by Ann Hite

The whole story started on a warm Sunday afternoon in March 1961. It was one of those days on Black Mountain that could fool a soul into believing summer had come around the corner early. The kind of day that made three sisters—so close in age folks forgot what order they came into the world—look beyond their front yard. Carley had a notion in her head to find a fellow for the prom. So, right after we got home from church service, she went straight to the kitchen and pulled out lemons, sugar, and Mama’s best crystal pitcher. She squeezed the juice from the lemons while Barbara Jane hovered.

“What you doing with Mama’s good pitcher?”

She measured the sugar, one and a half cups, into the bottom of the pitcher.

“Mama always puts the water in first.” Barbara Jane stood in the middle of the room with her hand on her hip.

“Here, Carley, let me add the water.” I smiled and eased the pitcher from her hands.

“That’s a lot of lemon juice. You sure did a good job.” I stirred the sugar as the water filled the pitcher. “Did you find you a boy for the prom?”

Carley smiled. “Not yet, but this afternoon ought to do it.”

“I wished I could go to the prom this year.”

“Sweet little Ida Tee, you’ll be old enough next year. You don’t even know what boys are about. You’re too young for that.” Barbara Jane never let me forget my place as the youngest Miller girl.

“And you know?” Carley sliced some lemons and set them to float in the yellow liquid.

“I’m sixteen. That’s plenty old enough.” I stuck my finger in the lemon and sucked on it.

Carley frowned.

“I’ll have you know, Carley Miller that I’m the oldest. I know more about boys than both of you put together. And sixteen ain’t old enough, Ida Tee.” Barbara Jane took two of Mama’s good glasses out of the cupboard. Barbara Jane took after Mama’s side of the family, plain, fine brown hair, so limp it looked dirty sometimes, but she was sturdy. Me and Carley had pale blond hair, blue eyes, and all curves, like our daddy, except the curve part.

“All my friends get to see boys.” I stuck my finger in the lemonade again.

****

Paul Jenkins came to sit on our front porch promptly at three that afternoon. Daddy made it a point to walk across the porch. He held to the idea of proper courting like when he was boy. Mama just rolled her eyes like she wasn’t believing a word of it every time he started in on the subject.

“You two behave yourself.” He gruffed.

Carley’s cheeks turned pink, and she poured two big glasses of lemonade, handing one to Paul, where he stood by the steps, before she sat in one of the rockers. I watched from a window in the front room. Barbara Jane stood just behind the curtains of the other window. There we were watching our sister with her new boyfriend. How sad was that? But that’s what a girl got for living on Black Mountain instead of Asheville.

Paul wasn’t a whole lot to look at. I mean if someone cleaned him up, put him in city clothes, maybe added some shiny shoes, he might pass for decent. But on Black Mountain, he was the pick of the litter.

Carley laughed at his every joke.

“She’s acting like she really likes him.” Barbara Jane slipped up beside me for a better look.

“She’s wanting the best for the prom.” I moved away from the window.

“You know what they say; if you go to the prom with a boy, you’ll marry him. That’s why I didn’t go with Timmy Wills last year. I sure didn’t want to marry that boy.”

“Ugly old Timmy ask you to the prom?” I laughed. He had a good kiss, a sweet kiss that could start something.

I turned on our radio, flipping through all the preaching stations until I found music. The dance steps came easy as I moved around the room.

“Look. I’m Carley dancing with old ugly boots out there.” My invisible partner held me close and twirled me in a graceful sway. He was a city man with a right nice tie.

“You’re showing your age, Ida Tee.” Barbara Jane was a stick in the mud.

Paul Jenkins watched me through the window. He smiled, and I jumped out of sight.

“Boys are so stupid.”

Barbara Jane made a huff sound and kept her place in front of the window.

****

Barbara Jane didn’t even let the poor boy get off the porch good before she charged out on the porch. I followed cause I wasn’t going to miss the good part.

Carley still sat in the rocker, moving just a little. “Did you girls enjoy spying on me the whole time?”

