Betty.
She was standing to the side of me, probably already on her way over to say hi, when she caughtKaren about to stir trouble. Her hands were planted on her hips, standing like a goddess protecting her child, “Because I think your husband has already done enough of that around this town for a lifetime, don’t you think?”
“Stay out of this, Betty. This doesn’t concern you,” Patricia came to her brother’s defense. “Plus, they let my brother go–”
“Pending an investigation,” Betty finished the most important detail of that statement, probably knowing Patricia wasn’t going to. “And I have full faith that the police will get it right this time. And it does concern me, if it concerns my friend Charlie.” She placed her hand on my hip and pulled me into a side embrace.
My dad was standing at his full height, shoulders square, eyes blazing. I could tell he was trying to hold himself back from jumping in. I wish he would. It would truly be a sight. But Betty also seemed to have a handle on it.
“Now, I’d run along before more eyes and ears catch this little conversation. You know how rumors run wild on this mountain. Plus, I’m sure you have a ton of packing to do before you have to move,” Betty raised an eyebrow and gave a one-sided slightly evil smirk. “I sure hope you found a place on such short notice,” the partingconcern,full of sarcasm.
“Rumors are already running wild, but not about us, but about him. Don’t you know you are defending a f—,” but Karen didn’t get the full word out before Betty walked right up to her in two steps and slapped the word right out of her mouth. My physical reaction to the noise of Betty’s hand making contact with Karen’s face about tipped me over.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” the fierceness in Betty’s tone was laced with murder. “You will learn some god damn respect, even if it’s beaten into you.Now go.” Without turning her back on them, Betty stepped back to my side and took my hand and dad’s shoulder and guided us away.
Before we got too far, Karen threatened, “You better watch your back!”
Once in the back corner, I felt like I could take a real breath again. “Are you okay, Baby?” Betty framed my face with her hands, checking my eyes, as if they could tell her all my vitals.
“Yes. I think so,” breathing deeply. My heart was pounding. “Where did you even come from Betty? It was like you popped from thin air. And do you think she’s a threat?”
She did a little body wiggle and head bob, saying, “Thank you, it’s one of my specialties. And Karen? Please. She doesn’t have the balls. She is literally all mouth. Now, if I had said that,” she smirked, eye brow arched high, making me giggle, which felt good, tension releasing from my body.
I caught Dad staring at her and forgot they had never met. “Oh, sorry for being rude. Betty, this is my dad, Mike. Dad, Betty here is the librarian of the mountain.”
Dad nodded, saying quietly, “Hello. And thank you for what you did.”
“It was my pleasure, Mike,” giving a soft smile to Dad before switching to a revengeful tone. “I have always wanted to give it to that bitch in public. I just so happened to walk in, and the perfect opportunity presented itself,” making both Betty and I laugh, while my dad’s face shifted into a stunned expression over Betty’s choice of words. When we calmed, she asked, “How is he?” Not using his name clearly on purpose because of what had just happened.
“He’s doing well. He doesn’t need much help anymore, but is still careful with how he moves,” givingher the update with a full mouth smile. Just thinking about my man creates this happiness I never knew I could feel.
It must have shown because Betty gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, “I’m happy for you both.” I stiffened up and when she pulled back, she gave me a wink, while motherly tapping my cheek. I gave her a small smile, not used to people knowing or being okay with it, and told her I’d see her soon to return and get more books and we parted ways.
“Well, she was something else. I never met a woman like her before,” Dad quietly stated, while picking up some egg noodles to go with the ground beef we also picked up.
“You have no idea,” I turned to him with a smile. “But she is probably the best person I’ve met in this town so far other than Jimmy.”
Dad and I finished up our shopping and headed back to the Village. He wanted to finish cleaning his jumpers that were dirty. My jumpers were waiting for me, so I packed what I needed or wanted to take over to Jimmy’s for when I headed back over tonight.
Dad saw me while he worked and cleared his throat, “You two are getting on well, then?” He was wringing out his clothes in fresh water before he hung them up.
“Yes,” I know I was beaming. I couldn’t help it. I’m nineteen years old and I found someone to love and that loves me. “He took me on a date last night.”
That got my dad’s full attention, dropping his clothes with a slash. “What? Where?”
Oh. I didn’t think this through. Can I tell him about where we went? It’s supposed to be secret to people that weren’t like us.
Gnawing on my lip in worry, then giggling at hearing Jimmy’s voice in my head telling me to stop doingthat. “Um, he took me to a bar. I can’t tell you where, but it’s a hidden and safe place for people like us to go. I got to meet some of his friends and talk to people like me and hear their stories. It was the most amazing night.”
For once, Dad’s face was a little brighter. Still hard to read, but I could tell he was happy for me. Then I told him the owner offered me a job there to get me out of the mine, if I wanted it, which made Dad’s eye bug out and his mouth drop in shock. “I know. I was surprised too. He told me to think about it and let him know. I have a little time. The current worker is leaving in about a month.”
“Is it safe? What does Jim think?” The fact he wants Jimmy’s opinion meant more to me than anything else. It shows the acceptance my dad had within him runs to the core of this relationship I am in with Jimmy.
“He wants me to do it, because like you, he hates that I’m down in the mine. And it’s the safest as it can be. I wouldn’t have known it was there if Jimmy hadn’t shown me. It is hidden very well,” remembering how the wall swung open on hidden hinges.
“Then do it if you think it will make you happy. And like Jim said, I don’t want you down there if you don’t need to be,” he turned back to his washing, ending the topic but not before adding with his back to me, “I am happy for you, Charlie.”
“Thanks Dad.”
