Page 17 of The Women of Oak Ridge
He moved alongside me as I began to pedal. “Dinner?” he said, his voice lowered.
I nodded and whispered, “Yes, I’ll have dinner with you.”
He grinned as I pedaled away.
By the time I returned with the requested parts, Garlyn was nowhere in sight. I worried how I would find him after my shift ended, but I would have to figure that out later.
The repair wasn’t going well. I sat on the concrete floor to wait it out. I wished I’d broughtThe Long Winterwith me to fill the time. I’d borrowed the book by Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Reservation library and found the tale of blizzards, farmwork, and life on the Dakota Territory prairie fascinating. I couldn’t wait to read what happened next.
“Ma’am?”
I looked up to find the Black woman from the cafeteria a short distance from me. I hadn’t seen her again after that first day and figured she’d been put on a different shift. She carried a big bucket filled with rags and bottles of liquid in one hand and a broom with a dustpan in the other.
I scrambled to my feet. “Yes?”
She gave a polite nod. “I was told to come clean up once the repair is finished.” Her soft voice held a light Southern accent.
I glanced at the crew, who seemed to be wrapping things up. A pool of some type of oil or dirty water spread over the concrete beneath the compressor.
When I faced her again, I introduced myself. “I’m Mae Willett.”
“Pleasure makin’ your acquaintance, Miss Willett. I’m Velvet Maxwell.”
“Velvet. What a lovely name.”
A soft smile lifted her lips. “My mama was a seamstress for a wealthy woman in Montgomery. She took a likin’ to the velvet that woman had a particular fondness for. When I come along, Mama said my skin felt like velvet.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a sweet story of how someone got their name.”
“My husband, Roonie, bought me a piece of velvet after Mama passed on to her glory a few years back. I keep a square of it in my pocket and rub its softness when I’m missin’ her.”
“Willett,” the crew boss called, interrupting our conversation. I gave Velvet a look of apology and hurried over.
“Take this to the shop.” He handed me a metal machine part. A long crack ran across its length. Then he glanced at Velvet. “Get over here and get this cleaned up.”
His hard tone didn’t sit well, but I was in no position to chastise him.
As Velvet and I passed each other, I whispered, “It was nice meeting you, Velvet.”
The slight squint of her eyes told me she agreed.
At the end of the day, I clocked out and made my way to the security portal. Garlyn was waiting for me when I arrived.
“I’m really sorry I got you in trouble,” he said after greeting me, his words sincere.
“It’s okay. Mr. Ross doesn’t seem to like any of us office girls.”
“Don’t feel bad. He and some of the other maintenance guys don’t like us engineers either. I guess they think we’re know-it-alls or something.”
“But you were right,” I offered. “The supervisor said the compressor might have blown had the crew not followed your instructions.”
He rammed his hands into his trouser pockets and gave a slightshrug. “I helped build the plant, so I do know what I’m talking about. Most of the time, anyway.”
The bus to Townsite arrived. We shared a seat, with me by the window. He asked questions about where I was from and what it was like growing up in Kentucky. After we arrived in town and settled at the snack bar with grilled cheese sandwiches, french fries, and chocolate shakes, I turned the questions around, inquiring about his family.
“I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Dad worked for the railroad and fought in the Great War. After everything he experienced in Europe, he didn’t want me or my younger brother to join the military. Instead, he worked like a dog to put William and me through Penn State. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, William quit and became a B-17 pilot. He’s stationed in Italy.”
I couldn’t imagine Harris going off to war. “That must be hard on your parents. I’m sure they’re thankful you took your dad’s advice and didn’t join up.”
