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"I love you, Aunt Louise What would I do without you?" I breathed thankfully
"Oh, heck girl You’d be in a world ‘a hurt, that’s what" Louise cackled at her own joke "It’s about tiet someone to notice you if you wear Johnny’s hand ood little figure and a pretty face, but nobody’d know it the way you hide behind your glasses and your books What about those contacts we got you a prescription for? You better be wearin’ ’eet there -"
"Thanks, Aunt Louise!" I interrupted brightly, sensing that Louise inding up for a good nag, "I’ll see you at three!"
My dad didn’t seem to like the way I looked when Louise marched me down the narrow stairs from o to the church I was pretty happy with the results, however, and slid self-consciously into the kitchen behind Louise, not wanting to o and do that fer?" My dad gruot her lookin’ like she’s twenty-five"
Twenty-five?!
I giggled into ht ht over a V-necked black dress with long sleeves that hugged s when I walked It had little black buttons from chest to hip, and it fit h-heeled black pumps Aunt Louise had pinned htly lined them, and stained my lips and cheekbones with a deep rosy pink I felt very sophisticated and hoped I could pull it all off without tripping on the way up to the rostrum when it was time to play the piano I knew for sure I would need to kick the heels off before I began to play It would be just et stuck on the piano pedals and ruin everything
"She is not a child anymore, Jim!" Aunt Louise folded her arnore the fact that your girl is practically grown! You better be ready to hand over so in her closet! Nothing! I aonna throw out all those old tee shirts of Johnny’s and those old Wranglers and scruddy (Louise’s oord) gyht years sincelady she is! It ain’t right Jim!"
"I like the way Josie looks!" My dad almost whined Anythe two of the continued
"That’s because the way she looks is comfortable and safe - just the way a daddy likes it No siree, not onup now "It’s high tio!"
My dad climbed into the cab of the truck with a huff I moved over next to him on the bench seat, and Louise ju her stride I looked over at roaned and drove us down the road to the waiting church
My stomach knotted up as we looked for the closest place to park The lack of snowfalleasier Usually the drifts ran up and over the sidewalks and poured out into the poorly plowed roads Tonight it was just cold and still, with plenty of roo the sides of the road for the assorted far services
"It’s gonna snow tonight Markhi "If it does, I’o in to the plant It’s just Murphy’s Law I’ll get called in and Daisy will have her foal" Dad orried about his horse as due to have her baby in the next few days His pessimism seemed to momentarily silence Aunt Louise who saw Bob and her kids pull in to the church parking lot froo, Josie Don’t lick your lips! You’ll ruin your lipstick! And try not to slouch That dress bunches up in the front when you do! You don’t want to ive everyone a peek at what’s underneath!" With that she hustled off, still talking, and hed in tandem
"I really don’t care much for that woman," my dad mumbled "She’s nothin’ like yer mother I don’t see how they even cahed again and then said gruffly, rushing his words to get theht about one thing Yer all grown up One of these days your gonna move away and leave your old man I’m not lookin’ forward to it"
"Don’t worry Dad, I’ll always take care of you" I grinned up at hih his as alked into the church
The peere filling up quick and I tried not to look around for Don and Nettie And Samuel I wanted to see him almost as much as I didn’t want to see him I kept my head forward as I tried to spot him peripherally Everyone always sat in the same place It just kind of happens We’re creatures of habit There were faeneration If I didn’t know better, I’d think the people of Levan bequeathed their pews in their wills From what I could see, the Yates’s weren’t there yet I exhaled in relief and at the same time my heart sank in disappointment