June Sparrow had a full day ahead of her. First, she needed to make deliveries to the local restaurants. After that she was headed to the farmers market to work a booth. They sold lettuce, sweet corn, broccoli, and strawberries. It wasn’t her favorite thing to do. Especially now that she had become the talk of the town. But she didn’t let that stop her. Honestly, she was tired of it all, the rumors, the stares, the lies…She was better than all of that.
“What are you doing here?” she asked Tom.
“You need help, don’t you?”
She put the boxes down on the table. “You don’t have to.”
He unfolded a chair for her and set it up beside him. “I know. Look, I’m bored, and this gives me something to do. Plus, I like spending time with you.”
“You’d be the only one.”
He smiles and pats the chair for her to sit down.
The market was getting more crowded by the minute. Which was good in a way. It took her mind off of things at least for a short time. That was until Lilly showed up. Lilly used to be June’s best friend until Nick stepped into the picture. During that time, she became jealous and resented June. For what, she didn’t know. June never felt as though she had changed for Nick. She had always been tough like her daddy and sweet like her momma.
“Hi Tom,” Lilly said and then swiveled her head toward June and raised her eyebrows. “Surprised to see you here.”
“I don’t know why,” June said. “I’ve been here two times a week for the last year.”
“Figured you wouldn’t feel up to something like this.”
“Well, you figured wrong,” June said. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Sure, you are.” Lilly looked at Tom. “Guess you haven’t told her, have you?”
“Told me what?”
Lilly kept her eyes fixed on Tom.
He shook his head. “You can’t just leave things alone…can you, Lilly?”
“Someone better talk!” June demanded.
“June, I was going to tell you.” Tom lowered his voice. “I was waiting until we were alone.”
June felt her pulse racing. Whatever it was. She couldn’t let them see her crumble. In her mind she was a wall. And anyone who dared to pass would be penalized. Lilly dug into her purse and pulled out a flyer and handed it to June. She plummeted. Everything she thought about her husband was a lie. How could he?
Tom snatched it from her hands and balled it up.
“How long have they been together?” June asked.
Tom squinted. “They’ve been playing together for about seven months at Jim’s bar. Their band is called Dare Dreamers.” His voice was weak and unsure of how much he should reveal. He could see June’s heart breaking before his eyes and that was the last thing he wanted.
“Who is she?” June asked. “The girl in the picture.”
“Her name is Alice,” Lilly answered. “She sings and plays the piano just like you.”
June teared up. “Like me?”
“Definitely not like you, June,” Tom said. “You’re one of a kind.”
“Anyways, I thought you should know.” Lilly gave Tom a dirty look. “I’d want to know.”
June gazed into the distance. Past the people, the noise. Letting it all sink in. “Yeah, okay…thanks.” Her heart sank even further when she thought about Melody. It was one thing to go behind her back but his own child. She thought he was better than that. She jabbed her fingernails into her knees and rocked back and forth. Knowing people would stare but it didn’t matter. This was her life—not theirs.
Tom wrapped his arms around her shoulder and helped her to stand. “Come on…lets get out of here.”
She followed. Her head was spinning with so many terrible thoughts. How could he break his promise? And for what?
Tom drove her to Harpeth River. They walked a short trail and rested on a boulder next to the water. The murky river moved slow, and you could see the heat rising. Tree limbs dangled from above. Tom kept a gaze upon June. Watching to make sure she wasn’t completely shattered. But she was. Nothing Tom could say would make anything better. He knew that. But June was his friend and that meant he couldn’t let her deal with this alone. Goodness knows she had a lot to deal with already. He was certain she didn’t deserve any of it.
They sat in silence for a long time. He waited for her to speak first.
Her tears fell to the ground. “He never…”
Tom listened as her lips trembled. Watching her search for the right words to say. Knowing that none of it made any sense.
“He never…told me…that he didn’t love me anymore.” She squinched her face in pain. “It’s like one day he woke up and said to himself, I’m done.” She put her hand in a fist and hit the rock beneath her.
“Don’t do that,” he said and took her hand in his.
“It hurts so much, Tom.”
“I know it does.”
“What the hell am I going to do?” She shifted her eyes back and forth, searching. “I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to that stupid gig tomorrow night and I’m going to look him in the face and demand an explanation. At the very least, he can give me that! Hand me that pamphlet.”
“I’m going with you,” he said.
She opened the paper and looked at the picture once more. “Suit yourself.”
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