Mary's Blessing, page 12
Father was right. Tony Chan would have been a good choice. He worked hard and was willing to take on almost any kind of task. But Daniel didn’t want to take him away from the Murray farm.
Maybe this would be a good opportunity for Daniel to get away. He had a lot to think about.
He cleared his throat and looked his father straight in the eyes. “How about if I go help Uncle Clarence? I was there during the shearing once when I was younger.”
His father steepled his fingers under his chin. “Are you sure you want to do that? What about Mary and her family?”
“I really want to help my family.” No need to let his father know that he was running away from his problems here. “You could keep Tony working out there. Make sure he gets paid. That will help the Murrays. And the women at the church are pitching in with cooking and the housework.”
Father gave him a steely-eyed stare, and Daniel almost broke under his scrutiny. But he was too old to have to go to his parent with his problems. He’d work this out his own way.
After a long, agonizing moment, his father nodded. “If you’re sure. I know Clarence would appreciate the help. Can you be ready to leave tomorrow morning? If so, I’ll send the telegram.”
For a moment his heart felt as if it was in a vise. Somehow his decision hadn’t brought the peace he’d expected. But he couldn’t face another argument with Mary right now. Although he had planned to go back and take her home this evening, he knew nothing had been resolved, and she would want to rehash everything. Didn’t women always talk things to death?
With him gone, she would have time to simmer down and be more agreeable to his plans. If he could come up with a solution for their dilemma in the meantime.
Mary couldn’t believe what a shrew she was before Daniel stormed out of the house. And she didn’t say a word when he came back through slinking like a dog with its tail between its legs. She should have said something.
She didn’t remember a time when she had been so exhausted. Even though Pa’s slight recovery perked her up, it didn’t take away any of the burden she carried for him, for Frances, for the boys, for the farm. Sometimes she felt as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.
This evening Daniel was supposed to take her home for a while. At least today she’d have good news for her siblings. Rejoicing with them for the small victory in their father’s recovery should lift her spirits, at least a little.
She went back into her father’s room. “How is he, Mrs. Childress?”
The woman tucked the covers under Pa’s chin. “He’ll probably sleep for quite a while now. Getting him into the chair and feeding him was a real breakthrough, but it tired him out completely.”
“I’ll just sit here until Daniel returns to take me home. Maybe Pa will sleep all the time I’m gone.” Mary pulled the wingback chair closer to the bed and dropped into the seat.
“Would you like another serving of the chicken and dumplings Daniel brought? There’s plenty.” Mrs. Childress had her hand on the doorknob.
Mary’s stomach gave a big rumble, and she rubbed it with both hands. “I guess that’s your answer. I didn’t realize I was still hungry, but I haven’t eaten much in several days either.” “I’ll be right back, dearie.” She exited the room.
Mary leaned her head against the cushioned chair, trying to relax. But the awful conversation she and Daniel had kept repeating in her mind. If he loved her, wouldn’t he want what was best for her family? Maybe he didn’t understand the need for members of a family to take care of each other. He was an only child, and his family had always had plenty of financial resources. The life she had led must be foreign to him.
When he came back, they would need to have a calm discussion. She wanted him to listen to her, but she would also listen more closely to what he was saying. Perhaps they could find common ground for understanding each other.
Mrs. Childress returned with a tray. “I brought you a pot of tea too. It should perk you right up.”
Mary stood and cleaned off a place on the bedside table. “Thank you. I know I’ll enjoy it.”
After the doctor’s wife left, Mary tasted the chicken and dumplings. Delicious. She had made the dish many times, but hers never tasted as good as Mrs. Shelton’s. She finished eating, then poured a cup of the steamy beverage. She added a little sugar and milk, then leaned back in the chair and sipped, letting the warmth infuse her. At home she didn’t often take the time to steep a pot of tea. But she really enjoyed this.
Taking time to relax didn’t erase the hurtful memory of her last conversation with Daniel.
