Read Online Bittersweet by Cathy Marie Hake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cathy Marie Hake
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potatoes.”
“Let’s set that one off to the side.” Mrs. O’Sullivan turned to Hilda. “Some seasoning and eggs, and those mashed potatoes will turn into delicious potato pancakes. I’ll whip up some white gravy. Laney, boil noodles. Ruth, be a dear and grate some cheese for me.”
Ishmael began to back away toward the door. Mrs. O’Sullivan wagged her finger at him. “If you’re sneaking away, I’ll still expect you back for lunch. Aye, I will, Ishmael Grubb. And whilst you escape, take those bags you toted in along with you. The sugar and flour are for the Broken P.”
“Kelly,” Hilda said to Mrs. O’Sullivan, “Laney brought three flour and three sugar. Altogether, I don’t have storage at the Broken P for more than four sacks. You’ve got to keep those two sugar.”
“Lester sold every last jar of jelly and jam I took in to the mercantile, Ma,” Galen said. “Could you use the sugar to put up some pear butter?”
“Why, yes.”
Laney smiled. Everything’s going just as I hoped it would! “Ruth and I will be happy to come help.”
“Me, too,” Hilda tacked on.
“You ladies have done so much for us already.” Galen shook his head.
He started out with a word of praise, but that stubborn look on his face and the way he’s shaking his head … Laney blurted out, “Your mother has been exceptionally gracious, Galen. She’s taught Ruth and me so much. We’re both very grateful.”
Galen turned away from Laney and said to his mother, “I’m thinking Ishmael’s twin sister could help you.”
Laney couldn’t move. Galen’s words and action tore at her.
“Wow!” Dale stared up at Ishmael. “You got a twin?”
“They can’t be twins if she’s a girl.” Sean wrinkled his nose.
“Twins gotta both be boys or gotta both be girls.”
Ishmael hunkered down in front of the boys. “Now that ain’t quite the truth. Twins cain be a matched set, or they cain jist be two borned at the same time.”
“Like when Gertie farrowed. Hortense and Peasley and—” “Sorta like that.”
“Dale!” Mrs. O’Sullivan sounded as if she couldn’t decide whether she was shocked or amused. “Mrs. Grubb isn’t a sow. Please don’t take any offense, Mr. Grubb.”
Ishmael grinned. “After seein’ jist what a fine shoat Hortense is, and with Mr. O’Sullivan saying how Dale dotes on her, I’d say he was payin’ a compliment. I reckon if ’n my ma was still alive, she’d be tickled.”
Galen ruffled Dale’s hair. “With twins, there are only two babies.”
“Oh. So do they look alike?”
Laney dreaded hearing what Ishmael’s twin looked like, but she also desperately wanted to know. She waited to hear his answer.
Ishmael rose and a slow smile crossed his face. “Me and my sis—we both got pale hair and sky eyes, but on Ivy, it’s beautiful.”
“Miss Grubb and I came to an agreement,” Galen said, looking to his ma.
Laney’s heart dropped clear down to the toes of her slippers. Not only did Galen indicate he’d rather have Ivy Grubb come help his mother; Ivy was beautiful.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I ’m letting my imagination run away with me. Galen’s too methodical to be swept away by a pretty face in just a matter of days. But I would have said the same thing about Josh, and he’s besotted with Ruth .
Oblivious to how his words alarmed Laney, Galen continued on. “Miss Grubb’s come over and kept up your garden, Ma. She weeded and made sure to pick beans, tomatoes, and pears so you wouldn’t have to set to work till tomorrow.”
Galen’s mother has had to teach me about gardening. Ivy already knows so much, she can take care of that on her own. A farmer like Galen needs a wife who can work by his side and do those practical things. I didn’t learn them fast enough . Laney’s stomach clenched.
