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Were her parents here in all their finery?
Mark must have felt her stiffen because he placed his hand over hers, which was resting on his arm. “Let’s go see and be seen.”
They hadn’t walked far when they were stopped by a man’s voice calling, “Mark Clayborn, I heard you were back in town.”
Mark brought her around with him. “Mr. Washington, how in the world are you?” Mark shook the man’s hand and Laura Jo released his arm but remained beside him.
“I’m doing well.”
“I heard about your father. He’s recovering, I understand,” the older man said.
“Slowly, but retirement is a must,” Mark told Mr. Washington with ease.
“I imagine that’s difficult for him. I’ll make plans to get out to see him.”
“I know he would like that.”
When she started to move away Mark rested a hand at her waist. It warmed her skin. She was no longer worried about the people they might see. Her focus was on his touch.
Mr. Washington turned his gaze to her. Laura Jo knew who he was but had never met him.
Mark followed his look. “Mr. Washington, I’d like to introduce you to Laura Jo Akins.”
Would he recognize her name? No, probably not. There were a number of girls in the south with double first names. Laura Jo wasn’t that uncommon.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Akins.”
She forced a smile. “Nice to meet you, too.” At least with her married name it wasn’t obvious who she was.
“Laura Jo is a nurse at Mobile General and has started a shelter for abandoned mothers.” Mark jumped right into helping her look for supporters.
“That sounds like a worthy cause,” Mr. Washington said, as if he was really interested. “What made you decide to do that?”
Laura Jo wasn’t going to lie. “I was an abandoned mother. My husband left me when I was pregnant. I have a daughter.”
“So you know the need firsthand.” He nodded his head thoughtfully.
“I do.” Laura Jo lapsed into her planned appeal. Mark offered a few comments and the fact he had made a donation to what he thought was a worthy cause.
“Contact my office tomorrow and I’ll have a donation for you,” Mr. Washington assured her.
“Thank you. The women I’m helping thank you also.”
Mark looked across the room. “Mr. Washington, I think it’s time for us to find a place at a table for dinner.”
“It does look that way. Good to see you, son. Nice to meet you, young lady.”
As Mark led her away she whispered to him, “I never imagined it would be that easy.”
“I don’t think it will always happen that way. But Mardi Gras season is when people are having fun so they’re a little more generous.” He took her hand and led her farther into the room.
“You’re right about coming tonight. As much as I didn’t want to, it was the right thing to do for the shelter.”
After they were stopped a couple of times by people Mark knew, he found them a table with two seats left near the front of the room. She still hadn’t seen her parents.
Mark remained a gentleman and pulled her chair out for her before he took his own. She could get used to this. As ugly as she had been about coming to the ball, he’d still helped her get a promise of funds from Mr. Washington and was treating her like a lady. She owed him an apology.
He knew a few people sharing their table and introduced her. She recognized a number of other couples by their names but they didn’t act as if they knew her. Still, she might run into some of her parents’ friends. She looked around.
Mark whispered in her ear, “They might not be here.”
Laura Jo knew better. They didn’t miss a Mardi Gras ball. One more pass over the crowd and she saw them. They had aged well. There was more gray hair at her father’s temples but her mother had a stylish cut and kept it colored. They both looked as elegant as they ever had for one of these events.
“What’s wrong?”
“My parents.”
Mark looked in the direction she indicated. “Why don’t we go and say hello?”
“They won’t want to speak to me. I said some horrible things to them.”
“I bet that doesn’t matter anymore. At least you could give them a chance. They may regret what happened, just like you do. You’ll feel better if you do. At least you will know you made the effort. Come on, I’ll be right there with you.” He stood and offered his hand.
Laura Jo hesitated then placed her hand in Mark’s. It was large, warm and strong. A new resolve filled her. No longer the same person she had been nine years ago, she could do this. Mark held her hand tight as they crossed the room. The closer they came to her parents’ table the more her gut tightened. The sudden need to run splashed over her. She hesitated.
“You can do this.” The small squeeze of her hand told her she wasn’t alone.
Her parents looked up at them. Shock registered on their faces.
Mark let go of her hand and cupped her elbow.
“Hello, Mother and Daddy.”
“We’re surprised to see you here. We had no idea you were coming
,” her father said in a blunt, boardroom voice.
Well, he was certainly all open arms about seeing her again.
“Hello, I’m Mark Clayborn. Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Herron.”
Her parents looked at Mark as if they weren’t sure they had heard correctly. She was just relieved he’d taken the attention off her for a moment.
“Mark Clayborn, junior?” her father asked.
“Yes, sir.”
Her father stood and offered his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Leaving her seat, her mother came to stand beside her father. “How have you been, Laura Jo?”
She sounded as if she truly cared. “Fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I understand you’ve started some type of shelter.”
How did they know about that? Was she really interested? “I have.”
Mark put an arm around her shoulders. “Laura Jo has helped a lot of women who needed it.”
It was nice to have someone sound proud of her. Not till this moment had she realized she’d been missing that in her life.
“Are they unwed mothers?”
At least her mother had asked with what sounded like sincere curiosity. “Some are but most have been abandoned. Those that have no family they can or want to go home to.”
Laura Jo didn’t miss her mother’s flinch.
“That sounds like a worthwhile project,” her mother finally said.
“It is,” Mark agreed. “She’s now trying to buy a larger place for the shelter to move to.”
Laura Jo placed her hand on Mark’s arm. She didn’t want to go into all that with her parents. “I don’t think they want to hear all about that.”
When Mark started to argue she added, “How have you both been?”
“We’ve been well,” her father said.
They were talking to each other like strangers, which in reality they were.
“I understand you live over in the Calen area.”
“I do.” Laura Jo was astonished that he knew that. Had they been keeping up with her when she’d had no idea? Did her parents care more than she’d thought or shown?
