#3 Splitting the quilt

Sammy got out of his truck and folded his arms on the roof. He starred at the barn hoping Bubba would see him and interrupt his plans to talk to Aunt Sally. The farm was quiet except for the gentle mooing of cows and the tinkling of wind chimes.

Sammy dawdled on the back steps and was just about to knock on the weathered screen door when he heard Aunt Sally calling.

"I'm fixing to put a cake in the oven, come on in here. I'll be there directly."

"Hi Aunt Sally."

"Well hello there Sammy. I just made some wonderful coffee and I was in a swivet to get this cake in the oven. Goodness gracious it's hot enough to roast the devil. Let me open a window and let the breeze freeze. I guess you are here to see Bubba. I'll holler for him. He must have slipped off somewheres."

"No, don't. It's okay. I thought I would talk to you first." Sammy shuffled from one foot to the other and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Aunt Sally smiled and put her hands on her hips. "Shore thing Sammy. Boy, ain't this a first. You and bubba been closer than two peas in a pod every since we moved here. This is probably the first time we ever split a cup. How about trying my new coffee?" She put her arm around him, gave him a pat on the back and pushed him toward the table.

Aunt Sally didn't wait for an answer. She hustled to the cabinet and returned with cups and saucers. "That sweet little Rosey Jones gave it to me last week. She said it was better than licking up honey. It's called Jumpin Java and it's supposed to taste like French toast. How about a cup?"

Sammy smiled as Aunt Sally filled both cups. He turned his head and sighed.

"What are you looking for Sammy? You're studying my window so hard you're likely to loose your eyes. Is there a varmint out there?" Aunt Sally stepped to the window to check it out.

"No Mame. I just...well...Oh, I don't know." Sammy stirred his coffee and took a sip while Aunt Sally sat down and studied his eyes.

Aunt Sally pushed the plate of cookies in front of Sammy. "Go on, have a cookie and tell Aunt Sally everything and be sure to tell it with the bark on."

Sammy took a cookie but kept a tight stare on his coffee. How could he tell the person he admired the most that he was thinking about divorce? It felt like he was not only letting his wife down but Aunt Sally too.

Aunt Sally settled into her chair and waited for Sammy to gain his courage.

"Aunt Sally, I don't know what to do. It's Peg and me. We just aren't happy and I don't think we are going to make it. I don't like what she's become and I'm...I'm not sure I love her anymore. She looks miserable all the time I'm pretty sure she feels the same way."

"Sammy, you talking about splitting the quilt with Peg?"

Sammy ran his fingers through his unruly hair. He put his head in his hands, "I just don't know anymore. Maybe we should...oh, I don't know."

"Well, Sammy, you got that right. You don't know. You better sneeze boy; I think your brains are dusty! Is Peg flirting with the devil? Is she not smoothin' your covers? Are you a-doing the same?

"No! No Aunt Sally, it's nothing like that. I'm just not happy anymore and neither is Peg. She never laughs like she used to. We don't have any fun together and it just seems like more and more work. I don't want to spend the next 40 years miserable."

Aunt Sally sat back in her chair and took a bite of her cookie. Her body relaxed and her smile comforted Sammy. "Sammy honey, you need to go sand your tongue cause it's spitting out a fallacy you'll pay for. You and Peg will be fine in you'll tote fair. I've seen Peg. She's over here about every two days."

Aunt Sally leaned forward and touched his arm. "We're like sisters and I've seen her change too. Nobody was paying me to butt in so I left it alone. But I do know what's wrong, and I guess it's about time I let her fly."

"When you and Peg jumped the broom, you both were happy as a strawberry cooter. Everyone thought you had fell into magnolia cause you both were so delirious in love. Peg was gingham pretty and you were best bull at the fair."

Aunt Sally poured another cup of coffee. "That Peg would go to the bridge for you no matter what you wanted to do. Then for some reason you forgot who she was. You stopped seeing her as your prize and started being a fuddle fusser over things not worth a bauble. Peg stopped laughing and started trying to please you. But you stole the heart right out of her."

Sammy clinched his fist. It's not all my fault.

Aunt Sally sensed his feelings. "I'm not saying it's all your fault, but you got to see the whole hog and that means there will be a foot or two you won't like."

