It was déjà vu. Momma sat in her rocker by the cold fireplace. Her eyes were glazed over, but she looked up when we entered. “Where y’all been? Don’t take that long to drive from Destin.”
“Momma, I told you we were going to stop by to see Michael’s father.”
“Spend all your time there, not caring Zeke and me were sitting here by our lonesome.” She glared at Michael, as if it was his fault.
I ignored her and turned to Zeke. “Just put my bag in the bedroom. Have y’all eaten supper?”
Zeke nodded his head. “I had peanut butter and crackers.”
Well, at least he had eaten. Good thing I had stocked up on peanut butter before I left. Michael was still in the bedroom, and I went to join him.
“Like the furniture?” I asked.
“It looks great.”
He sat down on the bed and gave a little bounce. “I might just take a nap. Want to join me?”
“It’s too early for bed...”
“It’s never too early...”
I laughed and left the bedroom before he could tempt me. I went back into the sitting room, wishing Michael and I had spent another night in Destin. Momma was glum. Zeke had a comic book, flipping through the pages. I moved around, putting things away and rearranging the clock on the mantle.
“Don’t know why you took my room.”
Momma’s gruff voice startled me. “Ma’am?”
“That was my room. You took it away from me.” Her blue eyes cut like shards of glass, and I flinched under her gaze.
All these years, and she still got to me. I sighed. She had not complained once since she had moved in, over a month ago. “Momma, I built those rooms just for you. I thought you liked it.”
“I never said I did.”
I bit my bottom lip. She had said it, when she had first seen the rooms, but I wasn’t going to argue with her. I sat down in the other rocker.
“Where’s that man at?” Her voice echoed, bouncing from the walls.
I gritted my teeth. “His name is Michael. You know that, Momma.”
“We don’t need no man around here.” Her gray hair flowed around her shoulders, flying in every direction. She crossed her arms and stared at me.
“It’s just for a few days. He’ll be leaving soon.”
“Reckon he’ll be back, though, won’t he? I don’t want no man in my room.”
So that was it. She didn’t mind me in the room; she just didn’t want Michael there. “Like I said, it’s just a few days...”
“I want him out. Now!”
Zeke looked up from his comic book, his eyes darting back and forth between Momma and me. Michael came out of the bedroom and stood in the doorway, watching Momma. I chewed my bottom lip.
Momma quit rocking and pointed a finger at my husband. “I ain’t having it.”
Michael, to my amazement, came and knelt beside Momma. I cringed, wondering if she had bathed lately, if he was catching a whiff of her body odor. “What is it Mrs. Hunter? What’s the problem?”
Momma, too, was taken aback. “I just want my room back.”
He swung his gaze to me, questioning.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Her hair wisped around her face and across her eyes, but she didn’t bother to push it back. She nodded her head.
“Momma, if you want your room back, you can have it. But are you sure you want it? Once we move your furniture, we’re not moving it again. You understand?”
“Course I understand. I ain’t stupid.”
I stood when Michael did, but he waved me back. “No, not in your condition.”
“Condition?” Momma asked.
Michael grimaced and shot me a look of apology. Neither Momma nor Zeke had known I was pregnant. I thought it best not to tell them until after I told Michael.
I smiled at Momma and shot a look in Zeke’s direction. “I’m going to have a baby.”
Momma looked me up and down. “A baby? Reckon that’s why you been throwing up all over the place.” She looked down at her fingers, locked them together, and then her head shot back up. “And you working with old Doc Driscoll? Lord, Sarah Jane. You ain’t got a lick of sense. Them animals could hurt you or the baby.”
“It’s not going to hurt me to work while I’m pregnant...”
“Says who? You ain’t no doctor.”
“I have a degree in veterinary medicine.”
“You don’t know your...”
“Momma!”
She raised both hands in the air, and her mouth opened to speak again, but Michael interrupted.
He was beckoning to me. “Jay, come and help. You can carry the sheets. You, too, Zeke.”
