The Singing Bone by Beth Hahn Page A

only had to ask, and especially if it was Trina asking, Stover would do it.
    Stover rose to get Molly’s purse and Trina got up, too, unconcerned. He looked at Trina with a question, but she patted him on the head and passed into the dining room, where they heard the table being set a moment later. Stover handed Molly her purse.
    Molly’s swift inhale caught Lee’s attention. He turned to her, studied her face, and said, “You really don’t need that.”
    â€œI really do,” Molly said.
    â€œAllegra can show you roots that will help. I bet you could get off that thing.”
    â€œRoots?”
    â€œYeah. You can dry them and mash them into teas. Herbal medicine.”
    Molly didn’t say anything, but she and Alice looked at each other. Alice mouthed Roots? and Molly smiled. They rose to find Trina and when they walked into the dining room, they saw the table set, with a tarnished candelabra, lit with glowing red candles, at its center.
    â€œDon’t you have electricity?” Stover asked.
    Mr. Wyck didn’t answer, so Stover started to ask it again, but then Mr. Wyck said, “When I want it.” Stover nodded and dropped into a chair.
    â€œThat’s Trina’s seat,” Allegra said. Stover rose and backed up a little, wedging his tall, thin frame in between an antique sideboard and a cupboard. Trina smiled apologetically at Stover and took the chair. Lee sat down beside her.
    Alice didn’t see how it mattered where they sat. The table was large and round and even if they all changed seats they’d still be able to see one another and talk. She sat next to Lee, and Molly sat next to Trina, and Stover sat next to Molly, Allegra next to Stover, and Mr. Wyck, watching the others, finally sat down beside Alice. The stew was hot. There were no cubes of meat in it, though there were carrots and potatoes and onions. There were other vegetables, too, and seasoning that Alice had never tasted before. Allegra said she’d spent the day making the bread, and when Alice took the basket from Lee, she could feel how heavy the slices of brown bread were. She put one on her plate and passed the basket to Mr. Wyck, who placed his hand over hers for a moment. He was telling Lee that the apple trees would bloom soon, and when Alice looked at Mr. Wyck’s face, there was nothing there that said I am touching your hand for a moment too long, Alice . He simply let go and took a piece of bread.
    â€œSo, Allegra,” Molly said, “Lee says you know all about herbal medicine.”
    â€œA little,” she answered, looking at Mr. Wyck.
    â€œOh, not just a little!” Lee said. “She knows a lot. Like how you balance your elements. If you are a cold person, you take hot foods, and if you are a hot person, you take cold foods.”
    â€œWhat am I?” Molly asked. “A cold person or a hot person?” She smiled.
    Allegra looked again at Mr. Wyck, who leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Then he opened them and looked up at the ceiling, smiling. “Molly,” he said. “You are a perfect person. You can eat whatever you want.” His teeth were large and white.
    â€œShe is perfect,” Trina said. “Look how pretty she is.” Trina lifted Molly’s hair in her hand. “It’s like a cloud. So pretty.” Trina didn’t usually talk that way.
    Molly leaned away. “Quit,” she said. “I am not perfect.”
    â€œHow long have you all known one another?” Mr. Wyck put his elbows on the table. “If it’s a long time, you will find as you get older that you will always know one another better than anyone else.”
    â€œSince we were kids.” Stover put his hand out to show how tall they were when they met. “Little.”
    Trina put her hand lower. “Babies, even. Forever.”
    â€œThat’s a lot of history. Do you all know pretty much what one another is thinking?