didn’t have much to cook unless I fended for it. You’ve got a lot of food, and it was fun to choose what to fix.”
“I’m sorry you were forced to live that way, Jordan,” he said, meaning every word.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she told him, enjoying her food.
Cray didn’t speak, but surreptitiously watched her eat. When he saw her looking longingly at the last bit of stew in the dish, he said, “Go ahead, Jordan; I’m full.”
She didn’t wait to be told again, but quickly finished the last of the stew. Once she was done eating, she decided to make quick work of the dishes so that she would have some time to learn to use her new sewing machine. She’d always secretly longed for one, positive she could make a living by sewing if only she had a chance to prove herself.
“Goodness, Jordan. I’m not going to complain if you sit for a minute or two after you’re finished eating before cleaning up!”
“I was hoping to learn to use my new sewing machine, Cray. I’ve never had one before, and I’m really excited.”
“How have you learned to sew without one?” he questioned, and then felt foolish when she looked at him in disbelief.
“By hand. But, it takes a lot longer, and Aunt Hermione hated it. She taught me how, and from then on I did all of our mending. We didn’t get new clothing often, and then it was store bought shirts and pants and things. I had to hem those things, but I’ve always wanted to make clothing on a sewing machine. I’m excited, Cray!” she admitted sheepishly.
“I’m glad. I’m kind of curious to see how it works, too. Henry said he hadn’t had any complaints, but then he admitted he’s only sold a couple of them.”
“Well, we’ll find out soon. Oh, I hope there is an instruction manual that tells how to use it, Cray. I know it has to be threaded just right, and there is a bobbin that has to be wound, too, and I don’t want to break it.”
“You won’t break it, honey. Between the two of us, we’ll figure it out.”
Jordan was surprised when Cray picked up a dishtowel and dried all the dishes and put them away. She made sure the kitchen was spotlessly clean and then she walked over to the new sewing machine. “It’s so pretty, Cray,” she whispered, and he mentally patted himself on the back for doing something that was really special to Jordan. “I’m just me, and I honestly haven’t done one thing to deserve this wonderful gift. I don’t feel good enough to be your wife,” she confessed. “You have no idea how special I feel right now.”
“It makes me happy to know that you are happy, but please don’t think that you aren’t good enough for me, Jordan. That just isn’t true. I’m not perfect, and someday I’ll share some of my past with you.”
“I don’t want to argue with you tonight, Cray. I’m too overwhelmed, and my butt is just too sore to risk making you upset with me. It was all I could do to sit still long enough to eat.”
“I agree. Let’s not argue about anything tonight. It has been one crazy day, and I’m more interested in finding things we agree upon.”
“Me, too,” she said, nodding. “Do you have any idea where we could find the instruction book for this sewing machine?” she asked.
“Look in the drawers, Jordan,” he suggested, and she found an instruction book and waved it at him.
“Here we go.” She read, and Cray managed to open the top of the wooden case and then he set the machine up on the little table that was designed to hold the machine. He took the book then, and he read while Jordan filled the bobbin, using the treadle to wind it. Then she threaded the new machine and was ready to sew. “Now I’m scared,” she admitted.
“Let me get an old shirt for you to practice on,” Cray said, and he returned a couple of minutes later with a shirt that was tattered. “This shirt has seen better days.”
“Oh my! From now on I will mend your clothing before it gets to this state,” she
“I’m sorry you were forced to live that way, Jordan,” he said, meaning every word.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she told him, enjoying her food.
Cray didn’t speak, but surreptitiously watched her eat. When he saw her looking longingly at the last bit of stew in the dish, he said, “Go ahead, Jordan; I’m full.”
She didn’t wait to be told again, but quickly finished the last of the stew. Once she was done eating, she decided to make quick work of the dishes so that she would have some time to learn to use her new sewing machine. She’d always secretly longed for one, positive she could make a living by sewing if only she had a chance to prove herself.
“Goodness, Jordan. I’m not going to complain if you sit for a minute or two after you’re finished eating before cleaning up!”
“I was hoping to learn to use my new sewing machine, Cray. I’ve never had one before, and I’m really excited.”
“How have you learned to sew without one?” he questioned, and then felt foolish when she looked at him in disbelief.
“By hand. But, it takes a lot longer, and Aunt Hermione hated it. She taught me how, and from then on I did all of our mending. We didn’t get new clothing often, and then it was store bought shirts and pants and things. I had to hem those things, but I’ve always wanted to make clothing on a sewing machine. I’m excited, Cray!” she admitted sheepishly.
“I’m glad. I’m kind of curious to see how it works, too. Henry said he hadn’t had any complaints, but then he admitted he’s only sold a couple of them.”
“Well, we’ll find out soon. Oh, I hope there is an instruction manual that tells how to use it, Cray. I know it has to be threaded just right, and there is a bobbin that has to be wound, too, and I don’t want to break it.”
“You won’t break it, honey. Between the two of us, we’ll figure it out.”
Jordan was surprised when Cray picked up a dishtowel and dried all the dishes and put them away. She made sure the kitchen was spotlessly clean and then she walked over to the new sewing machine. “It’s so pretty, Cray,” she whispered, and he mentally patted himself on the back for doing something that was really special to Jordan. “I’m just me, and I honestly haven’t done one thing to deserve this wonderful gift. I don’t feel good enough to be your wife,” she confessed. “You have no idea how special I feel right now.”
“It makes me happy to know that you are happy, but please don’t think that you aren’t good enough for me, Jordan. That just isn’t true. I’m not perfect, and someday I’ll share some of my past with you.”
“I don’t want to argue with you tonight, Cray. I’m too overwhelmed, and my butt is just too sore to risk making you upset with me. It was all I could do to sit still long enough to eat.”
“I agree. Let’s not argue about anything tonight. It has been one crazy day, and I’m more interested in finding things we agree upon.”
“Me, too,” she said, nodding. “Do you have any idea where we could find the instruction book for this sewing machine?” she asked.
“Look in the drawers, Jordan,” he suggested, and she found an instruction book and waved it at him.
“Here we go.” She read, and Cray managed to open the top of the wooden case and then he set the machine up on the little table that was designed to hold the machine. He took the book then, and he read while Jordan filled the bobbin, using the treadle to wind it. Then she threaded the new machine and was ready to sew. “Now I’m scared,” she admitted.
“Let me get an old shirt for you to practice on,” Cray said, and he returned a couple of minutes later with a shirt that was tattered. “This shirt has seen better days.”
“Oh my! From now on I will mend your clothing before it gets to this state,” she
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