Vernetta Whittaker
After a year’s absence, Cathy Newcomb is coming home. The idealistic, young, executive is going places, moving up the corporate ladder apparently with no time to be saddled with a husband and children. She is defying all tradition, all social and family expectations to pursue her dream. However, a short visit to the home place causes her to question everything. A trip to the neighborhood convenience store turns into a potentially life-altering experience. Meeting Jim causes the ambitious, self-assured, Cathy to rethink her carefully orchestrated destiny.
Jim Romano is going through the motions. What started out as an emergency mission is now his life. He is a misfit, a transplant, stuck in a small town for the sake of family honor. The always confident Jim is now questioning everything, including his purpose in life. Disillusionment and hopelessness is about to overtake him. Even his faith seemingly does not provide the answer. Just as Jim is about to pack up and hit the road, Cathy Newcomb walks in, like a breath of fresh air into the door and into his life.
Jim and Cathy’s chance meeting evolves into a joint quest to discover what is real in life. Set in a town where historically social issues dictate the way of thinking and the way of life, the two individuals face the task of overcoming challenges and embracing each other’s distinct differences to experience all that they have in common.
Vernetta Whittaker grew up in the Mississippi Delta, known for its rich agricultural roots, its cultural history, and its socially challenging role in the state’s civil rights movement. During her youth, Vernetta spent much time helping her mother in the school library during the summer. Vernetta developed a love for reading, and her passion for writing was ignited.
Vernetta decided to pursue a career in writing. As a high school senior, she settled on Journalism and spent two years as writer and editor on the staff of the college newspaper. Vernetta obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern Mississippi.
For over ten years, Vernetta worked in corporate management. A rare illness forced her to give up her business career and relocate back to her home state. Writing full time as she recovered from the disabling nerve disorder, Vernetta wrote her first novel in six months. Vernetta and her family now live on the MS Gulf Coast.
“Listen to you, the MBA. Reorganization…all they did was to add a deli and serve some good coffee. How much education could that take?” Lynn laughed.
“More than you know.” Cathy said in irritation. Lynn always implied that she looked at life through a businessman’s eyes, fitting situations within a marketing plan. Cathy often sensed that there was disappointment within the family because she was expected to follow in her sisters’ footsteps and study medicine. It would have completed the picture of daughters and in-laws in the same profession. However, business had been her interest ever since the age of five when she set up her lemonade stand in front of her parents’ home. She was so successful that she continued it through her childhood, into her teens. She even added Popsicles and ice-cream.
Throughout her teen years, Cathy sold things and negotiated business ventures. When the church would have the annual fund-raising drive, Cathy always sold the most candy or anything else that was being offered. She won every Girl Scout patch for selling the most cookies. In high school, she ran voting campaigns for her friends who were running for club officers or homecoming queens. Business was in her blood. Anytime it came up for discussion, her interest was peaked. Right now, Jim was a very interesting subject. Cathy wanted to find out any and everything she could about him.
The truth was that Cathy didn’t want to waste her time with some dead-end guy whose only ambition in life was to run a convenience store. A man, whose family had given him a lucky break to come and work for them, but he could never own anything. From her family’s description, Jim was no more than that. As much as Cathy hated to agree with Lynn, but with a little experience, a person could expand a small business.
Cathy still had more questions regarding this Jim Romano. Her family told her all they knew, but Cathy wondered. What did Jim do before leaving Texas? She surmised that it couldn’t be much to bring him from Texas, the land of opportunity to the little Delta town of Gladesville.
After Lynn left, Cathy sat with her parents and watched television. She later went upstairs to enjoy a bath. Among her purchases were fragrant bath soap and lotion. She was anxious to try it. Working a high power job, Lynn learned very early to do things to pamper herself. Aromatherapy candles, oils and lotions were worth their price for the calming effect upon her frayed nerves at the end of a day. At the moment, her mind was full of wonder about this Jim.
As Cathy slid into the warm water, the sweet smell of freesia surrounded her and filled her nostrils. She rested her head on the bath pillow and closed her eyes. Her mind emptied of all thoughts as the water enveloped her body. Minutes begin to seem like hours as the aroma of fresh flowers and the light swishing of the water began to work on her senses.
Cathy’s mind slowly analyzed everything she had learned about Jim. She had encountered all types of men in the corporate world. Many had been attracted to her and vied for her affections, but this Jim attracted her in a way that couldn’t be explained.