Weak laughter bubbled out of Mrs. O’Sullivan. “I should have guessed you’d found some help, Galen-mine. You were never one for cleanin’ the house, and my stove’s
“Let’s set that one off to the side.” Mrs. O’Sullivan turned to Hilda. “Some seasoning and eggs, and those mashed potatoes will turn into delicious potato pancakes. I’ll whip up some white gravy. Laney, boil noodles. Ruth, be a dear and grate some cheese for me.”
Ishmael began to back away toward the door. Mrs. O’Sullivan wagged her finger at him. “If you’re sneaking away, I’ll still expect you back for lunch. Aye, I will, Ishmael Grubb. And whilst you escape, take those bags you toted in along with you. The sugar and flour are for the Broken P.”
“Kelly,” Hilda said to Mrs. O’Sullivan, “Laney brought three flour and three sugar. Altogether, I don’t have storage at the Broken P for more than four sacks. You’ve got to keep those two sugar.”
“Lester sold every last jar of jelly and jam I took in to the mercantile, Ma,” Galen said. “Could you use the sugar to put up some pear butter?”
“Why, yes.”
Laney smiled. Everything’s going just as I hoped it would! “Ruth and I will be happy to come help.”
“Me, too,” Hilda tacked on.
“You ladies have done so much for us already.” Galen shook his head.
He started out with a word of praise, but that stubborn look on his face and the way he’s shaking his head … Laney blurted out, “Your mother has been exceptionally gracious, Galen. She’s taught Ruth and me so much. We’re both very grateful.”
Galen turned away from Laney and said to his mother, “I’m thinking Ishmael’s twin sister could help you.”
Laney couldn’t move. Galen’s words and action tore at her.
“Wow!” Dale stared up at Ishmael. “You got a twin?”
“They can’t be twins if she’s a girl.” Sean wrinkled his nose.
“Twins gotta both be boys or gotta both be girls.”
Ishmael hunkered down in front of the boys. “Now that ain’t quite the truth. Twins cain be a matched set, or they cain jist be two borned at the same time.”
“Like when Gertie farrowed. Hortense and Peasley and—” “Sorta like that.”
“Dale!” Mrs. O’Sullivan sounded as if she couldn’t decide whether she was shocked or amused. “Mrs. Grubb isn’t a sow. Please don’t take any offense, Mr. Grubb.”
Ishmael grinned. “After seein’ jist what a fine shoat Hortense is, and with Mr. O’Sullivan saying how Dale dotes on her, I’d say he was payin’ a compliment. I reckon if ’n my ma was still alive, she’d be tickled.”
Galen ruffled Dale’s hair. “With twins, there are only two babies.”
“Oh. So do they look alike?”
Laney dreaded hearing what Ishmael’s twin looked like, but she also desperately wanted to know. She waited to hear his answer.
Ishmael rose and a slow smile crossed his face. “Me and my sis—we both got pale hair and sky eyes, but on Ivy, it’s beautiful.”
“Miss Grubb and I came to an agreement,” Galen said, looking to his ma.
Laney’s heart dropped clear down to the toes of her slippers. Not only did Galen indicate he’d rather have Ivy Grubb come help his mother; Ivy was beautiful.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I ’m letting my imagination run away with me. Galen’s too methodical to be swept away by a pretty face in just a matter of days. But I would have said the same thing about Josh, and he’s besotted with Ruth .
Oblivious to how his words alarmed Laney, Galen continued on. “Miss Grubb’s come over and kept up your garden, Ma. She weeded and made sure to pick beans, tomatoes, and pears so you wouldn’t have to set to work till tomorrow.”
Galen’s mother has had to teach me about gardening. Ivy already knows so much, she can take care of that on her own. A farmer like Galen needs a wife who can work by his side and do those practical things. I didn’t learn them fast enough . Laney’s stomach clenched.
Weak laughter bubbled out of Mrs. O’Sullivan. “I should have guessed you’d found some help, Galen-mine. You were never one for cleanin’ the house, and my stove’s
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