"What is our guest's name," she asked, looking at me.
"Amelia," I answered.
"Like the lady who flew airplanes?"
"Yes, ma'am," I said, having heard that reference a time or two before.
"Amelia will help me into the truck this time," she said.
Henry and I glanced at each other with surprised expressions and traded positions, me coming to Donna's side so she could take my arm. She curled up next to me, and I glanced at Henry, who shrugged and gave me a wide-eyed expression as he walked over to his side of the truck. I glanced at Donna, and she reached up and touched my cheek with her gloved hand.
"You sure are sweet," she said, staring at me.
"Thank you," I answered, feeling speechless. I thought we might start walking and take the remaining steps toward the truck, but she stayed still. Her hand had come off my cheek, but then she stared intensely and touched my forehead.
"I believe you have a little dirt on your…"
"What? Oh, no, that's a bruise," I said, touching my face.
"A bruise, well, for goodness sake, honey, what happened?"
"I ran into the edge of a door," I said, smiling.
"Okay, well, are you okay?"
"Yes, I am. It's better now that the bump is almost gone."
"Did you have an old goose egg?"
"Yes, and I've never had that before, so it scared me at first. I almost passed out."
She chuckled knowingly, nodding. "I know how they do, I've raised four boys."
"Have you seen a few of those?"
"I sure have," she said, thoughtfully. "I'm so sorry you won't be joining us for church. Do you think you could reconsider? It would really mean a lot to me to have you both there, sitting next to me."
She spoke slowly, and she was so sweet that I could hardly take it. She was looking at me, and I felt like I needed to respond to her.
"I would, but I think Henry said he needed to get me back to the ranch." I hated to break her heart, so I added, "And, plus, I smell like a barn."
She smiled and started walking, taking small steps toward the truck. "You smell just fine, sweetheart, and the Lord doesn't care about that, anyway."
"I would, but I think Henry wanted to get back."
"Don't worry, we'll be all finished up by eleven o'clock. Are you staying in Deer Lodge?"
"Yes. That's right. At the Sutter's place."
"It's so nice out there. I've seen it in pictures, and Henry tells me about it all the time."
I opened the door to the truck, and before she ever stepped inside, she looked at Henry and said, "Well, I believe I've convinced Amelia to come to church with us."
He tried to insist that we had to have me back for breakfast, and she said we were getting donuts. Then he said that I had signed up for some kind of experience on the ranch, and she turned and asked me sweetly to delay my day by just a couple of hours.
It was impossible to say no to this lady.
She confused and stunned me with her sweet, presumptuous personality, and the next thing I knew, I was being dragged along on Henry's Sunday morning routine. We were heading to get donuts and then to church. I was really doing this.
