Chapter: My World of Love

              We decided I would spend the weekend with Odis September 22nd. My sister had made plans to go boating, and Diane stayed with her Aunt Margaret. It was our first weekend to be alone since I had moved back. After picking me up, we drove to Hot Springs and then to Lonsdale.

We went into his house, and Odis’ Uncle Floyd was there. His dad introduced him as his older brother. He told me he had just celebrated a birthday on June 26^th. I said, “Oh, that is my daughter’s birthday. She just turned ten.”

He smiled, “I turned 66. We will have to have a birthday party together next year.”

I said, “Absolutely.”

Odis’ dad said, “Your mom is at Lorena’s. Your Uncle Jimmy is up there.”

Odis laughed as he explained that Lorena was his Granny Patton, his mom’s mother and his dad liked to call her that to tease her. His grandmother’s house was a couple of blocks, so we walked up there. We were holding hands as if we were back in high school.

As we went past the house he had bought, he said,

“We can stop and go inside on our way back. I’m glad you will get to meet my uncle. He’s an attorney in Little Rock. I’m happy to have this weekend together.” He looked at me and squeezed my hand, “I sure do love you.”

When we walked in the door, he said, “Aunt Granny, I want you to meet the girl I am going to marry as soon as I convince her to say yes.” We all laughed.

She said, “You’re as pretty as your picture. You’re all he talks about. I’m so happy to get to meet you.”

I said, “I’m glad to meet you, too. I hope it was all good.”

“Oh, yes, it’s all good.” Turning to introduce me, she said, “This is my son, Jimmy.”

As I shook his hand, he said, “Are there any more pretty girls like you in Texas?” He looked at Odis and said with a grin, “I think I need to take a trip to Texas.”

It was noon, and his grandmother had fixed lunch and insisted that we eat something. We visited for a little while, and as we left, I said, “Should I tell your uncle I may be living in Texas, but I’m Arkansas born.”

He said, “Nawh, we’ll keep him in the dark.”

We left his grandmother’s and stopped to see his house. It was green with three bedrooms and one bath. He had been painting and stripping the hardwood floors. As he gave me the guided tour, he said, “When I got the chance to buy the house, I planned it as an investment for rental property. I never thought I would ever get married again. I didn’t know a girl named Sue would come back and steal my heart.”

He hugged me real close and kissed me, “Sweetheart, I love you so much. I just can’t stand being away from you. I’m hoping you feel the same way.” He paused a moment, “My heart is yours, Suzie, Darling. I feel lost without you. I will love you forever.”

I hugged him tight, “I love you, too.”

As I walked through the house, I said, “I love the hardwood floors. It is very nice and looks like a good investment.”

“It will be a better investment when you’re the house owner.”

Kissing me on the forehead, he said, “When are you going to marry me?”

“Is that a proposal without a diamond?” I said, laughing.

“I’ll run get a box of cracker jacks.”  Then, he was serious, “I’m tired of these lonely nights, Suzie, and hugging my old pillow. If you won’t marry me now, let me have your pillow so I can dream of your love until you marry me.”

            

“If we dream the same dream will they come true faster?”

            

“Yes, most definitely.” He gave me a big hug and kissed me tenderly on the cheek.

When we left, we walked the back way, and he showed me where he went to church. It looked like something on a Hallmark postcard. Down the street was a basketball court. He explained, “The kids shoot baskets and play one on one. They start playing peewee basketball in the 3^rd grade.”

As we walked back to his mom’s house, I could feel myself falling deeper in love with this guy from fifteen years ago. Mr. Sandman had turned on his magic beam and brought me a dream man with black wavy hair, and he was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

Odis left with his dad to get the horses saddled while I sat under the carport visiting with the boys. They talked non-stop about their peewee basketball games and wanted me to come to one of their games to see them play. I could see a lot of their dad in them as they told me about their coon hunting expeditions. They were so excited, and I was afraid to let them know that I did not know what a coon was.

Odis had taught them to be polite and thoughtful. They asked me if I wanted some tea to drink, but I told them I thought we were going to ride horses. Mark and Tim were telling me about their fishing stories with their dad. I thought about my fishing trip with him when I was fifteen. As Odis walked up, I was saying, “Your dad took me fishing one time, but I wasn’t a good fishing partner.”

Odis heard me and chuckled. He winked at me, “Yep, all she did was feed the fish.”

I laughed, “He never asked me to go fishing again.”

He had the horses saddled and helped me up on mine. He said mine was very gentle. He knew I had not ridden horses for several years. He always looked out for me.