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“I’m fine, Frank. Just a little tired. According to Momma’s calculations, I have one or two more weeks to go. It will be good to get this part over.”
Frank’s eyes met mine. He gave me a strong hug. There was no need to say anything more. I knew he was mad, sad, and exasperated about what his parents were doing to get him away from me. I also knew he had no intention of fulfilling their command not to be involved with “Ethel’s baby.” We had talked about this a hundred times since he told his parents that I was going to have the baby—our baby.
Frank released his arms from me and planted another kiss, this time on my lips. I will never forget his lips. They were soft and sweet like ice cream on a hot summer day.
“Okay then—just a few weeks. Let’s finish our baby’s room,” Frank said as he grabbed the biscuit and ham from his plate and moved into the back room.
I picked up the curtain that I made for the room and followed him. The curtain was made of cotton voile print. Momma helped me pick it out. She was so good at sewing and knew what kind of fabrics looked best as a dress, bedsheet, or curtain. I thought it was so pretty. It had a white background with small swatches of green color and darker green plants placed at random. It looked like a garden to me. When I held it up, it softly fluttered in the air. It would be just what we needed.
Frank painted the baby’s part of the room yellow, and he repainted my part of the room white. It was making everything all crisp and clean looking.
Momma joined us after coming in from the yard. She was carrying a bunch of yellow roses she cut from the fence. There was an empty jar on the dresser where Momma had removed the last bunch of flowers. She kept fresh flowers in the room all the time. She smiled and said, “I really like the color you picked. A soft yellow will remind our baby of sunshine. It won’t matter if it is a girl or a boy.”
As she arranged the roses in the jar, I thought of the fence line covered in yellow roses. Momma often told the story about Daddy planting those roses when they got settled in this new house. Momma’s best friend in the world, Ellen, lived in the house on the other side of the fence. Daddy said since Ellen and Momma would spend so much time yakking over the fence, they should have something pretty to lean on. Momma always ended this story with, “And that is how yellow roses became my favorite flower.” When she told that story, I thought yellow roses would always be my favorite flower too.
I was in my part of the bedroom while Frank finished painting the door and trim around the room. I was ironing the baby’s clothes that had been given to me by the ladies at the church. I heard Frank whistle like men do when a pretty woman is walking by. I could tell he was pleased with his work, so I came in to inspect. When I saw the finished project, I whistled too.
I looked over at Frank with an adoring smile, “Yes indeed, Mr. Pollard, you did an excellent job! I just need to get the rest of the furniture in, and we are ready!”
Frank turned to me and looked at my swollen belly. “I am glad we have a couple more weeks, because I am working on one more thing. I can bring it by in a few days.”
“Wait, Frank, I’m not sure we can fit anything else in this room. What is it?”
As he was gathering his things to leave, he said with a sly smile, “I’m not telling. But it is something you will need.”
I protested, “Frank, don’t get in trouble doing anything at home for the baby. Your parents will be furious, and they will ship you away sooner. Besides, I think we have everything we need.”
I could tell he was tired because he did not argue or explain. He just raised his hand in the air as he walked out of the house.
The next morning I asked Dianne if she would go into town with me. Momma had a list of things she needed, and I needed a few more things for the baby. Since we both liked getting out on a warm, sunny day, Dianne jumped at the chance. Besides, Dianne had a list too, if we had enough household money left over after the shopping for Momma and me. I led our mule Sadie from the barn over to the wagon. She was happy to come with me because she knew I had apples in my pocket. She actually followed my pocket, not me. We got Sadie hooked to the wagon. Dianne climbed up to the seat easily. I was struggling to pull myself up.
“Every day it seems you are getting bigger, Ethel,” Dianne said. “It looks like you will pop any moment now! And that would be messy!” I finally hoisted myself onto the bench seat. I shoved Dianne and said, “Stop being mean, my bigger sister!” Sadie groaned a bit when I sat down. Dianne just laughed.
After a mile or so bumping along the dusty road in silence, as if in a way to apologize, Dianne said, “Your room looks nice. It was very clever to divide the room so you could have some privacy. You and Frank have done a great job on it.”
“I don’t know why I will need privacy from my own child. There will never be a man in that room. Since Frank is leaving me, I will not find another man to tell me how to raise my child,” I said with false anger.
Dianne skipped over that last comment and said, “When does Frank leave for school?”
“His parents wanted him to leave last October—as soon as they found out he got me preggo! They did not want him to have any part of my mistake!” I said with real anger, and not toward my sister. “But Frank put his foot down and told them he would move out in his own good time whether he went to the Blue Ridge School or not! For now, that means he will be there for fall term. That is September first. So, I have Frank’s help a little while longer.
“Let’s change the subject, Dianne. I get so darn mad when I think about it. Say something to make me laugh.”
Sadie pulled us toward town. She had been up this hill and around the curve so many times, she knew exactly where to go. Dianne began to sing a song we had made up together. It was to the tune of Jesus Loves Me.
Boys all love me! This I know,
For they always tell me so.
Pretty ones to them belong;
They are weak, but we are strong.
Then I joined in for the refrain.
Yes, boys all love me!
Yes, boys all love me!
