"Hey mom," Eighteen year old James asked his mother coming in from school, "what's for dinner?"

"One of your favorites" She smiled cutting potatoes.

"Oh come on ma you know the boy eats anything." Jacob, one of his older brothers, joked.

"Knock it off boys, your mother has better things to tend to then your bickering so stop."

"Hey Pop, do you think I could work a bit of overtime at the store? I'm going to ask Jenny out and I need cash."

"Sure, I'll give you a couple extra hours." Matthew beamed at his favorite son, taking a glance at James he sighed. "Isn't it about time you get a job boy?"

"Dad, the word boy in that context, is so done with."

"Thanks dad, now you got him started on his 'I'm going to collage so I'm smarter then you,' aww why don't you give it a rest already."

"I'm not trying to say I'm smarter then anyone it's just..."

"What do you mean then Joe Collage, please by all means enlighten us?" Jacob really knew how to push James buttons when he wanted to and this was one of those times. "What cat got your tongue eh?"

"No."

"Well?" Jacob pushed and James thought for a minute and laughed in his face casing Jacob to be confused. "What's so funny?"

"It's funny how you always find a way to back me into the corner because I decided to do something more for myself then take on the store." James stated. "I can't help it if I want bigger and better things then you did. I'm sorry but I can't settle for this small town life...I need more."

"That's well said James," Conner, his other brother, stated from his place in the door.

"You agree with him?" Jacob asked astonished.

"Well, hell son there's nothing wrong with him wanting that, at least he'll get out and make something good of himself and be useful." James didn't know if he should take that as an insult or complement but he left well enough alone. It was a sign of a good day when his father took his side on issues, which was once in a blue moon.

"Can one of you run out to the store for me?" Martha asked with no one in mind. "I was planing on backing an apple pie but all the ones we had where rotten."

"Well I can't go." Jacob stated fast.

"I second that." Conner smirked.

"And why not?"

"You want us to risk running into a colored?" Matthew laughed at his older boys.

"Oh now stop it." Martha hissed. "Ain't nothing wrong with them just one of you go." Matthew looked at his wife angered by her statement.

"What do you mean there's nothing wrong with them? Their dirty Martha, dirty and hear? They don't deserve to breathe the same air as us!" Shaking her head she decided to keep quite. Nothing good was to come out of him on this subject.

"I'll go for you mom." James placed his book bag on the table hanging his father the paper. "Is that all you need?" Martha thought for a minute.

"Yeah, that should be all." She handed him a ten and sent him on his way. Such it was such a nice afternoon he decided to walk to Wynn Dixie..."All your shopping needs." He laughed, reciting the commercials. Upon going into the store he saw many young ladies looking his way and being the gentleman he'd brought himself up to be he smiled with a little wave and continued to the produce section.

".....so that proves my point even more...." As he got closer he heard two voices and identified them as females, which made him all the happier since he forgot he didn't know a thing about apple picking. "He's a good match for you, and you know it." Just as one voice said that he rounded the corner.

"I'm not interested in a guy who's in love with himself."

"He's not in love with himself...just well..." Sighing she gave up, " it's not his fault Lila!"

"Nesse please, the man works out twice a day..."

"Wants to keep in shape...."

"Tells himself how gorgeous he is...."

"Self esteem..."

"No, Nesse more like conceded to me." Lila stated placing another orange in her basket.

"He's not conceited..."

"Your right..." Lila agreed with her and Nesse's face lite up."....he's not conceded...he's deranged." Nesse sighed throwing her hands in the air.

"I give up."

"Thank you." Lila laughed at her friend turning her head to see they had an audience. Lila smiled kindly at the young man that looked around her age as a fact. "Don't mind me friend here, she was dropped on her head as a baby." James returned her smile and laughed a bit to himself.

"Maybe if you where to you'd think straight." Nesse muttered. "I'll go get the milk before we forget the real reason we came here." Smiling she went on to the dairy section. After a few more minutes of pretending he knew what he was doing he decided to ask for help, looking up he made eye contact with Lila again and that's when it hit him.

"You have really beautiful eyes...." He scolded himself for saying it out loud and his red face to show for it. Lila smiled and said a quite thank you. He smiled and watched her carmel hands examine each orange she placed in her cart. Picking up his third apple two fell to the floor and he cursed himself in a quite manner making laughter escape Lila. Without looking he made a mental note that the sound was more then he could handle...it held her grace and beauty.

"I take it you don't do the shopping in your family?" She asked, shocking him by speaking a whole sentence.

"No and by the judge of things I'd say that wouldn't be a very wise ideal." They both laughed. "To tell you the truth I don't know why I volunteered myself for this task, I know nothing on apples, grocery in general..." He flashed a smile and was rewarded once again with her laugh.

"Here," She walked over to him, "let me help." He smiled and watched her pick a few red apples. "How many did you need?" He thought for a minute.

"Just enough for my mother to bake a pie."

"Ah, I see." She stated and added two more apples to make five. "I don't know if she'll need that many but it's better safe then sorry." Lila looked into his eyes and found calmness she never thought she'd find from anyone. Under his gaze she became trapped with a feeling she never thought she could have but dismissed it. No need to start having feelings for someone you don't know and just met in the last hour.

"Ready to go Lila?" Nesse asked from behind her making her jump a little.

"Yeah," Lila broke contact with those intense blue eyes. Smiling once again she gave him a good-bye and he gave her just the same. After she was gone he stood there for a moment and reflected on the last scene. If any of his brothers had came they would have rather chew off there right arm then ask a colored to help them. James sighed pushing them out of his head and thought about the girl who'd left him in a haze with just to sound of her voice.

"Lila...her name is Lila."