A Place to Belong by Joan Lowery Nixon

Author:Joan Lowery Nixon [Nixon, Joan Lowery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-82757-9
Publisher: Laurel-Leaf Books
Published: 2013-11-27T05:00:00+00:00

The next few Sundays, after church services, Alfrid would leave Melba, Peg, and Danny for a few minutes to visit Olga’s grave and tenderly lay a small holly branch or pine bough on the snow.

On the third Sunday Danny walked through the little cemetery with Alfrid, sorrowing with him, angry and fearful because there was no way he could help.

Alfrid laid a sprig of holly bright with red berries at the base of the headstone and murmured, “There’ll be flowers in the spring.” He stepped back and held Danny’s hand firmly, but Danny knew that Alfrid wasn’t talking to him; he was talking to Olga.

Then the last Sunday in January, as they drove home after services, Melba turned to Alfrid and said, “There’s never enough time for mourning, Alfrid, but it’s time you began thinking about taking another wife.”

He gave her a sharp, quizzical glance before she added, “You can’t run the farm by yourself. It takes two to make a go of it—a man and a woman. I can only stay a few more weeks to tend to you and the children. My own family needs me.”

Danny sucked in his breath. Beside him Peg clutched at his hand, her fingers inside the wool mittens twisted into his so tightly it was painful.

“I don’t want to think or talk of that now,” Alfrid said.

Melba sat up primly, pulling her shawl more snugly about her neck against the cold air. “You had love in your marriage, which makes you more fortunate than many. But now you need a good, strong, thrifty woman who knows how to manage a household.”

“Melba, this is no time to—”

“How do you expect to keep the children without a wife to aid you?”

Peg whimpered, then choked back the sound, staring at Alfrid with wide, frightened eyes. Danny’s chest began to ache, and he found it hard to breathe.

“I’m not ready. There is no one—” Alfrid began, but Melba wouldn’t give up.

“Yes, there is,” she said. “Ennie Pratka is fond of you, Alfrid. She’s a hard worker and would make a good wife.”

“Ennie Pratka!” Alfrid’s heavily gloved hands almost dropped the reins, and his mouth fell open.

“Think about it, Alfrid. That’s all I’m asking. I know how stubborn you can be and how you have to mull an idea over and over before you’ll accept it, but you’re going to have to make a decision soon.”

An idea exploded into Danny’s mind with such force that he jumped. That’s it! Of course! he thought. Peg gaped at him, and he leaned close and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry. I know what to do. I just thought of a wonderful plan!”

As the buggy stopped in front of the barn, Danny leapt out and ran through the snow to open the big barn doors. The moment that Alfrid led the horses inside, Danny unhitched them and led them into their stalls. He waited until the horses had been rubbed down, then turned to face Alfrid. “I don’t think you should marry Mrs.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.