The Daddy List. Dewanna Pace

left her chair, grabbed his hand and pulled him downward. “Can you get on your knees?”

      She took to hers at the side of his bed. He joined her, even though it was mighty painful.

      “Put your hands like this.” She pressed her palms together in front of her.

      Bass did the same. Since his prayers went unanswered, he hadn’t been on his knees in a long time and suspected the discomfort was from more than being shot.

      “Now bow your head, brother.” Ollie bumped her shoulder against him and winked. “That’s what they say in my church.”

      Bass bowed his head and closed his eyes, anticipating what was about to be said. Another doozy of enlightenment, he supposed.

      “Old Lord, me and Bass have come callin’ on Ya. We need Your help real bad.”

      Bass stole a glance at her.

      “And forgive him, Old Lord, for peepin’. Mama says we gotta conscience-trate when we pray. He might not know no better, just like me sometimes.”

      His eye slammed shut.

      “Ya see, Old Lord, my mama’s got it in her head that Bass needs the preacher to come callin’ and to say some kind of healin’ words over him. ’Fact, I heard her tell Myrtie what she’s gonna do since he can’t go to town with us is bring church back to him.”

      Her voice got squeakier. “Gonna bring the preacher and some folks so he can get to know ’em! This is just too much for me, Old Sir.”

      She sighed heavily. “I barely do good in one service, much less two, in the same day. Ya said somethin’ like if two of us ask, then that’ll get it done. So we’re askin’ and there’s two of us here. I counted. I knew Mama’d be mad if she heard me askin’ Ya, but I figured my friend—” she opened her eyes to stare pleadingly at Bass “—wouldn’t mind. He ain’t ready to meet some of these folks around here, and You and me both know it. And I ain’t ready for too much more preachin’, if Ya don’t mind. I’ll prob’ly forget some of it.”

      Knowing he wasn’t prepared to meet others who might disapprove of his reasons for being in Daisy’s home, in any part of her life, and now in a truce with her, Bass whispered, “Amen to that.”

      * * *

      Tired from church services, the race and the level of interest stirred up by the leather wares she sold and took orders for after the race, Daisy almost wished she hadn’t asked Preacher Thistlewaite and the others to visit Bass this evening.

      She needed to get started on making the shoes and boots as soon as possible. Most wanted them when they came back to see the final race at the end of the month and that would take a good deal of time to meet the deadline. What had she been thinking?

      She could have just waited until Bass was strong enough to attend regular services himself, but she owed him this kindness until he felt better. Christian duty required her to treat him as she would have wanted to be treated under the same circumstances.

      Daisy steered the team toward home, glad that it took only about fifteen minutes from town. Fortunately, Teague had rounded up Ollie out of the crowd and got her, Myrtle and Petula settled on the wagon before heading off to make sure the horde of visitors dispersed in a friendly manner.

      Seemed he’d gotten news the sheriff and the posse were on their way back empty-handed, so he was going to stick around until they returned and keep things on an even keel.

      Petula finally broke her silence that had lingered on the ride home. “Sorry you didn’t win the race.”

      Daisy shrugged. “Second place allows me to be in the next round, so that’s all right with me. As long as I place in the top five each time, I’ve got a real chance to win the big purse in the last one. That’s when all the finalists compete against each other.”

      “Bass will be sorry he missed this. He’ll want to see you run when he’s better and can watch.” Petula fanned herself and offered a compliment. “He’s always admired women who aren’t afraid of showing all they’re capable of. If he ever marries he’ll choose someone like that. Not that I think he will. He’s pretty much set on not taking a bride. Me? I plan to marry a man who’ll make me respect him and want nothing else but to be his wife. No man I can wrap up in knots, that’s for sure.”