When the Bough Breaks by Irene N.Watts

Author:Irene N.Watts
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9781770490260
Publisher: Tundra
Published: 2007-06-13T14:00:00+00:00

I fry the trout for supper. It looks and smells delicious, but I can't seem to swallow a bite. I give most of my share to Hamish, and notice Father hasn't cleared his plate, either.

“I've things to see to in the forge, Millie, but I won't be late. Thanks for the good lunch you packed for us today.”

“Can I go out to play till bedtime, Millie?” Hamish is already halfway out the door, but I want to ask him about Mrs. Bates.

“Help me with the dishes first, and then you can go.” I throw him the tea cloth.

“Dishes, on my birthday. You don't mean that, Millie, do you?”

“You bet I do, and it's not your birthday anymore. That was yesterday. Hurry up, so you can go out.” I hand him the first plate. “Did you notice anything special about Mrs. Bates when you saw her this morning? Did she see you?” I don't really know what I expect Hamish to tell me. I know she's in town, she told me that. She'd have to room somewhere!

“No, Millie, I was in a hurry to get home. You know what? Pa and I met Dan Price. He'd been to town to pick up some seed, and he stayed and watched me catch my trout. He told Pa, ‘My missus would give anything in the world to have that little lad of yours.’”

“Hamish, he was joking. You're too young to go off and work for Farmer Price.”

“Not me, Millie, he meant Eddie. I'm Pa's right-hand man – he can't spare me. Carr and Son, that's who we are. I'm finished … can I go now?”

“Thanks for helping. Be home before dark.” I wipe the sink, put the plates away, and wonder what this is all about. People don't go around offering to take in other people's children, not unless they're orphans….

I finally finish tidying the kitchen, and I go up to my room, all the things that happened today buzzing inside my head. I can still hear Elsie Bates's voice, wheedling, “Let me hold the baby.”

And suddenly I know what draws her back to the house. She wants the baby. She told me how she'd lost her child, and now she wants ours.

I pick up the wooden “mother” doll from the top of my dresser and fall asleep holding her – a reminder of how once, a long time ago, I felt safe.

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