She looked uncertain for a moment. Finally she took the money and handed it to her mother. “Take it. He must owe folks like you a hundred of them for the way he’s raped these hills.”
He gave her a wry smile. “I think the term is reaped.”
She shrugged. “However you want to rationalize it.” She shook the money at her mother. “Go on; take it. You know you need it and you did provide him with a place to sleep - and you watched over him all night. He might as well pay for that breakfast you’re about to make him. He probably don’t know it’s worth about this much all by itself.”
Ma blushed and tucked her head. “I ain’t no hand to cook and you know it.” She eyed the money again and glanced from Mary Jo to Barrett. Finally she hesitantly took the money from Mary Jo's hand. “Well, we do need it, but I didn’t help with money in mind, you know.”
Barrett smiled. “I know that, and I appreciate it, but I’d like to pay my way. You don’t owe me anything.” He lifted his gaze to Mary Jo. “I’m not a neighbor. I’m a furriner.”
When Ma left the room, Barrett looked up at Mary Jo. “Have you ever considered a career in acting?”
She shrugged. “It wasn’t all acting, you know. Sure, I played along, but that don’t mean I was saying anything untrue.”
He settled his head back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. “Nothing you believed to be untrue.”
She shrugged again. “I got animals to feed and prepare for the trip, so I’d best get moving if I plan to get help by noon.”
He forgot and started to sit up again – too quickly. He gasped and grabbed his head. “You’ve got more than one?”
“Two, but don’t get no ideas about going with me. You couldn’t take that ride anyways. You rest here on this here couch and I’ll go get someone to help.”
He frowned, bravely dropping his hands from his head. “You don’t worry about what I can or cannot do. I’m the one who needs to make the phone call. You’d scare my folks half to death if you told them I was too sick to come to the phone.”