Where the Wild Rose Blooms (16 page)

Clayton now forced his mind back to the book Jackie was holding. He was going to have to go slowly here, and well he knew it. His emotions could easily take him out of control. He knew this because as much as he wanted to teach students of all shapes and sizes, he didn't have the desire to kiss any of them the way he did Jackie Fontaine.

"Did that make sense?"

"Yes." Clayton swiftly gathered his thoughts. "Yes, it did. Now will you be through with this book before the year ends?"

"I don't think so. We have some more difficult steps coming up." Jackie swiftly turned to the back of the book. "See? Right here. Miss Bradley says we'll be taking extra time on these."

Clayton studied the pages. Very involved fractions. This too was familiar. He then thanked Jackie and asked her if she would want a ride home.

"I'm not going home today," she told him. "It's my day to work at the store, but thank you."

"I can swing you by," Clayton offered and watched Jackie's cheeks flush.

"You don't have to," she told him and closed the book.

"Well, it's up to you. I won't do anything you don't want me to do."

There was something in his tone and the way he said the words that made Jackie think he was talking about far more than a ride in the wagon. She stood swiftly and pushed her chair in. Clayton rose also.

"I'd appreciate a ride," she nearly whispered, her eyes not readable. "Thank you, Clayton." With that she slipped away to her seat, and Clayton was left to wonder just what he had said.

The following Saturday morning Jackie was sitting quietly in a kitchen chair while Eddie trimmed her bangs. She kept her eyes closed but had a tendency to wrinkle her brow, and Eddie kept telling her to hold still. Indeed, Eddie really scolded her when Claytons voice was heard coming through the house. He was talking as he walked, and it was clear that he had come in the front door and was heading their way.

"Just put them on the table, Clay," Addy instructed as she entered,
the
 young man behind her. "I'll run upstairs and get those things for your mother."

"Well, now," Clayton spoke when his hostess had left, his smile huge. "Can I be next?"

"No," Eddie told him without hesitation. "Jackie is the third one since 6:30 this morning, and I'm at my limit."

"My loss," Clayton announced and sat down to watch. "I think you're missing some on this side."

Eddie smiled, her eyes still on her work, but Jackie couldn't see that.

"Oh, no!" Clayton exclaimed. "Look at that big mistake. And right in the front too!"

Jackie wiggled a little, a smile on her face as well, and Eddie told her to hold still again.

"Watch it, Eddie. Don't make it any worse," Clayton continued to tease as Sammy came to see the commotion.

"Hi, Tag. What are you doing?"

Clayton opened his mouth to answer, but Jackie suddenly said, "Making a pest of himself."

Claytons mouth remained open, but this time with incredulity. Both Eddie and Sammy were laughing, but he was sputtering like a boiling teakettle.

"A pest! She called me a pest!"

Jackie took a peek at him, her eyes brimming with laughter.

"Hold still, Jackie."

"Are you nearly finished?"

"Yes."

"She called me a pest," Jackie heard Clayton say again. "Well, that's the last time I help you get a haircut, Jackie Fontaine!"

Jackie only smiled, glad that she could keep her eyes closed.

"All right, Clay," Addy said as she returned, "these are for your mother. Tell her I'll get the baskets back to her right after the wedding."

"Will do," Clayton told her. "Is there anything else, Addy?"

"Are you headed into town or home?" lo town.

"Can you run the girls to the store? They're already late."

"Sure."

"Great." Addy thanked him with that one word and went to the stairs to call Lexa and Danny. They tumbled down a moment later, glad to be getting a ride, but Jackie, who was now finished at the table, hung back. She had enjoyed teasing with Clayton when she couldn't see him, but now she felt foolish. The others had gone to bundle into warm things, so Jackie found herself alone with Clayton.

"Did you want a ride?" he asked.

"No," she said without looking at him. "I have to clean up, so I'll just walk."

"The snow's pretty deep; I'd be glad to wait."

Jackie finally looked at him.

"Whatever you want," he added.

Jackie looked at him for a moment more. "I'll hurry," she said, feeling oddly breathless and dashing for the stairs.

Clayton stood quite still, his heart beating like a trip-hammer in his chest. Had he really seen something there, or had he just wanted to see something? Only time would tell.

A week and a half later Clayton was in the general store with a special gift in mind. Mitch was on hand to help him, but the older man seemed strangely preoccupied.

