Chapter 10
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I drove Jamie home from the orphaer that night. At first I wasnt sure whether I should pull the old yawn move and put my arm around her shoulder, but to be ho, I didnt kly how she was feeling about me. Granted, shed givehe most wonderful gift Id ever received, and even though Id probably never open it and read it like she did, I k was like giving a piece of herself away. But Jamie was the type of person who would donate a kido a stranger she met walking dowreet, if he really needed one. So I wasly sure what to make of it.Jamie had told me ohat she wasnt a dimwit, and I guess I finally came to the clusion that she wasnt. She may have been . . . well, different . . .
but shed figured out what Id done for the orphans, and looking back, I think she knew even as we were sitting on the floor of her living room. When shed called it a miracle, I guess she was talking specifically about me.
Hegbert, I remembered, came into the room as Jamie and I were talking about it, but he really didnt have much to say. Old Hegbert hadnt been himself lately, at least as far as I could tell. Oh, his sermons were still on the money, aill talked about the fornicators, but lately his sermons were shorter than usual, and occasionally hed pause right in the middle of one and this strange look would e over him, kind of like he was thinking of something else, something sad.
I didnt know what to make of it, being that I really didnt know him that well.
And Jamie, whealked about him, seemed to describe someone else entirely.
I could no more imagine Hegbert with a sense of humor than I could imagiwo moons in the sky.
So anyway, he came into the room while we ted the money, and Jamie stood up with those tears in her eyes, and Hegbert didnt eveo realize I was there. He told her that he roud of her and that he loved her, but then he shuffled back to the kit to tinue w on his sermon. He didnt even say hello. Now, I knew I hadly been the most spiritual kid in the gregation, but I still found his behavior sort of odd.
As I was thinking about Hegbert, I gla Jamie sitting beside me. She was looking out the window with a peaceful look on her face, kind of smiling, but far away at the same time. I smiled. Maybe she was thinking about me. My hand started scooting across the seat closer to hers, but before I reached it, Jamie broke the silence.
"Landon," she finally asked as she turoward me, "do you ever think about God?”
I pulled my hand back.
Now, when I thought about God, I usually pictured him like those old paintings Id seen in churches-a giant h over the landscape, wearing a white robe, with long flowing hair, pointing his finger or something like that-but I knew she wasnt talking about that. She was talking about the Lords plan. It took a moment for me to answer.
"Sure," I said. "Sometimes, I re.”
"Do you ever wonder why things have to turn out the way they do?”
I nodded uainly.
"Ive been thinking about it a lot lately.”
Even more than usual? I wao ask, but I didnt. I could tell she had more to say, and I stayed quiet.
"I know the Lord has a plan for us all, but sometimes, I just dont uand what the message be. Does that ever happen to you?”
She said this as though it were something I thought about all the time.
"Well," I said, trying to bluff, "I dont think that were meant to uand it all the time. I think that sometimes we just have to have faith.”
It retty good answer, I admit. I guess that my feelings for Jamie were making my brain work a little faster than usual. I could tell she was thinking about my answer.
"Yes," she finally said, "youre right.”
I smiled to myself and ged the subject, sialking about God wasnt the sort of thing that made a person feel romantic.
"You know," I said casually, "it sure was onight when we were sitting by the tree earlier.”
"Yes, it was," she said. Her mind was still elsewhere.
"And you sure looked oo.”
"Thank you.”
This wasnt w too well.
" I ask you a question?" I finally said, in></a> the hopes ing her bae.
"Sure," she said.
I took a deep breath.
"After churorrow, and, well . . . after youve spent some time with your father . . . I mean . . ." I paused and looked at her. "Would you mind ing over to my house for Christmas dinner?”
Even though her face was still turoward the window, I could see the faint outlines of a smile as soon as Id said it.
"Yes, Landon, I would like that very much.”
I sighed with relief, not believing Id actually asked her and still w how all this had happened. I drove down streets where windows were decorated with Christmas lights, and through the Beaufort City Square. A couple of minutes later when I reached across the seat, I finally took hold of her hand, and to plete the perfect evening, she didnt pull it away.
When we pulled up in front of her house, the lights in the living room were still on and I could see Hegbert behind the curtains. I supposed he was waiting up because he wao hear how the eveni at the orphanage. Either that, or he wao make sure I didnt kiss his daughter on the doorstep. I knew hed frown on that sort of thing.
I was thinking about that-what to do when we finally said good-bye, I mean-whe out of the car and started toward the door. Jamie was quiet and tent at the same time, and I think she was happy that Id asked her to e over the day. Since shed been smart enough to figure out what Id done for the orphans, I figured that maybe shed been smart enough to figure out the homeing situation as well. In her mind, I think even she realized that this was the first time Id actually asked her to join me of my own volition.
