Looking up briefly from her favourite novel ‘Gone with the Wind’ Eva glanced out of the trains window, from her first class compartment a small smile appearing on her beautiful face at the South Carolina landscape rolling past beside her, It was good to be home. New York was wonderful yet she could not escape the warming feeling that swelled in her heart whenever she mentioned or thought about Bedford Falls.

“Next Stop, Bedford Falls” The conductor called loudly as he made his way down the train’s narrow corridor, closing her book she placed it back inside one of her many suitcases, before reaching out into her purse to pull out her small compact. Wanting to look her best for her big debut back in her hometown, she quickly applied a little powder to her face followed by a touch up of her lipstick.

When the train finally came to a stop, Eva stood smoothing out any creases in her dress before placing her large brimmed hat back on her head. She began lifting her suitcases down from the storage racks a voice stopped her from behind “I’ll get them miss!” Turning sharply on her heels she smiled at the teenage boy stood behind her “That will be most kind, thank you.”

Grabbing her purse off the chair she walked down the narrow corridor towards the exit and stepped down onto the bustling platform, followed closely by the boy carrying her luggage “Miss Fontaine” a familiar voice called through the crowed.

Looking through the throngs of people Evelyn’s smile widened when she saw Eric her families chauffer hurrying towards her, if yet slightly disappointed that none of her family had come to great her themselves, embracing the older man in a hug she felt her heart swell “Oh Eric you have no idea how happy I am to see you!”
“Not as glad as I am to see you Miss” he replied with a smile reaching for the bags off the teen.

Thanking him Eva quickly grabbed a few dollars out of her purse and handed them to him before he hurried off to help someone else with their luggage. As she followed Eric to the car she found herself being knocked into and shoved, blue eyes narrowing and a slight frown setting on her face she shook her head once they reached the car “Well this place certainly gotten a lot busier” she scoffed as Eric chuckled as he helped her into the car.

“Yup, your gonna find a lot of things have changed since you left. Bedford is a boom town now” he stated proudly.

Eva raised an eye brow “Is that so?” she enquired not knowing whether to delight in this new information or antagonise over it, she had left New York to get away from the hustle and bustle of things, well that and reuniting with her friends and family. Besides her youngest brother Patrick, who often travelled out to New York on his holidays, she hadn’t seen much of her family or friends in the three years since she left!

As they drove through town towards her father’s restaurant, where her family was said to be waiting, she gazed out of the window with wonder in her eyes at how much had changed since she left! There were clubs, theatres, new shops, restaurants, diners; it looked more like a city block than it did the dusty little farming town she remembered. The car quickly came to a stop outside ‘Fontaines’ and a smile crept upon her face, her father had opened the restaurant her senior year in high school when the ammunition factory for opened, this place was his pride and joy well besides his children.

Stepping out of the car she was greeted with a few hello’s by passersby, people who she vaguely remembered. Walking inside the restaurant she was greeted by a large ‘Welcome Home’ banner strewn across the room, with her family gathered underneath it, feeling the tears gather into her eyes she rushed over and was immediately embraced by her father “oh papa!” She cried into his chest.

Felling her mother’s delicate touch on her back she turned around and hugged her dearly “my darling daughter” she cooed into her hair, despite being 20 she still loved the feeling of being their little girl. Drying her tears she was greeted by her brothers, Clark whom she hadn’t seen in years came first, spinning his sister round making them both laugh loudly “I’ve missed you” she told him wishing for the tears not to resurface.

After she had given hugs and kissed to each of her family she looked around the place with a wide smile “Papa! The place looks amazing!” she stated proudly, hell, the whole town looked amazing to her.

Deliah stepped out of the Delahaye 135 convertible, her brand new luxurious car her father had bought her. The town had changed quite alot, but it was still her beautiful Bedford Falls. The town looked very all-American, and it always had looked that way. Deliah smiled grabbed her bags, walking towards her home.

Her new yellow dress blew in the wind, and her red hair was a mess, but that didn't matter to her, espicially not right then. She was running to her home, full of joy and excitment she had not felt since she was a child.

When she finally arrived at the house, she ran inside excitedly, slamming the door behind her. "I'm home!" she squeeled, dropping her bags and smiling at the picture on the wall above the flowers that looked freshly picked. The aroma of fresh baked bread filled the house.

Her father embraced her, followed by Chantry, and then her mother. She kissed her father's cheek and smiled at everyone. "You look great, Daddy," she whispered, holding his wrinkly hands and trying not to cry. Deliah was not a very emotional person, but seeing her father like that was not what she was used too.

Chantry walked back in, holding his new daughter, Cindy. "Oh, she's beautiful!" Deliah exclaimed, rushing to her. And she was. For Deliah, it was hard to believe that she had come from Chantry. Cindy was crying loudly. Deliah took her out of his arms and held her, Cindy smiling right at her.

