Free Clifton County Fireworks by Joannie Kay

 
    Chapter One
     
    “Ma!  Ma! MA!”   Eight-year-old Jeremy Tanner ran into the
dress shop where his mother was pinning up the hem on a new dress intended for
the Fourth of July picnic for one of her best clients, Miss Priscilla Bishop.
    “Jeremy, I am not deaf!  I can
hear you.”   Abigail smiled at her
youngest child.  “Please say ‘good afternoon’ to Miss Bishop.” 
    Jeremy knew his Ma was a stickler for
manners, so he took off his hat and smiled at the elderly spinster.   “Good afternoon, Miss Bishop.”
    Priscilla smiled warmly.   “Good afternoon, Master Jeremy.  Now
tell us what has you so excited on this fine day,” she invited.  She loved
bearing the latest news to all her friends, and the little redhead was just
brimming with something exciting to tell Abigail.
    “We got real trouble, Ma!”   Jeremy couldn’t restrain himself another
second, even though he was pretty sure this was one of those times his Ma would
call ‘personal’, and not for Miss Bishop’s ears. 
    “What kind of trouble, Jeremy?”   Abigail asked calmly, used to his
exaggerated way of talking. 
    “Guess who’s here!”   Jeremy demanded, his green eyes wide.
    “Did Johnny get in early?”   Abigail finished pinning the hem and
stood up, looking around as if expecting to see her eldest son standing there
with a grin on his handsome face.
    “No!  Ma, listen!  This is
important!  There’s gonna be fireworks!”
    “We always have fireworks on the Fourth
of July, Master Jeremy.”   Miss
Bishop smiled at him, her eyes twinkling.
    “Yes, ma’am, we do.”   Jeremy grinned.   “But I mean the other kind of
fireworks!  Jennie Rose Clifton just got off the stage!”
    “What?”   Abigail’s hand rose to her chest in
distress.  “Oh, noooo !”
    “’ Spect we
ought to send Johnny a wire and warn him not to come home?”   Jeremy asked seriously.  “He ain’t gonna be happy to find Jennie Rose in town!”
    “Jennie Rose won’t be happy to see
Johnny in town, either.”   Miss
Bishop predicted.  “Why, the last time those two were home at the same
time they almost destroyed the entire town!”
    “I’m sure that nothing disastrous will
happen, Miss Bishop.”   Abigail
regained her composure, and prayed she was right.  The last time those two
squared off on each other, they nearly destroyed Mr. McCauley’s Mercantile, and
it had wiped out her savings to pay Johnny’s share of the damage, and while
he’d paid back every last cent, she didn’t want to go through the embarrassment
a second time.  She turned her attention to Priscilla, “You can change
now, Miss Bishop, and I’ll have this dress all ready tomorrow morning.”
    “Abigail, you do such lovely work, and
so quickly, too.  I’m sure my friends will be envious at the Fourth of
July picnic.”  Priscilla was always ready with a compliment for the young
widow.
    “Thank you, Miss Bishop.  I
appreciate all your business, and the clients you’ve sent to me.  You are
a good friend.”  Abigail’s smile was warm and genuine.  Priscilla
might be the town gossip, but she was a good-hearted woman and everyone loved
her.
    After Miss Bishop went into the back
room to change out of the new dress, Jeremy looked up at his mother and asked
seriously, “What are we gonna do about Johnny, Ma?”
    “It’s too late to wire him,
honey.  We’re just going to have to pray that both he and Jennie Rose have
grown up some in two year’s time!”
    ********************
    Jennie Rose stomped her foot
angrily.  “It isn’t fair!  This is the first time I’ve dared show my
face in Clifton in two years and that despicable Johnny Tanner is coming home,
too!  Why didn’t you warn me, Daddy?”   She demanded.
    “I just found out a couple days ago,
Jennie Rose, and you watch that tone of voice!  You’re not so big I can’t
turn you over my knee!”
    “You’re no better than he is, Daddy!”   Jennie Rose felt her temper rise and