Dunc swallowed hard, his eyes wide in astonishment. She was downright intimidating when she was like this. “I love you, but we should wait to make any big decisions like that. We still have to deal with the J-word.” Amanda sighed and ran to him. She threw her arms around his waist and pressed herself tightly to him.
She ran her fingers up and down his back feeling him and listening to his heart beating. It was fast and nervous. She knew what she had done. She was scary Amanda again. “I love you,” Dunc repeated, the words rumbling through his chest. “I do, but I want to wait a little longer. You can’t ask me to marry you and follow it up with you making bad decisions. I do not want to be a bad decision. That and you’re being a little crazy right now.”
“I am not.” Amanda pouted, and he could hear it in her voice as her grip on him tightened like she never wanted to let him go.
“You’re also ruining this for me a little.” Dunc sighed, running his fingers through her hair. “I told you I’m annoyingly traditional. I want to propose to you, and I want to do it right. I only intend to propose to a woman one time.”
“So, you’re saying yes?” Amanda tilted her head up and grinned at Dunc.
“You are so annoying.” Dunc grinned back, his face taking on a shade of pink. He realized he had spoken his full intentions to her for the first time.
***
“Amanda. Why is your refrigerator empty?” Dunc had brought over an apple pie for Sallie and was putting it away for later. He stared inside the gaping chasm that was the Waters’ refrigerator. Amanda cringed. She was sitting at the table with her sister and Dew eating cheese sandwiches for lunch. Dunc put the pie inside, closed it, and opened her freezer. He turned and glared at Amanda. She looked away. “Why is your freezer empty?”
“I should be getting a deposit tomorrow.” Amanda shrugged. He was going to do it. She knew he was.
Dunc began opening her cabinets while occasionally giving her tight-lipped looks. He also kept looking at Sallie and Dew. Dunc grumbled, seeing only a few cans of vegetables and a box of spaghetti. He also noted the bread wrapper on top of the trash. Dew was eating a sandwich that looked like it was made from the thin heels. “Your cabinets are empty,” Dunc stated dryly.
This would not do. Dunc was the only one in the room who knew about Sallie. He knew they lived on a tight budget, but he thought they were doing okay. It made his stomach turn. If he had not offered food from his garden, what would they have been eating? There were several zucchinis on the cabinet, along with onions and tomatoes. Dunc mumbled something to himself and then began cursing under his breath. He sat down at the table and stared at Amanda. How could he help without insulting her or embarrassing her? He decided that it could wait until morning. If he came over and Amanda was not going out to do grocery shopping, he dragged all three of them out.
“What kind of pie did you bring?” Sallie grinned at Dunc cheerfully.
“Apple caramel.” Dunc smiled back.
“You are not allowed to talk to Dunc.” Amanda snapped at Sallie. Sallie whimpered and went back to eating her sandwich.
“It’s okay.” Dunc looked from Amanda to Sallie and back again. This was not okay.
“I heard what you did today, Sallie,” Amanda growled at her. Sallie’s lower lip quivered, and Dunc could see her eyes filling with tears.
“Amanda.” Dunc interfered, casting a warning look in Amanda’s direction. “There is no need for that. Let it go.”
Dew looked from Amanda to Sallie and scooted a little closer to his wife. Amanda was terrifying when she got like this, and he had never seen it directed at Sallie before. It was worrying. “What did you do?” Dunc heard Dew whisper to Sallie. She didn’t answer as big tears began rolling down her rosy cheeks.
“No. I will not. You are not allowed to talk to Dunc, Sallie.” Amanda waved a finger at Sallie. “Ever.”
“That’s unrealistic.” Dunc rolled his eyes and gave Amanda a thin-lipped scowl. Holding this secret was not going to be fun. If he were free to tell it or if Sallie knew, this wouldn’t be happening.
“Amanda. Stop it.” Dew frowned and then glared at Amanda. “You’re making Sallie cry.” He wrapped an arm around his wife and began whispering to her.
Amanda’s face flushed as she stared at her sister. They were sisters. Sallie was always the easier of the two to bring on the tears, and Amanda didn’t fall for them. Right now, she couldn’t get rid of the hostile feeling she had toward Sallie. She was so angry with her.
“I should go.” Dunc got up.
“You just got here.” Amanda frowned at him.
“I’ve been here all morning, Amanda.”
“Yes, but you were at your house for the last hour.”
“Had to get some other things done. I was still here for most of the morning.” Dunc sighed. “I am causing a problem, and I am going.” He looked at Amanda and then walked behind Sallie to pat her on the shoulder. “You’re fine, Sallie. I’m not mad at you for anything.” Sallie looked relieved. At least one of them wasn’t angry with her. Dunc mouthed ‘let it go’ to Amanda. Then he left.
The moment the front door closed behind Dunc, Amanda stood up with her hands on the table and leaned toward Sallie.