Just as we got to her steps, I saw Hegbert peek out from behind the curtains and pull his face back. With some parents, like Angelas, for instahat meant they knew you were home and you had about another minute or so before theyd open the door. Usually that gave you both time to sort of bat your eyes at each other while each of you worked up the o actually kiss. It usually took about that long.
Now I didnt know if Jamie would kiss me; in fact, I actually doubted that she would. But with her looking so pretty, with her hair down and all, and everything that had happeonight, I didnt want to miss the opportunity if it came up. I could feel the little butterflies already starting to form in my stomach when Hegbert opehe door.
"I heard you pull up," he said quietly. His skin was that sallow color, as usual, but he looked tired.
"Hello, Reverend Sullivan," I said dejectedly.
"Hi, Daddy," Jamie said happily a sed later. "I wish you could have e tonight. It was wonderful.”
"Im so glad for you." He seemed to gather himself then and cleared his throat.
"Ill give you a bit to say good night. Ill leave the door open for you.”
He turned around a bato the living room. From where he sat down, I knew he could still see us. He preteo be reading, though I couldnt see what was in his hands.
"I had a wonderful time tonight, Landon," Jamie said.
"So did I," I answered, feeling Hegberts eyes on me. I wondered if he knew Id been holding her hand during the car ride home.
"What time should I e over tomorrow?" she asked.
Hegberts eyebrow raised just a little.
"Ill e over to get you. Is five oclock okay?”
She looked over her shoulder. "Daddy, would you mind if I visited with Landon and his parents tomorrow?”
Hegbert brought his hand to his eyes and started rubbing them. He sighed.
"If its important to you, you ," he said.
Not the most stirring vote of fidence Id ever heard, but it was good enough for me.
"What should I bring?" she asked. In the South it was tradition to always ask that question.
"You do anything," I answered. "Ill pick you up at a quarter to five.”
We stood there for a moment without saying anything else, and I could tell Hegbert was growing a little impatient. He hadnt turned a page of the book since wed been standing there.
"Ill see you tomorrow," she said finally.
"Okay," I said.
She glanced down at her feet for a moment, then back up at me. "Thank you for driving me home," she said.
With that, she turned around and walked inside. I could barely see the slight smile playily across her lips as she peeked around the door, just as it was about to close.
The day I picked her up right on schedule and leased to see that her hair was down once more. She was wearing the sweater Id given her, just like shed promised.
Both my mom and dad were a little surprised when Id asked if it would be all right if Jamie came by for dinner. It wasnt a big deal-whenever my dad was around, my mom would have Helen, our ake enough food for a small army.
I guess I didion that earlier, about the cook, I mean. In our house we had a maid and a cook, not only because my family could afford them, but also because my mom wasnt the greatest homemaker in the world. She was all right at making sandwiches for my lunow and then, but thered been times when the mustard would stain her nails, and it would take her at least three or four days to get over it. Without Helen I would have grown up eating burned mashed potatoes and chy steak. My father, luckily, had realized this as soon as they married, and both the cook and the maid had been with us since before I was born.
Though our house was larger than most, it wasnt a palace or anything, aher the cook nor the maid l<bdo></bdo>ived with us because we didnt have separate living quarters or anything like that. My father had bought the home because of its historical value. Though it wasnt the house where Blackbeard had once lived, which would have been more iing to someone like me, ithad been owned by Richard Dobbs Spaight, whod sighe stitution. Spaight had also owned a farm outside of New Bern, which was about forty miles up the road, and that was where he was buried. Our house might not have been as famous as the one where Dobbs Spaight was buried, but it still afforded my father some bragging rights in the halls of gress, and whenever he walked around the garden, I could see him dreaming about the legacy he wao leave. In a way it made me sad, because no matter what he did, hed op old Richard Dobbs Spaight.
Historical events like signing the stitution e along only once every few hundred years, and no matter how you sliced it, debating farm subsidies for tobacco farmers or talking about the "Red influence" was never going to cut it.
Even someone like me khat.
The house was iional Historic Register -still is, I suppose-and though Jamie had been there once before, she was still kind of awed when she walked inside. My mother and father were both dressed very nicely, as was I, and my mother kissed Jamie hello on the cheek. My mother, I couldnt help but think as I watched her do it, had scored before I did.
We had a nice dinner, fairly formal with four courses, though it wasnt stuffy or anything like that. My parents and Jamie carried on the most marvelous versation-think Miss Garber here-and though I tried to i my own brand of humor, it didnt really go over too well, at least as far as my parents were ed. Jamie, however, would laugh, and I took that as a good sign.
After dinner I invited Jamie to walk around the garden, even though it was winter and nothing was in bloom. After putting on our coats, we stepped outside into the chilled winter air. I could see our breaths ing out in little puffs.
"Your parents are wonderful people," she said to me. I guess she hadnt taken Hegberts sermons to heart.
