“Yes. There’s nothing left to fight over now. The Council of Churches has abandoned Feed America.” His grim eyes played over the austere landscape. “I wish to God I had never started it.”
“You tried to do something wonderful,” she consoled. “There was no way for you to know.”
“Maybe if I’d looked up from teaching once in a while to live, I might have seen. I don’t know.”
“Where are you going?”
“Away. The charges aren’t clear against me yet. They may never be. If they want me, they’ll have to come find me. I don’t care.”
Peggy couldn’t help him. He was broken, depleted. She didn’t care about the shadows. She rushed to him and threw her arms around him. “Take care of yourself. And call me when you can.”
His look of amazement was genuine. “I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me again. My son shot Paul and tried to kill you. I will never forgive myself for that. I thought I could protect him, even though I knew he killed Luther.”
“It wasn’t you.” She had tears in her eyes. “Not even the part that
He hugged her with one arm. “Ah, pretty Peggy. You are a true friend.” He looked up at Steve. “Take care of her. She’s a treasure.”
“Yes, sir.”
Darmus smiled as Peggy stepped back and wiped her eyes. “I see someone I have to visit over there. The list grows longer every year. Friends and family. Take care, Peggy. I know God goes with you.”
“Take care, Darmus,” she echoed, watching him walk past them toward Albert Jackson’s grave.
Steve put his arm around her. “You’re freezing. How about some tea?”
“That sounds good.” She smiled up at him, seeing the sunshine in his hair, loving the way he looked at her. “I’m off the rest of the morning.”
He kissed her and smiled wickedly. “I know just the place.”
PEGGY SAID GOOD-BYE to her parents, Cousin Melvin, and Aunt Mayfield at eight a.m. Thursday morning. There wasn’t a dry eye in the group, of course. She promised to come down when the shop got slow for the summer. Her parents didn’t mention the sale of their farm outside Charleston again, but Peggy felt sure the next time she saw them they would be ready to make their move.
Paul was going to be fine. He was staying with her for a few days while his arm healed, then he’d be back at work on administrative duty until he was cleared on the shooting. Peggy was sorry he’d already had to take someone’s life, but she was happy he’d survived. She wanted to be long dead before anything like that happened again.
“Mom?” She heard Paul call for her as she walked toward the TV room with a tray full of goodies they were going to eat while they watched the entire Star Wars epic on DVD.
“I don’t think I can carry anything else,” she said.
“It’s not that. I just thought about something.” He smiled at her. “Cousin Mayfield left his fishing pole here. How would you like to take a drive out to Badin Lake and do some fishing while I have the time off?”
She put the tray of goodies down on the coffee table and put the first DVD into the player. “Mayor Harrison owes me a favor anyway. You can fish off the back of his boat, and I’ll admire the scenery. How’s that?”
“Sounds great,” he said around a chip in his mouth. “We used to go out there all the time when I was little. Remember that time we were looking at his cows and I thought cows laid eggs? That was funny.”
“It was,” she agreed. “Your father explained for a long time where calves came from. You just wouldn’t believe it.”
“Yeah. I miss Dad.” His eyes narrowed. “Do you? I mean, with Steve and everything?”
She smiled. “I will always love your father, Paul. No one can ever change that.”
“Steve’s great, though,” he replied. “I really like him.”
“I’m glad.”
“Remember that last time we were on Morrow Mountain out in Badin and we saw all those tiger swallowtails in that tree?”
“Yes! We still have the pictures your father took.”
“Maybe we should take your butterflies out there and let them go. Steve could come, too, if you like.”
“I think just the two of us should go,” she answered. “And that would be a great spot to let them go.”
The theme from Star Wars started and Peggy sat down.
“I love you, Mom,” Paul said. “I know I don’t say it enough and . . .”
“Don’t be silly! Love is more than pretty phrases. You show me you love me all the time.” She picked up a chip. “And I love you, too. Now be quiet so we don’t miss the movie!”
Peggy’s Garden Journal
Spring