"She already likes me better," said Deliah, smirking.

"Daddy, Mommy, are we there yet?" Ten-year-old Amelia tugged her father's sleeve as her sisters casually rolled their eyes. Loretta smiled at her sister before looking out at the window as Samantha read some odd-looking book and Alma sipped a glass of wine. Her fiance, Carl was chatting with her and looked visibly nervous. The limosuine held the Ipsume family well even though their brothers weren't there. They were off to fight much to the family's dismay. A bunch of blue bloods, that's what they were called. Incredibly wealthy and the blood in their veins were from one of the oldest aristocratic families. T

"Very soon, child. We haven't seen beautiful Bedford Falls since you were four," Esme told her daughter. For six long years, Loretta hadn't seen her hometown where she grew up and spent most of her childhood. Those were the days when she lived in a large mansion with a lawn and she ran aroung with her sisters and brothers. Until their father wanted to expand his oil business and couldn't stand the thought of leaving his family. So at twelve years old, Lorretta packed up and left the town she loved.

But they were back for good. After years of moving out and about, she was going to return to the one place she truly called home.

"Would you look at that," Alma said as she gazed outside the window, "Ain't it gorgeous?" The family followed in pursuit and Loretta's smile widen. It was beautiful, different from how she remembered it but it still had that old perfection to it. They were home.

"Is that the old theater?" Samantha looked up from her book and out the back. Loretta hovered over to look at it and snickered. It was definitely not a theater.

"It's not old anymore," she joked as her eyes drifted off to the other places. They were more theaters, parks and restaurants. It looked more modern than she could remember. Her home was still farther, a fifteen minute journey. Her parents were too busy reading a newspaper to notice the sights. "Daddy, I can't believe we left," her father looked up with a blithe smile as he gave the newspaper to his beautiful wife.

"Of course you can't," the man called Timothy said, "I've got the new maids to tidy it up with Uncle William supervising so nothing will be lost," Esme rolled her eyes, kissing her husband's cheek much to the groans of their four girls. Loretta missed Bedford Falls, she wondered how her old friends were. How did they fair these past years when she was gone. She heard one was getting married and another made it to Broadway. Lovely.

"Darlings," their mother's voice sprang with delight as her eyes glistened, "I think we're here," the driver nodded as they entered a large mansion with a lawn and a fancy gate. The whole family had smiles on their faces and once they got out, maids greeted them with a bow.

Deliah stood at the sink, washing dishes while her parents sat at the kitchen table. She had only been home for about 2 hours, and she already back to cleaning and doing housework. It felt normal, and she felt more complete doing it. Last year, she would have complained, but now she was doing it because she wanted too.

"All of our Navy at Pearl, what a bad idea. Hitler is a smart man, you know," Deliah's father, Bobby was saying.

"Oh daddy, what would you know?" Deliah asked, scrubbing a plate and smiling at her father.

"Those Germans are going to bomb us, I know it," he stated stubbornly, opening up a newspaper and glancing at Deliah's mother, Jackie.

Deliah looked like Jackie in several ways. Her defined cheekbones, long legs, big lips and beautiful eyes. Unlike Jackie, Deliah's hair was red, like her father's used to be. Both of the women, Jackie and Deliah were beautiful though. Even though Jackie's hair was turning grey, she still looked wonderful.

"Bobby, stop with all of that nonsense," said Jackie, rolling her eyes.

"Well, if I was Hitler, I sure would bomb the US while they were all at Pearl," Bobby said simply, grabbing a glass of orange juice and taking a sip.

"Daddy, if you were Hitler you would be killing Jews and not worry about the US."

There was a silence, and then Jackie said, "You know, Deliah, we can't wait for another grandchild...."

"Mother, stop it. You know I do not want children," Deliah said, glaring and wiping off the plate and grabbing another one. She had never wanted kids, but her mother always wanted her to have grandchildren. It often frustrated Deliah.

"You need them, Dell, you are a very motherly girl..."

Bobby laughed and both women glared at him. "It seems like Hitler isn't the only dictator, huh, Jackie?" he asked, laughing his hardy laugh.

Deliah rolled her eyes and went back to dish washing.

Bonnie adjusted her new uniform in the mirror one more time, "Bonnie I think thats the prettiest dress you have right now" she heard from behind her. Bonnie rolled her eyes "Ha ha Judy you aint got much room to talk your wearing my hand me downs" she said to her 13 year old sister. Judy stuck her tongue out at her and skipped down the hallway. Bonnie hiked her skirt up check her seams one more time and the headed down stairs. "Well lookie there aint that a perty sight Maw" Dan Pheldman tapped his pipe on the heal of his worn leather boot.

