him for myself,” Gretchen said.
“I’m surprised you haven’t already.” Jim rolled his eyes and Gretchen went down the hall with Leah behind her and Dodger padding after them.
Pastor Key’s head made quick jerking motions on the pillow and his mouth moved with unspoken words. “He does look young,” Gretchen said as she looked down at him. “I wouldn’t say a day over thirty at the most.”
Leah studied his face while Gretchen spoke.
“And he is good-looking in his own way.”
Gretchen touched his forehead. “He
is
burning up with fever.”
Leah automatically picked up the cloth from where it had fallen to the side, dipped it in the bowl of melting snow, wrung it out and placed it on his forehead. She scooped up some of the remaining snow and put it in his mouth, once more holding a finger beneath his chin to keep it closed.
A fleeting smile moved across his lips. “I thirst…” He sighed.
“Sounds like he knows his scripture,” Gretchen said. “I’ll ask Nonnie about his fever.”
“Thanks,” Leah replied. “I’m afraid I don’t know what else to do for him.”
Banks stood at the door looking in. He wore his coat and held a bag with his things. Leah knelt and took him in herarms. “I will see you tomorrow,” she assured him. “Have a good time.”
“I will.”
“I’ll check on you later,” Jim said.
“I’ll send Dodger down if I get into trouble,” Leah replied. “Thanks for taking Banks.”
“Try to get some rest,” Gretchen added.
If only I could.
Stillness filled her ears with their departure. With Banks gone, it felt as if all the light and life had left the house. Leah stood at the kitchen window and watched the three of them stagger through the snow. Jim carried Banks and Gretchen hung on to the tail of Jim’s coat as he led the way, trudging through the same path he’d cut on the way to her house. The sound of tiny ice pellets hitting the roof suddenly filled the air.
Once again, Nonnie is right
. A log popped in the stove. The cuckoo clock ticked away. Dodger lay down with a huff on the hall rug and put his head on his crossed paws.
Leah checked the pot on the stove. Chicken and dumplings. It smelled heavenly, not only because Gretchen was a good cook, but mostly because Leah didn’t have to prepare it herself. She opened the stove door and stuck a few more chunks of wood inside. She moved the pot over to the side so it would not bubble over. She wrapped the bread Gretchen delivered in a towel and put it on the shelf over the stove, along with the strudel. Both would stay warm until she was ready to eat. At the moment she was too tired to even think about it.
“Hmmm,” Leah sighed. She wiggled her rump closer to the solidness pressed up against her. Just the pressure against her back made the ache dissipate. The arm around her waist, holding her close, felt so safe and warm, especially with thesound of the ice hitting the roof. The scent of warm bread and chicken and dumplings filled the air. The only thing that needed doing was the fire. Nate would take care of it. He’d make sure she was warm.
Nate…
Leah opened her eyes. Strange clothes hung on the hooks next to the window. She was in Banks’s room, but the arm wrapped around her did not belong to her son, and it certainly didn’t belong to Nate.
“Stay with me angel,” a voice whispered in her ear.
Her eyes widened with shock. “Oh my goodness.” Slowly, and most carefully, she eased out from beneath the arm. Her escape was not graceful in the least. She ended up on the floor on her rump and scooted away by propelling herself with her arms and legs until her back was against the wall. She felt the icy cold from outside come through the wall and chill her back through the woolen fabric of her dress and the cotton chemise beneath. Somehow, in her sleep, her hair had come loose. She found the pins hanging in the tangles and quickly twisted the long strands back in place. Her hands shook with cold
“I’m surprised you haven’t already.” Jim rolled his eyes and Gretchen went down the hall with Leah behind her and Dodger padding after them.
Pastor Key’s head made quick jerking motions on the pillow and his mouth moved with unspoken words. “He does look young,” Gretchen said as she looked down at him. “I wouldn’t say a day over thirty at the most.”
Leah studied his face while Gretchen spoke.
“And he is good-looking in his own way.”
Gretchen touched his forehead. “He
is
burning up with fever.”
Leah automatically picked up the cloth from where it had fallen to the side, dipped it in the bowl of melting snow, wrung it out and placed it on his forehead. She scooped up some of the remaining snow and put it in his mouth, once more holding a finger beneath his chin to keep it closed.
A fleeting smile moved across his lips. “I thirst…” He sighed.
“Sounds like he knows his scripture,” Gretchen said. “I’ll ask Nonnie about his fever.”
“Thanks,” Leah replied. “I’m afraid I don’t know what else to do for him.”
Banks stood at the door looking in. He wore his coat and held a bag with his things. Leah knelt and took him in herarms. “I will see you tomorrow,” she assured him. “Have a good time.”
“I will.”
“I’ll check on you later,” Jim said.
“I’ll send Dodger down if I get into trouble,” Leah replied. “Thanks for taking Banks.”
“Try to get some rest,” Gretchen added.
If only I could.
Stillness filled her ears with their departure. With Banks gone, it felt as if all the light and life had left the house. Leah stood at the kitchen window and watched the three of them stagger through the snow. Jim carried Banks and Gretchen hung on to the tail of Jim’s coat as he led the way, trudging through the same path he’d cut on the way to her house. The sound of tiny ice pellets hitting the roof suddenly filled the air.
Once again, Nonnie is right
. A log popped in the stove. The cuckoo clock ticked away. Dodger lay down with a huff on the hall rug and put his head on his crossed paws.
Leah checked the pot on the stove. Chicken and dumplings. It smelled heavenly, not only because Gretchen was a good cook, but mostly because Leah didn’t have to prepare it herself. She opened the stove door and stuck a few more chunks of wood inside. She moved the pot over to the side so it would not bubble over. She wrapped the bread Gretchen delivered in a towel and put it on the shelf over the stove, along with the strudel. Both would stay warm until she was ready to eat. At the moment she was too tired to even think about it.
“Hmmm,” Leah sighed. She wiggled her rump closer to the solidness pressed up against her. Just the pressure against her back made the ache dissipate. The arm around her waist, holding her close, felt so safe and warm, especially with thesound of the ice hitting the roof. The scent of warm bread and chicken and dumplings filled the air. The only thing that needed doing was the fire. Nate would take care of it. He’d make sure she was warm.
Nate…
Leah opened her eyes. Strange clothes hung on the hooks next to the window. She was in Banks’s room, but the arm wrapped around her did not belong to her son, and it certainly didn’t belong to Nate.
“Stay with me angel,” a voice whispered in her ear.
Her eyes widened with shock. “Oh my goodness.” Slowly, and most carefully, she eased out from beneath the arm. Her escape was not graceful in the least. She ended up on the floor on her rump and scooted away by propelling herself with her arms and legs until her back was against the wall. She felt the icy cold from outside come through the wall and chill her back through the woolen fabric of her dress and the cotton chemise beneath. Somehow, in her sleep, her hair had come loose. She found the pins hanging in the tangles and quickly twisted the long strands back in place. Her hands shook with cold
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