Music to Die For
Page 23
She looked up at Henry, who was watching her with that funny, quirky little smile dimpling at the corners of his mouth. The sun was overhead now, and its glare was off the windows. She could see Henry’s face quite clearly. Yes, he was smiling, but he also looked...scared...was that it? And hesitant. She’d never seen him look that way before.
“We’ve talked a lot about enjoying our single independence,” she said.
“Thursdays?”
“What?”
“We can be independent on Thursdays. That is...if...I mean I have no right...to...” He finished weakly, “I have no right to say what you want to do about Thursdays.”
“Oh, my goodness, Henry,” she said in the most matter-of-fact tone she could manage, “I will very definitely love you on Thursdays, too.”
She kicked off the rest of the covers and stood. “I’m going to take a shower,” she said, “and we need to think about breakfast or whatever meal comes at this time of day. I’m hungry.”
As she passed the rocker, Henry reached out and touched her arm. He pointed. “I found your box of food. You have apples, bananas, breakfast bars. Why don’t we eat a picnic breakfast here? We can have a late lunch with Jason and Eleanor before we pick up Tracy and Dulcey—and Chase, too, I’d bet—and go to Margaret’s house. But for now, let’s don’t even think about that. Let’s just be us.”
She turned to face him. “Henry?”
“Yes, Little One.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too,” he said.
He stood up. Night shirts were really rather cute. Then she couldn’t see the night shirt because her face was mashed against it, and Henry’s arms were around her.
After a while she pulled away and turned toward the bathroom. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes,” she said, “and it’s your turn to fix breakfast.”
Recipes
Apple Chunky
•12 cups cooked apples (Approx. one dozen large cooking apples, peeled and sliced, or one #10 can.)
•2 cups apple cider
•2 cups sugar (To taste, and depending on whether fresh or canned apples are used. Canned apples take less sugar.)
•1 tsp. ground cinnamon
•¼ tsp. ground cloves
•¼ tsp. allspice
Cook apples slowly in cider until soft (or drain canned apples and cook in cider until flavors blend). Mash cooked apples with a potato masher until chunky. Add sugar and spices, cook on low heat, stirring to keep from sticking, until the mixture has thickened and is the proper consistency to spread on biscuits.
Will keep in the refrigerator several weeks. To can, put hot mixture in hot, sterilized jars, put lids on, process in boiling water bath ten minutes. Can also be frozen.
Recipe makes about four quarts.
Peach Chunky
•12 cups cooked peaches (Approx. a dozen and a half medium, fully ripe peaches, or one #10 can.)
•Scant 2 cups sugar (To taste, and depending on whether fresh or canned peaches are used. Canned peaches take less sugar.)
•½ tsp. ground cinnamon
•¼ tsp. ground cloves
•¼ tsp. nutmeg
•¼ tsp. ground ginger
Wash, scald, and peel fresh peaches. Cook slowly until soft in enough water to prevent sticking. (Or cook canned peaches until soft in enough water/ juice to prevent sticking.) Mash cooked peaches with potato masher until chunky. Add sugar and spices. Cook until thick, stirring to prevent sticking.