I frowned. “You know Stacey’s not here. He’s on a test run with Mr. Strickland. He’s the man owns the trucking company.”
“I know. Loretta told me. When will he be back?”
“Not ’til this evening probably. You know, Dee, he could get that job here.”
“Well . . .” Dee went quiet. “He’s got a job here too . . . and the girls and I are here. You tell him to call me soon as he gets there. This call is costing. I’ve got to go.”
When Stacey returned, I met him outside by the car and told him about Dee’s call. Stacey smiled and shook his head in dismay. “That’s something, isn’t it? I’m getting called back to work?”
“That’s what Dee said.”
He walked around to the front passenger door of the Mercury, opened the glove compartment, and pulled out a soft clean cloth. Coming back to the front of the car, he began buffing a spot on the fender, then laughed. “The Lord sure does work in mysterious ways! Two jobs in one day!”
“So, you definitely got the job with Mr. Strickland?”
“Sure did!” He grinned and continued buffing the chrome.
“So, what’re you going to do?”
“Truth is, Cassie, I don’t know. I’ve got to think on it.”
“I don’t think Dee wants you to think on it,” I said.
“I know what Dee wants. We’ve got a house already in Toledo with a decent rent that’ll be coming again, what with folks going back to work at the plant and all the back-rent due. All that’ll certainly help with the mortgage. We’ve put down roots there, made a life, know people, and there’re good working conditions at the factory. Could have that job for life.”
I pointed out that if he stayed here, he could not only work with Uncle Hammer but have a rent-free apartment, along with the trucking job.
“That’s the thing. I’d like that, working with Uncle Hammer. Maybe with him I could do something that’d be good for Dee and the girls. Maybe one day be my own boss.”
“But?” I said, reading my brother’s mind.
Stacey smiled at me. “But there’re no guarantees. It’s risky. If I were on my own, no wife and children to think about, maybe I’d chance it. But the way things are, Cassie, I just don’t know if I can take that risk when it comes to Dee and my girls.” He was quiet a moment, then stopped his buffing and looked at me. “And what about you?”
“What about me?”
“You going to take the risk and stay here? Give up that teaching job? That offer Mr. Strickland made about his brother and business in Los Angeles, what’re you thinking?”
“Like you, I’m thinking on it.” I turned to go, then looked back. “But you, you’d better make up your mind quick. Dee’s waiting on your call.”
Stacey didn’t call Dee right away. He talked first to Christopher-John and Clayton Chester, then went to Uncle Hammer’s office at the back of the house and the two of them talked. Afterward, Stacey left. We sat down to dinner without him. Aunt Loretta asked about Stacey, and Uncle Hammer said, “He’s a man grown. He can miss dinner if he wants.”
Aunt Loretta gave him a look, but then dismissed his surliness. “Well, he’s missing a good dinner.” Dee called again, but this time person-to-person to Stacey so that she would not be charged for the call if Stacey wasn’t here. We all knew Dee was anxious to hear from him.
Stacey did not return until late. It was already past midnight in Toledo. He asked Uncle Hammer if he could use his office phone to make the call. Uncle Hammer was in his leather chair reading the newspaper. “You know where it is,” Uncle Hammer replied.
Several minutes later Stacey returned to the living room. “Well, we’ve decided. I’m going back. I’m leaving in the morning.”
“You sure about going back?” I asked.
“I’m sure. Dee agrees. She wants to stay there.”
“Well, we were sure hoping you would stay here with us,” said Aunt Loretta.
Without looking from his paper, Uncle Hammer said, “He’s made his decision. He has to do what he figures is best for his family.”
“Wasn’t an easy decision to make,” Stacey admitted. “I told Dee how beautiful it is out here. I told her about the apartment house too. That’s where I went to think things through before I talked to Dee. Dee’s worried about if something down home happens, if her mama or grandma or anybody else got sick and they need her to come down, she couldn’t hardly make the trip from California back home like she could from Toledo. Admit, that bothers me too. Much as I want to stay here—and I probably would if I wasn’t married with a family—I figure it’s best to go back to Toledo, at least for now.”
Uncle Hammer put down his paper. “May not get another chance to leave,” he said.
“I know that. But I prayed on it. Decision’s made.”
“Well, I hope you all aren’t going back,” lamented Aunt Loretta. “It’s been so good having all you young folks here.”
“It’s been good being here too,” said Man, “but since Stacey’s going back, I’ll be going too. I can start classes at the university in a few weeks.”
Christopher-John looked at Man, then over at Aunt Loretta and Uncle Hammer. “Mainly I came out here to be with them, but like Stacey, I figure it’s best I go back.”
Aunt Loretta laughed. “I know! You got a girl to think about!”
Christopher-John grinned. “Well, I suppose she’s got something to do with it.”
Aunt Loretta’s eyes turned to me. “So, that just leaves you, Cassie. What’re you planning on doing? You’ve got that offer.”
I was quiet a moment, then sighed. “Don’t know yet.”
“Well, like you told me a couple hours ago,” said Stacey, “you better make your mind up quick. I want to be on the road come daybreak. Car’s already tanked up, ready to go.”
“Cassie, you know you’re welcome to stay here, job or no job,” said Aunt Loretta. “Isn’t she, Hammer?”
Uncle Hammer looked at me. “She knows that. Boys too.” With that said, Uncle Hammer rose from his chair. “Come on back to my office, Stacey. We need to call Strickland, let him know your decision.”
Christopher-John, Clayton Chester, and I stayed talking to Aunt Loretta, waiting for them to return. Finally, Christopher-John and Man said they were going up. They had packing to do. Aunt Loretta asked if I was going up too, but I told her I wanted to wait for Stacey and Uncle Hammer. She then made us a pot of hot cocoa, and after pouring a cup for each of us, she kicked off her shoes and tucked her long legs close to her body on the couch and encouraged me to do the same. We sat there talking until Uncle Hammer and Stacey returned.