Making Amends by Janet Lee Barton

Author:Janet Lee Barton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2012-08-20T00:00:00+00:00

Nine

“Oh, you’re back, Darcie.” Alma Burton peeked into the room then, saving Darcie from answering her mother. Her gray hair pulled up in a bun and her cheeks taking on more color, she seemed to have a little more energy than when she first came to stay with them. “I was coming to see if I could give your mother a hand with dinner.”

Mrs. Alma looked disappointed that Darcie had returned and she wouldn’t be needed, but Darcie and her mother assured her they wanted her in the kitchen.

“We can always use an extra hand, Mrs. Alma.” Darcie waved her into the room.

“And even if we didn’t need help, we’re glad to have your company. So come in and stir this gravy while Darcie and I dish up everything. You might taste it and tell me if it needs more salt or pepper, too.”

“Well, I ought to be able to manage that. I’ve made a lot of gravy in my day. I used to love to cook, but it ain’t much fun to cook for one.”

“No, I don’t imagine it is,” Darcie’s mother said, exchanging a glance with Darcie as Mrs. Alma took the wooden spoon from her and began to stir. “It’s also easier to cook for more people, too.”

Darcie thought about how lonesome it must be for Mrs. Alma to live alone with no one to care for but herself. For the first time she had a glimpse into why her mother might be happy cooking and caring for boarders and why she insisted she loved what she was doing.

Mrs. Alma sampled a spoonful of the gravy and nodded. “It’s real tasty, Molly. But you make great gravy. It’s always good and always tastes the same.” She laughed. “My brother used to tell me that’s what he liked about mine. He said his wife must have 365 recipes for gravy because it tasted different every day.”

All three women laughed while they finished setting out the dinner. Darcie was glad her mother had found something for the older woman to do. She seemed to perk up even more from helping that little bit. It would be so good for her to stay here. Darcie wondered if they should broach the subject of selling her house yet, but she would let her mother do it. She had known Alma Burton for a long time and would bring up the subject in the right way and at the right time.

Darcie had almost managed to put the upcoming conversation with John Harper out of her mind, but it only lasted until they met in the dining room. He usually arrived before she did. He had Darcie’s chair pulled out for her, but he’d taken to helping Mrs. Alma each night, drawing out her chair and sliding it back to the table for her. If she waited, she was sure he’d help her push her chair closer to the table, too; but there was no need, and she was pleased he saw to the older woman’s comfort first.

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