By the first of the next week he was busy putting the hay in the barn. It was a slow job with just one person doing it. But he didn't mind. He enjoyed working outside. The weather was nice and he took his shirt off to keep from sweating all over it.
Mrs. Baldwin seldom bothered him now and mostly he just saw Kitty. That suited him fine.
He stopped her one morning, "Say, you got some time to help me a bit?"
"Sure, what can I do?" Kitty asked.
"Well, this is sort of a two-man job. If you could stand there at the truck and connect the bales for me, I could stay up here and stack it quicker. Get done a lot faster that way."
"I can do that." She assured him.
"The bales are heavy, so if it gets too much, let me know."
She waved at him.
With her help the work went faster. And as they sat and enjoyed the lunch she made, they talked a bit.
"Say, this is good tuna." He remarked.
"You like it?" She looked to see if he was serious.
"Yeah, it's great. You really chop the eggs up fine and the onion, I like that." He told her. "Some people put such huge chunks of stuff in it. And some put dill pickle in it. I like the sweet relish better."
"Thanks. Sometimes I don't know if what I fix is good or not. Mom never says anything. I also put mustard in it too."
He smiled. "Where'd you learn to cook?"
She couldn't stop the smile. "Well, tuna isn't really cooking, but I had a friend that taught me a lot. I call her when I can't figure out how to do something. She cooks for her whole family, so she knows what she's doing."
"Does she ever cook? You mother?"
"No, not since dad died." Kitt hung her head. "She quit doing anything since he died. She mopes around the house, kind of in her own little world."
"Do you do all the housework?"
"Yeah, every now and then she'll run the dishwasher or vacuum but most of the time, she doesn't help. Sometimes, she gets up, and it's like she's her old self, but the next day, she's gone and this new woman is there. I really enjoy her when she acts like her old self."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to help me, then."
"No problem. I have all night…"
He looked at her strangely. "Don't you ever date?"
She shrugged. "Not much."
"Why not?" He probed.
She looked at him as though she were about to tell him something she'd never told anyone else. "Truth is, I'm afraid to leave Mom alone. I never know what she's going to pull next. She's been erratic since dad died. I think she might have gone just a little out of her head. I worry about her all the time Ben. I'm almost afraid to leave her alone, afraid of what she might do."
"Sounds like she needs an interest in life. Other than men, that is." Ben chuckled. "And you need to get back into life."
"You got that right. But I don't know what to get her into. Got any suggestions?" Kitty asked him. "I wish I could find something that interests her more than men, but so far, I haven't a clue."
"What does she like to do?"
"Nothing now."
"Okay, how about before all this happened. She must have had a few interests."
"She used to sew a lot, before he died. She cooked all the time, and kept house." She seemed to rack her brain for ideas.
"Say, why don't you get her interested in quilting. My mom goes to this quilting party every Friday night and the ladies all have a lot of fun." Ben told her.
"Really, quilting. Well, it's worth a try. Let me see what she says about it." Kitty told him.
"It might be something she could get into." He suggested.
"The problem with Mom is she sees herself as a young woman. I think that is a statement. Dad died too young. She doesn't like being around older women." Kitty told him. "Some man at the funeral made the remark to me that Mom was too young to be a widow, she heard it, and ever since, she's been trying to prove him right."
"Yeah I can see that. She's got some things wrong in her head. But try it, see what happens." Ben told her.
"I will. That's a great idea. I'd love to see her act her age and enjoy something too." Kitty told him. "She's not old, but she's no teenager, and she dresses and acts like she is. I don't even enjoy my friends coming around because of how she acts. It's so embarrassing and there's nothing I can say or do. If a guy comes around, it's like she was with you when you first came. If a girl comes around she has no interest, but she is just so embarrassing."
"I wish I knew what to tell you, Kitty." Ben said staring into Kitty's pretty face. "But you can't give up your life because of her. You've got to live too."
"Until I can find a solution, I have to, Ben." Kitty told him.
That afternoon her mother came strolling out to see what they were doing, in a sundress and high heels. It was a little chilly for the dress, but Kitty didn't say anything.
"What are you doing out here, Kitty?" Her mother frowned at her.
"Helping Ben. Putting the hay in the barn takes two people Momma." Kitty told her. "Someone to hook the bales up, someone to stack them up in the loft.
"I don't pay him to have help." She frowned.
"It will go a lot faster if I do, Momma." Kitty insisted. "And you know we have to get it stored up out of the weather."
"Fine…but I won't pay you, dear."
"I know Momma." Kitty sighed aloud. "Ben suggested we could hire a high school boy to come and help out."
"Oh he suggested, did he? Does he want to pay the kid too?"
"Mother!"
"I'll think about it." She told them and shot them a scathing glance.
Her mother walked off with a pout.
The next day Kitty was telling Ben about talking to her mother about the quilting party.
"At first she didn't seem interested, but then suddenly, she agreed she'd try it. So, where is it and when?"
"At Mrs. Hall's house on Third Street. Know where that is?"
"Yeah, I know her. What time?"
"Friday evening at six, they get together."
"Great, I'll have her there."
"Good, I'm glad she's giving it a try. She may end up really liking it." Ben told her. "Especially if she enjoys sewing."
"I'm glad you told me about it. Does your mother go?"
"Yeah, faithfully. They usually have snacks and sit and quilt for about three hours. They love it because they can sew and talk at the same time."
"Sounds good. If she'll just try, that's all I ask." Kitty smiled.
