Rescued (Flowers of the Bayou) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Lorraine? If so I could go grab the peach cobbler I prepared for her.”
    “Na she gonna meet us down at yo’ friend Nina’s. Thought I’d let ya pick out ah dress today.”
    “A dress?”
    “Ya deaf? Dat’s what I said aint it.”
    “I already made a new dress out of the old curtains Lorraine gave me.” Amelia began but then just hung her head and fell silent as he glared at her. What good would it do for her to continue on any conversation with Morgan? He only loved to argue.
    Nina was one of her closest friends, it would be nice to see her—she was the best seamstress she knew, even better than Vivian. However Vivian had the patience to teach. Nina did not. She could only guess at what type of dress they’d be trying to come up with at Nina’s and she felt fury grow in her chest that Lorraine and Morgan could do such a thing without once consulting her.
    The rest of the ride was spent in silence as they both watched the trees and pastures roll by, content for the most part to just be. Neither could have been sure how much time had gone by when Nina’s shabby dwelling set before a large hill just off a dirt road could be seen.
    Dismounting in silence Amelia left him to his own devices as she rushed to her friend’s house and without knocking pushed the sturdy door open. “Where are you Nina?”
    Nina Baxter heard her friend’s voice and emerged from the only other room not open to everyone. “Like there be so many places to hide.” Squealing she embraced her friend.
    “You look so pretty.” Amelia pushed her friend to arm’s length to admire her.
    “Look who talkin an gettin married soon.” Nina took note of the forced smile on Amelia’s face, they would discuss it later. “Lorraine done asked me to fashion a fancy dress to make the announcement to all the family and friends just like a real expensive white folk engagement.” In a hushed whisper she leaned close to Amelia’s ear. “She swear she somethin fancy cause she creole.”
    Amelia stifled a laugh and embraced her friend once more. “Shush you know she got ears as good as a dog.”
    Lorraine raised an eyebrow at the two gossiping youngsters. “Enough, Amelia come on get your big butt up on that stool so Nina can measure you.” She said sunnily.
    The comment wiped the smile off both women’s faces and Amelia silently stepped atop the wooden stool.
    “What colors you fancy? I got some yellow fabric and blue I also got some purple, and got some pink. You like pink?”
    “The brown cotton will do just fine Nina.” Lorraine spoke up holding the bolt of fabric.
    “Why don’t we ask Amelia what she want?” Nina Baxter swept at her dark short locks and watched as the older woman circled around her friend like an auctioneer.
    “We don’t ask her because she doesn’t know what she wants.” Lorraine let her cold glare drift from Nina to her niece
    Holding her ground Nina pulled the expensive pink tulle up to Amelia’s face “I think that you would look just lovely in this, what you think?”
    “It looks expensive?”
    “Girl don’t fret it would be my treat, my gift to ya. What you think?”
    Smiling up at her friend, she nodded, grateful that someone would think to consider her in the decision. “I love it, pink it is.” She declared defiantly. “I hate that brown.”
    “Come on.” Nina squealed. “It gonna be fun figuring out how it gonna look.” Hurrying Amelia along, Nina shut the door quickly behind her and let a smile brighten up her pretty visage at the look on Lorraine’s face when it shut in her face. It may have been a small bedroom, stuffy and hot, but right now it was a sanctuary.
    “Spill the beans, are you excited? I know you have to be. I remember when me and Cole got married I could barely sleep for the first month.”
    “It’s different I can say that but it really hasn’t even happened yet.”
    “But you are happy?”
    Looking away Amelia fingered the soft fabric. “You think you could embroider it,