"Dammit Danny don't tap that thing on my clean floor" Katie Pheldman said as she turned and wiped her hands on her dingy cooking apron. She the looked at her daughter and smiled "Well I do say Paw she looks a fine sight" Bonnie smiled with pride her parents worked hard and she adored them for everything they had ever done for her. Now she had a chance to repay them for everything they'd sacrificed for her. "Mama, Daddy thank you" Bonnie said with a big smile, "Now darlin the keys to your brother's old truck is hang'n up next to the keys to the shed in the mud room" said her father as he lit his pipe.

It was the first time her father had not insisted on driving her into town for work, she supposed it was because it was Fontaines and her father was a humble pig farmer. They had passed it many times on their way to church and he had always commented how the restaurant was to rich for his blood. Bonnie figured she would be embarrassed with him taking her so he let her drive her brother's old truck.

Bonnie smiled at her father "Yes daddy, thank you daddy" she said as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek leaving a little bit of red lipstick on his cheek, which was already tinged pink with embarrassment. Her mother laughed, "Well sit down and eat ya somethin for ya leave" Bonnie sat down and tried to quickly shovel a couple eggs, a piece of toast, and a cup of coffee down. She knew if she had skipped on breakfast her mother would scold her so to avoid it she just quickly ate something. "Well I'm on my way everybody have a great day" Bonnie hugged and kissed her mother goodbye and grabbed her key and purse on her way out the door.

When she sat down in the old truck she could smell the hints of stale cologne left over from her brother, the scent of Old Spice brought back memories of her big brother. She knew he would have a few words about her taking the job at Fontaines, about how they were snoodie and upity. But Bonnie knew she had to and since Sal's Diner closed she didn't have much of a choice. She knew she get paid and tipped well there and her parents needed the help, since her brother joined the military they had to hire a hand to help on the farm.

When she pulled up into lot in back of Fontaine's she took a deep breath as the truck shut off, "Alright just do your best" she said to herself. She stepped out of the truck and went into the back entrance. She saw the manager and walked up, "Im here were do you want me to start?" she asked.

The late spring sun glared harshly off the shallows of Lake Bedford reflecting projecting wild waves of light upon the rickety, rotting wooden pier upon which Henry sat with his makeshift fishing pole. He exhaled sharply while lifting his cap and wiping sweat from his his brow; it was hot and humid out, probably the hottest day so far this year. May was the beginning of the hot season when the April rains ceased to keep the air cool and the collected moisture hung low and hazy as a hot fog in the mornings.

"Damn is' hotter th'n Aunt Tiffany's peppa pot out here! Ya catch anythin'?" The baritone squawk of Darrell Thompson keyed in as he flopped back from his upright position on the deck next to Henry.

"Nah man, I ain't gettin' a guppy out here." Henry responded in frustration as his fishing line remained perfectly undisturbed by his intended prey. The worm must have been happy about that despite being skewered on sharp metal. "There's nothin' out there, either. All these new folk movin' in, mo' people than jobs to fix 'em with." Henry answered the double question. It was true, there was no work this time of year. All the rice and flax had been planted in April and the few farmers left around here already had plenty of family on hand to help pluck weeds, water crops, transfer batches and all those other tasks associated with each stage of the agricultural cycle. Plus with that new gas-powered tractor that farmer John Dillinger purchased, it was unlikely they would need ditch diggers anymore to channel the mid-summer flash floods. The job market seemed as barren as this lake on this scorching day.

The distant whistle of of a locomotive reached the two young men. The Bedford Lines 2 and 3 had just went into operation not but a month ago as freight lines strictly for industrial use bringing in minerals and metal on line 2 and shipping out artillery shells on line 3. Darrell sat back up, leaned on his outstretched arms behind him and asked, "You think the rail company hirin' colored folk at all?"

Henry sighed in contemplation before replying, "Nope, prob'bly not." Admittedly, he hadn't even bothered to check recently but he had tried to sign on for the construction of the railways but they wouldn't hire him then. Construction was the most labor intensive part of operating the railways, and if they wouldn't hire blacks for that, then they sure as hell weren't hiring as engineers or retainers.

"Well what about the shell factory? You check that yet?" Darrell pursued as he stood up to stretch.

Henry had been putting off going to the Bedford Falls Shell Works for a while now. As soon as the plant went into production the other, white townfolk had flocked there for jobs seeing as how the War Industry Board (WIB) mandated that all federally bound defense industry jobs paid higher wages than the average unskilled labor occupation in order to attract workers faster. Henry knew better than to go looking for a job at a place where whites were already lining up for them. Just the mere sight of a black man in that line could start a riot in these parts. "Nah. Maybe I'll check that tomorrow. There's too many white fo-" Henry suddenly stopped talking as he felt a yank on the line. A strong series of yanks followed.