But the first time she went to the quilting party she called Kitty before it was over and told her she'd catch a ride home with Ben, since he picked his mother up.
Kitty knew what she was doing, but she didn't know how to stop her. "Momma, I'll come get you."
"No bother dear, I'm sure Ben would love to bring me home. He'll get away from his mother for a while. See ya in a bit. Oh…we may stop and get something to eat at the Burger Hut too. So, don't wait up dear."
Kitty stared at the phone. Her mother was acting like a teenager. Even Kitty had gotten out of that. And now she wanted Ben to bring her home. Had she gone with the idea of having him bring her home? Kitty fretted.
Ben told her he'd take her home, but to her surprise, he took her home before he took his mother home and that shocked her. She was dismayed that she didn’t' get any time alone with him. That had been her plan all along.
His mother talked with her, but Ben could see they wouldn't get along for any length of time together. After all, she went dressed like a second-rate whore, Ben thought. Her pants were so tight she could barely bend over without stretching the threads, and her top left nothing to the imagination. The women at the quilting party looked glad when she went home. Ben didn't blame them.
He had no idea she's show up looking the part of a whore. And the poor women had to put up with half the night.
When he dropped her off, she looked at Ben, she looked across his mother at him. "Would you be a doll and walk me to the door, Ben, it's very dark."
"Sure," He frowned. "I'll be right back Mom."
When she got to the door, she started to kiss him, but he pulled away. "I'm not playing your games, Mrs. Baldwin. I'm not interested in you. And if I want a kiss, I'll do the kissing. Your too old for me, Mrs. Baldwin. And I'm just not interested. You really need to find a new pastime."
"Like quilting, with old ladies?" She snapped.
"Maybe, Kitty said you loved to sew."
"Are you interested in my daughter?" She clipped ready to slap his face.
"More than she knows, yes. She's my age, in case you haven't noticed. I like Kitty a lot. She's a nice girl. I've known her all my life. Yes, Mrs. Baldwin, I am. I'm not going to lie to you. I like Kitty a lot."
"Oh I've noticed. But as she is, she isn't experienced like me…" Mrs. Baldwin got closer. "She wouldn't know what to do with a man like you. Ben, you've been around, I can tell, you are in a different league."
He moved away again. "I don't like my women too experienced. Goodnight Mrs. Baldwin."
She huffed and went inside.
His mother had watched. "She's disgraceful. How can you work for someone like that?"
"Well, by ignoring her, mostly. They need the help bad, Mother. If you could see this place in the daylight you would know what I mean. I've got to finish getting all the hay stored in the barn or it will be ruined when the first freeze comes along. It means they could start having financial troubles along with everything else. I don't want Kitty having to worry about that too. I can help them with the farm. Mrs. Baldwin has a problem, and I don't know how to help her. I thought the quilting party might be nice. Kitty and I have talked about it, but I don't know what else to suggest. You know Kitty doesn't even have a life because of her mother. I want to help her, but not sure I can. I sure didn't expect her mother to pull this tonight."
"Everyone was aghast at what she wore. She looks like a real trolip. And all she wanted to talk about was men. I wish she wouldn't come. It's embarrassing. She talked about your step-father endlessly tonight. I was terribly embarrassed. The way she talked, she's had every man in town including Harry."
"It's talk mother. Not every man wants her. I’m sorry, I really am. Just imagine how embarrassing it is for Kitty. I'm sorry mother, I thought maybe by inviting her that she might get into it. Kitty says she used to love to sew."
"She did sew a bit, and some of the other women commented on how well she did, but I don't like you working for her. I saw how she tried to kiss you just now. That's disgraceful, a woman her age."
"I'm on to her. I've been rather rude mother. But I do like her daughter. And I'm worried about Kitty. It's the main reason I stay, for Kitty. Do you know she doesn't date because of her mother? She's afraid to leave her alone. She doesn't know what she might do."
"Kitty?" Her mother asked.
"Yeah."
"She's a pretty girl. She sure took it hard when her daddy died. And then her mother started acting like that, and the poor thing. You are right, she does need help. And if anyone can, you can help. I just know it, son. I hadn't even been considering what it was doing to her. But you are right. If she's afraid to leave her alone, it is getting serious, son."
"I know. She's taking it hard how her mother is acting too. I wish I could help her figure out what to do. She's afraid she'll do something outlandish. And she's right, she probably would. I'm afraid Mrs. Baldwin needs professional help."
"I feel for Kitty. She's a nice girl." His mother said quietly now.
"She's got a lot to put up with."
"I-I want to thank you for taking me over there every Friday night, dear. I enjoy it. And I know you have other things to do. I want to apologize."
"Oh, for what?"
"I went on and on about Harry, and he ran off the first sign of trouble. Left me in quite a spot. And tonight, listening to her, I realized just how bad he was. I just couldn't admit it to myself. But seeing Mrs. Baldwin tonight, has shown me, how stupid I have been too. Maybe it's just the middle age crazies." His mother laughed now. "But you deserve to have some free time yourself. Maybe now, I can put him behind me and get on with my own life."
"For that I am glad, Mother. I really am. But…I don't have anything to do."
"That's my point. You said Kitty doesn't date. Neither do you, dear."
"There's a reason or that. This is a small town, and most of the girls around here know I've been to juvenile. They probably wouldn't go out with me."
"What about Kitty?" Her mother cast him a quick glance.
"I don't know."
"Maybe you should find out." Her mother encouraged.
He grinned. "Maybe you are right."