Bea (21 page)

And at last, when he had pulled her close and she could hear the even sound of his breathing, she fell asleep.

It stormed during the night, but Bea slept through the crash of thunder and the crack of lightning, safe and secure in Russ’s arms.

When they woke up the next morning, their new station wagon was mired in the mud so deep they couldn’t move it. The two of them set to work to free the station wagon.

“Try it again, Bea!” Russ yelled. She was in the driver’s seat and he was behind, pushing.

She stomped down on the accelerator. The tires spun, slinging mud onto his boots and the legs of his jeans.

“I think it’s hopeless, Russ,” she called.

“Nothing’s hopeless, Bea. Not since I married you.”

He gathered pine boughs to make a ramp for the sunken tires, and soon the station wagon was out of the mire and onto firmer ground. Together they started loading their camping gear.

“You should see your face, Russ. Mud all over.”

“Where?”

“Here. And here. And here.” She showed him all the places, standing with her legs planted between his, and soon they got sidetracked.

“Hmm,” he said as he kissed her. “Now you should see yours.”

The situation called for a bath, so they took their towels to a secluded stream in the woods and bathed. They got sidetracked again, and by the time they came out of the stream, clean and shining and happy, it was time to eat lunch.

They whistled and called their two new puppies, Pearcy and Florence, named for the places that had brought them together. The puppies were nowhere in sight.

“Poor little tykes,” Russ said. “I guess all that commotion getting the car out of the mud scared them.”

“I thought they were asleep in the tent.”

“I did, too.”

Hand in hand, Bea and Russ searched for their lost pets. Within twenty minutes, they had found them. Both puppies sat at attention on their skinny haunches, their sharp little teeth bared and their ears stiff with excitement.

“What in the world is going on?” Bea said. “Florence, come here.”

Florence grandly ignored her. So did Pearcy. They growled to show their fierceness, and kept their vigil at a small redbud tree.

“I think I see the problem.” Russ went to the tree and reached into the branches. He came out with a bedraggled kitten. “Who has left you behind, little fellow?”

The kitten studied him with eyes that looked too big in his scrawny face, then he turned on his motor and began to purr so loudly, Russ and Bea laughed.

“That’s a big sound for such a small cat,” Bea said.

“What do you expect from the Hammond pets? We have nothing but the biggest and the best.” Russ smoothed the kitten’s damp, tangled fur. The purring got louder. “Bea, I think Dallas likes me. In fact, I may be his favorite person in the whole world.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that a minute. You’re
my
favorite person in the whole world.”

Soon the five of them were on their way once more to Dallas. Russ was driving with Pearcy curled up next to his leg, snoring and dreaming of chasing rabbits. Florence was crumpled on top of Bea’s feet, twitching her ears and thinking of pimento sandwiches. And little Dallas was perched on Bea’s shoulder, looking back the way they had come and thanking her lucky stars she’d found these new people, especially the big one with the tickly beard. Bea was smiling so widely she thought she must look foolish. But she didn’t care. She had Russ and three fine pets. What more could a woman want?

They arrived in Dallas without further misadventure, and spent a week there setting Bea’s affairs in order. She took only her personal things with her—her clothes, an album of family pictures and her favorite books.

“Are you sure this is all you want to take, Bea?”

Her belongings were piled on the sidewalk, three suitcases, two boxes and her briefcase. She hadn’t realized until she saw them spread out that way how little she had that was important to her. It was as if she had purposely kept her life bare of treasured possessions for fear they would somehow vanish.

“You remember when we used to say how different we were, Russ?”

“It seems so long ago.”

“I don’t think we were so different, after all. Everything I have that’s important to me, I can fit in the back seat of the car.”

“I believe I’m too big for the trunk, Bea. And how about Florence and Pearcy and Dallas? They might smother.”

She buried her hands in his beard and pulled his face close enough for a kiss.

“I’m not talking about you, you big wonderful rambling man. I’m talking about
things.”

“Things?
Who needs them?”

They set out for Florida on a bright sunshiny day, with their pets on the second seat, fatter now and content and not at all fearful of being abandoned, sleeping cuddled together in a tight ball so that it was hard to tell where one left off and the other began. Bea sat snuggled close to Russ, listening to him hum along to an old country ballad on the radio.

A month ago, she would never have dreamed she could love country music. Or that she would be sleeping through thunderstorms. But most of all, she’d never dreamed of being married and on her way to start a brand new life.

When they arrived in LaBelle, Florida, where the sky was so blue it hurt their eyes and the cabbage trees swayed in the breeze and the Caloosahatchee River meandered lazily alongside Highway 80 and the air was sweet with the smell of citrus blossoms, Bea and Russ knew that they had come home.

He drove her through the small town, pointing out the historic Henry County Courthouse and the corner grocery and the big white Baptist church. They stopped long enough for gas and refreshments; then Russ headed out of town, northwest, toward the groves.

Citrus groves dotted the land like confetti. Row after row of fruit trees marched alongside the road in strict formation. Bea pressed her face to the window, for she knew she was seeing more than citrus groves. She was seeing her future.

Russ turned onto a gravel road and parked between a row of lemon trees. Yellow-and-green fruit hung from the branches, and the air was sharp and sweet with the smell of ripening citrus.

Russ helped Bea from the car and stood with his arm around her waist.

