cool morning hours. The sun drew moisture from the earth. Emily tugged her white crocheted shawl around her shoulders to ward off the slight breeze tossing the morning air around. Walking the platform like a mother hen with her brood of six following behind, she wished she had the strength to gather them under her wings and whisk them off to Marybelle’s right along with her on the train.
She held back tears. No use upsetting the children anymore than they were already.
As one, they entered the station.
“Wait right here, Ma.” Seth pointed to an empty bench in the middle of the room. “I’ll get your ticket.” He waited until she was seated, then turned to Catherine.
“You make sure she’s okay while I stand in line.”
“You don’t have to be so bossy, Seth Carmichael. I know how to take care of people.” Catherine hitched baby Sarah up on her hip.
Emily observed the interaction between her two oldest children. She had raised them to be responsible. Thank God for them, otherwise there was no way on God’s green earth she would ever have consented to leave them behind. Her only saving grace was she’d recuperate faster at Marybelle’s so she could come back home to be with her family.
The station filled with passengers coming and going, but the background chatter and shuffling of feet was just that. Emily only had eyes and ears for her family. She would miss baby Sarah’s first steps, her first words, her baby antics. Her youngest boys were at the age where they almost grew right before her eyes. And Catherine needed to study for her teaching exams.
When would she see them again?
Emily’s eyes misted. She held back the tears threatening to overflow and looked up at her youngest. Catherine cooed to her darling baby, Sarah. She should be the one doing the cooing. She should be the one holding Sarah, cuddling her and loving her. Would Sarah forget she was her mother, not Catherine?
Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.
The boys sat still beside her, a sure sign they had something on their minds. Although well behaved for the most part, boys their age weren’t known for sitting still and being quiet. She would miss their antics as well. Would they be a big help to Seth? Would they listen well to Catherine? Would they turn out to be outlaws without her steady hand?
Emily rubbed her temples and hung her head. Her shawl slipped, and she wrapped it around her middle, then clasped her hands in the lap of her gray gingham dress. She hoped the children didn’t notice her distress and the tears she had a hard time holding back.
“What did they do to upset Ma?” Seth asked Catherine when he returned with her ticket. “You were supposed to keep an eye on them.”
“Nothing. I swear, Seth, you’re like an old mother hen.”
“Children, please. No one has done anything. We’re all a little tense this morning, is all.” Emily couldn’t help smile at the mother hen reference. “I’m okay. Honest, you don’t have to worry about me. Once I get aboard I’ll be fine. I’ll take the powder Doc Wooster gave me and get some rest.”
As if on cue the conductor bellowed “all aboard” over the clanging of the new cars being coupled together. The engine churned to life as side-car doors were slammed shut and passengers rushed about to say their final goodbyes to loved ones.
Emily gathered her own six children to her side. Timothy, fourteen, hung back, but she stepped around Michael, eight, and led him with shaking hands into the fold. “I will miss you all,” she said, her voice just as shaky as her hands. After only one day of bed rest, she was still weak. She hadn’t counted on saying goodbye to her children being this hard. Thankfully, Seth stood beside her so she could lean on him, otherwise her quivering legs would give out, and she’d fall over. She couldn’t let her children see how frail she was. They didn’t need the worry.
Emily turned to Catherine and baby Sarah. Catherine was a
She held back tears. No use upsetting the children anymore than they were already.
As one, they entered the station.
“Wait right here, Ma.” Seth pointed to an empty bench in the middle of the room. “I’ll get your ticket.” He waited until she was seated, then turned to Catherine.
“You make sure she’s okay while I stand in line.”
“You don’t have to be so bossy, Seth Carmichael. I know how to take care of people.” Catherine hitched baby Sarah up on her hip.
Emily observed the interaction between her two oldest children. She had raised them to be responsible. Thank God for them, otherwise there was no way on God’s green earth she would ever have consented to leave them behind. Her only saving grace was she’d recuperate faster at Marybelle’s so she could come back home to be with her family.
The station filled with passengers coming and going, but the background chatter and shuffling of feet was just that. Emily only had eyes and ears for her family. She would miss baby Sarah’s first steps, her first words, her baby antics. Her youngest boys were at the age where they almost grew right before her eyes. And Catherine needed to study for her teaching exams.
When would she see them again?
Emily’s eyes misted. She held back the tears threatening to overflow and looked up at her youngest. Catherine cooed to her darling baby, Sarah. She should be the one doing the cooing. She should be the one holding Sarah, cuddling her and loving her. Would Sarah forget she was her mother, not Catherine?
Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.
The boys sat still beside her, a sure sign they had something on their minds. Although well behaved for the most part, boys their age weren’t known for sitting still and being quiet. She would miss their antics as well. Would they be a big help to Seth? Would they listen well to Catherine? Would they turn out to be outlaws without her steady hand?
Emily rubbed her temples and hung her head. Her shawl slipped, and she wrapped it around her middle, then clasped her hands in the lap of her gray gingham dress. She hoped the children didn’t notice her distress and the tears she had a hard time holding back.
“What did they do to upset Ma?” Seth asked Catherine when he returned with her ticket. “You were supposed to keep an eye on them.”
“Nothing. I swear, Seth, you’re like an old mother hen.”
“Children, please. No one has done anything. We’re all a little tense this morning, is all.” Emily couldn’t help smile at the mother hen reference. “I’m okay. Honest, you don’t have to worry about me. Once I get aboard I’ll be fine. I’ll take the powder Doc Wooster gave me and get some rest.”
As if on cue the conductor bellowed “all aboard” over the clanging of the new cars being coupled together. The engine churned to life as side-car doors were slammed shut and passengers rushed about to say their final goodbyes to loved ones.
Emily gathered her own six children to her side. Timothy, fourteen, hung back, but she stepped around Michael, eight, and led him with shaking hands into the fold. “I will miss you all,” she said, her voice just as shaky as her hands. After only one day of bed rest, she was still weak. She hadn’t counted on saying goodbye to her children being this hard. Thankfully, Seth stood beside her so she could lean on him, otherwise her quivering legs would give out, and she’d fall over. She couldn’t let her children see how frail she was. They didn’t need the worry.
Emily turned to Catherine and baby Sarah. Catherine was a
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