To Be Forgiven

“That’s what I’m here for Jon, we need some supplies.”  Ben looked around the room.

“Did you bring your list?” 

“Um, yea I got it.”  Ben was mildly preoccupied looking around.  Reaching into his back pocket, he withdrew a medium sized paper.  “It’s lengthy.”  He said looking back to the man with the extended hand.

“Oh, going for the seasonal stuff, are you?”

“Yes, mother has promised to keep father and I busy in the fields and she’ll manage the rest, except for the shopping of course.” 

“I’ll call for Martha to help you, we have a new customer and I’d like to introduce myself to her.”

“No, Jon.  That’s okay.  I can manage.  I’ve got a lunch commitment with Samantha and need to fill in some time.”

“You have a lunch commitment with Samantha, do you?”  Jon asked grinning and bumping Ben on the arm.  “You know you are the envy of most of the young singles around here, don’t you?”

Ben replied with a knowing smile.

“And a fair number of the married men too.”  He finished in a quieter tone.

“It is just a friendly lunch, you know, to catch up.”  Ben said looking around the room again.  “Speaking of, who’s the new girl in town?”

“I’m not sure yet, but if you hang around long enough, I’ll let you know.”  Jon extended his hand to Ben.

Shaking his friend’s outstretched hand, he said, “Thanks.” 

As the men separated, Ben began to collect the items on his list.  Jon and Martha, the market owners, had altered the interior of the store for the farmer’s convenience with large bench-like tables for the bulk purchases.  Although most of the farmers staggered their visits, it wasn’t uncommon for two or three families to be shopping at the same time.  It was on those occasions that the tables were in use the most.  Ben placed his hat on the corner table and began his task.  Picking up a large bag of flour and then block of salt, he turned around to lay them on the table. 

“Excuse me.”  The young woman said as she walked past him quickly.

“My pleasure ma’am, do you need any assistance?”  He watched the woman stop.   Her coal black hair was neatly braided and tucked onto the back of her head and the light pink dress that she wore fit her respectably, as he favored.  Despite how handsome Samantha looked in her fashion dresses, Ben always considered them to be a size or more too small.  But something about this dress looked familiar, like he’d seen it before.

“No thank you, sir.”  She said turning her head only slightly to answer him.  “My list is small.” 

‘The List’?  He thought.  The list at Jon & Martha’s was known through out town.  Go to the market and give them your list - they’ll help you collect the items.  This service helped the market to grow beyond the boundaries of Savannah and brought neighboring farmers in for supplies.  This practice made visitors feel celebrated, welcomed, and helped the town develop.  Perhaps she had heard of ‘The List’, or she had been here before.

Ben’s breath stood still in his lungs and the world around him stopped as recognition toyed with his awareness.  Before he knew what was happening, the name of the woman standing before him escaped his lips.  “Veronica?”  He asked softly.   He watched frozen in time for her to face him.  If he were mistaken, he deserved a slap and would probably receive it, but if he were right? 

“How do you know?”  She turned to face him and then paused.   “My name?”  She stared at him as he looked back to her.  “Ben?”  She stated as if not a single day had passed since she had seen him last.

“Veronica Masterson!”  He said followed by a large smile.  Quickly putting his large parcels to the floor, he reached out to her.  “I can’t believe it’s you!”  He approached her to hug her, but she stood still.  Looking puzzled, he stepped back.  “How are you?” His eyes scanned her from head to toe.  “Are you married now?”  The shine in his face sloped a bit. 

“I’m sorry Ben.”  She replied, “I just didn’t expect to see you.”  Her emerald green eyes lost the haze of confusion and shined again as he had remembered from childhood.  “It is good to see you.”