Millie was sobbing Ida’s name when a little voice said, “I’m right here, Mama.”
Jerking around, Millie saw the strawberry locks on the bottom step of the stairs leading to the apartment. She ran across the street and grabbed Ida into a big hug. She kissed the small head over and over.
Arms came around them both. “What happened?” Clay asked. “Grace came in crying that Ida was lost.”
“I— I came over to get the girls but Ida wasn’t in the park. Fern hadn’t been watching her. Opal and Grace didn’t know where she was. I called and called. Just now she answered from here on the steps.”
Clay took Ida’s chin in his hand. “Where did you go? Why didn’t you tell Fern or Grace where you were going?”
“I couldn’t. I had to take Opal’s birthday present up to my room to hide it. I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.”
“Her birthday present?” Clay asked.
“Yeah. I found it in the park. I can’t tell ‘cause it’s a secret.”
By now Grace and Opal were next to them.
Clay took Ida from Millie, kissed her and set her down. “You three go up to the apartment. We’ll be up in a few minutes to get lunch ready.”
Millie looked around for Fern. She was nowhere in sight. “Oh, Clay. I yelled so at Fern. I called her irresponsible. I’m sure I hurt her feelings. She’s not irresponsible. Not at all. I was just so scared for Ida. After the earthquakes, losing Sherman, and almost losing Reuben, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stand losing another one I love.” She was weeping from the fear and now from her unfair anger at Fern. “She’s been so wonderful to take on the girls and Abe so much for me. I know she needs more time to play and just be a little girl. I was so unfair to her.”
Clay gathered her against him. He kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. She’ll spend some time alone and then come home. You can apologize to her then. She’ll forgive you. As soon as the rooms are done I’ll have more time in the store. So will Ryder and Nate. That will ease your schedule. Then Fern can go play on her own.”
“I hope she’ll forgive me. I was just so scared I’d lose your daughter.” She laid her head against his shoulder. He felt so strong and steady with his arms around her. He gave her hope she hadn’t destroyed Fern with her hastily thrown words.
“Let’s close the store until after lunch. Or better yet, let the boys handle it. We’ll be upstairs if they need us. I’ll help you fix lunch.” He kissed her forehead again then guided her up the stairs.
Fern ran past the church and into the cemetery. Throwing herself onto her father’s grave she wept, sobbing her heart out.
“I didn’t mean to lose Ida. I just wanted to play with Betty. I haven’t been able to since you died, Papa. All I do is watch the girls and Abe. Mama’s been so mean to me. I can’t ever do what I want anymore. I can’t ever just be alone. Always Opal or Grace or Ida or Abe or even one of the boys is always there. There’s just too many of them. Mama never reads to us or plays or takes us to the river anymore. All she does is work and tell me I have to take care of the little ones.” She stopped when a gentle hand was laid on her shoulder. Looking up, Fern saw Mrs. Edmondson kneeling beside her.
“You having a bad day?”
“It’s been bad ever since Papa died.”
“It’s been that way for many here in Silverpines.” Mrs. Edmondson stood. “Come, let’s sit on the bench under the tree over here.”
Fern followed her and sat beside the late pastor’s wife. They sat in silence for a while. Fern peeked up at Mrs. Edmondson.
“Lovely day today. Warm and sunny. We need to thank the Lord for days like today.” Mrs. Edmondson was looking at the puffy clouds lazily passing by in the sky.
Fern just sat in silence.
“We’ve not had many lovely days since the earthquake even when the weather is good. Silverpines isn’t what it used to be. Everyone has so much sorrow and grief to get through. So much work to do to rebuild the town and their lives. So much work.”
Fern looked up at her. “Mama works all the time. I thought when she married Pa she’d have time for us again. That I wouldn’t have to watch Opal and Abe anymore. But now I have to watch them and Grace and Ida. It’s not fair.”
“Who told you life was fair?”
Fern pulled her eyebrows together. “Isn’t it supposed to be?”
