A Sister's Place

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jeffery called a couple of times over the next few days and I didn't answer the phone. I was busy doing research for a grant. Calls continued to come in from staff, board members and friends. I receive daily reports from the shelter about other shelters directors who have called to check on me. I finally decided to open my email and find over twenty-five messages wishing me well. Ten are from Jeffery Evans.

Monday was the Labor Day holiday.Grace and I walked Oso then head home to spend a quiet day. She is going home today to get ready for her week. As we got closer to the house, I see a container sitting on the porch. Closer examination revealed it was a picnic basket filled with barbeque ribs and chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad and sodas. Grace and I looked at each other. Grace’s phone rang and she checked the caller ID then shook her head.

“Hello Attorney Evans. Yes, we just came in and found it. That was very kind. Please thank her for us and thank you for thinking of us.”

“Jeffery Evans does not give up easily. Well our holiday dinner is ready.” Grace and I fix a plate then go in the family room where she ordered a movie. 

After the movie Grace sat up from where she sat atop one of the big floor pillows. She looks at me for a minute and I know something is on her mind.

“Mother, daddy has been gone nearly six years now. I have never known you to seriously date. This man seems to be very interested in you and I like his style. What’s the harm in taking his calls?”

“Gracie, Jeffery Evans is not new to me. He was my high school sweetheart and I once loved him very much. He went away to college and became a certified skirt chaser. I was very hurt and disappointed. We never officially broke-up I just mailed his class ring back to him and went on with my life.”

“That is so interesting. So you never had a scene just sent the ring back? Mother, that was so cool.”

“Stopped taking his calls, never opened his letters or cards but I cried for months. I was so angry with Jeffery I gave your father a hard time for   quite a while when he tried to date me.”

“What happened with daddy?”

“He was patient and eventually wore me down. He had a good reputation and had only dated one other girl on campus when he was a freshman. I was surprised because he was a jock too – played football. I wanted nothing else to do with basketball players.”

“Oh, did Attorney Evans play basketball?”

“Yes and it did not help. He was really good looking and a good player so the girls were lining up. I believed he would end up going pro at the time. A friend told me he had been injured, changed his major and became an attorney.”  

“Grace, I don’t know how I got on his radar after all this time. I know I should consider dating more but it feels like such a chore right now. Let’s get the new shelter built and I promise I will consider an occasional date but probably not with Jeffery Evans.”