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Back Come Again No More Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover
  3. Title Page
  4. Contents
  5. PART I 
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. PART II 
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. PART III 
  38. 31.
  39. 32.
  40. 33.
  41. 34.
  42. 35.
  43. 36.
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. PART IV 
  48. 40.
  49. 41.
  50. 42.
  51. 43.
  52. 44.
  53. 45.
  54. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  55. Touchstone Reading Group Guide

Emaline didn’t tell Ben and Bobby about the miscarriage or the fact she was living with Calla. She wrote only one letter telling the truth about what had happened. That was to Juanita Barrios.

Jake came by twice while she was at Calla’s and brought a little bunch of wildflowers each time. The first time, she was frightened when she saw him at the door but he was quiet, chastened, utterly unlike the man who had almost hit her while she lay in a hospital bed. When she asked about the farm and her garden, he said everything was doing fine and left it at that. He didn’t try to bully her, didn’t ask when she was coming back. Just as well, because if he had he would have driven her away forever. He would sit next to her on the porch for a time and ask how she was doing, pat her hand, ask if she had visited the doc again and whether she was getting her strength back. Then he would stand up and say it was time to get back to do the chores. After his second visit, Calla arrived just in time to see his old truck pull out of the driveway. She hurried into the house and found Emaline thoughtfully sipping her tea. “I just saw Jake pull out. What was he doin here?”

“He came by to see how I’m making out. He brought those flowers. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

“I know. He’s found out how hard it is to get along without you. He wants you back, is all. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, Calla. He seemed so pathetic. There was a rip in his pants hanging open. I wanted to ask him to take them off so I could sew it up for him, but I know what happens if he gets his pants off around me.”

“Don’t you dare mend that man’s trousers! That’s the worst thing you could do. He doesn’t realize how much you do for him. Let him miss you for a while, it will do him good.”

“I know. I miss him at times, but he’s a hard man to live with. A hard man, period. You can’t imagine how hard he is. A few weeks ago, he was waiting for me to bring him a hammer so he could pound in the bolt that holds the tongue for the harrow. I was too slow fetching it to suit him, so he drove that bolt in with his fist. When I got back with the hammer, he was licking the blood off his knuckles.”

29.

A WEEK AFTER EMALINE WAS RELEASED FROM THE hospital, Juanita pulled up in front of the house, driving Eli’s Pontiac. She held Emaline in a long, firm hug, then pushed her away briskly and looked her over.