The Price of Trust (4 page)

"Thank you, dear. We'll be back around one. Love you!" Sue called to Sam as Carly went upstairs for her money.

She looked at her small roll of bills. She didn't trust banks anymore. She'd made that mistake the first time she'd run away from Ian. Now, she kept all her money with her, tucked away in a safe place, feeling that it was safer this way. She took a couple of bills out, put them in her pocket, and stashed the rest away.

Carly and Sue passed an enjoyable morning together. They were getting pretty close, and Carly thought of Sue as a dear friend. They walked to the yard sales that Sue had wanted to visit, talking companionably.

"Now is the end of the yard sale season, so if you find something that you want or need, you should get it. It'll be a while before anymore come out. Oh look at this vase!" Sue exclaimed, holding up an attractive crystal vase. Carly smiled and went to look at the clothes.

She really needed some jeans, skirts, or dresses. When she had left Houston, she had only taken the things that she had bought with her own money. Once, when she had gone back to her apartment after going shopping, Ian was waiting for her, angry that she'd gone out without his knowing it and bought something she didn't ask him about. She'd gotten aggravated with him, and told him that he acted like a two-year-old. He had slapped her so hard that he bloodied her nose and knocked her to the floor. That's when she had begun to see what he was really like. She'd been scared. Still was.

"Hello there, Penny!" Sue's voice broke into Carly's thoughts, and she looked up. "Come meet my friend!"

"Penny, this is Carly. She's new around here, and she works for Sam at the shop. She's been such good help too, she didn't even want a day off, but I finally talked her into a half day. Carly, this is Penny Baird. Joe and Todd's mother," Sue introduced them.

Penny shook her hand warmly, her brown eyes twinkling. "Hello, Carly. It's nice to meet you. Do you like our little town?"

Carly smiled. "Yes, ma'am, I do. It's one of the nicest towns I've been in."

While the other two women were talking, Carly studied Penny. She was in her mid to late fifties, still very pretty, brown hair like her two boys, but not as dark. There was a little gray at her temples, and she had laugh lines about her mouth and eyes. Carly could see a little bit of Joe's features in her face, but Todd seemed to take more after his mother. He looked just like her.

"I hear that you had a little bit of excitement last night on your way to church, Carly," Penny said. Sue looked surprised. Carly hadn't told her about Billy, not wanting to worry her.

She smiled soothingly at her friend. "Nothing much. Billy and his brother just drove past a couple of times, that's all."

Sue wasn't convinced. "Carly, maybe you shouldn't be alone in that apartment anymore. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you. I don't really think they'd try to hurt you or anything, but I do think that they would try to bother you as much as possible. I'll have to talk to Sam about it."

"Oh no, really. It's okay. I'll be all right. I don't even think they know that I live above the store. I'll let you know if there's any trouble. I can handle it. Really. It's all right." Carly tried to calm Sue's fears.

"You know, I do believe Kelly has really taken a liking to you. That's all she talked about after church last night. She's a good girl that one. I'm glad Todd picked her. There are a lot of girls out there that just aren't worth anything. I wouldn't want him to be sorry for his choice later on, if you know what I mean." Penny and Sue continued talking about girls, boys, choices, and possible marriages while Carly looked around. She paid for her items, a pair of jeans, a skirt, and a denim dress, and they all parted company.

"Penny is such a good mother and a good friend too. She and Tom really tried to raise those boys right. There just doesn't seem to be very many young men these days that want to serve the Lord like those two. They're a good catch for any young woman," Sue said, looking knowingly toward Carly. "I noticed that you and Joe were introduced after all. I told you that he'd like you."

"No, he was just being friendly. Kelly had me sitting beside her, and he needed somewhere to sit," Carly protested, her face turning hot.

"Well, honey, if that's what you want to believe, then you go ahead and believe it. So what did you buy back there?" Sue asked, changing the subject. They talked about Carly's purchases and visited four more yard sales. Carly found some things that she had needed and bought them, and they walked on to the diner for lunch.