Jumping to his feet he yelled, "Woo! Got me a big sucka! Catfish maybe!" Darrell cheered and ran over to help Henry haul the feisty sea beast in. With one mighty tug, the fish shot out of the water...and right into Darrell's face with a wet slap. "DAYM!" he hollered as he recoiled from the pugnacious creature. Henry restrained the fish and held the line close to the gullet of the rather large catfish. After seeing the sight of Darrell stumbling around clasping his face, Henry chuckled, then busted out laughing. Once Darrell got a hold of himself, he joined in. After the comedy was finished, the two friends headed back to Shilo (the district for black citizens in Bedford Falls) to gut and prep the fish. On the way there, the two of them agreed that tomorrow they would head to the ammo plant together.

Bill awoke to the loud ring of his alarm. Six in the morning on Saturday afternoon; not the best way to wake up to be sure. The following groans and mumbled curses of his brother Terry could be heard, from his own bed at the other end of the room. Billie sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and stretching. "Ah, quit your belly aching. 'Least you can go back to sleep.." Bill swung his feet out of bed and stood up, pulling on a pair of pants before he headed to the bathroom. "Ought to drag you in there, get you learning this too. Need the help still, an' you're old enough to start helping out.." He had a grin on, as he took a few steps toward his brother's bed. He stretched out his hand and grabbed Terry's ankle, shaking him violently. "Wah! Go to hell Billy!" Terry cried after shooting up in bed to take a swing at his older brother. Billy just chuckled as he strode out the bedroom's door, the exasperated sigh of his brother still audible halfway to the washroom.

A half hour later, Bill was showered and freshly clothed, making his way downstairs of the Duvick home. It was a beautiful four bedroom, two story home built by Chandler Duvick almost fifty years ago. Bill walked into the kitchen, the only person up and about was his father. Franklin Duvick didn't sleep in on his day off. He figured he was up at six Monday through Friday for work, and Sunday for church, he may as well make it a regular thing on Saturday too. "Aye son, how're you this morning?" Frank asked, taking a drag of his cigarette as he sipped on a cup of coffee. "Well enough, though I gotta say, I'm not keen on working these Saturday mornings. Rather catch an extra hour of sleep an' go fishing, to be honest!" Bill grinned at his Dad as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Hey now, I think that's a good idea! Maybe I'll grab my tackle, see if I catch anything before I come in at noon." He winked and grinned back taking a drink of coffee.

They'd both had to make a sacrifice in the last few months. Papa wasn't in as good of health as anyone'd like to admit. He'd normally been the one to open on the Saturday mornings, with their old employee Tyler having finished the day himself. But after Tyler walked out last month, both Bill and his Dad had been forced to sacrifice part of their Saturday to keep the store open. Business had seen a nice increase as soon as the factory had opened; more current residents of Bedford Falls had more money, and it drew in new residents with a steady income. Steady income lead to people buying things like homes, cars, and all sorts of things. Which meant they'd need tools and parts for projects. Along with all this Bill's father was toying with the idea of adding appliance ordering and installing. Business was always fairly steady, and things seemed to be looking up as a whole.

After a light breakfast and conversation with his Dad, Bill began walking to the store. He arrived just before Seven, withdrawing the store key and unlocking the door. He flipped the sign around to 'Open' and strode in, dropping the key in his pocket. The store was in the heart of Downtown, on the corner of Second and Main Streets, just a block away from the official Town Center. By Nine, the sidewalks would be full of people. Now, only a couple of people could be seen out and about this Saturday morning from the shop's two large front windows. Bill took the time to kick back behind the counter, withdrawing his cigarette holder and withdrawing one. He layed out the paper on the counter and began reading it, exhaling a drag in the morning light through the windows.

It was four AM and Gunner was milling around in the kitchen to make his lunch for work that day. "Gunner let me get you something" said a soft voice from behind him. "Awe Mama I can do it myself you just go on back to bed", he said as he filled a thermos with hot black coffee. She smiled and handed him a metal lunch box Gunner felt the weight of it his hand and he could tell that she had already packed it for him. "Mama I'm not in school anymore you don't have to pack my lunch for me no more" he said with a chuckle. His mother smiled, "Well I always packed a lunch for your daddy I'll definitely make one for you too" she said.

Gunner's father was a retired policeman and hadn't worked in about two years, recently he had been in bad health so Gunner had decided he would go to work to help the family out instead of joining the Army like he had planned. Not that the illness of his father wasn't expected, he was getting on in age and Gunner's mother was his second wife. Gunner kissed his mother on the cheek and headed to the car, the radio playing his favorite song and a cigarette in his hand this was his time for thinking. What would he do with his life would he continue working at the plant or would he move on and join the Army just a little later then planned.

