Filed to story: Love on the Sidelines (Natalie & Karl)
I was still thinking about this weird behavior when I caught a movement from the corner of my eye. Lindsey Swanner was standing a few cars down from us, one finger in her mouth as she watched Karl. Her hair was tangled around her shoulders, and she was barefoot.
“What’s she doing here?”
“Waiting on me.” He finally freed the fuel pump and pulled it out from under the hood.
“Why?”
He shrugged one shoulder and wiped an arm across his sweaty forehead. “I take care of her.”
“Why?”
“Because nobody else does.”
“Is she your sister?” I asked, my curiosity growing.
He gave me a wary look, but shook his head. “No, her daddy was Paul Nyland. He died in an accident at the lumber mill before she was born. They moved here right after that.”
A sudden surge of pity hit me and I turned and marched up to Lindsey. Karl followed, his stance suddenly restrained and defensive. I should have paid more attention to his attitude. If I had, I might have saved myself a lot pain further down the road. But at eight, I only knew one thing. Mother said God put each of us on this earth for a purpose, and that day I decided mine was to save Karl Hayes. If that meant helping Lindsey at the same time, I was more than willing.
Lindsey cowered as I faced her, her blue eyes huge.
“We’re having a church social tomorrow,” I told her. “There’s going to be lots of food, and singing and games. You don’t have to get dressed up, and you don’t even have to go to church first if you don’t want to. It’s going to be at the park. You make Karl bring you. I’ll be waiting.”
At the time, I was unaware the Judge had watched the entire thing through the small grime-encrusted window of the tin building. He remained thoughtful as we drove back through town.
“You like that Hayes kid?”
I was sitting on my knees, wondering if I could talk him into stopping at the Mercantile for a soda when he asked me the question. “He’s okay, for a boy.”
“You may be right, Honey pie.” He rubbed a hand over his crew-cut. “But you be careful with him. Don’t let your soft heart overrule your common sense.” I sighed as we passed the store without slowing. “I asked him and Lindsey to the church social tomorrow. Was that all right?”
“I reckon. But you best tell your mother about it, and don’t be disappointed if they don’t come.”
“Yes, sir.”
My mother, Ellie, was the youngest of the Judge’s daughters, and the only one who’d gotten married. Aunt Darla was the oldest, with Aunt Jane, the quiet one, falling somewhere in the middle. They all lived with the Judge in the big old two-story house that sprawled on our small farm about a mile from town.
I knew they had an older brother, my Uncle Vern, but I’d never met him. He’d moved away a long time before I was born and married a woman the family didn’t approve of. When he was spoken of at all, it was in hushed whispers, by everyone but my mother. She had no problem bringing his name up on a regular basis, to Aunt Darla’s irritation.
“He’s my brother and I’ll talk about him when I want to,” I heard my mother calmly pronounce as I bounced through the kitchen door. She was at the table, putting the finishing touches on a lemon icebox pie. Aunt Darla was at the sink, washing vegetables. Being wise, Aunt Jane had already fled the area.
“Whether you like it or not, Sister,” my mother continued, “Vern is still part of this family. I think it’s a shame we never get to see him and his children.”
“Shame is right,” Aunt Darla retorted. “Vern’s ashamed of that woman he married, as he well should be. Imagine, marrying someone who danced in a bar.” These discussions were nothing new to me. Trying to keep a low profile, I took a glass from the cabinet and edged toward the pitcher of lemonade on the table. I didn’t get far before Aunt Darla paused in her tirade and sniffed suspiciously.
“Is that gasoline I smell?” She leaned closer to me and sniffed again. “It is! Natalie, where have you been?”
“I went to the salvage yard with the Judge. He had to get a fuel pump for his car.”
“I swear, the Judge should have better sense than to take a little girl to a place like that. Ellie, are you going to let him keep this up?” Mama smiled at me, her blue-green eyes that were so like my own, sparkling. “It looks like she survived the trip.”
I made it to the lemonade and poured a glass before sitting down. “Mama, I invited Karl Hayes and Lindsey Swanner to the church social. The Judge said I should tell you.”
To her credit, she barely blinked. “That was very kind of you, Natalie. We should have thought of inviting them a long time ago.” She shot a glare in Aunt Darla’s direction and I glanced over my shoulder in time to see my aunt’s mouth snap closed.
Not only was Aunt Darla our first line of defense against dirt, she was also the staunch protector of our respectability. Any indication that our position in society might be threatened sent her into a quivering fit of righteous indignation and a lecture on the rules of proper behavior.
While nothing was ever said in my presence, I knew my mother’s divorce and her insistence that both she and I use her maiden name had caused something of a scandal in the family. But although she was the youngest, my mother was the only person alive who could quell Aunt Darla with a single look.
I turned back to my mother. “Is it okay if I give Karl some of my books? His daddy won’t let him buy any.”
From behind me Aunt Darla snorted, but I paid no attention.
“They’re your books, Natalie. You can do whatever you want with them.”
“Thank you, Mama.” I jumped up. “I’m going to pick some out right now.” As soon as I reached the stairs, I stopped and turned to listen. I’d found out that the really interesting conversations always happened shortly after I left the room. Nor was I to be disappointed this time.
“You’re making a mistake, letting her get involved with that boy.” My aunt’s voice floated through the door. “You know what Frank Hayes is like.”