The Douglas Farm

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, but mostly because Oliver spent the rest of it in the corn fields slaving away endlessly with Eb. He was determined to get his entire three hundred acre farm perfectly cultivated before it came time to harvest the crops, and he vowed to work all night if he had to. Eb, however, stuck to his promise and snuck away to cook Lisa her special dinner.

About two hours after that, just as Eb had finished setting the table, Lisa appeared in the doorway, dressed in one of her most elegant gowns. Eb smiled and walked up to her side.

"Hi mom! Boy, do you look pretty," he said as he offered her his arm. Lisa smiled warmly and took it.

"Thank you Eb. And don't you look just as handsome in your best suit," she added. Eb beamed and pulled out her chair for her. He then walked over to the stove and grabbed an already prepared plate of food. He placed it gently in front of Lisa.

"Mademoiselle, your dinner is served," he said in a thick French accent, causing Lisa to giggle.

"Vhy thank you Eb, it looks delicious," she complimented him as he grabbed his own plate and took a seat across the table. She then proceeded to pick up a fork and taste the spaghetti he had prepared.

"Mmmm," she said as she savored it. "Eb, this is delicious! Vhere did you ever learn to cook?"

"I taught myself over the years. It's real simple if you just follow the recipe," he replied.

"Oh, you have a special recipe?"

"Yeah, one that has been handed down in my family from generation to generation. You want to know what it is?"

"Sure," Lisa replied. Eb looked around and leaned in dramatically.

"Can you be trusted with the secret?"

"Of course!"

"Okay," Eb said warily. He proceeded to lean in more and whispered dramatically, "Spaghetti noodles and tomato sauce."

Lisa rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Oh Eb," she said as she laughed.

The rest of the dinner went on just as pleasantly. The two friends talked and laughed and reminisced about better times. Lisa couldn't remember how long it had been since she had had such a good time, or ate so well. She was beginning to feel like her old self again.

But over dessert, as a comfortable silence fell between them, she realized that this wasn't real. Sure, she was having a good time, but as soon as dinner was over and Eb went back to work, things would go back to the way they were, miserable. Lisa was beginning to feel the depression she had gotten so accustomed to return once again.

Eb noticed the sad look in her eyes as she poked at her dessert and began to worry again.

"You alright, mom," he asked, his voice full of concern. Lisa looked up and he could see tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Fine as I'll ever be," she replied sadly.

"What's the matter," Eb asked. Lisa put down her fork and sighed.

"Oh Eb, everything's the matter," she exclaimed. "I don't know how much more I can take! I'm tired of living like this! I'm tired of making excuses and being alone all the time! I need the old Olivah back; I can't live vith the new vone much longer."

"Please don't give up on him just yet," Eb replied.

"I'm afraid I might have already. This afternoon, I couldn't even make an excuse for his behavior toward the Monroe Brothers. I couldn't think of anything to say. It frightened me," she said as a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"I know you're tired Mrs. Douglas, I am too," Eb said sympathetically. "But you can't give up on him just yet. You can still bring the old him back."

"But how?"

Eb stayed quiet to think for a minute. Suddenly it occurred to him.

"A surprise party," he exclaimed.

"A vot," Lisa asked confused.

"We can throw him a surprise party and invite all his friends from Hooterville to come talk to him! They can remind him of better times where he wasn't such a grouch and maybe they can get him to return back to his old less grouchy self!"

"Oh! Sort of like an interception," she replied excitedly. Eb furrowed his brows in confusion.

"A what?"

"You know, vone of those things vhere a bunch of people get together and tell another person that they are doing something vrong," she explained. After a few seconds of pondering, Eb finally understood.

"Oh! You mean an intervention! Yeah, sort of like that," he replied.

"That's a vonderful idea, Eb! Maybe vith all of us there, ve can get him to change his ways," she replied.

Eb nodded and smiled in reply, happy to see that his idea brought some hope back into her life. Suddenly, he noticed how dark out it was. He glanced at his watch and realized that he had been gone nearly four hours.

"Holy smoke! I better get back from the fields before Mr. Douglas discovers I've been gone and comes looking for me!" He began to head out the back door, but Lisa stopped him.

"Oh Eb," she called out before he could walk out. She then walked over to his side, stood on her tippytoes and kissed him on the cheek.

"How can I ever thank you for the dinner," she asked.

"Just promise me you won't let your husband upset you too much," he replied.

"Vot do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that I noticed you've been looking a little poor lately and I was beginning to worry about you. Please promise me that you'll take care of yourself, no matter what happens with your husband."

Lisa smiled once more. "I promise, and it's very sweet of you to care for me so, Eb. I greatly appreciate it."

"Anytime, mom," he said with a grin. He then ran out the back door and out to the fields, leaving Lisa alone once more. But this time, she didn't feel as lonely as she usually did when both men were working out in the corn fields. This time she had the good feeling of companionship and hope to keep her company.