"Theyre nice," I responded, "in their own way. My moms especially sweet." I said this not only because it was true, but also because it was the same thing that kids said about Jamie. I hoped she would get the hint.
She stopped to look at the rosebushes. They looked like gicks, and I didnt see what her i was in them.
"Is it true about yrandfather?" she asked me. "The stories that people tell?”
I guess she did my hint.
"Yes," I said, trying not to show my disappoi.
&qu<bdi>９９ｌｉｂ?</bdi>ot;Thats sad," she said simply. "Theres more to life than money.”
"I know.”
She looked at me. "Do you?”
I did her eyes as I answered. Dont ask me why.
"I know that what my grandfather did was wrong.”
"But you dont want to give it back, do you?”
"Ive never really thought about it, to tell you the truth.”
"Would you, though?”
I didnt answer right away, and Jamie turned from me. She was staring at the rosebushes with their gicks again, and I suddenly realized that shed wanted me to say yes. Its what she would have dohout thinking twice about it.
"Why do you do things like that?" I blurted out before I could stop myself, blood rushing into my cheeks. "Making me feel guilty, I mean. I wasnt the one who did it. I just happeo be born into this family.”
She reached out and touched a branch. "That doesnt mean you t undo it," she said gently, "when you get the opportunity.”
Her point was clear, even to me, and deep down I knew she was right. But that decision, if it ever came, was a long way off. To my way of thinking, I had more important things on my mind. I ged the subject baething I could relate to better.
"Does your father like me?" I asked. I wao know if Hegbert would allow me to see her again.
It took a moment for her to answer.
"My father," she said slowly, "worries about me.”
"Dont all parents?" I asked.
She looked at her feet, then off to the side again before turning bae.
"I think that with him, its different from most. But my father does like you, and he knows that it makes me happy to see you. Thats why he let m.９9lｉb?e e over to your house for dionight.”
"Im glad he did," I said, meaning it.
"So am I.”
We looked at each other uhe light of a waxing crest moon, and I almost kissed her right then, but she turned away a moment too soon and said something that sort of threw me.
"<s></s>My father worries about you, too, Landon." The way she said it-it was soft and sad at the same time-let me know that it wasnt simply because he thought I was irresponsible, or that I used to hide behind the trees and call him names, or even that I was a member of the Carter family.
"Why?" I asked.
"For the same reason that I do," she said. She didnt elaborate any further, and I knew right then that she was holding something back, something that she couldnt tell me, something that made her sad as well. But it wasnt until later that I learned her secret.
Being in love with a girl like Jamie Sullivan was without a doubt the strahing Id ever been through. Not only was she a girl that Id hought about before this year-even though wed grown up together-but there was something different in the whole way my feelings for her had unfolded. This wasnt like being with Angela, whom Id kissed the first time I was ever aloh her. I still hadnt kissed Jamie. I hadnt even hugged her or takeo Cecils Diner or even to a movie. I hadnt done any of the things that I normally did with girls, yet somehow Id fallen in love.
The problem was, I still didnt know how she felt about me.
Oh sure, there were some indications, and I hadnt missed them. The Bible was, of course, the biggie, but there was also the way shed looked at me when shed closed the door on Christmas Eve, and shed let me hold her hand on the ride home from the orphao my way of thinking there was definitely something there-I just wasly sure of how to take the step.
When Id finally taken her home after Christmas dinner, Id asked if it would be okay if I came by from time to time, and shed said it would be fihats exactly how shed said it, too-"That would be fine." I didnt take the lack of enthusiasm personally-Jamie had a tendency to talk like an adult, and I think thats why she got along with older people so well.
The following day I walked to her house, and the first thing I noticed was that Hegberts car wasnt in the driveway. When she answered the door, I knew enough not to ask her if I could e in.
"Hello, Landon," she said as she always did, as if it were a surprise to see me.
Again her hair was down, and I took this as a positive sign.
"Hey, Jamie," I said casually.
She motioo the chairs. "My fathers not home, but we sit on the porch if youd like. . . .”
Dont even ask me how it happened, because I still t explain it. One sed I was standing there in front of her, expeg to walk to the side of the porch, and in the sed I wasnt. Instead of moving toward the chairs, I took a step closer to her and found myself reag for her hand. I took it in mine and looked right at her, moving just a little closer. She didly step back, but her eyes widened just a little, and for a tiny, flickering moment I thought Id dohe wrong thing aed going any further. I paused and smiled, sort of tilting my head to the side, and the hing I saw was that shed closed her eyes and was tilting her head, too, and that our faces were moving clether.
It wasnt that long, and it certainly wasnt the kind of kiss you see in movies these days, but it was wonderful in its own way, and all I remember about the moment is that when our lips first touched, I khe memory would last forever.
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