"You never let us watch that show or I Love Lucy because they came on Sunday nights while we were at church." Rick chuckled. "Remember? We wanted to watch Elvis on The Ed Sullivan Show, and you said, 'Absolutely not. That boy is bound for h.e.l.l as sure as the world.'"

"It didn't hurt you to miss a little TV, especially to watch all that trash. Have you found a church yet?" Mary Beth quickly changed the subject. "There must be lots of good Baptist Churches in a city as big as Raleigh."

"No ma'am, I've been traveling a lot, but I'll find one soon."

Bam! The Kitchen windows rattled when Wil slammed the front door.

"I declare, you'd think that boy was raised in a barn. Wil, you're going to wake up your daddy."

"Sorry Momma," Wil said as he came into the house. "How's he doing?"

"He's just waiting on the good Lord to take him home. The doctors can't do any more for him."

Rick got up to shake hands with Wil but soon turned to address his mother again. "I'm glad you're prepared for that time, Momma. Wil and I want to make sure everything is taken care of. Daddy never talked to us about those kinds of things."

"Your father has burial insurance with the railroad and we bought a plot out at Memorial Gardens years ago. There's room for you two boys, too. Everything is already planned. Reverend Baker will preach the funeral service."

"When the time comes, Ginger and I want you to come live with us in Raleigh," Wil said, taking a seat at the kitchen table. "We've already fixed up a room for you."

"That's sweet of you, but I'll be just fine. I wouldn't want to impose on you newlyweds. Besides, I have my friends and church here. Now why don't you boys visit while I fix you something to eat?"

"I've got a better idea," Wil said. "Why don't I go get Gladys to sit with Daddy while we all go out to eat? When's the last time you had some good Winks barbeque?"

"That sounds tempting, but I had better stay here. You boys go on and enjoy yourselves."

"Okay," Wil said with a smile, "but we'll bring you a tray with some hushpuppies."

Chapter 26.

"Any Student who wanted a college education was prepared by one of the best curriculums in the state."

Old hangout Winks was Bankstowne's favorite barbeque restaurant-also, it was the only barbeque restaurant, always crowded after football games and Sat.u.r.day date nights. Their foot-long hotdogs were beyond compare: a wiener slathered with mustard, buried under a layer of hot chili with Cole slaw and topped off with diced onions. Their hamburgers were good too, but not in the same league with the foot-longs and barbeque with hushpuppies.

"This place hasn't changed much except for the large dining room they added," Rick said after he and Wil entered. "I wish we could move this place to Raleigh. Their Eastern North Carolina barbeque can't compare with Winks."

Tank had even brought his campaign entourage and broadcast one of his better speeches from the new dining room. The effect of hundreds of campaign barbeques and fried chicken suppers had begun to show on his waist line, Rick thought.

Rick spotted Max Trexler, the gas station owner that had kept their old '47 Chevy running.

And then Bill Andrews walked up and shook hands with both Wil and Rick. Some people thought Bill was r.e.t.a.r.ded because he was slow to learn. But as a grown man, he knew the schedule of every train that came through Bankstowne and could carry on a conversation with anyone he met, and did-it had just taken the right opportunities, the right environment to give him his edge. Bill was probably in better physical shape than most athletes because he walked everywhere he went and didn't smoke or drink. And he never missed an opportunity to walk down the aisle to be saved on Sunday nights at the First Baptist Church.

"It's great to come home and see how little some things have changed and visit with the regulars that still hang out here," Wil said after they were seated. "But that isn't why we're here, is it?"

"No, I wanted to see Daddy before he died, but it was so frustrating. We couldn't carry on a conversation. He's in bad shape. I know it sounds harsh, but it would be better for Momma if he would pa.s.s on sooner than later. But I worry about her living here by herself. Were you serious about taking her to live with you and Ginger?"

A trim blond waitress with dark roots showing sauntered up to their table. "Hey, boys, what can I get you today?" She looked familiar, but neither of them could place her face.

"I'll have a small tray and a foot long all the way. No hushpuppies. I'm trying to cut down," Rick joked.

"Bring me a large tray, hushpuppies, and a Cheerwind. It sure sounds like you're cutting down, big brother," Wil said. "Bring him a Cheerwine, too. They don't have them in Raleigh. Oh, we need a tray and hushpuppies to go but hold the order until we're ready to leave."

"I'll put your order in and be right back with your drinks." She flashed a smile and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

They returned to their conversation after their waitress left.