"Maybe I should get Jackie from the back," Mitch finally suggested.

"Oh, is she here? Why don't you? Tell her the pest is here."

Mitch smiled and moved away. A few minutes later Jackie emerged from the back, trying very hard not to smile herself. She knew her face was flushed, but Clayton looked and sounded very normal.

"Hello, Jackie."

"Hello, Clay. Uncle Mitch said you needed some help."

"Yes. I'm looking for something for Robert and Eddie. My mother bought them a gift from the whole family, but I'd like to get a little something myself."

"Oh, that's a nice idea. Lets see." Jackie turned slowly and tried to think, her mind dealing with the facts. It was still unbelievable that Clayton was offering kindness to her. And she was finding that when he was close, concentration was difficult. She felt as though she'd been rescued when she thought to look in the household goods.

"Actually, you have many choices," she said as she moved toward that counter. "If you want something practical, these cut glass salt and pepper shakers are five cents each; if you're after a little more decorative item, this vase is 38 cents."

Clayton studied all of them. "I wish I'd thought to ask Eddie."

Jackie shook her head. "It wouldn't have done any good. I don't know what all women are like who plan to be married in ten days' time, but Eddies feet are not even on the ground."

Clayton chuckled. "She told me Robert comes Friday."

"Yes, and she's praying every day that the snow will begin to melt a little. She said she doesn't care if he and Travis get snowed
in,
she just doesn't want them snowed
out."

Clayton was smiling, but as he watched Jackie his look was very intent. It rather unnerved her. Beginning to feel flustered, Jackie grabbed the closest thing and held it in the air.

"Potato masher." She waved the metal object in the air. "You could give her that."

Clayton laughed. "Oh, I don't know. I was thinking maybe a combination rat-and-mouse trap."

Jackie really laughed at that, but then turned serious. "I do know something she and Robert would enjoy." Jackie reached beneath the counter and brought out a small box. "These are from England, so
they're not as large as American ones. They're teaspoons, and Eddie loves to make tea. She would probably use them all the time. The only problem is the cost. I can't break up the set, and they're twelve cents each." She sounded apologetic.

"How many are there?"

"Eight. Would you like to see them?"

Ninety-six cents.
Claytons brain was calculating fast. If he looked at them and liked what he saw, he'd have a hard time saying no, but a dollar was a lot of money out of his pocket right now.

"I'll look at them," he said after a moment, and just as he suspected, they were beautiful. He was putting aside literally every penny for his schooling in the fall, but Eddie and Robert were very special to him.

"I'll take them," he said at last, and Jackie offered to wrap the box.

Well satisfied with his purchase, Clayton left the store just a few minutes
later,
his mind still on Jackie. She had definitely changed toward him, but he could tell she wanted to keep things lighthearted. She called him a pest when he thanked her for the help and had swiftly turned away to busy herself with the shelves behind the counter. Clayton wondered if he would ever really know where he stood with that girl.

Old Doc Edwardson stared across the room at his patient, knowing it had to be the other mans decision but not agreeing with it.

"What if it were Morgan? Wouldn't you want to know, Mitch?"

"Yes, but then my daughter's not getting married in a few days. I won't do anything to spoil that joy."

The old doctor nodded. He could hardly argue with that.

"Well, take it easy. Maybe that old ticker of yours will give us more time than we think."

"I'm already taking it easy," Mitch told him calmly. "Have been ever since Morgan and Addy came."

The doctor pursed his lips, his
eyes
thoughtful. "I wish I could do something for you."

"Thanks, Ed, but I'm not worried. I've something better waiting on the other side."

Doc Edwardson smiled. He too believed in life after death for those who understood and believed in the work done on the cross.

"I can give you something for the pain. Are you interested?" "How bad is it going to get?"

"It might get very bad, or you might just drop down dead," came the doctors blunt reply.

Mitch thought a moment. "I'll take the bottle, Ed. I don't want anyone to know until after the wedding, and I was pretty uncomfortable last night."

Doc Edwardson rose and filled a small bottle from his sideboard dispensary. He handed it to Mitch and then waited while the other man stood. They shook hands, and Mitch took his leave. He walked out into the cold, glad that the snow was starting again. It was early in the day, and had the weather been better, more folks would have been out and he might have been questioned. Eddies wedding was a week from Saturday. Mitch wasn't ready to talk about his need to see the doctor until sometime after that day, if ever.