Every Last Mother's Child
Page 86
Chapter 4: The Cabinet Maker
“April,” he came into their kitchen holding a hard copy, “We leave next week.”
“That soon,” his wife of thirty years said looking around the kitchen wondering how much they would be allowed to take with them. “Think we can be ready.”
“I’ve already said yes,” he said, “the container will be here tomorrow some time. The notice says there will be someone to coach us in how to load the container.”
“Oh that must be one of what do they call those women who work for the Marshal? Oh yeah, Wilson’s Women. Now you look here Andy I don’t care how good looking they are! You just keep your eyes on them and your hands on me!”
“I understand that some of those women are men dear,” he said looking innocently at his coffee cup, “I assume the same rules apply to you too?”
“We’ll see.” the nearly sixty year old woman replied, “I better call the kids. This means they’ll be going too right?”
“I don’t know.” Andy replied. He had thought the boys had said that they didn’t want to be part of the pioneer party. He also thought that the Marshal said he wasn’t going to break up families. But as he thought of it, he and April had raised their children, and their children now had children of their own. They seldom saw the boys. Tony was a carpenter, Jimmy was a salesman. Both had expressed to him that they didn’t want to be pioneers. They were used to the easy life of a civilized and established planet. He and April had discussed being pioneers, and thought they would like it. They both were healthy, and they were still young enough to be of service to their new world.