"Sure, we talked about it. Ginger is okay with it," Wil said. "Momma sure as h.e.l.l can't live with you in that dump you call an apartment. When are you going to get your life together and find some nice girl to settle down with?"

"I'm too busy," Rick shot back. "In case you didn't notice, I had at least two stories a day following Tank's campaign during the primary and general election."

"The election is over and you're going to regret being married to your job one of these days. That photographer that traveled with you was pretty cute. You two got anything going?"

"Finally," Rick said, ignoring Wil's question, "here comes our food. I'm starved."

"Here you go, boys, Cheerwine all around. A tray and puppies for you and a tray with no puppies and a footlong for diet boy," she said, sliding plates in front of the brothers. The young waitress leaned down, exposing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s straining at the b.u.t.tons of her low-cut uniform. "Anything else I can get for you boys?"

The view wasn't lost on Rick. "Aren't you Janet Pierce's little sister? We were in the same cla.s.s."

"Yeah, I'm Sarah. And you two are the Barnes boys, right? Y'all really had some cla.s.s. Janet got herself pregnant before she graduated. But she's married now and has three kids. How about you, Rick, any more kids?"

Rick's face turned ashen white. "I don't have any kids. I'm not even married," he said and shoveled a fork full of pulled pork barbeque into his mouth.

"I thought sure you and Ann Nestlebaum would be married and have more kids by now. Everybody said it was you that got her pregnant."

Rick choked on Sarah's words and sprayed food across the table onto Wil's shirt. He coughed and drank half of his Cheerwine before he finally got his composure back.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Janet and some of her friends said that's why she moved away. I'm sorry I said anything. Let me clean that up for you." Sarah wiped Wil's shirt with a damp cloth Rick continued his tirade.

"For the record, Sarah,, I didn't get her pregnant and she moved away because her father got a job somewhere out of town. Let's go, Wil. I'm not hungry anymore. Sarah, could you wrap up our food? We're leaving."

"Don't leave! I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. Do you want yours and Wil's in a takeout?"

"Just get us the tray and hushpuppies to go. And don't believe everything you hear, okay? Tell Janet I said h.e.l.lo."

Rick threw some bills on the table and stormed out of the restaurant with Wil close behind after he apologized to Sarah for the mess Rick made.

Chapter 27.

"And the workers continued to put their best efforts forward to keep the old engines running so Coastline would be the best railroad in the country."

Aftershock Out in the parking lot, the two brothers walked to Rick's car without saying a word. Rick seethed anger and confusion. He started his Chevy Corvair, gunned the engine, and kicked up gravel as he peeled out of the parking lot. He pulled over after a few blocks next to a giant oak tree and turned the engine off.

"Did you hear about that at school?" Rick yelled. "That I'd gotten Ann pregnant?"

"Hey, calm down. They were just rumors, stuff Tank spread all the time. I knew better and didn't think anybody really believed it. But when her family moved away, well, some people thought there might have been something to it."

"I can't believe you didn't ask me if it was true or not," Rick said, his voice still showing agitation.

"Look, you were so torn up over her moving that I didn't want to add to your misery. I'm sorry. I thought you would get over her and get on with your life."

They sat quiet in the car for a minute before Wil spoke again.

"By the way, you didn't answer my question back there."

"What question?" Rick snapped.

"I asked if you and your photographer were dating. She seems nice and you both have a common interest in your work."

Rick recoiled. "Are you kidding? She's a New Yorker and never lets you forget it. She really gets on my nerves sometimes. Other times she can be fun to be with. I just don't think I could take a steady diet of her Yankee charm," Rick said sarcastically. "And stop changing the subject."

"If you're going to be so busy, why not date someone from your office?"

"Not you too. Dan gave me the same spiel before I left. There's an unwritten rule about staff members dating. When I mentioned it, Dan just shrugged and winked.

"Wil, it's things like this that keep me from moving on. I would love to see Ann again and just see how she's doing. I heard she might be living in Winston-Salem.

"I don't know that I'll ever get over the hurt of that last night. I could tell there was something she wasn't telling me. I really believed she loved me and wanted us to get married and have kids. She must have said that a dozen times. The look in her eyes when she said it made me believe her."

"I'm sorry about how things worked out with you and Ann, I really am, but you have to put that behind you and start working on a new life. If you don't, you'll develop ulcers and, G.o.d forbid, start smoking."

