Dancing With Velvet (7 page)

Celeste looked around. “Over there.”

“You’re leaving together.” It wasn’t a question.

“No, they share a room over on Harris Street. I’m not spending the night, because their room is too small for guests.”

“Is it a long way? There’s no bus this time of night.”

Celeste realized she hadn’t thought far enough when she planned the evening. “I’ll walk. It’s safe enough, I guess.”

He frowned. “Look, I have a car the company gave me after I’d been with them a year. I’ll drive all of you home—you first, then your friends. That way everything will be proper.”

“Proper?”

“I mean you’ll all chaperone each other.”

Celeste blinked. “Oh…oh, yes, that’s a good idea.” She waved at Veda and Paula, who were saying goodnight to the two young men they’d danced with most of the evening.

“Kent says he’ll take us all home,” Celeste said.

“I’ll take Celeste first, then the two of you. That way things will be on the up and up.”

Suspicion clouded Paula’s face. “Up and up?”

“Traveling salesmen aren’t to be trusted, are they?” Kent winked at her.

Paula flushed. “You’ll do.”

Celeste gave directions to her house. As Kent pulled up to the curb, he said, “Are you going to church in the morning?”

Celeste nodded.

“Would it be all right if I met you there? I missed last Sunday, and my mother always asks if I went.”

“I’m sure that would be fine,” Celeste replied. “Ten-fifty.” She glanced over her shoulder at the others in the back. “Do you mind bringing my things to the store on Monday, or should I get them tomorrow?”

“We’ll bring them,” Veda said.

“Thank you very much for the ride.” Celeste slid out of the car before Kent could open his door. “It’s all right. I can get in by myself.”

Kent frowned. “It was just plain too far to walk at this hour of the night. I’d feel real bad if you didn’t get home all right.” He looked around at the other girls. “If all of you didn’t get home all right.”

“Well, thank you again.” Celeste closed the door softly and started for the house, hoping that her father wouldn’t hear her come in.

Chapter Four

Celeste didn’t see Kent when she arrived at church the next morning and decided against waiting outside for him. It would be uncomfortable to explain if someone asked what she was doing. But relief flooded her when he slid into the pew beside her a few minutes later. “I’m glad you came,” she whispered.

“I’m glad I came, too,” he whispered back. He wore the same suit from the night before, but she noticed he had on a fresh white shirt and a different tie.

“Your mother will ask.”

“That’s right.”

“Do you go every Sunday?”

“I try.”

Kent’s strong deep voice made Celeste feel as small as his height did. He found the pages in the hymnal and shared it with her for each song. She noticed he didn’t take communion, but she’d heard that Baptists didn’t do that every Sunday.

As they sang the benediction, “God Be With You,” he picked up her coat and held it for her. Threading his way behind her up the narrow aisle, he said, “It’s a nice day for this time of year. Picnic weather almost.”

“There’s the park behind the fire station, but the wind off the river would make it too chilly to sit outside.”

“Maybe I’ll drive down there and just sit in the car then.”

“Alone?”

“I expect you have to go home to dinner.”

“No, it’s just…just my father, and he…he’s not feeling well this weekend. He said he didn’t want any dinner.”

“Oh? Then maybe we could pick up some sandwiches somewhere and go sit in the car at the park. I mean, if you don’t mind riding alone with me. It’s daylight, anyway.”

Celeste shook her head. “Most of the boys I knew wanted the girls to ride alone.”

“Well, I guess I’m no different when there’s a pretty girl I want to give my full attention to, but I’m really harmless.”

“Your mother brought you up to be a gentleman.”

“Yeah, I guess she did.”

She caught something in his terse reply that made her wonder again about his mother. “I’d love to have a picnic. If you’ll drive me home, I’ll make some sandwiches for us.”

“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble, really.”

She wondered if he thought it was strange she didn’t ask him to come in and hoped he thought it was because she’d said her father was sick. It wasn’t entirely a lie. Sunday afternoon was sobering-up time.

