I nodded, sadness squeezing my throat.
“And I knew you were able to handle things at home without me.” She looked at me then. “And you have. You’ve been wonderful, Tiny. You kept that house running and those girls in line and made good marks in school too. You deserve a life of your own.” Sighing, she dropped her eyes to her ironing again. “I just don’t know that Molly is as capable as you were at her age.”
We’ll see, I thought. My mind was still whirling, and I wanted to know one more thing. “Bridget…can I ask you a personal question?”
“Might as well. But if you’re going to sit there, would you mind folding some laundry? There’s a basket of the boys’ things in the front room.”
Nodding, I retrieved the basket and used the kitchen table to fold and sort the little items of clothing. “You once said that you got pregnant with Vince the first time you ever did it. Was that true?”
The color deepened in her cheeks. Slowly, she shook her head.
I set a little pair of overalls on one stack. “So you’d been sleeping with Vince before?”
She nodded. “We’d done it a fair amount of times, and we were always careful. We only had to do it a few times without any, you know, precautions, for me to get pregnant.”
Dropping my eyes to the basket, I selected a white cotton undershirt.
“Tiny, what’s this about? Do you have feelings for someone?” A note of concern crept into her voice.
“I don’t know.” Chewing my lip, I finished with the shirt and set it down, staring at the stains on its front. I was dying to confide in her. “I might.”
“I know you said it wasn’t, but…is it Joey?”
I looked at her sharply. “What makes you ask that?”
“I told you last week. It was the way he was talking about you. And the way you two constantly had your heads together. Seemed obvious to me.” She grinned. “And you weren’t that convincing when you claimed to be just friends.”
“I wasn’t?”
She shook her head. “No. And neither was he. You know, Vince always used to tease Joey about you. Said he was positive you’d end up together.”
“And what did Joey say?”
Bridget’s smile deepened, and her eyes glittered wickedly. “A lady should not repeat those words.”
Rolling my eyes, I flopped back into the chair. “I don’t know, Bridget. I’m confused. I feel something for Joey, but I don’t know what it is. And he’s completely frustrated with me right now. Then there’s this other guy too, and he’s handsome and wealthy and he’s… taken quite a shine to me.” That was one way of putting it.
“Oh? Quite the popular girl, you are.”
I grimaced. “Anyway, this other man has made me sort of—an offer.”
Bridget froze and stared at me. “What kind of offer? A marriage proposal?”
Ha! “No. He’s not exactly free to do that.”
“He’s married?”
“Not yet.”
“My God, Tiny, that’s the last thing you need. Whatever offer he’s made you sounds a bit less than honorable.”
I threw my arms up. “What’s so fun about honor?”
Her eyes went wide and she returned to her ironing. “Well, if all you’re looking for is fun, then be my guest. You just be sure you know how to protect yourself.”
“I do. I’m not completely foolish.” Although I act like it sometimes. “One more thing.”
“Jesus, Tiny. You want to join the circus or something?”