“You two just make the best couple.” Barbara Jane took a seat in the rocker next to Carley. I sat on the handrail close to where Paul had stood.

Carley smiled. “You think so?”

“You two are so cute. I’d swear you’d been in love since you were just little bitty things.” Barbara Jane patted Carley on the hand.

Carley moved her hand and flicked her hair off her shoulder. “I wouldn’t say all that. I ain’t even thinking about love. I got me bigger plans.”

Barbara Jane stopped rocking. “Why Carley, what in the world are you seeing him for then? It’s just as plain as day that you love him.” Barbara Jane looked out over the yard, to the place where we last seen Paul Jenkins’ back.

****

Paul came to dinner the next Sunday. He wore a right nice shirt. Maybe he wasn’t all bad, but then, he could have went out and bought that shirt just to please Carley. Mama kept piling food on his plate. Daddy talked farming with him. Carley crossed her eyes at me when nobody was looking. I was just as bored as her. That’s why I couldn’t figure why I followed that boy out the door when he left. It must have been plain curiosity. Of course that’s what killed the cat.

“I hear you back there.” Paul spoke without turning. I stepped in the trees. He turned to look. Let him think it was one of those ghosts that roamed the mountain.

“You’re over in them trees.”

I knew when I was caught, but I stood my ground when he came over to find me.

****

“You know Paul’s such a looker.” Barbara Jane dried the dishes while Carley washed.

Carley looked at me when I came in the back door. “Where you been?”

I just shrugged and grabbed me the broom.

“It doesn’t surprise me he’d want you, Carley. He’s looking for a good wife to come help with that farm.” Barbara Jane dried Mama’s good dinner dish and placed it in the cabinet real careful.

There must have been a thousand crumbs under Paul Jenkins chair.

“It’s the biggest farm on the mountain. I heard he just started raising pigs too.”

Carley looked out the kitchen window. “Pigs,” she whispered.

Ida Tee, get them leaves out of your hair.” Barbara Jane took another plate from Carley.

“When you going to grow up some?”

I pulled the two leaves stuck in my hair and put them in the pocket of my dress.

****

Me, Carley, and Barbara Jane all three went to the same high school. We’d ride that horrible old bus that poured black smoke out the back when it pulled up the mountain. Paul Jenkins drove his daddy’s truck. He was a senior like Barbara Jane, her second time, and Carley. The school gave them parking privileges. Daddy didn’t think letting girls drive to school each day was smart. It encouraged them to want more freedom. Just when it looked like Paul wasn’t going to ask Carley to the prom, he asked her in the hall between third and fourth period. All the girls just whispered. He was the one they all dreamed about, the football captain. The whole thing was stupid. Who cared about that dumb backwoods prom? When I saw Carley later on in the girls bathroom, she was telling some girls that she new he was going to ask her. Then she shooed them away and came over to me as I brushed my hair in front of the mirror.

“Don’t get on the bus. Paul’s giving us a ride home.”

“Daddy won’t like it.” I went into a stall and shut the door a little too hard and it bounced open.

“He won’t know.” Carley stood in front of the mirror freshing her lipstick that Daddy hated.

“He finds out everything.”

“That’s cause Barbara Jane tells her guts. She’s coming too, so we don’t have a thing to worry about. No bus today or the rest of this school year.”

She walked out of the door.

****

We all four squeezed into the cab of Paul’s truck. He tucked my dress in before he shut the door. Then, he climbed behind the wheel. Carley sat beside him and Barbara Jane next to her.

“So, a little bird told me you’re going to the prom together.” Barbara Jane sang out the news as if no one had heard about it.

“Yeah.” Carley filed her nails.

A bolt of lightning streaked cross the sky.

“You’ll get to go to Asheville and buy a brand new dress. Daddy will let you drive yourself. I know he will.” These words just popped right out of my mouth.

Carley stopped filing her nails and looked at me. “You can go with me if you want.”