She slipped around the house to the back door, where she checked to be sure the kitchen was empty. Then she got the picnic basket from the pantry and threw together sandwiches from some leftover roast. Adding the cookies she’d made earlier in the week, some celery sticks in waxed paper, two glasses, and a half-full bottle of milk, she looked around to see if she’d forgotten anything.

“What’re you doing?”

She froze. “Just making a picnic, Daddy.”
Please don’t let him see the car out front.

“Who’re you going with?”

“Someone from church.”

He jerked open the refrigerator door. “What’s there to eat?”

“You can warm up the baked chicken and vegetables.”

“That’s your job.”

Celeste closed the basket and stepped through the back door almost in one motion. “I’ve got to go, Daddy.” She hurried around the house to the street and almost threw herself into the car with the basket in her lap. “Let’s go,” she said to Kent.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just…please, let’s go.”

He started the car and drove away in silence.

At the park, he found a spot partially shaded but still sunny enough to be warm and rolled down his window. “Let me know if you’re too cold.”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you really?”

“Yes.”

He seemed to be waiting for her to say more.

“It’s just that my father…”

“You didn’t want him to see you get in the car with me.”

She shook her head.

“Why?”

She turned her face toward the window so he wouldn’t see the tears she was trying to hold back.

“He doesn’t like you to go out?”

She shrugged.

“He’d have wanted to meet me first. He’s protective.”

“He’s a drunk!” Celeste exploded, then hunched her shoulders and tried not to cry.
I’ve never told anyone that. Why did I tell a stranger?

Kent didn’t say anything for a few minutes. “I’m sorry, Celeste. I shouldn’t have pried.” He handed her his handkerchief. “It’s clean.”

She blotted her face. “I’m sorry I’m acting like a baby.”

“I understand. Really.” He took the basket out of her lap and put it on the seat between them. “I’ll bet you packed a good lunch.”

“Just what I had handy.”

She unwrapped the sandwich he handed her and took a bite. “Do all the salesmen have cars?”

“No, just a few of us. I got one earlier than usual because the boss says I’m dependable, and I can make more stops if I don’t have to take the train.”

“It’s a nice car.”

“I take good care of it, too. It’s not really mine, but it’s the closest thing to a car of my own that I’ve ever had. Or probably ever will have for awhile.”

“My father has a car. He works at a bank, and I ride to and from work with him every day except Saturday. But the bus stops at the corner, so that’s all right.”

“How long have you been by yourself? Without your sister, I mean?”

“Since I was twelve. Ben’s parents offered to take me, too, but Daddy wouldn’t let me go.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t want me.” She felt tears welling up again and regretted her words. “Tell me about your family,” she said.

“There’s just my mother, Neil, and me, but I’d like to have a boy and a girl someday. Of course, you take what you get and like it, don’t you?”

“I suppose.”

“Two boys or two girls or one of each.”

She smiled. “I haven’t thought much about it, to tell you the truth.”

“Every girl wants a family someday.”

“Someday, maybe. I’m not even twenty yet. I’ve got time.”

“So you don’t go out much because of your father?”

“Not much.”

“Well, you won’t always live at home. You’ll get out on your own someday.”

Celeste turned her face away. “Sure.”

“Maybe you’ll figure out a way to go back to college.”

“I doubt it, but you never know.”

“When Neil gets through, I’ll think about going. I mean, if he gets a good enough job to help Mother, like I’m doing now. But I’m the oldest, so it’s my responsibility to help him go to school and help Mother, too.”

“Does he go to school in Brownwood?”

“He goes to Howard Payne so he can live at home. And he has a girl, Kay, who’s in nursing school. I’m pretty sure they’ll get married someday.”

“And then you can do what you want to do.”

“I hope so.”

Something in the way he looked past her when he spoke the last words made her wonder.

After lunch, Kent helped her re-pack the basket, and then asked if she’d like to take a walk.

“I’ll be back through here about this time next month. If there’s another dance, maybe I’ll see you there.”

“I think there’s one almost every month, but I’ll be sure to check.”

“If not, I’ll probably see you at church.”

“That would be nice.”

“And maybe we could go out to dinner on Sunday.”

“Maybe.”

He took her home just before dark. “Do you want me to let you out at the corner?”

“That might be a good idea.”