Where is he anyway?
Mary had expected him to return by now. It had to be past eight o’clock. She picked up one of the ginger cookies from the plate beside the teapot and nibbled on it. She was anxious for his return for more than one reason.
Even though she chose to stay by her father’s side until he recovered, she missed seeing her sister and brothers. She knew they worried when she wasn’t there. This time when she got home she had good news to share with them. Although Pa had only made a little progress, she would stress how much better he was eating and how some color had returned to his cheeks. Everyone needed hope.
Mrs. Childress returned to pick up the tray. “I thought you were going home this evening for a while.”
“I am.” Mary put the empty cup back on the saucer. “As soon as Daniel returns.”
“It’s getting a little late, isn’t it?” Concern outlined the woman’s features. “Perhaps he’s not coming.”
“I’m sure he’s just gotten delayed by something important.” Mary clasped her hands so the doctor’s wife wouldn’t notice them trembling. “He’ll be here soon. He’s a man of his word.”
“All right.” Mrs. Childress headed toward the doorway. “I won’t bother you again.”
Mary crumpled into the chair, limp as a wet dishrag. Where is he?
She had hidden her feelings while the doctor’s wife was in the room, but now her doubts returned full force. Did her anger drive him away? What would she do if it had? Dropping her face into her hands, she let the tears flow. But still she refused to believe that Daniel wasn’t coming back.
As evening slipped into the wee hours of the night, her belief faltered. How could he do this to me? She didn’t want to go to sleep, but she couldn’t fight off its tentacles.
She awakened when the morning sun peeked over the windowsill with a strong ray, bathing her face with both heat and light. Sitting scrunched down in the chair, she felt like a knotted clothesline left to dry in the sun. Every muscle screamed to be released, and her neck ached.
After unfolding from her uncomfortable position, Mary finally stood and walked on shaky legs to stare out the window at the new morning. He. Didn’t. Come. The enormity of his absence almost knocked her to her knees.
He had to be here soon. Anything else was unimaginable.
Chapter 14
GOOD MORNING, DEARIE.” Mrs. Childress’s cheerful voice announced her entrance into Pa’s room.
Please, please, please, don’t ask me any questions. Mary didn’t want to face the ones in her own mind, much less those from other people. If she had to talk about Daniel not coming to take her home, she knew she’d burst into tears. And she didn’t want Pa to know what had happened. He needed to concentrate on getting well, not worry about her and Daniel.
“Did you sleep well?” The doctor’s wife set a tray on the table near the bed.
Mary forced a smile to her face before she looked at the woman. “Yes, after I finally fell asleep.”
“And just look at your father. He’s awake too.” Mrs. Childress clasped her hands and smiled down at her patient.
Mary whipped her attention toward him. His eyes were open, and he looked more alert than he had yesterday. She rushed to the bed and dropped into the chair beside him.
“Good morning, Pa.” She brushed her lips across his forehead, noticing the coolness of his skin. Not a hint of an infection. Dr. Childress would be as pleased as she was.
“I love you, Mary.” Her father’s gaze remained on her eyes.
The words sounded foreign coming from him, yet they fed a hunger deep inside her. She could almost taste the sweetness they conveyed.
“Of course you do.” Mary pushed his dark hair back from his face. He needed a haircut. She wondered how long it would be before he could go home. When he did, she would need to cut his hair right away. “And I love you too.”
Relief lifted the ends of his mouth into a smile. Did he still think she hadn’t forgiven him for the way he’d withdrawn from them after Ma was gone? How could she settle his mind about that?
“Well, now.” Mrs. Childress came close to the bed as well. “I do believe the two of you are ready for breakfast. Kenneth, would you like to sit in the chair again?”
“Yes. Must get strong enough to go home.” He tried to shift by himself, then fell back against the pillow, releasing a deep breath that sounded like an angry sigh.
