stepping into the cabin while Hannah shut the door behind her. She lifted the small towel that covered her basket. Inside was a pile of squeaky little chicks, fluffy balls of buttery feathers. Hannah squealed.
“We have too many,” Pearl said, “and Aaron says I need to give you some because I’ll have my own little chickie to tend to before long.”
I smiled. Aaron and Pearl were very good at framing their generosities to allow for my pride to step aside and accept what they gave me.
“Oh, Ma!” Hannah said, her uninjured arm reaching out as one little finger gently stroked the soft feathers of a little chick. “They’re so cute!”
I smiled as Samuel tucked into his eggs and toast. “Adorable,” he muttered. “They’ll make lovely stewed chicken. Maybe even a plump roaster in there. I love me some roast chicken and gravy.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped in horror, her eyes widened, and I stifled a giggle.
Pearl frowned at him. “Just like your brother,” she muttered. “Unapologetic about preying on the innocent!”
Samuel shrugged and shot her a wicked grin. “Life on the prairie, ladies.” He’d eaten his three slices of toast and just as many eggs in the time it took me to dish up Hannah’s breakfast.
“You go on and eat your breakfast, Hannah. It’s time you be getting to school.” I paused. “Or maybe you should stay home today.”
Samuel took a sip out of his own mug before he spoke. “Did Dr. Gentry say she needed to be home?” he asked.
I blinked in surprise. “Well, no,” I said. “But she’s injured.”
He shrugged and sat back, taking another pull from the mug. “Her right hand ain’t injured. I see no need for her to stay home.”
I frowned. I felt as if he was overstepping his bounds, and I didn’t like it. “But I’m her ma, Samuel,” I said, turning back to the stove.
“Now, little Ruth—” Samuel began, but I interrupted him.
“I thank you for your help, Samuel, but I can see to the caring of my own daughter.”
I saw Pearl sit up in the chair next to Samuel. Samuel didn’t move. He looked at me placidly, but when he spoke, his voice had deepened. “School’s almost out for the year,” he said. “They’ll be doin’ exams soon, and she’s made it all the way to the brink of the next class. I’ve seen her studyin’ with Matthew, and heard tell in town that she’s advancin’ rapidly. It’d be a mistake to let her stay home today, when all’s she needs to do is be careful she don’t hurt her arm.” His jaw clenched.
“Samuel’s right,” Pearl said.
My temper surged. I hated that they knew things I didn’t. Why did I not know she was ready to advance? I didn’t like being made out to be the bad mother. I’d given my all to be a good mother. Now the two of them were piling hot coals on me, reminding me of how I’d failed. I turned to the stove and began cleaning up. I didn’t trust myself to speak for a minute.
Hannah broke the silence. “Ma, I’d rather go to school,” she said. “Is Matthew coming by?” she asked Samuel.
Pearl answered. “Oh, he’s already in the barn doin’ your chores,” she said. “He came when I did.”
I quickly packed Hannah’s lunch pail and helped her get out the door, just as Matthew came in. He was scowling when he came to the door. “Chores done,” he said. “And y’all need to sister that beam in your barn afore it comes fallin’ down. But I ain’t doin’ it, seein’ as I’ve already done enough chores for—” He stopped suddenly when he realized Samuel was sitting at the table beside Pearl.
“Mornin’, Matthew. Want to repeat that?” Samuel asked sternly.
Matthew scowled, kicking at the floor. “Beam in the barn needs sisterin’,” he said. Sistering would entail nailing a stronger, sturdier beam to the one already there.
Samuel nodded. “You come here after school, and the two of us will get that done.” Samuel turned to Matthew and Hannah. “You two go on and skedaddle,”
“We have too many,” Pearl said, “and Aaron says I need to give you some because I’ll have my own little chickie to tend to before long.”
I smiled. Aaron and Pearl were very good at framing their generosities to allow for my pride to step aside and accept what they gave me.
“Oh, Ma!” Hannah said, her uninjured arm reaching out as one little finger gently stroked the soft feathers of a little chick. “They’re so cute!”
I smiled as Samuel tucked into his eggs and toast. “Adorable,” he muttered. “They’ll make lovely stewed chicken. Maybe even a plump roaster in there. I love me some roast chicken and gravy.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped in horror, her eyes widened, and I stifled a giggle.
Pearl frowned at him. “Just like your brother,” she muttered. “Unapologetic about preying on the innocent!”
Samuel shrugged and shot her a wicked grin. “Life on the prairie, ladies.” He’d eaten his three slices of toast and just as many eggs in the time it took me to dish up Hannah’s breakfast.
“You go on and eat your breakfast, Hannah. It’s time you be getting to school.” I paused. “Or maybe you should stay home today.”
Samuel took a sip out of his own mug before he spoke. “Did Dr. Gentry say she needed to be home?” he asked.
I blinked in surprise. “Well, no,” I said. “But she’s injured.”
He shrugged and sat back, taking another pull from the mug. “Her right hand ain’t injured. I see no need for her to stay home.”
I frowned. I felt as if he was overstepping his bounds, and I didn’t like it. “But I’m her ma, Samuel,” I said, turning back to the stove.
“Now, little Ruth—” Samuel began, but I interrupted him.
“I thank you for your help, Samuel, but I can see to the caring of my own daughter.”
I saw Pearl sit up in the chair next to Samuel. Samuel didn’t move. He looked at me placidly, but when he spoke, his voice had deepened. “School’s almost out for the year,” he said. “They’ll be doin’ exams soon, and she’s made it all the way to the brink of the next class. I’ve seen her studyin’ with Matthew, and heard tell in town that she’s advancin’ rapidly. It’d be a mistake to let her stay home today, when all’s she needs to do is be careful she don’t hurt her arm.” His jaw clenched.
“Samuel’s right,” Pearl said.
My temper surged. I hated that they knew things I didn’t. Why did I not know she was ready to advance? I didn’t like being made out to be the bad mother. I’d given my all to be a good mother. Now the two of them were piling hot coals on me, reminding me of how I’d failed. I turned to the stove and began cleaning up. I didn’t trust myself to speak for a minute.
Hannah broke the silence. “Ma, I’d rather go to school,” she said. “Is Matthew coming by?” she asked Samuel.
Pearl answered. “Oh, he’s already in the barn doin’ your chores,” she said. “He came when I did.”
I quickly packed Hannah’s lunch pail and helped her get out the door, just as Matthew came in. He was scowling when he came to the door. “Chores done,” he said. “And y’all need to sister that beam in your barn afore it comes fallin’ down. But I ain’t doin’ it, seein’ as I’ve already done enough chores for—” He stopped suddenly when he realized Samuel was sitting at the table beside Pearl.
“Mornin’, Matthew. Want to repeat that?” Samuel asked sternly.
Matthew scowled, kicking at the floor. “Beam in the barn needs sisterin’,” he said. Sistering would entail nailing a stronger, sturdier beam to the one already there.
Samuel nodded. “You come here after school, and the two of us will get that done.” Samuel turned to Matthew and Hannah. “You two go on and skedaddle,”
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