Sammy sat back in his chair. He knew when not to argue with Aunt Sally.

Aunt Sally sipped her coffee and took another bite of cookie. "You stole the heart out of Peg when you picked on her and made demands that she couldn't keep. You chawed her up so much in public she couldn't put her head outside the door without turning red. At first she tried. I watched her try. But pretty soon she couldn't keep looking at you like her prince charming when all she saw was the whip of your tongue."

Aunt Sally took a deep breath and sighed. "Pretty soon I just watched her give up."

Sammy sipped his coffee and twisted in his chair. He was determined to wait and see if Aunt Sally had a solution to this impossible situation.

"I'm sure it does feel like the love is gone. But what I don't understand is why people feel like love is suppose to flourish on it's own. It don't!" With that, Aunt Sally tapped the table with her finger.

"Love has to be protected and nourished. No wonder most wives are in the mulligrubs and given to balks. Men treat their friends better than they pretend to treat their wives. They wouldn't dare tell someone at the office they don't like their new passion but somehow they feel it just fine to pick their poor spouse apart."

Aunt Sally walked over to the window and picked up a small hand fan. She stood in the breeze and continued to fan herself. Her voice softened. The smell of the baking cake swirled around the kitchen and floated out the window.

"I understand men are pressured and feel like life has given them more than they can handle, but that's no reason to pass the whole bale of cotton to the wife. Marriage is a washtub with handles on both sides. Nobody carries the whole weight all the time. Oh, there's times when you gotta take on more. When she's in the misery or can't help, that's the time you carry the entire load knowing that soon as rain she'll be helping again."

Sammy felt a lump rising in his throat. Aunt Sally was right. He was guilty of putting a lot on Peg. Aunt Sally stood behind Sammy and put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's hard for men to understand, but wives aren't some employee that needs to tow the line. Just like that new truck of yours, or your huntin' gun or the roof on your house, Peg has a warranty guide. A list of needs and instructions that must be met or she will break down. That list of needs ain't wrote anywhere ceptin' on her heart."

Aunt Sally sat down and moved closer to Sammy. She softened her voice and spoke in tones that would soothe any bull. "You need to talk to her with open arms. She's not gonna tell you how she feels if she thinks there's a fight waiting to happen. You have to listen to her as if everything in your world depends on what she says....it does you know."

The lump had transferred to tears in his eyes. Sammy managed a wobbly, "I know".

"If she says she don't want friends to listen to you funnin' about her cooking - then don't do it. Cause it's gonna put her in low cotton. Don't make fun of something that is so precious to you and your future."

They both sat still for a few minutes. Sammy fought back tears of regret. He had been guilty of not appreciating Peg and making fun of her faults to everyone they knew.

"I realize that if you are bound and determined to split the quilt, there's nothing nobody can do about it. You got to understand that loving is more than just smoothin' the covers. You got to work on the "real" loving. It's holding her hand or touching her face. You need to tell her she's prettier than a sunset or pick daisies and then cuddle in the parlor. If you treat her like you did when you first jumped the broom, it will take a while cause she's got to trust you again, but she'll be back. And you'll find the happiness and joy that you're missing. Why before you know it, you'll be old partners like me and Bubba."

Aunt Sally slapped her knee and laughed hard. "He's a he-huckelberry man and not much for talking, but he's got a heart as big as a coot gizzard and I love him. We've been happier than a hen with one chick. And you can be too!"

For the first time, Sammy relaxed in his chair and gave a smile of relief. "What if I mess up? I'm not good at this sort of thing."

Aunt Sally shoved another cookie at him as she giggled. "Aunt Sally's here and I'm gonna talk you through it. Excusing God, nobody knows what's coming. But if we work and do our part, God will do His. Like the good book says, Love is His specialty. Now take that cookie and get on outa here. Time for talk is done. You go mend your fence."

Aunt Sally gave Sammy a hug that bugged his eyes.

"Oh my cake!" She grabbed her apron and used it as a potholder. She lifted the warm cake out of the oven.

Sammy put his arms around her waist. "Maybe I should stay a while and help you get rid of that cake."

"Oh no you don't." Aunt sally squealed as she slapped his back and ushered him to the door. "You've got a fence to mend. Get on outta here."

He took the steps two at a time knowing Aunt Sally would keep her promise.