Zeke and I both scurried after Michael into the new addition. Two rooms had been built, one intended for a sitting room, although Momma had yet to use it. There were only a few pieces of furniture, a table, a bed, and a chifferobe.
“Sorry,” I mumbled to Michael.
He pulled me into an embrace, and I allowed my head to nestle on his shoulder, even though Zeke watched, pretending he wasn’t.
Michael hugged me tighter. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. I’ve known your mother since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.” He released me. “Let’s get busy now. I’m about ready for bed, aren’t you?” He raised one eyebrow.
I frowned at him, casting a quick look at Zeke.
Michael only smiled broader. “Got a hammer, Zeke? We need to get this bed apart.” He winked at me. “As soon as possible.” He began whistling tunelessly.
I stripped off the chenille bedspread and the sheets while Zeke scurried for the hammer.
Chapter 29—Grace
The next day, a Saturday, I awoke in the arms of my husband and snuggled closer, reluctant to get out of bed and face another day. Something had awakened me. I listened but heard nothing unusual.
A couple of weeks earlier I had finally gotten a rooster and a few hens. The rooster was crowing, but that was such a normal sound, I was sure that wasn’t it. Michael’s arms tightened around me, whether in sleep or not, I didn’t yet know. I kept very still, wanting him to get as much rest as possible. Although I had tried not to listen, I had heard him tell his dad and uncle about the harsh conditions the soldiers endured.
The early morning light streamed through the windows —there were two in this room, one that faced the front and one on the side, from the opposite side of the kitchen. The kitchen window looked out toward the barn; this one over a field, one Uncle Colt was cultivating. I wondered if perhaps someone was in the field now, and the sound of their working had awakened me. There was also a door next to the window, leading outside, so we could come and go in private. Actually these rooms were like our own apartment.
I let out a soft breath of happiness. Why I had put Momma in these rooms instead of taking them for myself, I had no idea. I could put a baby bed in the adjoining room, making it ideal for when the baby came.
Michael’s dad and uncle had done a great job on the rooms’ construction. The planks were tongue and groove and fit tightly, to keep out the winter’s chill. The sitting room, that would also serve as a nursery, had two windows. When the windows were open, as they were now, the slightest breeze was captured and funneled between the rooms.
I heard noises coming from the kitchen. I didn’t want to leave the bed, but I wondered who was up. I quietly slipped from Michael’s arms and changed into my overalls before heading for the kitchen.
Zeke was there.
“What are you doing up so early?” I asked, yawning.
“I’m going fishing. Thought I’d grab a bite. Grace is going with me,” he mumbled. He threw me a quick glance and turned, but not before I had seen his reddened cheeks.
“Grace?” I tried to hide my smile. Grace was fourteen, two years older than Zeke. She had moved in with Marla, over a month ago. Poor Zeke became tongue-tied whenever she was around.
Why Grace wanted to go fishing, I didn’t know. She was a prettier
version of Marla, her features somewhat softer, her teeth white and straight, without the braces Marla had had to wear, and very much a city girl. I still didn’t understand why she had come to live with Marla, especially at the end of a school year. She had been attending school for a few weeks now.
The other girls had taken an instant dislike to Grace, according to Zeke. And I understood why. Not only did she have the golden hair and the wide blue eyes that invoked jealousy, she was also intelligent and knew it. She didn’t have the compassion of her sister, but was blunt and cruel, without meaning to be... at least, I didn’t think she meant to be.
Yet, her beauty had mesmerized Zeke, although he would never admit it. He finished up his breakfast of leftover biscuits and cleaned up after himself. It was unusual in these parts for men-folk to clean up, but Zeke must have been forced to do it when living alone with Momma, and he may have continued out of habit. However, he was compassionate and knew I worked hard. He had always helped me out when he could.
There was a knock on the door, and Zeke swallowed hard. “That’s her,” he whispered.
