Patterns and Progress by Amber Stockton

Author:Amber Stockton [Stockton, Amber]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60742-966-1
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2009-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

eight

“Shannon, would you come and help me with the dishes, dear?” Mama called from the kitchen after everyone had risen from the supper table. Jeremiah and Matthew had both joined Father outside to finish the evening chores. Maribeth headed to her room to complete her studies.

“Coming, Mother,” Shannon called. She gave a final swipe to the table with the rag in her hand and made her way to the kitchen.

“Come grab a clean towel, dear.” Mother issued her instructions without even turning around to see that Shannon had entered. “I’ll wash, and you can dry.”

Mama grabbed the first plate and scraped off the extra food then plunged her hands into the basin, giving the dish a good scrub. Shannon took it from her when it was clean and rubbed the towel over it in a circular motion.

It had been almost a month since Jacob had taken her to the baseball game and driven her home. She’d still seen him at Mulligan’s Grocery each week she went into the city, but nothing much had happened to take their friendship any further. They chatted like they had before, bantered a bit, and even had a tiff or two about motorcars and airplanes. It lacked the spark of that afternoon and evening, though. Had she done something wrong? Something to dissuade him in some way?

“So, how are you coming with your latest quilt pattern?”

Mama’s voice interrupted her pensive state. “Hmm?”

“Shannon, dear,” Mama said as she handed over another late. “Would you like to tell me what’s been bothering you lately?”

“Bothering me?”

“Yes. You haven’t been acting like yourself for the past few weeks. You’ve been unusually quiet at meals, going off by yourself during the day, and when someone asks you a question, they sometimes have to repeat it a second time before you hear it.”

Shannon finished drying the plate in her hand and shuffled to put it away in the cabinet on her right. Had she been that bad? If so, had everyone noticed? No one had said anything to her about it. Until now, that is.

“I’m sorry, Mother.” She sighed. “I honestly didn’t think my behavior had changed that much.”

She turned back toward the sink and saw Mama regarding her with a bemused expression on her face.

“No change? Unless someone else has come and taken the place of my daughter, there is a definite difference.”

Shannon gave her mother a sheepish grin. “I have been out of sorts a bit.”

Mama shook off another plate and handed it to Shannon with a knowing look. “For starters, how about you tell me his name? Although I’m fairly certain I already know. We’ll work through everything else from there.”

“His name?”

“It’s no use pretending with me, dear. I haven’t raised four children without being observant.”

Mama had a point. Shannon should’ve known she couldn’t keep something like this hidden. Truth be told, she hadn’t really been aware of her actions much these past few weeks.

“Jacob Berringer,” she finally said. “Ever since the baseball game a few weeks ago, I’ve been feeling something’s different.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.