He pulled into the parking lot in front of the huge ammunition plant, sometimes he wished he wasn't on first shift and he had some time before he had to be here. But when you get paid well at a job that everybody in town wanted you don't complain too much. He waived at Phil one of the guys he worked with, "Hey Gunner hows it going this mornin" he said. "Not to bad you Phil?" he called back as the men walked side by side up to the entrance of the factory. "Get a load of this, isn't she a doll" Phil said as he showed Gunner the latest issue of pin ups he had procured. Gunner whistled "Look at the gams on that one Lord help me" Gunner chuckled he never really understood the fascination with pin ups. Yeah they were nice but Gunner would much rather see the real girl that posed for the picture.

Driving down the dusty road to Bedford Falls, Sebastian was on his way home from a business meeting, after his father's death he had to provide for his mother. She was comfortable enough to live like she was use, but she wasn't use to living alone. She didn't want him to return to school but he had to if he was going to keep providing for her. Then after that he had been trying to earn the same respect that his father had in all his years of running a business.

The silver car he was driving use to be his dad's bought just before his death 6 years previous. Sebastian yawned as it had been a long trip back from New York City. The car had broken down twice, much to his chagrin. It gave him an excuse though to drop in on a old college friend in Virginia, that was when it hit him, the stupid man had joined up...and the navy to boot and was on his way to be stationed somewhere in Hawaii. What on earth could that fool been thinking, the country was trying to stay out of the war as best it could, let it be fought over there in Europe. Even if there was wishful thinking that America could stay neutral Sebastian fully realized that was all it was...wishful thinking.

On the outskirts of town he could see the ammunition plant stacks steaming away, money could be made in the course of a war, but in all his hand-shaking and bullshiting he hadn't come up with a way to do so. Truth be told, maybe he just wasn't his father. Before he made his way home he decided to stop in town, he wanted some food and just to look to see how things were. His family may not have been one of the super rich who lived behind gates, but they were well-respected. He parked the car near Fontaines, and got out to stretch his legs, someone shouted his name from across the street and he waved recognizing someone he had gone to high school with. The restaurant wasn't open with a sign that simply stated "closed for private occasion," and he simply shook his head. The place looked like it had a new paint job, as did so many of the other places in town. The town had grown it seemed overnight, which made Sebastian smile, because his father would have been proud of the place. Sebastian walked down the sidewalk, greeting people he knew and talking in short casual conversations that happen here and there. Acquires about his mother and her health, acquires about this and that.

It was still a small town, where everyone almost knew everyone else and he actually loved it.

Deliah woke up and walked to her dressor. She felt like a child again, being in her room and everything. It made her want to dance around and laugh act like a young kid, but she didn't. Instead, she grabbed a comb and began to do her hair, then she did her makeup. Beautiful, she thought.

Before she left, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote in her elegant cursive:

Going out for a stroll, going to see who I can see. Don't worry, I'll be back by supper. Love, Deliah.

She laid the note on the counter next to the clean dishes. She wanted to eat before she left, but, she didn't want to get in a predicament with Alice. Alice was Chantry's wife, and not a nice woman. Deliah never could figure out what her brother saw in her.

It was a beautiful sunny day, with only a few clouds. The streets smelled fresh and friendly faces surrounded her. She saw a silver car she had always liked that appeared about 6 years ago. Now that she had her own car, she didn't find it as fascinating, but she still loved it.

Casually looking around, she walked towards the car and smiled approvingly at it.

I wonder how everyone is, she thought, thinking of Eva, Bonnie, Gunner, and people like that she had known. Maybe when she left this time everyone could keep in touch.

Loretta had spent the night with her family, ecploring her old home that had been renovated to fit the family's liking. Her parents took the largest room, Alma and Carl took the second largest and saved the third for Moira and little Aislynn, Anthony's very own family and one of the rooms were saved for Russell. Lucky for Loretta, she chose the room with a large bathroom and balcony. A beauty it was.

She slept safe and sound and the next morning, she was the first to wake up. The maids cooked her some delicious eggs and toast. She felt adventurous, Bedford Falls was calling for her. She washed herself and changed into some day wear. A simple yet gorgeous two-tone linen dress with soft, short sleeves paired with Calfskin wedges and a hat. She took her purse with her, telling her maids that she would be out and about, taking in the sights.

So she went out, she had to use one of the cars since her house was still quite far from town. She took the silver car, one of daddy's which he gave to her for her sixteenth birthday. It was there before she came. She spotted something, or someone for this matter. Loretta moved closer, someone was eyeing the car. The person looked familiar, who was it?

When Loretta was close enough to make out a face, her eyes' widen with gleam. Her mind raced to remind herself, "Deliah?" she called out, her voice was loud with a smile, "Deliah Whittington, is that you?" Loretta's smile widen and ran to greet her old friend.

