getting her set right in his head. Around midweek during dinner break, he rode Ruby over to the Riddles’. Cornelia was outside hanging laundry, and when she saw him, she stopped working and came over to speak to him.

She said, “She’s been doing purty good.”

He said, “That’s good to hear.”

Cornelia didn’t need to say more because Rae Cobb appeared from around back of the house where the Riddles had their kitchen garden. It was easy to see she was getting past what had happened to her, and was feeling better. He noticed a couple little things right off. Her hair, washed now, held a high shine, and from where it fell midway on her ears, the style reminded him of them flapper gals he’d seen in girlie magazine pictures. She glanced at him, and he was struck by the green of her eyes, while noticing her mouth had healed too. It was still pink. Pink as the petals of the wild rose bush his mama had grown outside one of the front windows at the house back in Bladen County. He rubbed at his face, wondering why he’d think in such terms about her mouth.

She carried a basket of beans she’d picked, and dipped her head at him as she walked over to the porch, saying, “Hidy,” easy as you please.

He tipped his hat, his mouth spreading in a ridiculous-size grin. She began sorting through the beans while humming a little tune and after a few seconds, he found himself still grinning, and when he realized it, he forced himself to stop and cleared his throat to speak.

“How you doing, Rae Cobb?”

Cornelia giggled and said, “You gonna tell him?”

Rae Cobb stopped sorting and said, “Tell him what?”

“Your name.”

Del was puzzled. “It ain’t Rae Cobb?”

She went back to sorting the beans, picking out a bad one here and there and tossing them off the side of the porch. She was frowning slightly as she worked, the borrowed dress loose around her and gathered in folds.

She finally said, “It’s actually Rae Lynn Cobb. Call me Rae Lynn, if’n it pleases you.”

His grin came back, and he said, “It sure does. Suits you to a tee.”

She was quite the looker now she wasn’t wearing that hat too big for her head and them ill-fitting overalls. He found himself grinning stupidly again, but she didn’t return it. Her eyes flicked over him, then off to something distant, as if distracted by her thoughts.

He’d been thinking about her situation, and he said, “You know, it ain’t gonna work out, that job in the woods.”

Her mouth pressed tight like she didn’t care for his input.

“I’m aware of that.”

Cornelia quietly interceded and said, “I told her she can stay here, help out at the house.”

Rae Lynn’s hands went still, and she said, “It ain’t enough to pay for your kindness, for all you done.”

Cornelia said, “I can always use help in the commissary too, if you can handle working with Otis.”

Del caught the smile she gave Cornelia before she ducked her head. “After all is considered, don’t you reckon I can handle about anything?”

He realized it was the very first time he’d seen her do that.

Cornelia grinned back, then grew serious. “Ain’t a doubt in my mind. For now, though, you need rest.”

Del wanted to stay longer, but he had men waiting on him.

He said, “I gotta get back to work. Gonna be a long, hot afternoon.”

Cornelia said, “It’s coming on late summer and that’s always the worst.”

Ruby stood patiently under a pine, flicking her tail at the flies on her back, and after Del swung into the saddle, he glanced back. Rae Lynn was busy snapping beans, as if he’d never been there. He had to admit he was bothered by this. He’d never had trouble with women paying him attention, or anything that followed such attention. Except now he had that issue. There’d been a time or two after coming to the camp when he tried to help himself do what was supposed to come naturally, and both times ended in failure, just like after he’d tried to spend a little time with that gal at the store. He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to get ahead of himself either when it came to this new situation with Rae Lynn Cobb.

Yet, after that visit, he found ways to go to the commissary more than normal, hoping for glimpses of her. The day after he’d seen her, he went back with the excuse he needed some side meat, hoping she’d be on the porch or somewhere in the yard where he could strike up a conversation. She was nowhere to be found, and only Otis was behind the counter inside the store. Otis sliced the meat, added it to his tab, and then there was no reason for Del to stick around. He wanted to ask about her, but Otis was more ornery than usual, so he left. The next day, he decided he needed some canned mackerel.