“Was it fair for the mine to collapse and the mudslide that killed so many? Was it fair that your Pa’s first wife died of pneumonia? Was it fair that Jesus died on the cross to take our sins away?”
Fern shook her head. “No.”
“Is it fair that your mama has so much work to do that she can’t take time to play with you or mind her own children and those of her new husband?”
“No.”
“Is it fair that you have been asked to help your mama so she can get her work done?”
Fern looked up, wondering how she was supposed to answer that question.
“No,” said Mrs. Edmondson. “But that’s life. We have to do things we don’t want to do. Have to accept that things aren’t fair. We also can know that the Holy Spirit is there for us for our comfort. To take our tears and put them in bottles because they are precious to God.”
Fern nodded. Pastor James had spoken about that in church a while back. “Mama was really scared about Ida being gone.”
“I’m sure she was.”
“She’s never yelled at me like that before, not even when I spilled milk all over Abe when I tripped over him when he crawled in front of me. It was a big glass too. It broke into a million pieces.”
Mrs. Edmondson grinned. “She’s a good mama and now she has nine children to take care of instead of four. And she has to work in the store, too.”
“Pa says it won’t be much longer until the bedrooms are done and he can work in the store more.”
“Bedrooms?”
“Yeah, he’s building two rooms. One for the boys and one for me so I don’t have to sleep in with the little girls.”
“That’s real thoughtful of him.”
“Mama wanted me to have the room. I think it was her idea.”
“Real nice of your mama.”
“Yes.” Fern was silent for a moment. “I might miss the little girls some.”
“You might for a while, but I figure you’ll like it pretty well most of the time.”
“Do you suppose they found Ida?”
“I imagine she didn’t go very far.”
“I think I’ll go home and find out. If they haven’t, I want to go help look for her.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Fern jumped off the bench and took two steps. She turned around and gave Mrs. Edmondson a hug. “Thank you.”
Mrs. Edmondson hugged her back, then smiled as Fern ran toward home.
Hearing someone running up the stairs, Millie looked out the window that overlooked them. The top of Fern’s dark blonde head passed by. She was the only one of their children with Sherman’s coloring. Her eyes were the same deep blue of an autumn sky.
Millie exited the kitchen just as Fern burst into the parlor.
“Did you find Ida?”
“Yes, sweetie, we did.” Millie came and wrapped her arms around Fern. “She had come up to the apartment to hide the gift for Opal’s birthday she found in the park.
“I’m so sorry I yelled at you like I did. I didn’t mean anything I said. I was so scared and I took it out on you. You’ve been such a wonderful help to me. You’ve been so responsible in taking care of the little ones since…” She stopped. No sense explaining that. Fern knew. “It won’t be long before you won’t have to do it anymore.”
“I know, Mama. I’m sorry I didn’t watch Ida better. I just got to playing with Betty and I forgot.”
Millie stroked her hair. “I know. But you know what? By this time next week the rooms will be done and Pa can work the store more. So will Ryder and Nate. You’ll not have to mind the little ones.”
Fern smile
d. “That’ll be good. They get real tiring to be around so much. Ida always wants to look in Grace’s magnifying glass and she won’t let her. Then Ida gets mad or cries.”
“I promise you won’t have to watch them.”
“I will sometimes. They can be fun. Just not all the time.”
Millie kissed Fern’s head. “No, not all the time.”
A scream, then another came down the hall from the girls’ room. One was Opal’s. The other was from Grace. Millie and Fern looked at each other and ran down the hall. Clay came out of Abe’s room carrying him after changing his diaper.
Millie opened the door, running into the bedroom. “What’s happened?”
Opal and Grace stood on the bed, eyes wide with fear. Ida was looking under the bed. She turned and Millie saw big tears rolling down her face.
“It was supposed to be a surprise for her birthday. Now it’s not a surprise.”
Millie sat on the floor and gathered Ida into her lap. “What’s not a surprise?”
