"Mary Jo, I told you…"
"I know, Pa. You said wait until you talked to Logan, an I did. Me and Mr. Monroe had business to discuss. I told him we wouldn't be comin' over here no more. She turned her head and winked at Barrett with the eye her father couldn't see. "Today is his birthday and we've been invited to celebrate with him this evenin'. You can stay home if you want, but I'm going - an Billy Ray wants to go too."
Pa eyed her for a moment before his gaze settled on Barrett. "I reckon it won't hurt none, but you get her back early."
"Yes sir." Barrett followed her to the car and opened the door for her. After he shut it, he leaned down and looked at her through the window. "I'll pick you up around 5:30. It will take a while to get there."
She smiled up at him and nodded. "See ya later, gator."
He laughed and stepped back from the car.
When they got out to the road, Pa finally spoke. "I'm takin' ya into town."
"What fer?"
"To git some clothes. Ma says they ain't none of ya got nothing decent to wear." He glanced at her. "She says you need some way to git help - a car or somethin' - in case of emergency. I reckon she's right. We should be spendin' our money on the livin' not the dead."
Ma and Pa fussed once in a while, but they always worked out their differences. They didn't talk all mushy to each other using fancy words, but they loved each other. Pa was like Mary Jo - or maybe she was like him. They had a short fuse, but they didn't come to blows. They'd cool down eventually and see the right of things. They didn't love any less than others. They just loved in a different way.
She helped Pa pick out something for each of them to wear, and then he took her to the fabric department and she picked out some material for Ma. She had an old treadle style sewing machine that didn't need electricity, but she didn't have any material. The last time she made anything was when she picked up some old sheets at a yard sale to make herself some dresses.
They got home in time to bathe and get dressed before Barrett showed up. He looked over her new dress and when his gaze found hers, he gave her a warm smile. "You look positively radiant, Mary Jo."