Free Dorothy Garlock by River Rising

porch.” “You’re welcome to come in,” Mrs. Poole said.
    “That porch swing looks inviting. Take your time, honey. I’ll be here.”
    “My brothers think that I’m such a baby,” Joy explained when she and Mrs. Poole were alone.
    “My brother thought the same about me when we were growing up. But we know better, don’t we? I can tell that you are a very levelheaded young lady, and your brothers will have to realize that you can make some decisions for yourself. Come into the parlor, Joy. This is a rare treat for me to have a young lady call on me.”
    “My suggestions may not be worth much.”
    “I’m sure they will be a help. I’ve never planned a party for young people. I need all the help I can get. Sit down, my dear.”
    “What do you think about having the girls bring box lunches and the boys throwing apples? The one who throws the farthest gets to choose first and so on.”
    “I don’t know, dear. There are more girls than boys.” “Golly. I hadn’t thought of that.”
    “We’ll be going on a hayrack ride. Afterward we’ll have a bonfire and roast marshmallows. Mr. Oakley, at the store, has already promised to furnish them.”
    Shirley’s eyes searched every feature of the girl’s face and carefully noticed the way she tilted her head of blond curls.
She could have been mine. It’s not fair!
    “We need to plan games, Joy. Can you stop in after school one day?”
    “It’s hard for me to stop after school. Either Julie or Evan comes for me, or I ride with Sylvia’s folks. I could come on Saturday.”
    “That will be fine. Plan to spend the afternoon. We’ll put our heads together to make this the best harvest party the church has ever had. Maybe you and I could make cookies for the party.”
    “That would be fun, Mrs. Poole.” When Joy stood, Shirley moved close and put her arm across her shoulders.
    “It’s been a treat for me to have you visit. Come anytime you’re in town.”
    “Is the doctor’s new nurse staying here?”
    “Yes, but she’s busy and I don’t see much of her.” They had reached the door, and before Joy could push it open, Shirley said, “I’m so glad you came, Joy. I’d like for us to be friends.”
    “I’d like that, too, Mrs. Poole. Good-bye.”
    Joe was waiting, and they walked down the steps to the street before he spoke.
    “Well, how did it go?”
    “She’s nice. She invited me to come back anytime.” “Did she, now?”
    “What do you mean by that? She said that I’ve got a level head and should be able to make some decisions for myself.”
    “Did she, now?”
    “Stop saying that, Joe. I like her. She talks to me like I’m an adult. I’m going back there next Saturday so we can plan the games.”
    “Plan games, huh?”
    “And make cookies.”
    “Uh-huh. Where to now?”
    “Library, but I’d rather go to the show.” They were passing the theater, and Joy stopped to look at the billboards. “Oh, look, Joe.
Tarzan, the Ape Man
is playing.” She stared in awe at the near-naked Johnny Weissmuller perched on the limb of a tree.
    “You can’t go to the show and leave Sylvia waiting at the library.”
    Joy looked up at her brother, her lower lip clenched between her teeth.
    “She may not be there. It’s so . . . muddy.”
    “She
won’t
be there.” Joe spoke even as the thought came to him. “You lied to Julie.”
    “No! Sylvia didn’t say for sure. She was going to try to come in with her father when he came in to see Mr. Oakley. If she did, she was going to wait for me at the library.”
    “Come on. We’ll see if she’s there.”
    “And if she isn’t, you’ll take me to the show?”
    “I’ve got more important things to do than to watch a near-naked man swing through the trees.”
    “I bet if it was a near-naked girl, you’d find the time to watch,” Joy grumbled and hurried to catch up with her brother.

Chapter 6
    J ACK STRAINED TO HELP C ORBIN A PPLEBY transfer the heavy roll of newsprint to the press and set it