The Goodbye Season by Marian Hale

Author:Marian Hale
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Published: 2009-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

“All things must change To something new, to something strange.”

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

chapter

20

MY ROOM WAS SMALL, but it was everything Mrs. Wilder had said and more. A lace-trimmed comforter lay on the bed, and sunlight streamed through big windows dressed in ruffled swag curtains. I’d never slept in a room so nice. I stood there staring till Mrs. Wilder’s voice shook me from my stupor.

“It’s a pretty little room, don’t you think?” she asked, pushing her hand deep into her apron pocket. She fingered something inside, moving it this way and that, and the corner of an envelope peeked out.

I smiled at her. “Yes, it’s very pretty, Mrs. Wilder. Thank you.”

She shoved the letter down safe inside, yanked out her hand, and began discussing what I might prepare for dinner tonight and how she wanted me to join them for meals just as Vera had done.

“I think it’s important to maintain a sense of family for the children,” she said. “I’d also like you to tutor them in learning their numbers and letters—at the kitchen table, please, not in their room.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’s something Father wanted—”

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. “I meant to say, it’s something Mr. Wilder wanted, but …”

Her gaze fell to the floor in front of us.

“… but now …”

Her voice trailed off again, making me think that mentioning her husband had brought back the awful memory of his loss, but that wasn’t it at all. Something else had caught her attention, and her eyes were fixed on the floor at her feet.

“I’ll be happy to work with the children, Mrs. Wilder.”

I waited, but she didn’t answer.

“Would midmorning be okay? After the morning chores?”

She bent, picked up a large black button, and without a word headed for the stairs.

I DIDN’T QUITE know what to think of my new employer, but taking over the kitchen and cleaning up after the kids felt as natural as breathing, especially with Mrs. Wilder staying in her room most of the time. The children were well mannered and appeared happy just to sit at the table, watching me prepare a hen for stewing.

“You gonna make dumplings with that chicken?” Gabe asked, looking far too serious to be talking about supper.

I nodded and pulled out a large pot. “Do you like dumplings?”

“Yeah, but Daddy liked ’em better’n anybody.”

“He’s way up in the sky now,” Gilly said in that baby voice of hers, “with the angels.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. I set the pot on the stove and turned around. “Maybe your daddy will see my mama there.”

Gabe looked up at me, thoughtful like. “Your mama’s in heaven, too?”

I nodded.

“Do you think your mama and my daddy might be friends?” he asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure she’d like it if they were.”

He nodded real slow. “I bet my daddy would, too.”

“You gonna be our friend now?” Gilly asked.

Choking back tears, I knelt and slipped my arms around their small shoulders. “Yes,” I whispered. “I would like that most of all.”

THAT

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