“Be careful.” The doctor’s wife slid her arm under his shoulders and helped him sit up in bed. “You still need a bit of help, but your strength will come back quicker when you start eating more.”
Sharing breakfast with her father took away some of the sting of Daniel’s abandonment. During lulls in their conversation, fragments of the argument they had yesterday rebuked her. She needed some way to put things right between them. But how could she do that if he didn’t even come see her?
While she ate her oatmeal, she also helped her father with his. Mrs. Childress bustled about straightening the room.
“When Clyde returns we’ll get your father cleaned up and back in bed.” She fluffed the pillow and gave the crisp white sheet another tug.
A gentle knock on the door drew Mary’s gaze toward the opening.
Mrs. Horton stood there peeking inside. “Is this a good time?”
“Come on in. Pa’s getting better now.” Mary wondered what the pastor’s wife wanted. Maybe she was just making a call on her father.
“I’m going out to your place this morning to help with the house. I thought you might like to ride along.”
“That’s such a wonderful idea.” Mrs. Childress practically gushed. “Clyde has gone out to the Simmons farm. He’ll be there for a few hours. It’s Mary Lee’s time, but she usually doesn’t take very long. He can stop and pick you up on his way back into town.”
“But he won’t know that I need him to stop.” Mary couldn’t keep exasperation from her tone.
Mrs. Horton came over beside her. “I saw the doctor before he left, and he was the one who suggested I give you a ride. He told me he would bring you back, so I could stay and help your sister the rest of the day.”
This sounded as if they conspired to set it up, but Mary didn’t care. She did want a chance to clean up, but what if Daniel came by the clinic this morning? Well, he wouldn’t find her waiting for him like some lap dog. He should have been here last night as he said he would.
“I’d like that…a lot.” Mary turned back to her father. “Do you mind if I go?”
He lifted his hand to clasp hers. “You go ahead. I have a good nurse.” He nodded toward Mrs. Childress. “Tell the kids I love them.”
In two shakes of a lamb’s tail Mary found herself riding in the Hortons’s buggy. After a few polite but meaningless comments, they lapsed into silence. She was thankful the pastor’s wife wasn’t a chatterer. Since Mary didn’t get much sleep last night, all she wanted to do was rest, except she couldn’t keep Daniel from invading her thoughts. Some of her memories were happy, but that awful argument kept pushing itself to the forefront. She fought to hold back her tears.
“I know you’re tired.” Mrs. Horton kept a firm grip on the reins. “After you bathe and spend a little time with your sister and brothers, you can take a nap. I know how exhausting it is to sit with an ailing parent.”
Mary didn’t know much about the woman’s history, but from the sincerity in that last statement, she felt that perhaps Mrs. Horton had spent time sitting with one of her own parents. Feeling good to be with someone who could understand what she was going through, Mary relaxed.
“I appreciate how you and the other women at the church are helping us.” A lump formed in her throat, cutting off the other words she wanted to say.
“That’s what the good Lord told us to do,” Mrs. Horton flicked the reins, “help each other. I’m sure you do your share for others. I’ve heard wonderful things about you, Mary.”
The words fell on her parched spirit like a welcome spring rain. It had been so long since anyone had complimented her, besides Daniel. And now she wondered if any of the things he’d said had truly been the way he felt about her. Why did her thoughts always come back to that exasperating man? Because I love him. Whether he loved her or not.
When they reached the edge of the farm, eagerness to see her siblings made Mary’s heartbeat accelerate. Her being home for a while today would be good for all of them. The other three wouldn’t want her to leave, or they would probably beg to go to the clinic to see their father. Neither option was possible right now. Their energy and neediness would tire Pa.
As they approached the lane, Mary spied Bobby walking from the barn back toward the house carrying a pail. Milk sloshed over the side, and Mary wondered if her youngest brother had been milking the cow. She didn’t remember his knowing how. He always took care of the chickens instead.
“Be careful. You spill some.” Standing in the open doorway to the barn, Tony Chan called after him. Perhaps the young Chinese man had done the milking.