"Loretta! I thought I reconized this car!" said Deliah, smiling and momentarily embracing Loretta. She scanned her face, and the childlike girl that Deliah had left was now beautiful and mature, the kind of girl that would turn heads wherever she went.

"You look absolutely beautiful!" she exclaimed. Loretta's dress was simple but elegant, about what Deliah would except she'd be wearing. It looked perfect on her.

Deliah looked down at her own dress and wondered if she shouldnt've picked something a little more...memorable. First impressions were important, and although she had seen all of these people several times, she felt as if she was meeting them again as the new Deliah.

Being reunited with her family seemed like a bittersweet moment for Eva although she was overjoyed in seeing them again one very important person was missing, her eldest brother, Harry, having him stationed at Pearl meant letters were few, so she had not heard from her brother in months. Placing her glass of wine down on the lace table cloth she watched people mill around the restaurant, standing up she excused herself from the table and walked out to the front, reaching into her bag she pulled out her silver cigarette case, bringing one to her lips before rooting around for some matches, finding that she had none she let out a slight groan of frustration and put the case back into her bag, it was a habit she had picked up in the clubs of New York and had now become an addiction for her. Looking up she spotted a familiar looking car parked outside the restaurant and she raised an eyebrow trying to place it, when it dawned on her, looking down the street to her right she spotted him, tall, dark and handsome, he hadn’t changed none “Sebastian!” She called loudly gathering some odd looks from passer bys.

He stopped and turned at the sound of his name a big smile coming to his face, "Evie, is that you," he couldn't but to be glad to see her. She had grown up in all the right ways. Instead of making her shout again, he started walking back in her direction, it was the polite thing to do in his mind, "I hardly recognized you."

He had heard about her leaving town and going to New York, unfortunately he hadn't any time to see her while he was there, he had seen some of her pictures though. Pictures didn't do the real Evie justice, she had become a really beautiful person, not that Sebastian would admit that openly. He had been called a fool once for the sake of beauty, and as badly as that ended he wasn't in mind to be called a fool twice.

"You are looking real spiffy. Did you just get back into town?"

Greeting him with a hug Evelyn couldn't help the large smile forming on his face "why I could say the same about you!" she stated happily, It had been years since they last saw each other, she had heard from her mother that he had become engaged to an actress out in New York but not seeing a wedding band on his finger made her think that something had happened there. "But still as handsome as the day i left" she laughed lightly with a kind smile.

"And I thank you but you mustn't flatter me so" Eva scolded lightly with a light swat on his chest "I actually did, and yourself? Mama tells me your out in New York also, I'm surprised we haven't run into each other before now!

Bonnie had spent most of the morning helping set up for the return of Mr. Fontaine's daughter Evelyn, Bonnie remembered her as one of the most popular girl in school. "Bonnie I think we got it you can head on home" Bonnie smiled and nodded, the restaurant was closed just for the family day so that meant no tips for her. But she was glad that she had the job so she didn't complain too much. It was hard to get a job in town unless you went to the factory, and Bonnie didn't want to make weapons. As she stepped out of the restaurant to go to her truck she noticed a note stuck to her wind shield, Honey can you stop at Duvick's and pick up a package for you Paw. He ordered a tool for the tractor and it should be in. Thank you Mama.

Bonnie smiled and decided to stop at the shop on the way home, she drove down the main street and saw that there were plenty of people milling around on the beautiful Saturday afternoon. Bonnie smiled to herself she was happy that she had gone in to work so early now she still had some of the day left. She pulled up in front of Duvick's Hardware. The door jingled as she stepped through the door, she didn't see anyone at the counter so she assumed whoever was working was in the back or in another part of the store. There was a small bell at the counter and she promptly rang it. She knew that Billy Duvick's father owned the shop and it had been in the family for years. "Hello anyone here?" she asked.

"Thank you, Deliah," Loretta's smile was wider than it could ever be. She scanned her face and clothes. She definitely looked different since the last time she saw her, "My god, I haven't seen you since I left years ago! You look so different since you were eleven," Did everyone change so much? She hadn't realized at all, maybe she got taller and her curves were more prominent but she couldn't think of anything else. Then again, Loretta was one who did not hate having some attention.

In the spur of the moment, Loretta pulled Deliah into a hug. It felt wonderful, meeting an old friend once again. She pulled back after a moment, "How are you?" she asked, "How's everyone else? I just moved back so I have got nothing up in my brain here,"

She instantly thought of one of her oldest memories with Deliah. She laughed on her own term, "Do you remember the time, a few months before I left, when we accidentally drenched that Gregory boy with that bucket of water? Oh, we didn't know he was under those stairs!" She shook her head, reminding herself. She had such a crush on him but that was six years ago. She hardly recognized Deliah, how would she recogonize him?

