Letters in Time, Reiss Susan [read me a book TXT] 📗

"And to think that it happened right here," I said, taking in the graceful red brick courthouse, surrounded by a plaza landscaped with old gnarly trees and flowering shrubs, outlined by a tall black wrought iron fence. It was hard to imagine such violence in such a peaceful place.

TJ chuckled. “There is a lot of history here on the Shore, much more than we can tackle today. Ready?”

I nodded and we made our way back to his truck. Fortunately, it was all downhill.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“I made a coffin for our little baby Elizabeth. She died awhile before day this morning and was 20 days old. I carried her to Oxford and put her in the ground alongside our other infants, now 5, 3 girls and two boys all buried in a row next to the garden fence.” December 12, 1857

The Willis Family Journals 1847-1951

Edited and Annotated by James Dawson

As we made our way out of Easton, I said, “It’s such a beautiful day. Do you think we could take the long way home?”

“Sure,” he said. “Do you want to drive around or do you have a specific destination in mind?”

“Well, I’d like to…” I looked at him and realized something was different about him. “What have you done to yourself?”

He glanced around. “What you mean?”

“I don’t know. Did you… you got a haircut!”

He glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled. “You noticed! I clean up pretty good for a farmer, don’t you think?”

“Not half bad for a farmer or anyone else.”

“It’s getting to the time I have to climb into the combine. I figured I’d better get a haircut or I’d look like a shaggy mountain man by the time I finished the harvest. Now, maybe you won’t mind being seen with me.”

I shook my head. “I never mind being seen with you. Of course, we’ve never really gone anywhere,” I said with a laugh.

He placed a hand flat against his chest. “Oh, you know how to wound a guy.”

“You’ve given me an idea,” I said, as I ran my hand over my hair. “Do you think there might be somebody available now to shape up my hair? We cut it when I was in the hospital and rehab. It was easier that way.”

“And you’ve been cutting it yourself since you were released,” he said as he turned toward one of the shopping malls.

How embarrassing. It must look worse than I thought.

“Well, I wasn’t gonna say anything. You struck me as a woman who paid attention to her looks, but I can understand, with everything else going on…”

I used both hands to smooth my hair back and straighten my bangs. That’s when I noticed that my bangs were so long, they almost covered my eyes. “So, you’re saying that where there are shaggy mountain men, there might also be shaggy mountain women?” I didn’t wait for his response. “Kind Chauffeur, please drive straight to a local hair salon. I fear this might be an emergency.”

He had me wait in the truck while he ran inside the shop that advertised Walk-ins Welcome. It only took a moment for him to negotiate an appointment for me with a stylist who looked like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Seeing her perfect hair, makeup and cute outfit made me feel even worse.

I sat in her chair and saw a dowdy woman in the mirror. My handiwork with the scissors had only made it worse. “Can you do anything to salvage it?” I wailed.

She frowned and went to work, snipping here and combing there. Soon, she swiveled the chair around so I faced the mirror. She had performed a miracle. My hair was just above my shoulders, much shorter than I'd worn it in ages. It moved when I did but was long enough to pull back for a P.T. appointment. I looked as good as I was beginning to feel.

Back in the truck and driving down the road, TJ kept stealing looks at me. At this rate, I was afraid he was going to drive into a tree.

“Okay, okay, you were right. I must have looked a fright. Your girlfriend did a great job.”

He grinned. “Yes, she did.” He redirected his attention to the roadway. “And she isn’t my girlfriend.”

Somehow, that piece of information pleased me.  Stop that!  I ordered myself. It wasn’t a good time for me to get involved right now. I had too many issues, too much baggage to burden someone else. No, a new relationship could wait for a while. With that decision, the bright sunlight lifted my spirit.

TJ must have noticed the change in me. “I think you’ve kept me in suspense long enough.”

I perked up. “What do you mean?”

“When I picked you up at the library, you said you wanted to take the long way home. You never answered my question if you had a specific destination in mind.”

I appreciated the fact that this man could get me back on track so quickly. I decided to meet his playful attitude. "You are absolutely right, kind sir. I guess I got distracted by the horrible realization that I looked a fright. Now that all is right with the world, I was wondering if we could drive by your family cemetery one more time."

His face scrunched up and he said slowly. “You’re very interested in that place. Is it because you’re preoccupied with death or—”

“No, that’s not it at all. I’ve been doing a lot of research, as you know. I’m beginning to feel like I know one of your ancestors named Emma. I want to look around again if you don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t mind taking