Finest Kind by Lea Wait

Author:Lea Wait
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

21

Mother was tired when Jake returned home that evening. During the day she’d prepared the entire wagonload of apples he’d collected and strung the pieces on twelve long strings for drying. Jake hung the strings between beams in the loft before allowing himself to collapse into sleep. He wished the pieces of apple were bigger, so he could use the drying racks. Next year the racks would be good for squash or pumpkin or corn.

He’d only slept an hour or two when he woke to Frankie’s thrashing and moaning, and Mother’s soft singing. At first he lay there, allowing himself to be lulled by her voice. But then he knew he should see if he could help.

Quietly, so as not to startle Mother or Frankie, he climbed down the ladder from the loft. Mother was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace. She’d added logs, for both heat and light, and the whale oil lamp was trimmed low on the table. Frankie, peaceful for the moment, was in her lap. Both she and Frankie were wrapped in the blue and red star-patterned quilt Mother had pieced several years before.

Mother looked up as she heard Jake. “I’m sorry we woke you. You had a long day.”

“So did you,” Jake answered. “Can I get you something? There’s some tea left from the last Father brought.” Granny McPherson might think tea an extravagance, but it was one of the few Mother indulged in now.

“Thank you, Jake. A cup of tea would taste very good.”

Jake filled the kettle with water from the basin he kept full to save Mother from having to go outside to the pump. After he’d hung the kettle on the crane, he got out Mother’s English china teapot with pink roses, and a matching cup and saucer that she had used when Mrs. Neal visited. Most days now they used pewter mugs. But tonight Jake wanted Mother to have her tea the way she always drank it in the past. They had given up so much. A cup of tea was a little thing that might comfort Mother.

“You strung close to two bushels of apples today, Mother.”

Mother raised one of her hands to show some small cuts. “I’ve never cut up so many apples. But at least I felt I was doing something to help us. I took some of the pieces and stewed them in a little water, and then mashed them, and Frankie ate some too.” She smiled at Jake. “We’re going to be very elegant this winter, dining on oysters and apples.”

“Tomorrow I’ll ask Mrs. Neal if she’ll sell me some corn to bait traps,” Jake said.

Jake was sure Mrs. Neal would help him, but he didn’t have the patience to deal with Tom. If he were lucky, Tom would be off somewhere tomorrow. He wished he could ask Mother’s advice about Tom, but she had enough to worry about.

“Mrs. Neal seemed very kind. But don’t encourage her to come and visit again. Tell her I’ll visit her soon.

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