ALL IN TIME

CHAPTER TWO

"Hey Lesley!”

Lesley dropped the broom she was sweeping with and ran out to see Jake with his hands behind his back. She felt laughter bubble out from deep inside her and clapped her hands in sheer delight.

Jake stared. Her hair was unrestrained by a hat and it hung down straight to her waist. As she ran to him in her ragged hand-me-downs, Jake thought he had never seen anyone so beautiful.

"I have something for you.” He said. “Close your eyes."

Lesley closed her eyes and shifted her weight from one foot to the other restlessly as she wriggled her hands. She felt something being pushed on her head. Then something touched her face.

"Open." was Jake’s single command.

Lesley opened her eyes and her breath caught. A homemade cream-colored organza ball gown with a beautiful lace bodice danced in front of her.

Jake poked his head around the dress and grinned at her. "Do you like it? I picked the design. "

Lesley's eyes welled up with tears of joy and a sob escaped her throat.

Jake was instantly concerned. "I'm sorry. I should have asked you what design you wanted. "

Lesley dragged a sleeved arm across her face and sniffed. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I love it.” Then she touched her head and felt flowers. She arched a brow at Jake who shifted uncomfortably.

He stuttered when he spoke, "I. . . I told Abigail about your dance and she wove a crown of flowers for you. She said it would go with the dress. "

Lesley snatched the dress from his hands and ran all the way to her room to try it on. When she came back out five minutes later, Jake was sitting on the front step. He blinked when he saw her.

"I thought you were going to try it on.”

"I have. And I've kept it in a really safe place."

Jake lowered his head in disappointment and kicked against the ground. "Oh.” was all he said.

Lesley walked up to him and hooked a finger under his chin. "You'll see me in it on Saturday when you come to escort me to the dance.”

Jake looked lost.

“I don't have a partner for the dance. I'm hoping you could take me.” Lesley realized what she was doing and turned a dark shade of pink.

Seeing Lesley blush was a rare sight and Jake took a moment to enjoy the moment before coming to her aid. "I'd love to take you to the dance Les.”

Lesley scratched her hair nervously and disappeared into the house.

His sisters were waiting for him when he got home. Jake groaned as he was subjected to a thorough inquisition by the girls.

"No Abigail, Lesley is like a sister to me. No, I'm too busy to date.” Still, as Jake went about his activities, he found himself willing Saturday to come faster.

Lesley all but worshipped her dress. She dusted it where it hung, checked for stains and kissed it goodnight for two days.

* * *

She was up early on Saturday morning. She ran through her chores and then spent a good amount of time having a bath. Her mother fixed her hair and her brothers polished her old shoes. When Lesley stood at a narrow standing mirror in her mother's room, she looked nothing like the poor farm girl she was.

She heard a sniff behind her and turned to see her father looking at her with a look of both pride and regret in his eyes.

He cleared his throat and walked up to her. "I got you something, princess.” He opened his palm to reveal a gold necklace. Lesley gasped. "It belonged to my mother.” He said. “Your mother and I decided you should have it. You've been a good girl and there's not much we've done for you to show how much we appreciate all your hard work on the farm and in the house". He went down on one knee and hooked the necklace around her neck.

Lesley threw her arms around him and hugged him close.

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Jake's breath caught when he saw her.

The bodice of her dress fit her perfectly as the skirt flared at her waist. Her hair was up in a doughnut and the crown of flowers was on her head. A gold chain hung around her slim neck. She wore no makeup but her face was flushed with happiness and her rosebud lips glistened from the petroleum jelly she had applied. Jake almost felt intimidated in his worn out but clean jacket. He looked down at his shoes -they had holes in them- he silently wished he were better dressed to compliment the dazzling beauty he would be escorting to a dance. He rocked back on his heels and drank in the sight of Lesley. She beamed at him and held her dress gingerly as if it were fragile or it would vanish if she gripped it too tightly. He knew he had put that smile there. He had made her happy. He knew women were like flowers -they blossomed when nurtured. And currently he had five women for whom he would give anything just to see them smile. He vowed silently to make as much money as he could to give them exactly the kind of life they deserved. . All in time, he thought, all in time.