"Okay, okay, I get the message." Rick started the engine again and slowly drove back to the house. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his dying father again.

"I'll help out with Momma anyway I can," Rick said. "We, or I should say I, need to stay in better contact with her. She's strong-headed and won't want to give up her independence after Daddy is gone. Maybe we can put her in that new a.s.sisted living place on Main Street. That way someone would be there to look after her, and she could still have her friends and go to church, too."

"They're pretty expensive. But you're right. She may agree to that rather than move to Raleigh. We can check into it before mentioning it to her. Let's come over and take her out there to look it over and see what she says."

"We need to do it soon, though," Rick said. "I don't think Daddy's going to last much longer." Rick got quiet again then turned to Wil. "There was something else I wanted to talk to you about. I'm still going to be checking Tank's every move. One of these days he's going to step on his tongue. And when he does, I'll be there to record it. Can you keep me posted on anything you hear over at SBI?"

"I know how you feel about Tank, but you need to let it go. It's too personal. That's old high school stuff. You're a good reporter and can really make a difference. Don't let hatred of Tank ruin your career and your life."

Rick shot Wil a momentary look of disappointment before returning his attention to the road ahead.

Wil sighed. "I'll keep my ears open, but he got swept into office in a fair election. You're my brother and I love you, but you've got to get a grip, okay? And don't forget, you owe me a cleaning bill for this shirt."

The Corvair rolled to a stop in front of the house. The brothers got out and walked up the creaky front porch stairs and let the front door close slowly. They both knew they were seeing their father alive for the last time.

Inside, Mary Beth wiped Roy's forehead with a cool wash cloth and then dried the drool from the corners of his mouth again as they watched. Without a word, they hugged their mother and leaned over to kiss their father gently on the forehead.

Chapter 28.

"Thaddeus Banks' railroad was the lifeblood not only of Bankstowne, but of North Carolina. His railroad provided thousands of jobs from Washington, DC to New Orleans."

Summer 1965 Ann felt tired and sick at her stomach at work. Jerry came in for a big gla.s.s of iced tea and to cool down in the air conditioned office. He was finished for the day after cutting the freight car loose from the mainline train and parking it at the loading dock.

"Are you okay, Ann? You look pale. Why don't you take the rest of today off?"

"No, I'll be okay. I still have two weeks to go. I just need my iced tea and a kiss from my husband."

Jerry leaned over to oblige Ann's request. When his lips touched hers, she screamed and grabbed her stomach. Jerry tried to help her stand up, but the pain was too excruciating.

"What's wrong?"

"My water just broke."

Jerry rolled her chair away from her desk and picked her up. The back of her dress was covered with blood and water.

"Marie, call Forsyth emergency room and tell them we're coming. Ann, put your arms around my neck." Jerry hurried to his truck, opened the door, and then slid her onto the seat.

"I'm going to leave you in the truck for a second while I go back in and call your mother to let her know what's going on and where we'll be."

"Hurry," Ann said, grasping his arm. "I think I can make it, but hurry. I don't want to deliver this baby in a pickup truck."

An ER nurse was waiting with a wheelchair when Jerry pulled into the Emergency entrance. The nurse whisked Ann into an emergency cubicle to check her vital signs.

Jerry was still holding Ann's hand and wiping the sweat off her brow. "Dr. Smith is just minutes away. You're doing just fine, honey.

"Mr. Blackmon, I'm afraid you're going to have to sit in the waiting room down at the end of the hall," another nurse said as she escorted Jerry out of the cubicle and drew the curtain shut. "Your wife is in good hands. You'll be notified as soon as the baby comes."

Lunch time arrived, but not the baby. Jerry was concerned. What was taking so long? Every time the nurse came out to let Jerry know everything was okay, his heart came up to his throat. She was fully dilated and it would just be a matter of time, the nurse told him.

Jerry found a pay phone back at the ER admitting area and called Alice. "How's Ricky?"

"He's worried about his mother, but he's okay. Don't worry, everything is under control here. Just let me know as soon as the baby comes. Ricky is excited about having a little baby brother or sister."

"Thanks, Alice, I will. Give Ricky a big hug for me." Relieved, Jerry hung up the phone to get back to the waiting room.

On his tenth trip to the vending machines, Jerry looked at his watch; it was almost two o'clock. The machine's coffee caused a rumble in his stomach, but going to the coffee machine was the only way break his worry cycle.

Dr. Smith came through the double doors from the delivery room just as Jerry returned to the waiting room.