up to her.
“Are you going to live here?”
“Yes, I am. I’m going to be helping your grandmother. And hopefully finding some time to play with you.” Hetty handed the child a second piece of bread and watched her giggle.
“Are you going to be my mommy?” Lottie asked.
The entire table went quiet and all eyes turned to Hetty. She knew she needed to answer appropriately for such a young child, but she didn’t want to overstep her bounds. “I am going to be your friend. Is that okay?”
The child beamed, looked at her daddy and shouted, “She’s my friend!”
The tension at the table disappeared immediately and conversation returned to the friendly banter that Hetty was quickly learning was common in this family, this wonderfully warm family.
Isaac and Elias walked toward the barn in silence. The first meal shared with Hetty had Isaac’s nerves on edge. Why did I whisper in her ear? he thought. I shouldn’t care at all if she sits at our table. But when he saw her standing back as if her role meant so little that she was unworthy of sharing a meal with them, something snapped. He couldn’t stand the thought of her thinking so little of herself. He could tell family was foreign to her. Maybe she’s never been part of a family? Maybe she doesn’t understand what that means. He was yanked from his thoughts when Elias stopped in his tracks.
“She’s quite a nervous little thing,” Elias said.
Isaac grunted. He already felt on edge and he didn’t want to speak of Hetty and cause any more strange feelings within.
“I was glad to see her jump right in to help Mother. I think she’ll fit in nicely.”
“I suppose so.” was Isaac’s only reply.
“I enjoyed getting to know her on the ride out this morning. She asked about Rachel.”
Isaac’s eyes widened. Why would Elias say anything about Rachel to this stranger? The woman was dead and her memory needed to stay that way, too.
“ She got me thinking.”
Isaac wanted to go down this road less than he wanted to talk about Hetty, but he couldn’t help himself. “About?”
Elias smiled. “I think I might be ready to get married again. I miss Rachel, I do. But it would be good to move on. Find someone nice. Maybe grow the family a bit. Lottie would benefit from a mother, someone to help her as she grows. None of us know a thing about raising little girls.”
Isaac felt a sense of rage building within him. His brother couldn’t possibly be thinking of Hetty in that way. The woman just got here. She hasn’t even settled in yet and Elias barely knew her! “I’m not going to have you mess this up for Mother, little brother!” he said through gritted teeth.
“What are you talking about?”
“Stay away from Hetty!” he growled, his nerves even more on edge.
“Hetty? You thought I was referring to Hetty? Relax. I’m not thinking about anyone in particular. I was just thinking out loud.” He paused. “She is a sweet girl, though.”
Isaac grabbed the collar of his brother’s shirt and brought his face directly in front of his own. “Save your flattery for someone else! Rachel should have at least taught you that.”
Elias pushed his brother back. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Isaac, but you better back off. You’re treading on dangerous territory. You know nothing about Rachel!”
“I know more than you think I do.” Isaac began walking away.
“What does that mean, brother?”
“Nothing. Never mind. Just don’t use this as an opportunity to find yourself a wife. She is here helping mother. Nothing more.” Isaac continued walking at a faster pace, ignoring the words he could hear his brother shouting...
“Pretty big talk for someone who says he doesn’t care.”
chapter four
Hetty woke in her small room feeling refreshed. She’d slept surprisingly well in such a new environment and was eager to begin her day. The sun was not yet peeking behind the horizon and the house remained quiet. She moved from
“Are you going to live here?”
“Yes, I am. I’m going to be helping your grandmother. And hopefully finding some time to play with you.” Hetty handed the child a second piece of bread and watched her giggle.
“Are you going to be my mommy?” Lottie asked.
The entire table went quiet and all eyes turned to Hetty. She knew she needed to answer appropriately for such a young child, but she didn’t want to overstep her bounds. “I am going to be your friend. Is that okay?”
The child beamed, looked at her daddy and shouted, “She’s my friend!”
The tension at the table disappeared immediately and conversation returned to the friendly banter that Hetty was quickly learning was common in this family, this wonderfully warm family.
Isaac and Elias walked toward the barn in silence. The first meal shared with Hetty had Isaac’s nerves on edge. Why did I whisper in her ear? he thought. I shouldn’t care at all if she sits at our table. But when he saw her standing back as if her role meant so little that she was unworthy of sharing a meal with them, something snapped. He couldn’t stand the thought of her thinking so little of herself. He could tell family was foreign to her. Maybe she’s never been part of a family? Maybe she doesn’t understand what that means. He was yanked from his thoughts when Elias stopped in his tracks.
“She’s quite a nervous little thing,” Elias said.
Isaac grunted. He already felt on edge and he didn’t want to speak of Hetty and cause any more strange feelings within.
“I was glad to see her jump right in to help Mother. I think she’ll fit in nicely.”
“I suppose so.” was Isaac’s only reply.
“I enjoyed getting to know her on the ride out this morning. She asked about Rachel.”
Isaac’s eyes widened. Why would Elias say anything about Rachel to this stranger? The woman was dead and her memory needed to stay that way, too.
“ She got me thinking.”
Isaac wanted to go down this road less than he wanted to talk about Hetty, but he couldn’t help himself. “About?”
Elias smiled. “I think I might be ready to get married again. I miss Rachel, I do. But it would be good to move on. Find someone nice. Maybe grow the family a bit. Lottie would benefit from a mother, someone to help her as she grows. None of us know a thing about raising little girls.”
Isaac felt a sense of rage building within him. His brother couldn’t possibly be thinking of Hetty in that way. The woman just got here. She hasn’t even settled in yet and Elias barely knew her! “I’m not going to have you mess this up for Mother, little brother!” he said through gritted teeth.
“What are you talking about?”
“Stay away from Hetty!” he growled, his nerves even more on edge.
“Hetty? You thought I was referring to Hetty? Relax. I’m not thinking about anyone in particular. I was just thinking out loud.” He paused. “She is a sweet girl, though.”
Isaac grabbed the collar of his brother’s shirt and brought his face directly in front of his own. “Save your flattery for someone else! Rachel should have at least taught you that.”
Elias pushed his brother back. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Isaac, but you better back off. You’re treading on dangerous territory. You know nothing about Rachel!”
“I know more than you think I do.” Isaac began walking away.
“What does that mean, brother?”
“Nothing. Never mind. Just don’t use this as an opportunity to find yourself a wife. She is here helping mother. Nothing more.” Isaac continued walking at a faster pace, ignoring the words he could hear his brother shouting...
“Pretty big talk for someone who says he doesn’t care.”
chapter four
Hetty woke in her small room feeling refreshed. She’d slept surprisingly well in such a new environment and was eager to begin her day. The sun was not yet peeking behind the horizon and the house remained quiet. She moved from
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