"Oh, of course I do!" said Deliah, laughing. It was true that Deliah had changed, quite a lot. Not only was her personality different, everything about her was. She looked at Loretta and smiled for a second before asking, "Do you want to go to the plant with me? Chantry works there, and I'd like to bring him some breakfast."

Deliah looked at her watch and wondered if there was a place to get him a doughnut. She sure wasn't going to go home and make one, not with Alice awake! The only reason Deliah was even staying at that house was because of Cindy and her daddy. She was already tired of her mother's constant hints to have children.

"No Henry, I dis' cupboard bare as a bone." Darrell informed as he closed the creaking brown vernier kitchen cupboard doors.

"Horse dung! Gotta be some 'round here somewhere!" Henry exclaimed in response. He and Darrell had finished descaling, gutting and otherwise prepping the fish about twenty minutes ago. They made a lemon, pepper and butter glaze for the big catfish and it was chilling in the icebox now. In American society household cooking was generally regarded as a woman's job and unless a man was a professional chef if a man cooked in the household it was often poked fun at. The black community was no exception to this and Garrett often scorned Henry for "dabbling in what his mother should do". However Henry had learned how to cook out of necessity. The fact was that his mother wasn't always around to provide food when he or his father needed it and she was already hard pressed as it was with her job as a maid. So Henry learned to shadow his mother whenever she prepared meals, making mental notes of the basics. Soon he started applying said notes and skills to make his own meals. Momma's cooking was always better, but food was food. Pure necessity.

The fish would be ready to cook in about another forty minutes which would be just enough time for the wood stove to get to the right temperature. Assuming they could find matches to ignite the wood stove with. They had been looking for said matches for the better part of the past fifteen minutes. They had turned the whole, cramped kitchen upside down and then some and still turned up nothing. Henry figured it was about time to get some outside assistance.

"Be righ' back, Darrell." Henry said as he clomped his way out of the ocher painted kitchen and onto the porch. He rolled his shoulders, put his cap on and walked down the unpainted, wooden stairs and headed down the dusty street to one of his neighbor's houses. He came upon the house of Derrick McNair, a friendly middle-aged man who also happened to be the Shilo Watchman. A Watchman was the law enforcement of such communities as Shilo, black neighborhoods in the South where state official law enforcement would not protect. Consequently such communities elected 'Watchmen' from the local population who would unofficially enforce the law and provide emergency services such as organizing the bucket brigades. The community pooled their resources to make sure the Watchman was equipped with what he needed.

Henry strode up the dusty steps and knocked on the wooden door to the house. "Who 'dere?" the distinctive bass boom of watchman McNair's voice came from within.

"Henry Buford, mister McNair." Henry called back.

"Oh, come on in, son!" Derrick called back. Henry let himself inside the small, enclosed patio of Derrick's house. The house smelled of machine oil a testament to the tinkering mind of Mr.Mcnair who was probably working on some contraption right now. Henry walked into the lounge/workshop and found the grizzly man hunched over a workbench picking at a greasy carburetor with a screwdriver.

Henry cleared his throat and piped, "Hello Mr.McNair. How d'you do?"

The intensely focused watchman waited a few second before setting down the carburetor, taking his glasses off and turned towards Henry with a smile. "I do well. Need some help with somethin'?"

"Thanks but, no. I just need some matches. We need some to fire up the stove." Henry said as he gestured towards his house with his thumb.

"Uuuuuummmm..." the watchman said as he came to his feet and looked about. "No, I don't happen to have any. Tell you what, if you headin' into town, ya mind pickin' me up some at Duvik's Hardware? Here some money for 'em." Derrick finished as he fished a quarter dollar from his pocket. Plenty enough for some matches.

"Sure thing mister McNair." Henry said as he retrieved the quarter. In reality he hadn't planned on heading into town, that was a rather risky gambit at this hour. Sheriff Crawley always patrolled the roads mid-day and although Henry never did anything illegal there was no shortage of unnecessary interrogation and harassment the sheriff was willing to force upon black folk. Thing is there was no human resources department to report to and no higher authority so it was either put up with the harassment or fight it and end up in jail on account of "resisting arrest". At the same time Henry needed matches and now that he had accepted the responsibility of also procuring said matches for Derrick, he had to go into town.

------------------

Henry avoided the main roads as much as possible in order to remain out of sight. Sheriff Crawley wouldn't bother him if he couldn't see him. At the same time Henry didn't want to look too suspicious but it was a fine line he had walked before. He peeked around a corner and seeing no one on the street, decided it was safe to cross the street to to Duvik's Hardware. The door bell jingled as Henry entered the door, ducking slightly in order to clear the low frame. He didn't expect to see Roberta Pheldman there. Henry removed his hat and held it in front of him.