“Bea, I want you to see what a citrus grove looks like. I want you to touch the leaves, to smell the fruit, to feel the rich earth underneath your feet.”

She reached out and caught a waxy green leaf between her fingers. Even after she plucked it off she could still feel the flow of life through the tiny leaf.

“It gets awfully hot down here, and we don’t have any winter to speak of. Sometimes you think the mosquitoes are going to carry you off, and you might get sick of the sweet smell of citrus.”

He paused, looking out across the grove. Then he turned back to her.

“There will be bad years when the crops will be diseased or when an unexpected freeze destroys crops and trees alike. It won’t be an easy living, Bea. I’ll have to buy a grove, get established in the business all over again. In fact, there will be some lean times.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of living in Florida?” She smiled at him.

“No. I just want you to know what it will be like. If you have any doubts, tell me now and we’ll go somewhere else.” He tipped her face up with his index finger. “I’m willing to live anywhere, Bea, as long as you’re there.”

“You love it down here, don’t you, Russ?”

“One of the best times of my life was when I walked through my groves and felt a piece of earth beneath my feet and knew it was mine.” He circled his thumb on her chin. “Yes, Bea. I love it.”

“Then, Russ Hammond, here I am, and here I will stay.”

Much, much later, after they’d checked into a motel that allowed pets and Russ had welcomed her to Florida properly and then fallen asleep on their tumbled bed, Bea powered up her email.

From: Bea

To: Molly, Clemmie, Janet, Belinda, Joanna, Catherine

Re: Arrival

We are in Florida and I have
finally come home!

Bea

Without waiting for a reply, she turned off her email and then snuggled beside her husband, who immediately roused and wrapped his arms around her.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Hammond.” His voice was sleepy and sexy and utterly sincere. “Now and forever.”

-
The End-

o0o

While Carrie Bradshaw was looking for
Sex in the City,
the Dixie Virgins were looking for love, marriage and a baby carriage! Sassy, funny and charming, The Dixie Virgin Chronicles is a seven-book series that follows the feisty, independent women who met at a summer camp for girls, and live by the rule
Never let the boys from Camp Geronimo get close enough to see your Virginia.
Get all seven books!

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Belinda (Book One)

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Janet (Book Two)

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Molly (Book Three)

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Bea (Book Four)

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Clemmie (Book Five)

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Joanna (Book Six)

The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Catherine (Book Seven)

o0o

Book Five Excerpt - The Dixie Virgin Chronicles: Clementine

Peggy Webb

Prologue

From: Clemmie ([email protected])

To: Molly, Bea, Janet, Belinda, Joanna, Catherine

Re: Old Maid

I’m having a hard time not thinking of myself as an old maid. Tomorrow I’ll be twenty-five! If Mr. Right ever
does
come to Peppertown, Virginia will be too old to do anything about it! Still, I’m making a cake, complete with candles! I was thinking of giving myself a surprise party, but with my brothers away at college and all of you scattered, I’m going to have a big celebration for one. And I’m going to be as decadent as it’s possible be in this one-horse town. I might even eat cake naked!

Hugs,

Clemmie

From: Janet ([email protected])

To: Clemmie, Bea, Molly, Belinda, Joanna, Catherine

Re: Birthday wishes!

If I weren’t on the Mississippi Gulf Coast at a medical convention, I’d be there with bells on! Dan and the doggies are here, too. They’re having a fabulous time romping on the beach while I’m stuck in meetings.

I just had a wonderful thought! Why don’t you see if one of your boarders will watch after things a day or two while you drive down here? I’ll book you a room next to ours! My treat, Clemmie! Do come!

XO

Janet

From: Bea ([email protected])

To: Clemmie, Janet, Catherine, Molly, Belinda, Joanna

Re: Hit the road!

Happy, happy birthday, Clemmie! Grab Janet’s offer! I’ll bet the Gulf Coast is
crawling
with
hunks!
If you find one, go ahead and break Rule Four! Listen, it’s your
birthday!
Virginia deserves a celebration, too!

If I weren’t so busy I’d drive across and join you. I’m
covered up –
and you can take that every way you want! I
highly recommend
marriage, and especially
sex!!!
Of course, I’m busy outside the bedroom, too. Russ and I bought a citrus grove that has a wonderful, rambling old house on the property. It’s big enough for both dogs and the cat and as many children as we decide to have. He wants to start trying for a family right away, but I’m holding out for
lots of practice first!

Actually, I’m also launching a
fabulous
advertising campaign for Russ and trying to redecorate the house. Molly, I wish you were here to help! I’m hopeless with colors and can’t decide between peach and yellow for the den of pleasures. That’s the
bedroom,
in case you didn’t know!

Hugs,

Bea

From: Molly ([email protected])

To: Clemmie, Bea, Catherine, Joanna, Belinda, Janet

Re: Your Birthday!

Doing a happy dance for you, Clemmie! And you are NOT an old maid! Good grief, you’re in your prime! There is the cutest guy helping me get the art gallery ready for the grand opening – a carpenter who wears this tool belt hip slung over his tight jeans. SEXY!!!

OMG, just listen to me! Naturally, he doesn’t hold a candle to SAM, the most incredibly scrumptious man in the whole wide world!!! Still, Clemmie, if you could come to Florence, I’d introduce you!