Jennifer wondered how often he did that just for the sake of others.
“Ruth, you look beautiful today.”
She bowed slightly. “Just got my hair done. Penny Yancy dropped me off, so it wouldn’t mess up in the wind.”
“Listen, are you sure you want to eat here? We could go somewhere else.”
“Posh,” the woman admonished. “You have been telling me about this place for months. I am not leaving until I meet your friend...Jennifer.” Their gazes locked. It was as if recognition hit immediately.
What had Mark told her? How had Ruth known which woman she was? Did she recognize the red hair? Her eyes? She said, “It’s nice to meet you, Ruth. I hope you are well today.”
“I would have recognized you on a crowded bus at rush hour.” She shuffled over to the counter. “You must be his Jennifer. I’m glad to finally meet you.”
Jennifer looked quizzically between Mark and Ruth. Though Mark’s cheeks shone bright red, Ruth seemed oblivious to his discomfort.
Sally stepped forward. “Jennifer’s finishing up some things behind the counter. How about I seat the two of you and get you something to drink? We have fried green tomatoes on special today. Can I interest either of you?”
Ruth clapped her hands together. “Oh, I’d love some.” She trailed after Sally to one of the tables in the corner.
With one last look at Jennifer, Mark followed.
****
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Sally exclaimed over and over after she had taken the order to the table. She batted her eyelashes and smiled coyly at Albert, and he winked at her in return. “I’m sorry for interfering!” she whispered to Jennifer. “I just knew that if I left it up to you, you’d be making the biggest mistake of your life. I couldn’t let you do that.”
Jennifer couldn’t hold back, but kept her voice low, as well. “You had no right. This was not your decision to make.”
“But you heard her. Mark’s been talking about you!”
“Friend! She said friend. And have you still forgotten about Rebecca?” Jennifer couldn’t help the cold tone of her voice. Nor did she feel particularly charitable about alleviating that pained expression on her friend’s face.
“She could’ve been just a girlfriend. Maybe he caught her cheating with that tall man she came in with that one night, or maybe they weren’t anything at all. You don’t know, because you didn’t ask,” Sally hissed. She strode around the front counter, just out of view of their only two patrons. “You ran away and then used Rebecca as an excuse to avoid him. Why would he have talked about you to his granny if he didn’t want you?”
Jennifer crossed her arms over her chest and squared her shoulders. “Who said I would take him?” Her bruised pride and the fact that her friend had interfered in such a major way made her feel even more helpless. “I never told you I would take him back. I think about him. I even dream about him, but I never told you I actually wanted him.”
Sally’s face crumbled. “You’re right.” Her voice fell flat. “You never said you wanted Mark. Only that you missed him.” She sat on the stool beside Jennifer and put her head in her hands. Her voice was muffled when she said, “I’m sorry. I really thought I was helping.”
The desperation in her voice, and the way she’d slunk low on the stool thawed Jennifer. “It’s fine. You didn’t hurt anything. I just have to make sure he doesn’t find out anything—”
A sudden sharp pain made Jennifer suck in a breath. A low moan escaped her lips. “No, no.” She doubled over, pushing away from the counter.
“Jennifer!” Sally jumped off the stool and bent over her friend.
Curled over, she clutched her abdomen. She couldn’t think about anything other than the pain now coursing through her midsection. She let out another moan as the pain overwhelmed her.
“Jennifer!”
“Oh, God,” she hissed and tried to slow her breathing. “It’s nothing, it’s a Braxton-Hicks contraction. I know it is. I’m fine. I’m fine.” This couldn’t be happening. Not now, not so soon! The baby wasn’t ready.
Albert looked ready to come unglued. “Baby coming?” His eyes darted nervously from Jennifer to Sally.
“No, not yet, Albert.” Sally motioned toward the stack of towels. “Get her a wet cloth; she’ll be okay in a minute.”
Sally grabbed a pillow from the stool and put it in place under Jennifer. Then she eased her friend down and rubbed her back. “Shh, you’re all right.” Sally took the cloth from Albert and pressed it against the back of her neck. “Shh, now.”