"Howdy do, ma'am." Henry said as he waited for Bill to show up.

Bonnie turned when she heard a voice behind her, it was Henry Buford from high school. Bonnie smiled "Hello Henry how ya doin, well I say I haven't seen you since I was in high school". He had done a little work for her Paw around that time, and they had talked a little her Mama had invited him to dinner. Some would look down on Bonnie for talking to a colored man with respect, but her daddy had taught her that they lived on the same side of the tracks as the Negro's so we had no reason to treat them like they were lower than them. Besides Henry had always been one of the most respectful young men she had ever met.

Sebastian smile at her playfulness, "And you have my apologies for that Evie, because there isn't a good excuse in the world why I didn't make time to at least try to see you while I was in New York" He actually meant what he said though, in this day friends should always come to the top of your list.
Yet the truth was that he had filled up his days with one meeting after another, he hadn't wanted to go see any shows, or go to the clubs, not after his fiancee had dumped him. Her friends would have definitely made it their goal to tell her he was back in town, and then she would have made it her goal to make sure he would see her. Nothing would have come of it, and he would be leaving the Big Apple again feeling like the fool.

"How is your career going anyways and how is your brother I kinda miss having him around, he was always good for some kicks," try as he might he couldn't keep up with all his old friends, even if his mother's rantings were about every single person in town. He would stop listening in the middle of her list of people and stare at the wall. His mother was a very complicated woman, but he stilled loved her.

He did know that he was stationed in Pearl, but other then that he hadn't heard anything else. He had actually asked his old friend Austin (the one previously mentioned in the first post) to look up Harry when he got there, just cause he knew they would probably hit it off.

-derp-

Loretta nodded, "Sure, why not?" Her smile grew wider, showing her pearly-white teeth. She didn't know where it was though, she had been there only once or twice when she was a young girl, "You have to show me the way though, I can barely understand where is where nowadays,"

She opened her silver car's door, gesturing Deliah to come in before starting the car, "So tell me. How's life been treating you?" Loretta started to drive, "I haven't seen any of our old friends since I left in 193-" she was cut off by her horn from the car behind them. She turned around, a scowl formed slightly and she peered outside her car window and cursed at the driver.

"Shut your ass up before someone gets some people to tear it open from the inside out!" She turned back to the road, glancing at Deliah for half asecond before driving out. Her scowl disappeared almost instantly. She was hardly angry, just eccentric, "So which road should I use next?"

Eva waved her hand dismissively at him "oh hush now, You are highly to busy to see little ole me"she spoke softly her southern twang coming through in her speech "So I figure you don't live in Manhattan itself otherwise I surely would have seen you before now" she smiled softly.

When he brought up her career she somewhat blushed before letting out a small laugh "Well I suppose It's going mighty well, I have just finished a stint on Broadway, I have done cameo's in some Television show and some modelling, so all in all I say it's damn good" she declared happily, truth be told she was happy that she was beginning to get a name for herself in show business, it was all she had ever wanted to do since she had seen her first movie, letting out a small sigh she let her thoughts drift away "however I do get awfully lonely there at times, i miss walking down the street and being able to talk to anyone" letting out a small sigh then a chuckle "I never thought I'd say this but, I just get really home sick."

Hearing Harry's name her smile instantly brightened she was so immensely proud of her eldest brother "I'm so happy you asked! He's doing mighty fine, In his letters the place sounds like paradise, I wouldn't mind living over there myself! He talks about you a lot" she smiled fondly at Sebastian "I can't wait to write to him and tell that I've bumped into you."

"So are you still at school?" she enquired "Mama has told me but-well I know It must sound awful of me but sometimes I just completely zone out, that woman can talk the whiskers of a mountain lion."

Bill spent most of the mid morning sitting at the counter, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. A few people came in for this or that, but in reality it was a slow start to a Saturday. Bill had just left the counter a few minutes before to grab a box of phillips screw-drivers, when he heard the jingle of the door's bell. "Hello, anyone here?" could be heard from a younger sounding woman. Billy couldn't tell if he knew them or not, being in the back the voice sounded muffled to him. "Just a sec! Be with ya in a moment!" Billy hollered so whoever it was would know he was on his way.

Just as he was on his way back to the front of the store, another jingle could be heard, and a man's voice could be heard as well. His was much lower, both in volume and tone, than hers. Another moment, and he was back behind the counter. He saw the woman was Bonnie Pheldman, and the man was black Henry. Bill smiled at both of them as he sat the cardboard box on the counter.

"Afternoon folks!" Bill started, "Bonnie, a pleasure to see you. How's Fontaine's treating you?" Bill then turned his attention to Henry, "And Henry, a good day to you as well. I trust ya'll came to buy something or had questions; what can I get for ya'll?"