There they met Penny again, and they all sat down for a pleasant lunch together, laughing like they were old friends.

"Well, hi, there again," Sandy said, coming over to take their orders. She looked at Carly. "Did you find a job okay?"

"Yes, I did, thank you. I work over there at the hardware store for Sam," Carly replied, smiling.

"I'm mighty glad to hear it. I was worried about you with that Bob Pruit sitting so close to you. What would you like to eat?"

"Just the vegetable soup, and a water," Carly answered. The other two women ordered, and Sandy left.

"Carly, you aren't one of those anorexic people are you? You don't seem to eat very much food you know," Sue said disapprovingly. Sue felt that everyone should have some "meat on their bones," and she wondered when she saw girls that were too thin to her liking.

"No way, I like to eat too much to be anorexic! I just like their vegetable soup," she replied lamely. She didn't think Sue believed her, and she was glad when Penny changed the subject.

"Don't look now, but there are those awful Pruit men. Bob and Randy. Oh, there's Billy too. Well, we must be in for a treat," she said wryly. "Maybe they won't notice us if we keep our heads down and talk amongst ourselves."

They all kept their heads low and talked quietly, but their plan didn't work. They were spotted at once, and they immediately sauntered up to the table.

"Hey, Red. You shirking your work and leaving poor Sam all alone? Sue, Penny," Bob Pruit said slowly, nodding his head in their direction.

"Red, how you doin'? It's been a while, sugar. So when are you and me gonna go out?" Billy asked, leaning on Carly's end of the table.

"Mr. Pruit. Billy. How's the car holding up?" Carly replied, looking fearlessly up at them.

"That was her car, Pops? Well, I wouldn't have guessed it. She looks fancier than that ole heap," said the younger son. "We scrapped it this morning before coming into town. We didn't find much in it except a picture of some guy. You want it back?" He grinned at her suggestively.

Billy laughed. "Yeah, Randy, we'll give it back to her, but she's gotta come over to get it."

"You found a picture? How odd. It must not be mine," Carly replied, trying to seem unconcerned. Sandy brought them their food, and the Pruit's had to move out of the way, but they were in no mood to leave them alone. The ladies prayed for their food while the Pruit's sneered.

"Sorry, Red. Nice try. I'm sure this picture is yours, seeing as how you're in it. I'm pretty sure you'd like the changes we made to it. The man looks very interesting now, and well, I'm sure you can figure out the rest." Billy laughed contemptuously. "I'll come pick you up for dinner tonight, and if we have a good time, I'll give you the picture back. Deal?" He leaned closer to her, but she didn't shrink away. She was mad.

"You know what, I don't want the stupid picture back, I don't care what you've done to it, and I'm not going out with you, so you can stop asking. My answer isn't going to change," Carly declared, sounding braver than she felt.

"Anyway," Penny interjected, seeing Billy turn red with anger. "She's coming out to my house tonight for dinner, and we won't have any problems. If we do, I'm sure Tom, Joe, and Todd will take care of anything that needs settling. Now please excuse us. We'd like to finish our lunch in peace."

The Pruit's laughed at them and acted like they thought it was funny, but they did leave the diner, squealing their tires and giving obscene gestures to them through the window. The ladies didn't say a word for a little while, as Sue was clearly upset, and Carly fought back tears. She didn't want to eat. She just wanted to leave the diner, find a hole to crawl into, and hide.

"Carly, you're invited to our house for dinner tonight. Will you please come be our guest?" Penny asked quietly, patting her hand. "We'll ask Kelly to be there as well so you won't feel so out of place with just me and the men. We'd really like to have you out."

"Thank you, but I don't want you to get into trouble with the Pruits. I'd hate to be the cause of something. I appreciate you stepping in for me like you did though. That was very kind," Carly choked out miserably.

"Trouble with the Pruits? Ha! They wouldn't dare start any trouble. We've had run-ins with them before, and I think they're pretty scared of us. We Bairds don't back down from a confrontation, whatever it is. I was going to ask you anyway, but Billy kind of helped me along. Really. I won't take no for an answer." Penny smiled kindly.

