Seven

THE LAST FEW days had been awful. She had thought her persistence with Merle had paid off. Boy, had she been wrong. Merle had reverted to hardly talking to Peggy, even when her daddy wasn’t around. She wasn’t sure what had happened, but he’d changed after they’d gone into town together. The only thing she could think of was maybe she’d pushed him too hard, too fast with talk about the future.

During dinner he’d engaged in small talk and laughed a little with her daddy over ranch mishaps, but he avoided eye contact with her. She hated how he’d ignore her.

She’d had enough of it. Tonight, Peggy was going to make him talk at dinner.

As Peggy finished slicing the pot roast, the kitchen door opened right at seven. Merle entered but stopped in place when he didn’t see her daddy at the table.

It burned her up how he stood there, unsure if he wanted to enter without her daddy there. Coward.

“What? Afraid to be alone with me, Merle? Rest assured, I don’t bite.” She clinked the carving knife on the counter. “Daddy will be here any second. But if you’d rather wait outside, suit yourself.”

“What’s going on with you tonight?” he asked nonchalantly.

“Why, Merle, I didn’t know you cared.” She huffed around the kitchen, plating the food. All the while, Merle stood by the door. “You gonna just stand there? Have a seat. Drink some iced tea. Butter your bread…” She was fuming.

“You got a bee in your bonnet, Miss Peggy?”

The sarcasm in his voice undid her, and she whirled around to face him.

“How dare you tease me when you know darn well what’s under my bonnet! It sure isn’t a little bee.”

“No? Then what is it?”

“A big jackass!” She covered her mouth, mortified by her outburst. She blinked her eyes, feeling the sting of tears. “Enjoy your dinner!”

She ran out of the kitchen and smack dab into her father.

“Where’s the fire?” He cupped her shoulders and peered down at her. “Why’s my little girl crying?”

“I’m not crying. I don’t feel well, so I’m going up to my room.”

“Not feeling well?” He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead like her mama used to do. “Don’t feel feverish.”

“It’s my stomach.”

“Hmm. Sure, it’s not that big jackass under your bonnet?” His eyes twinkled with mirth.

If her heart could stop without killing her, it would have. Overcome with shame, she dropped her chin to her chest. Her daddy had overheard her outburst with Merle, and she couldn’t reverse time to change it.

“I’m sorry you heard that. I―”

“I’m not sorry. ’Bout time y’all started talking again. Been wondering what had happened. I thought you liked each other.”

“You did?”

He nodded.

“Well… You’re wrong. I’m going to my room.” She darted away, running up the stairs and into her room.

She collapsed onto her bed and cried.

Why didn’t Merle like her? Were all the warm fuzzies she’d had around him one-sided? She felt like a fool. A silly, dopey schoolgirl. Except she wasn’t in school anymore and would turn nineteen in a few months. Some girls were planning their weddings, and she didn’t even have a boyfriend.

Pathetic. Alice was right. She’d probably wind up spinster.

She sobbed into her pillow.