"What are you thinking about?" Billy Lee asked.

"The old swinging bridge that used to be across Pennington Creek when I was a little girl," I answered honestly.

He chuckled. "I take you on the grand tour of Jefferson, and you think about the swinging bridge back home?"

"I'm sorry. It's so beautiful, and the evening is enchanted. I was listening to the crickets and the frogs and thought of the creek at home. I didn't mean ..."

He patted my hand, leaving his on top of mine instead of moving it away. "You don't have to apologize. I was thinking of getting a carriage so we could do this in Tishomingo, while we listen to the crickets and frogs. Shall we buy one?"

"Great minds must think alike." I smiled up at him. I'd never realized that he was that much taller than me.

"So you like my secret little town?"

"I love it. I can't wait until tomorrow to look in all the antiques stores we're passing."

"Has anyone ever told you how much fun you are? Honest, funny, hardworking. Gert was right. You're the best thing that came out of that whole family," he said.

My eyes popped open so wide, every crow's-foot must have stretched out tight. "Gert said that?"

"Yes, she did, and I believe it. Give you a problem, and you learn how to operate a bulldozer so you can plow it under."

"You sure you've got the right Trudy?" I asked.

"I'm more than sure. You've always been that way. It's what I admired from the time we were little kids. My first memory of you is when we were four. Your momma brought you to dinner at Gert's place. And Lonnie mesmerized us by eating peas with a knife"

"I do remember sitting on the back porch and watching him eat. Everyone else had left the table, and he was still eating. But I don't remember who all was on the porch with me"

"Marty, Betsy, and me," he said. "You said you could make peas stay on the knife without falling off. All you had to do was paste them on there. Marty and Betsy made fun of you and called you silly. I thought you were pretty smart."

"You did?" I was amazed that anyone had ever put the word smart into the same sentence with my name.

Billy Lee remembered a lot more about me than I did him. Suddenly it was important that I know more.

"So tell me about you," I said.

"Born in the house I live in now. Lived there my whole life. Went to school all thirteen years with you, then to Murray State and lived at home. Finished my degree at Southeastern in Durant and commuted. Got my Master's the same way. Didn't get the doctorate, though."

Six sentences told Billy Lee's whole life. "Is that all?"

"All I'm willin' to talk about tonight," he said seriously. "It's not my day. It's yours. Happy Birthday."

I was shocked. "How did you know it was my birthday?"

"Must have been something Gert mentioned once."

Billy Lee's face turned crimson enough to glow under the streetlights. I'd never seen a man do that before, and I couldn't stop looking at him.

"Did she also mention that I'm obsessed with Gone With the Wind? Billy Lee, did you do all this for me because you knew that?"

"Guilty as charged," he said.

"It's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for my birthday. Thank you"

"You are very welcome," he whispered.

The next several moments were awkward. He was more sensitive and thoughtful than any man I'd ever known, and I was tongue-tied. I knew I should say something either profound or funny, but nothing passed from brain to mouth.

Luckily the carriage ride ended, and Billy Lee walked beside me to the door and into the house. He followed me up to the second floor and motioned toward a wicker settee. "Have a seat, and let's talk."

I sat down on one end and patted the spot beside me. "Okay, what are we going to talk about? Not remodeling tonight. Right now I don't even want to think about high gloss or satin varnish."

"We can talk about anything you want. I'd like to talk about you, since it's your birthday," he said.

I felt like he'd put a crown on my head.

"But first I want to ... well ... just wait here" He stumbled over the words. Then he jumped up and disappeared around the corner.

I leaned forward and caught a few glimpses of the dining room where we were to have breakfast the next morning. I felt Billy Lee's presence when he sat back down, and I turned to look at him. He was holding out a beautifully wrapped present. "For you on your fortieth birthday. May all the ones ahead be better than those that have already passed"

My first reaction was to let the tears welling up go ahead and flow down my cheeks. But he thought I learned to drive bulldozers just to plow my problems under. I wasn't about to let that image die and be replaced by a whimpering fortyyear-old sentimentalist.

The present was too pretty to unwrap. It was done up in slick red paper that matched the walls in Miss Scarlett's bedroom, and it was tied with a big satin bow. I held it on my lap and stared at it.

"You going to open it or just hold it?" Billy Lee asked.

"It's too pretty to destroy."

"But you'll never know what's inside if you don't open it. Take it off gently if you don't want to tear the paper."

"You won't laugh at me?"

He pulled out his pocket knife and said, "I promise. Use this to slit the tape so you won't ruin the paper."

I carefully untied the bow and laid the ribbon beside me. The knife was sharp and cut right through the tape. When I folded the paper back, I was holding an antique copy of Gone With the Wind.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"I love it," I whispered, and tears flowed down my cheeks. I wiped at them with one hand and held the book with the other. Forget the bulldozer. I was holding a vintage copy of my favorite book. I could cry if I wanted to.

"Open it up," he said.

With reverence I looked inside to find I was holding a firstedition volume of the book, and right there before my eyes was Margaret Mitchell's signature. The book was in perfect condition with a flawless dust jacket. Published in 1936. All one thousand plus pages in my hands, and it was mine.

To talk aloud in the presence of such a treasure would be next door to sinning, so I whispered, "This is too precious for human hands to touch. I'm going to have one of those special tables built for it in the living room. You know, one of those with glass on all four sides and the top, so I can open the book up to this page and let people look and yet be selfish enough that no one can touch it but me."

"Well, happy birthday one more time. We've got a big day tomorrow. There's a Gone With the Wind museum here in the house. Then we'll tour the haunted hotel and do some shopping," he said.

"You can't leave me now. Sit here a while longer while I take this all in. It's not midnight, so my birthday isn't over," I said.

"If you want me to, I'll sit here until dawn," he said.

"Be careful what you agree to do. Billy Lee, I'm in awe that you did all this for me. There aren't enough words in the world to tell you what it means to me. When is your birthday, so I can give you a wonderful surprise?" I leaned across the settee and kissed him on the cheek.