Page 16 of Memories of the Past

June 10, 1964

I snuck out of the house; Jed and I went up to the quarry tonight. Papa would be so angry if he caught me, but it was so worth it. Jed and I lay in the back of his truck looking up at the sky, holding hands and then something magical happened. He kissed me under the stars for the first time tonight. Jenny was right, it was magical, and I think, dare I say it, that I’m in love.

September 15, 1964

What a summer it’s been. Papa found out about Jed and me. He was pretty angry, but Jenny stood up for me. Thank goodness for older sisters. She simply reminded him that she started seeing Ben at my age and that Jed was always the most perfect gentlemen. At first Papa continued to yell until Mama pulled him aside. I don’t know what she said to him but when he returned, he just sent me off to my room.

September 20, 1964

Jed came with Ben and they both asked Papa if they could take us to the town fair. While I sat on pins and needles, waiting for his answer, Papa looked at me, all I could do was smile. I so wanted to go and hoped he would say yes, which Mama finally convinced him to. After the fair Jed walked me back home. When he leaned in to kiss me goodnight, he whispered in my ear that I was his forever.

I quickly skimmed through the remainder of 1964, mostly every entry shared a date night of some sort, then in May of 1965 I stared at the entry.

May 30, 1965

Jed and I were down at the cove again. He said he’d needed to talk to me. We lay under the big weeping willow tree, wrapped up in a blanket staring up at the mess of branches when Jed rolled up onto his arm and looked down into my face. He leaned down and kissed me so softly, when we parted, he softly smiled. In those few seconds I knew exactly where my future lay and then he asked me to marry him. I told him I couldn’t until I was done school, so next year. He agreed and of course I said yes!!!!

May 31, 1965

Jed went with Mr. Jenkins on a road trip for a week. They were bringing a couple bulls down to Texas. Jed was excited to leave, to be able to go to the rodeo, it was his dream. He promised to take me one day. I’m going to miss him while he’s gone.

I flipped the page, and the next, and the one after that, but there were no more entries—only dates.I put the book down and grabbed my water. I wonder what happened to them, I thought to myself. There was no way I could wait to find out. I picked the book up and flipped toward the end. I just wanted to find out what had happened; I didn’t need to read every personal thought Aunt Vi had.

August 25, 1966

Jed and I are planning to get married in six weeks, Papa and Mama still don’t know. I’m so in love with him. Papa still doesn’t care for him, he says he is too irresponsible, too immature, and a dreamer but then Papa likes no one that is interested in his daughters, so I shouldn’t be surprised. I just wish he would try to get to know him more, I know he would feel differently, but Papa is insistent that he’s only going to break my heart.

September 15, 1966

Jed came back to town tonight. We went out for a drive after dinner. We parked along the trees down at the lake and laid in the bed of his truck. He made love to me for the first time tonight, under the stars. I can’t wait to tell Jenny. I know she’s done it with Ben, she told me the second it happened.

September 30, 1966

Just when I needed him the most - he’s gone. I’ll never get over him, he and all other men are dead to me.

October 13, 1966

He’s gone, it’s gone. My heart is broken. I made Jenny swear not to tell Mama or Papa what happened.

I flipped to the next page, nothing but dates leading into 1968 that simply stopped on December 15. I frowned. What the hell. I kicked the covers off me and I jumped out of bed. Luna raised her head, looking at me as if I were crazy. I quickly made my way down the stairs to the store. Careful not to trip on anything, I made my way over to the counter in the dark to the box that Thomas had pulled this book from. There had to be another diary, there just had to be. I sifted through the books frantically, pulling each one out and looking at the interior in the moonlight that came in through the windows, but there was nothing.

I trudged back upstairs and climbed back into bed, knocking the diary off and onto the floor. I reached over and was about to pick it up when I noticed a piece of paper had fallen out of it. I picked up both the paper and the diary and unfolded the neatly folded letter.

November 12, 1973

Dear Vi,

The road is a lonely place. Over the past few years, I’ve returned to Willow Valley time and time again. I’ve sought you out. I saw you the other day coming out of the grocers, you’re still as beautiful as you were the day I left. Seeing you again this morning, filled my heart with a regret I can’t even begin to explain. I’m sorry I left you, but once I asked your father for your hand, it was too hard knowing that your father would never approve of me. Now as I look back on that, I don’t even know why I cared, and I realize what it was that I gave up, what I lost in you, in us. If only you could find it in your heart to give me another chance. I’ll be here until next week, I’m willing to change my plans. I’m willing to settle down and provide for you, for us, should you be willing to change your mind and take me back. All you need to do is come to me, as I’ve done all I could to make you hear me.

Love, Jed

I stared down at the handwriting, tears flooding my eyes. Then I picked up the book and shook it, hoping for another letter to fall, but nothing. I let out a breath. She apparently had not gone to him. I folded the letter carefully and shoved it back into the back of the book. I placed the book down on the night table and reached up and shut the light off. I lay on my back, looking up at the ceiling. What had happened between them?

CHAPTER 7

Thomas

I’d driven into town earlier than I’d expected. It was too early to do what business I needed to tend to, so I decided to grab breakfast at The Crispy Biscuit. Lyle had filled me in on much of the town and told me that Brooke now owned the small diner, and that both of her parents had retired and left it to her.

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