“The kitty.”
Millie looked up at Clay. He shrugged.
“What kitty?”
“The one I found in the park and brought home for Opal. He came out from under the bed. They screamed and scared him. He’s in the corner all shivering.” Ida buried her face in Millie’s bosom and sobbed.
Clay put Abe down and rounded the bed. Peeking under he found the kitten beside the headboard. He grabbed it and brought it to his chest. “This is the reason for all the screams and tears?”
“Oooo.” Grace brought out her magnifying glass, looking at the furry animal in Clay’s arms.
“A kitty.” Opal clapped. “For me?”
“I found it in the bushes. It was for your birthday. But it’s ruined now.” Ida sobbed.
Millie looked at Clay. Just what we need. A kitten, she thought.
“What are you going to name it?” Fern asked. “Ida, that’s a real good present. Opal has wanted a kitten for a long time.”
Millie was thankful Fern didn’t mention the one Reuben had tried to get for his sister.
Clay put the cat on the bed after Fern and Ida clambered onto it. The four girls were delighted with the gray and white puffball. Abe stood looking at it, as confusion filled his face. Clay helped Millie to her feet and drew her out into the hall.
“It looks like we now have a kitten as well as nine children,” she said. “There’s no way to take it away from them. We’d have more tears and I don’t think I can handle that today.”
Clay pulled her into their bedroom and closed the door. “No, not a good idea at all.” He wrapped his arms around her.
Millie sighed and leaned against him. She was so glad he’d answered her advertisement. He was the strength she needed. Tipping her head back, she looked into his eyes. “I’m glad it was you who wrote such wonderful letters. You’ve become my strength, my helpmate.” She touched his cheek.
Clay searched her eyes. Then lowered his head, pressing his lips against hers. Desire shot through Millie. It was so strong it startled her. She drew back. Seeing the question in his eyes she knew everything was up to her. He would never pressure her into more than she could give. The question was, was she ready to become his wife in fact as well as name? Millie wasn’t sure of the answer.
Pounding sounded on the door. Clay stepped back and opened it. Opal stood there holding the kitten with her brother and sisters behind her.
“I decided on a name for the kitty. It’s Kitty ‘cause it’s a kitty.”
Clay lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through the lace curtains at the windows of their bedroom. Something needed to change. Millie was still overworked, stressed, and overwhelmed. He’d thought the rooms would be done by now. Working with two untrained boys slowed down the progress.
He’d known adding five children to Millie’s family would up the workload, but he hadn’t realized the total of what she’d been dealing with after the earthquakes. Guilt rode hard on him.
The bed started shaking slightly. Clay looked over at Millie. She lay on her side facing away from him. The movement of her shoulders was evidence of her crying. It broke his heart. She never complained. She simply kept going.
Rolling over he pressed against her back, wrapping his arm around her. “Shhh. It’s going to be okay.”
“I know. In my weakness, He is strong.” Millie took a shuddery breath.
“Millie, I’m sorry. I’ve not eased your burden at all. All I’ve done is add my children onto your shoulders.”
She rolled so she faced him within his arms. “No, I love your children. They are a wonderful addition to mine. You and Lucy did a marvelous job raising them. I’m delighted that they all get along so well.”
Clay smiled. “A few minor squabbles aside, they have been very good together. Thank the Lord for that. We certainly don’t need bickering on top of everything else.” He placed a hand on the back of her head and tucked it under his chin. “Things are going to change. We need less going on.”
“Why?”
Clay was pleased when Millie relaxed against him. He hugged her more tightly to him. “I need to be in the store more to get to know it and go over the ledgers and orders so I know them better. We need to figure out what needs to be ordered so we’ll have the supplies people need to rebuild, restock, and get their lives back.
“As a family we need some time to relax together. You and your children have gone through a major upheaval. So have mine. Ever since we arrived you and I have been so busy we’ve not had time to interact with our own children let alone get to know the others well. We need to. It’s summer. Now’s the time we should be doing some recreational things as a family.”