Mrs. Horton stopped the buggy beside the gate to the yard that surrounded the farmhouse.
Tony hurried toward them. “I take care of horse and buggy.” He reached toward the harness, talking to the animal as he ran his hand down the side of the horse’s head. “I brush him and put him in stall.”
“Thank you, Tony.” The pastor’s wife tied the reins to the rail on the front of the buggy, then climbed down, followed by Mary.
“Mary!” George burst through the door, slamming it against the front wall with a bang. “Hey, Francie! Mary’s home.” After bounding down the steps, he slowed to a quick walk and opened the gate. “Are you going to stay?”
Mary smiled at her brother’s enthusiasm. “I’ll be here for a while, but then I must go back to stay with Pa.” She ruffled his hair, and he leaned his head away from her. Was he growing up so much that he no longer wanted anyone to bother his hair?
As soon as Mrs. Horton and Mary were through the gate, he closed it and ran toward Bobby, who stood like a statue in the middle of the lane, still holding the milk bucket. “I’ll carry this for you.” He took it from his little brother and headed toward the back door.
Frances met them in the hallway, wiping her hands on the apron that swathed her. “I’m glad you’re finally home, Mary. I worried when you didn’t come yesterday.”
Mary swallowed before answering, hoping to dislodge the tension in her throat. “Something unexpected came up.” She hoped no one noticed that her voice wobbled a bit. And she hoped no one would ask what came up. She wouldn’t have an acceptable answer.
She pushed her way past her sister and hurried to the room they shared. As usual Frances had left her clothing scattered around—some on the floor, the chair, and even piled haphazardly on Mary’s bed. She felt like grabbing the garments in her way and throwing them to the floor beside the others. Anger swelled within her, but she knew it wasn’t really aimed at her sister. The object of this emotion hadn’t even bothered to seek her out late yesterday or today. She growled deep in her throat and dropped onto the empty end of her bed.
“Mary?” Mrs. Horton’s kind voice called from beyond the door.
She had shut it hoping to keep anyone else from seeing her break down. Wiping her eyes, she took a deep breath before opening the door. “Yes.”
“I am getting the tub ready in the bedroom downstairs so you can have a bath.”
“All right.”
When Mary came down to the bedroom, she found that Frances had already filled the galvanized tub with water from the well. Mrs. Horton came in carrying hot water from the reservoir in the stove. She poured it in, stirred the water, then tested it to make sure it was the perfect temperature. Then she stood and removed a cake of Cashmere Bouquet soap from her pocket, still in its paper wrapper. “I thought you might enjoy using this.” She handed it to Mary.
Tears streamed down her face. “Thank you.”
Impulsively, she hugged Mrs. Horton. The other woman’s arms closed around Mary, cradling her. All she could think about was how much her arms felt like Ma’s had when she held Mary as a child. How she missed those times.
After the older woman left, Mary plunged into the water and soaked away some of her weariness. She even washed her hair, though it would take a while to dry. When she emerged clean and smelling so nice, she felt renewed.
She dressed and went into the kitchen, where Frances and Mrs. Horton were cooking a pot of stew. The enticing aroma of corn bread brought a growl from Mary’s stomach.
Mrs. Horton turned around. “Mary, you look lovely with your hair down like that. I love the curls.” She reached up and caressed a few. “And the color is wonderful, like a flaming sunset.”
Tony Chan came through the back door with a load in his arms. “I brought more wood for stove.”
When he finished, Mary followed him out the back door. “How are things going, Tony?”
“Good.” He nodded. “I help boys with chores, then work in field like Mr. Daniel tell me.”
“Right.” She knew she would hate herself for asking, but she couldn’t hold back the next question. “Did you see Daniel this morning?”
Tony frowned. “Yes, Mr. Daniel go away to help uncle on farm.”
Why would Daniel go somewhere without telling her? “Did he say how long he’ll be gone?”
