Bitter, Sweet by Laura Best

Author:Laura Best
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: JUV013050, JUV016180
Publisher: Nimbus
Published: 2010-08-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The very next day after Mrs. McFarland nearly barged into the house, Daddy came home. He arrived on the back of someone’s truck with an old brown bag slung over his shoulder, wearing a tweed cap that covered his eyes. There were days and perhaps months when I would have welcomed the sight of him without a bit of hesitancy, but now that he was within my sight I had to resist the urge to run away and hide. Strings of emotion were twining through me and I wasn’t sure which ones to trust. I watched as Daddy’s stride hastened with each step he made until he all but burst through the front door. I stood still for only a few moments and the instant he smiled at me I ran toward his open arms. I couldn’t help myself.

Daddy was home at long last! Everything would be better. All our worries could be thrown out the window and forgotten. There was so much to tell him that I had no idea where to begin, and a flood of words threatened to burst from my lips. I wanted to sob and laugh and shout alleluia all at the same time. But I knew I couldn’t allow it. I had aged too much over the past year to let some childish outburst betray me. I had learned to be strong just like Gran Hannah, and was not about to forget Mama’s les–sons just because Daddy was back. The amount of times I had explained things out to him when he wasn’t there to hear I couldn’t begin to count. Now here he was. He was here to hear it all, to listen and understand. I would begin with Mama of course. That was the most important part. I’d start with Mama and the rest would follow.

But before I had time to explain anything Davey and Flora came through the doorway. The moment they saw Daddy they rushed to him in a wild flurry, both vying for the same place in Daddy’s open arms. Daddy cradled them both at once, smothering them in a barrage of kisses.

Jesse did not look so happy. He kept a safe distance, as if he had something to fear, or else was bitten with resentment, as he watched Flora and Davey clamour for Daddy’s affection. I could tell by the look on Jesse’s face that it angered him to see the way they cooed and went on about Daddy’s being there.

Later, as we stood beside the spot where Mama was buried, our heads bowed, all holding hands because Daddy said it seemed only decent to do so, a soft wind whistled through the treetops and I knew it was Mama looking down at us from above. Daddy picked a bouquet of buttercups and daisies to place at the top of Mama’s grave and told us we should always remember to pick Mama fresh flowers.

“You know how much Issy loved flowers,” he said.

But Flora protested, explaining that Mama had told us not to put any flowers on her grave because people might see them and wonder.

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