“But how can we do that? The rooms…” Clay stopped her words with fingers on her lips.
“As soon as Fern’s room is done the rest will just have to wait. The boys don’t care that they are in the storeroom. We’re getting along without the bathing room. It can wait. We, as a family, can’t.
“We’re also going to set regular hours for the store so people know when we’ll be open. For the rest of the summer, we’ll be closed on Wednesdays. That will give us a chance to have some outings as a family. We need that. You need that.”
Millie slipped her arm around his waist. “That sounds wonderful.”
“I think we need to make a play area in the back room so the children can be downstairs if we both need to be in the store or one of us has to go somewhere. The piles in there are all gone now so there is room. That will free Fern from having to tend them all the time.”
“She’ll appreciate that.” Millie yawned. “I think all your ideas are just what we need.”
Clay tipped her chin up and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “It’s all going to work out well. You’ll see. Sleep now.”
“I think you’re right.”
When Millie snuggled to his chest, Clay smiled in the darkness and closed his eyes.
CHAPTER NINE
A PARTY WAS held for Opal’s birthday with Kitty wearing a red bow that was normally used on the tree at Christmas. Fern and Millie made a chocolate cake that was gone quickly though evidence of it was on several young faces.
Fern’s bedroom was painted pink as were four boys who decided flinging paint from brushes at each other was great fun. Fortunately it was done in the storeroom where little damage occurred. Their blankets would forever be spotted pink. The boys spent the next few days scrubbing the walls, floor, and crates of the storeroom. Though the paint didn’t wash away, years of grime did. Their next job was washing the back room so a play area could be created.
The choice of fabric for Fern’s curtains was difficult. She waffled between blue flowers on pink, and pink and yellow flowers on green. Grace and Opal voiced their opinions which were opposed and resulted in a quarrel. Fern finally chose yellow stripes with pink flowers. Millie opened the sewing machine Clay brought from Stones Creek and soon the window was decorated and two pillow cases made to matc
h.
In the midst of all the cleaning and sewing the family’s first Wednesday outing was held. Millie packed a picnic lunch and everyone carried something to the river. Just downriver from town the river split around an island. There was a sand beach along the river’s edge where swimming was enjoyed by many of the townsfolk. Today, the Cutlers had the area to themselves, allowing them to spread out so those who wanted to dig holes in the sand could and those whose choice was to build sand castles weren’t bothered. Between the groups Millie and Clay spread out blankets and watched the children frolic in the water.
“Ida told me she wanted pie for her birthday,” Millie said as she settled on the blanket.
“It’s hard for me to realize she’ll be three come Friday.” Clay dusted some sand off his pant leg then lay back on his elbows. “It seems like only yesterday Lucy told me she was expecting.”
“Same with Abe. His birthday is in December. The rest of mine have already happened this year.” Millie watched Reuben and Ben splash water on Nate who gave chase, splashing after them and laughing.
“Nate will be twelve in August.” They continued discussing and learning the birthdays of all the children. “When is your birthday?” Clay asked.
“September ninth. I’ll be thirty.” Millie refrained from saying she had never thought she’d be a widow before she attained that age.
“We’re hungry.” Opal fell on the blanket next to Millie. Grace held Abe by the hand. Ida jumped up to them spraying sand on Clay.
That effectively ended their quiet conversation as the rest of the children gathered around for food.
Clay looked back toward town. Something was going to happen. He didn’t know what or when, but his Callings were never wrong. He prayed it wasn’t another earthquake. Silverpines was slowly recovering. They didn’t need more damage or the reminder of what they’d lost.
Abe climbed onto Clay’s lap. He looked funny with part of his head shaved. The stitches were out and the cut healing. Maybe he’d take the boy to the barber and have the rest of the hair shaved off.
Wanted: Shopkeeper (Silverpines Book 4) Page 7