The rain poured down, making the road in front of us hard to see.

“Okay.” I looked out the window.

Paul hummed a sweet little tune.

That night Barbara Jane came into me and Carley’s room. She stretched out on Carley’s bed. I sat on the floor doing English homework that I just saw as a complete waste of time.

“You’re going to make such a pretty bride. I’m so excited. I can’t wait to start planning the wedding.” She pushed her fingers through her new curls that Mama put in the day before.

“That’s jumping way ahead, Barbara Jane. We’re going to the prom that’s all. I ain’t got a real interest in any boy right now.” Carley kept looking at her math book so she missed how red Barbara Jane’s cheeks got.

“You mark my words. Marriage will come next. You just don’t want to admit it.”

****

Paul sat with our family every Sunday morning in church. He took all us sisters to the church functions. One Wednesday night when Carley was sick in bed with a bad headache, he drove me and Barbara Jane to the youth group meeting. Barbara Jane nearly broker her neck to get in the truck before me. She talked and talked the whole way about silly things like how her angel food cake turned out perfect. The night the preacher paired us up with partners.

“We’ll put Paul with Ida Tee. That way we know he’ll behave himself while Carley’s at home.” The preacher laughed at his joke.

I didn’t even look at Paul. I just read the verses without exchanging a real word between us. When the group was over, I lied, saying that I was riding home with Sally Tucker. Barbara Jane didn’t argue a bit. That just wasn’t like her.

Sometimes a soul just needs to be alone. Walking along that road as the sun stared to turn the sky orange and pink was soothing. That’s why I didn’t even pay Paul’s old truck no mind when it rambled by me. It wasn’t until he backed up and rolled down his window that I noticed him.

When I came in the door later, Barbara Jane was combing that awful mess of curls. “You lied didn’t you?”

“What you mean?”

“You just didn’t want to ride with Paul and me.”

A small breath escaped my chest. “Who would want to?”

Carley was sitting in bed, doodling on a tablet of paper.

“You don’t look very sick to me.”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to go tonight.” On her drawing tablet was a girl wearing a dress that dropped off her shoulders. It was pretty short too.

“Daddy will never let you wear something like that.”

“You know, Ida Tee, I just might be me a artist who lives in a big city. You know like Atlanta.” She glanced at me. “You’ve ruined your skirt with a great big grass stain. It’ll never come out.”

I brushed at it and moved to my side of the room.

Barbara Jane stuck her head in the door. “That Paul is just crazy about you.”

Carley rolled her eyes at me.

“He told me so on the way home. I think he’s going to ask you to marry him. You’ll be so good for him and his family. It stands to reason you know. You’re a good cook, and he needs help feeding all them brothers of his. It was right sad when his mama died last year. That family just worked her to death.” She winked at Carley.

Carley flinched.

“Us Miller girls are tough. You’ve got at least four babies in you. Mama and Daddy will be so proud when you marry him, and just think you’ll beat the oldest to altar.”

“You’re just silly.”

Barbara Jane cocked her eyebrow. “Really. You’re probably right, Carley. When you going to buy that new dress? Make the most of it. I bet after you marry Paul you won’t have no reasons to go down to Asheville.”

I laughed out loud, but Carley was pale around the lips.

****

The day finally came for Carley to go down the mountain to Asheville. Mama agreed she could take her old Plymouth. Carley came and stood in our bedroom door. She watched me for a minute.

“You going after that dress?” Something in the way she looked at me told me she had wanted me to say something different.

“Yeah.” She tossed the Plymouth’s keys in the air and caught them. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she didn’t wear a bit of makeup. “You know, Ida Tee, I know all about you, a lot more than you think.”

Again she tossed the keys into the air and caught them in a tight fist.

“Just be careful.” She turned and left.

That old Plymouth started without a hitch. The tail lights blinked as she bounced down the drive and out of sight. A catch in my breath moved through my chest.

I guess it was a omen cause when Carley didn’t come home by supper time, Mama was beside herself and told Daddy. That’s when the fireworks began. He left with Mama riding beside him in his truck.