"Okay. Thanks. I'd like that," Carly answered truthfully, smiling. She thought of Joe involuntarily and pushed the thought out.

"I'll have the boys come into town to pick you up around five thirty, all right? Now, what were we talking about before we were so rudely interrupted?"

Sue was true to her word. She had Carly back at the store promptly at one o'clock, and not a minute sooner.

"Well, did you girls have a good time today?" asked Sam, giving Sue a kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, we did, thank you for letting me have a half day. Did you need my help today, or was it pretty slow?" Carly asked, walking toward the back so she could take her things up to the apartment.

"Nope. It was pretty slow like I said. Just the preacher and a farmer or two."

She heard Sue telling him about the Pruit adventures when she returned a few minutes later.

"They were so rude, weren't they, Carly? But she stood right up to them and didn't back down. Billy's bothering her about a date again. But I don't think he'll be back after what she told him. Well, I've got to go start dinner. You let Carly out right on time tonight, you hear? She's going to have dinner with the Bairds," she called out as she left to go home.

"You had another run in with the Pruits I hear. Hmm. I can't understand why they're so persistent. Usually when a pretty girl says no like you did the first time, the fella just tucks his tail in and hides from her from then on. Huh. You be careful now, and let me know if you need any help," he said as he walked to the office.

The rest of the day was uneventful, but the closer time got to five-thirty, the worse she felt. She kept dropping things, couldn't answer the phone right, and kept knocking things off the shelf that she was trying to stock. Sam came out of the office at five and closed the store.

"You go on up now and change for your dinner. How are you getting out to the Bairds' place anyway? It's way too far to walk."

"Penny said that she would send the boys to come and get me," Carly answered, still stocking the shelf. Truth was, she was just as scared of the Bairds as she was of the Pruits, but for entirely different reasons.

"Come on now, you get along upstairs. That stuff can wait until tomorrow. Scat!" Sam said, pushing the broom toward her.

Carly reluctantly got up and trudged upstairs.

Why did I agree to this?
Things will just get worse if I make new friends,
she thought morosely as she got ready. Being alone for so long made the temptation too great to resist. She couldn’t ignore the yearning to belong somewhere and for these people, the Baird's as well as Sam and Sue, to like her and accept her. She changed into a fresh shirt, brushed her hair until it shone, and waited nervously for Joe and Todd to arrive.

"Red! Your ride's here!" Sam called up the stairs.

She slipped through the door and closed it silently behind her, her heart galloping like a herd of wild mustangs.

Please, Lord. Help me tonight. I don't really want to do this. I'm scared. But, whatever your will is, please let it be done tonight.

Sam and Joe were talking quietly at the front door when Carly walked in. She heard her name and Billy's, but they fell silent when they saw her come into the room.

"Hi, Carly." Joe smiled. "You ready to go? Todd and Kelly are in the truck waiting. Night, Sam." He held the door open for her.

"Hi," she said quietly, not looking up as she slipped past him, catching a smell of his cologne. Joe opened the passenger door for her so she could slide in behind Todd, and he climbed in beside her.

"Hey, Carly. How are you today?" Kelly asked, looking at her. Todd started the truck and backed out of the parking spot.

"I'm doing pretty good. How about you?" She was extremely aware of Joe's arm brushing against hers. She had made up her mind not to pay him too much attention, but it was going to be very difficult.

Todd drove to the edge of town and stopped at the gas station to fill-up.

"It's your turn to pay," Todd said good-naturedly to Joe. Joe groaned and rolled his eyes at Carly, and she couldn't help but laugh. He grinned and got out of the truck.

As Joe was filling the tank, Todd got out to clean the windows, leaving the two girls alone to talk. Todd had a sneaking suspicion that Joe was interested in Carly, and he wanted to give the girls time to get acquainted. Maybe Kelly could encourage her to show Joe a little extra attention.