They looked at each and sighed.Romance… and turned to watch the movie.
From opposite ends of the dusty street, Amyand Lily saw each other.And at the same time, they began walkingslowly towards one another.People in stores glanced out thewindows.
“Narrate for me, Jeanne,” said Millie.
“Okay.They’re walking as if they mean toduel.”
“Duel?”
“Shh…”
The women stopped on the street about fourfeet apart and began talking.Amy’s face contorted and frowned,while Lily looked calm and composed.
“Gary Cooper is advising the bad guy to giveit up and get out of town before he gets hurt.”
Amy reached over to slap Lily and Lilygrabbed her arm.
“That was the quick draw of guns.”
Lily gently let go of Amy’s arm and continuedtalking to her in a calm way.Gradually, Amy’s face relaxed and shesmiled.Maybe she was remorseful.They talked a while longer andeventually shook hands.
“Okay, that would be Gary Cooper shooting thebad guy dead.Maybe we can assume the bad part of Amy has beenkilled.What’s that called, an analogy?”
“Yep.Sounds good to me.Great job ofnarrating, Jeanne.”
They held up two fingers like toy guns andblew at the end at their index fingers, like blowing the smoke fromtheir pistols.
Lily walked up to them with raised eyebrows,as if to say ‘what are you two up to’?
“Hi, Lily.How did it go?”Jeanne asked witha straight face.
“It went okay, I think.I stood up for myselflike Sandy said I should.We’ll see what comes of it.She seemedsorry, but who knows?”Lily shrugged.“Guess I’ll go sell somefudge.”She walked into the candy store with a look of confidenceon her face.
Jeanne and Millie grinned playfully.
“What’s that they say about life imitatingart, Millie?”
“You bet, Jeanne.”
* * *
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Dad, I’m so sorry I haven’t called you in awhile.I really have been busy.It’s not some lame excuse,” Lilysaid in a mock plea.She was in the middle of grading papers.Shehad Sandy over to her house for dinner and he had her fordessert.
“Oh, sure.Just forget about your old Dad inhis time of need.”
“What time of need?”
“Huh… Did you forget about grape harvestingtime or has that cowboy stolen your memory along with your heart?”Sam laughed long and heartily.
“Jeez, Dad, I am so sorry!When do you wantme up there?I have a three-day weekend coming up.Could I bringSandy?He’s been asking to meet you?”
“Absolutely.He’ll probably want toofficially ask for your hand in marriage.Has he gotten down on oneknee like all the gentleman do in your Jane Austen books?”
“You need to go out on a date once in awhile, Dad.The world has changed since 1813, although maybe not inNaples,” she conceded.“And no, we haven’t made those kinds ofplans – yet.”
Lily immediately had a vision of her darlingSandy in his leather chaps and big old cowboy hat, climbing downoff his golden horse and kneeling in front of her in those greattalking boots.