Barbara Jane hummed the whole time she finished up Mama’s supper. The phone rang at eight-thirty. Barbara Jane grabbed it like I wanted to answer the dern thing.

“I hate to tell you, sweetie, but our Carley seems to have flown the coop. She went to Asheville for her dress and hasn’t come back.” She listened into the phone. “I don’t think you’ll need to do that. I don’t think there is a thing wrong. Daddy and Mama went down there. I can tell you this she’ll be in some kind of trouble. She probably won’t even be able to go to the prom, and that’s just too bad cause I know you was looking forward to it. But I hate to say this, but that sister of mine is just as selfish as they come. There’s no telling what she’s got herself into.” She twirled her tangled curl.

****

When Daddy and Mama came home, I sat in the front room. The answer was etched in the wrinkles on Daddy’s forehead.

“Where’s Carley?” Barbara sounded almost surprised.

“I’ll tell you where she is…” Daddy wound down.

“That’s enough, Frank.” Mama looked at Daddy real soft like.

Mama handed me a piece of paper.

I can’t marry that boy, especially when he’s the kind that might do anything. He can’t be trusted. Everything always catches up with us, so I know my decision will catch up with me. Tell Barbara Jane she’ll be just fine.

Carley

Mama looked at me. “She left the note and the keys with the man that owns that eating place she loves so much. The bus station she left out on a bus headed south to Atlanta. If you know what went wrong, Ida Tee, tell us.

I just shook my head.

Barbara Jane yanked the note from me. “What would she know, Mama. She’s just little Ida Tee. She’s run away from home, pure and simple.” She crumpled the note in a tight fist.

“She spent my hard earned money on a ticket to Atlanta. This is what I get for raising her.” Daddy shook his head.

****

Things pretty much went the way I figured. Barbara Jane was there for Paul. Daddy was right proud when they announced they were going to the prom together. After all, Paul had rented his tux.

The day of the prom Paul gave me a ride to school in his truck. Barbara Jane had convinced Mama she needed the whole day to get ready. We was a little late getting to school, but I was able to sneak in while my homeroom teacher had her back turned. I smoothed the wrinkles in my dress. That’s when I couldn’t help and think of Carley. This was supposed to be her night, her day, but she was gone. She was out there somewhere living a life she found.

****

Life was just moving along at a slow pace. I’d started sneaking out at night for fresh air mostly. I figured at some point things would change for the better. The Mountain Laurel was in full bloom that Sunday when Barbara Jane came in after church service with Paul right behind her.

“Mama, Daddy, Paul has asked me to marry him and I said yes.”

Mama and Daddy gathered her into their arms, rattling as many questions as they could think of. Paul came to stand by me, smiling when Daddy and Mama bothered to look his way. His hand was planted causal between my shoulder blades. It sat there like a tree with roots. And me, Ida Tee Miller, youngest of all the Miller girls, stood there like that was the way the world should turn. A spark flickered in my heart and a narrow place opened inside of me, a place with no wiggle room, a place that threatened to squeeze my breath away. Paul smiled and slid me a wink.

“I want Ida Tee to stand with me. She’s got to be my maid of honor.” Barbara Jane hugged me. “Before you know it, Ida Tee, it will be your turn.”

****

Later on that same week, Mama took me aside. “You ain’t eating, child. Do you want to be ugly skinny for the wedding? I know you feel left out, but next year you’ll be a senior. You’ll find your own fellow.” Mama patted my shoulder and dropped the keys to her old Plymouth in my palm. “Why don’t you go get your sister from the church. She’s there talking with the pastor’s wife about music at the wedding, and if you want to you can wash the car when you get back. I want it clean for the wedding. I’m going to let Barbara Jane and Paul take it to Florida for their honeymoon.”

I squeezed the keys until I felt the metal cutting into my hand. “Thanks, Mama.” I tossed the keys up and caught them just as pretty as I pleased.