Elizabeth, but everyone just calls me Bess.”
Millie smiled. “I’m Mildred, but everyone just calls me Millie. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to see another young married woman around here. How old are you?”
“I just turned eighteen. You?”
“I’ll be nineteen next week.” Bess grinned, obviously excited at the idea of having another young woman in the area. “You married George Stevens, right?”
“I did. Where in the area do you live?” Millie hoped she lived close enough for afternoon visits during the week when her chores were caught up. It would be so nice to spend some time with another young woman.
“I’m about a mile from you. Easily close enough to come by some afternoon. I’m sure you could use some company.”
Millie nodded emphatically. “I have a lot to do, so if you can talk while I mend or cook, I’d be happy to have you any time.” It was as if the other young woman had read her mind suggesting afternoon visits. She loved the idea and hoped they’d happen soon.
Bess’s face lit up. “I can do better than that. I can help you with whatever chore you’re doing and get it done in half the time, then we can sit and chat for a bit.”
Millie smiled. “I’d love that. Let me know what day works for you, and I’ll make some sugar cookies, and we can have cookies and milk. Or tea if you’d prefer.” Her family would be thrilled if she baked a treat like that as well. She was always amazed at how happily they ate up any baked goods she made.
“Cookies and milk sound wonderful. How about Tuesday? After lunch maybe?”
“That would be wonderful. I’d love to have someone to talk to.” She thought ahead to what she had planned for the week and mentally re-arranged a couple of things. “The two youngest will be napping then. I’ll get the baking done in the morning, and we’ll just sit and have ourselves a nice chat.”
Bess hugged her quickly. “I’d like that. I’ll be there.”
Millie could hardly contain her excitement. The children were piling into the back of the wagon, so she handed Grace to her father and climbed onto the seat, holding her arms out for the child. George climbed in beside her.
“I’m glad you and Bess are getting along. She’s been really lonely since she married John last year. It’ll be nice for her to have a friend.”
“It’ll be nice for me, too. I miss being around other young women.” She smiled as she thought of the opportunity for friendship with the girl.
He smiled over at her. “I hope you two will find time to spend together then.”
“She’s coming over Tuesday afternoon.” She hoped George wouldn’t mind she’d invited the woman over without talking to him first, but it was her house, too.
George nodded. “Sounds nice. You’ve worked hard this week and should take some time to sit down and get to know some of the other ladies.”
Millie felt as if he’d given her the best compliment in the world. “You don’t mind if I sit with her and don’t work while she’s here?”
“Of course not. As long as everyone’s fed, I see no problem with that at all.”
When they got home, Millie fixed a quick lunch and they all sat down to eat. “Will you work this afternoon?” she asked George.
He shook his head. “Not on Sunday.”
“What will you do this afternoon, then?” she asked. She knew that a lot of men took Sundays off, but she had no idea how they kept themselves busy. The men she knew tended to work all the time.
“I thought we could all take a walk. Would you enjoy that?”
She nodded. “What about the little ones, though? They need their nap.”
“I can carry Gracie, and Jacob will be happy to skip his nap for one day, won’t you, Jake?”
Jacob nodded. “I don’t need a nap. I’m not a baby.”
Millie smiled at him. “I know you’re not a baby.” She looked across the table to George. “I’d like that.” She was practically giddy at the idea of a day with no chores other
Millie smiled. “I’m Mildred, but everyone just calls me Millie. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to see another young married woman around here. How old are you?”
“I just turned eighteen. You?”
“I’ll be nineteen next week.” Bess grinned, obviously excited at the idea of having another young woman in the area. “You married George Stevens, right?”
“I did. Where in the area do you live?” Millie hoped she lived close enough for afternoon visits during the week when her chores were caught up. It would be so nice to spend some time with another young woman.
“I’m about a mile from you. Easily close enough to come by some afternoon. I’m sure you could use some company.”
Millie nodded emphatically. “I have a lot to do, so if you can talk while I mend or cook, I’d be happy to have you any time.” It was as if the other young woman had read her mind suggesting afternoon visits. She loved the idea and hoped they’d happen soon.
Bess’s face lit up. “I can do better than that. I can help you with whatever chore you’re doing and get it done in half the time, then we can sit and chat for a bit.”
Millie smiled. “I’d love that. Let me know what day works for you, and I’ll make some sugar cookies, and we can have cookies and milk. Or tea if you’d prefer.” Her family would be thrilled if she baked a treat like that as well. She was always amazed at how happily they ate up any baked goods she made.
“Cookies and milk sound wonderful. How about Tuesday? After lunch maybe?”
“That would be wonderful. I’d love to have someone to talk to.” She thought ahead to what she had planned for the week and mentally re-arranged a couple of things. “The two youngest will be napping then. I’ll get the baking done in the morning, and we’ll just sit and have ourselves a nice chat.”
Bess hugged her quickly. “I’d like that. I’ll be there.”
Millie could hardly contain her excitement. The children were piling into the back of the wagon, so she handed Grace to her father and climbed onto the seat, holding her arms out for the child. George climbed in beside her.
“I’m glad you and Bess are getting along. She’s been really lonely since she married John last year. It’ll be nice for her to have a friend.”
“It’ll be nice for me, too. I miss being around other young women.” She smiled as she thought of the opportunity for friendship with the girl.
He smiled over at her. “I hope you two will find time to spend together then.”
“She’s coming over Tuesday afternoon.” She hoped George wouldn’t mind she’d invited the woman over without talking to him first, but it was her house, too.
George nodded. “Sounds nice. You’ve worked hard this week and should take some time to sit down and get to know some of the other ladies.”
Millie felt as if he’d given her the best compliment in the world. “You don’t mind if I sit with her and don’t work while she’s here?”
“Of course not. As long as everyone’s fed, I see no problem with that at all.”
When they got home, Millie fixed a quick lunch and they all sat down to eat. “Will you work this afternoon?” she asked George.
He shook his head. “Not on Sunday.”
“What will you do this afternoon, then?” she asked. She knew that a lot of men took Sundays off, but she had no idea how they kept themselves busy. The men she knew tended to work all the time.
“I thought we could all take a walk. Would you enjoy that?”
She nodded. “What about the little ones, though? They need their nap.”
“I can carry Gracie, and Jacob will be happy to skip his nap for one day, won’t you, Jake?”
Jacob nodded. “I don’t need a nap. I’m not a baby.”
Millie smiled at him. “I know you’re not a baby.” She looked across the table to George. “I’d like that.” She was practically giddy at the idea of a day with no chores other
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