“I’ll wait to make sure you get in all right.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

They shook hands at the end of the block. “Thanks for today, Celeste. I enjoyed it.”

“Me, too.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

She nodded and hurried away without looking back.

****

That night the blue velvet curtains billowed through her dreams again. This time, the breeze became a violent wind that ripped them from their hangings. Her prince—Kent—was nowhere in sight.

Chapter Five

The Christmas card, addressed to “Miss Celeste c/o Woolworth” lay squarely in the middle of her desk when she came in on Christmas Eve morning. Celeste’s heart catapulted to her throat, but she slipped the envelope into her desk drawer until the office emptied out at lunch. Then, her hands shaking with anticipation, she took the card out again and opened it.

Kent had signed his first name, then sketched an arrow indicating she should turn to the back.

Dear Celeste,

I hope this will reach you before you go to Sterling City for the holidays. Just wanted to tell you again how glad I am that we met and how much I look forward to seeing you again in January. I hope you’ll wear the blue velvet dress. You were beautiful in it. Again, wishing you a Merry Christmas and all the best things in the New Year.

Kent

She read the words three times before she looked to see if he’d included a return address on the envelope. Surely it wouldn’t be forward to write and thank him for the card. But the upper left corner of the envelope was blank. She frowned. What did that mean? That he didn’t want her to know exactly where he lived?

She considered the fact he’d sent the card to the store, even though he knew her address on Spaulding Street. That was probably a good thing, since her father always walked around the house to the porch and got the mail as soon as he parked the car in the garage. Kent must have considered she’d be better off not answering questions about who she knew in Brownwood.

Oh, Kent, are you the man of my dreams? Is all this going somewhere, or will we just touch each other’s lives once a month at the Roof Garden?

She slipped the card back in the envelope and tucked it into her purse before she reached for her lunch.

****

At four o’clock, she stowed the ledgers in the safe and took her coat and suitcase from the corner closet. “Going to Sterling City, Miss Riley?” Mr. Thomas looked up from the stack of dollar bills he was putting into envelopes—small Christmas bonuses Celeste knew came out of his own pocket.

“Yes, sir. There’s a bus at four forty-five.”

He held out the envelope with her name on it. “Merry Christmas, and my regards to your family.”

“Thank you, Mr. Thomas. Merry Christmas to you, too.”

“I don’t suppose your young man lives in Sterling City, too?”

“My…” Her mouth went dry. She never gossiped with the other girls about Kent and felt sure Veda and Paula didn’t either.

He leaned back in his chair and smiled. “I have my spies. Actually, Mrs. Thomas and I have a friend who takes his wife to the Roof Garden whenever there’s a good band booked there. They recognized you and told us you were dancing with a very handsome, most attentive young man.”

“Yes, sir. I mean, no, sir, he lives in Brownwood, not Sterling City.”

“He travels?”

“For a plumbing company. He’ll be back in January.”

“I’m glad for you. You’re a nice girl. You need to get out more—with the right kind of people, of course.”

For a fleeting moment, she wondered if he knew about her father.

“Run along now. If I didn’t have to finish these envelopes, I’d drive you to the station myself.”

“Oh, no, thank you, Mr. Thomas, I can walk.”

“Looks like we might get some snow. Have a good time with your family, Miss Riley. I’ll see you on Thursday.”

****

As the bus pulled away from the station on Twohig Street, Celeste leaned her head back against the seat, closed her eyes, and let herself think about if Kent really did live in Sterling City. Maybe they’d sit together for the community Christmas Eve service tonight. Maybe he’d invite her home to meet his family. Maybe he’d drive her back to the ranch…walk her to the door…kiss her goodnight.
Stop it, Celeste. You’re making way too much out of one chance encounter and a few dances. He’s nice, though. And we’re a lot alike. I hope he can go to college and be a lawyer. Maybe I’ll go with him to the university and finish my degree, too. I’ll be a teacher, and I can work while he’s in law school…
Celeste pinched herself hard.
You’re crazy, Celeste Riley. Meet a man a few times and you’re already married to him and planning your lives together. Crazy, crazy, crazy.