“I’ll walk out and speak to her,” I said and relief flooded his face.
I opened up the screen door and stepped onto the porch. Coby was used to Grace’s visits when she came with Marla and had not barked. Grace held herself rigid, her purse on her arm, as Coby sniffed around her.
“He doesn’t bite,” I assured her.
“Oh, I know. I just don’t want a dog drooling on me.”
I gave a low whistle and patted my leg for Coby to move away. He immediately complied and lay down with his head on my foot.
Zeke had come out but hovered slightly beside me. Without looking at either of us, he said, “Need to dig some worms.”
“Let’s sit down, Grace,” I invited.
We settled into the chairs while Zeke dug out fat juicy worms from under the bushes next to the front porch. He added them to the old tin can sitting beside him.
“How’s Marla?” I asked.
“She’s fine.” Grace smoothed down an invisible wrinkle.
I looked at her clean, fancy dress. At least, it looked fancy to me. The girls here didn’t even dress like that on a school day, and today was Saturday. Her two-toned shoes looked as if they had never walked on dirt. Girls at Auburn dressed this way, but here, in the country, especially to go down to the creek, we wore old clothes.
“You’re not dressed to go fishing. Would you like to change into overalls?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” Her eyes flashed blue.
“I don’t want you to mess up your clothes,” I said.
“This?” She made a motion indicating her clothes. “This is just every-day. There’s not a problem if I get it dirty.”
Zeke climbed to his feet. It looked like he had enough worms for an all-day fishing trip.
Grace reached into her purse to pull out a bonnet. I was surprised but tried to hide it. She covered up her golden curls that had been sparkling in the morning sun.
“I’ve got a spare pole you can use,” Zeke said to Grace.
“Thanks.”
The screen door squeaked, and I looked up to see Michael.
“Good morning!” I jumped from my chair to give him a kiss.
Michael kept his arm around me as he looked from Zeke to Grace. “Going fishing?”
“You wanna come?” Zeke asked.
Michael looked at me. “That’s up to Jay... I don’t know if she has plans.”
“We haven’t even eaten breakfast, yet,” I said.
“Just grab some crackers and peanut butter,” Zeke said.
I smiled, rolling my eyes. “Let me go tell Momma.”
I went into the house while Zeke retrieved the poles from the lean-to on the side of the house.
Momma was still in bed, and I knocked on her door softly before opening it. “Momma, Zeke, Michael, and I are going fishing.”
“I don’t care what you do,” she mumbled, her back to me.
“We’ll be back later.”
She didn’t respond, so I went out. Michael was in the kitchen, gathering the crackers, peanut butter, and a jug of water.
When we went out, Zeke was impatiently pacing in the yard, keeping his eyes averted from Grace. “Let’s go.”
He walked ahead and Michael joined him. Grace and I followed close behind, chatting. Zeke and Michael didn’t have much to say.
Grace appeared oblivious to Zeke, although a smile played on her lips as her face tilted to the sky. As we approached the creek, she stopped. The guys, who had been on the verge of walking down the embankment, walked back to us.
“What’s wrong?” Michael asked.
“I didn’t know it would be so muddy.”
I hid my smile. I had tried to warn her.
“Hold on a sec,” she said.
Zeke was the closest to her, and to his consternation, she placed a hand on his shoulder to help her balance. She took off one shoe and then peeled off the sock. Zeke was trying hard not to look at her. He sucked in his breath when she put her foot down and wiggled her toes in the dirt. She repeated the process with her other shoe and sock.
Michael was grinning, and I glanced away, not wanting to laugh out loud.
“Ready now.” She released Zeke’s shoulder and smiled into his eyes.
His glance shifted away, and he turned and almost trotted down the steep incline, stopping at the edge of the creek. The rest of us followed at a slower pace. Without looking directly at her, Zeke handed Grace a pole and held out the can.
“You don’t need a whole wiggler,” he said. “Just break off a piece.”
