Page 37 of Home Body
Transfixed by this unexpected revelation, Dalia said, “I believe so.”
“I fell in love with her. Not just in love. Head over heels in love. I wasn’t ashamed of that back then and I’m not ashamed of it now. Although back then there were plenty of folks around here who would’ve thought I should be ashamed and, unfortunately, there are still some folks like that today. It didn’t matter that we were different races. I was smitten beyond control. But your mom…” he shook his head at the memory “…had a lot more control and a lot more sense than I did. When I told her I loved her, she gave me a great big sisterly hug and said that us being in love was impossible. In that day and age, of course, she was right.”
“Mr. Vic, she’s never mentioned that to me.”
“She wouldn’t. She’s such an honorable woman she wouldn’t want to embarrass me. Heartbroken, knowing she was right but wanting more than anything in the world to be with her and believing I couldn’t be, I left town and joined the army for four years. I tried to run away from my sorrows. A stint in the Korean War didn’t help much with that. But when I came back home to go to college, I’d accepted my fate.”
“And she and Butch were married by then, weren’t they. They got married when she was eighteen.”
“Yes. I’d known him, too, a bit, as much as any white guy knew a black guy back then, because he was a great auto mechanic and used to fix cars and farm equipment on the side, besides farming. He’d fixed my car once. I had to admit he was a good man. Eventually, I truly became happy for Mamie that she was happy and had found what appeared to be true love.”
“It was true love for both of them,” Dalia admitted softly so as not to be unkind.
“I remember when they got you. They were ecstatic.” He chuckled again, something he did often. It was a pleasant, deep sound uniquely characteristic of him. “All that is to tell you I’m giving you and Mamie the bakery. Lock, stock, and barrel. Please don’t tell anyone I’m giving it away. Let them think I sold it to you because I still own most of the rest of the block, and I don’t want anyone else asking for a free store.” He waggled a finger at her.
“Mr. Van… Vic! I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.” He picked up a thick envelope off his desk and handed it to her. “Here’s the deed. Already in your name and Mamie’s. You own that one store space, all three floors. The insurance documents are in there too, paid ahead so you don’t need to worry about it. The contractor is scheduled to check out the space this coming Monday afternoon. I’m paying for the reconstruction.” He rubbed his hands together in excited anticipation. “I’d planned on meeting you there and surprising you with all this. But it’s better this way.”
Dalia’s jaw fell. A croak escaped.
“Keep the money you’ve worked so hard for in the ‘restaurant’ for something else. And by the way, I didn’t do this in the first place because I didn’t want you to think I was offering you charity. I’ve offered Mamie money countless times, and she refuses to take it. I figured if you worked for a couple of months in what I truly did believe was a restaurant at first, you’d contribute and that might help solve the notion of ‘charity.’ But I’ve thought about it and charity be damned. It’s too late for Mamie to say no. She’ll just have to get over it. Tell her I said so.”
“Mr. Vic….”
“Ah ah.” He held up a hand. “Don’t try to argue with me. I’ve never married. I have no heirs. I’ve worked my ass off my entireadult life. I’ve invested wisely. I’m a wealthy man. Not much makes me happy. But this – it makes me supremely happy. I plan on stopping by that bakery every single morning for coffee and donuts.” He clapped his desktop. “There. Done deal. I’m doing this to make myself happy as much as you and your mom. I mean, why in hell have I worked so hard all these years? What’s it for if I can’t help a friend and have a nice bakery across the street to start my day?”
“Mr. Vic, I don’t know what to say.” Carefully, she put the envelope into her purse. “Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome.” He beamed with pleasure as he stood up. “Now go. Don’t miss out on those chocolate malts.”
He shuffled her through the door, and she’d taken the first step down the stairs before turning back to him. Finding herself breathless with joy, she managed to say, “You’ll never know how much this means to me. And to my mama. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She dashed back up the stairs and threw her arms around him for a hug. Just as quickly, she let go and backed away.
Her impulsive gesture dazzled him. He laughed, waved, and went back inside his office. Dalia flew down the stairs, thanked Vilma, and floated down the street to claim her celebratory chocolate malt.
As they sipped their cold, frothy drinks, she waited until the soda jerk was nowhere in sight and Rose had finished her malt and hopped down to go look at the magazine rack. Excitedly, Dalia told her mama the secret about what Vic Van Natter had done, pulling out the envelope as proof. “We can go over the papers later, but Mama he said if you see this as charily and don’t like it, you just ‘have to get over it.’” She put the envelope back in her purse and took a long draw on her malt.
Mamie started to chuckle, then broke into a full-blown laugh. “Well, if that doesn’t beat all. Leave it to Vic. We’re going tomake the best donuts and coffee on the planet for him every single morning for the rest of his life.” She shook her head. “Just think. Dreams really do come true.”
CHAPTER 22
“Hi Mama. What a beautiful night.” Dalia stepped out of the house, quietly closed the screen door, and joined her mama on the front porch swing.
“Yes, indeed,” Mamie agreed. “I love watching the moon come up over our pasture. It’s a full one tonight.”
“It’s magical, isn’t it.”
“Sure is.” Mamie used her foot to push so that the swing rocked to and fro. “What did the little one want you to read her tonight?”
“We did part of a chapter inHeidi.Before she fell asleep, she told me she’d like to have Miss Kenyon’s mommy read to her again. It seems she has better sound effects.”
“Well, Llayne O’Brien has been on TV for a long time. I suppose she has more practice.”
They sat in silence for a bit, mesmerized by the brilliant orange orb that momentarily sat on the far edge of their pasture, illuminating the balmy night with an ethereal glow. Every now and again a chicken would cluck or a sheep would baa. Frogs croaked and crickets chirped to their own internal rhythms. True to old wives’ tales, the animals tended to be more active during a full moon.