Her eyes widened. “Break off a piece?”
“Sure, it’s easy to do,” he mumbled, still not glancing at her.
“Ummm... will you do it for me?”
He finally looked at her. “Have you ever been fishing before?” His eyes searched her blue ones, and for a split second, his mouth fell open, as if he was surprised at what he saw. He looked away quickly.
“Yes... but my daddy always baited my hook.”
Zeke took a deep breath. “My Poppa always said if you wanna fish, you bait your own hook.”
She bit her lip. “But I don’t want to break a worm in half.” Her voice was almost a whine.
Michael came to her rescue... and Zeke’s. “I’ll pinch off the worm, but you have to bait it.”
She looked doubtful but nodded her head. When Michael broke off the piece, he handed it to her.
“Ew.” She looked at the worm in disgust, holding it with only two fingers as it writhed around.
Zeke had his line baited and tossed it out.
Michael broke off another piece, and using his own hook, showed Grace how to thread the worm.
Michael nodded at her encouragingly. “Now you do it.”
I pretended I wasn’t watching as I baited my own hook. Grace tried to imitate Michael, using only two fingers. When part of the worm flicked back, she screamed and threw down the pole, worm and all.
Michael smiled at her, picked the pole and worm up, and, without another word, baited her hook. He gave it to her before walking over to join me. I threw out my line, and the red and white cork bobbed in the gently flowing water. When Michael raised an eyebrow at me, I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
I cast Grace a sideways glance as she moved a few feet down from us and threw her own line in. The tip of her pole hit the water, sending out ripples. We would never catch a fish if she kept that up. I squinted at the sun. It was going to be another warm day, almost as hot as summertime in an hour or two. This early in the morning, there was a cooling breeze.
Grace gave out a little shriek. Michael and I pivoted in her direction. She was leaning back, the pole bent and quivering in her hands. Michael handed his pole to me, and ran to her. With his assistance, she pulled the fish in, a catfish, at least six pounds.
Zeke and I gathered ‘round, admiring the fish. Michael grinned at her. “Want me to take
it off?”
Of course, we all knew the answer but waited for her response.
“Please!” Her face was scrunched up, as if she couldn’t bear to be this close to the wriggling fish.
None of us could help smiling at her expression. The fish flapped on the end of the line as Michael raised it. He slid his left hand under the barbs and tightened his grip. He pulled the hook out, put the fish on the string, tossed it into the edge of the water, and tied the other end of the string onto a small sapling growing nearby.
“Want to try again?” Michael asked.
She didn’t speak, only nodded.
Michael baited her hook, not even bothering to get her to try. She threw the line out, and once again, the end of the pole splashed into the water. Zeke caught my eye and sighed.
After we fished a couple of hours, none of us had caught anything except Grace. She had caught two more catfish.
I stretched in the warm sun. “We need to get home. I need to fix dinner.”
Michael took my pole from me. “Go on. Zeke and I will be right behind you.”
“Bye, Grace. See you later.” I gave them all a wave and climbed up the steep slope to the road.
About halfway home, Zeke and Michael caught up with me, carrying their poles. Michael also had the string with three catfish.
“Grace said she didn’t know how to clean fish,” Michael said.
I smiled. “What a surprise.”
Michael laughed. “I told her I would clean them. We can take them over later.”
“Too bad the rest of us didn’t have any luck today.” I caught Michael’s eye and tilted my head in the direction of Zeke’s gloomy face.
Zeke kicked at the dirt, stirring up dust, and made a phttting sound. “That girl!”
“Grace?” I asked, as if I didn’t know.
“Yeah. She scared all the fish away.”
Michael held up the string with the three catfish. “Well, not all of them.” He shook his head in disbelief. “It’s really amazing she caught any.”
Zeke grimaced. “Yeah. Amazing. Amazing Grace.”
Trying to commiserate, I touched him lightly on his shoulder. “We’ll have better luck next time.”
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